The United States and India have a common cause in their tensions with China, as well as a “natural partnership” on technology investments, says USIP’s Sameer Lalwani. But India remains noncommittal when it comes to Russia’s war on Ukraine: “They’ve concluded that they need Russia to stick around.”

Type: Podcast

Taiwan represents the most dangerous issue in the broader U.S.-China relationship, as well as the most likely flashpoint for a war in East Asia. But while the security situation in the Taiwan Strat has grown more strained in recent years, the prospect of conflict is not inevitable. Scott Kastner, a professor for government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park, says the immense cost of a possible war remains a major deterrent — but to maintain a peaceful status quo, the U.S.-China relationship cannot devolve into a new Cold War that makes Chinese leaders feel less invested in the current global order.

Type: Blog

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Global Policy

On December 9, hundreds of Indian and Chinese forces clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the roughly 2,100 miles contested boundary that separates northern India from China. Neither side used firearms, and no deaths were reported, but both Indian and Chinese forces sustained injuries. The skirmish was the worst since the summer of 2020, when deadly fighting in the Galwan Valley led to the most significant border escalation in over four decades. In the wake of those 2020 clashes, India and China held 17 rounds of military talks — but have been unable to reach terms for disengagement across key areas of the disputed border.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Japan released on Friday a new, robust national security strategy and complementary defense planning documents. The strategy is Japan’s first in nearly 10 years and only its second ever. The strategy navigates the country’s response to significant changes in the regional and global security environment, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and reflect Japan’s growing sense of vulnerability vis-à-vis its immediate neighbors. USIP’s Mirna Galic looks at the new strategy and what it means for the region.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Global Policy