Looking Back at 2025 with ISDP’s Picks for the Year
In 2025, the various programs and centers of the ISDP, as well as guest authors, published more than 150 publications. With 2025 drawing to a close, we would like to share a curated list of 25 publications by ISDP colleagues, offering a look back at this eventful year.
January:
Policy Brief: China, Russia and Undersea Cable Vulnerability: Shoring Up Protection, by Niklas Swanström
In recent years, Taiwan and the Baltic Sea have faced multiple undersea cable disruptions. Niklas Swanström examines the recent Russian and Chinese threats and their strategic implications, proposing policy recommendations for strengthening global cable security.
Commentaries & Op-Eds: The Trump Effect: Will India Lean Into the China Thaw in 2025?, by Jagannath Panda
How far will the thaw sustain China-India ties in 2025 and beyond, especially given the return of Donald Trump to the White House? Jagannath Panda analyzed the possible easing of tensions between the two countries and what to expect in 2025. Now in the end of the year, readers can reflect on these possibilities.
February:
Issue Brief: Assessing the Effectiveness of China’s Military Exercises in Restraining Taiwan’s Leadership, by Yi-Chieh Chen
Despite Beijing using coercive approaches to restrain Taiwan’s voices for decades, the island has consistently advocated for its sovereignty and sought greater engagement in international affairs. In this brief, 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.
Experts Take: ‘Critical to understand internal dynamics of China’: An Interview with FATOUMATA DIALLO, by Celine Hedin, Tony Su & Fatoumata Diallo
In this interview, conducted by former China Center interns Ms. Celine Hedin and Mr. Tony Su, the role of ISDP’s China Center and Ms. Diallo’s direction as the new Acting Head, and her perspectives on China-related (EU-China) developments are further explored.
March:
Special Paper: “Strategic Autonomy, Anyone?” Charting Europe’s Shifting Security Debates and 2024-2029 Priorities, by Johannes Nordin
This Special Paper explores the evolution of the Strategic Autonomy concept from its early development (2013-2016) and politicization (2017-2019) to its expanded interpretations and shifting engagement (2020-2024). Johannes Nordin identifies key challenges and opportunities for the EU’s 2024-2029 legislative period, offering recommendations for policymakers seeking to engage constructively in future Strategic Autonomy discussions.
Blog post: What I Heard In Munich: Goodbye America – Hello Europe!, by Anna Wieslander
On February 13-16, 2025, the Chair of the ISDP Board, Dr. Anna Wieslander, once again participated in the Munich Security Conference (MSC). In her piece, she reflects on those turbulent days and discussions at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, questioning the future of the current international liberal order, and assessing the new prospects of European defense.
April:
Experts Take: Military-civil Fusion is a key Chinese Strategy with long-term Implications: An Interview with Jingdong Yuan and Yifei Zhu
The defense discourse related to China is a sensitive matter that is often tackled through a US perspective. For this reason, the ISDP interviewed two Sweden-based experts, Dr. Jingdong Yuan from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and Dr. Yifei Zhu from ISDP’s China Center, to offer their perspectives on the issue. In the first interview, Dr. Jingdong Yuan focuses on the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) technological transformation and its implications for European security. In the second, Yifei Zhu expands on Europe’s response, outlines the future strategic outlook, and examines the strategies for balancing technological openness with risk mitigation.
Policy Paper: PLA in the Arctic: Under the Ice?, by Niklas Swanström
In this piece, Niklas Swanström examines the impact of PLA activities in the Arctic, including dual-use operations, their significant expansion, and the concerning evolution of Sino-Russian military exercises in the region.
May:
Commentaries & Op-Eds: The Shadow War: How the Pahalgam Terror Attack Redefined India-China-Pakistan Equation, by Jagannath Panda
The Pahalgam terror incident has exposed deep-seated fractures in the regional power matrix. In this publication, Jagannath Panda questions China’s commitment to peace and stability in the region, given its refusal to acknowledge the terrorist dimension of such attacks or to pressure its close partner Pakistan.
Blog post: The Middle Corridor: A Perceptible Reality or a Pipe Dream?, by Christopher Peterstam
The Northern Trade Corridor had long been a staple of east-west trade, but the strict sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union (EU) have led China to rely on alternative means to transport its goods to the lucrative European market. This has breathed new life into the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. In this piece, Christopher Petersam analyses its opportunities, limitations, and prospects.
June:
Issue Brief: Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea, by Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen and Tove Jalmerud
South Korea is experiencing a rise in digital sex crimes, a trend likely linked to the growing number of young men expressing anti-feminist and sexist views toward women. Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen and Tove Jalmerud discuss how Seoul must go beyond strengthening legal and investigative measures and implement systemic societal reforms and proactive prevention strategies to stop these crimes from happening.
Blog post: Politics in the Courtroom: Lawfare and Impeachment in South Korea’s Post-Martial Law Era, by Synne Norseth
South Korea’s democratic system is being dramatically reshaped by the intricate dance between law and politics. While political-judicial tension is not unique to the country, its current intensity underscores the urgent need for reform. Synne Norseth analyses the Korean impeachment process and calls for the restoration of balance in politics through judicial integrity and democratic accountability.
July:
Issue Brief: Europe’s Green Technology Development: Chinese Challenges to Research and Innovation Security, by Niklas Swanström and Filip Borges Månsson
As Europe pursues its ambitious Green Deal objectives, the continent faces complex challenges in balancing open scientific collaboration with the need to protect strategic green technologies and intellectual property. This issue brief investigates the evolving dynamics between European green development initiatives and emerging research security concerns related to China’s growing technological influence.
Policy Brief: The Fourth Phase in the Taiwan Strait Military Standoff: Emerging Dynamics and the Prospect of War, Yifei Zhu & Jingdong Yuan
The cross-strait military standoff has entered its fourth phase—a “renewed cold war”—following China’s military drills in 2022, signaling heightened risks for armed confrontation. Yifei Zhu and Jingdong Yuan analyze the features of the current stage of the military standoff and examine the prospect of war in the near future.
August:
Commentaries & Op-Eds: How the Nordic Countries Can Engage Central Asia, by Johan Engvall and Svante Cornell
The states of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) have recently been deepening their regional coordination, as well as expanding their efforts to deal with outside powers jointly, a format known as C5 plus, indicating the five Central Asian states and a foreign counterpart. Johan Engvall and Svante E. Cornell analyze why the Nordics should reciprocate the Central Asian outreach and work to formalize a dialogue format with the region.
Blog post: Between Uncertainty and Coercion: The EU’s ‘Least Bad’ Trade Deal with Trump’s America, by Johannes Nordin
Controversial from the onset, the July 27 deal has faced criticism even from reluctant supporters. Brussels and Washington quickly sparred over its terms, analysts questioned its viability, and some declared it dead on arrival. Johannes Nordin examines the new trade deal between the EU and the U.S. and the reasons behind its approval.
September:
Asia Paper: Why the Republic of Korea Matters to the Nordic Countries, by Niklas Swanström, Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen, and Jeenou Yi
This Asia paper aims to highlight the importance and compatibility of Nordic-ROK cooperation, which has remained relatively covert, as well as projecting the attractiveness of enterprises and government officials in the nations to foster more collaboration. Niklas Swanström, Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen, and Jeenou Yi identify current synergies between the ROK and the Nordic countries in renewable energy, Arctic investments, technology, and defense cooperation.
Issue Brief: Crossroads After the 2025 EU-China Summit, by Johannes Nordin
Despite an initial rethaw of official ties earlier in the year, the 2025 EU-China Summit was marked by diplomatic frictions, cancellations, and last-minute adjustments. Johannes Nordin examines the meeting’s outcomes on export controls, climate targets, and regulatory cooperation.
October:
Special Paper: NATO Engagement in the Indo-Pacific? A Three-Country Case Study: India, Indonesia & the Philippines, by Richard Ghiasy and Jagannath Panda
This policy paper examines NATO’s potential partnership with India, Indonesia and the Philippines as case studies. Richard Ghiasy and Jagannath Panda look at the three countries’ prospects for engagement with NATO, mainly through their current disposition in security matters, strategic priorities, autonomy, and relationship with China and the US/allies.
Commentaries & Op-Eds: It’s Time for India to Partner Strategically With the Visegrad Four, by Swati Prabhu, Matej Šimalčík, and Jagannath Panda
Brussels is actively seeking trusted partners in Asia, and India is increasingly viewed as a credible, like-minded alternative to China and Russia. Swati Prabhu, Matej Šimalčík, and Jagannath Panda examine the feasibility of deepening engagement between India and Europe, with a particular focus on the Visegrad Four (V4) countries—Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.
Stockholm Paper: Whither Tibet in the Climate Crisis Agenda?, edited by Jagannath Panda
The Tibetan Plateau is undergoing one of the most dramatic and least scrutinized ecological transformations in the world today. The term “climate crisis” is used deliberately in this volume to reflect both the urgency and severity of the ecological unraveling of Tibet, and to highlight its far-reaching human, environmental, and geopolitical implications. This study emerges from a growing recognition that Tibet lies at the nexus of some of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, regional security, and the politics of development.
November:
Special Paper: Information Warfare: How Emerging Technologies Threaten Europe and Taiwan, edited by Niklas Swanström and Yi-Chieh Chen
Niklas Swanström and Yi-Chieh Chen brought together scholars from both Europe and Taiwan to explore the ongoing security challenges emerging from the intersection of new technologies and disinformation. The special paper examines the recent transformation of information warfare and offers policy recommendations on how future actions should be addressed.
Commentaries & Op-Eds: The Himalayas Are Heating Up. Can China and India Cool Their Climate Rivalry?, by Jagannath Panda
The Himalayan ecosystem that both binds and divides China and India is now warming at nearly twice the global average. In this piece, Jagannath Panda investigates whether China and India, despite their geopolitical unfriendliness, can find common ground on this critical ecological frontier, and what role COP30 and the UNFCCC can play in this context.
December:
Issue Brief: Taiwan’s Sports Diplomacy: Expanding Nation Branding Beyond Politics and Technology, by Yi-Chieh Chen
Taiwan’s unique position in the international community presents a challenging environment for Taipei to build and sustain relations with other countries. Yi-Chieh Chen examined Taiwan’s nation-branding strategies, traced the evolution of its sports diplomacy, and evaluated the opportunities and constraints associated with the creation of the new Ministry of Sports in Taipei.
Special Paper: Green Transition: Taiwan’s Climate Strategy and Prospects for EU Cooperation, edited by Yi-Chieh Chen and Maud Descamps
For Taiwan, climate action is not only an environmental imperative but also a diplomatic opportunity. As the European Union (EU) prioritizes climate leadership, Taiwan sees potential to strengthen ties with like-minded partners and enhance its international visibility. Yi-Chieh Chen and Maud Descamps brought together experts from the European Union and Taiwan to discuss their respective climate strategies and possible prospects of cooperation.