The Western Pacific remains a highly active theater defined by sustained U.S.-led military exercises and escalating great power competition. Key evidence includes continuous joint operations, such as RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii and the deployment of CSGs into the South China Sea, juxtaposed with increased naval activity from both China (PLAN task groups) and Russia near Japan's critical straits. These movements underscore a strategic push by non-allied powers to assert presence and challenge regional norms. Policy implications dictate that allied nations must maintain robust multilateral cooperation and interoperability to safeguard freedom of navigation and manage escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Can zero-tariff policy rebalance China-Africa trade?
English Summary
China's expansion of zero-tariff access for African nations is unlikely to rebalance trade on its own, as the continent's exports remain heavily concentrated in low-value raw materials and minerals. Despite initiatives to boost agricultural trade, China maintains a persistent $60 billion trade surplus with Africa, highlighting deep-seated structural imbalances. To achieve long-term growth, Africa must leverage this policy to attract foreign direct investment and drive industrialization, positioning itself as a strategic, low-tariff production hub for the Chinese market.
中文摘要
中國對非洲國家擴大零關稅准入，單憑此舉難以實現貿易再平衡，因為非洲大陸的出口依然高度集中在低價值的原材料與礦產。儘管有促進農業貿易的措施，中國對非洲仍維持著 600 億美元的持續貿易順差，凸顯了根深蒂固的結構性失衡。為實現長期增長，非洲必須利用此政策吸引外國直接投資並推動工業化，將自身定位為面向中國市場的戰略性低關稅生產樞紐。
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