Southern discomfort: The West’s competition with China in the Balkans
The West has only recently started to develop a coordinated strategy to compete with China in the Balkans. This contest has now begun in earnest.
Asia
Why India’s silence on Ukraine is an opportunity for Europe
India’s dependency on Russia has left it reluctant to publicly criticise Putin’s war on Ukraine. Rather than pressure India to pick a side, the EU should show India that it is a serious geopolitical partner.
Will and intent: The Paris ministerial forum on the Indo-Pacific
The recent Paris forum was the first step towards implementing the EU’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific. Given China and Russia’s alliance, Europe must ensure it continues to build up its influence in the region.
Russia’s escalation in Ukraine: Views from Asia
Asia’s three largest powers all have a stake in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. China hopes to change the global order, Japan aims to resist this effort, and India is eager not to alienate Russia or the West.
Games changer: How China is rewriting global rules and Russia is playing along
Beijing and Moscow are unlikely to rush to each other’s aid during a military escalation, be it in Ukraine or over Taiwan. But the enabling environment of their mutual diplomatic support matters greatly.
Net positive: Europe, Japan, and the benefits of small-scale cyber-security cooperation
Japan supports an open, free, and secure internet, as well as the application of international norms to state activities in cyberspace. The country should be the primary focus of EU efforts to develop a shared cyber-security agenda in the Indo-Pacific.
Sea sore: Europe’s dilemmas in the Indian Ocean
The best security guarantees for the EU’s sea lines of communication lie in the convergence between its interests and those of India and the United States
Coercion with Chinese characteristics: How Europe should respond to interference in its internal trade
China is pressuring EU companies to cease trading with Lithuanian firms. This is a critical moment for the European Union – it should build up defences for its internal market and protect member states and companies from political coercion.
Shared interests: Why both China and the West support the Iran nuclear deal
China’s economic support for Iran in recent years encouraged Tehran to come back to the negotiating table. Instability in the Middle East is as little in Beijing’s interests as it is in the West’s.
Corridor to nowhere: The Gwadar protests and the Pakistan-China relationship
The Gwadar protests are more than just a story of manipulation of the food insecurity and frustrations of the local population. They also illustrate the failure of an economic development strategy based on fallacies.