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The Drivers and Risks of Malaysia's Vocal Support of Hamas

AssessmentsNov 10, 2023 | 21:45 GMT

Malaysian Muslim activists and Palestinian nationals gather to express solidarity with the people of Palestine as they march toward the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 13, 2023.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's vocal support for Hamas amid the ongoing war in Gaza will help stabilize his fragile government and improve economic sentiment, but the reputational damage risks deterring foreign investment and potentially triggering U.S. sanctions. On Nov. 7, Anwar reiterated that his government would maintain formal ties to the militant Palestinian group Hamas, a position he has vocally staked since the group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip. The prime minister's remarks were made in response to concerns raised in Malaysia's parliament over a new U.S. bill aimed at imposing sanctions on Hamas' foreign supporters. Anwar said he was closely following the development as it could have implications for Malaysia, which has emerged as the most visible and outspoken supporter of Hamas in Asia (aside from Iran) over the past month. He also stated that U.S. pressure would not alter

Malaysia

The Political and Economic Implications of the U.S.-Mexico Border Crisis

AssessmentsOct 5, 2023 | 21:19 GMT

In an aerial view, migrants are seen grouped together while waiting to be processed on the Mexican side of the border in El Paso, Texas, on Sept. 21, 2023.

The recent influx of crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and the consequent supply chain disruptions will make migration a central point of debate in both countries' 2024 general elections, and could also eventually damage Mexico's attractiveness for nearshoring among some companies if the situation does not improve. The number of illegal border crossings from Mexico to the United States has surged in recent weeks, growing from 144,570 crossings in June to 232,972 in August, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. While data is not yet available for the full month of September, reports indicate that the month is on track to surpass the record 252,000 border crossings recorded in December 2022. The influx of migrants reaching the southern U.S. border has strained CBP resources, leading to the closure of some official crossings to divert personnel to support migrant processing efforts. Closures and increased inspections have led to

Situation ReportAug 16, 2023 | 14:52 GMT

U.S.: Intel Abandons Tower Semiconductor Acquisition After China Declines to Approve the Deal

U.S. semiconductor manufacturer Intel and Israeli foundry Tower Semiconductor announced that they had mutually agreed to terminate a proposed $5.4 billion merger because China did not approve the acquisition before the contract expired on Aug. 15, Reuters reported on Aug. 16.

Biden's Ban on AI, Quantum and Chip Investments Opens a New Theater in the U.S.-China Tech Rivalry

AssessmentsAug 10, 2023 | 19:49 GMT

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers an address in the East Room at the White House on July 25, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

While a new U.S. executive order restricting AI, quantum and semiconductor investments in China is alone unlikely to have a significant impact, it is probably only a harbinger of future such restrictions that together could hamper China's technological rise. After many delays, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Aug. 9 that will eventually restrict some overseas investments by U.S. companies into China's technology sector. The regulations are more narrow in scope than the initial proposals and only cover certain investments into China's artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information technologies and semiconductor sectors. Even within those sectors, the restrictions do not cover the entire industry and instead focus on specific sub-technologies, such as investment into AI software for military purposes. For broader investments in those three sectors, as well as a list of other sectors, the mechanism merely sets up a notification process.

China, U.S.: U.S. Chipmaker Accused Chinese Company of Corporate Espionage

Situation ReportJun 15, 2023 | 19:26 GMT

U.S.-based semiconductor firm Applied Materials Inc. is reportedly suing a Chinese-owned rival chipmaking firm, Mattson, over alleged corporate espionage, Bloomberg reported on June 15.

Turkey: Selahattin Demirtas to Quit Politics Following Poor Opposition Results

Situation ReportJun 1, 2023 | 15:48 GMT

Selahattin Demirtas, the jailed co-founder of Turkey's opposition Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), said he would quit active politics in the wake of the opposition's defeat in the May national elections, Hurriyet Daily News reported June 1.

Japan: Semiconductor Export Restrictions to Come Into Force in July

Situation ReportMay 23, 2023 | 15:51 GMT

The Japanese government formally announced that it would add 23 semiconductor-related products to its export control list in March and require exports of those goods to receive a special license in July, Nikkei Asia reported on May 23.

Japan

China: Beijing Announces Partial Ban on Micron's Chips

Situation ReportMay 22, 2023 | 14:58 GMT

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced on May 21 that it was partially banning U.S. company Micron Technology Inc.'s memory chips in China and that critical infrastructure operators could not use its products, Reuters reported the next day.

South Korea

U.S.: SCOTUS Protects Section 230 in Two Seminal Rulings That Could Have Reshaped the Internet

Situation ReportMay 19, 2023 | 15:12 GMT

In two separate decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to issue rulings setting a scope on Section 230 in the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects technology companies from being held liable for content posted by users of their platforms, CNBC reported on May 18.

Chile's Lithium Industry Holds its Breath as Boric Pursues Nationalization

AssessmentsMay 17, 2023 | 14:15 GMT

In this aerial view, pools of brine containing lithium carbonate and mounds of salt byproduct stretch through a lithium mine in the Atacama desert on Aug. 24, 2022, in Salar de Atacama, Chile.

Increased state control of Chile's lithium sector may lead to a mechanism for new investment, but higher associated costs could limit investor interest. On April 20, Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced that he would seek to "nationalize the country's lithium industry" through a proposed "National Lithium Strategy." This strategy would require all new lithium contracts to be public-private partnerships in which the state has majority control over mining. However, the strategy does not include any immediate expropriation of assets; instead, it would simply let private companies' existing lithium mining contracts expire, which would mitigate the short-term impact of the new strategy on the country's lithium output. The proposed National Lithium Strategy also stipulates that Chile, via its state-owned mining companies, would be able to exercise veto powers over key decisions related to lithium exploration and extraction. The government also charged state-owned copper companies Codelco and Enami with developing lithium on

Chile

Energy

Turkey: Rival Opposition Candidate Withdraws From Presidential Election, Increasing Kilicdaroglu's Chances

Situation ReportMay 11, 2023 | 15:55 GMT

Muharram Ince, the founder of Turkey's opposition center-left Homeland Party, announced that he is withdrawing his candidacy for president in the country's May 14 general election, AP reported on May 11.

The Potential Outcomes of Turkey's General Election

AssessmentsMay 9, 2023 | 22:28 GMT

Opposition supporters wave Turkish flags and chant slogans while waiting for the arrival of their presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu during a campaign rally in Izmir, Turkey, on April 30, 2023.

In Turkey, upcoming national elections could end the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)'s two decades in power, raising the risk of political instability, policymaking paralysis and even a constitutional crisis. Turkey's May 14 general election for parliament and president represents one of the most credible challenges to the almost 20-year governance of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu either tied with or ahead of Erdogan in recent polls. The close nature of the election is largely due to high levels of discontent over Turkey's poorly-performing economy, with many Turks blaming the AKP for the high inflation and unemployment levels their country has seen in recent years. But Turks are also concerned about corruption, the state of democracy, the status of some three million refugees living in their country, and the reconstruction of regions that were heavily damaged by the February earthquakes. Running under the six-party

Chile: Boric Announces Nationalization of Lithium Sector

Situation ReportApr 21, 2023 | 14:47 GMT

Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced on April 20 that he would seek to nationalize the country's lithium industry, issuing any future contracts as public-private partnerships with state control, Reuters reported the next day.

Chile

Energy

China: Cybersecurity Review of Micron's Products Signals Potential Shift in U.S.-China Tech War Strategy

Situation ReportApr 3, 2023 | 16:11 GMT

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced that it would open up a cybersecurity review of U.S. computer memory company Micron Technology, Inc.'s products in China, Reuters reported on March 31.

Turkey: Electoral Board Published Preliminary List of Presidential Contenders

Situation ReportMar 28, 2023 | 15:39 GMT

Turkey's Supreme Election Board published a temporary list of presidential candidates who are eligible to run for office in the May 14 election, and the most prominent candidates are incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Hurriyet Daily News reported on March 28.

As Big Tech Investigations Ease, China Ramps Up Private Sector Oversight

AssessmentsJan 20, 2023 | 20:49 GMT

An ant's-eye-view of tech giant Tencent's headquarters in the city of Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong province on July 10, 2022.

Despite an easing of regulatory campaigns targeting major technology firms, new regulations and private sector oversight suggest Beijing plans to manage technological development with a firm hand for the foreseeable future. These changes will increase compliance and reputational risks for Chinese technology firms and their Western partners. Since early January, Chinese regulators and Communist Party leaders have called off long-standing investigations into the tech sector, partly to kickstart economic growth following China's economic slowdown of 2022. First, the head of China's Central Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) noted on Jan. 7 that the campaign to "rectify the financial businesses of 14 platform companies" had concluded. And the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection revealed on Jan. 10 that it had removed the platform economy from its list of focus areas for anti-corruption investigations in 2023. State investigations into particular companies have also wrapped up lately, as authorities on Jan. 13

RANE Insights: Cyber Survival, Underwriting Models for Cyber Insurance

PodcastsNov 9, 2022 | 11:00 GMT

In this RANE Insights podcast, we discuss cyber insurance for businesses and how to make a data-driven uniform underwriting model.

Cyber

Germany: Berlin Calls for 'Precautionary Pause' in Developing Deep-Sea Mining

Situation ReportNov 2, 2022 | 16:42 GMT

The German government called for a "precautionary pause" in the development of deep-sea mining -- which is not currently being carried out -- in a letter to the U.N.-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA) dated Oct. 31, The Guardian reported Nov. 2.

Germany

The U.S. Deals China's Semiconductor Sector With Its Biggest Blow Yet

AssessmentsOct 21, 2022 | 21:28 GMT

An employee works at a Jiangsu JieJie Microelectronics Co. Ltd. factory in Nantong, a city in eastern China's Jiangsu province on March 17, 2021.

New U.S. export controls on China's semiconductor industry will shatter Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitions to close China's gap with global peers in the short term. They could also lead to more aggressive Chinese retaliation once his political leadership is cemented. On Oct. 7, the U.S. Commerce Department announced new regulations to block China's access to chipmaking technology and gear that can be used to manufacture cutting-edge logic and memory chips. The regulations also block exports to China of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing chips (i.e., chips used in supercomputers). Although the regulations have been in the works for months, the announcement came less than 10 days before the opening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, during which Xi is expected to formally be granted a third five-year term as the Party's leader. The timing of the moves meant that China's semiconductor industry --