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Asia

Over the last decade, the global economic and strategic balance has been shifting eastwards. Asia is the largest and the most populous continent, with China and India alone already accounting for one-third of the global population. Asia is home to some of the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing economies, but also to some most complex security hotspots. From tensions on the Korean Peninsula to maritime territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas, there are a number of issues which have the potential to spark more serious conflict. The rise of China is affecting the balance of power in the region, and has resulted in increased competition with the US for influence. This is also increasingly visible in the Indian Ocean, which has become a new theatre of strategic competition between China and India. While there are various multilateral cooperative mechanisms in the region, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) or the East Asia Summit, their capacity to address such security issues remains limited.

As a key trading partner of many Asian economies, the EU has a major stake in regional stability, as well as in the security of its Sea Lanes of Communication. Since announcing its ‘pivot to Asia’ in 2012, Brussels has been trying to step up its security role in Asia by boosting cooperation with its various Strategic Partners, as well as through existing multilateral fora. The EUISS has been working to support these efforts by providing relevant expertise and analysis and conducting research in domains that have the potential to enhance regional stability and raise the EU’s security profile. Key areas of focus are maritime security and governance, preventive diplomacy, confidence and capacity building, crisis prevention, multilateralism, regional integration and institution building.

For the recent EUISS mini podcast series on China, click here.

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  • Download Brief
    15March 2023
    In recent years both China and India have expanded their presence in the Middle East. This Brief shows however that their footprint in the Maghreb is primarily economic and remains light in comparison to that of the long-standing partner of the countries in the region: the EU.
  • Image featuring the title of the meeting - © EUISS
    23February 2023

    On 23 February, the EUISS organised a webinar to discuss the Sri Lankan crisis and explore the geo-political and geo-economic dynamics behind it. 

  • Antenna on blue sky background - Photo by Nima Mot on Unsplash
    16February 2023

    On 16 February, the EUISS organised a seminar to examine existing and planned inter-regional connectivity initiatives around Afghanistan.

  • Image featuring the title of the meeting - © EUISS
    26January 2023

    On 26 January, the EUISS and the Genron NPO, the EU-Japan Strategic Dialogue organised a meeting which brought together experts from both sides to discuss the recent evolution of their respective security frameworks.

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    16December 2022
    Lying at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, Afghanistan constitutes a key transit hub.  This Brief explores how tapping into regional trade, energy and transport connectivity around the country can yield significant benefits for the broader region.
  • Image of Afghan flag - © Unsplash
    09December 2022

    The EUISS and the EEAS organised a series of roundtable discussions that brought together senior Afghan and international policy practitioners and experts for an assessment of international support, including that of the EU, in Afghanistan over the past two decades.

  • © EU institute for Security Studies
    29November 2022

    On 29 November, Giovanni Faleg spoke at a webinar on Japan’s policy towards Africa, organised by the Initiative Globale pour la Paix et la Sécurité en Afrique (IGPSA) and the Timbuktu Institute-African Center for Peace Studies.

  • © EU institute for Security Studies
    25November 2022

    On November 25, the EUISS hosted a delegation of the Asia-Oceania Working Party (COASI) for a brainstorming session entitled "China’s 20th Party Congress: A Game Changer?".

  • Download Brief
    23November 2022
    This Brief examines how the rise to power of Narendra Modi as the head of the nationalist BJP has changed India’s politics and diplomacy, and analyses the implications for the EU’s efforts to pursue closer engagement with the country.
  • Panelists on stage during conference ©AmCham Tirana
    20September 2022

    Senior Analyst Alice Ekman participated in a conference organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania on the topic of “Cybersecurity risks and mitigations for smart and connected cities”. 

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