May 03, 2025

Today, I came across news about a new book called “Coercion Calculus and China South China Sea Futures” that delves into China’s coercive statecraft in the Indo-Pacific region. The book examines how Beijing’s use of coercion impacts major disputes in the East and South China Seas, emphasizing the importance of understanding Beijing’s strategies to counter Chinese coercion effectively.

In addition, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a statement opposing attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion, amidst tensions in the South China Sea. There was also a discussion on how Trump’s tariffs are affecting American assets, leading to inflationary effects in the US and deflationary pressures in other major economies. This has resulted in shifts in investments, with European equities and UK bonds being considered attractive options in the changing market landscape.

The news also touched upon the changing role of venture capitalists in the face of increasing automation and AI technologies, raising questions about the future of the industry and the balance between human decision-making and AI-driven processes. Furthermore, there were updates on various acquisitions and IPO plans in the financial realm, including Novvia’s acquisition of Garrett Hewitt International and Valsoft’s acquisition of MonkeySoft.

Lastly, fundraising news highlighted dao5 raising $222 million for its second fund, K1 Investment Management targeting $6.25 billion for its sixth flagship fund, and Smith Point Capital raising over $360 million for its debut fund. Notable personnel changes were announced in various VC firms, and the U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April, with the unemployment rate remaining stable at 4.2%.

Stay Well!