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Flashpoints
Will China’s military rival the United States’ in the Pacific? Will Japan abandon the constitutional fetters on its own military? How will India respond to the String of Pearls strategy? The Diplomat has put together a team of leading analysts to offer must-read, regular commentary on the big defense and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.
June 28, 2023
How the EU’s Security Approach Affects China-Europe Relations
By Dingding Chen and Yingfan Chen
Whether in Germany or the EU as a whole, expanded concepts of security are threatening economic exchanges with China.
June 27, 2023
Taiwan’s Will to Fight May Be Stronger Than You Think
By Timothy R. Heath
Should China mount an invasion, Taiwan's political leadership and degree of social cohesion will be the most important factors in its defense.
June 27, 2023
The Taliban’s Unsustainable War on Drugs
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Afghanistan's opiate economy is unlikely to be disrupted by a one-off campaign of crop destruction in a handful of provinces.
June 26, 2023
What Should the US Do About China’s Spy Facility in Cuba?
By Joseph Bouchard
News that China plans to establish a signals and electronics intelligence station on the island carries echoes of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
June 24, 2023
Will China’s Private Security Companies Follow the Wagner Group’s Footsteps in Africa?
By Jong Min Lee and Samuel Wittman
As the controversial Russian mercenary group is diverting its attention to Ukraine, China’s PSCs have a window to expand their engagement in African countries.
June 23, 2023
The Weakest Link: Securing Critical Undersea Infrastructure in ASEAN
By Lucas Snarski
The lack of a regional plan for securing this vital infrastructure leaves Southeast Asian nations vulnerable to disruptions, accidental and otherwise.
June 23, 2023
US Coast Guard Ship Sailed Through Taiwan Strait a Day After Blinken’s China Visit
By Associated Press
The U.S. called it a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” while China pledged to “strengthen patrol law enforcement in waters under China’s jurisdiction.”
June 21, 2023
INSTC: Pipeline Dream or a Counterweight to Western Sanctions and China’s BRI?
By Nima Khorrami
There is revived talk about the International North South Transport Corridor, but can the project overcome divergences between India, Iran, and Russia?
June 17, 2023
Taiwan’s Defense Dilemma
By Jenny Li
As the U.S. urges Taiwan to adopt a security strategy that requires foreign intervention, it also upholds a policy of strategic ambiguity, making it difficult for Taipei to commit to a purely defensive approach.
June 16, 2023
Russian Roulette in Taliban-Held Afghanistan
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Frequent vacillations from hope to pessimism continue to characterize Russian policy toward Afghanistan.
June 14, 2023
Will Asia Follow the EU Artificial Intelligence Act or Forge Its Own Path?
By Adam Au
Europe’s data protection regime helped set global standards, but on AI, Asian governments are largely taking a wait-and-see approach.
June 13, 2023
Europe and Asia Remain Oceans Apart – At Least on Security
By Dominique Fraser
European officials came to the SLD with two goals: to garner regional support for Ukraine and portray Europe as a reliable security partner in the Indo-Pacific. One was notably more successful.
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