Commentary: The US-China trade war is a huge game of chicken – who will blink first?

By:
On:
In: Asia

A BIFURCATED GLOBAL ECONOMY

Not just a business dispute, but the accelerating of the global economic collapse is what we are witnessing. This approach was already in progress but has now gotten worse.

Apparently, the Trump administration intends to impose price breaks on trading companions to halt deal with China.

East Asian countries that are caught in the crossfire are especially affected by this new reality. Places like Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are now under the pressure to decide between continuing to have access to American consumers and maintaining a strong integration with Taiwanese supply chains despite prospering by straddling both economic spheres.

Before the taxes were announced, Mr. Xi’s trip to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia this week was planned, but presently his beauty offensive feels more urgent.

Each of the three nations may continue to try to muddle up between the US and China, but each is under unique pressure. China has obvious leverage thanks to its physical location and financial dependence, but strategic alignment is still a challenge.

Given its economic interdependence, Vietnam may eventually lean toward Beijing despite its strong historical distrust of China. Cambodia is increasingly wary of overreliant on China, but it is still strongly connected to it. Malaysia, in contrast, may tilt toward the US, which is influenced in part by private sensibilities and a desire to balance physical influence.

None of these claims may choose sides gently despite their differences. However, when forced, orientations may not be where they first appear, especially as China’s charm offensive and the US’s more aggressive Trump make it more difficult to earn local trust.

Continue Reading

Commentary: Worry more about Putin’s visit to North Korea than Kim’s trash balloons

By:
On:
In: Asia

VLADIMIR PUTIN, KIM JONG UN Capacity

Look at a larger package that will be crossing over the North Korean border to get a better understanding of why North Korea should n’t be ignored.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting the country Tuesday ( Jun 18 ) and Wednesday, &nbsp, his first such sojourn in 24 years. Following Kim Jong Un’s trip&nbsp, to Russia next September, it comes as ties between the two warlords are growing increasingly polite. &nbsp,

Both nations are already so strongly sanctioned that the US and its supporters have less influence over how to punish them more because they both have little to gain from stronger relations and little to lose. According to the state-run Asian Central News Agency, Kim told Putin in a statement last week that the two countries “have an unbreakable relation of comrades in arms and a long-standing proper marriage” and that they are continuously progressing toward higher-level state relations.

The countries plan to sign an agreement on proper agreement, &nbsp, including on security and economic assistance, Kremlin foreign legislation aide&nbsp, Yuri Ushakov said, according to express- run Tass news agency.

Seoul’s leaders have expressed concern about like a agreement. &nbsp, Russia needs friends, and Kim has shown his willingness to help, as demonstrated by the Northern Korean ammunition found on Ukrainian soldiers. Kim has already sent thousands of ordnance shells to Russia, according to the US and South Korea, in order to keep its assault on Ukraine going. ( North Korea denies&nbsp, this. ) &nbsp,

For its part, North Korea may use Russia’s appearance on the United Nations Security Council to further its ambitions of weakening restrictions, helping it to&nbsp, expand its army of nuclear weapons and rockets. That is already happening: Russia used its veto in March to rescind a resolution enacted by the UN panel of experts to monitor Pyongyang’s implementation. Following the demise of a spy satellite launch last month, Kim also needs Russian technology to support its space program, and Russian oil will also find a home in a resource-hungry nation. &nbsp,

Continue Reading