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Top Briefings
Why China wants you to buy a new microwave

As clickbaity as it sounds, we’re not making the above title up.  On Wednesday, China’s policymakers announced they’ve added all sorts of small electronic appliances — microwaves, rice cookers, water purifiers — to a list of consumer products eligible for a subsidised trade-in. We’re not here to dunk on that idea — the US and others have […]

Economics 10 January, 2025
Diplomat salary report – 2024

Nobody gets into diplomacy for the money. At least, they shouldn’t. Or at least, we didn’t.

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Election Intrigue – What is Kamala Harris’s foreign policy?

Vice President Kamala Harris has been the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for a whopping… checks notes… five days. We weren’t alive in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson chose not to run again, but from the accounts of those closest to Johnson, it was a more orderly process.

Geopolitics 26 July, 2024
The four things embassies in DC are telling their home governments about Biden’s withdrawal

24 days after that debate, while recovering from Covid at his Delaware beach house, Joe Biden announced Sunday afternoon local time that he’s withdrawing his 2024 candidacy to “focus solely on fulfilling” his duties as president. He then endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, who in turn declared her intention to “earn and win” the Democratic Party’s nomination. And yet again, it’s […]

Geopolitics 22 July, 2024
Newsletter
Events
Podcast

Intrigue Outloud

All the best things about the International Intrigue newsletter, straight to your podcast app of choice.

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Listen on
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About us
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Explore On
Top Briefings
Why China wants you to buy a new microwave

As clickbaity as it sounds, we’re not making the above title up.  On Wednesday, China’s policymakers announced they’ve added all sorts of small electronic appliances — microwaves, rice cookers, water purifiers — to a list of consumer products eligible for a subsidised trade-in. We’re not here to dunk on that idea — the US and others have […]

Economics 10 January, 2025
Diplomat salary report – 2024

Nobody gets into diplomacy for the money. At least, they shouldn’t. Or at least, we didn’t.

Uncategorized 7 August, 2024
Election Intrigue – What is Kamala Harris’s foreign policy?

Vice President Kamala Harris has been the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for a whopping… checks notes… five days. We weren’t alive in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson chose not to run again, but from the accounts of those closest to Johnson, it was a more orderly process.

Geopolitics 26 July, 2024
The four things embassies in DC are telling their home governments about Biden’s withdrawal

24 days after that debate, while recovering from Covid at his Delaware beach house, Joe Biden announced Sunday afternoon local time that he’s withdrawing his 2024 candidacy to “focus solely on fulfilling” his duties as president. He then endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, who in turn declared her intention to “earn and win” the Democratic Party’s nomination. And yet again, it’s […]

Geopolitics 22 July, 2024

The Philippines and Japan are teaming up 

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr hosted his Japanese counterpart (Prime Minister Fumio Kishida) on Friday and Saturday (3-4 November).

Security topped the agenda, with Kishida announcing plans to:

  • 🔊 Transfer advanced radar equipment to the Philippines
  • 🛥️ Increase support for the Philippines coast guard, and
  • 🎖️ Pursue talks on Japanese troops potentially deploying and conducting military exercises in the Philippines (and vice versa). 

And this came just a few days after Manila announced it would seek to partner with Tokyo (and other US allies) on $4.9B in troubled rail projects.

Intrigue’s take: Of course, the unspoken impetus here is a more assertive China in the region. The last president of the Philippines (Duterte) set aside territorial disputes with China while encouraging greater economic ties.

But since taking office last year, Marcos Jr has charted a different course. And in Japan, he’s found a partner with technical know-how, deep pockets, and a growing interest in regional defence ties. A perfect match.

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