Polaris Live Podcasts with Host, Sarwar Kashmeri

China needs a China strategy, not just a reaction driven foreign policy based on China engagement. As a leading middle-power it is high time for Canada to craft a China strategy that relies less on reaction reflex and emotion and more on realism driven by its national interests.. While Canada cannot ignore Washington's concerns and trade potential, it cannot let great-power rivalry completely defi...

Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vs Trump’s ‘Make in America’ — collision ahead after the Xi-Trump Summit? U.S.–India economic relationship seems to be shifting from the old “natural partners” narrative into something more transactional and contentious. The forced-labor issue recently highlighted by the Trump Administration is especially interesting, especially as it comes on the heels of the Xi-Trump summi...

Despite crippling economic hardships and intense international pressure, North Korea has managed to become a nuclear nation. What drove the country to so resolutely prioritize the development of nuclear weapons? What strategies has it used in pursuit of its goals? And what are the broader strategic, geopolitical implications of its nuclear program? The author, Yangmo Ku,  will unpack the complexit...

Among the thorniest and most delicate issues that Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will face is the future of Taiwan given that any question of its being an integral part of China is the ultimate red-line of China's foreign policy. Therefore, the discussion of Taiwan during the two Presidents' Summit May 14/15 2026 is a major topic of conjecture between Taiwan-China relations experts, of whi...

Besides Chinese and Americans, the entire world awaits the upcoming Xi-Trump meeting scheduled for May 14/15 2026. President Trump is determined to remake and/or recalibrate America’s trade and security equation with China. Can he? On the other hand, many geopolitical experts believe the American president has been so weakened by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that he has few cards to play at the Su...

President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet in Beijing on May 14 and 15 for a summit meeting that is expected to cover a number outstanding issues including trade, security, Artificial Intelligence guardrails, Taiwan, and cross investment. Trump’s meeting with Xi has been anticipated for weeks as the two economic powers work to reduce trade tensions and new tariffs.  Some...

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are scheduled to have a summit meeting in Beijing on the 14 and 15 of May 2026. China seems to loom over the United States in its perpetually calm ascendency to the global leadership position. Polaris-Live founder and host Sarwar Kashmeri visited China a few days ago and found himself in country devoid of wars and killing. A modern country of trains that run...

We apologize for the occasionally distorted audio from Sarwar Kashmeri. He was experiencing a severe thunder storm at his location that interfered with his audio transmission. How does China view its role—both principled and pragmatic—in the evolving West Asia crisis; Especially as it involves energy, trade, global political economy. How do current tensions affect Beijing’s long-term strategic pla...

China wants the Renminbi to be global reserve currency. Chances of achieving this? Will it be good for China? Good for the world? Exclusive 1 hour panel discussion ----------------------------  Guest Host: Marc Chandler , Chief Market Strategist, Bannockburn Capital Markets Mark Sobel , Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, US international monetary & financial policy & Dr. ZHOU Mi , Deputy D...

Does the President’s actions change the perception of America, after all the U.S. is known as a country of laws, not men! Top down look at the impact of the seeming bypass by Pres. Trump of the USSC decision, as in pronouncing it un-American, taking away from his Make America Great Again trajectory, reminding countries not to think they have avoided tariffs and instituting new tariffs, just in cas...

President Trump recently announced on his social media feed that the U.S. and India had agreed a landmark trade deal that would reduce tariffs on Indian exports. In return, India, said the U.S. President, has committed to stop buying Russian crude oil and open up India's agriculture sector to U.S. products. Quite amazing given that 1/3 of India's oil consumption is imported from Russia and over 60...

Since 2009, China has been Brazil's biggest trade partner, by a large margin, followed by the U.S. However, Americans are more important as investors, and as a source of advanced technology, especially in military cooperation. Polls show that Brazilians admire the United States much more than China, but that they also believe that the Chinese government is more respectful of Brazil's sovereignty....

Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram bin Yaakob is the Ambassador of Malaysia to the United States of America. He is a highly experienced diplomat, with over 35 years of experience in public service. He was appointed as an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988 and held the position of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 6 January 2019...

The resurgence of great-power rivalry—primarily between the United States and China—has not pushed middle and smaller states back into Cold War–style camps. Instead, much of the Global South has become more assertively “non-aligned” (or multi-aligned), carving out independent strategic space, something that would have been very difficult to do just a decade ago. This trend reflects structural chan...

India was one of two largest purchasers of Russia's oil. In keeping with the two countries decades old friendship. With U.S. sanctions this week on the 2 largest Russian oil producers the Indian role is in a very tough place: support the old relationship and succumb to America's sanctions or cut off the purchase of Russian oil and turn its back on an old friendship that has always stood by India....