ISDP Voices

With the 20th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party just around the corner, Xi Jinping is poised to lock in a norm-breaking third term as the party’s General Secretary, marking the culmination of a decade-long quest for personal power. But with great power comes great responsibility, and one of those responsibilities is continuing to […]

The Chinese Communist Party’s leading members will gather in Beijing for the 20th Party Congress starting October 16. Xi Jinping is widely expected to accept an unusual third term in the Chinese political system’s highest office: General Secretary of the Communist Party. English-language media is already calling the 20th Party Congress a “coronation” for Xi, echoing earlier claims that […]

The first reports of unusual tremors in Østersøen, adjacent to the Island of Bornholm, were transmitted to the Danish authorities on September 26. These tremors were the result of explosions on the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 & 2. Before the Russian-Ukrainian war, the gas pipelines were used to transfer natural gas from Russia to […]

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has affected international politics in all regions. This war has turned into the symbol of a new international era in which great power competition has revived and local wars have become more and more the arena of conflict and competition between the great powers. Although Russia was able […]

From the beginning, nuclear issues in Iran have always gathered plenty of international media debate. In retrospect, it is clear that the nuclear deal with Iran had very little chance of being revived and one should remain wary of another wave of media hype in the future. From 1992, Europe and Iran were engaged in […]

An old Korean idiom avers that September is the season ‘when horses gain weight and the sky is high (천고마비 天高馬肥)’, meaning a time of ease and relaxation. As autumn weighs in, Koreans often can see a clear sky with no clouds. However, September is also the season of terror for many: the 9/11 attack […]

On May 19-21 next year, the Japanese government will host the G7 Hiroshima Summit. It is assumed that Prime Minister Kishida Fumio plans to express a strong diplomatic message for peace and nuclear disarmament by announcing a so-called “Hiroshima Action Plan” at the summit. Global issues, such as world economy, food deficiency, and the energy […]

The international coalition that banded together in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrates democracies’ ability to endure national discomfort to confront authoritarian challenges to territorial integrity, sovereignty, and self-determination. Six months into the invasion, support for sanction packages on Russia remains high across the U.S. (80 percent) and allies in Europe (78 percent in […]

Last month, Indonesia celebrated the 77th anniversary of its independence. During the annual state of the nation address on August 16, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo spoke briefly yet strongly on Indonesia’s position in the global constellation. Jokowi listed out Indonesia’s current high-profile global engagements, such as it being a “champion” of the United Nations’ […]

The first in-person ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) was concluded in Los Angeles last week (Sept 8-9, 2022). Ministers from 14 countries got together in Los Angeles (LA) for a two-day meeting, co-hosted by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Representing around 40 percent of the global […]