As the inaugural Russia-China Expo ended in Harbin last week, which was attended by more than 1,500 exhibitors, the event has created another momentum for Russia-China relations since the Russian-Chinese “gas deal of the century” was signed in May. As apparently Russia is looking east to diversify its economy amidst economic sanctions from the West, China, Russia’s counterpart with more than 4,000 kilometers shared border and the world’s one of the biggest economies shows...
If the next world war is to happen, it will most likely be in Asia and feature a clash between the incumbent hegemon, the United States, and the principal challenger, China. The good news is China does not want war now and in the foreseeable future, primarily because Beijing knows too well that the odds are not on its side. But if we look ahead 20 years from now, in 2034, the circumstances will have shifted significantly.
NOT NOW
There are three reasons war is unlikely anytime soon.
First,...
Whereas the first two world wars broke out and were fought mainly in Europe, the third world war, if it is not avoided, will most probably erupt in the Asia-Pacific region. Quite a few scholars and political leaders have found striking similarities between what took place in Europe before the first world war and what we are now witnessing in Asia. The current security situation in the Asia-Pacific - with competing sovereignty claims, the rise of nationalism among both major and lesser countries,...
On October 10th , Brunei hosted East Asia Summit. This was the 8th annual meeting of EAS – the forum which was launched in 2005 and has now gained the status of the Asia-Pacific’s most important multilateral venue to discuss security issues at the highest political level. EAS now consists of 18 members (10 ASEAN countries, Japan, China, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Russia).
The Brunei Summit was remarkable for the absence of the leaders of two key powers –...
Recent elections in the United States, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea brought new Administrations to power in early 2013. Though it is too early to make meaningful prognostics as regards their impact on the fragile regional stability, the incumbent leaderships will undoubtedly shape a new political landscape in the Asia-Pacific. In particular, they may impact some of the most sensitive regional issues, from the sovereignty dispute in the China Seas to the acute tensions between China and...
Globalization and geopolitics are the two defining features of contemporary international relations. Yet there exists a fundamental tension between these two processes - one refers to a deepening and broadening flow of trade, goods, people, and information; the other to exclusive political and military control over space. These competing characteristics of global politics are coming into particularly sharp focus in the Asia-Pacific, especially in the case of the South China Sea.
Today, around half...
