The following is a transcript of US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper’s 24 March 2023 address to the students and faculty of Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University. The ambassador talked about the growth of the US–Vietnam economic relationship and the opportunities to strengthen
This article discusses the journey of the United States and Vietnam in developing a strong partnership from being former enemies. It highlights the challenges that the two countries faced in their journey toward normalized ties. It also presents how the two governments showed willingness to
The United States and its allies and partners should increase their focus on Borneo, as Indonesia begins breaking ground on its ambitious project to relocate its national capital to the Indonesian part of the island starting in 2024. The Indonesian government says it wants its new capital,
Abstract: The credibility of US claims of a new commitment to the Pacific—which has seen American attention wax and wane over the years—is going to be tested. The advantages that the United States enjoy in the Indo-Pacific are at risk if this administration’s efforts are regarded
This article examines the prospect of Korean unification and the possibility of a future unified Korean Armed Forces through the lens of culture. Korea provides an interesting subject for cultural study for a few reasons. First, the desires of South and North Koreans suggests that unification, while
Defending the homeland is the number one priority for the United States, the Department of Defense (DOD), and my commands: North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). NORAD’s area of responsibility includes the North American Arctic, and USNORTHCOM is
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This article discusses the similarities and differences between the US military and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China in their approach to information advantage and decision advantage. The article argues that despite major differences in approach, both militaries are seeking to model
Geographic combatant commands (GCC) are the central actors in urgently driving necessary changes to the austere trauma life chain so that trauma survivability in peer combat can be maintained. Similar to how a kill chain consists of the discrete steps of find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess,
Chinese president Xi Jinping has a strategic window, in the 2030 timeframe, when favorable conditions exist to forcefully annex Taiwan if peaceful unification is not achieved before then. This hypothesis is based upon the fact that an emboldened China intends to fulfill its imperial—and
This article analyzes the strategic partnership between the United States and Indonesia, focusing on their air force relations in the context of China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and Indonesia's Natuna Sea. The author assesses Indonesia's security challenges, military
This article argues that contrary to some scholars' opinions, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has helped to cement the United States’ preeminent position in global affairs. Through the provision of large-scale military aid and assistance to Ukraine, Washington and its allies have weakened
The growing influence of China in South Asia has caused concern for India. China’s alliance with Pakistan, India’s arch-rival, is troubling for New Delhi. Additionally, China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative program, the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is seen as
The Indo-Pacific construct has gained considerable traction over the past couple years. Adopting this new geographical concept for regionalism, most influential countries have spelled out comprehensive strategies for their engagement with the region. These strategies are expected to reshape the
The United States has entered a dangerous new era in which, for the first time in history, the nation is soon to face two nuclear-peer adversaries: Russia and China. In the three decades after the Soviet Union’s collapse, the United States focused on a variety of national security challenges
India retains a policy that restricts freedom of navigation in what it considers its territorial waters; at the same time, India has taken a vocal stance on the importance of freedom of the sea and the international rules-based order. While maintaining both positions seems contradictory, it should
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This article argues that airpower’s effectiveness is not solely defined by technological advantage, control of air, or capability to undertake strategic or tactical air strikes but rather by the synergy between the services and members of alliances and the adaptability of industry and people.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 sparked growing concern among many that Taiwan may be the next nation to suffer from the revanchist policies of a totalitarian regime. As the war continues to drag on, it is becoming increasingly apparent that Taiwan can learn valuable lessons
This article analyzes the challenges that China faces in developing an effective command-and-control (C2) structure to support its out-of-area military operations. Beijing’s expanding global interests, unresolved territorial disputes, and increasing economic opportunities necessitate a strong
Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which began in late February 2014, was met with economic sanctions by a US-led coalition. These measures included a ban on the provision of technology for oil and gas exploration and a ban on the provision of credits to Russian oil companies and state banks.
This article explores the challenges India faces in upholding its aspiration of becoming a democratic world leader while holding the G20 presidency, given its nonchalant approach toward the erosion of democracy in Myanmar. Despite claiming to be the “mother of democracy,” India’s
Recently, India has increased its engagement with Maldives. This development coincides with the growing strategic competition between India and China over the Indian Ocean’s littoral states. New Delhi has employed a range of hard- and soft-power instruments to operationalize India’s
This article offers an overview of the history of US–Vietnam trade relations, focusing on the most contentious issue, Vietnam’s trade surplus with the United States. Since the normalization of bilateral relations in 1995, trade has become the fastest-growing and most critical aspect of
The United States’ effort to upgrade diplomatic relations with Vietnam this year to coincide with the tenth anniversary of their comprehensive partnership is facing resistance from Hanoi. Experts suggest that Vietnam is hesitant to upgrade its diplomatic status with the United States due to
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Beijing’s crucial advantage in great-power competition with the United States is China’s application of military and economic power in pursuit of advanced technology and capabilities. Over the past 30 years, China developed and fielded capabilities to counter US power and is now on a
The article examines the prospects of America renewing its human rights legacy in Southeast Asia. Despite the restoration of US diplomatic ties with Vietnam in 1995, the two countries continue to have a tense relationship in the context of human rights. While progress has been made regarding
The Vietnam War was a highly divisive conflict that left a lasting imprint on both the United States and Vietnam. After years of enmity and isolation, the two countries have evolved into partners, with a focus on economic cooperation and regional security. The challenges and opportunities in the
The article discusses the potential for a trilateral partnership between the United States, India, and Vietnam, given the growth in their respective bilateral relationships and shared concerns over China’s rising power. The article notes that Vietnam and India are dealing with territorial
In its inaugural Indo-Pacific strategy, South Korea pledged to bolster the regional rules-based order to protect freedom, democracy, and human rights. The document expands on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s previous promises to accept greater responsibility for defending democratic principles and is
The United States needs to prevent China from occupying the Senkaku Islands and Taiwan by the latter half of 2025. For years, Beijing has made it known that China intends to take control of the Senkaku Islands and to unify Taiwan with the mainland. These courses of action would impact the regional
The twenty-first-century geopolitical reality recognizes that in an interconnected world geo-economic ties and strategic competition have shifted toward a region that connects two of the most important bodies of water bodies. The Indo-Pacific is a mental construct and a melting pot of the interests
Guest editors Dr. Chulanee Attanayake and Thilini Kahandawaarachchi provide an overview of the November–December issue of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, which focuses on the island nations of the Indo-Pacific in the milieu of the great-power competition
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Book Review: Red Dragon Flanker: China’s Prolific ‘Flanker’ Family, by Andreas Rupprecht. Houston: Harpia Publishing, 2022. 253 pp.
Dual Book Review: Understanding the India-China Border: The Enduring Threat of War in High Himalaya, by Manoj Joshi. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022; and Armed Coexistence: The Dynamics of the Intractable Sino-Indian Border Dispute, by Stephen Westcott. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan,
Book Review: Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China, by Hal Brands and Michael Beckley. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2022.
Book Review: China’s Good War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism, by Rana Mitter. Harvard University Press, 2020 (ISBN 9780674984264)
Book Review - The Rise and Fall of Imperial China: The Social Origins of State Development, by Yuhua Wang. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2022. ISBN 9780691215167. Reviewed by Dr. Mark Jacobsen
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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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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.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has arguably exercised the most powerful global military imbalance the world has ever seen. This domination; however, is perceived to be fading in the wake of a new possible contender. The tension and likelihood of conflict between the United
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China has invested in several American industries since its entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. Once an engine for American soft power, Hollywood has seen a dramatic increase in investment from China, with deals being valued at billions of dollars. The resulting financial influence has
This paper examines the prospect of Korean Unification and the possibility of a future unified Korean Armed Forces. I make arguments for the likelihood of unification and the possible means by which it might unfold, both from the perspective of regional players and that of the two Koreas. These two
At the turn of the century, competition in space shifted from being between the United States and the Soviet Union to being between the United States and China. Since its first manned mission in 2003, China’s space program has accelerated dramatically. China completed the BeiDou System
The twenty-first century has seen a series of geopolitical and strategic shifts around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific, presenting major challenges to national leaders and military planners. Tectonic movements following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, paired with technological
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