Journal of Political Risk, Vol. 7, No. 3, March 2019
US President Donald Trump gives a speech. Source: Picryl
William R. Hawkins
International Economics and National Security Consultant
Tariff Benefits Will Exceed Costs When National Goals Are Met
Category Archives: Export Restrictions
Taiwan and the Lesson of Chiang Kai-shek: Hard Cuts Soft
Journal of Political Risk, Vol. 7, No. 1, January 2019
Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou makes a speech, 2011. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Arthur Waldron, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Taiwan is never to be taken for granted. We really have to get one thing straight, which is that without Chiang Kai-shek (CKS), his mainlander army, and even aspects of his dictatorship, the free Taiwan that we love today simply would not exist. Its natural leaders, both from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Kuomintang (KMT), would either be long dead or in prison, while its young people, now among the best educated in the world, would be memorizing idiocies from the imperial thoughts of Xi Jinping.
Huawei and China: Not Just Business as Usual
Journal of Political Risk, Vol. 8, No. 1, January 2019
Huawei at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 2015. Source: Karlis Dambrans via Flickr.
Douglas Black
Technology Journalist
To the average consumer around the world, Huawei is likely thought of as a Chinese company that makes nice phones — a “Chinese Apple” of sorts. The average American consumer might associate the firm as one that makes nice phones but, for some vague, political reasons, is not trustworthy. As of early December, the average Canadian consumer might recognize Huawei as the company at the focus of some political gamesmanship between the US, Canada, and China. All of these lay-interpretations are indeed valid, but there is a great deal more going on than revealed by a cursory glance. This article is intended as a brief explainer of Huawei’s history and current market position, the importance of the company to the ruling Communist Party and their strategic goals, and the far-reaching implications of the outcome of the arrest of Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou.
Sanction Hong Kong, For Its Own Sake
Journal of Political Risk, Vol. 7, No. 10, October 2018
Silhouette of man standing on top of mountain with an urban cityscape below. Source: Pexels.
Ho-fung Hung
Johns Hopkins University
The decision of the Hong Kong government to expel Financial Times Asia editor Victor Mallet from Hong Kong has already provoked widespread concern about freedom of speech and autonomy of Hong Kong in the international community. Mr. Mallet broke no law, and the Hong Kong government’s decision is obviously based on his role as moderator of an August 14 talk by pro-independence activist Andy Chan at the Foreign Correspondents Club. This unprecedented expulsion of a foreign journalist takes Hong Kong a big step closer to the status quo in mainland China.
The UK Foreign Office, US Consulate in Hong Kong, European Union, and American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, all issued statements criticizing the decision of the Hong Kong government. In particular, AmCham president Tara Joseph pertinently links the case to the concern about Hong Kong’s continuous viability as a financial center, saying that, “The rejection of a renewal of work visa for FT correspondent Victor Mallet sends a worrying signal. Without a free press, capital markets cannot properly function, and business and trade cannot be reliably conducted.”