Our Insights
Featured Insights Selected by Our Experts
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The Return of the Koh Ker Ganesha
with Brad Gordon, Channy Set, and Nguon Chhay Song | Hosted by Deborah Lehr
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CES, Digital Trade, and the Future of Tech Supply Chains
with Ed Brytzwa | Hosted by Jake E. Jennings
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Iran, The Days After: The Succession
By the Basilinna team
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Why China Is Pushing Trade Facilitation Despite a Record Surplus
By Leigh Wedell and Ruihan Huang
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Mexico Now America’s Top Trading Partner as USMCA Review Looms
By Abel Hibert, Senior Fellow
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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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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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From the Middle Kingdom to the Saudi Kingdom: Opportunities Abound
By Yasser Elnaggar, Chair of the Middle East and Africa
Explore all of our Insights, Interviews, Commentary, and More
China’s Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage Signals Its Global Ambition
August 14, 2025 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
China is making its cultural heritage protection a national priority – and a pillar of its global identity. As one of the world’s fastest-growing art markets, China has taken steps in recent years to better safeguard its cultural heritage, both at home and abroad.
Bridging the Biodiversity Finance Gap: Green Finance as a Catalyst for Global Sustainable Development
June 18, 2025 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
The global community stands at a critical juncture where the loss of biodiversity is not only an environmental concern but a profound economic and developmental challenge. Biodiversity underpins ecosystem services that are vital for human survival, including food security, disease regulation, and climate stability.
From Picnic Nuisance to Ecological Champion: It’s Time We Value Pollinators
June 12, 2025 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
June is National Pollinators Month, a timely reminder that the birds, bees, bats, and butterflies we often overlook—or even fear—are actually among the most critical workers in our global ecosystem. These pollinators are more than fleeting visitors to summer picnics or creatures we instinctively shoo away.
When Mistakes Need a Manual: China’s Guidance on Acceptable Decision-making
June 9, 2025 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
In China, a nation known for five-year plans and centrally choreographed actions, it turns out that what’s really hard to plan for is fear of action. In the last year, Chinese authorities quietly released what can be described as guidance for “getting things wrong the right way” – policy guidelines outlining which mistakes by government officials are permissible and which are not.
Biodiversity Crime Is a Global Security Threat. It’s Time We Treated It Like One.
May 22, 2025 | Deborah Lehr Chair and CEO
We are living through an unprecedented collapse of biodiversity. Scientists estimate that species are going extinct at a rate not seen in human history, with one million plant and animal species now at risk of disappearance. While climate change and habitat loss are well-known culprits, there is another, less visible force helping to accelerate this crisis: biodiversity crime.
Returning to Huzhou, China's Living Laboratory for Green Finance
May 15, 2025 | Gracie Sun, Chair of Asia-Pacific
Huzhou always leaves me quietly inspired. I've now visited six times, and each return reveals something new—not only in policy or innovation but in the air, the water, and the spirit of the city itself. Nestled beside the tranquil Taihu Lake and just an hour's high-speed train ride from Shanghai, Huzhou has become one of the most dynamic places in China, where environmental vision meets real-world use.
U.S. Reciprocal Trade Policy: Strategic Opportunities for Latin America Amid Global Uncertainty
April 22, 2025 | By Jake E. Jennings
The adoption of a reciprocal trade policy by the United States represents one of the most significant shifts in the country’s economic approach in decades. As businesses and investors respond to this evolving landscape, both unprecedented opportunities and substantial risks emerge.
Saudi Arabia's Opportunity to Lead the Way in Global Biodiversity Protection
February 6, 2025 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
Saudi Arabia is rediscovering its natural assets. From the coral reefs of the Red Sea to the sweeping dunes of the Empty Quarter, the Kingdom is home to an impressive array of ecosystems and biodiversity. With this renewed focus on its natural heritage comes an unparalleled opportunity: to emerge as a global leader in protecting and valuing nature.
The Power of the Creative Economy: A Pathway to Growth and Global Influence
December 11, 2024 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
As the global economy evolves and industries become increasingly knowledge-driven, nations are looking toward new sources of growth beyond traditional sectors. One of the most promising and fastest growing of these is the creative economy—a diverse sector encompassing arts, media, design, fashion, technology, and cultural industries. According to UNESCO, the creative and cultural sectors contribute $4.3 trillion to global GDP, and generate 50 million jobs worldwide, almost half of which are held by women. These industries are expected to account for 10% of global GDP by 2030.
Is Xi Jinping Undermining China’s Path to Tech Superiority?
November 16, 2024 | Deborah Lehr, Chair and CEO
The recent decline in venture capital (VC) investment in China has far-reaching consequences, not only for the startup ecosystem but also for the broader Chinese economy. Once a vibrant hub for entrepreneurial activity, China’s startup scene is now facing significant challenges as VC funding drops to its lowest levels in years. The decline in capital investment is stalling the creation of new businesses, affecting employment, and slowing the pace of technological innovation – factors that collectively threaten the country’s long-term economic trajectory and President Xi Jinping’s ambitions.