Next week, join me and Mohammed Alsudairi in this online event hosted by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at George Washington University. We will present and discuss the findings of our recent CUP Element book on Sino-Middle Eastern relations. www.eventbrite.com/e/nbas-narra...

What a treat! Many thanks to @billhayton.bsky.social for joining my students and I to talk about history and Chinese politics and foreign policy. Read his book “The Invention of China” 🔗 yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300....

@thediplomat.com has just published an interview with Mohammed Alsudairi and me discussing the findings of our CUP Element on Sino-Middle Eastern relations. @cais-exeter.bsky.social @spspa-uofexeter.bsky.social thediplomat.com/2025/10/chin...

Many thanks to Bonny Lin for having Mohammed Alsudairi and me on her ChinaPower podcast to present our CUP Element book on Sino-Middle Eastern relations, and discuss how China and regional powers look at each other. @cais-exeter.bsky.social chinapower.csis.org/podcasts/the...

Do not forget to register here forms.gle/NbfQ71MsuHf6... (or send an email to [email protected]) to attend @jonathanfulton.bsky.social's ChinaMed talk on the logic and limits of China's presence in the Gulf! The event will take place on Friday (Oct10), 10:00 – 12:00 (CEST).

Do not forget to register here forms.gle/NbfQ71MsuHf6... (or send an email to [email protected]) to attend @jonathanfulton.bsky.social's ChinaMed talk on the logic and limits of China's presence in the Gulf! The event will take place on Friday (Oct10), 10:00 – 12:00 (CEST).

I look forward to visiting Glasgow!

New post on Substack! open.substack.com/pub/thoughts...

My comments on Xi Jinping’s (virtual) BRICS speech, the SCO, and the Global Governance Initiative for The Straits Times @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-as...

My comments in this @telegraphnews.bsky.social article on China and Russia @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk @uniofexeternews.bsky.social www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...

Mohammed AlSudairi and I talked with Eric Olander about our new @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org Element book on China-MENA relations (free here cambridge.org/core/element...). It was a great fun! You can listen to our @chinagsproject.bsky.social discussion here chinaglobalsouth.com/podcasts/chi...

You have to see the whole board. Trump's policies are a regime shift from the US as insurance provider to protection racket, creating The New Economic Geography. It isn't just about any one tariff or Fed official - the implications are far broader www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

Nice to see @abuaardvark.bsky.social reviewed my book alongside the excellent recent one from @andreaghiselli.bsky.social and Mohammed Alsudairi.

Mohammed Alsudairi and I wrote a book on Sino-Middle Eastern relations! Permanently in OpenAccess as part of @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org's Elements in Middle East Politics series. 🔗https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/narratives-of-sinomiddle-eastern-futures/9ED65BBD5309CF1D7943B0B604E5F8A5

In this new piece for @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social I talk about how Beijing’s decision making shapes its actions and, thus, outcomes in the Middle East t.co/sSUrtbRLI5

New post in Substack! Does joining the Belt and Road Initiative help Chinese construction firms? Not always. substack.com/home/post/p-...

New post on Substack! I review a great paper published by Tyler Jost and Yucong Li on the promotion dynamics among senior Chinese diplomats. open.substack.com/pub/thoughts...

Like many, I've created a Substack. I will be mostly sharing reviews and comments on articles and books on China that I read. If you publish something, share it with me! I'll include it in the review pipeline. In the meantime, this is the first post. thoughtsonchina.substack.com/p/article-re...

Submitted!

I was quoted in this South China Morning Post article on Li Qiang's recent visit to Egypt @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk www.scmp.com/news/china/d...

Will Iran get Chinese weapons? Never say never. However, two other experts and I are quite skeptical at the moment. @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk www.rferl.org/a/iran-china...

The large and growing use of electronic trucks saves China a more than 1 million barrels of oil per day, that’s also Oman’s daily oil production. The saving will grow by 600.000 barrels over then next 12 months.

After a long gestation, this @universitypress.cambridge.org Element on Sino-Middle Eastern relations finally has a page and a publication date! This new work by Mohammed al-Sudairi and I will be in Open Access. www.cambridge.org/core/element...

Some comments about the SCO MOD meeting in Qingdao for @en.afp.com @exeter.ac.uk @cais-exeter.bsky.social www.france24.com/en/live-news...

My two cents on the Chinese reaction to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in this @financialtimes.com article along those of other experts in the field @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk www.ft.com/content/6e89...

Is Spain's PM the only European leader who has NOT lost his marbles? Is it possible that the rest committed such a crime against their own governments' finances as to commit to a ludicrous military budget of 5% of GDP? Pure bonkers! www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Must read open.substack.com/pub/adamtooz...

Excellent piece foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/19/w...

Available data indicate that the stock value of Chinese FDI in North Africa and the Middle East platoed in 2020 and started declining in 2023. Given how things have been in the region in the past two years, how unlikely is that that was the peak?

My comments on the mysterious cargo flights from China disappearing in Iran in this @telegraphnews.bsky.social article @exeter.ac.uk @cais-exeter.bsky.social www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...

My comments for Channel News Asia on China’s interests in and potential approach to the Israel-Iran conflict @cais-exeter.bsky.social @exeter.ac.uk www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/ch...

Very happy to announce that Todd Hall and I have just signed the advance contract for a new @universitypress.cambridge.org Element book in the Global China series. Stay tuned 😎

If the Islamic Republic of Iran falls*, the most likely successor is a hardline, nationalist, no less auhoritarian military regime. *I don't think it's about to fall, unfortunately **Caveat: we are all bad at predicting any regime's collapse ***The other likely scenario is chaos

Very happy to announce that Todd Hall and I have just signed the advance contract for a new @universitypress.cambridge.org Element book in the Global China series. Stay tuned 😎

Getting ready to fly to Brussels for this very timely event organized by @egmontinstitute.bsky.social

My comments for the South China Morning Post on China’s possible reaction to the Iran-Israel clash @exeter.ac.uk @cais-exeter.bsky.social amp.scmp.com/news/china/d...

I was quoted in this @thenewarab.bsky.social article on the presence of foreign fighters, especially Uyghurs, in the Syrian army, and China’s approach to them @cais-exeter.bsky.social www.newarab.com/analysis/reb...

It’s in the hands of the gods now…

I’ll be in Shanghai for 1-2 months! If you are around, let me know!

Light at the end of the tunnel!

Well done, Ethan.

Miriam Verzellino and I have written a short piece on the reaction of Chinese commentators to the recent protests in Turkey and how their perception of Turkish politics has changed over the past few years. chinamed.substack.com/p/turkiyes-p...

The Wagner rebellion (June 2023) open.substack.com/pub/profradc.... These here are my research notes on the Wagner rebellion (for the Russia-Ukraine project). Will be adding to this in coming months and years. Just wanted to share.

Exmouth

The cathedral in the distance

For years we've heard from US fossil fuel fans that there is no reason for the US to reduce emissions because, "What about China?" Now that China is reducing emissions I expect we will hear the same people say the US doesn't need to reduce emissions because: China is doing it for us!

Looking forward to this timely [email protected] event on China, the Middle East and Trump 2.0! Enrico Fardella, Eric Olander and I will talk with Zhang Chuchu (Fudan University) and Grant Rumley (The Washington Institute For Near East Policy) Register: shorturl.at/6U7y1

Anyone in Tokyo at the end of the months? I will be there for a conference at Waseda. Ping me!

You were elected to be a center left government, fucking be one.