Institute for Security & Development Policy

China’s Communist Party at 100: From Revolution to Rule

The founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 was a turning point in the history of the Chinese Communist Party, which celebrates its hundredth anniversary this year. Prior to 1949, the CCP was a revolutionary liberation movement, but since the founding of the PRC, its primary task has been to rule the country. During the period 1949–1976, it had consistently held on to a socialist model of development with a centrally planned economy, collective and state ownership of the means of production, and a Leninist political model of party rule. However, after 1976, Deng Xiaoping’s modernization program of reform and opening up meant a radical departure, and the totalitarian governance that had prevailed under Mao was transformed into an authoritarian order. The ascent of Xi Jinping as the top leader in 2012 marks a third turning point in the Party’s history. While undoing some of the reforms that Deng Xiaoping and others had introduced, he seems to be reinstituting a more totalitarian order.

Merkel’s China Legacy

Angela Merkel’s time as the Chancellor of Germany is soon coming to an end. An unofficial mainstay of the European Union, she leaves office having helped put in place many of the structural aspects enabling the EU to function as a single actor. At the same time, Merkel leaves behind a legacy of Germany being at odds with many other member states with regards to a major challenge facing the Union: the rise of China as a systemic rival. When Merkel first took office, many Western countries looked to China with hopes of political liberalization, which might come about as a result of the country’s increasing economic growth. However, as she leaves office, China has turned towards more autocratic governance, and many European observers look to China with concern, not just for the sake of human rights but also as a systemic threat to Europe.

Opening for Outreach Coordinator at ISDP

We seek a full-time Outreach Coordinator based in Stockholm to work closely with researchers and administrative staff in overseeing and implementing the Institute’s communication and outreach activities. The position entails supporting ISDP’s projects in initiating events, conferences, and seminars as well as taking primary responsibility for their logistical organizing; managing and producing content for the Institute’s social media accounts and email lists; liaising with external partners; developing short and long-term outreach and public relations strategies. The Outreach Coordinator is also responsible for coordinating the Institute’s Visiting Fellows and Internship programs, as well as managing the Institute’s website. The overarching aim of the position is to expand the Institute’s visibility and promote its general reputation. The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to work independently, be flexible, and adapt to a fast-paced and cross-cultural working environment.

The Dawn of the Digital Yuan: China’s Central Bank Digital Currency and Its Implications

China has rushed to the forefront of the digital currency race and is laying the foundations for the widespread implementation of its Digital Currency Electronic Payment system. With research in cryptocurrency progressing since at least 2014, Beijing launched the digital yuan in 2020 with the aim of achieving extensive domestic circulation in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The year ahead will be a critical period for China's digital currency development efforts, as Beijing aims to emerge as a leader in the space and gain an edge over the US in a race to dominate global digital finance. The CCP has been seeking to integrate the digital yuan in its drive to ‘digitalize’ and ‘intelligentize’ everything from government and private institutions to the China's economy and society

Security in the Asia-Pacific: Japan’s Options Amid U.S.-Chinese Tensions

The first arms control conference in history was held in Washington D.C. a hundred years ago. The Washington Naval Conference focused on the naval capabilities of major actors in the Pacific Ocean and resulted in the Washington Naval Treaty. Signed into law in 1922 by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Japan, the treaty limited the construction of new warships and bases in the Pacific. However, within a decade and a half, the treaty had fallen apart as the world hurtled toward a new great war. While East Asia has fundamentally changed over the course of the last century, international treaties continue to play a vital role in maintaining peace and security. For Japan, crafting an effective regional engagement, particularly against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China, means renewing and reaffirming existing partnerships in East Asia and beyond.

Latest Publications

Books

Korea – en civilisation i kläm

Lars Vargö

Korea är en civilisation som lätt förbises vid jämförelser med Kina och Japan. Men den koreanska kulturen är unik och har haft stort inflytande på sin omvärld. Tryckkonsten med lösa, […]

Books & Monographs October, 2019, pp. 245
Uzbekistan’s New Face

S. Frederick Starr and Svante E. Cornell

Uzbekistan, long considered the center of Central Asia, has the region’s largest population and borders every other regional state including Afghanistan. For the first 25 years of its independence, it […]

Books & Monographs October, 2018
The Long Game on the Silk Road: U.S. and EU Strategy for Central Asia and the Caucasus

S. Frederick Starr and Svante E. Cornell

This book argues that American and European policies toward Central Asia and the Caucasus suffer from both conceptual and structural impediments. It traces the framework of Western policies to the […]

Books & Monographs February, 2018
Why Turkey is Authoritarian: From Atatürk to Erdogan

Halil M. Karaveli

For the last century, the Western world has regarded Turkey as a pivotal case of the ‘clash of civilisations’ between Islam and the West. Why Turkey is Authoritarian offers a […]

Books & Monographs June, 2018, Pluto Press
The International Politics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict

Svante E. Cornell

This book frames the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in the context of European and international security. It is the first book to focus on the politics of the conflict rather […]

Books & Monographs 2017, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 224

News

“Tokyo Olympics – An Uphill Battle” Recording Available Online

2021-07-08
Mats Engman Participated in Event about Europe and Russia’s Relations with the DPRK

2021-07-01
Book Chapter by Lars Vargö: The Travels and Poems of Matsuo Bashô

2021-06-30

Most Popular

24 Jun
ISDP-KIIP Event: Sweden-Japan Climate Cooperation
Zoom
The Dawn of the Digital Yuan: China’s Central Bank Digital Currency and Its Implications

Mahima Duggal

Summary The COVID-19 pandemic has driven digital innovation and proved to be an enabling episode for the technology industry; the growing focus on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) comes within such a context. China has rushed to […]

Asia Paper June, 2021, pp. 47
June 9 2021

June 9 2021
China’s Drastic Drop in Divorce Rates

In 1979, 319,000 divorces were registered in China. Since 2003, divorce rates have increased, and in 2019 alone, more than four million couples dissolved their marriages. However, in the first quarter of 2021, the number of divorces in China dropped more than 70 percent. During this time period, only 296,000 divorces were registered, which differs […]

Latest Blog Posts

July 5 2021 by Larissa Stünkel

July 5 2021 by Larissa Stünkel
Reading Japan’s Pacific PALM

On July 2nd, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hosted the Ninth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, also known as PALM. As with other major meetings taking place during a global pandemic, this year’s PALM was held virtually, with bilateral talks being held in the runup to the actual summit. The Japanese government is no stranger to […]
June 28 2021

June 28 2021
China’s Three-child Policy and Traditional Gender Norms

In 1979, China’s one-child policy was introduced to curb the country’s population growth. Couples have been allowed to have two children since 2016, when the policy was replaced by a two-child policy. Yet, birth rates increased only for the first two years after the shift and have been declining since. In fact, China’s birth rates […]
June 16 2021 by Riccardo Villa

June 16 2021 by Riccardo Villa
What to make of the Mongolian Elections?

Last week Mongolians went to the polls to vote for a new President. The Mongolian Presidential elections saw the victory of former Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh of the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP). Khurelsukh won in a landslide, securing 68% of the votes against the 20,1% and 6%, won by Dangaasuren Enkhbat of the Right Person […]

China’s Communist Party at 100: From Revolution to Rule

Merkel’s China Legacy

Opening for Outreach Coordinator at ISDP

The Dawn of the Digital Yuan: China’s Central Bank Digital Currency and Its Implications

Security in the Asia-Pacific: Japan’s Options Amid U.S.-Chinese Tensions

Latest Publications

China’s Communist Party at 100: From Revolution to Rule

Merkel’s China Legacy

The Dawn of the Digital Yuan: China’s Central Bank Digital Currency and Its Implications

Books

Korea – en civilisation i kläm

Uzbekistan’s New Face

The Long Game on the Silk Road: U.S. and EU Strategy for Central Asia and the Caucasus

Why Turkey is Authoritarian: From Atatürk to Erdogan

The International Politics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict