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Jacob Mardell

Jacob Mardell

Jacob Mardell is an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies.
Jacob Mardell is an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies.
Languages Spoken:
English

Opinion | Belt and road’s focus on hard infrastructure to stay, whatever Beijing says

A professed shift in focus from hard infrastructure to ‘institutional connectivity’ is laudable but unlikely. The open nature of the belt and road deters efforts to shape it into a more binding platform, and Chinese companies are likely to cement their foothold in the industry by building more, not less.

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Lula’s victory over Jair Bolsonaro brings back a president with a pro-Beijing record, but the geopolitical context has changed since the early 2000s. Rather than repeat the past, Lula will try to attempt to balance relations with the US and China while pursuing greater regional integration.

Rather than political leverage, this reputational gain is the main prize of Chinese vaccine diplomacy and supports Beijing’s aspirations to global leadership

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When it comes to the driving forces behind purchase agreements with China, the picture that emerges is one of adequate solutions meeting extreme demand. China, and now Russia, are winning purchase agreements simply by being able to deliver.

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Just as Central Asia’s dependence on China is an unfortunate reality, so is the participation of Huawei in Britain’s 5G network. Washington’s failure to acknowledge basic realities was on show during the US secretary of state’s recent tour.

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Related Topics
The ViewBelt and Road InitiativeDiplomacyCoronavirus pandemic: All storiesChinese coronavirus vaccines