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Securing U.S. Critical Infrastructure against Chinese Cyber Threat – Trump 2.0 Imperative
Nistha Kumari Singh and Amrita Jash write that enhancing critical infrastructure resilience against cyberattacks is crucial to modernization and economic growth, and the United States has taken many significant steps in this direction. They further write that Washington’s current approach to strengthening critical infrastructure protection involves existing agencies (FBI, CISA, DoD) operating in highly centralized, sector-specific methods, often following distinct approaches. However, a unified framework for information sharing and an integrated approach across all relevant agencies is essential to enhance collaboration and sharing methods, argues Singh and Jash. Therefore, in light of the increasing threat from China, safeguarding America’s critical infrastructure is vital for the agenda of Trump 2.0. Read this piece by Nistha Kumari Singh and Amrita Jash here.
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Taiwan’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry and Its Role in the International Supply Chain
Semiconductor products have emerged as the cornerstone of modern technology. The world’s critical dependence on semiconductors was highlighted during the shortage following the COVID-19 pandemic. Semiconductors are the materials and substances that are the foundation of microchips, also known as integrated circuits (ICs). Without ICs, industries could not supply the demand for the technology that modern society is dependent on, such as phones, cars, household appliances, defense technology, and medical devices. ICs are of varying sizes, measured in nanometers (nm), which equip devices with different capacities. For instance, 40nm chips can be applied to central processing units (CPUs), graphic processors, and hard disk drives while 3nm chips have been utilized in MacBooks, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPad Pro models. These individual ICs are derived from a wafer. A wafer is a disc thinly sliced from a silicon rod mainly made of silicon extracted from sand. This backgrounder by Stockholm Taiwan Center aims to provide an overview of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, including its development and current role in the international semiconductor supply chain.
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Exploring Work-Life Balance Through a Gender Lens: Experiences from South Korea and the Nordics
This Experts Take analyses how balancing professional and personal opportunities and responsibilities is essential for improving well-being and productivity, prompting many governments and businesses to introduce policies supporting this goal. However, experts in this interview argue, that many people still struggle to achieve work-life balance, as gender-related factors like prevailing gender norms, family responsibilities, and societal expectations create additional barriers. South Korea is rapidly recognizing the importance of improving work-life balance, partly due to its problematic demographic position. Meanwhile, the Nordics are frequently regarded as pioneers in gender equality and work-life balance, although significant challenges remain. In both regions, discussions around flexible working hours, remote work, and parental leave have gained momentum, reflecting a broader push for a better balance between work and personal life. So how are these issues experienced at the individual level? Read this expert take with Jung Sooin and Lee Sunyu.
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Limitations of Drones and the Future of American Air Superiority
Rohith Narayan Stambamkadi writes that as the Trump administration considers the future of NGAD, it must balance what is timely with what is timeless. Integration of UAV technologies with the enduring value of manned platforms is crucial for enabling air dominance. While UAVs can be effective in certain operational conditions, they offer limited performance in sustained combat. As portrayed in the iconic movie Top Gun: Maverick (albeit in a different context), in modern air-combat, ‘It’s not about the plane, it’s about the pilot’. Human judgment, situational awareness, and real-time adaptability cannot be entirely replicated by UAVs, writes Rohith Narayan Stambamkadi. He argues further that despite technological advancements, warfare requires humans in the loop. Complete air superiority against a peer adversary may be unattainable, but achieving at least mission-specific superiority requires more than relying solely on affordable mass. Effective integration of manned and unmanned systems, with an emphasis on manned-unmanned teaming, and investment in both UAV capabilities and pilot training defines future American air superiority, writes Stambamkadi.
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Assessing the Effectiveness of China’s Military Exercises in Restraining Taiwan’s Leadership
Beijing has been using coercive approaches to restrain Taiwan’s voices for decades. The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1995 and 1996 set a precedent for Beijing to conduct large-scale military exercises to deter Taiwan’s leadership from advocating sovereignty and deepening its relations with other countries. Between 2022 and 2024, China conducted several large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in response to statements made by Taiwan’s leadership. With many military exercises being conducted as part of its coercive strategies, Beijing still faces the challenge of restraining Taiwan’s leadership. Under the leadership of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan has consistently advocated for its sovereignty and sought greater engagement in international affairs. The effectiveness of China’s military exercise as a coercive tool to restrain Taiwan’s leadership thus is questionable. This brief by Yi-Chieh Chen analyzes the effectiveness of China’s use of military exercises to impact the behaviors of Taiwan’s leadership, focusing on the period between 2022 and 2024. Download and read this brief here.
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Chinese Water Projects in Tibet: A “Continental Challenge”
Antonina Luszczykiewicz-Mendis writes on how and why China's water projects in Tibet amount to a continental challenge. She writes that the management of transboundary water resources originating in Tibet has become a critical geopolitical and geo-economic issue in Asia. In this issue brief Antonina Luszczykiewicz-Mendis examines China’s hydrological projects on the Tibetan Plateau and their implications for downstream countries. By exploring two key pillars of China’s water strategy—the construction of mega-dams and the South-North Water Diversion Project—the issue brief discusses both the domestic and international consequences of Beijing’s initiatives, such as environmental degradation, displacement of local populations, and the potential for Beijing to weaponize water as a geopolitical tool. In particular, it focuses on tensions between China and India, the involvement of Tibetan expatriate leadership, and the role of the U.S.-China rivalry. Download and read this issue brief by Antonina Luszczykiewicz-Mendis here.
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ISDP opens the Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS)
ISDP is excited to announce the launch of the Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS). As global research and innovation face growing threats from misuse that harms security or violates ethical norms, the SCRIS will serve as an independent and sustainable thematic center at the ISDP to address these threats and advance solutions. The SCRIS is an independent and sustainable thematic center at the ISDP. With an international focus on cooperation between the U.S., EU, Indo-Pacific, and likeminded nations, particularly in the Nordic and Baltic regions, it aims to create an environment of awareness over concerned topics such as appropriation of know-how and proprietary information and its impact on the economic development of individual nations. The center’s research and activities focus on issues of securitization within Innovation, Critical Technology, IP protection, Technology transfer, R & D, and Manufacturing. The SCRIS will host open conferences, webinars, and fireplace discussions to raise awareness about its key issues, offering a global platform where important findings can be shared with a wider audience. Soon, the center will launch its digital Research and Innovation Series (RIS) where it will bring together scholars and experts from diverse fields and backgrounds.
Latest Publications
Taiwan’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry and Its Role in the International Supply Chain
Semiconductor products have emerged as the cornerstone of modern technology. The world’s critical dependence on semiconductors was highlighted during the shortage following the COVID-19 pandemic. Semiconductors are the materials and […]
Exploring Work-Life Balance Through a Gender Lens: Experiences from South Korea and the Nordics
Balancing professional and personal opportunities and responsibilities is essential for improving well-being and productivity, prompting many governments and businesses to introduce policies supporting this goal. However, many people still struggle […]
ISDP Annual Report 2024
ISDP’s Annual Report for the year 2024. 2024 has been a tumultuous year, in which tensions have been continuously mounting and conflicts have been raging. Many of these developments have […]
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