For decades, globalization was built upon one central assumption: economic interdependence would reduce the likelihood of conflict between states. Countries became deeply integrated through trade, manufacturing, energy, and financial markets, creating a rules-based international order where businesses prioritized efficiency above all else. However, the growing rivalry between the United States and China has increasingly challenged this assumption, as geopolitics now directly

On one side of Southeast Asia, Chinese diaspora institutions, including the Kongsi, Kanchu, and Kapitak Cina, have been internationally recognized for shaping trade, agriculture, and mining across Southeast Asia. On the other hand, indigenous ruling systems, including royal descent among Malays, Bugis, and orang laut, maintained political and military power. As Dutch power in Southeast Asia weakened and the British took control of the seas, new economic systems such as the Ch

For the past decade, there has been a global debate among international relations scholars on the reasons for the breakdown of the current liberal-based international order. First, let’s discuss the overall function of the current global order. The order essentially emphasizes the following major factors: open-market predictability, transparency, economic openness, and protection of intellectual property. Overall, the rules-based liberal international order has evolved from t

You hear a lot of talk about “decoupling,” but what’s happening on the ground feels different. It’s not a break. It’s a reshuffle. Factories in Shenzhen aren’t empty. They’re just no longer the only centre of gravity. Companies are adding second and third bases across the region. You see assembly lines show up in Vietnam. Chip ­packaging plants open in Malaysia. Battery­ material projects grow in Indonesia. India pushes for more electronics production through local incentives

In recent months, gold prices have experienced a notable surge throughout Asia, with Tokyo emerging as a primary hub for this precious...