Showing 1 - 6 of 6
Rare earths are definitely China's trump card
Oped, Published on 15/08/2025
» China's weaponisation of rare earths has emerged as a major flash point in US-China trade negotiations. These critical materials, especially the high-performance magnets they make possible, are vital components in electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, industrial robotics, and advanced defence systems. In response to China's strict rare-earths export controls, the United States has quietly lowered tariffs, relaxed export controls on AI chips, and even softened visa restrictions for Chinese students.
America's technology blind spot
News, Published on 09/12/2024
» Nationalism has emerged as a potent force shaping global tech policy, nowhere more so than in the United States. With Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term, his vision for America's technological future is coming into sharper focus.
Trump versus China; round two on the way
Oped, Published on 09/11/2024
» In August 2019, amid an escalating trade war with China, then-US President Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets directing American companies to "immediately start looking for … alternative[s] to China" and shift their manufacturing back to the United States. The demand sent stock markets into a tailspin and alarmed US businesses with exposure to China.
The high cost of GPT-4o 'giveaway'
Oped, Published on 08/06/2024
» With the launch of GPT-4o, OpenAI has once again shown itself to be the world's most innovative artificial-intelligence company. This new multimodal AI tool -- which seamlessly integrates text, voice, and visual capabilities -- is significantly faster than previous models, greatly enhancing the user experience. But perhaps the most attractive feature of GPT-4o is that it is free -- or so it seems.
How to regulate generative AI
Oped, Published on 20/02/2024
» The impending rollout of the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act represents the bloc's latest attempt to cement its status as a regulatory powerhouse. This ambitious legislation, which aims to impose stringent regulations on AI technologies, underscores the EU's commitment to proactive governance.
No easy exit from 'zero-Covid'
Oped, Published on 30/11/2022
» Following a deadly fire in a residential building in China's Xinjiang region -- which many blame on Covid-19 lockdowns -- Chinese protesters have taken to the streets to demand an end to stringent pandemic restrictions. Even before the protests erupted, there were signs that President Xi Jinping's administration was preparing to roll back the costly zero-Covid policy, though the exact timeline remains uncertain. But this process will be more complicated than many seem to realise.