Good evening. We have an exciting issue for you this week. First, we’re re-sharing Grady McGregor’s piece “Sidelined,” which was just named as a finalist for Excellence in Explanatory Reporting by the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA). It is a fascinating read on how the World Trade Organization lost control of its two most important members — and became irrelevant in the process.
We also have two new reports on the electric vehicle supply chain. Our cover story looks at the surprisingly sad state of the North American mining industry, even as the U.S. ramps up efforts to stem reliance on China’s critical minerals. And our Big Picture is the definitive graphic of the top companies in the global EV battery supply chain. It is similar to our very popular guide to the semiconductor supply chain, and showcases amazing data from our sister company, WireScreen.
We also have an interview with Enze Han on how China’s influence is spreading through Southeast Asia; and two op-eds: one on why U.S. big tech in China is too big to bail, and one on China’s missed opportunities with foreigners.
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Mining’s Malaise
Washington’s $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act was seen as a generational opportunity for miners in the U.S. as well as mineral rich trading partners. But almost two years later, the North American mining industry is in crisis and no closer to chipping away at China’s dominance. Eliot Chen reports on what went wrong and where the industry can go from here.
The Big Picture: Who’s Who in the EV Battery Supply Chain
From the mining of raw materials to the final products of EV battery packs, China’s role in the EV revolution is indispensable. This week, The Wire provides an all-in-one explainer detailing the main players across the global EV battery industry, using data sourced from WireScreen.
A Q&A with Enze Han
Enze Han is currently an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, having previously obtained his doctorate at George Washington University. His new book, The Ripple Effect: China’s Complex Presence in Southeast Asia, looks into the ways China’s political and economic influence is spreading through nations from Thailand to Indonesia. In this week’s Q&A with Andrew Peaple, he explains why we need to look beyond the actions of the Chinese government to understand how and why China is shaping countries in the region.
Enze Han
Illustration by Lauren Crow
U.S. Big Tech in China: Too Big to Bail
In this week’s op-ed, a trio from Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) — Ngor Luong, Sam Bresnick and Kathleen Curlee — explain how and why most major tech firms are continuing to invest in China despite difficult market and international conditions.
Missed Opportunities
Zhuowen Li and Mathilde Barge argue in this bonus op-ed that China is losing its appeal for foreigners — a trend that could have long-term implications for its international standing.
Sidelined
How the World Trade Organization lost control of its two most important members — and became irrelevant in the process. Grady McGregor reports.
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