ISDP Voices

The geopolitical ambitions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have increased the pressures on overseas Chinese. This growing group is caught between China’s quest for international influence and the racism and exploitation in their host countries. With the launch of the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, the sharp rise in young Chinese […]

“China is”, in the words of Bertrand Russell, “much less a political entity than a civilization”. Chinese civilization would exist even without a Chinese state, just as we may speak of European civilization despite Europe not being a state. It is not easy to define exactly what “Chinese civilization” or “Chinese culture” is, and it […]

As one of China’s least developed areas, Yunnan Province in the country’s southwest is at the epicenter of the Chinese state’s efforts to eradicate poverty. Yunnan is also a historically diverse area with several ethnic groups. Less well off than the dominant Han majority, China’s ethnic minorities are the most beset by economic hardship. The […]

The coronavirus pandemic continues to hamper the travel industry all over the world. The aviation industry in particular is grappling with the economic fallout from the sharp drop in demand after many countries reverted to stringent containment measures to limit the spread of the virus. Although expected to eventually become the world’s largest domestic aviation […]

In March 2020, the Japanese government deployed a cutting-edge vehicle-mounted network electronic warfare system (NEWS) to the Signal School of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The Ministry of Defense of Japan moreover plans to establish an electronic warfare capability unit of 80 personnel as part of the GSDF at Camp Kengun […]

In late May 2020, the violent death of a female lawyer in China sparked public outrage – mainly on social media. Allegedly strangled by her 15-year old daughter, the case reignited a nation-wide debate about whether China’s juvenile justice system is too lenient in its approach, despite the girl potentially facing criminal charges if found […]

With the resignation of Abe Shinzô coming as somewhat of a surprise to most, we speak to our Distinguished Fellow Dr. Lars Vargö to seek an understanding of Abe’s legacy and who could take up the role of Japan’s next prime minister. What was the reason behind Prime Minister Abe Shinzô’s resignation? His resignation can […]

On July 23, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, called upon the international community to unite against a new threat – the “global tyranny” of China. In his speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California, he proposed the creation of a new alliance of democratic governments to counteract Chinese activities […]

In June 2020 Beijing announced a 15-year ecological protection plan, part of a wider drive in China to press ahead with nation-wide environmental protection ambitions. Maintaining and expanding the country’s forest coverage has been a concern for policymakers. It is evident that the Chinese government is determined to follow through with its environmental policy aspirations, […]

China’s environmental problems are well propagated. In 2019, the most dangerous air pollutants in Beijing were at concentration levels four times higher than the World Health Organizations deems safe for human tolerance; at least 60 percent of the country’s groundwater has been declared of “bad” or “very bad” quality since 2013; and two thirds of […]