https://www.scmp.com/rss/500680/feed Wang Huiyao is the founder of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based non-governmental think tank. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao For much of the post-war era, the architecture of global governance rested on the simple assumption that the United States would support the systems it largely designed and uphold the rules it helped to create. The first Trump administration was no isolated incident. Now, from the vantage point of 2026, amid the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz, it is quite clear that there is little sign of an appetite in Washington for the US to once again safeguard... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The global order has outgrown itself. The 2026 Munich Security Report describes this moment as a period of “wrecking-ball politics”, in which the post-war order constructed in 1945 is “under destruction”. However, that order was designed for a world shaped by bipolar rivalry and later sustained by American predominance. Today’s global system looks very different: economically diffuse, environmentally constrained and politically fragmented but deeply interconnected by both trade and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343875/its-time-global-governance-reflect-new-realities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343875/its-time-global-governance-reflect-new-realities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The global landscape is undergoing profound rupture. The United States has blatantly interfered in the internal affairs of Venezuela through direct military action and openly covets Greenland. US President Donald Trump has called Canada the “51st state” of his country and threatened to “take back” the Panama Canal. The US is undermining the core assumptions that have underpinned the Western alliance system. Against this backdrop, Canada’s policy community broadly and Prime Minister Mark Carney... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340315/why-china-canada-trade-and-global-cooperation-are-now-ripe-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340315/why-china-canada-trade-and-global-cooperation-are-now-ripe-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao Few developments over the past quarter century have been as consequential or widely debated as China’s ascent to global prominence as the vanguard of a rising Global South. To understand this change, we must look not only at outcomes but at the underlying drivers that made them possible. China’s development over the last 25 years did not occur by accident. It was not the result of any single policy. Rather, it was the cumulative product of farsighted design and vision as well as an evolving... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao Recent months have witnessed an important shift in the political landscape across the Taiwan Strait, one that deserves careful consideration from policymakers in Asia, Europe and the United States. Despite considerable global turbulence, years of rising tensions in Asia and external pressure, there are emerging signs of stabilisation and even fresh momentum for peaceful momentum towards unification between mainland China and Taiwan. Taiwan’s political environment has evolved significantly since... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335902/momentum-peaceful-reunification-across-taiwan-strait-growing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335902/momentum-peaceful-reunification-across-taiwan-strait-growing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao,Zhi Wang Wang Huiyao,Zhi Wang The world stands at a crossroads, amid an accelerating climate crisis, geopolitical tensions reshaping global trade and the demand from Global South nations to exercise their right to industrialise without repeating the polluting mistakes of the past. A new consensus is urgently needed that moves beyond zero-sum competition and towards collaborative solutions. The path to decarbonisation creates a trilemma of competing interests that threatens progress for all. First, Western anxieties must be... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3332346/global-green-industrialisation-initiative-can-have-win-win-win-outcome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3332346/global-green-industrialisation-initiative-can-have-win-win-win-outcome?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The now-delayed meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, could have been a turning point towards peace in Ukraine. Instead, it has revealed a deeper fault line. However, it is one that can be overcome. Even the Kremlin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, believes that the parties are close to an end to the war. The global community should offer an off-ramp and seek a middle ground amenable to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330630/only-multipolar-coalition-can-secure-ukraine-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330630/only-multipolar-coalition-can-secure-ukraine-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:30:13 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao As China transitions from the 14th to the 15th five-year plan, its economic trajectory is once again under scrutiny. External commentary often focuses on the short-term headwinds from a cooling property market and commensurately lowered growth, but these challenges obscure a more important story. Beneath the surface, China has a vibrant backbone made strong by the synergistic effects of infrastructure, human capital, technology and an unparalleled commitment to a green transition. These... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326515/critics-are-missing-big-picture-chinas-economic-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326515/critics-are-missing-big-picture-chinas-economic-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao Eighty years after World War II ended, the multilateral system is faltering. The United Nations, once the symbol of post-war peace and cooperation, is increasingly sidelined by unilateral actions and trade wars, amid the marginalisation of the Global South in decision-making. We are at risk of a world where tariffs and sanctions replace negotiation, conflicts multiply and the very principles of international law are often ignored. If the international community is to avoid drifting further into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324936/china-led-sco-critical-salve-ailments-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324936/china-led-sco-critical-salve-ailments-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, the world is watching closely. Modi’s visit will be a historic opportunity to usher in a new era of cooperation between two ancient civilisations whose populations account for just under 35 per cent of humanity, representing the world’s second- and soon-to-be third-largest economies. During Modi’s recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both seemed to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322841/how-modis-visit-china-can-reshape-asias-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322841/how-modis-visit-china-can-reshape-asias-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao In their op-ed in The New York Times, economists David Autor and Gordon Hanson – whose work first defined the “China Shock” – warn of a new wave of disruption, one they label “China Shock 2.0”, this time driven not by textiles or toys, but by electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The fear is that China is no longer merely catching up but is poised to overtake in sectors that once defined Western leadership. Yet the term “China Shock 2.0” practically... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3321569/unlike-us-china-not-trying-shut-out-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3321569/unlike-us-china-not-trying-shut-out-future?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote in 2007 that “Green is the new red, white and blue”, arguing that the United States could cement its leadership through clean technology. The ensuing decades have seen US political dysfunction turn that on its head. Now in 2025, he argues that US President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” will only “make China great again”. It’s not hard to see why he might think that. There is an intimate connection between generation capacity and national... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3318245/china-must-ensure-its-green-energy-leadership-good-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3318245/china-must-ensure-its-green-energy-leadership-good-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The recent visit of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to China reaffirmed the strategic depth of the China–Singapore relationship. His meetings with Chinese leaders underscored a readiness to work together to uphold the principles of free trade and multilateralism. But beyond symbolism, this visit raised critical questions. What role will Singapore now play on the global and regional stage? What new possibilities does this moment unlock? As geopolitical rivalry hardens and the risks of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3316985/how-singapore-can-help-china-build-bridges-age-fracture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3316985/how-singapore-can-help-china-build-bridges-age-fracture?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao At a recent Singapore conference on Chinese companies going global, I spoke on deglobalisation and the emerging contours of Globalisation 3.0. Perhaps more than ever, we need to look ahead to new ideas and concepts to tackle whatever the future holds. When China started its reform and opening up in 1978, its economy, shaped by autarkic experience and self-reliance, was still “in China for China”. In tapping world-changing market forces, the economy entered a period of “in China for the world” as... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3315681/chinese-companies-can-spearhead-new-wave-globalisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3315681/chinese-companies-can-spearhead-new-wave-globalisation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The International Organisation for Mediation launched in Hong Kong late last month, counting 32 countries as founding signatories. An institution designed to supplement and actualise Article 33 of the United Nations Charter is something the world increasingly needs as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags into its fourth year. Recent peace talks in Istanbul produced no appreciable progress, while swings on the battlefield have long since given way to a grinding impasse. Neither side appears capable... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3313842/why-china-remains-worlds-best-chance-peace-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3313842/why-china-remains-worlds-best-chance-peace-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao In recent years there has been a troubling resurgence of unilateral measures – tariffs, sanctions and such. On April 2, the US unleashed the newest wave of trade protectionism, which is already having real impacts. Even Europe, traditionally a key US ally, has felt the erosion of trust that underpins multilateral cooperation, as market uncertainty intensifies. Amid this turbulence, one fact remains constant: China and the United States, as the world’s two largest economies, have a shared... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309240/globalised-world-us-and-china-must-build-bridges-not-walls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309240/globalised-world-us-and-china-must-build-bridges-not-walls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Tokyo recently for the 11th China-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting – the first since November 2023. During the visit, he also co-chaired the Sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue with Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. The results were promising: 20 consensus points emerged from the economic dialogue, spanning trade to green development, alongside a commitment to hold a trilateral summit by the end of the year. Just... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3304376/broken-world-china-japan-korea-cooperation-asias-backbone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3304376/broken-world-china-japan-korea-cooperation-asias-backbone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:30:07 +0000 The Thucydides Trap – the idea that a rising power and an established hegemon are destined for war – often frames China-US tensions and conflict as inevitable. Yet I believe the outcome is determined not by fate, but by choice. Harvard professor Graham Allison, who popularised the term with his 2012 Financial Times article, agrees with me on the role of human agency. As he put it during an author reading event for my book, Escaping Thucydides’s Trap: Dialogue with Graham Allison on China-US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302266/us-china-thucydides-trap-no-means-foregone-conclusion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302266/us-china-thucydides-trap-no-means-foregone-conclusion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 The title of the latest Munich Security Report says it all. After 2022’s “Turning the Tide – Unlearning Helplessness”, 2023’s “Re: vision” and last year’s “Lose-Lose?”, this year’s tome, released ahead of the Munich Security Conference last month, is called “Multipolarisation”. The unipolar era has ended. I was the sole Chinese speaker invited to the conference’s kick-off event and attended the report’s release. Having taken part in the Munich Security Conference’s side events for years, I... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3300441/china-ready-be-anchor-brave-new-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3300441/china-ready-be-anchor-brave-new-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Global trade tensions have escalated sharply in recent weeks after US President Donald Trump launched a series of aggressive tariff measures. While maintaining elevated tariffs on Chinese imports, Trump has now threatened to extend similar protectionist measures to the European Union, raising alarm bells across the Atlantic. These mounting pressures have prompted European leaders to re-evaluate their strategic partnerships and trade relationships, particularly with China. Against this backdrop... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298162/trumps-trade-war-gathers-steam-china-and-europe-must-cooperate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298162/trumps-trade-war-gathers-steam-china-and-europe-must-cooperate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Global trade tensions have escalated sharply in recent weeks after US President Donald Trump launched a series of aggressive tariff measures. While maintaining elevated tariffs on Chinese imports, Trump has now threatened to extend similar protectionist measures to the European Union, raising alarm bells across the Atlantic. These mounting pressures have prompted European leaders to re-evaluate their strategic partnerships and trade relationships, particularly with China. Against this backdrop... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298304/trumps-trade-war-gathers-steam-china-and-europe-must-cooperate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298304/trumps-trade-war-gathers-steam-china-and-europe-must-cooperate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Feb 2025 04:06:44 +0000 As US president-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20, a pivotal moment in US-China relations is unfolding. One day before his inauguration, TikTok faces a shutdown under legislation requiring its Chinese parent ByteDance to divest or cease its US operations. Trump’s declaration last month that the United States and China “can together solve all the world’s problems” signals a reset in bilateral relations. He showed he was open to practical cooperation in his first term,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3294745/deal-maker-trump-business-cooperation-could-reset-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3294745/deal-maker-trump-business-cooperation-could-reset-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:30:07 +0000 The Global South’s quest for a more equitable world order gained fresh momentum at the 22nd Doha Forum in early December. During the two-day event, world leaders gathered to discuss China’s evolving role in international development. The high-level dialogue came at a critical time when the global trade landscape faces new uncertainties. As major economies like the United States and European Union signal a return to protectionist policies – with tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, solar panels... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3291558/chinas-ties-global-south-show-different-world-order-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3291558/chinas-ties-global-south-show-different-world-order-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 China’s visa-free policy for visitors, introduced last year, is quickly becoming its largest visa liberalisation since the founding of the People’s Republic. Last week, it added nine more countries to the scheme, including Japan, taking the total to 38. Effective from the end of the month, travellers from Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia and Latvia can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days. This is a doubling of the 15 days the scheme granted... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3287806/chinas-visa-free-initiative-shows-it-choosing-openness-over-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3287806/chinas-visa-free-initiative-shows-it-choosing-openness-over-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 01:30:10 +0000 Although Donald Trump’s return as president of the United States brings greater uncertainty, his transactional and pragmatic approach may also provide new possibilities for cooperation and stabilising relations with China. For a start, the president-elect is likely to open new trade and investment negotiations with China. True, during Trump’s first term from 2017-2021, significant changes took place in the US’ economic and trade relationship with China. In 2017, for the first time, the US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3285621/transactional-trump-may-well-improve-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3285621/transactional-trump-may-well-improve-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 21:30:07 +0000 The 16th Brics summit, held as the world marks 80 years since the Bretton Woods agreement, heralds an important development that is often misunderstood: Brics is not an anti-West bloc but a new platform to enable developing countries to engage in global governance. Involving more than 20 heads of state, the summit showed how emerging economies can contribute to global development. While Brics – named after early members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – represents around 30 per... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3283948/brics-not-anti-west-it-just-wants-fairer-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3283948/brics-not-anti-west-it-just-wants-fairer-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2024 01:30:07 +0000 As the world continues to wrestle with unprecedented global challenges, Africa’s development has become a focal point for international cooperation. While collaboration between Africa and China has made significant strides in recent decades, it is now time for a more inclusive approach to empowering the African continent. The recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit highlighted the strength of their relations, with China announcing a 10-point action plan to deepen its partnership with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3279500/truly-unlock-africas-potential-china-must-expand-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3279500/truly-unlock-africas-potential-china-must-expand-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:30:10 +0000 As global conflicts simmer, China’s role as a mediator is gaining prominence, with its economic influence and diplomatic connections helping it to foster dialogue. Last month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Guangzhou. During their talks, Wang reiterated China’s commitment to promoting a political resolution to the Russian war on Ukraine, a stance that received a positive response from Kuleba. China’s significant influence largely stems from its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274330/why-china-becoming-top-choice-mediator-global-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274330/why-china-becoming-top-choice-mediator-global-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Aug 2024 01:30:10 +0000 As global conflicts simmer, China’s role as a mediator is gaining prominence, with its economic influence and diplomatic connections helping it to foster dialogue. Last month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Guangzhou. During their talks, Wang reiterated China’s commitment to promoting a political resolution to the Russian war on Ukraine, a stance that received a positive response from Kuleba. China’s significant influence largely stems from its... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3274431/why-china-becoming-top-choice-mediator-global-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3274431/why-china-becoming-top-choice-mediator-global-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:55:10 +0000 In an era of increasing global interdependence, the traditional focus on ensuring security through military-focused alliances is no longer sufficient to address today’s global challenges. While recent Nato summits have reaffirmed the strength of such alliances, they have also highlighted their limitations in tackling 21st-century threats. There is an urgent need to shift towards prioritising human security, a concept that encompasses climate change, food security, energy and poverty... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3272502/alliances-nato-out-touch-world-need-human-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3272502/alliances-nato-out-touch-world-need-human-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 21:30:13 +0000 Amid the turbulence of China-US relations, a stabilising force has stood the test of time: exchanges between people, particularly educational exchanges. International students are a bedrock of ties, their experiences fostering understanding and building vital bridges between the two nations. As the world’s leading destination for international students, the US has long attracted Chinese students seeking a top-notch education and cross-cultural experiences. The recent report on international... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3266928/5-ways-china-can-attract-us-students-back-its-universities-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3266928/5-ways-china-can-attract-us-students-back-its-universities-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:30:08 +0000 The visit of China’s special envoy for climate change, Liu Zhenmin, to the United States on May 8-9 was one of the many recent interactions highlighting the renewed momentum in US-China relations. The visit included discussions with the new US climate envoy John Podesta on deploying technologies to reduce emissions from greenhouse gases like methane. This event underscores a broader trend of increased interactions between the US and China, such as the recent Harvard Kennedy School China... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3263334/stakes-have-never-been-higher-us-china-cooperation-get-gear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3263334/stakes-have-never-been-higher-us-china-cooperation-get-gear?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 May 2024 21:30:18 +0000 The issue of overcapacity in China has once again found its way into international discourse. During her recent visit to China, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen emphasised the concerns shared by the United States and other nations over China’s industrial overcapacity spilling into the global economy. Echoing Yellen, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also raised unfair Chinese trade practices during a subsequent meeting with local government officials in Shanghai. Overcapacity, denoting a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3260911/us-concern-about-chinas-overcapacity-non-issue-just-2009?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3260911/us-concern-about-chinas-overcapacity-non-issue-just-2009?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2024 21:30:16 +0000 Since the inception of China’s “reform and opening up” policy, the nation has introduced landmark reforms every decade or so. These major reforms in pursuit of national development and economic modernisation include the household contract responsibility system in 1982, the urban housing reform in 1994 and China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. By 2021, having achieved the goal of creating a moderately prosperous society and lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256096/how-reforming-rural-land-rights-can-aid-chinas-common-prosperity-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256096/how-reforming-rural-land-rights-can-aid-chinas-common-prosperity-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:30:37 +0000 In a significant diplomatic gesture during his visit to the Apec summit in San Francisco last year, President Xi Jinping announced that China would invite 50,000 young Americans to take part in exchange and study programmes over the next five years. This commitment to mend the cultural rift with the US was highlighted by the warm reception students from Muscatine High School in Iowa received when they visited China in late January. They also received a personal letter from Xi. Yet, such... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3254199/how-restoring-youth-exchanges-can-build-future-bridges-between-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3254199/how-restoring-youth-exchanges-can-build-future-bridges-between-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:30:11 +0000 We are living in a more dangerous world today. The end of the Russia-Ukraine war continues to be impossible to predict and, on top of that, Hamas’ attack on Israel and the subsequent fighting in Gaza has resulted in more than 23,000 deaths on both sides. The latter conflict shows few signs of letting up any time soon, raising the spectre of a regional war in the Middle East. The conflict has not only engulfed Israel and the Gaza Strip but also spilled over to neighbouring countries such as... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247952/israel-gaza-war-drags-china-could-rise-peacemaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247952/israel-gaza-war-drags-china-could-rise-peacemaker?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jan 2024 21:30:13 +0000 A clear message emerged from the first in-person China-EU summit in four years: building a multipolar world would require a systematic reform of global governance. China and Europe need to heal rifts and cooperate to play a pivotal and constructive role in ensuring a better future for global governance. The current international system, comprising the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization, and led largely by the United States and Europe, was established after World... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3244828/china-eu-cooperation-needed-safeguard-globalisations-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3244828/china-eu-cooperation-needed-safeguard-globalisations-future?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Dec 2023 21:30:09 +0000 In an era punctuated by escalating geopolitical strife and a burgeoning anti-globalisation sentiment, the imperative for international cooperation has vaulted to the forefront of global discourse. This was the prevailing theme at the recent 8th China Global Think Tank Innovation Forum in Beijing, followed immediately by the European-Union-funded EU-China Think Tank Exchanges. The sense of urgency for collective action was palpable among the attendees, which included a diverse assemblage of over... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240925/wars-global-warming-world-crying-out-collective-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240925/wars-global-warming-world-crying-out-collective-action?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 07:30:16 +0000 The prominence of this week’s Brics summit, particularly as it discusses the expansion of a bloc that comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to admit more members, reflects the rise of the Global South. In February, the Munich Security Conference added a panel discussion on how the Global North can better cooperate with the Global South. At the G7 summit in May, host Japan pushed to strengthen the Group of Seven’s ties with the Global South and especially invited the leaders of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231612/how-china-can-step-its-responsibilities-rising-global-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3231612/how-china-can-step-its-responsibilities-rising-global-south?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Aug 2023 22:15:21 +0000 Conflict is inevitable in any long-term relationship. What really matters is whether partners can manage, resolve and move on from their disagreements and build a healthier bond over time. This insight applies to international diplomacy as much as to romantic relationships. It is fair to say the aftermath of the balloon incident in February was not a shining example of conflict resolution. Rather than communicate calmly and effectively, China and the United States got caught in a cycle of blame... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3225473/rocky-us-china-relationship-could-benefit-couples-therapy-strategies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3225473/rocky-us-china-relationship-could-benefit-couples-therapy-strategies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:30:15 +0000 China’s leading technology companies are making a comeback. Recent earnings reports from Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent for the first quarter of this year show optimism in an improved regulatory environment and a recovering economy after the lifting of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in the world’s second-largest economy. Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, witnessed a 2 per cent increase in revenue compared to the previous year. Despite a slow start to the year, the operator of two of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3221798/chinese-big-tech-firms-are-comeback-trail-amid-economic-recovery-and-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3221798/chinese-big-tech-firms-are-comeback-trail-amid-economic-recovery-and-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2023 17:30:12 +0000 In the past three decades, few concepts have been more influential in international relations than the idea of soft power. The term was coined in 1990 by political scientist Joseph Nye to describe the ability to get what you want through attraction, rather than coercion or payment. Today, it feels like we are living in an age of intense soft power competition as the struggle between great powers extends beyond military and economic affairs into the realm of stories, images and information. After... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3219978/us-china-rivalry-heats-soft-power-competition-need-not-be-zero-sum-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3219978/us-china-rivalry-heats-soft-power-competition-need-not-be-zero-sum-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 May 2023 00:15:09 +0000 Congress has arguably never played a bigger role in the US-China relationship. Since the 118th Congress convened in January, lawmakers have introduced a lengthy series of China-related bills, met Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, in both the United States and Taipei, questioned TikTok’s CEO and formed a new select committee that has labelled the Communist Party an “existential threat” to the US. After this flurry of events, it is perhaps no wonder that the US Congress is seen as a hawkish and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216758/us-china-relations-restart-congressional-visits-mainland-revive-dialogue-and-understanding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216758/us-china-relations-restart-congressional-visits-mainland-revive-dialogue-and-understanding?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Apr 2023 17:00:14 +0000 At the heart of the intense scrutiny surrounding TikTok in the United States is the question of whether the Chinese government could access US data through TikTok or its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Amid the numerous reports and analyses following the House hearing on TikTok, one key Chinese initiative has been absent from the US debate, yet it could prove to be crucial. While concerns about US TikTok data potentially falling into Chinese government hands are not unfounded, the evidence is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3215725/us-concerns-about-chinas-data-security-should-be-addressed-not-tiktok-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3215725/us-concerns-about-chinas-data-security-should-be-addressed-not-tiktok-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Apr 2023 17:00:12 +0000 China’s “two sessions” – the annual meetings of the legislature and political advisory body – which wrapped up last week in Beijing, are always eagerly watched by investors around the world. This year, along with the tailwinds of China’s reopening, the meetings point to promising areas for international engagement and economic cooperation. First, the newly appointed cabinet is familiar with the market economy and private sector, and well-placed to promote China’s integration with the global... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214019/two-sessions-china-has-shown-its-eagerness-do-business-and-engage-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214019/two-sessions-china-has-shown-its-eagerness-do-business-and-engage-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:45:11 +0000 There are basically two ways that wars end: in an outright victory or with a negotiated settlement. After a year of fighting in Ukraine, there is a growing consensus that neither side can secure a total victory any time soon. Russia appears to lack the capability to overcome Ukraine while Western support continues. But Russian forces have dug in and it looks increasingly unlikely that Ukraine can eject them, even with better kit from the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not give up –... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3212270/ukraine-war-drags-why-not-give-chinas-peace-plan-chance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3212270/ukraine-war-drags-why-not-give-chinas-peace-plan-chance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Mar 2023 19:30:10 +0000 National leaders and foreign policy experts gathered in Bavaria last week for the Munich Security Conference, also known as the “Davos for Defence”. Over the years, the event has been a valuable factory for ideas and a barometer for shifts in geopolitics and states’ responses to new threats and challenges. In the early years after it was launched in 1963, the conference focused on the Cold War and nuclear threats and served to project the strength and cohesion of the transatlantic alliance.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3210805/democracy-autocracy-divide-will-not-serve-global-or-even-western-interests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3210805/democracy-autocracy-divide-will-not-serve-global-or-even-western-interests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:00:11 +0000 Recent years have seen ups and downs in China’s relations with Southeast Asia. Economic ties continue to grow but there have also been periodic frictions due to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Covid-19 and rising strategic competition between Beijing and Washington. This year presents a chance for Beijing to put relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on a more steady footing. China is eager to shore up ties with its Asean neighbours to prevent them being... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3207103/china-philippines-cooperation-puts-relations-asean-friendly-footing-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3207103/china-philippines-cooperation-puts-relations-asean-friendly-footing-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jan 2023 22:15:10 +0000 After almost three years of zero-Covid, China’s reopening has occurred “gradually, then suddenly”, to borrow Ernest Hemingway’s famous phrase. Just a month ago, life here in Beijing had all but ground to a halt as local lockdowns spread across the city. Now, it’s like a cloud has lifted as ring roads, offices and malls around the capital begin to fill up again. Cases are surging across the country, but most are mild and will soon subside as herd immunity is reached. Infections in Beijing may... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3206057/5-reasons-chinas-reopening-good-news-global-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3206057/5-reasons-chinas-reopening-good-news-global-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:15:14 +0000 In the early 1960s, Canadian media theorist Marshal McLuhan coined the term “global village” to describe how advances in communications technology bring people around the world closer together, enabling them to interact with each other more easily and experience the same events in real-time. Six decades later, the internet has helped to realise this vision to a degree that would have surprised even McLuhan. But today’s digital global village is not always a harmonious one. The internet helps... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3204648/china-must-embrace-global-internet-if-it-wants-reclaim-its-narrative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3204648/china-must-embrace-global-internet-if-it-wants-reclaim-its-narrative?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Dec 2022 06:30:10 +0000