https://www.scmp.com/rss/509866/feed Liam Gibson is a Taipei-based freelance geopolitical analyst, who mainly focuses on Indo-Pacific affairs. He also produces podcasts for think tanks and is the founder of Policy People, an online platform for think tank experts. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liam Gibson Liam Gibson The sudden implosion of FTX earlier this month – the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange – has delivered a body blow to the crypto world. As the contagion spreads throughout the ecosystem, with cryptocurrency lender BlockFi edging towards bankruptcy and exchanges Crypto.com and Binance assuring investors they won’t be next to fall, many fear cryptocurrency’s “Lehman Brothers’ moment” has arrived. Precipitated by earlier tremors, like the collapse of stablecoin Terra Luna and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3200130/cryptocurrencies-are-facing-existential-moment-and-time-running-out-align-standards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3200130/cryptocurrencies-are-facing-existential-moment-and-time-running-out-align-standards?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Nov 2022 01:00:12 +0000 Pakistan’s tragic floods have been an abject lesson in climate justice – a disturbing reminder of the developed world’s obligation to support the Global South in its struggles against environmental disasters. Yet while international aid and a US$1.1 billion IMF relief package will be vital for Pakistan’s recovery, the need for cooperation with its giant neighbour and the political stability this would bring to the region must not be overlooked. Tentative signs show the crisis is edging Islamabad... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3192769/stronger-pakistan-india-ties-regional-stability-may-be-silver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3192769/stronger-pakistan-india-ties-regional-stability-may-be-silver?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Sep 2022 08:00:10 +0000 Among the many casualties of the unfolding war in Ukraine, two hold a special place in the heart of the global order – international agreements and nuclear non-proliferation. Ukraine, which once had the third-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, gave them all away in the Budapest Memorandum in exchange for signed assurances from Russia not to use force to threaten its independence. The result is now here for all to see, and world leaders are watching. Many states will draw a sobering lesson... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169276/russias-invasion-ukraine-shows-fearful-nations-nuclear-weapons-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169276/russias-invasion-ukraine-shows-fearful-nations-nuclear-weapons-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 17:00:11 +0000 Lithuania’s decision over a de facto Taiwan embassy is part of a broader strategy to disrupt the substance of the European Union’s China policy as well as the very power structures that undergird relations between the two. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis aims to break what he calls the “troika format”, where France and Germany set the terms of engagement for the rest of Europe. While analysts focus on the impact of Lithuania’s falling out with Beijing, the real measure of its... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3145103/lithuanias-taiwan-decision-aimed-upending-china-eu-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3145103/lithuanias-taiwan-decision-aimed-upending-china-eu-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Aug 2021 17:30:19 +0000 Staring down growing external threats across the Taiwan Strait, the last thing Taipei needs is a Covid-19 outbreak to shake its domestic scene. Yet, that is exactly what is unfolding, and the timing could not be worse. As Taiwan’s attention turns inward to manage the new outbreak and a string of infrastructure disruptions, it will be increasingly vulnerable to continued pressure from Beijing. Taiwan’s previous deft pandemic response and domestic infrastructure stability have underpinned its... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3133941/covid-19-surge-will-test-taiwans-resilience-pressure-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3133941/covid-19-surge-will-test-taiwans-resilience-pressure-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 May 2021 19:30:12 +0000