People's Republic of China

Force in Play

Emerging as alternative mediator to ASEAN and US

A Cambodian soldier died in a border firefight on May 28, and within two months, the countries were exchanging artillery fire and airstrikes across a dozen locations. Three ceasefires—brokered by Malaysia, pressured by Trump, and witnessed by ASEAN—have left over 100 dead and a million displaced, yet the December 27 truce may fail like the others.

Updated 58 minutes ago

Rule Changes

Facing growing EU trade defence actions while wielding export controls and vast manufacturing capacity

In December 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Europe might impose U.S.-style tariffs on Chinese goods if Beijing doesn't curb its ballooning trade surplus. In an interview after his state visit to China, Macron said the surplus is "killing" European customers and called it a "life or death" struggle for EU industry, especially autos and advanced manufacturing.

Updated 6 days ago

Money Moves

Opposing US-Taiwan agreements

The United States produced 37% of the world's semiconductors in 1990, but by 2024 that share had fallen below 10%, with Taiwan manufacturing over 90% of the most advanced chips. A $500 billion US-Taiwan trade framework, initiated with a January 16, 2026 memorandum and formally signed February 12, commits Taiwanese firms to $250 billion in direct US investments plus $250 billion in credit guarantees for semiconductors, AI, and energy in exchange for 15% tariffs (down from 20%).

Updated Feb 13