News – KCS Group Asia Ltd

The end of the Global South? A fragmenting bloc with no common interests

Articles / Africa, Asia, Due Diligence, Economy, Geopolitics, global governance, Global South, Latin America, manufacturing, Middle East, political instability, risks, supply chains, trade relations / 12/2025

The term Global South has served as diplomatic shorthand for a loose coalition of developing states seeking greater voice in a world dominated by Western institutions and norms. The label implied shared grievances and converging interests, suggesting that formerly marginalised regions could act collectively to reshape global governance. Today, however, this narrative is increasingly hard [...]

The end of the Global South? A fragmenting bloc with no common interests Read More »

The Birth of a Tri-polarity: ARC (America-Russia-China)

Articles / China, Due Diligence, energy markets, exports, Geopolitics, risks, Russia, Sanctions, tariffs, Technology, trade relations, United States of America, US-China trade / 11/2025

Over several months, a subtle but potentially significant geopolitical realignment has been unfolding. Less and less is being discussed publicly about BRICS, while quiet discussions are getting a little louder about the possibility of a de facto tripolar system among the US, Russia and China. This emergent formation (some geopolitics analysts are now calling it ARC) is not

The Birth of a Tri-polarity: ARC (America-Russia-China) Read More »

Europe’s push for rare earth magnet production: can it wean off China?

Articles / Canada, China, Due Diligence, Estonia, Europe, Geopolitics, minerals, rare earth magnet, risks, supply chains / 11/2025

Europe’s debut into large-scale rare-earth magnet manufacturing via the newly opened plant in Narva, Estonia, is a bold signal. Backed by EU funds and Canadian Export Credit Agency loans, this facility represents a strategic effort to break China’s long-standing stranglehold on critical magnet supply chains. But as promising as that may seem, the road to

Europe’s push for rare earth magnet production: can it wean off China? Read More »

Poland’s call to end Russian oil by 2026: cascade effects in the EU

Articles / Due Diligence, Economy, energy supply, European Union, global governance, Infrastructure, Oil, Poland, Politics, risks, Russia / 11/2025

Poland’s call for the EU to end all imports of Russian oil by the end of 2026 represents one of the most assertive energy policy positions to emerge from within the bloc since the invasion of Ukraine. Warsaw’s call is rooted in a conviction that economic links to Moscow continue to undermine Europe’s geopolitical security

Poland’s call to end Russian oil by 2026: cascade effects in the EU Read More »

Japan, US: a golden age?

Articles / Due Diligence, economic growth, Economy, Foreign investment, Global trade, Japan, manufacturing, risks, security, Takaichi, Technology, USA / 11/2025

When Sanae Takaichi was elected as Japan’s first female prime minister on 21 October, many observers were quick to raise scepticism and criticism. But taking a step back from the usual negative-narrative lens reveals a number of real indicators that Japan might be entering a much more dynamic era; one in which strong leadership, a

Japan, US: a golden age? Read More »

AI’s Energy Appetite: can the world’s grids keep up?

Articles / affordable energy, AI, digital age, Due Diligence, energy markets, energy supply, Geopolitics, Infrastructure, renewal energy, risks, Technology / 10/2025

The rapid ascent of artificial intelligence has been nothing short of revolutionary. AI systems are reshaping everything from healthcare to finance, promising to accelerate productivity and innovation at an unprecedented scale. Yet, this digital transformation is built on an increasingly fragile physical foundation: the availability of reliable and affordable energy. As machine learning models expand

AI’s Energy Appetite: can the world’s grids keep up? Read More »

UK’s Manufacturing Crisis: JLR cyberattack, supply chains and industrial fragility

Articles / cyber awareness, Cyber Security, Cyber-attacks, Due Diligence, European Union, Industrial, manufacturing, risks, security risks, supply chains, United Kingdom / 10/2025

When a cyberattack hit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) - owned by India’s Tata group - at the end of August 2025, production paused across key UK sites and thousands of factory staff were told to stay home while systems were rebuilt. JLR moved to a phased restart in early October beginning with Wolverhampton, then Solihull

UK’s Manufacturing Crisis: JLR cyberattack, supply chains and industrial fragility Read More »

Supply Chains and Sovereignty: the rising trend of localisation vs globalisation

Articles / Asia Pacific, China, Due Diligence, European Union, Geopolitics, Global trade, manufacturing, risks, supply chains, USA / 10/2025

In the past, the logic behind global supply chains was deceptively simple: source components where they were cheapest, assemble products where production was most efficient/ economical, and sell where demand was strongest. This model, refined over decades, essentially prioritised cost and scale above nearly all other considerations. Yet, in recent years, geopolitical pressures, technological competition

Supply Chains and Sovereignty: the rising trend of localisation vs globalisation Read More »

Scandium Stockpiling: the new minerals arms race

Articles / Canada, China, Due Diligence, exports, minerals, risks, Russia, scandium, supply chains, USA / 10/2025

Scandium has quietly shifted from an obscure industrial input to a geopolitical bargaining tool. In mid-2025, Beijing brought it under its export licensing system, meaning buyers now wait longer and face tougher approvals. The EU reacted in July with a formal resolution criticising the move, underlining how even minor minerals are being pulled into bigger

Scandium Stockpiling: the new minerals arms race Read More »

Difficult Decisions: infrastructure choices, payments, sanctions and alternative networks

Articles / currency, Due Diligence, financial governance, Geopolitics, global payments, payment networks, risks, Sanctions, US-China trade / 09/2025

Cross-border payments for the most part still run on SWIFT and old-school correspondent banking, but rules are now forcing banks to go real time. Since 9 January 2025, EU banks have been required to receive euro instant payments within 10 seconds, 24/7. By this October, they also need to be able to send them. That

Difficult Decisions: infrastructure choices, payments, sanctions and alternative networks Read More »

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.