As the Red Sea crisis goes on, with the Houthis targeting this key shipping route due to various geopolitical factors, logistics companies have to think of alternatives to move goods around the world.
Iran
Politics
Academic Fan Hongda argues that viewed against its modern history filled with contradictions and struggles, the Middle East is not in a worse state today, despite the recent rise in military operations in a short span of time.
Politics
With the latest 4 January bombing in Iran by the Islamic State, likely by the ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province) branch of the grouping, China is facing a renewed threat of one of its greatest fears: terrorism connecting the Middle East and Central Asia.
Politics
Reflecting on the rise of the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea beyond targets “linked to the Zionist entity”, academic Alessandro Arduino points out that in light of current US-China tensions in the Indo-Pacific, compounded by the polarisation of the Gaza conflict, prospects for successful multinational cooperation in addressing the ongoing maritime crisis seem bleak.
Politics
Amid China's diplomatic efforts such as a visit to Beijing by Arab and Islamic countries this week, the Israel-Hamas war is bringing about a much-needed reality check on China's ambitions in the Middle East, says Jean-Loup Samaan, a senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore.
Politics
The world's map of global governance and security architecture is shifting, and BRICS is heeding the call for change, says academic Alessandro Arduino. Countries like Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who have just been invited to join BRICS, seek to diversify their strategic options. This is in line with China's outreach to the global south and Russia’s need to combat international isolation, but the other BRICS members may have some hesitation.
Politics
It would be a mistake to think that the soon-to-be 11-member BRICS would unite to become a formidable coordinating force at the international level, says Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong.
Politics
China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui's trip to Europe and Russia to discuss the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis could be a historic milestone for China, says academic Yuan Hang. The country has far played a marginal role in the shaping of European security affairs in the past century, but this could all change if recent approaches are sustained.
Politics
After more than a year since the war in Ukraine broke out, Chinese and Ukrainian presidents have finally spoken for the first time, and the outcome appears promising. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong notes that while sceptics believe that China could still be leaning towards the side of Russia, China has shown that it is taking its role as a mediator seriously and is prepared for it.