Washington’s Shield of the Americas seeks to challenge China’s dominance over critical mineral supply chains by expanding strategic partnerships across Latin America. However, Beijing’s entrenched processing capabilities, industrial infrastructure and regional investments expose the limitations of diplomacy alone. Achieving meaningful diversification will require sustained investment in extraction, refining and logistics,…
Recent US–China summits have elevated Beijing’s diplomatic standing without resolving fundamental disputes over Taiwan, semiconductors and strategic influence. This growing disparity between international recognition and material capabilities risks intensifying status anxiety on both sides, as Washington’s concessions raise Chinese expectations of equal treatment. The resulting tensions could deepen geopolitical rivalry, particularly if symbolic recognition is withdrawn or China seeks greater…
The India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) represents a US-backed effort to strengthen trade, energy and digital connectivity between South Asia, the Middle East and Europe while counterbalancing China’s Belt and…
Escalating US economic pressure and chronic energy shortages are accelerating the collapse of Cuba’s essential public services, leaving millions increasingly vulnerable. Cuba's worsening fuel shortages have disrupted healthcare, transport, food…
The alleged theft of confidential semiconductor materials technology from Asahi KASEI exposes a critical vulnerability in Japan’s dominance of advanced chip packaging: its dependence on specialised knowledge held by individual…
A wave of youth-led protests across Europe is exposing the widening gap between governments’ promises of social rights and their ability to deliver affordable housing, quality education and accountable institutions.…
India’s coal supply pressures in 2026 expose structural vulnerabilities in its energy infrastructure, as rising electricity demand, monsoon disruptions and railway bottlenecks leave thermal power stations with critically low fuel…
Brazil’s re-election of Lula da Silva presents a diplomatic challenge for Washington as Brasília deepens its economic relationships with China and Russia amid domestic economic pressures. Rather than allowing political…
The Sahel’s crisis is not a military problem. It is an allocation problem. This piece argues that the international community has persistently misdiagnosed regional unrest by focusing overwhelmingly on counter-terrorism,…
England's water problem is no longer confined to household supply, leakage or environmental regulation. As government pursues housebuilding, AI infrastructure and energy expansion simultaneously, water availability is emerging as a…
Mineral competition, armed conflict and weak state institutions continue to undermine security in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, sustaining political instability and threatening regional peace. The eastern region of…
Comparing Taiwan’s live military exercises with China’s curated military documentaries reveals why visible performance is not proof of readiness, and how the limits of public evidence shape assessments of cross-strait…
How an offensive realist perspective explains the US pursuit of regional hegemony in Venezuela. On 28 August 2026, United States President Donald Trump announced an agreement intended to expand American…
South Korea is highly exposed to both China and the United States. China remains deeply embedded in Korean supply chains and intermediate-goods trade, while the United States has become increasingly…
The character of warfare is changing rapidly. The proliferation of drones, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and advanced robotics is transforming how military operations are conducted, while lowering the technological and…
As Merkel prepares to leave politics and with the European elections around the corner, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding European politics. Far right parties have recently gained considerable…
Ezra Friedman discusses the significance of the fall of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Warwick’s Pugwash Student Society, along with Warwick’s International Relations Society, are delighted to host their…
