China

ZUMA Press / Scanpix

Transatlantic Security in Trump 2.0

President Trump’s second arrival in the White House has ushered in a new era of transatlantic relations that will fundamentally reshape ties between the US and its Allies. It is appropriate to mourn the trust and confidence that have been lost in a matter of weeks. Yet, with no time to spare, devoted transatlanticists should reimagine how this relationship could better serve American and European security interests. In this endeavour, Europe’s objective should be to achieve greater strategic agency—and work with Trump’s Washington to get there.

Read more
Image for Transatlantic Security in Trump 2.0 Image for Transatlantic Security in Trump 2.0

More Than a Systemic Rival: China as a Security Challenge for the EU

The EU’s ties with China rank just behind its transatlantic ones in significance. With China being a major trading partner, the focus has long been on economic opportunities. In recent years, there has been a shift in how the EU frames its relationship with China. Yet, despite increasing emphasis on systemic rivalry and economic security, security risks remain underrepresented in EU China policy.

Read more
Image for More Than a Systemic Rival: China as a Security Challenge for the EU Image for More Than a Systemic Rival: China as a Security Challenge for the EU

Narratives of External Norm Contenders Across the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood

The paper focuses on narratives of contested democracy by third-country actors — notably Russia and China — in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood. It identifies four dominant narratives across the region that originate from Russia — ‘decadent and declining West’, ‘historical unity with Russia’, ‘Russia provides security, the West stokes conflict’, and ‘Western-imposed democracy’ — and one broad narrative promoted by China, summed up as ‘China as a positive alternative’. It explores similarities and differences between the six country cases as well as between the narratives advanced by Russia and China. Finally, the paper also seeks to assess the receptiveness of local audiences to the narratives promoted by the two authoritarian powers and their relevance from the viewpoint of democratisation and EU democracy support.

Read more
Image for Narratives of External Norm Contenders Across the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood Image for Narratives of External Norm Contenders Across the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood

Japan, NATO, and the Diversification of Security Partnerships

The US-led military alliances remain an integral part of the defence and deterrence strategies of countries in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. Whereas the European security architecture is centred on a multilateral alliance, that is, NATO, the Asian security order is rooted in the hub-and-spokes system – the network of US-led bilateral alliances with key partners in Asia, such as Japan.

Read more
Image for Japan, NATO, and the Diversification of Security Partnerships Image for Japan, NATO, and the Diversification of Security Partnerships
,

China’s and Russia’s Aggressive Foreign Policies: Historical Legacy or Geopolitical Ambitions?

Beijing and Moscow are among the states across the world pursuing aggressive foreign policies, including towards their neighbours. Beyond mere threats, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine demonstrated that deterrence could fail, with catastrophic consequences. How is Russia’s war against Ukraine perceived in Taiwan and in the wider Indo-Pacific region? What are the long-standing strategic goals of the Kremlin and the CCP, and what role do Ukraine and Taiwan play in them?

Read more
Image for China’s and Russia’s Aggressive Foreign Policies: Historical Legacy or Geopolitical Ambitions? Image for China’s and Russia’s Aggressive Foreign Policies: Historical Legacy or Geopolitical Ambitions?

Rapprochement Despite Strategic Divergence: The Significance of the 2024 Japan-China-South Korea Summit

After four and a half years of interruption, Japan, China, and South Korea finally held their trilateral summit. Initiated in 2008 and planned to be held annually, the summit has promoted three-way economic, trade, and cross-sectoral cooperation. Over the years, historical grievances, territorial disputes, and strategic divergencies between the three neighbours often derailed mutual engagement, thus disrupting the trilateral framework.

Read more
Image for Rapprochement Despite Strategic Divergence: The Significance of the 2024 Japan-China-South Korea Summit Image for Rapprochement Despite Strategic Divergence: The Significance of the 2024 Japan-China-South Korea Summit