China is now the second largest economy in the world, and its growth prospects are of key concerns. In the short term, China’s growth projections are clouded by the war in the Ukraine and resurgence of COVID-19. In the long run, demographics, trade and tech wars and the shift to “high quality” growth will determine […]

The political successions in the Soviet Union and China after Stalin and Mao, respectively, are often explained as triumphs of inner-party democracy, leading to a victory of “reformers” over “conservatives” or “radicals.” In his new book “Prestige, Manipulation and Coercion”, Joseph Torigian argues that the post-cult of personality power struggles in history’s two greatest Leninist regimes were instead shaped by the […]

Until recently, Japan had been trying strenuously to improve and strengthen its relations with Russia. Japan had hoped to regain its Northern Territories through negotiations with Russia. It also aimed to discourage Russia from forging ties with China that had already become too close for comfort for Japan. However, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally […]