An interview with Sijbren de Jong, a strategic analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. Interviewer: Małgosia Krakowska neweasterneurope.eu MAŁGOSIA KRAKOWSKA: When the Chinese president announced the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), it was hailed as the “project…
Europe, Military
France adds $2B to defense budget, moving closer to NATO spending target
PARIS ― France has added €1.8 billion (U.S. $2.1 billion) funding to its 2018 defense budget to hit €34.2 billion as part of a planned rise in military spending over the next five years, the Economy and Finance Ministry said.…
China, Uncategorized
Chinese Diplomatic and Military Behavior Intensifies
Amid rising tensions between the United States and North Korea, Gen. Fang Fenghui (房峰辉) greeted his American counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford in Beijing on August 14. Recognizing the necessity of clear communication as…
China
What’s Behind the Resumed Vietnam-Philippines South China Sea Activity?
Manila and Hanoi resumed naval personnel interaction on a feature in the disputed waters. On June 22, Vietnam and the Philippines conducted the third iteration of their naval personnel interactions on Southwest Cay in the Spratly Islands in the South…
Intelligence, Iran
US intelligence lack insight into Hezbollah funding
The Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017, which was recently passed by the US Senate actively supported by the White House, will force the US intelligence community, via the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), to quickly assess Iranian influence…
Americas, Economy
Saudi America – How New Tech Is Creating Another Oil Boom
Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more oil in Texas … new technology is about to unlock an extremely shallow field that is brimming with heavy oil that has been impossible to recover–until now. Many oil companies have…