Although the EU has not yet provided details of the sources of finance for its Global Gateway program, nonetheless, EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen has said stated, in general terms, that the EU will look to develop these sources to “connect institutions and investment, banks and the business community”.  In practical terms this is...Read More

The rollout of China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) across the northern half of the Mediterranean Sea is typically portrayed in strikingly polar opposite terms depending on the political source. Western think-tanks and Washington/Brussels-centric media regularly depict the BRI as a plot by the Chinese Communist Party to ‘undermine European unity’, ‘divide the transatlantic alliance’,...Read More

Since leaving the European Union, the government of the United Kingdom has pivoted toward Southeast Asia and its regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), recognizing it as one of the key dynamic economic regions of the world. The U.K.’s new partnership with ASEAN fosters an environment supportive of increased trade flows, secure...Read More

Part 1. Short-term Inflation and Risk Factors Although inflation (defined in nominal terms as an increase in the general price level) is increasing. in the US, UK, and the Euro area, following a long period of deflation and a pandemic slowdown in economic growth. Yet it is too early to claim that the current inflation...Read More

This article examines how the infrastructural benefits of the Belt &Road Initiative (BRI)are emanating from the world’s most populous country, and soon-to-be largest global economy,stretchingacross the vast geographies of the developing world.  We also look at how  the entire BRI programme is being purposely orchestrated by China’s government into inclusive forms of sustainable and equitable...Read More

The UK and Thailand have jointly launched the “UK Thailand Tech Export Academy”.  The purpose of the collaboration is to promote the development of “smart cities” to be constructed across Thailand.  So far, the initiative has involved the matching of over 200 businesses from the UK and Thailand. Read the full article on the website...Read More

UK companies are seeing a significant rise in exports of goods and services to China, in spite of the ongoing deterioration in political relations between the two governments. Indeed, China as a trading partner for the UK, overall, in terms of both imports and exports of goods and services is showing signs of reaching new...Read More

As many geopolitical observers would note, China and Russia have formed a close strategic partnership in recent years, particularly since the ascension to power of China’s President Xi Jinping, in 2013, and that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the year before.  This “special relationship” is reflected in their trade relations. In 2020, bilateral trade volumes reached about US$108 billion, making it three...Read More

On 15 April 2021, the White House announced new sets of financial sanctions on Russia.  This time the sanctions will have significant bite, targeting the country’s primary issuances of domestic Rouble-denominated government bonds. The sanctions come into effect on 14 June 2021 by an executive order set out by US President Joe Biden. Previously, in...Read More

Central Banks are attacking crypto-currencies. An example is Frank Elderson, who is Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, recently (March 16th) said that: “Crypto-assets are volatile. They lack any intrinsic value and there is no reliable institution backing them.” Some commentators have, users of Bitcoin for example, have argued that this is outdated...Read More