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Report of the Hai-EU Dialogue Series – Part I: Institutional Opening Up: Advancing Free Trade Port Governance and Connectivity — Report of the Hai-EU Dialogue Series – Part I: Institutional Opening Up: Advancing Free Trade Port Governance and Connectivity

September 3, 2026, marked the launch of the series Hai-Eu Dialogue: Europe-China Perspectives on Ocean Governance and Sustainable Development in the Era of the Hainan Free Trade Port / “海欧”传声：海南自贸港时代下的中欧海洋治理与可持续发展对话. The series is a joint initiative of the Stockholm China Center at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), the Hainan-based Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance (Huayang Center), and the Institute for China-Europe Studies (ICES) in Brussels. The series provides a forum for dialogue among experts, practitioners, and the wider public on maritime issues, aiming to foster mutual understanding, facilitate policy exchange, and identify areas for closer EU–China cooperation. The inaugural webinar focused on port governance and connectivity. This report summarizes the three speakers' main points and highlights the discussion's key takeaways. Read the report here.

From Political Targets to Technological Security: The Expanding Scope of China’s Lawfare against Taiwan — From Political Targets to Technological Security: The Expanding Scope of China’s Lawfare against Taiwan

This piece by Yi-Chieh Chen analyses how Beijing has expanded its use of legal measures, including laws, regulations, and judicial guidelines, that can affect Taiwanese freedom of speech and movement, even when those measures are not specifically directed at Taiwan or designed within a coordinated legal framework. Taiwanese officials and scholars have increasingly categorized some of these developments as mechanisms through which Beijing seeks to deter Taiwanese citizens and their advocates, alongside Beijing's repeated assertion that it seeks peaceful reunification while refusing to rule out the use of force, writes the author. She further argues that while lawfare is often understood as the use of legal instruments to support a broader strategic or military objective, China’s approach toward Taiwan suggests that legal mechanisms can also serve to constrain individuals, reinforce Beijing’s sovereignty claims, and shape the political and legal environment in which Taiwan and its advocates engage with the international community. Read this piece by Yi-Chieh Chen here.

Poland-South Korea Defense Cooperation and Changing Security Perspective — Poland-South Korea Defense Cooperation and Changing Security Perspective

This issue brief by Saroj Kumar Aryal, Zuzanna Ptaszyńska, and Nitya Pokharel argues that one of the most significant geopolitical outcomes of the Russian war against Ukraine is the incremental growth in defense cooperation between Poland and South Korea. It started as a practical procurement decision by Poland, which has now developed into a deeper strategic cooperation between the most influential middle powers in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, write the authors. This is not just a transactional partnership but the emergence of cross-regional defense cooperation that eschews conventional Western suppliers, diversifies deterrent systems, and reconfigures the geography of strategic dependency, which is a symptom of a structural change in global security politics, write Aryal, Ptaszyńska and Pokharel.

China’s Activities in Island States: Sri Lanka as a Case — China’s Activities in Island States: Sri Lanka as a Case

As strategic Indo-Pacific locations, island states such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles draw heightened attention amid growing competition between major powers. Adopting a smaller-state analytical lens, this issue brief by Nilanthi Samaranayake examines China’s major activities in Sri Lanka across economic, military, and diplomatic domains. Bilateral cooperation remains stable, and China has been a critical provider of support when Sri Lanka desperately needed military and diplomatic assistance during and after its civil war. Sri Lanka’s need for such assistance has waned since the end of the war in 2009, yet China remains a major trade and infrastructure development partner. Sri Lanka needs China’s partnership as it rebuilds its economy since the 2022 debt default. Island countries can learn from Sri Lanka when considering their domestic needs as developing countries, as well as their concerns about large powers like China, writes Samaranayake. She further argues that Sri Lanka’s experience has become a cautionary tale for island states, like the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles, determined to maintain their agency and survival in the contested Indo-Pacific. Read this issue brief here.

Russia-Taiwan relations: From bilateral trade to limited interactions with an “unfriendly state” — Russia-Taiwan relations: From bilateral trade to limited interactions with an “unfriendly state”

This piece by Danylo Stonis analyses how the Russia-Ukraine war has affected Russia-Taiwan relations, resulting in a significant decline in trade turnover. Nevertheless, Taiwan’s dependence on fossil fuels, on the one hand, as well as Russia’s need for manufacturing high-tech components for military purposes, on the other, provides a basis for both sides to maintain trade relations, writes Stonis. He further argues that despite a sharp decline in political relations, both countries are likely to maintain unofficial trade relations, driven by mutual economic interests while continuing to pursue fundamentally different foreign policies. Read this piece by Danylo Stonis here.

Religion in Korea: Of Faith and Freedoms — Religion in Korea: Of Faith and Freedoms

Lars Vargo writes that throughout history, religion has exerted a decisive influence on political decision-making in Korea. Identifying any single religion as the principal factor shaping Korean patterns of behavior, however, is far from straightforward. Korean culture is better understood as a melting pot in which multiple religious and philosophical traditions have intermingled. Religious traditions and doctrines persist in contemporary South Korean society, while North Korean policymakers maintain that their population has chosen instead to embrace the wisdom associated with the Kim family. Confucianism is frequently said to continue to shape patterns of behavior in both North and South Korea. Other accounts emphasize the considerable influence of Christianity. North Korea’s first leader, Kim Il-sung, for example, grew up in a strictly Christian environment. In more recent years, by contrast, two South Korean presidents have been removed from office following allegations that, among other factors, excessive shamanic influence had led them to act improperly. Nor can the profound influence of Buddhism on the development of Korean culture reasonably be denied, writes Vargo. This Focus Asia paper seeks to illustrate the richness of thought to which Korea’s religious and philosophical traditions have contributed. Read and download the paper here.

Middle-lateralism under international order transition: institutional design in an era of renewed great-power competition — Middle-lateralism under international order transition: institutional design in an era of renewed great-power competition

This research article by Jae Jeok Park and Jagannath Panda explores the concept of “middle-laterals” as an emerging category for international cooperation typologies. As states adapt to a multipolar world marked by complex security dynamics, shifting power balances, and transnational challenges, they increasingly seek cooperation formats that balance flexibility with structured engagement. Middle-laterals embody this balance by adopting selective membership, issue-specific focus, and a moderate level of institutionalization, allowing members to pursue shared interests without the binding commitments typical of traditional multilateralism. Through a conceptual analysis, this article identifies the defining characteristics of middle-laterals, including their unique group identity formation, semi-permanent nature, and operational adaptability. It uses the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) 2.0 and BRICS Plus to illustrate what a middle-lateral looks like in practice. Park and Panda argue that middle-laterals play a critical role in addressing specific global challenges while complementing existing minilaterals and multilateral institutions. Read this article on the journal's website here.

Events »

11 Nov

Korea-Nordic Forum 2026: Building Resilience Together
Stockholm
16 Nov

Gray Zone Series – Part I: From the Netherlands to Sweden – Tracking Coordinated Influence Networks Ahead of Elections
18 Nov

Rethinking the Welfare State: South Korea’s Demographic Shift and Nordic Lessons
23 Nov

Research and Innovation Series (RIS) – Part XI: Ukraine’s Defense Tech Revolution and Lessons from Beetroot Academy

Publications »

Report of the Hai-EU Dialogue Series – Part I: Institutional Opening Up: Advancing Free Trade Port Governance and Connectivity

Yifei Zhu and Julia Marcher

Poland-South Korea Defense Cooperation and Changing Security Perspective

Saroj Kumar Aryal, Zuzanna Ptaszyńska and Nitya Pokharel

China’s Activities in Island States: Sri Lanka as a Case

Nilanthi Samaranayake

Religion in Korea: Of Faith and Freedoms

Middle-lateralism under international order transition: institutional design in an era of renewed great-power competition

Jae Jeok Park and Jagannath Panda

‘The more China makes claims of Japanese militarism, the more anti-China sentiment grows within Japan’: An Interview with Professor Kokubun Ryosei

Ryosei Kokubun, Viktor Hellblom, Mathilde Huard and Diana Valeria Nieto Cruz

ISDP Spotlight

Niklas Swanström Participated in the 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya — Niklas Swanström Participated in the 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya

Niklas Swanström, Executive Director of ISDP, participated in the 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya, China. During the symposium, he spoke in the session “Exploring Emerging Frontiers on Ocean Governance with a Focus on the Arctic, Navigational Safety, and Beyond,” where he addressed developments in Arctic governance, maritime security, and the evolving challenges of international cooperation in the region.

ISDP opens the Stockholm Center for Arctic Policy and Governance (ARCPOL) — ISDP opens the Stockholm Center for Arctic Policy and Governance (ARCPOL)

ISDP is opening the Stockholm Center for Arctic Policy and Governance (ARCPOL), a dedicated hub for research, dialogue, and policy exchange focused on the geopolitical, environmental, economic, and security developments shaping the Arctic. Alongside the opening of the Center, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Mia Landauer as the Head of the new Center!

China’s Silk Noose Raises Strategic Alarm: Third Stockholm Himalaya Forum Calls for Greater Indo-Pacific and Western Vigilance — China’s Silk Noose Raises Strategic Alarm: Third Stockholm Himalaya Forum Calls for Greater Indo-Pacific and Western Vigilance

Stockholm, October 16, 2026 — Strategic experts at the Third Stockholm Himalaya Forum today raised concerns about China’s transformation into an increasingly demanding, transactional, and strategically unpredictable actor. Participants said China’s expanding economic and security footprint, combined with limited transparency surrounding major infrastructure initiatives, had reinforced perceptions of Beijing as a potentially suspect strategic actor whose intentions require careful assessment.

ISDP and Forum 2000 Foundation Co-Organize Panel on Middle Powers and Technology Coalitions at Forum 2000 in Prague — ISDP and Forum 2000 Foundation Co-Organize Panel on Middle Powers and Technology Coalitions at Forum 2000 in Prague

Prague, October 13, 2026: The Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), in collaboration with the Forum 2000 Foundation, organized a special panel discussion titled “Guardians or Bystanders? Middle Powers, Technology Coalitions, and the Contest with Authoritarian Influence” at the Forum 2000 Conference in Prague, Czechia.

ISDP-TSE Conference on Development-Security Nexus in Semiconductors — ISDP-TSE Conference on Development-Security Nexus in Semiconductors

ISDP and the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science (TSE) jointly hosted a conference in Stockholm titled “Development-Security Nexus in Semiconductors: Prospects for Europe-East Asian Collaboration in an Uncertain Era”. This conference was funded by the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation. Given the essential role semiconductors play in modern society, the conference addressed increasingly important questions surrounding the industry’s future.

Looking back at the CAMCA Regional Forum 2026 — Looking back at the CAMCA Regional Forum 2026

Alongside the CAMCA Network and the Rumsfeld Foundation, ISDP’s Joint Center from the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, co-organized the CAMCA (Central Asia, Mongolia, the Caucasus, and Afghanistan) Regional Forum in Baku. The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute organized the multilateral conference to bring together diplomats, politicians, business leaders, and regional experts to strengthen the regional dialogue that is needed to support the growing connectivity within the ten states that make up CAMCA.

ISDP hosted a roundtable discussion with Jeffrey Stoff on the current research security environment in the United States and its global implications — ISDP hosted a roundtable discussion with Jeffrey Stoff on the current research security environment in the United States and its global implications

On October 5, the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) hosted a roundtable discussion with Jeffrey Stoff, Non-Resident Senior Research Fellow at the Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS) and President of the Center for Research Security & Integrity. He presented the current research security environment in the United States and its global implications, ahead of meetings with policymakers in Stockholm to further discuss these issues.