International Business and TradeTransportation and Logistics

Kazakhstan Border Gridlock Disrupts China-Russia Trade Routes Amid Sanctions Pressure

Over 2,500 trucks carrying electronics and drone components face weeklong delays at Kazakhstan’s border with Russia. The gridlock reflects Astana’s growing compliance with Western sanctions as Central Asia reassesses energy dependence on Moscow amid refinery disruptions.

Border Gridlock Deepens as Kazakhstan Tightens Checks

Thousands of Chinese trucks have jammed Kazakhstan’s border with Russia since mid-September, slowing the flow of dual-use goods from Asia that sustain Russia’s defense industry, according to reports from multiple Russian media outlets. Lenta.ru reported approximately 2,500 trucks have piled up at checkpoints, with many carrying electronics, drone components, and Western-branded goods that could fall under export restrictions.

Energy PolicyInternational Business and Trade

Trump Administration Price Floor Strategy: Combating China’s Market Manipulation

The Trump administration will implement price floors across various industries to combat China’s market manipulation tactics. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed this industrial policy approach during an exclusive CNBC interview, emphasizing the need for vigilance against non-market economies.

In a significant policy announcement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has revealed the Trump administration’s plan to implement price floors across multiple industries as a strategic response to China’s market manipulation practices. The announcement came during an exclusive CNBC interview at the “Invest in America forum” in Washington, D.C., where Bessent outlined the administration’s approach to protecting American industries from what he described as China’s systematic efforts to undermine global competitors.

Understanding the Price Floor Strategy

Economy and TradingInternational Business and Trade

Rare Earth Crisis: U.S. Sleepwalked Into China Dependency, Warns Top Economist

Top economist Jeremy Siegel warns the U.S. has sleepwalked into a rare earth crisis as China tightens export controls. The Wharton professor calls the lack of strategic reserves “scandalous” amid growing supply chain threats to defense and technology sectors.

Renowned Wharton economist Jeremy Siegel has labeled America’s rare earth elements vulnerability as “scandalous” following China’s sweeping new export controls that threaten global supply chains. The warning comes as China tightens its grip on the critical minerals powering everything from advanced weapons to electric vehicles, exposing what Siegel calls a major U.S. security failure.

Strategic Blind Spot in Rare Earth Dependence