Institute for Security & Development Policy

Safeguarding the Global Chip Supply: Lessons from PRC’s Technology Acquisition Tactics in Taiwan

This issue brief, co-authored by Niklas Swanström and Viktor Šimov, deals with how Taiwan’s technological advantage, especially in the semiconductor sector, serves as a key factor for deterring a Chinese invasion. However, they write, there are documented cases of the PRC using multiple strategies to acquire Taiwanese technologies to reduce its reliance on Taiwan and international supply chains, before possible military action. This issue brief outlines these strategies, which include industrial espionage, talent poaching, and the use of shell companies, investment channels, and joint ventures for technological appropriation or further cross-strait integration. Amid intensifying Chinese efforts to appropriate Taiwanese technology, the EU and other Western allies must draw strategic lessons from Taiwan to protect their supply chains and thereby increase their economic security, write Swanström and Šimov. Read and download the brief here.

Safeguarding the Indo-Pacific Region: Insights from Australia on Maritime Security

In an era marked by rapid geopolitical transformation and unprecedented technological advances, maritime security in the Indo-Pacific has become a critical imperative for both national and regional stability. On April 8, 2025, the Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP), in collaboration with Murdoch University Study on Human Security and the Indo-Pacific, organized a talk with Dr. Thomas S. Wilkins on the topic Safeguarding the Indo-Pacific Region: Insights from Australia, India, and Japan on Human/Maritime Security. Dr. Wilkins is a Distinguished Research Fellow (non-resident) at The Japan Forum for International Relations and an Associate Professor in International Security at the University of Sydney, specializing in Asia-Pacific security affairs. This report summarizes Dr. Wilkins’ talk, which presented a comprehensive analysis of Australia’s strategic maritime environment. Its focus was on Australia’s evolving role, its complex threats, and the coordinated policy responses underway to secure its vast maritime domain. Read and download the report here.

The Dalai Lama: An Institution of Global Significance

Jagannath Panda writes that the Dalai Lama’s insistence that his successor be chosen through spiritual—not political—processes, along with international attention, has made Beijing’s plans uncertain. He further writes that the CCP’s campaign is a calculated, long-term effort to erase the spiritual authority of one of the world’s most important religious figures. The international community must not turn a blind eye, writes Panda. The question of the Dalai Lama’s succession is no longer a purely Tibetan issue. It is a test of the world’s willingness to defend religious freedom, cultural autonomy, and the right of a people to determine their own spiritual future. The West, especially the U.S. and Europe, and democratic allies in Asia must take a clear stand, argues Panda. This means, he writes, articulating a Tibet policy that addresses Beijing’s interference in Tibetan affairs. And it means rejecting any Chinese-appointed Dalai Lama as illegitimate. Read this piece here.

China’s Military-Civil Fusion in Space: Strategic Transformations and Implications for Europe

Fatoumata Diallo writes that under the direction of the Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development (CCIMCD), Xi’s Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) strategy has sought to effectively break down institutional barriers between civilian and military sectors. It leverages civilian innovation for military modernization; accelerates dual-use and multi-use technology in critical emerging fields, and encourages private sector participation in defense-related R&D. As such, MCF goes well beyond the traditional notion of “dual-use”, writes Diallo. She further argues that it in fact deliberately blurs the lines between military, civilian, and commercial domains, creating an integrated ecosystem designed to advance China’s goals on multiple fronts: strengthening military capabilities, driving technological self-reliance, fueling economic growth, and expanding China’s global influence. Diallo writes that the space domain has become a key area where this fusion strategy plays out. Through MCF, China is harnessing commercial innovation to expand its space capabilities, with private companies now playing a pivotal role in developing dual-use technologies that advance national security interests. These shifts carry important implications for the European Union (EU), raising urgent questions about strategic autonomy, technological resilience, and Europe’s ability to shape the norms and power dynamics of the evolving space domain. Read this policy paper here.

Will South Korea Distance Itself from the US Under President Lee?

Jagannath Panda writes on the challenges the new South Korean President faces in the Indo-Pacific. He writes that South Korea has recently undergone a significant power transition, with Lee Jae-myung taking office as President, signaling a potential recalibration of its foreign policy. This change in leadership could usher in a long-anticipated reshaping of how Seoul navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. Traditionally, South Korea has prioritized its alliance with the United States. Still, under Lee’s presidency, questions arise about how this approach might evolve, particularly concerning China, Japan, and the broader Indo-Pacific strategy. Read the full piece here.

From Domination to Co-Creation: How Taiwan Sustains Semiconductor Leadership through Adaptive Industrial Policy

Amid heightened geopolitical tensions, global supply chains are experiencing an unprecedented realignment. Semiconductors have emerged as a strategic asset, an industry where Taiwan has cemented global leadership. Its tech expertise, and robust democracy underpin Taiwan’s strategic value and reliability. While the EU has turned to large-scale subsidies to localize semiconductor production, Taiwan’s success is not the product of any single policy instrument, but reflects a long-term trajectory of institutional foresight, public-private synergy, and adaptive international engagement. As Taiwan’s experience shows, building lasting technological capacity requires more than subsidies. It is about crafting coherent ecosystems, where both state and market roles evolve in tandem. As like-minded partners, closer cooperation between Europe and Taiwan can strengthen mutual resilience. This issue brief by Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Yingfen Lin examines how Taiwan’s model serves as a blueprint for building economic resilience and technological leadership in a hyper-connected world. Read and download the issue brief here.

Latest Publications

China’s Military-Civil Fusion in Space: Strategic Transformations and Implications for Europe

Fatoumata Diallo

Key takeaways China’s Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) strategy is a multi-purpose tool to enhance national power, accelerate technological innovation, and drive industrial and economic development. MCF has reshaped China’s space […]

Will South Korea Distance Itself from the US Under President Lee?

Jagannath Panda

South Korea has recently undergone a significant power transition, with Lee Jae-myung taking office as President, signaling a potential recalibration of its foreign policy. This change in leadership could usher in a […]

G7 Strategy for Countering Russian Information Operations in the Indo-Pacific Region: A Framework for Enhanced Multilateral Coordination and Response

Niklas Swanström and Toby Logan

Russian Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) operations across the Indo-Pacific have evolved into sophisticated, multi-domain campaigns that systematically exploit political tensions and technological innovations. These operations demonstrate added complexity […]

Books

Arabs, Turks and Persians: Geopolitics and Ideology in the Greater Middle East

Svante E. Cornell

For decades, the Greater Middle East has been a leading challenge to American foreign policy. This vast region – ranging from North Africa in the west to Afghanistan in the […]

Books & Monographs December, 2024
The US and EU, and the Emerging Supply Chain Network: Politics, Prospects, and Allies

Niklas Swanström, Fredrik Erixon and Mrittika Guha Sarkar

The Global Supply Chains have evolved from simply logistical achievements to being the bedrock of the global economy. Driven by technological advances and geopolitical shifts, this transformation underscores the critical […]

Books & Monographs September, 2024
IN DEFENSE OF THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER

Norah M. Huang, Jagannath Panda, I-Chung Lai, Pao-Wen Li, Cheng-Yi Lin, Liang-Chih Evans Chen, Nobuyuki Hiraizumi, Nobukatsu Kanehara, Shin Kawashima, Jun Nagashima, Tatsuo Shikata, Niklas Swanström, Lars Vargö, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Alexander Radzyner, Brendon J. Cannon, Filippo Fasulo, Gedaliah Afterman, Jan Hornat, Joe Varner, Lai Thai Binh, Malcolm Davis, Mrittika Guha Sarkar and Stephen R. Nagy

In recent years, the geopolitical fight for global economic, diplomatic, and institutional control has acutely intensified, accentuating the crisis in the existing post-World War II Liberal International Order (LIO), championed […]

Books & Monographs February, 2024
Quad Plus and Indo-Pacific: The Changing Profile of International Relations

Jagannath Panda and Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell

This book explores how the Quad Plus mechanism is set to reshape the global multilateral economic and security co-operations between Quad partner countries and the rest of the world. With […]

Books & Monographs June, 2022

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23 Jul
Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part IV: China’s Militarization of Tibet: Strategic Ambitions and Ecological Fallout

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Latest Blog Posts

July 3 2025 by Jagannath Panda

July 3 2025 by Jagannath Panda
The Dalai Lama: An Institution of Global Significance

The current Dalai Lama’s exile from Tibet after China annexed it decades ago has made his succession a highly contentious issue. The 14th Dalai Lama–Tenzin Gyatso–has now confirmed that he will have a successor after his death, ending years of uncertainty. In the long-awaited announcement, he said a trust created by him will be the […]
June 20 2025 by Caroline O'Neill

June 20 2025 by Caroline O'Neill
Alleged Miscommunication About Five Eyes Should Prompt a Conversation About One Country’s Membership

In February, The Financial Times reported that senior White House official Peter Navarro called for Canada to be removed from the Five Eyes intelligence network. Navarro has denied the allegations, telling The Financial Times, “We would never ever jeopardise our national security . . . with allies like Canada.” His use of the word allies, especially in reference to […]
June 19 2025 by Xuan Dong

June 19 2025 by Xuan Dong
Marching on Quicksand: How Corruption is Undermining China’s Military

In April this year, The Financial Times exposed that He Wei Dong was under investigation for alleged corruption. As a vice-national-level leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, he held the highest military rank, 上将 (upper commander/ General), within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Due to his extraordinarily high rank, his absence from […]

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12 Jun
Korea Strategic Talks Webinar VI: Presidential Election in South Korea – What Next?
Proxy Wars and Silent Partners: The Pahalgam Attack a Stress Test for India–China Stability

Jagannath Panda and Eerishika Pankaj

The April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack marks a significant moment in South Asia’s evolving security matrix. While the India–Pakistan binary continues to dominate discourse, China’s ambiguous posture following India’s Operation […]

Issue & Policy Briefs May, 2025
China’s 2025 Economic Playbook in a New Phase of Trade War

Yifei Zhu

Beijing’s economic targets for 2025 appear ambitious amid serious domestic and external challenges. This year’s plans show adjustments from previous years, focusing on domestic consumption, financial stability, and private sector […]

Issue & Policy Briefs June, 2025

Safeguarding the Global Chip Supply: Lessons from PRC’s Technology Acquisition Tactics in Taiwan

Safeguarding the Indo-Pacific Region: Insights from Australia on Maritime Security

The Dalai Lama: An Institution of Global Significance

China’s Military-Civil Fusion in Space: Strategic Transformations and Implications for Europe

Will South Korea Distance Itself from the US Under President Lee?

From Domination to Co-Creation: How Taiwan Sustains Semiconductor Leadership through Adaptive Industrial Policy

Latest Publications

China’s Military-Civil Fusion in Space: Strategic Transformations and Implications for Europe

Will South Korea Distance Itself from the US Under President Lee?

G7 Strategy for Countering Russian Information Operations in the Indo-Pacific Region: A Framework for Enhanced Multilateral Coordination and Response

Books

Arabs, Turks and Persians: Geopolitics and Ideology in the Greater Middle East

The US and EU, and the Emerging Supply Chain Network: Politics, Prospects, and Allies

IN DEFENSE OF THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER

Quad Plus and Indo-Pacific: The Changing Profile of International Relations