President Xi
The recent unrest in China against the zero-Covid lockdown policy, spanning multiple cities and regions, certainly emulates the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. While no iconic photos of brave individuals standing in front of an army of tanks have surfaced yet, the courage of the Chinese people under authoritarian rule protesting for freedom and liberty needs …
China, Taiwan, and the dance of the dragon
It is commonly accepted that democracies do not go to war with one another. There is, however, much less consensus about what happens when one superpower wages a virtual war on the world, and another would rather it did not. This can be seen right now with Russia’s war in Ukraine, and China’s less-than-warm response. …
Decline and Fall: Democracy in Modern Russia
Earlier this year, against the backdrop of runaway COVID-19 infections, Russian citizens voted in a referendum that will reset Putin’s residential term limits. The result was never in any doubt. A large public campaign promoting the “Yes” vote and swathes of the opposition banned from campaigning or boycotting the event entirely proved the death knell …
Tigers & Flies: A Zoology of Chinese Business
There is a saying in China: Shan gao, huangdi yuan. The mountains are high, and the emperor far away. A modern translation would allude that central power often goes ignored, and that people should choose their own paths. However, in recent years it has also come to refer to the corruption that continues to plague …