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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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  • 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”. 

  • EU BUILDING
    20September 2022

    On 20 September, Alice Ekman participated in the 2022 edition of the Brussels Korea Forum, organized by the Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance.

  • Download Brief
    15September 2022
    Over the past two decades, China has emerged as a key trading partner for Latin America. This Brief shows how the asymmetric nature of the economic relationship between China and a large number of LAC countries enables Beijing to exert leverage over its partners, as it systematically expands its political influence in the region.
  • Download Brief
    12July 2022
    Almost a year on from the chaotic international military withdrawal from Kabul, this Brief draws on a series of roundtable consultations with senior Afghan and EU policymakers to analyse the EU’s role and engagement in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
  • Image of roundtable
    20June 2022

    This 5th session of the Strategic Dialogue brought together senior officials and experts to discuss the Russian aggression against Ukraine and analyse its implications for the security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.

  • Download document
    06May 2022
    The 'circle of friends' versus the Indo-Pacific strategy

    This Chaillot Paper identifies the tactics and strategy used by China to expand its circle of friends.

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