Thirty years ago, China accounted for barely four percent of the global economy. In the years since, that has soared to nearly 20 percent. China's bid to use that economic clout in order to reshape the world more in its own image is one of the defining aspects of global politics today. Here's a look at who dominated the world economy thirty years ago, versus now.
The UK currently benefits from EU trade pacts covering more than 70 countries. But if the UK leaves the EU without a trade deal in place, London could lose its preferential access to those markets. In preparation for such a scenario, the UK has signed 20 "continuity" agreements, allowing countries to keep trading with the UK under current rules even after Brexit. Here's a look at which countries and blocs have signed these deals with the UK, and the total value of each trade relationship.
For almost half a century NATO and the Soviet-backed Warsaw Pact alliance glowered at each other across the Iron Curtain. But after the Soviet empire collapsed, NATO expanded further eastwards, welcoming former East Bloc members into the organization. For these countries, it was a way to anchor themselves firmly in the "West," and to protect themselves from any future Russian revanchism. But Moscow saw NATO's eastward creep as a direct challenge to Russia's sphere of influence. Tensions between Washington and Moscow over NATO persist. Here's a look at the history of the organization's expansion.
The world's economy is set to grow at its slowest pace since the global financial crisis a decade ago, according to the OECD, a group of industrialized nations. The gloomy report says governments aren't doing enough to deal with big structural changes like US-China trade tensions, climate change, or the digital revolution. The last time the global economy nose-dived countries were able to muster enough collaboration to coordinate a global response. But given the profound dysfunction of the international order these days, it's hard to imagine countries doing the same again if things take a turn for the worse. Here's a look at global GDP growth over the past decade as measured by the OECD.
After a jam-packed week of testimony in the impeachment probe of President Trump there were plenty of memorable moments, but will any of it sway public opinion? The answer is: probably not. Overwhelmingly, US voters across parties say nothing they hear in the impeachment inquiry will change their minds, according to a recent NPR/PBS News Hour/ Marist poll. Independents are a little more open-minded than Republicans or Democrats, but not by much. Here's a look at the numbers.
Increasingly violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong have dealt a major blow to the city's once booming economy. Tourism – an economic lifeline in that city – has dropped, and retailers are suffering from a sharp decline in sales. Now, six months since the unrest began, Hong Kong has recorded its first recession in a decade, meaning its economy has contracted for two consecutive quarters. Here's a look at how Hong Kong's quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) growth has fared during the past two years.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said that NATO was experiencing "brain death," citing a lack of coordination and America's fickleness under Donald Trump as reasons to doubt the alliance's commitment to mutual defense. NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – was formed in the wake of World War II as a counterweight against Soviet dominance in Europe and beyond. Its cornerstone is that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. But disagreements over sharing the cost of maintaining military readiness have caused friction between the alliance's members in recent years. In 2014, the bloc agreed that each member state would increase their own defense spending to 2% of their respective GDP over the next decade. But so far, only seven of 29 members have forked out the money. Here's a look at who pays what.
