Taiwan’s security is not solely a military challenge; it is a national imperative that demands whole-of-society engagement. This article argues that Taiwan must leverage its strengths as a technologically advanced and highly networked society to modernize its defense doctrine and strengthen
This article examines Australia’s 2024 National Defence Strategy (NDS) within the context of evolving regional dynamics and global strategic competition. Emphasizing deterrence by denial, the NDS prioritizes capabilities aimed at thwarting aggression and safeguarding Australia’s
In the evolving strategic landscape of the Indo-Pacific, Australia’s National Defence Strategy (NDS) emerges as a comprehensive framework to address the region’s increasing security challenges. The NDS leverages a whole-of-government approach, integrating all elements of national power
This article examines China’s strategic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region through the lens of its “Zhōngguó” or “Middle Kingdom” dream of regaining its perceived historical dominance. It traces the deep roots of this aspiration in Chinese nationalism and the Chinese
As authoritarian regimes increasingly employ sophisticated information warfare tactics, democratic societies face urgent challenges in countering cognitive influence operations. This article examines how entities like the Chinese Communist Party strategically disseminate misleading narratives
This article explores the shifting dynamics of US–Thai relations, emphasizing missed opportunities and potential areas of collaboration. Recent Thai elections could have rekindled US enthusiasm as a victory for democracy, but the conservative establishment’s actions led to a less
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Taiwan stands at the center of great-power rivalry, confronting an increasingly belligerent China while navigating a security relationship with the United States. Yet amid the drumbeat of the People’s Liberation Army’s territorial incursions and Washington’s strategic hedging,
Political warfare plays a central role in Chinese military operations. China is currently conducting a deliberate, multi-layered campaign designed to weaken Taiwan’s resolve and preempt US intervention. Through the “Three Warfares”—public opinion, psychological, and
Xi Jinping’s calculus on Taiwan is not guided by mere opportunism but by a structured assessment of strategic, political, and military realities—his metaphorical “dashboard.” This article dissects 13 key indicators shaping Beijing’s decision on whether and when to
Scholars have extensively analyzed Taiwan’s asymmetric defense strategies against a potential Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invasion. However, most studies focus either on pre-invasion deterrence or a post-invasion insurgency culminating in a US-led counteroffensive. This
China’s military build-up and its wolf warrior diplomacy are reshaping Australian foreign and defense policies. In response, Australia has conceived grand strategies of balancing and engagement and embraced a new defense approach. However, this rethinking has somewhat neglected airpower,
Throughout the twentieth century, Australia stood as a steadfast ally of the United States and other liberal democracies, actively engaging in major conflicts and bolstering the global liberal order. Since 2008, faced with China’s growing assertiveness, Australia has shifted from a supporting
For more than two decades, Australia successfully balanced its economic ties with China, its most significant economic partner, and its security alliance with the United States, its core ally. That era has ended. As US–China tensions escalate, Canberra faces difficult choices between the two
This article scrutinizes the expanding role of deterrence in Australian strategic thought and defense policy, particularly since 2009. It explores how Australia has transitioned from a focus on territorial defense to adopting deterrence by denial as a central element of its national defense
This article aims to focus the attention of the Sri Lankan polity on devising a coherent strategy for the Indian Ocean region (IOR). It takes a decisive stance on the absence of an Indian Ocean–centric order, advocating for a unique code of conduct centered on the concept of a peace zone. This
The Indo-Pacific Region, a hotbed for geographical and hydro-climate disasters such as cyclones, tsunamis, floods, and typhoons, presents both direct and indirect threats to human and national security. This research seeks to bolster both forms of security by enhancing the management of these
This article discusses the economic and geopolitical implications of the US Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) from Sri Lanka’s perspective as an Indian Ocean littoral state. By examining the strategy behind the framework, evaluating its perceived economic benefits, and outlining the
This article examines the geopolitical dynamics in South Asia, focusing on Sri Lanka’s strategic position amid rising powers India and China. It explores how Sri Lanka’s domestic political environment and socioeconomic needs shape Colombo’s foreign policy engagements. The article
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In recent years, South Pacific leaders have advocated a “zone of peace” for the region, with their national security forces focusing on civil security to protect exclusive economic zones, conduct outreach, perform aeromedical evacuations, and deliver humanitarian aid. However, protecting
This article examines how China draws upon the strategic theories of Alfred Thayer Mahan and Julian Corbett to shape its emerging naval doctrine and force posture in the Indian Ocean region (IOR). It traces Mahan’s emphasis on sea power and naval supremacy, as well as Corbett’s concepts
To maintain the power balance in the Indo-Pacific region, power dynamics are shifting, and small-scale alliances are expanding. This emerging arena of power struggles serves as the battleground for great-power competition, each vying to assert and uphold regional influence. As a counterweight to
The US Air Force must retain the capacity to deploy bombers extensively into the Pacific to deter a potentially hostile People’s Republic of China, despite the increasing threat of antiaccess/area denial measures hindering naval and conventional basing operations. Tankers play a crucial role
This article delves into the impact of Chinese military strategy during the Korean War and its interplay with US intelligence at the time. It posits that intelligence analysts must grasp Chinese military strategy as a cornerstone of their training to enhance their effectiveness in estimative,
The emotional turn in geopolitical decision is often overlooked in academia. However, emotions have had a significant impact on the major geopolitical events. In the current geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific region, some democratic nations, including the United States, India, Japan, and
Roughly one-quarter of the world’s people and Internet users live under governments that engage in heavy censorship. A large portion live behind “The Great Firewall” of China, which places strategic importance on Internet control. The Internet can serve counterhegemonic purposes,
This article explores the leaked security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands, which has significant implications for the geopolitical landscape of the South Pacific region. China’s first-known bilateral security arrangement in the area enables potential deployment of its forces
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Over the past three years, Australia has shifted its foreign and defense policy in the Indo-Pacific region from a liberal engagement approach to a more ambitious neorealist stance, significantly increasing its interaction with the United States. Despite these changes, Australia remains economically
This article examines the healthcare crisis in Sri Lanka, which has been exacerbated by the country’s economic downturn in 2022. Prior to the crisis, Sri Lanka had enjoyed a robust healthcare system and good health indicators. However, the current situation has led to shortages of essential
The Indo-Pacific region grapples with increasing volatility due to geopolitical tensions among major powers and the multifaceted impacts of climate change. In this context, both military and civilian stakeholders require comprehensive biodiversity data urgently. This article explores how
As China escalates its assertive tactics in the South China Sea, the United States must take bolder action to support its regional allies and partners, starting with the Philippines. This article argues that the United States should begin directly escorting Philippine vessels within their exclusive
Mexico holds a crucial position as one of the foremost trading partners and economic powerhouses for the United States in Central and Southern America. Given its proximity to the United States and its unwavering alliance from a security standpoint, Mexico plays a pivotal role in US foreign policy
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Book Review: China’s World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict, David Daokui Li. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2024, 278 pp. Reviewed by Vivek Thangam
Book Review: Indo-Pacific Strategies: Navigating Geopolitics at the Dawn of a New Age, ed. Brendon J. Cannon and Kei Hakata. New York: Routledge, 2021, 270 pp. Reviewed by Maj Gilberto “Gil” Sambolin Perez, USAF.
Book Review: China–US Competition: Impact on Small and Middle Powers’ Strategic Choices, ed. Simona A. Grano and David Wei Feng Huang. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023, 351 pp. Reviewed by Hoang Hien Thuong.
Book Review: Airpower Pioneers: From Billy Mitchell to David Deptula, ed. John Andreas Olsen. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2022, 431 pp. Reviewed by Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, Indian Air Force, Retired.
Book Review: Nine Dash Line: Deciphering the South China Sea Conundrum, by Pooja Bhatt. New Delhi: K W Publishers Pvt Ltd, 2020. Reviewed by Aamir Khan.
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Traditionally, power is measured by states’ ability to coerce using hard power; however, the diffusion of power largely due to increased interdependence and advanced technology development has rendered these traditional sources of power less effective in achieving desired outcomes. Today, it
First, this article discusses openness and selective US interests in an openness strategy. Second, recognizing that power comes from many sources, this article discusses leveraging the diplomatic, information, economic, then military (DIME) instruments of power to address China’s rise and
A selective engagement strategy in East Asia requires diplomatic and economic cooperation and confrontation, as well as information and military competition. This article will provide a background on China’s growing influence in East Asia, outline a grand strategy of selective engagement, and
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Recently, Indo-Pacific states have found themselves embroiled in a competition between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States for influence. Particularly concerning is the notable increase in military cooperation between long-standing US partner Singapore and the PRC. This
This article examines, first, Military-Civil Fusion’s origins and organizational framework, along with its execution today under President Xi Jinping. The analysis documents key economic and political interactions among MCF’s various stakeholders. Additionally, the article uses as an
This article provides a recommended definition of lawfare, contrasts the United States’ and China’s use of lawfare in the South China Sea, and discusses potential options for the United States’ strategic legitimization and operationalization of lawfare.
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This paper analyzes and evaluates South Korea’s response to the shifting paradigm of national security, especially nontraditional security. The South Korean government has tried to address these nontraditional security issues. Still, the national sectors’ imbalance in national security
Through the lens of securitization theory, this paper comparatively analyzes important Indo-Pacific issues in the context of India’s and Japan’s responses to China’s rise. The India–Japan partnership is often touted as a bulwark against the “China threat” in the
Pacific subregionalism is exemplified by the establishment of three geocultural subregional groups within the design of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). To examine the complex dynamics of Pacific subregionalism and its implications on regional security, this paper identifies three
This paper provides an original contribution to the literature of economic coercion, based on empirical analysis of signaling from China to the United States from late 2012 to late 2022, President Xi Jinping’s first two terms. I argue that Xi has expressed more assertive economic coercion
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