ARTICLES

28 Oct 2022

The Fundamental Tension in Biden’s National Security Strategy

Zack Cooper

Washington’s new National Security Strategy has been carefully crafted, but the document hosts a number of inherent tensions. Foremost among them is the fact that putting democracy at the center of a strategy that is increasingly Asia-focused is ill-advised.

26 Oct 2022

The United Kingdom and the Indo-Pacific: “Tilting” or Tottering?

Joanne Lin|William Choong

The United Kingdom (U.K.) has launched a robust “tilt” towards the Indo-Pacific. To its credit, it has executed a series of high-profile diplomatic engagements and military deployments to the region. The question, however, is not about London’s desire to engage with the dynamic region but whether this tilt can be sustained.

AUKUS Indo-Pacfic Security U.K.

29 Jul 2022

Building Peace in Asia: It’s Not the “Asian Way”

Hoang Thi Ha

China’s “Asian way” is an all-embracing idea and a coded language to discredit other countries’ actions that are deemed harmful to China’s strategic interests.

China Chinese Foreign Policy Security South China Sea

26 Jul 2022

The U.S.-China Strategic Competition in the Pacific: Something ASEAN Needs to Watch

Daljit Singh

Beijing’s recent moves to establish security cooperation with Pacific Island states have riled the U.S. and Australia. ASEAN needs to watch the ongoing great power competition there closely to draw lessons for its own security.

ASEAN AUKUS Australia China Maritime Security Pacific Islands Quad Security U.S.

13 Jun 2022

Shangri-La Dialogue 2022: The Paradox of Peace and Power

Hoang Thi Ha

The duel between the ‘rule of law’ and the ‘right of might’ took centre-stage as the Shangri-La Dialogue resumed under the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Southeast Asian countries found it a hard sell to promote cooperative security and ASEAN’s broad-based mechanisms against tough talk by representatives of the major powers.

Defence Indo-Pacfic International Relations Security

10 Jun 2022

The Need for Power Balance Amidst Rising Great Power Contestations

Daljit Singh

ASEAN and its constituent states must not neglect the crucial importance of maintaining a balance of influence and power between the great powers to secure space for their own independence.

ASEAN AUKUS China-U.S. Relations Quad Security

6 Jun 2022

ASEAN Cooperation Post-2025: A Vision for Collaborative Governance

Sanchita Basu Das

As ASEAN emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an opportunity for collaborative governance to boost the region’s capacity to meet future challenges in the economy, geopolitics, and the environment.

ASEAN ASEAN Connectivity Asean Trade Digitalisation Security

20 May 2022

Asia’s Regional Security Architecture: An Australian Perspective

Nick Bisley

This Long Read argues that ASEAN’s goal of remaining at the centre of regionalism in Asia is at risk. The Quad and AUKUS are centred around the US due to its paramount military power. Washington shares Australia’s interest in result-oriented security mechanisms, and has found sustaining long-term engagement with ASEAN difficult.

Australia Maritime Security Security

6 May 2022

The Russia-Ukraine War and its Potential Impact on Russia’s Arms Sales to Southeast Asia

Ian Storey

Russia has been the largest exporter of arms to Southeast Asia over the past two decades but the value of its defence sales to the region has fallen sharply since its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will only exacerbate this downward trend.

Armed Conflict Defence Russia Security Ukraine

12 Apr 2022

Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Why Hard Power Matters

James Bosbotinis

Russia's invasion of Ukraine provides the context for Washington to strengthen its alliances and partnerships across the Asia-Pacific, including in Southeast Asia.

ASEAN-China Relations ASEAN-Russia Relations ASEAN-U.S. Relations Security Ukraine