“Dalifornication” is the kind of phrase that sticks because it captures a cultural mood as much as a place. The Economist’s recent description of young Chinese “Dalifornia dreamin’” has turned the ancient city of Dali…
Why ACFTA 3.0 is the Philippines’ next big…
While much of the world leans toward protectionism, Asia is quietly redrawing its trade map. The newly signed ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol—sealed in Kuala Lumpur on October 28—signals how the region plans…
Global Civilization Initiative seeks to bridge cultures and…
In a world where tensions run high and differences often dominate headlines, the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) offers a vision of connection, dialogue, and cooperation among nations. Rather than focusing on conflict, it emphasizes the…
Binding or bust? The Philippines bets big on…
In the South China Sea, diplomacy is often as turbulent as the waters themselves. Now, the Philippines wants to calm the storm with a legally binding Code of Conduct. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed…
The perception gap: Why Manila and Beijing see…
For the Philippines, the South China Sea is both a vital resource and a recurring flashpoint. Its reefs and shoals are not only rich fishing grounds but also gateways for energy exploration and global shipping.…
Vietnam’s Spratly buildup seen shifting balance for Philippines…
Vietnam’s accelerating maritime construction in the South China Sea is shifting the balance of power in one of the world’s most contested waterways, with direct consequences for the Philippines as it confronts increasingly assertive Chinese…
Chinese study reveals how Philippines compelled China to…
When China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft made history last year by retrieving the first lunar samples from the Moon’s far side, it was widely celebrated as a technical milestone and a geopolitical statement of Beijing’s growing space…
Philippines emerges as new battleground in U.S.–China rare…
The Philippines — long a supplier of raw mineral-rich soil — is finding itself in the crosshairs of a brewing U.S.-China struggle over the rare earths that power modern technology and weapons systems. The shift…
Arxan’s green diplomacy on the Mongolian border
With a population barely topping 28,000, Arxan would seem an unlikely player in regional politics. Yet this remote city in Inner Mongolia has reinvented itself from a timber hub into a cross-border showcase for China’s…