Image Source: CNBC The Kuomintang (KMT) party had much to celebrate on November 26. Not only did its candidates win 13 of the 21 cities and counties in Taiwan’s 2022 midterm elections, but the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) captured only five seats, the fewest since its founding in 1986. President Tsai Ing-wen, who has achieved … Continue reading No, Taiwan’s “Blue Wave” Is not an Endorsement of Reunification
Category: Indo-Pacific
Reversing strategic neglect: The US-Pacific Islands Country Summit
Photo credit: US State Department On September 28-29, the United States hosted the historic US-Pacific Islands Country Summit in Washington, DC. The event marked the first summit between the U.S. and the Pacific Islands and was the first time in forty years that the U.S. President met with a congregation of leaders from the Pacific. … Continue reading Reversing strategic neglect: The US-Pacific Islands Country Summit
China’s Dismissal of #MeToo as a Tool of Western Influence Harms Women
Image source: Weibo via ABC News Australia The #MeToo movement empowered women all across the globe to speak out against sexual harassment, including in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Yet progress in China has stifled, as social media censorship reframed the public conversation online and those in power wielded their influence to penalize victims … Continue reading China’s Dismissal of #MeToo as a Tool of Western Influence Harms Women
What Does Bongbong Marcos’ Win Mean for the United States in Southeast Asia?
Credit: RPSantos / Flickr Few countries are more vital to the United States’ strategy in Asia than the Philippines. Once a U.S. colony, the Southeast Asian archipelago remains a key ally to the United States and an important bulwark against China’s territorial ambitions in the South China Sea. But in recent years, the Philippine government … Continue reading What Does Bongbong Marcos’ Win Mean for the United States in Southeast Asia?
The Revival of Strategic Competition in West Africa: Western Intransigence and Eastern Assertiveness
The Reemergence of Geopolitical Alignment On September 1, 1961, in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 25 heads of state hailing from four continents—from Cuba in the West to Indonesia in the East, gathered to formally establish the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Born ideologically of the movements for anti-colonialism, non-interference, and pacifism, it would morph into an explicit geopolitical position … Continue reading The Revival of Strategic Competition in West Africa: Western Intransigence and Eastern Assertiveness
“Bongbong” and China
Philippine presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos “Bongbong” Jr. Photo Credit: Rappler Marcos “Bongbong” Jr. is bound to win the Philippines’ presidential election on May 9. In the latest polling, 56% of the electorate prefers his candidacy. Through evasion of media scrutiny, a sophisticated public relations campaign, and heavy doses of social media misinformation, Marcos has been … Continue reading “Bongbong” and China
Will Japan and Russia Ever Be at Peace?
Then-Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida shaking hands with President Vladimir Putin in 2016. Photo Credit: Newsweek Japan On August 9, 1945, merely hours before the B-29 bomber Bockscar dropped the “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, the Soviet Union began its offensive against the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria. Within days, the imperial forces surrendered and ceded control … Continue reading Will Japan and Russia Ever Be at Peace?
The Ukraine-Russia War: An Uncertain Future for Indian Defense Modernization
Photo Credit:Agence France-Presse In the days following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, India remained silent. In the United Nations Security Council, where India is currently a non-permanent member, and in the General Assembly, India has noticeably abstained on resolutions condemning Russia. This silence has prompted international criticism given Russian targeting of … Continue reading The Ukraine-Russia War: An Uncertain Future for Indian Defense Modernization
“Blinding the Elephant:” Assessing PLA Systems Confrontation and the Fight for Information Dominance
In 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, China and the United States become embroiled in a conflict that centers on information dominance. Naval aviators are unable to communicate with their higher command, aviation control mechanisms are rendered inoperable, and sea cable disruption leads to a communication blackout. This contributes to the U.S. becoming … Continue reading “Blinding the Elephant:” Assessing PLA Systems Confrontation and the Fight for Information Dominance
An Unlikely Pair: The Link Between the Uyghur Genocide and 9/11
Two people wearing masks showing colors of the Uighur heartland's flag with a hand painted with the Chinese Communist Party's colors over it. Photo Credit: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson As the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, and other countries condemn China’s violence, internment, sterilization, and so-called re-education against its Uyghur population for the crime that it is—genocide—China’s actions … Continue reading An Unlikely Pair: The Link Between the Uyghur Genocide and 9/11