In the wake of the US Department of Commerce’s announcement on 17 October 2023 of new sweeping semiconductor export control restrictions, China began stockpiling photolithography machines produced by ASML based in the Netherlands. Why did China scramble towards a Dutch company because of US restrictions? These regulations were designed to restrict the transfer of…

On 3 October 2023 the European Parliament voted to pass the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), billed as the ‘shield protecting EU’s sovereignty,’ by an overwhelming majority of 578 votes in favour, and only 24 votes against and 19 abstentions. Given the political agreement…

President Zelensky’s attendance of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima (19 – 21 May 2023) was not the only significant moment of the event. Pundits have zeroed on something else, describing the summit as “a launch party for one phrase in particular: economic coercion” – China’s economic coercion. A launch party it was indeed. The…