Richard Weitz, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
May 14, 2025
With U.S. encouragement, Northeast Asia has seen unprecedented cooperation between Japan and South Korea in recent years. But rising economic frictions, domestic political changes in Japan and especially South Korea, and evolving U.S. global priorities could impede or even reverse recent gains.
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Fellow at Centre on Contemporary China and the World, HKU and Rhodes Scholar
May 14, 2025
Following months of political turmoil, South Korea's upcoming presidential election could lead to a shift in the country's approach to the U.S.-China rivalry, with candidates' stances influencing South Korea's policies on defense, trade, and diplomatic relations with both powers. While Lee Jae-myung may seek closer ties with China, potentially boosting trade and cultural exchanges, his rival is expected to strengthen South Korea's alignment with the U.S., especially on security and technology-related matters.
Zhang Gaosheng, Researcher at Department of World Peace and Security, China Institute of International Studies
May 07, 2025
Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has attempted to reduce the U.S. focus on Europe in order to shift resources to the Indo-Pacific. But geopolitical rivalry can neither resolve America’s own problems nor the challenges facing the world.
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Fellow at Centre on Contemporary China and the World, HKU and Rhodes Scholar
Apr 22, 2025
The early decades of the 21st Century have already seen a rapid shifting of global power, and today one could view the world’s relationships flowing through a four-way struggle for balance and dominance between the U.S., China, the EU, and Russia.
Xiao Bin, Deputy Secretary-general, Center for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, Chinese Association of Social Sciences
Apr 18, 2025
China and Russia have different narratives in describing the anti-fascist victory that ended World War II. Both nations made immense sacrifices that fundamentally shaped postwar reconstruction and reshaped global governance. So why do they continue to grapple?
Zhang Yun, Professor, School of International Relations, Nanjing University
Apr 11, 2025
The tariffs will not spell the end of alliances between the United States and Japan or South Korea, but they are likely to promote a strategic awakening in both countries and accelerate the integration process in East Asia.
Du Lan, Deputy Director at Asia-Pacific Institute, China Institute of International Studies
Apr 10, 2025
The Indo-Pacific Strategy of Trump 2.0 remains unclear, although consensus has been reached on major power competition. If a new Indo-Pacific Strategy now emerges to build U.S. advantages against China, it will be designed to serve core MAGA goals.
Xiao Bin, Deputy Secretary-general, Center for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, Chinese Association of Social Sciences
Apr 03, 2025
The U.S.-Russia contest over Ukraine shows both the persistence of classic power politics and the clash of competing worldviews at a time when the international system is undergoing a seismic process of reordering. The Ukraine war and its potential settlement are upending traditional major-power dynamics.
Jin Liangxiang, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Institute of Int'l Studies
Mar 20, 2025
The future of the region should be decided by the countries there, not by external actors. Strategic autonomy, an idea frequently raised by some Arab countries in recent years, shows they’re waking up to reality. There should be no illusions about the future.
Fu Suixin, Assistant Researcher at Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Mar 18, 2025
His ultimate vision of a new world order might be some combination of power in which the U.S. takes absolute control of the Western sphere of influence and weighs in heavily on global affairs with other great powers.