In many ways, China is the perfect partner for Hanoi’s rare earth processing industry ambitions. But standing in the way is Vietnam’s wariness of corporate exploitation and taking sides in the US-China rivalry, as well as its political turmoil.
The US is pressing China to end its support for Russia, but these efforts are futile as Beijing believes it would be next if and when Moscow is forced to back down. It is time for Washington policymakers to be realistic and start bargaining with China on a fairer basis if they want to achieve any of their aims.
A report on Hong Kong by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies does not appreciate fundamental pillars set out in the Basic Law. The city is still governed by Hongkongers, maintains judicial independence and has an international identity under the umbrella of China.
The prospect of ‘higher for longer’ interest rates and a ‘stronger for longer’ US dollar has hit Asian markets particularly hard, with Japan an extreme example. The only way the dollar will fall meaningfully is if the US economy slows sharply and the Fed cuts rates sooner and at a faster pace than markets expect.