Our Blog

31
Jul

China’s (Grossly Misunderstood) Mining Sector

It’s quite remarkable how slow to adapt even sophisticated analysts can be when it comes to China. As ironic as it may seem, some of the same people who grossly underestimated Chinese demand for various mining-related products and services for decades are now just as eager to be overly optimistic when it comes to present

30
Jul

The Republic of China / ROC (1912 – 1949*): What You Need to Know and Why

With more and more Westerners interested in China, either out of pure intellectual curiosity in light of China’s economic as well as geopolitical ascension or as a result of proverbially having skin in the game (China-related investments), there is a growing demand for information related to the history of China. However, while Western interest in

29
Jul

China’s Tourism Dimension: From Stereotypes to Economic Impact

Whenever the topic of Chinese tourism arises, it’s hard to resist the temptation of making a tongue in cheek reference to the various stereotypes involving Chinese tourists who obsessively take pictures of various landmarks. Behind those stereotypes, however, lie numbers which paint a remarkably clear picture: there is a tremendous amount of money on the

28
Jul

(Why) Do China and Pakistan Have a Strong Relationship?

Right from the beginning of China’s post-1949 journey, Pakistan was among the first batch of nations who ended their diplomatic relationships with the Republic of China and, instead, established a new relationship with the People’s Republic of China (for more information, read our article about the China – Taiwan relationship). Since then, China has been

27
Jul

China and North Korea: Pragmatism vs. Alliance?

Scenarios abound when it comes to the politico-economic relationship between China and North Korea. Right from the beginning, it’s worth noting that a relationship of SOME nature is inevitable in light of the fact that the two nations share border that exceeds 1,400 kilometers. Even between neighbors with less than peaceful coexistence track records (not

26
Jul

Chinese Dynasties and Why They’re Crucial to Understanding China

If one were to ask most observers of the current Chinese economic phenomenon who consider themselves knowledgeable on anything China-related to say a thing or two about its history, the overwhelming majority would limit themselves to mentioning a few popular facts about the People’s Republic of China. Perhaps a handful would also have a thing

25
Jul

China: The #1 Brexit Beneficiary?

Over the past few months, more and more analysts have been publishing potential scenarios which revolve around the idea that the number one Brexit beneficiary may very well end up being… China. As strange as it may seem, there are actually sound numbers behind that statement, but with a very significant caveat: the fact that

24
Jul

China’s (Growing) Interest and Influence in the Middle East

Ask any analyst to share his opinion on matters which pertain to the Middle East and you will most likely be asked how much time you have at your disposal, in light of the fact that the regional equation tends to be so complex that a significant investment of time is required to wrap your

23
Jul

South China Sea Geopolitics Simplified

It’s pretty much impossible to discuss the geopolitical realities of China (or Southeast Asia as a whole, for that matter) without putting the South China Sea situation in the spotlight. We can consider it a textbook “elephant in the room” case study. Or, in other words, a situation which has been complex for decades without

23
Jul

China’s Great Firewall: From Ideology Enforcement to Trade Barrier?

China’s Great Firewall represents yet another example which makes it clear that investors who view China through a Western lens will be in for more than a few shocking surprises. As much as the Internet has been a massive source of freedom in the Western world pretty much right from the beginning, it has been