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This analysis contributes to a fast-growing body of literature on Sino-Western relations and the tension between economic and security interests. It takes Britain's China policy as a case study considering the Integrated Review 2021. It argues that London's stance towards Beijing has shifted – officially – from the so-called "golden era" to a complex phase of diplomatic–military tensions and scrutinised economic relations, principally because of US pressure. However, this shift de facto has not had a structural impact on the economic side of the relationship between London and Beijing. The article reaches this conclusion by framing its narrative through the lens of the economy-security conundrum at the heart of the Liberal International Order and through the lens of the New Cold War between the US and China. These two factors are crucial for understanding the change between Britain's China policy pre- and post-2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China's financial market grows more mature, an old, and arguably unethical form of finance—usury—still exists. In an age when the internet is widely available, various online lending platforms allow access to varieties of usury cloaked in new forms. In this article, we discuss three types of illegal usury crimes: campus loans that trick college students into heavy debts, naked loans that target young female students and use nude photos as collateral, and recipe loans that swindle people with valuable property (e.g., real estate). We found that these new forms of usury can be ascribed to a mismatch: the borrowers have a high marginal propensity to consume but limited liquidity to spend. Cultural, social, and legal factors in China are also significant contributors to the existence of these crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]