Our Insights
Featured Insights Selected by Our Experts
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Nature as National Asset: How the Middle East Is Turning Biodiversity into Economic Opportunity
By Basilinna Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO.
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Trump 2.0
Tholos Talks with The Trade Guys, Hosted by Jake E. Jennings
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China Economic Stimulus Tracker
A comprehensive timeline of announcements and policy actions implemented by the Chinese government to stimulate economic activity.
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When Mistakes Need a Manual: China’s Guidance on Acceptable Decision-making
By Deborah Lehr, Basilinna Chair and CEO
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Silicon and Sovereignty: What Trump’s AI Pact Means for the Gulf
Talking Points by the Basilinna Team
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Why Do Culture and Heritage Matter? with Irina Bokova
Tholos Talks with Irina Bokova, Hosted by Deborah Lehr
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Is Xi Jinping Undermining China’s Path to Tech Superiority?
By Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
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Making Acquisitions in the Public Affairs Sector: Lessons from Both Sides of the Table
By Leigh Wedell, President and COO
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Trade is No Longer a Way of Opening Up Markets
With Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
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From the Middle Kingdom to the Saudi Kingdom: Opportunities Abound
By Yasser Elnaggar, Chair of the Middle East and Africa
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The New Trump Administration: Perspective from China
Talking Points by Gracie Sun, Chair of Asia-Pacific
Explore all of our Insights, Interviews, Commentary, and More
Why China Is Pushing Trade Facilitation Despite a Record Surplus
February 12, 2026 | Leigh Wedell, Chair and CEO, and Ruihan Huang, Director
China recorded the largest trade surplus in its history and swiftly followed the announcement with 25 new measures to further streamline trade, reinforcing that exports remain a central pillar of the economy despite mounting geopolitical headwinds. Here are your talking points.
Mexico Now America’s Top Trading Partner as USMCA Review Looms
February 5, 2026 | Abel Hibert
Since taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump has made reducing the trade deficit with key partners—Mexico, Canada, and China—a central goal of his trade policy. In 2024, the combined deficit with these countries reached $545.7 billion USD.
Tech and Trade Strategic Insights: Beyond the Headlines
February 3, 2026 | Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
Economic Security Replaces Free Trade in the Western Hemisphere: U.S. agreements and USMCA talks increasingly condition regional market access on supply chain alignment, critical minerals cooperation, and China-related constraints rather than tariff reciprocity.
Tech and Trade Strategic Insights: Beyond the Headlines
January 23, 2026 | Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
Tariff Relief Is Increasingly Exchanged for Onshoring Commitments
The U.S.–Taiwan chip deal underscores a template where reduced duties come with large, targeted investment obligations, tightening the link between market access and domestic buildout decisions.
As New Foreign Inflows Dry Up, China Turns to Reinvestment—and Shanghai Emerges as the Leading Local Test Case
January 21, 2026 | Ruihan Huang, Director, and Yelin Ma, Analyst
As foreign direct investment into China has fallen to its lowest level in decades, Beijing has sought not only to attract new inflows but also to encourage foreign firms already operating in the country to reinvest their onshore profits and expand their domestic footprint.
Tech and Trade Strategic Insights: Beyond the Headlines
January 6, 2026 | Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
FCC Bars New Chinese Drones from U.S. Markets: Firms should expect national security reviews to be embedded earlier in authorization and certification processes, raising barriers for foreign-origin hardware, including routers and IoT devices, well before sanctions or enforcement actions occur.
Japan’s Rising Influence in U.S. Policy and Geoeconomics
December 23, 2025 | Hosted by Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
Jake sits down with Alan Turley, a retired U.S. Commerce foreign service officer with over 30 years of experience working to establish and expand U.S. businesses in Asia, with a particular focus on greater China and, most recently, Japan.
Tech and Trade Strategic Insights: Beyond the Headlines
December 17, 2025 | Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
Federal AI Preemption Raises Litigation as a Compliance Risk: The administration’s turn to DOJ-led challenges and funding leverage signals that court outcomes.
Unmasking the Market
December 4, 2025 | Hosted by Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
Deborah speaks with Jason Felch, investigative journalist and co-author of Chasing Aphrodite, the landmark exposé that revealed how major museums knowingly acquired looted artifacts.
Tech and Trade Strategic Insights: Beyond the Headlines
December 3, 2025 | Jake E. Jennings, Chair of Technology and Trade
U.S. Government AI Consolidation Reshapes Compliance: A unified national AI framework will shift obligations toward federal standards, reducing state-level variability but increasing exposure