By Mehmet Enes Beşer As the pecking order in the world’s capital economy, Europe has long been at the top of the list as one of the safest and most developed sources of foreign direct investment (FDI). For most of the developing world, European capital has been a capital with credibility, technology transfer, and access to value-high markets. Southeast Asia ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer As the world hurtles towards a green energy, electric mobility, and high-technology future, rare earth elements (REEs) have emerged as the unsung cornerstone of the global green economy. These metals—vital to wind turbines, EV motors, semiconductors, and military uses—have emerged as a valuable asset on which economic and geopolitical competition is increasingly being fought. For Southeast ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer As the world’s alliances are being recalibrated and old friends have proven themselves unreliable, one bilateral relationship is ready to be reborn and reenergized: China and Thailand. Historically linked by cultural affinity, economic interdependence, and regional interest, the two countries are now exceptionally well positioned to move their relationship in a more strategic, forward-leaning direction. Whereas ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The resurgence of economic nationalism under the Donald Trump administration has reignited tensions in the trade relations between China and the US, casting a shadow on the stability of the global economy. Strategically located between these two economic behemoths, Southeast Asia is faced with a complex set of challenges and opportunities. The Association of Southeast Asian ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer Southeast Asia is a center of global trade, digital technology, and urban growth. But it is increasingly also at the epicenter of transnational crime. From cyber-enabled fraud and human trafficking to drugs, environmental crime, and illicit finance, transnational criminal networks are exploiting the open borders, legal loopholes, and unequal law enforcement capabilities in the region. While ...
By Orçun Göktürk, Beijing / China President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, paid visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia during a period when the trade war with the United States was intensifying. These countries hold great significance for China. Since the first trade war that began in 2017, these three countries have become major hubs for investments ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The global geopolitical landscape is undergoing significant transformations, prompting regional blocs like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reassess their strategic alignments. A notable development in this context is the deepening engagement between ASEAN member states and the BRICS consortium—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This evolving relationship reflects ASEAN’s adaptive strategies ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer Malaysia follows a complex and highly challenging foreign policy as it strives to balance economic relations with China while maintaining strategic cooperation with the United States, particularly concerning sovereignty claims and regional security in the South China Sea. This balancing act is shaped by Malaysia’s geopolitical dynamics and national interests. This analysis examines the various dimensions ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer Over the past decade, Cambodia has significantly strengthened its relationship with China, a development that has garnered both domestic and international attention. This burgeoning partnership, characterized by extensive economic investments, military collaborations, and political support, presents a complex landscape of opportunities and challenges for Cambodia. Economic Engagement: Infrastructure and Investments China’s economic footprint in Cambodia is ...
Myanmar has not come to peace since the military took power on February 1st, 2021. Protests in the country continue, partly turning into an armed rebellion with ethnical background, while international actors are divided in their approach to the new established military government. Domestic protests turn into armed rebellion Domestic protests continued in the country against the military take over, ...