International
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: How Delhi is losing the Indian-Chinese soft power game in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has increasingly become a focus of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the last decade. The Hambantota port development project is a notable example, an ambitious but costly endeavour by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which was in the end handed over by the government to a Chinese enterprise on a 99-year lease in 2017 to reduce its spiralling debt burden.
Guest Post: Third-party funding in investment arbitration
The below article reflects the opinions of Fieldfisher and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to the
The Capitol Riots: How Have America’s Two Biggest Rivals Reacted?
The January 6th storming of the US capitol caused outrage amongst a large number of world leaders. Some of these dissenting world leaders, however, are now using the event as a central tactical argument to shore up their authoritarian regimes. Whilst there was a consistent display of shock and outrage from many governments, two of America’s principal rivals took a particularly different approach to the event. Both Russia and China have used the event as an instrument of propaganda at a time when stirring xenophoic and nationalist sentiment are important tools in Xi and Putin’s tactical arsenal.
US-China Phase One Trade Deal: Challenges for Trade Expansion
After a year since the United States and China signed the phase one trade deal agreement, it is evident there are several systemic challenges to its full implementation. China’s decentralized governance, limitations in the deal’s dispute resolution mechanism, and failure to address structural issues in the bilateral economic relationship limit the prospects of reaching phase one goals of trade expansion. The consequent market distortions may negatively impact international trading partners, whereas China’s search for alternatives to US imports will hinder progress in subsequent negotiations.
Russia and the Arctic Council in 2021: a New Security Dilemma
Coming May, Russia will assume chairmanship of the Arctic Council until 2023. In a region so strategically significant, the challenge for Russia lies with rhyming its military build-up in the arctic with the cooperative nature of the council, whilst not letting the council jeopardize its freedom of movement in any way.
What bubbles, eventually bursts: are 2020’s tech IPOs the path to the first post-pandemic crisis?
2020 was a “bust-and-boom pandemic year” for financial markets. In fact, December was the hottest month when it came to what big investors are really putting money into: tech IPOs. With buyers pouring their money into ever-riskier bets, is the IPO bubble set to burst?
Russian-Indian Arms Trade: Between Autarky and Interdependence
India recently launched an ambitious indigenization campaign for its defense industries, seeking to reduce its dependency on arms imports and simultaneously boost domestic manufacturing. Although this could potentially hurt the Russian military industry – India’s main supplier – India’s plans seem to mostly consist of rhetoric. It remains unlikely for the short to medium term that India will be able to effectuate the strategic shift from being dependent on imports to being self-reliant.
Who will win the race to Greenland?
Greenland is the golden ticket for any state that wants to advance into the Arctic. Previously at the margins of global attention, the sparsely populated state is resource-rich and strategically located. In order to achieve full independence, Greenland must cut economic ties with its former colonial power, Denmark. Renewed global interest could be a window of opportunity to secure foreign investment. With many suitors, which path will Greenland choose and why?
300,000 Sailors Stranded at Sea Amid Global Pandemic
The UN has recently called for the international community to rescue the crews of commercial ships, gas and oil platforms, and other workers out at sea who have been instructed to keep working, without relief, due to Covid-19.
COVID-19 and the green revolution: A new energy order in the making?
The pandemic has accelerated an ongoing switch towards greener energy, to the point that some foresee a “new energy order” in the making. But these calls are likely exaggerated, with traditional energy sources predicted to stay dominant.
