East Asia
The Second China Shock: causes and consequences of a global economic transformation
By Martí Serra Figarola · 30/10/2026
You can download the PDF version HERE. Executive Summary This article analyzes the Second China Shock, characterized by a surge in Chinese exports of high-value-added goods and the country’s enormous trade surplus. The phenomenon is the result of a growth model built on very high savings, weak domestic demand, heavy investment and an industrial policy […]
The Taiwan Dome (T-Dome) and the challenging Astropolitics behind it
By Marçal Sanmartí · 25/05/2026
Abstract Taiwan and its defence industry have decided to make a step forward announcing of a multilayer missile defence system called the T-Dome. As the name suggest, it has been inspired by the Israeli Iron dome. But the military, political and geographical differences between Israel, Taiwan and their adversaries are enormous. Even though the Taiwanese […]
Asia vis-à-vis the invasion of Ukraine
By Miquel Vila · 22/03/2022
The West has presented a united front before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Western audiences may believe that the world is rallying behind us against Russian expansionism. The fact is that we no longer live in a time when the opinion of the West could be taken as the opinion of the international community. The […]
Can the Tsai Administration’s Emphasis on Taiwan’s Soft Power Offer Lessons for Catalonia?
By Brian Hioe · 16/04/2021
Under President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s successes in expanding its international space have been well-noted. In particular, with Taiwan having remained entirely lockdown-free during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has seen international accolades for its successful response to the pandemic. Likewise, Tsai’s credentials as a progressive politician that enjoys the support of Taiwanese young people have been […]
The EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment: the risks of navigating without a map
By Miquel Vila · 17/02/2021
On the brink of 2021, China and the European Union (EU) signed the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment’s (CAI). The Commission argues that the CAI contains substantial concessions from China that would help balance trade relations and create a level playing field between both economies. China has agreed to open new areas of its economy […]
Is China an enemy of Biden’s America?
By Xulio Ríos · 29/01/2021
We might contextualize the most recent US policy towards China through two speeches, that of Vice President Mike Pence at the Hudson Institute in 2018, and that of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Nixon Library in 2020. Both developed, to some extent, the 2017 National Security Strategy. The message is clear and twofold: […]