The world seems suspended in mid-air, awaiting the outcome of the American presidential elections and international political shifts according to the polls’ swings – and their interpretations. All anticipate the winner, hoping to have aligned themselves with him promptly. It’s as if the election results will resolve the American issue, on which—like it or not—the […]
The EU’s Challenge with Chinese Electric Vehicles
The European Union faces significant challenges in dealing firmly with China’s electric vehicle industry. Predictions suggest that the EU may eventually lower some tariffs or abandon them altogether, highlighting broader difficulties the Union currently faces. The EU is at a critical historical juncture. The recently published Draghi report argues for increased political integration and stronger […]
A German Mirror for China
The recent electoral results from Germany’s Länder interweave short-term concerns and long-term challenges, and these challenges extend to China, which is facing the choices Germany made a century ago. The immediate implications of the Saxony and Thuringia elections—precisely the success of the AfD and BSW—are compounded by the complex nature of local government coalitions. The […]
Empire and Christianity: No Water for Pilate’s Hands
The history of Jesus is also that of walking a very fine line—a radical critique of the Roman imperial order (intertwining religious and political power) without aiming to topple or replace the Empire. Jesus contrasts the deification of the emperor with the presence of God in a marginal Jewish “prophet’s” everyday life. The two can […]
Corner Putin, Agent of Chaos
The Russian president’s trip to North Korea alters global calculations, spreading instability worldwide. Even China may now be interested in distancing itself from him Shortly after establishing the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 1st, 1949, China entered one of its most controversial historical periods. PRC leader Mao Zedong planned to attack Taiwan, where […]
China’s Rise, Missed Opportunities, Knots and Western New Nationalism
Whether peaceful or not, a country’s rise is based on being prepared and seizing opportunities. It is something China has missed in the past 20 years. Now, it faces the prospect that its rise will not be peaceful and could fail altogether if significant changes are not made. It’s not Xi Jinping’s fault; he alone […]