Author: HeraldStar

The Global Governance Roundtable for SCO Countries 2025 was held in Beijing on October 16. The event was hosted by China International Communications Group (CICG), the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), and organized by the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (China Pictorial Publications) and the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS). More than 150 representatives from the SCO Secretariat, UN agencies in China, and think tanks, media outlets and international organizations of SCO countries participated in discussions centered on “Implementing the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) for building a…

By Qaiser Nawab In recent months, the global trading environment has entered a new phase of uncertainty, largely driven by unilateral tariff actions spearheaded by the United States. Once regarded as the champion of free trade, Washington’s increasing reliance on tariffs as a policy tool is now reshaping the structure of international commerce — with far-reaching consequences for developed and developing economies alike. According to the latest forecasts by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global trade growth is slowing at a pace not witnessed since the early 2000s. The WTO recently downgraded its global…

By Hadia Safeer Choudhry The sudden wave of layoffs across key U.S. federal agencies this month has not only exposed deep cracks in Washington’s administrative machinery but also raised concerns about the global implications of domestic policy failures in the world’s largest economy. What began as an internal bureaucratic mishap has quickly become a case study in governance breakdown, public-sector instability, and declining institutional credibility. In mid-October, court documents revealed that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had “wrongfully laid off” hundreds of employees after a technical error triggered thousands of dismissal notices overnight. The agency initially…

By Hadia Safeer Choudhry When U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Washington might stop buying “cooking oil” from China, it sounded like another round in the familiar trade sparring between the world’s two largest economies. The statement, made on October 14, was portrayed as a bold retaliation against Beijing’s decision to halt large-scale soybean imports from the United States. Yet beneath the fiery rhetoric lies a far more complex and largely symbolic economic maneuver shaped more by domestic politics than by trade logic. Trump’s post on Truth Social accused China of “economic hostility,” claiming Beijing’s move was designed to hurt…

By Sania Afzal The latest remarks from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) come at a time of renewed tension in global trade, particularly between Beijing and Washington. The announcement follows the United States’ decision to expand tariffs on Chinese imports and China’s move to tighten export licensing on rare earth elements — strategic materials essential for high-tech industries such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, and defense technologies. The announcement coincides with preparations for the upcoming APEC Summit in Seoul, where both Chinese and American officials are expected to hold discussions. With Washington’s tariff hikes set to take effect on November 1…

By Syeda Duaa Zehra Naqvi Europe’s semiconductor industry has emerged as the newest frontier in the global race for technological self-sufficiency. Yet, its pursuit of “strategic autonomy” has ignited tensions between economic cooperation and national security concerns. The recent freezing of assets belonging to Nexperia — a Dutch subsidiary of China’s Wingtech Technology — illustrates this growing divide between open markets and protectionist impulses in the name of industrial sovereignty. In late September, Dutch authorities, citing national security concerns, froze Nexperia’s assets valued at approximately 14.7 billion yuan and removed Chinese shareholder control through judicial proceedings. This action, coming immediately…

Jonathan H. Méndez is a theologian and human rights and environmental defender with over a decade of experience promoting youth rights, social justice, and climate action. He serves as International Correspondent at Herald Star, where he amplifies voices on global human rights and climate issues. Jonathan is also the Founder and Director of Bastion Vert International (France) and collaborates with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in El Salvador. Recognized by the Government of France as a Laureate of the Marianne Initiative (2025), he continues to champion climate justice and youth empowerment on international…

Michael Riedmuller. As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking Beijing Declaration, China prepares to welcome global leaders to a new summit, showcasing three decades of progress and reigniting the global dialogue on gender equality. The global movement for gender equality is poised for a significant moment of reflection and renewal as Beijing prepares to host the Global Women’s Summit in mid-October. This prestigious event commemorates a pivotal anniversary in the history of women’s rights: thirty years since the Fourth World Conference on Women and the unanimous adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The original…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee will convene in Beijing from October 20 to 23. The meeting will chart the direction for China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), a crucial policy blueprint that will guide the country’s economic and social development over the next half decade. As the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) nears completion, the upcoming plenum is set to review its achievements and lay the groundwork for a new era of “high-quality development” anchored in innovation, market vitality, and openness to the world. The session, chaired by…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD China’s Ministry of Transport has announced the imposition of special port dues on U.S.-owned and U.S.-linked vessels, a move widely seen as a measured and legally grounded response to new American trade restrictions. The decision, approved by the State Council, will take effect from October 14, 2025, marking a new chapter in the ongoing maritime and trade tensions between the two major economies. The announcement came days after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) declared the activation of Section 301 measures against China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries. These U.S. measures, set…