Written by: Pranav Krishnan The tragedy of Afghanistan did not end with the conclusion of the war. Today, the Afghan people are facing what some now consider to be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Last year’s American and NATO military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the following Taliban victory saw the collapse of the country’s democratic…
Category: Asia
Return of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action: What Does the Iran Nuclear Deal Mean in 2022?
Written by: Kate Roglieri Since the first use of an atomic weapon, nuclear proliferation has been an important part of international relations. Nuclear weapons cause destruction like no other weapon humanity created. When nations with conflicting interests use and expand their nuclear arsenal, it puts the international community on high alert, because no one wants…
Deterring China Demands Unambiguous Support for Taiwan
Written by: Pranav Krishnan The American-led, liberal-world order has ushered in an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity around the globe. It can not subsist, however, without free and democratic states knowing that they need not take exorbitant measures to arm themselves or align with autocratic powers to preserve their sovereignty. Thus, the United States…
Yuan Some Dollars With That?
Written by: Christopher Ploudimis The Chinese yuan is becoming stronger and more widely accepted as a currency. Morgan Stanley predicts that in the next ten years the Chinese yuan will be the world’s third-largest reserve currency, behind the euro and the U.S. dollar. Analysts have been projecting that the yuan will account for five to…
Running with a Bucket: Chinese Engineers’ Complaints Create New Sub-Culture
Written by: Wenzhe Teng In his March 2021 show, US comedian and pundit Bill Maher had interesting insights into Chinese and American priorities, as he said “China once put up a 57-story skyscraper in 19 days. They demolished and rebuilt the Sanyuan Bridge in Beijing in 43 hours. We binge-watch. They binge-build.” Maher went on…
Winter Olympics 2022: Soft Power in the Contemporary International System
Written by: Ken Wang The Olympics, whether held in summer or winter, have always been a symbol of athleticism, friendly competition, a time for peace, a chance to improve diplomatic relationships, and an opportunity to promote the image of the host country. China recently hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, and it was a great success…
Two Sides of a Coin: Dr. Li Wenliang’s Tragedy and China’s Approach to the Pandemic
Written by: Wenzhe Teng After living through the Covid-19 Pandemic for two years, I am sure that you are sick of all the Covid news. Yet I am here to remind you all about Dr. Li Wenliang, the first but definitely not the last suppressed messenger of this plague. As the world returns to normalcy,…
The Emergence of A Civil War – Increasingly Deadly Battles in Myanmar
Written by: Garrett Halak February 1st marks the one-year anniversary of the Myanmar military’s seizure of power and a prompt end to the country’s democratization process. The WIRe covered the inception of Tatmadaw’s rise to power in a previous article here. This coup d’etat occurred just prior to the second five-year term of Suu Kyi…
The Rise of China: a Comprehensive Review
Written by: Ken Wang Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes up, she will move the world.” Many foreign powers have oppressed China and exploited its people during the colonial period, especially during the Qing dynasty and the aftermath of the Opium Wars. Even shortly…
U.S. Foreign Policy in Yemen’s Civil War
Written by: Christopher Ploumidis Introduction The Yemeni civil war is a bloody conflict that has left an estimated two-hundred and thirty thousand dead and resulted in what the United Nations call “the worst humanitarian crisis” since 2019. In recent years, this crisis has garnered massive international attention due to the sheer amount of human suffering…
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