Introducing the Global Polarization Index and investment implications           

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The Unbound Global Polarization Index, created by David Woo & nbsp, measures the precise direction and speed of geopolitical polarization using five different indicators that identify some of the most important political, market, and economic facets of rising warming. & nbsp,

Risks of a military fight: Growing support for Taiwan’s independence

David Woo & nbsp cites data showing that military conflict risks are declining in conflict-affected nations. However, growing support for Taiwan’s freedom, as shown by an increase in respondents who support it, is raising questions about the approaching general elections in January. & nbsp,

In a polarizing world, purchase designs

Scott Foster and David Woo & nbsp evaluate a variety of investment options related to themes such as bullish BRICS currencies, the underperformance of manufacturing automation company stocks, onshoring, and the technology race for semiconductors and electric vehicles.

Moscow intensifies offensive preparation

James Davis & nbsp observes Ukrainian forces attempting to hold off a significant Russian defensive line breach. In anticipation of the 2024 election year, Moscow is also getting ready for a battle in the upcoming weeks or months. The Kremlin wants to defeat Ukraine decisively.

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Taiwan to probe firms over Huawei chip plants in China

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Taiwan’s technology sector has had to take a cautious stance to prevent infuriating Beijing and any import control violations despite increasing Chinese military and diplomatic pressure on the island. Wang informed lawmakers that the four businesses had assisted Huawei with” waste and environmental safety products” for its factories rather thanContinue Reading

Middleman in S0,000 bribery scheme involving Wildlife Reserves Singapore director gets jail

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SINGAPORE: For ten years, a construction company employee served as an intermediary, giving director of Wildlife Reserves Singapore ( WRS ) bribes totaling more than S$ 760, 000 ( US$ 554, 443 ).

To Say Kiong, 57, had carried on a dishonest business venture that his late parents Toh Siang Bee had started before 2005. At Shin Yong Construction, which his & nbsp father founded, he was also a foreman.

According to the plan, the late Mr. Toh would bribe Barry Chong Peng Wee, also known by his brother, who was the Singapore Zoo’s producer of infrastructure management at the time. & nbsp,

WRS, which was renamed Mandai Wildlife Group in & nbsp, 2021, is the parent company of the Singapore Zoo.

The agreement was to guarantee that Shin Yong Construction would receive WRS work. & nbsp,

Up until 2013, Barry Chong, 54, had the authority to approve the hiring of vendors for WRS positions. A purchasing team was established to handle this responsibility as of 2013. The group was still heavily dependent on Barry Chong’s suggestions, though.

To admitted guilt to 10 charges of conspiring with others to commit graft on Thursday, October 5, and was sentenced to 26 months in prison. His imprisonment was also taken into consideration for 104 additional costs of a related nature. The offenses of Too ranged from 2005 to 2015. & nbsp,

The court was informed that after Mr. Toh passed away in 2005, his brother, Too Say Yong, 68, assumed control and arranged for Shin yong Construction to be given WRS-related jobs in exchange for a commission of approximately 10 % higher than the bid price offered to the company. & nbsp,

In order to guarantee that Shin Yong Construction would be hired, Barry Chong would give Say yong via To a certain bid price. On a piece of paper, Barry Chong may list the charges owed to him and give it to Too. To make the money, he may also give the report to his brother. & nbsp,

The cash would then be put in an envelope, which Too had regularly deliver to Barry Chong. & nbsp,

The pricing on the passages submitted by Shin Yong Construction and another companies were extremely close to one another, according to Carol Chin Fong Yi, a services manager at the park, somewhere in 2010 or 2011. & nbsp,

She told To about her concerns about price fixing, and she instructed Chin to” stay silent and close one eye.” & nbsp,

He presented Chin with a stack of South$ 50 bills, but she turned them down. Later, Too ran into Chin once more and presented her with another load of S$ 50 bills. When Chin inquired as to the purpose of the money, Too responded that Barry Chong, her employer, was even accepting payments.

The accused was then questioned by” Chin ,” who confirmed that the contractors had set the quotation prices among themselves. According to court documents, after learning that( Barry Chong ) accepted money from the accused, ( Chin ) did the same. & nbsp,

Later, Too and his brother decided to compensate Chin for her solitude with a regular payment.

Barry Chong and Too agreed to look for additional companies to take part in the crooked agreement between 2013 and 2014. & nbsp,

To went up to the sole owners of Thiam Lee Tradings Construction and Katana Engineering, Chong Chee Wai. Both businesses performed repair and construction work. Lim and Chong consented to gifts for the benefit of Barry Dhong.

Some were finally forced to participate. Seven people, including Barry Chong, were listed as co-accused in jury records, according to nbsp. Just Chin has been dealt with, and the other circumstances are still pending. In March of last year, Chin was imprisoned for nine times. & nbsp,

Only in October 2016, when the Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau started its studies, did the crooked design come to an end.

Shin Yong Construction received S$ 9, 089, 651.90 in employment during the scheme’s duration, while the other four firms were roped in and received salaries ranging from S$ 14, 300 to S$ 2, 271, 000. Due to the inflated invoices submitted under the corrupt system, WRS was estimated to have lost about South$ 1, 400, 000 in losses.

For facilitating their crooked agreement with Barry Chong, Too himself received between South 10,000 and Entropy$ 20 000 from Lim and about South 00,000. The money was used for playing and everyday expenditures.

He gave S$ 760, 270 in full rewards. & nbsp,

Kelvin Chong, the deputy people attorney, requested a sentence of 24 to 30 months in prison. & nbsp,

He claimed that other contractors were denied the chance to get hired by WRS as a result of the system. & nbsp,

The accused, according to Mr. Chong, had made between$ 20,000 and$ 30,000 in financial gains and had served as a” substantial intermediary” between WRS and Shin Yong Construction. & nbsp,

Tan Cheng Kiong, Too’s attorney, claimed that his client, who had significant anxiety disorder, had been negatively impacted by the protracted time it took for the case to be resolved. & nbsp,

According to Mr. Tan, his situation has gotten considerably worse over the course of this case, necessitating daily medication. & nbsp,

Mr. Tan said his customer had cooperated with the investigations and had been open in moderation. & nbsp,

While the sum was major, Mr. Tan argued that since it was not his wealth, his customer had no control over the classical. & nbsp,

In actuality, Too had left the company due to disagreements, and the operations had carried on without him, demonstrating that his lawyer’s contribution to the agreement had not been crucial, according to Mr. Tan. & nbsp,

District Judge Lim Tse Haw, but, disagreed and emphasized Too’s importance. & nbsp,

The judge stated,” We are not talking about one or two occasions; there are a total of 114 occasions in which your client was involved in this arrangement, and the prosecution has pointed out that the amount involved is enormous— more than S$ 700,000.” & nbsp,

Mr. Tan retorted that his customer had no control over the sum, to which the judge responded,” He has a decision not to enter.”

Mr. Tan requested a shorter prison sentence than the prosecution’s suggested amount. & nbsp,

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Firms try to reduce water usage amid challenges like commercial considerations, space constraints

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SINGAPORE: One-fifth of a swimming pool can be filled with water from Boon’s Carwash, which uses roughly 500,000 gallons per quarter.

The company in Sin Ming Lane now uses stronger chemicals and high pressure to use less water, which results in a 10 % usage reduction. & nbsp,

However, with rising water charges, it is looking to take additional action.

” When we wash the car, a significant amount of dirt comes out of it. Therefore, a program will be needed to recycle all of this water and filter it to make it cleaner water, according to its founder Boon Junn Whye, adding that business areas like the one where his company is located are not designed for that.

He continued,” We have been speaking with water recycling companies to see if they have any new systems that could be fitted into our constrained space, and we have also spoken with a number of friends from the same industry who could help( us ) recycle the water.”

The company is also looking into using mechanical devices that could streamline operations while using less water.

In order to deal with rising water production and supply costs, the regional water company PUB announced last week that it would raise its water price by 50 cents per square meter over the course of two years. & nbsp,

When the bill arrives, we’ll see how it actually affects us in terms of the cash because water is something we are greatly dependent on, Mr. Boon said.

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US sanctions more Chinese over fentanyl precursors

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The US Treasury Department has recently sanctioned 25 businesses and individuals in China on charges of trafficking precursor compounds of fentanyl, a powerful drug, into the United States. & nbsp,

Since the Trump administration brought up the opioid crisis with the Chinese state in 2019, it has been a significant problem in Sino-US connections. Other than morphine, which generally affects fenatyl, there were 56, 516 chemical opioid-related deaths in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

12 companies and 13 people in China are among those who were recently sanctioned on Tuesday. In addition to them, two organizations and one Canadian-based person were likewise sanctioned. & nbsp,

It’s not the first moment that supplies associated with fentanyl have resulted in sanctions against Chinese companies. The Office of Foreign Assets Control ( OFAC ) of the US Treasury Department blacklisted seven businesses and six individuals in China in May.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated on Tuesday that a cartel-driven morphine smuggling network that spans nations and countries is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

We are aware that the cartels’ leaders, drug traffickers, money launderers, covert laboratory operators, security personnel, weapons suppliers, and chemical suppliers are all part of this network, according to Garland. And we are aware that chemical companies in China frequently begin this world fentanyl offer ring, which culminates in the deaths of Americans.

According to Liu Yupeng, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, China vehemently denounced the United States’ decision to boldly approve Chinese people and organizations. He claimed that the Taiwanese government has a strong position on counter-narcotics. & nbsp,

The Chinese part agreed to establish a working group to address the fentanyl problems in the US when US State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June. However, the group’s formation has remained delayed. & nbsp,

sanctioned businesses

The OFAC claimed that the sanctioned Taiwanese businesses and individuals were also involved in the international trade in nitazenes and xylazine, two extremely dangerous substances that are frequently combined with illegal fentanyl or other drugs. & nbsp,

Xylazine, also known as” tranq ,” is a potent sedative for veterinary use that is being used more and more by drug traffickers who combine it with illegal fentanyl to create lethal mixtures. The potency of nitazenes varies, with some being significantly more effective than heroin and fentanyl combined. & nbsp,

A Chinese illegal drug gang that produced and distributed nitazenes, fentanyl, mdma( or ice ), and MDMA( Or transport ) precursor chemicals was led by Wang Shucheng and his son, Du Changgen.

Du was the owner of five businesses, including Hebei Guanlang Biotechnology Co Ltd. in Hong Kong and Hubei Vast Chemical Co., as well as Beijing Jarred Industrial Co, Shanghai, and Hanhong Pharmaceutical Technology Colomb in China.

Additionally approved were their suppliers, who sell product compression equipment and fentanyl precursor chemicals. & nbsp,

The drugs gang, according to the OFAC, used virtual money to settle their agreements.

Some Taiwanese critics accuse the US of being to blame for its own drug issues. & nbsp,

Only 5 % of the world’s population lives in the US, but 80 % of all opioids sold worldwide are consumed there. It is a significant drug-consuming country, according to Zhu Ruixin and Qiu Xia, two reporters from China, who wrote about it in an article that was published on September 19. & nbsp,

They claim that a number of factors, including the United States’ inability to regulate psychedelic drugs, cooperation between lawmakers and drugmakers, and subpar counter-narcotics, contributed to the fentanyl crisis. Yet, some US officials, including China, are now attempting to place the blame elsewhere.

According to them, since 1991, the US has experienced three tides of opioid drug issues, including morphine, heroin, and Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin from the 1990s to the 2010s. They believe that politicians’ funds from pharmaceutical companies contributed to the US government’s failing to succeed in counter-narcotics.

According to them, China has initiated a ban on fentanyl exports to the US since 2019 and has also established surveillance networks to stop the use of its chemicals in the production of illegal drugs. They claim it is unfair that the US has accused China of exporting morphine herald chemicals to Mexico without first giving China any prior notice.

The” New Opium War”

The fentanyl crisis was referred to in an article by Celina Realuyo, a professor at the National Defense University, as the” New Opium War” in 2019. She was alluding to the conflict between the United Kingdom and Qing dynasty China in 1839 – 1842. & nbsp,

According to Chinese observers, if this is the” New Opium War,” China will prevail this time. & nbsp,

Liu Xiao and Mao Yufei, columnists for the People’s Daily newspaper Global People, claim in an article that was published on September 20 that whenever the US faces a drug issue, it blames China. More than a century before, the US pulled this prank.

They also note that American doctors began prescribing heroin to their clients in the 1870s, which led to a widespread use of the drug over the ensuing decades. & nbsp,

They claim that the US authorities blamed Chinese immigrants for bringing opium smoking to the nation and equated the drug-taking conduct with that of” Chinese, players, and hookers” in order to pass a bill in Congress in 1909 to forbid the import of the substance.

According to a writer going by the name” Beifengxuelin ,” the US made money from the opium trade in China in the 1800s and used the proceeds to become an industrial power over the course of the previous century. He claims that the US’s recent criticism of China for providing pesticides is absurd. & nbsp,

He claims that the US will continue to spell fentanyl-related products from India even if China reduces its exports.

In the sixth century, Muslim traders brought the opium poppy to China. Foreign healer Li Shizhen described it as a minor drug in the Compendium of Materia Medica in 1596. Its seeds, roots and grains, which are made of morphia, can be brewed into drink. & nbsp,

Heroin smoking, which allows for a lot more morphine usage, was developed in Southeast Asia in the 17th century. Morphine, which is 10 times more potent than processed heroin, was extracted in 1803. Fetanyl is presently 100 times more powerful than morphine. & nbsp,

In terms of painkilling result, fentanyl is 1, 000 times more potent than the opium seen 180 times before. It is also more addictive because it can cause a person’s brain and body to release significantly more serotonin, or” pleasure hormone.”

Read: New Sino-US tensions are sparked by the Fentanyl and Russia deal.

At & nbsp, @ jeffpao3 is Jeff Pao’s Twitter account.

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Commentary: Everything costs more, so why is Japan making beer cheaper?

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REASON FOR CHEER

The authorities decided it was done in 2017. It decided to combine the income bands of real beer, happoshu, and third beer into one after beer income had decreased by 30 % from a 1994 top. This three-stage process will be finished in 2026.

Happoshu and next beers range in quality from ordinary to awful, which is reason to celebrate. They could have happened to you while playing karaoke( the painful head is a giveaway), or you might have only been terrible enough to pick one up off the convenience store shelf.

I switched to Clear Asahi, a” next form” alternate made with fermented barley, when money was tight. You eventually convince yourself that you hardly notice the difference.

I was fortunate enough to be able to return to authentic beer after receiving a boost at my previous job. Perhaps that Clear Asahi you will now cost roughly 10 renminbi more this month. A brewers’ organization polled nearly 25 % of respondents last year, and they predict they’ll consume more real ale once the changes take effect.

Do most users, however, have the luxury of making more purchases? Even though the taxes on real ale will drop from 77 hankering before 2020 to almost 55 by 2026, it is still half as much as the 28 Yen levied on a can of third beer prior to the changes, which is worrying the central bank.

Over the past three years, alcohol consumption is far from the only segment of society that has succumbed to cutting corners and making the wrong investments. However, Japan has reached a turning point. Despite the backlash against former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s remarks last year, businesses have suddenly begun to accept the idea of passing on expenses, and consumers appear to be adjusting to higher prices.

Give rates increased significantly earlier this year, and in October the minimum wage was raised to an average of 1, 000 renminbi, the largest increase since data started. In addition, & nbsp,

However, it’s not entirely clear if this is a long-lasting shift or merely an adjustment. The need for additional wage increases next spring may be lessened by the fact that inflation is already declining. Yet cash-rich businesses will be forced to wait by the impending possibility of a US recession.

Pay may be less important than retirement for the time being due to the rise of the” serious curious” children who consume less alcohol than previous years.

The brewers argue that the current price is 14 times higher in Germany than it is in the US, which is why they are calling for additional cuts to the beer tax. In a country where the topic of discussion right now is how to finance optimistic defense and child-rearing programs, that seems unlikely to carry much weight.

Japan needs to invest its resources in the correct places and get rid of the kinds of negative subsidies that contributed to happiness. It would be something to raise a glass to if these changes could help jolt the government out of its multi-decade economizing mood.

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Ministry aims to accelerate net zero goal by 15 years

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PUBLISHED: 4:00 on October 5, 2023.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand wants to postpone its efforts to achieve net zero emissions 15 years earlier than originally planned.

Talerngsak Petchsuwan, the agency’s deputy continuous secretary, stated yesterday that the organization is confident it will be possible by 2050 with improved stakeholder cooperation.

The past administration made the international commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2065 and carbon neutrality by the year 2050 two years ago. Net zero requires reducing emissions, whereas coal independence requires compensating for emissions with balances.

During COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021, the original Prayut Chan-o-cha administration made the commitment.

According to Mr. Talerngsak,” We now have strong information about the nation’s ability to reach the goal earlier than scheduled.”

If we get help from abroad, particularly with cutting-edge technology, we can shorten the timeline, he said. ” Partners have made significant efforts to show that they are prepared to adapt to the tightening of international laws related to climate change mitigation ,” particularly in the business sector.

Mr. Talerngsak used the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism ( Cbam ) as an example. This mechanism will require Thai producers of cement, fertilizer, energy, and steel to include a greenhouse emission cost for goods entering the market.

According to him, nearby businesses need to invest more in natural systems in order to meet the demands of the EU market. In the near future, he said, Cbam might be expanded to include agrarian, textile, and other materials.

The Thailand Climate Action Conference, which will be presided over by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin tomorrow at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, was organized by the government and its partners as portion of its efforts to combat climate change, according to Mr. Talerngsak.

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Flexible work arrangements an important issue but MOM says no one-size-fits-all approach

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Given the frequency of scheduled school closures, the amount of care leave that is available is frequently unsatisfactory, which places a heavier burden on single parents.

Flexible work arrangements, according to Mr. Chua, are a way to” bridge the gap” and give parents more time for their kids if more childcare leave will have an impact on the company’s workforce and activities.

Carers” face the Herculean work” of caring for their loved ones while working in Singapore, which also has a rapidly aging population.

By allowing caregivers to more easily program and fulfill their labor obligations while minimizing disruptions while they are caring for their family members, flexible function arrangements can reduce stress.

For people with disabilities( PWDs ) who may need more time and effort to get to their jobs, telecommuting is also beneficial.

The ability to request FWAs would” help to elevate the careers of many of our workers with disabilities, while empowering more of the 65.7 % of PWDs who are outside the labor force to launch their own careers ,” he said.

LEGISLATION VS. Bilateral Recommendations

According to Ms. Gan, MOM will implement bilateral rules on flexible job plans and nbsp calls the following year, establishing standards and expectations for both employers and employees.

While creating the guidelines, a workgroup does research foreign practices and read with employers, people resources experts, and employees.

Regulations on the right to flexible work plans has been introduced in countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand. This establishes a process to form the proper balance of workplace flexibility, she said, but does not ensure such arrangements for all employees.

We are not yet certain that this is the best course of action, according to Ms. Gan.

She said, citing an opinion piece by Singapore National Employers Federation government members,” We must be mindful of the risk of creating a more contentious work tradition if both parties can simply take their flexible work agreement disputes to court or tribunal, rather than working out socially acceptable arrangements peacefully.”

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China opposes sanctions, says fentanyl crisis ‘rooted in’ US

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CHINESE” Pool” Tens of thousands of deaths have been attributed to fentanyl in recent years, and Biden’s leadership has prioritized the fight against the drug. According to Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, Tuesday’s activities are intended to expose and disrupt a system that is” responsible for manufacturing and distributing illegalContinue Reading

Oz-Indonesia tie-up could break China’s EV battery supremacy

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Lithium-ion batteries, which are made of minerals like potassium, copper, and chrome, have the potential to revolutionize decarbonization. & nbsp,

However, their effectiveness depends on a number of factors, including China’s predominance in the handling and inland applications of minerals, the complexity of the supply chain, and upcoming technologies related to battery minerals supply chains. The risks involved in this project are higher.

Some countries have concentrated the majority of these minerals’ resources. Australia produces 55 % of lithium, Indonesia produces 37 % of nickel, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo produces 70 % of cobalt.

However, China is the world leader in the running of these essential minerals, both domestically and internationally through its ownership or control of crucial mineral resources. It specifically supervises the transformation of 58 % of lithium, 67 % of cobalt, and 35 % of nickel into battery-grade cathode chemicals.

The geographical concentration of power mineral manufacturing and processing, especially China’s presence in processing capacity, adds volatility to geopolitics, where energy security has always been a top priority.

Power minerals are defining the current era by influencing global economic, environmental, and political policies, just as fuel and oil did in the past.

The new discovery of sizable potassium resources in Iran demonstrates how swiftly crucial minerals’ geopolitics and nbsp may change. This development raises the possibility of an alliance between Australia and Indonesia on a corporate level to create an alternate battery mineral supply chain. & nbsp,

Indonesia’s Sulawesi produces lignium. Asia Times Files and an image of Antara taken by AFP

These countries are well-positioned to build a fruitful partnership because they are geographically close together and have comparable resources.

Such an empire might advance Australia’s ambitions to become a major player in the global power supply network, establish Indonesia as an EV and battery hub, and support the US-led Mineral Security Partnership. & nbsp,

Whether this collaboration you successfully address the serious problems brought on by climate change and have a positive impact on improving relations between Australia and China are the key questions that must be answered.

Much setup times, regulation and environmental concerns, and the investment required for capabilities and infrastructures are just a few of the obstacles that must be overcome for such an ally to achieve. Just China has so far been able to create a full supply chain to get around all these obstacles.

Questionable technological trends have given the complexity of minerals geography yet another dimension. The industry is looking into options to nickel and cobalt, two somewhat uncommon components in battery minerals, in order to reduce environmental and provide risks. The development of & nbsp, lithium iron phosphate, and( LFP ) batteries, which do away with the need for cobalt and nickel, is a leading Chinese battery manufacturer.

LFP batteries have seen improvements in energy density and are being used more frequently in EVs compared to & nbsp, nickel-manganese-cobalt,( NMC ) batteries, which have higher energy densities but are more expensive and less tolerant of higher temperatures. & nbsp,

In China, their market share increased from 38 % in 2020 to 66 % in the first half of 2023. This change lessens the political leverage of nations that are rich in chromium and nickel while also allaying security concerns about these minerals.

Power materials are commodities whose value is influenced by the interactions of supply and demand, such as nickel and cobalt. Although resource loss is not an immediate problem, there is a perceived lack. Instead of a shortage, this scarcity is caused more by the race to carry reserves in order to reduce political and supply chain risks.

China’s dominance in clean energy systems is seen as a threat to international energy security from political perspectives. US politicians are concerned about this point of view. & nbsp,

A culture to secure these materials is being exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and mistrust among countries with different ideologies. This competition may undermine the global supply chain and obstruct efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement’s carbon reduction targets.

A potential alignment between Australia and Indonesia holds particular charm for the United States in this situation. The proposed coalition even raises important issues because battery technology’s future is uncertain. & nbsp,

The essential systems required for the production of batteries, spend management, and mineral purification are lacking in both Australia and Indonesia. The empire raises more questions than answers about its effectiveness in addressing urgent climate change issues without China’s involvement, in addition to significant investments in facilities and manufacturing facilities and large economic costs.

The reestablishment of relationships between Australia and China may also be hampered by the formation of such an alliance. This is largely attributable to China’s significant investments in the metal control sectors in Indonesia and Australia, as well as its steadfast desire to uphold its position.

On the other hand, China’s dominance in battery technology may help decarbonize the planet by being a worldwide property. Contrary to popular belief, personal market development rather than state-backed investment is what has led to China’s guide in the battery supply chain.

Leading non-state businesses like & nbsp, Ganfeng, and / psc, Tianqi, e cctl, CATL & nb s pp, as well as d r g h t v l o f w m j i q u k a x y z en, have prospered in fierce domestic competition.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in the BYD K12A, the world’s longest natural energy vehicle. Image: Handout

The unified global approach to decarbonization had be undermined by such initiatives, even though creating an alternate battery supply chain may increase diversity and improve the resilience of the current supply infrastructure.

It is essential to include all tech-forward countries, & nbsp, including China, as key players in order to encourage a successful alliance between Australia and Indonesia in developing an alternative battery supply chain. In the fight against climate change, open international trade and investment are essential strategies. & nbsp,

To accomplish this, however, requires overcoming current political and ideological divides in favor of fostering relationships that are based solely on & nbsp, like-mindedness.

Marina Yue Zhang teaches as an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney’s Australia-China Relations Institute.

This post, which was previously published by the East Asia Forum, has been republished with a Creative Commons license.

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