Trade, Investment and Economics

Critics of the BRI accuse China of pursuing a policy of ‘debt-trap diplomacy’: luring poor, developing countries into agreeing unsustainable loans to pursue infrastructure projects so that, when they experience financial difficulty, Beijing can seize the asset, thereby extending its strategic or military reach.

This paper examines the risks of greater strategic competition as well as potential solutions for mitigating the impacts of the US–China economic confrontation.

The ‘Security and Prosperity in Asia’ conference examined the impact of international law in the Asia-Pacific with a focus on regional economic and security issues.

This paper examines the political and government systems in East Asia in the wider context of the growth of populism worldwide. It argues that the countries of the region should seek multilateral solutions to global and regional problems.

A divergence between the China policies of the two traditional transatlantic allies is not new.

This report makes the case that a stronger relationship between the UK and Japan could advance each country’s ability to address shared global concerns.

The global infrastructure project must move beyond mish-mash of opaque bilateral deals

Asia’s economic success was built on the central bank having the policy space to determine monetary policy. Tainting central banks with politics will only concern financial markets and confuse the public.

New policies at People’s Congress, but old tensions remain, not least over Belt and Road.

Mixed signals from London are hindering stronger economic ties with Beijing.

The dispute over the arrest of a Huawei executive challenges both the nationalism and the economic stewardship that underpins the Communist Party’s legitimacy at home.

Beijing’s muddled response to a tumultuous 2018 exposed the myths of an ultra-powerful president running an economy inexorably destined for unstoppable growth.

As rancor at the meeting shows, striking the balance between the two great powers will only get more challenging.

To run a truly global foreign policy, the ultimate challenge for China is winning hearts and minds rather than showering renminbi.

Canberra and Wellington’s misguided policies towards Pacific island economies will undermine their relationships and open the region to further influence from China.

The UK would be a valuable partner for Japan as it tried to bolster Asian multilateralism, but the benefits are not as clear for Britain.

The government’s plan to develop a massive urban cluster in southern China reflects the growing heft of China’s regions.

The dominance of China’s president means he gets all the praise when things go right — and all the blame when they don’t.

Risk management is a key part of economic development. China could use some simple principles for managing risk to improve the prospects of its flagship infrastructure initiative.

There will always be a tendency for politics to push to protect or enhance ‘local innovation’ but it is in the longer-term interests of both the EU and China to encourage innovation collaboration.