With the Taiwan presidential elections at a close and the Democratic Progressive Party clinching a historic third consecutive term, commentator Gu Erde takes a look at the challenges ahead for president-elect William Lai.
Politics
Politics
With the Democratic Progressive Party's William Lai winning the Taiwan presidential election, there are concerns that Lai's future moves might provoke mainland China into extreme actions. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan weighs up the possibilities.
Politics
Erik Baark takes stock of China’s gains at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. The status of China in the negotiations was clearly enhanced by the compromise achieved by the US and China with the Sunnylands Statement in November 2023. On the difficult matter of establishing an international consensus on the approach to fossil fuels, China also seems to have found room to manoeuvre in the call for countries to commit to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems”.
Politics
Academic Chen Gang notes that China’s appointment of its first defence minister with a naval background highlights the priority it has set for its military development. Given the US’s aggressive Indo-Pacific maritime strategy, China is responding in kind, leading to "grey rhino" that could spark a war.
Politics
With the Taiwan presidential election nearing its climactic end, Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong notes there has been nothing fresh with election rhetoric, leading to a dull affair. Nonetheless, the election carries a lot of weight given its potential impact on cross-strait and China-US relations.
Politics
As Taiwan’s presidential election nears, young people's concerns about domestic social issues is becoming a significant voting factor. NUS academic Lu Xi notes that Ko Wen-Je’s popularity among youths and the change in political discourse since Tsai Ing-wen’s “four commitments” has shown that the dilemma over reunification and independence has taken a backseat and could thus pose a challenge to mainland China’s reunification strategy.
Politics
Bangladesh’s ruling government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was easily returned to power on 7 January. While the US has often criticised Bangladesh's elections as not being free and fair, its close neighbours China and India seem prepared to focus on Bangladesh’s strategic value in increasing their regional influence.
Economy
Academic Naoise McDonagh assesses the headwinds in store for China in 2024, as the US and Europe ratchet up their de-risking efforts. It is clear that Brussels and Washington are also trying to calculate the costs they are willing to absorb in the new world of weaponised trade, meaning all sides will have to dance carefully to the tune of de-risking in the year to come.
Politics
Academic Kang Jun-young examines the recent rhetoric by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, especially comments relating to the prospect of nuclear war. How likely is that, and how will continuing US-China tensions and upheavals in this year of elections around the world affect the stability of the Korean peninsula?