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The United Arab Emirates said on April 28 it would leave Opec and Opec+ on May 1. Photo: EPA
Banking & finance

Macroscope | Mini-crises sparked by the Iran war may add up to a big collapse

From energy, inflation and trade to slowing global growth and investment uncertainty, these mini-crises have the makings of a massive crisis.

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Asian diaspora

Being Chinese | 3 months in China became 10 years. Here’s why I stayed

United States

Opinion | Why US may regret pushing allies towards greater defence autonomy

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China economy

Outside In | China’s manufacturing rise is here to stay. The West must recalibrate

The changes are structural and protectionism will only weaken long-term growth.

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Robots work on production lines at a mould and stamping company in Fuzhou, in China’s eastern Fujian province, on April 16. Photo: AFP
Robots work on production lines at a mould and stamping company in Fuzhou, in China’s eastern Fujian province, on April 16. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong society

Opinion | Why governments beyond Hong Kong are wary of prediction markets

Lack of oversight allows prediction platforms to recast weighty issues as wagers and take bets from those exploiting privileged information.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Opinion | My finance expertise was no defence against online scammers

Perpetrators of online fraud are enabled by new technology and connectivity, meaning everyone must be on their guard.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Why an era of managed Hormuz disruption wouldn’t bode well for Asia

As the Gulf moves from war to managed disruption, the risk may become more enduring for markets, governments and companies.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | US-Iran ceasefire can’t paper over fires in the Strait of Hormuz

The US blockade is war by another name and must end. Two other things must change for the Iran ceasefire to become genuine diplomacy.

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China-EU relations

Opinion | Facing US and Chinese pressure, the EU must forge its own strategy

To remain competitive, Brussels must leverage its market power to engage Beijing – while aligning with Washington on its own terms.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation

The danger is that every state insists it is acting defensively while collectively building the habits and infrastructure of confrontation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Reopen Strait of Hormuz by reframing Iran’s tolls as reconstruction

The deeper issue is whether post-war reconstruction and security in the Gulf will be handled through negotiation or recurring coercion.

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The Panama-flagged MSC Francesca is seen during seizure by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Strait of Hormuz on April 24. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
The Panama-flagged MSC Francesca is seen during seizure by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Strait of Hormuz on April 24. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
Diplomacy

Opinion | 122 years on, Mackinder’s ‘heartland’ remains geopolitically decisive

Conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have returned strategic focus to the idea of Eurasia as central to the global power contest, challenging the viability of the Indo-Pacific pivot.

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China-EU relations

Opinion | Middle East shipping crisis elevates China-Europe railway’s profile

Geopolitical strife has taken the China-Europe railway from an alternative to an essential part of continental connectivity.

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China economy

Opinion | For the US dollar, a subtler shift than a ‘petroyuan’ order is underfoot

Talk of a dollar collapse or ‘petroyuan’ order arriving amid the Iran war misses the mark. The larger shift is subtler and no less consequential.

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China’s President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Beijing on April 14. Photo: cnsphoto via Reuters
China-EU relations

Opinion | Why Spain’s ‘fruit bowl’ diplomacy with China comes up rather empty

Spain is a secondary actor within a middle-ranking bloc dealing with a major power. Diplomacy can soften but not change that asymmetry.

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President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on April 14. Photo: AFP
President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on April 14. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Macroscope | The real reason stock markets are still flying high despite grave risks

For all the talk of market resilience, too much portfolio investment is chasing too few real-world investment areas.

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Sustainability

Opinion | Asia’s future depends on looking beyond the West and its institutions

The countries with the best practical experience in hard development are in Asia, with much practical knowledge and experience to share.

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Food and agriculture

Outside In | The Iran war is brewing a food crisis we must avert

The world’s focus has been on energy shortages but famine and widening food insecurity are faces of the same coin.

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A Thai farmer fills an oil drum with diesel to harvest rice, at a petrol station in Ayutthaya on April 1. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides, alongside rising production costs which threaten their crops. Photo: EPA
A Thai farmer fills an oil drum with diesel to harvest rice, at a petrol station in Ayutthaya on April 1. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides, alongside rising production costs which threaten their crops. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran war ship seizures show how dual-use claims are being weaponised

In an increasingly fractured world, elastic dual-use claims could become not just a security tool but a new sticking point in global trade.

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China-Middle East relations

Opinion | China can offer Gulf states more than just a security umbrella

As threat perceptions reset, Gulf states are likely to pursue a dual track of restrained regional policy and diversified partnerships.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran crisis casts light on energy security from the US to Asia

Rhetoric aside, the US is just not that energy-independent. As for Europe and Asia, it’s time they pursued true energy independence.

Tankers and bulk carriers are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Opinion | US-China AI race must strike a balance between security and openness

Raising barriers to entry in tech in the name of national security could stifle global AI development.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Illustration: Craig Stephens
Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s diplomacy succeeds even if it doesn’t bring Middle East peace

From Beijing’s perspective, diplomacy is remarkably effective in advancing China’s regional interests and differentiating it from the US.

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | The world can look to Hong Kong as a pioneer of ethical AI

As emerging markets chart their own destinies regarding artificial intelligence, the city can serve as a nexus for responsible governance.

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Asean

Opinion | How new US-Indonesia defence pact sharpens China’s ‘Malacca dilemma’

The US is investing in the systems, skills and relationships that would matter if access to the Strait of Malacca ever came under pressure.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth hosts an honour cordon for Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Pentagon, in Washington, US, on April 13. Photo: Reuters
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