The Long(er) Ukraine War: Lessons for the Indo-Pacific

The Long(er) Ukraine War: Lessons for the Indo-Pacific | ORF: The Russia-Ukraine war has upended many paradigms, among them the belief that a modern-day war will be sharp and swift.

The Grand Race for Techno-Security Leadership

The Grand Race for Techno-Security Leadership - War on the Rocks: In the perilous race between the United States and China for dominance of the global technological and security commons, the recent passage of the CHIPS

Let's Talk About Compliance with International Humanitarian Law

Let's Talk About Compliance with International Humanitarian Law: What the empirics say about how States and non-State actors actually behave on the battlefield and under what conditions their compliance with humanitarian law changes.

Geopolitics, G20 and India's Choices

Geopolitics, G20 and India's Choices - Gateway House: India will be president of the G20 in 2023. The world’s most influential economic governance body is facing an existential crisis, where the major powers

Russia’s new arm's distance from Asia

Russia’s new arm's distance from Asia: The Russia-Ukraine war is hurting Moscow’s role as the arms supplier of choice in the Asia Pacific.

It Is the Player, but Mostly the Game

It Is the Player, but Mostly the Game: While Viktor Bout—the notorious Russian arms dealer that the U.S. is offering up in a prisoner swap—is likely a spent force, the illicit arms trade remains a threat. The story of Bout’s network, and his eventual capture, highlights the challenges in tackling this deadly trade.

China moves to fill the void left by Russian sanctions – on its own terms

China moves to fill the void left by Russian sanctions – on its own terms: Six months into the Ukraine war and against a backdrop of diplomatic posturing and international sanctions, China has not hesitated to fill the void left by OECD disengagement with Russia – but is taking care not to compromise its own economic interests in the process. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, China has been careful to officially maintain its “pro-Russian neutrality.” Nevertheless, Beijing’s propaganda machine is hard at work amplifying Russian narratives in line with its recent “friendship without limits.” Beijing has refused to impose any sanctions on Moscow and, following an initial adjustment period marked by economic disengagement, has not restrained from deepening economic ties with Russia. At the same time, China is aiming to minimize its exposure to OECD sanctions and is demanding high export prices of its northern neighbor, especially for products of strategic importance such as semiconductors. Chines...

Indonesia steps innocently onto the international stage | East Asia Forum

Indonesia steps innocently onto the international stage | East Asia Forum: G20 Presidency thrusts Indonesia onto the global stage, willing or not, and challenges it with aligning domestic with global policies

U.S. Strategy and the Future of Money: Advancing U.S. Interests During a Financial Transformation

U.S. Strategy and the Future of Money: Advancing U.S. Interests During a Financial Transformation: The United States has enjoyed decades of influence over the international financial system thanks to the unique role of the U.S. dollar in the international economy. This dollar dominance could even be considered an element of U.S. power, underpinning a range of political and economic tools used by

Does the “Beidaihe meeting” actually take place, and why does this matter?

Does the “Beidaihe meeting” actually take place, and why does this matter?: While many are convinced of the existence of a secret annual high-level meeting in Chinese coastal resort Beidaihe, MERICS Senior Fellow Charles Parton says that the evidence points to the contrary, underlining Xi Jinping’s position of power. Beidaihe, a stopover for migratory birds on China’s Bohai Sea coast, is famous for its birdwatching. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders and elders also migrate there each August, when China watchers get out their binoculars in an attempt to spot the CCP’s “secretive annual conclave”. The fact that “Agendas and attendees are never confirmed, and there is likely to be little to no indication in official media that the gathering is even taking place”1 has not dampened the enthusiasm of these “twitchers”. Many reputable newspapers see the “Beidaihe meeting” as an important moment in China’s political year. The New York Times spoke of “Xi and top officials and party elders….[being] expected to hold secret meetings in August in the seaside resort of Beidaihe.” Reuters described Beidaihe as the “site of a secretive annual summer party leadership conclave”, while The Guardian went as far as to say that “the [Pelosi] visit happened right before the Beidaihe conference – a secretive gathering of Chinese Communist party elites where major policy decisions are made.” But perhaps the prize goes to the think tank that co...

Why the War in Ukraine Could Get Even More Dangerous

Why the War in Ukraine Could Get Even More Dangerous: The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on Tuesday urged its citizens to leave Ukraine. The Embassy said it believes Russia is preparing to target civilian and government infrastructure over the next few days as the war reaches the six-month mark on Wednesday. The 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Day also falls on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy […]

Disappearing animals, disappearing us: what can Classics teach us about the climate crisis? | OUPblog

Disappearing animals, disappearing us: what can Classics teach us about the climate crisis? | OUPblog: In enlightenment definitions, anthropological hierarchies, and early modern and modern capitalist exploitations of the natural world, European thought about the human remains indebted to Classical concepts.

Why America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is Flawed

Why America’s Indo-Pacific strategy is flawed - Policy Forum: The United States’ geopolitics-first approach to the Indo-Pacific ignores the region’s complexities, Zenel Garcia writes.

What Does India Want from Russia?

What does India want from Russia?: As the Ukraine war continues, India’s quest for self-reliance increasingly entails multidimensional international engagement.

How the Taliban’s More Effective and ‘Fairer’ Tax System Helped it Win Control of Afghanistan

How the Taliban’s more effective and ‘fairer’ tax system helped it win control of Afghanistan - CapX: When the Taliban dramatically gained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they used bombs and guns to swiftly overcome state security forces. But they also had another valuable and effective weapon at their disposal: taxes. Long before the withdrawal of US troops, the Taliban had developed a remarkably state-like system of taxing citizens on everyday goods like […]

New Century, Old Taliban

New Century, Old Taliban

India’s Window of Opportunity to Counter China’s Influence in South Asia

India’s window of opportunity to counter China’s influence in South Asia

China is Losing Ground in Sri Lanka

Beijing is blamed unfairly for its role in the island’s crisis – but its response has hardly enhanced China’s influence.

The Global Struggle to Respond to an Emerging Two-Bloc World

Few countries want to take sides in this competition, but they may find themselves pushed to do so at some point.

Russia’s War in Ukraine: Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Rivalry

Moscow’s actions bear striking similarities to the failed American missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

What Can We Expect From Indonesia’s G20?

Indonesia must lead the G20 in reforming the post-war institutions that hold back an effective response to the global health and economic challenges of the future, writes Maria Monica Wihardja.

Were We Right to Be Afraid of China During the Vietnam War?

Were We Right to Be Afraid of China During the Vietnam War? | HistoryNet: Fears of China on the battlefield were rampant during the Vietnam War. Were they justified?

Can Think Tanks Be Foreign Agents?

Can think tanks be foreign agents? - Responsible Statecraft: A new Justice Department guidance should serve as cautionary tale for those organizations doing other countries' bidding.

Multilateral Cooperation in Times of Multiple Crises

Multilateral Cooperation in Times of Multiple Crises: The G7 should focus on inclusive, selective and anticipatory policy approaches

Is Afghanistan Balkanizing under the Taliban Rule?

Is Afghanistan Balkanizing under the Taliban Rule? - FPIF: On the one-year anniversary of their seizure of power, the Taliban now face a wholly different threat.

Can Regionalism Contain Geopolitical Competition in the South Pacific?

Can regionalism contain geopolitical competition in the South Pacific? | East Asia Forum: The Pacific has a lot to learn from how ASEAN organises itself around its principles of multipolarity and multilateralism

Afghanistan’s Abyss

Bangladesh and Nepal Are Not Destined to Repeat Sri Lanka’s Mistakes

Japan’s Missing Nuclear Energy Policy

Understanding the US-China Rivalry

The Rise and Fall of Political Islam

The Return of History: Cold War Lessons for Current International Crises

Xi’s Guns of August

A New Era? NATO’s Prioritization of Human Security in an Insecure World

Air Defense and the Limits of Drone Technology

China and Russia Can’t Be Ignored by the West Anymore

Why Waterloo? How the Battle of Waterloo Took its Place in Britain’s National Identity

The End of the Manchu Dynasty and Tibetan Independence

The Taliban’s Disastrous Year-long Rule in Afghanistan

How India Can Realize its Ambitions to Become a Great Power

How Fast Could China Take Over Taiwan?

How the Afghan War Was Lost, in Five Easy Steps

India’s Challenge to Belt and Road in Asia

The Human Aspect of Etymology

The Folly of Pakistan’s China Gamble

Matching Political Will to Geopolitical Ambition in India

A Century-and-a-Half Look at the Waves of Global Terrorism

Future of China’s Belt and Road lies in Middle East

Afghanistan is Now an Asian Problem

Abe’s Legacy on Japan-China Relations

US Global Security Partnerships in the Biden Era

What Is a Sovereign State?

The Killing of Al-Zawahiri and the Future of Al-Qaeda