Policy

Korea’s strong healthcare still leaves families exposed to severe income loss from serious illness Health shocks cut wages, pushing seniors and students into long-term financial strain Korea must pair universal care with robust income protection to prevent poverty after illness

Russia–North Korea ties and Arctic shipping are reshaping the US–South Korea alliance The Northern Sea Route turns the Arctic into a new strategic front Education and policy must integrate Arctic routes into Korean security planning

China quietly rations rare earths through strict export paperwork, not formal bans Its dominance in mining and magnet production turns bureaucracy into global leverage Schools and policymakers must plan for lasting supply risk and build alternative sources

The US relies on an H-1B talent pipeline its schools cannot replace New H-1B fees push global talent toward rival countries building strong education–innovation systems Without opening visas and fixing public education, the US will lose its tech edge

Military spending is surging, and the Russia–China axis tightens A Germany–Japan security alliance is lawful, networked, and unlike the 1930s Link logistics, energy, and industry to turn budgets into credible deterrence In 2024, th

Public R&D crowd-in effect primes private investment and productivity growth Cuts and freezes break the catalyst, raising risk and slowing diffusion Protect catalytic grants, require private matching, and use procurement to anchor demand

India hedges: the U.S.

Asia practiced tariff diplomacy: public deference, private deals China’s rare-earth grip set the terms, yielding a short truce and modest tariff relief Schools should hedge purchases and teach the supply-chain math behind these negotiations

China’s global economic influence creates shared dependence It reshapes rich-country industry and developing-country debt Open-source AI deepens this reliance, making resilience vital In 2023, China accounted for about

Globalization shifts tasks to cheaper hubs while people move unevenly Left-behind places lose jobs and grow politically angry Insure workers, boost mobility, and invest in local productivity The narrative about regional bac

Private school subsidies risk emptying public schools by erasing price differences Competition will shift to entrance exams and prep, as Korea shows Link subsidies to fair admissions and fee caps, invest in public quality, and track enrolment

Japan’s new PM locks in a hard-line, US-aligned stance Japan–China ties enter “stable instability” as ASEAN/Seoul outreach continues Schools and policymakers must harden compliance and diversify partnerships Only 13% o

ASEAN needs its own stability fund to protect trade during crises Europe shows that regional firewalls boost confidence An ASEAN-led design would secure faster, fairer support In 2022, the global

Chinese subsidies lower prices now but create domestic misallocation and cross-border distortions Importers’ short-run gains are offset by capacity loss, concentration, and volatile input shocks Targeted remedies, resilient procurement, and updated curricula can cut the global welfare loss

Rare earth price spikes show fragile supply chains The U.S.

Trade barriers worth $2.3T are rising and choking education trade A free trade mega bloc can keep people, data, and ideas moving Prioritize shared visas, interoperable credentials, and protected cross-border data One number u

Japan’s labor is tight and the yen is weak Despite 2.3 million foreign workers, only 1,685 Indian students study in Japan A Japan–India education corridor would scale skills, lift productivity, and lock in a deeper partnership

BRI is reshaping value chains, creating real growth with tight dependencies U.S.

Taiwan’s advanced chips make it a bargaining chip in U.S.–China–Japan rivalry Tariffs, subsidies, and new fabs turn semiconductor leverage into day-to-day industrial policy Education must build chip literacy and procurement buffers to withstand supply shocks

US leadership in Asia is consolidating, not fading Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and key ASEAN partners are tightening defense and tech ties with Washington This hardening coalition outweighs rhetoric and is reshaping education and industry