China

The US vs China – who will draw back?

The two major powerhouses of the world’s industrial and financial markets are not just at odds with each other but are fighting a ‘cold war’ that threatens the very foundations upon which all countries operate. Both economies are suffering – and that’s partly as a result of policies enacted by their own governments. For China, the …

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Unravelling the Dragon’s downturn: analysing the decline of the Chinese Economy

Growth in China’s GDP has unexpectedly slowed, raising concerns for its domestic and global growth prospects. In this second quarter, China’s gross domestic product grew by just 0.8%, signalling one of the worst performances in fifty years. Businesses that are heavily reliant on trade with China must mitigate risk and ensure they are adequately prepared …

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Damned if you do, damned if you don’t – Putin and the BRICS summit

Putin’s decision to avoid the BRICS summit is not all it seems. Between 22 and 24 August, South Africa will have the honour of hosting the 2023 annual BRICS summit. The big names – Brazil, India, China and the hosts, South Africa – will be present in full force. The Russian President will not. BRICS …

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Chinese infiltration: espionage on the increase

The threat from within is being ignored. The intelligence community has been issuing warnings for companies doing business with China for some years. However, the situation in recent months has become far more serious, with the theft of intellectual property reaching unprecedented levels. The National Counter-intelligence and Security Centre (NCSC) recently warned of an update …

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Two hard-boiled egos

When two powerful world leaders start to collaborate over how to restructure the global order, the rest of the world had better sit up and take note. The leaders from the G7 nations are desperately trying to intervene, but they are slowly losing cohesion and influence. The growing combined influence of Xi and Putin is …

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp – businessmen or terrorists?

It appears that Iran is entering into business negotiations in the Near Abroad and is looking to benefit from the new detente with Russia and China. Members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) are already in negotiations in Uzbekistan where a million barrels of oil a day (from a daily production of 1.46 million …

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The Real Threat to the West from Russia and China

If Russia and China successfully expand and develop the North-South trading corridor over the next two years, the impact on the world economy could be huge. It is difficult to estimate accurately how much of the US$94 trillion world economy would be accessible to this newly fortified trading coalition. One thing is certain, however – it …

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Far-reaching consequences of the conflict in Sudan

The conflict that has broken out recently between army units loyal to Sudan’s military ruler and Sudan’s paramilitary is potentially a major cause for concern. It is reported that the fighting started in the capital, Khartoum, and in the city of Omdurman. The exact cause of the fighting is – for now – unclear, but …

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The North-South corridor: the rise of the East

The International North-South Transport Corridor is a 4,500-mile network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving cargo between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Central Asia. However, due to the recent normalisation of relations between regional enemies, Saudi Arabia and Iran (negotiated by China) has altered the North-South Corridor to include those nations. The rapprochement …

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Saudi Arabia and Iran – an unholy alliance

Russia and China are using Saudi Arabia and Iran to create a North South trading corridor to dilute the trading power of the West. China, as the Big Brother within the BRICS trading bloc, is seeking to mediate between the two to establish a trading agreement that would benefit all parties involved, excluding the West. This move …

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