April 27,2021 Country Reports

Country Report: South Korea (May 2021)

In the wake of the inauguration of the Biden administration, a flurry of diplomatic activities in the Indo-Pacific ensued in March and April, which brought into sharp focus South Korea’s growing dilemma as a middle power wedged between its closest security ally, the US, and largest trading partner, China. With liberal internationalist Joe Biden and authoritarian Xi Jinping at the helm, ..

Munkyoung Shin , Munkyoung Shin
Anti-leaflet law , Quad , Special Measures Agreement , US-China rivalry , US-ROK alliance
April 27,2021 Open Forum

Washington Insights, Vol. 9, No. 2

The months of March and April saw a revival of energetic exchanges on international affairs after the dulling effect of the past year of pandemic and the dark shadow of Trumpism. Biden reenergized bilateral and multilateral diplomacy with the Quad as one of the key themes in the quest for understanding new dynamism in the Indo-Pacific. India drew attention as critical to the prospects for the..

Editorial Staff
Quad , US-China rivalry , US-DPRK diplomacy , US-Japan alliance , US-ROK alliance
April 20,2021 Country Reports

Country Report: Japan (April 2021)

In the first quarter of 2021, Japanese coverages turned from assessing 2020 to anticipating Biden’s impact to taking satisfaction in Biden’s initial moves toward Japan and China. With diplomatic travel on hold, for the most part, its resumption in March and early April showcased Japan-US relations. A virtual Quad summit, followed by the 2+2 US-Japan meeting in Tokyo, the Alaska ..

Editorial Staff
Economic national security , Quad , Strategic Triangle , US-China rivalry , US-Japan alliance , Yachi Shotaro
April 01,2021 Country Reports

Country Report: Russia (March 2021)

Two themes gained prominence in Russian coverage of the Indo-Pacific region in the first part of 2021: the Russo-China-US triangle and the geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula. There was little on the hallmarks of multipolarity, especially India. The mood was upbeat for three main reasons: 1) Sino-Russian relations are strong and growing stronger; 2) the Biden administration is viewed as hav..

Editorial Staff (with the assistance of Olga Puzanova)
alliances , Strategic Triangle , US-China rivalry , US-North Korea nuclear talks
March 15,2021 Country Reports

Country Report: South Korea (March 2021)

Relations with the United States took center stage as South Koreans eyed the formation of the Biden administration, while phone conversations with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the arrival of a new South Korean ambassador in Tokyo widened the scope of foreign policy concern. The focus of ROK-US relations shifted from joint military exercises (and their impact on North Kor..

Sanghwa Hong
COVID-19 , GSOMIA , Quad , Special Measures Agreement , THAAD , wartime operational control
March 02,2021 Special Forum

Introduction

Compared to the abundant analyses of strategic thinking of the United States and of US allies toward China, coverage of Chinese thinking is scant, particularly toward US allies. Leaders are scrutinized for their policy choices toward China much more than China is scrutinized for how it drives those choices and sets forth its own policy options. Below, we review Xi Jinping’s words in sea..

Editorial Staff
free and open Indo-Pacific , Joe Biden , US Alliance , US-China rivalry , Xi Jinping
March 02,2021 Special Forum

China’s Strategies toward South Korea, Japan, and Australia in the Biden Era

As the Biden administration eyes ways to strengthen US alliances, China is weighing methods to drive a wedge between the US and its principal allies in the Indo-Pacific region—Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Its recent rhetoric toward them varies: harsh warnings toward Australia, a welcoming tone toward South Korea with underlying warnings, and the most positive narrative directed at Ja..

Gilbert Rozman
COVID-19 , free and open Indo-Pacific , Joe Biden , Moon Jae-in , Scott Morrison , Suga Yoshihide , trilateralism , US Alliance
March 02,2021 Country Reports

Country Report: China (February 2021)

In the winter of 2020–2021, Chinese analysts contemplated a world in flux, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to devastate the United States and the arrival of new leadership in both Japan (in September 2020) and the United States (in January 2021). They assessed how Sino–US competition will impact the future world order and explored how Russia and Japan are developing their foreign po..

Danielle F. S. Cohen (assisted by Dong Jiaxin)
"Belt and Road" Initiative , Cold War , COVID-19 , Joe Biden , Quad , US-China rivalry
March 02,2021 Open Forum

Washington Insights, Vol. 9, No. 1

ChinaThis year is the kick-off for Xi’s reelection campaign in 2022 after the Party Congress and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CCP. Xi will be hypersensitive. Beijing is not starting the new Biden era with cautious engagement. Wolf warrior diplomacy is a feature of the system. China is more confident after 2020. As Xi becomes more powerful, more mistakes are likely. ..

Editorial Staff
free and open Indo-Pacific , Joe Biden , Quad , TPP , US-China rivalry , Wolf Warrior Diplomacy , Xi Jinping
February 15,2021 National Commentaries

How Should the Biden Administration Handle China’s Economic Pressure Campaign against Australia?

Despite a new year and a new president in Washington, China’s economic punishment against Australia continues. More than four years since the early signs of politically motivated trade restrictions first appeared, this economic statecraft saw a reduction of approximately AU$3 billion worth of Australian exports to China in 2020.1 Impacting a wide range of industries, most notably coal, w..

Benjamin Herscovitch
Economic sanctions , Joe Biden , Liberal international order , Scott Morrison , World Trade Organization