New Cold War

Inside Xi Jinping’s push to reshape global governance

China’s recently unveiled Global Governance Initiative (GGI) differs from earlier calls to reform the global order in terms of the scope and drive for change. Beijing now seeks a leading role on the world stage either with the US playing a diminished role or without the US. But global reception to the GGI hinges on Beijing matching its words with action.

Lye Liang Fook

The ‘impossible trinity’ in China-US relations

Among a powerful China, an unchanging Chinese political system, and continued friendly cooperation between China and the US, an “impossible trinity” has formed. What would this mean for US-China relations in Donald Trump’s second term? Academic Fei-Ling Wang explores the issue.

Fei-Ling Wang

US's 'axis of evil' narrative could escalate tensions on Korean peninsula

With North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia recently, observers worry that North Korea and Russia, together with China, are drawing closer, forming a greater "axis" of nuclear threat. But academic Jin Kai sees the sense of a greater "alliance" forming as all part of the US and its allies' "geopolitical imagination", which could see them taking steps that escalate the situation in the Korean peninsula.

Jin Kai

China's new export controls on rare metals for chipmaking: Latest tit-for-tat in US-China tech war

The China-US tech war has heated up again as China imposes export restrictions on two rare metals widely used in strategic emerging industries. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu notes that this is a tit-for-tat move against the US for its export restriction of advanced chips and chipmaking technology to China. How will this latest move in the tech war affect the semiconductor industry and China-US relations?

Yang Danxu

A Chinese balloon derails US-China rapprochement

Commentator William He analyses reactions to a Chinese balloon being detected in US airspace, and US-China relations being hit by another cold snap. Are we going back to Cold War times?

William He

Can Taiwan hold on to its lead in chip manufacturing?

Taiwan's semiconductor industry is booming, but its pole position is at risk. With the industry deemed of national security concern, China, the US and the EU are implementing restrictive measures, upping their investment and aiming for autonomy and self-sufficiency in the sector, which could cause Taiwan to lose its competitive edge.

Gu Erde

The US's new National Security Strategy: An action plan to defeat China

The US's recent release of its new National Security Strategy (NSS) represents its vow to outcompete its rivals, especially China, on the international stage. Political commentator Jin Jian Guo says that the ideological tussle between China and the US is becoming a new Cold War and for the NSS to be released during the period of China's 20th Party Congress, the starter's pistol has been fired in a strategic competition where there can only be one winner.

Jin Jian Guo

Global Security Initiative - China's solution to international security?

At the Boao Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Security Initiative which has the concept of "indivisible security" at its core. Is this China's answer to breaking up "small cliques" in international relations and seeking to build a community of common destiny for mankind?

Zhiqun Zhu

Putin and Russia's greatest 'contribution' to history

Researcher Wei Da notes that the end of the Cold War left many questions unanswered, including the role of ideological tussles and the clash of civilisations. Among other things, Putin's invasion of Ukraine shows that a truly strong state is one with a limited government and a developed civil society. The international community has been jolted into action, and it is time to recognise that there is still some way to go to achieve modernisation.

Wei Da

Russia-Ukraine war has triggered another split in China-US relations

Economics professor Zhu Ying observes that since US-China relations reached their high point after former President Trump's visit to Beijing in 2017, China-US relations have seen three splits, each driven by the trade war, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine respectively. Amid tense relations and set identities that have been formed, one can only hope that the US and China do not stumble into a hot war.

Zhu Ying

Fifty years after Nixon's visit, is China tilting back towards Russia?

Fifty years after Nixon's visit to China, some Western analysts have opined that China is tilting back towards Russia, and the new Cold War has begun. However, Chinese analyst Zheng Weibin believes that the current Ukraine crisis actually marks the true end of the Cold War. Not only would Russia be less effective with exerting its influence over its former republics, but the West has demonstrated stronger unity. He cautions that while the West likes to liken China to Russia, the two are totally different kinds of nations with very different mindsets. To move forward and achieve mutual growth, both China and the West need to put aside the Cold War mentality and embrace the current world for what it is.

Zheng Weibin

Why China has no choice but to challenge the US's grand strategy

While some China observers believe that China has sought to displace America from the regional and global order and possesses a grand strategy in the military, political and economic realms, Indian researcher Hemant Adlakha asks if this sense of threat is a mistaken perception or even a grand illusion. But even as the Chinese repeatedly deny such ambitions, Washington looks set to tighten the noose around Beijing. In such an event, China will be left with no choice but to challenge the US twin strategies of encirclement and containment.

Hemant Adlakha