Geopolitics

Macron stirs up trouble by asking Europe to take it slow with Taiwan

— President Macron’s remarks on Taiwan have attracted criticism as he urged the EU to achieve strategic autonomy by reducing its reliance on the U.S., and called for Europe to be a third power in the world order.

China-Russia Relationship

Xi and Putin meeting signals the return of the China-Russia axis and the start of a second cold war

— With their meeting, Russian and Chinese leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have signalled the official return of their alliance and the beginning of a new “Cold War”. The two nations will work together to restore their power over global affairs, challenging the West’s domination.

China-Taiwan Tension

Why Beijing has decided this is the year to ‘unify’ with Taiwan

— China’s leaders could use an attack on Taiwan as a distraction from economic issues at home.

War in Ukraine

War in Ukraine: Beijing’s peace initiative offers glimpse at how China plans to win the war

— Beijing’s 12-point proposal is a broad-brush plan for an end to hostilities which positions China as a key power broker.

Spying Balloons

Mysterious objects shot down over North America: Conflicting reports and speculation abound

— Reports about mysterious flying objects recently detected and destroyed above the U.S. and Canada have sparked a debate about their source. Balloons, military crafts, a group of foreign machines or from another world entirely? Speculations vary widely.

Analysis

Spy balloons: Modern technology has given these old-fashioned eyes in the sky a new lease of life

— Balloons can still be useful for gathering intelligence when used alongside satellites and aircraft.

Analysis

Chinese spy balloon over the US: An aerospace expert explains how the balloons work and what they can see

— A Chinese high-altitude balloon recently entered U.S. airspace, causing a high-level diplomatic meeting in Beijing to be cancelled in response. The balloon was shot down afterwards, even though it is believed that it was just a political provocation by China.

China Protests

Chinese protests are about more than COVID – Student discontent has fuelled the biggest movement since Tiananmen Square

— Young people are angry at COVID restrictions, but also poor job prospects and China’s heavy-handed suppression of free speech. Some protesters are even voicing the unprecedented demand that Xi Jinping steps down.

OPINION

China-bashing is being used to normalise mass-disability and loss of life

— China’s Zero COVID policy is being criticised as a means of legitimising the abandonment of public health in the West.

Tech

Why Meta’s share price collapse is good news for the future of social media

— Meta’s focus on virtual reality might free up space for smaller social media firms to compete.

War in Ukraine

Putin calls up more troops in Ukraine and threatens nuclear option in a speech which ups the ante but shows Russia’s weakness

— Vladimir Putin has played most of his cards now and is still not winning on the ground in Ukraine. His televised address to the Russian people is a desperate attempt to raise the stakes over the war.

Geopolitics

Putin’s failure in Ukraine will pave the way for China’s rise to pre-eminence in Eurasia

— A rapid shift in the balance of power between Moscow and Beijing has become apparent at the last Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting after the enormous military setbacks that Russia has suffered over the past few weeks in Ukraine.

OPINION

Last week the Axis Of Autocracy was consummated.

— If Donald Trump is elected President in 2024, none of the world’s democracies will be safe or protected from China’s or Russia’s forced attempts to convert democracies to autocracies.

War in Ukraine

What can China do about Ukraine and will it do it?

— The horror of what is happening in Ukraine has focussed minds on China’s obligations.

OPINION

To avoid an American war, Ukraine must be Poland, not the Rhineland.

— If the United States want to avoid a very-possible very-near future war with China over Taiwan, it must stand up now vigorously to Putin and Russia in Ukraine.

COMMENT

Some surprising actors want the Yankees in their backyard.

— The Estonians want the Americans to stand guard in the Baltics. So too, it seems, do the Pakistanis.