The situation in the South China Sea is serious, but not hopeless. Serious because the skirmishes between China and the Philippines are tinkering with a new fuse for an explosive device. But not hopeless, because nobody here can really have any interest in a military conflict. It would only become really serious if the governments allowed themselves to be drawn into another regional war as a spin-off of the broader conflict between China and the USA.
Tag Archives: Militarisation
Newsletter 31/May-June 2024
Contents: Renovation of the World Order +++ Eastern Wind in Central Asia +++ Invitations to the 9th ChinAfrica-Forum +++ BRICSplus: Further candidates for membership +++ China’s new Man in the World Bank +++ Readings: Dynamics of structural transformation +++ Gegengelesen: China bedroht Europa! +++ Quotes: War in Gaza: China wins! +++ Who makes the rules? +++ China’s Hand in Kanaky?
Newsletter 29/March 2024
Contents: Guest post: Bringt China die Energiewende für den Globalen Süden? +++ Guest post: What price for Africa’s digital development? +++ ‚Immer mehr ‘Out of area’-Einsätze der Bundeswehr +++ Strategische Partnerschaft mit der Mongolei +++ Wechselnde Allianzen, wachsende Spannungen in Südasien +++ Readings: China’s development cooperation system +++ Update Blogroll: Elements in Global China +++ The Arctic Institute +++ Quote: Advantage USA?
Newsletter 28/February 2024
Content: New Scramble for Africa +++ Belt&Road entwächst den Kinderschuhen +++ Asymmetrische Militarisierung +++ Limited Autonomy of Chinese NGOs abroad +++ Ups and Downs: Zivilgesellschaft in Afrika und Lateinamerika verstärkt den Druck +++ Readings: Globalising the Chinese working class struggles +++ Dramatische Veränderungen bei Belt&Road +++ Update Blogroll: Chinese in Africa / Africans in China +++ China in Africa +++ Quote: Competition and Conflict
Newsletter 27/January 2024
Contents: Flexible Loyalitäten und Allianzen +++ War about critical minerals? +++ Liebesgrüße von ‚Fat Man’ und ‚Little Boy’ +++ Weiterer Rückschlag für BRICS? +++ Ups and downs: Bid to De-Risk China’s Global Infrastructure Initiative +++ Belt&Road in Southeast Asia +++ Chinesische Konzerne in Indonesien +++ Readings: China-Africa Relations in 2024 +++ Southeast Asia’s Future: Averting a New Cold War +++ Which international Order? +++ Update Blogroll: China Global South Project +++ Quote: The Year of the Dragon
War about critical minerals?
For some commentators, the Russian attack on Ukraine is the “first lithium war”. After all, a side effect of the Russian invasion could be to frustrate Europe’s plans for a secure supply of strategic, critical raw materials, which Ukraine has in abundance. Such considerations show the potentially explosive power of competition for critical raw materials for ‘green capitalism’.
Newsletter 25/October 2023
CONTENTS: Guest blog: Etikettenschwindel ‘Global Gateway’ +++ Lebenszeichen zum BRI-Jubiläum +++ Europäische Seidenstraße in Zentralasien +++ Global Gateway-Forum in Brüssel +++ Schuldenkrise: Streicheleinheiten vom IWF +++ Wer “Doppelnutzung” finden will, findet sie auch +++ Das „gefährlichste Schlupfloch“ in der regelbasierten Ordnung +++ Konnektivitäts-Initiativen +++ Lesehinweis: Sackgasse Polare Seidenstraße +++ Blog Roll Update +++ Quote: Who’s afraid of debt?
Newsletter 24/September 2023
Contents: IMEC: Geopolitik mit Wirtschaftskorridoren +++ G20 und das Tauziehen um den Globalen Süden +++ Just another BRICS in the Wall +++ Update: Ten years of BRI: Guests by surprise +++ Danke, Flugbereitschaft! +++ Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Under Scrutiny +++ Kritische Menschenrechtsbilanz kritischer Mineralien +++ Historisches Referendum in Ecuador +++ Eisenerz aus Westafrika statt aus Australien +++ Readings: Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2023 +++ A Decade of the Belt and Road Initiative +++ Quote: Africa’s rising clout
Newsletter 23/August 2023
Contents: Und Chinas nächste Marinebasis ist …. +++ Vor dem BRICS-Gipfel … +++ Water cannon incident: Threatening “peace and security” +++ 1.000.000.000.000 US-Dollar für Belt&Road +++ Belt&Road in Kambodscha: Groß und teuer +++ Ciao China: Giorgia Meloni sucht die Ausfahrt +++ Readings: Auf der Suche nach Chinas Marinestützpunkten +++ Quote: NATO’s Expansion
Newsletter 21/June 2023
Contents: Hindernisse auf der Seidenstraße +++ Schuldzuweisungen in der Schuldenkrise +++ Europeans consider economic relationship with China as bearing more benefits than risks +++ „The Future of Geopolitics Will Be Decided by 6 Swing States“ +++ Chinese Investments and Labour Struggles in Indonesia +++ Internationale Solidarität aufbauen! +++ Cambodia: Benefits and Costs of participation in BRI +++ „Guardians of the Belt and Road“ +++ The risks and rewards of economic sanctions +++ Preparing for or preventing war with China