Wu Xiao is an incoming third year International Relations student at Western University and a Summer Intern at NAOC. She has previous experience interning at Forest City Film Festival, Western’s International Exchange Student Centre, and VOLTA Magazine. As an avid supporter of philanthropic efforts, Wu Xiao has volunteered with grassroots organizations for issues concerning sea turtle conservation, inner city youth development, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
Wu Xiao’s interests in foreign policy concern politics in Asia (China) and the Middle East. She hopes to further her research of the two geopolitical spheres throughout her internship and contribute to NAOC’s podcast. Wu Xiao aspires to pursue a career in diplomacy and global development. She is fluent in English and Mandarin and is currently learning Spanish. Outside of the office, Wu Xiao enjoys travelling and freelance writing.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a contentious topic in international affairs since it was announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013. The mega-project aiming to connect Central Asia, Europe, and Africa via economic trade routes has received mixed responses from the international community for its lofty goals. Despite criticism about the plan’s Read More…
The vastness of cyberspace and speed of information transfer make it a novel frontier ripe for trial and error. The trend of nations turning towards state-run cyberspace policy is up for discussion after Russia’s expedited approval of the ‘Runet’ law, or sovereign internet bill.
The interns analyze how U.S. intervention in Latin American affairs impacted social, political, and economic development in the region throughout history.
The recent confession of a Cyprian army officer murdering five migrant women and two children reopened the dialogue of migrant domestic workers’ (MDW) invisible fight against exploitation and human rights violations. Many juxtapose the MDW industry to modern day slavery. Common mistreatment MDW face include: inadequate or withheld wages, unregulated work hours, confiscation of personal identification, forced labour, physical/verbal abuse, and sexual harassment.
The Chinese science fiction film The Wandering Earth (Liu Lang Di Qiu) shattered boxes offices in 2019. Directed by Frant Gwo, the movie follows the Liu family’s post-apocalyptic space mission to save Earth from Jupiter’s gravitational orbit. The film’s thematic statements and successful public reception are a reflection of China’s increasing confidence in its space exploration program.