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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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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US, Israel war on Iran

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

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China-EU relations

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

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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
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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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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A China-Europe goods train departs from Tongjiang, Heilongjiang province, on December 9, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
A China-Europe goods train departs from Tongjiang, Heilongjiang province, on December 9, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
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-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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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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A trader works, as a screen broadcasts a press conference by US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell following a rate announcement, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on March 18. Photo: Reuters
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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Workers install solar panels with a crane at the site for the CNNC Tianwan project in Lianyungang, in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on April 19. Photo: AFP
Workers install solar panels with a crane at the site for the CNNC Tianwan project in Lianyungang, in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on April 19. Photo: AFP
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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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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
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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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.

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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Illustration: Craig Stephens
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.

China-EU relations

Opinion | Why Spain’s outreach to China offers a viable model for Europe

De-risking while also deepening ties beyond the transactional shows that interdependence and strategic autonomy aren’t mutually exclusive.

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Asean

Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Asean survey reflects China’s growing strategic influence but also concerns. The question is: will China crowd the US out of the region?

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Artificial intelligence

Opinion | As AI evolves, school syllabuses must evolve with it

As artificial intelligence upends job markets and academic norms, we must go beyond the fear of change to redefine what it means to be educated.

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While the human element will always be essential, amid the AI revolution, society must figure out what tasks should be automated and what professions can ultimately add value for the workers of tomorrow. Photo: Getty Images
While the human element will always be essential, amid the AI revolution, society must figure out what tasks should be automated and what professions can ultimately add value for the workers of tomorrow. Photo: Getty Images
India

Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Pakistan, with its contested reputation, leapt into diplomatic action while India, despite its heft and concerns, was absent from the frame.

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War and conflict

Opinion | Why ceasefires struggle and fail

From Ukraine to Gaza and the Middle East, the lesson of history is that ceasefires rarely hold.

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China technology

Opinion | US controls chips in the AI race, but China controls the scoreboard

Whoever produces tokens cheaply, at scale, has an advantage in the AI economy, just as cheap steel once decided industrial supremacy.

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A lobster-shaped pendant at an OpenClaw event in Beijing on March 22. At a time when AI agent platforms like OpenClaw are taking China by storm, the Chinese government has proposed a new unit of account for the intelligent era. Photo: Xinhua
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