All Articles
India’s contemporary relations with Southeast Asia can be viewed through a prism of historical, religious, and cultural influences which it has had in the region for more than a millennium. These relations include the ancient Indianised kingdoms and maritime empires of Sailendra, Funan, Majapahit and Khmer respectively and a legacy that continues to be celebrated through the spread of the Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic faiths which have shaped the contemporary societies of these states.
Sudan is at a democratic crossroads. In September 2019, following months of bloody protests, the thirty-year Islamic dictatorship of Omar el-Bashir was ended. [1] and a new interim civilian-military government, the Transitional Military Council (now the Sovereignty Council of Sudan), took his place. [2] The aim of this Council is to transform Sudan into a fully democratic state by 2022. [3] However, certain military elements, along with a still significant minority of Bashir’s Islamist National Congress Party still in Parliament are strongly opposed to this new objective.
When a rising power threatens to displace an incumbent power, historically the result has been war. The rise of China has triggered heated debate within academia. This question- whether the United States (US) and China will fall into the so-called “Thucydides’ Trap”-is of primary relevance today for policymakers worldwide as both countries intensify their rivalry. Should both countries expand their economic, political, security and cultural cooperation, war is unlikely to be an outcome.
From an emerging to an established powerhouse in the region, China’s rise to power in Asia has been afforded by a series of strategic policies within a larger grand strategy, which has undermined central tenets of the Westphalian concept of sovereignty and territory. Through the revival of the Silk Road, China has acquired key infrastructure in Asia and Africa by leveraging weaknesses in international fiscal policies and lending programmes.
For this interview series, Fabiana Natale and Gilles de Valk speak to experts from different backgrounds on the political implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective fields. From their living rooms in France and The Netherlands, they will explore the (geo)political, security, and societal consequences of this pandemic. This interview series marks the launch of a new type of content for the Security Distillery, one which we hope can provide informative and entertaining analyses of an uncertain and evolving development in global politics.
The existing world order mainly characterized by the triumph of Western liberalism is under threat with the emergence of new global power. The Asian great power, China is rising and ready to challenge the status quo. The United States (US) under Trump’s leadership is retreating from global leadership, while China is attempting to fill the power vacuum. China’s increasing strategic investment in international affairs and its commitment supports the argument that China is up for the challenge and serious about global leadership in playing the ‘responsible power’ role.
Chinese economic expansion demands energy and natural resources that far exceed domestic supply capabilities, posing a serious threat to the nation’s security. From this, diversified Sino-African energy and resource trade relations have become more than just strategic, but rather, vital for Beijing. It is of no surprise that the literature on the subject of Chinese investment in African nations is polarised and influenced by value judgements regarding China’s role and agenda in the international economy.
n the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Israel is making a serious move. In a matter of weeks, it will be decided whether the Jewish state will annex parts of the landlocked territory of the West Bank. While speculations about the effects of such a move on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are in full swing, little attention has been placed on the future of Israel’s relations with other states in the Middle East. This article stresses how an annexation could affect Israel’s relationship with one of its most important strategic partners in the region: the Arab Republic of Egypt.
