Newsletter By 2026-01-26
In the imagination of many who live outside of the continent, the very name of “Europe” still evokes an image of its 19th-century grandeur: opulent palaces, cobblestone streets, and cultural legacies preserved in art, literature, and architecture. Yet, beneath this façade, Europe has quietly transformed in ways that many have not fully realized. The reality is that, while still more developed than many parts of the world, Europe is increasingly resembling emerging economies, rather than the global powerhouse it once was, writes
ANBOUND’s founder Kung Chan, in an
article published by
EU Reporter.
The significance of SpaceX’s Starship may ultimately extend far beyond the aerospace domain. It is, in effect, an efficiency revolution in the way human civilization operates, as well as a new game of power. It is, in effect, a profound test of the geopolitical structural logic. For the world, this may signal the emergence of a new technological center. For China, it is not only a threat but also a window of opportunity. Only by advancing institutional innovation, achieving technological breakthroughs, and shaping international rules in parallel can China, in the coming orbital era, avoid passively accepting externally imposed rules or being marginalized by technology. This, in the end, allows it to rewrite the boundaries of power between Earth and space, in the opinion of
Zhou Chao, Research Fellow for Geopolitical Strategy programme at ANBOUND.
>>In the post-industrial era China, the development of local economies essentially marks a departure from the "standardized" stage of scale-driven expansion, moving instead toward deep competition grounded in local endowments, cultural substance, and distinctive economic strengths. The core of local governance is no longer the pursuit of dramatic, visible change. Rather, it aims to mitigate risks, cultivate local resources, and transform cultural soft power into differentia, according to
Yang Xite, Research Fellow at ANBOUND.
>>The allocation of key resources reflects socialist principles, income distribution still depends on wealth creation, where more works contribute to more income, making this looks more like capitalist production logic. This can be termed “structural socialism”, a system in which socialism operates at the foundational level, controlling key resources, meanwhile capitalist modes of production prevail in the broader economic sphere. Building a unified national market requires prioritizing market functionality and efficiency. External capitalist competition is global and persistent, although social stratification and ideological diversity remain realities. These conditions imply that socialist practice will be long-term and incremental, ending only with sufficient wealth accumulation and comprehensive welfare provision, analyzed
ANBOUND’s founder Kung Chan, in an article published by the
CEOWORLD magazine.
>>Given that the foundation of the yuan's exchange rate lies in stable economic growth, many market investors are generally optimistic about the Chinese currency's appreciation. Neither appreciation nor depreciation always signifies its direct relations with economic growth or the capital market orientations. It is instead a reflection of the combined influence of assets, liabilities, and economic growth on the currency's creditworthiness. In the context of the complex changes brought about by de-globalization, for China, maintaining the stability of the yuan is far more important than focusing on its appreciation or depreciation. It is also to ensure the currency remains reliable and sustainable, particularly in an environment where global trade dynamics and economic conditions are increasingly uncertain, discussed
Wei Hongxu, Senior Economist at ANBOUND.
>>Inheritance tax has long been regarded as an institutional instrument imbued with a sense of justice. It has been endowed with ethical legitimacy as a means to correct intergenerational inequality and prevent the entrenchment of wealth. Inheritance tax undoubtedly carries significant social and ethical value, but its economic worth and practical effects may fall short of expectations. Especially when the economy is facing insufficient demand and growth pressures, the potential suppressive effects of inheritance tax on consumption, investment, and social vitality could marginally outweigh its redistributive benefits, noted
Chen Li, Economic Research Fellow at ANBOUND.
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