Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the United Nations’ least developed country (LDC) status. The country’s remarkable growth is worthy of a closer analysis regarding the drivers and rationale behind national policies and attracting foreign investments.
On 14 May 2023, Thailand saw almost 40 million people head to the polls to vote in its first national election post-COVID, the largest turnout of any Thai election thus far. This election can be considered as one of the most significant political events in Thailand since the pro-democracy movement of the mid-1970s. Over 70 parties competed within the election, with over half of the votes going to two opposition parties: Move Forward and Pheu Thai. However, Thailand has found itself in a political stalemate as it still awaits the final outcome of the May election.
December 2022 was a historic month for Japan’s foreign affairs. By targeting an increase of defence spending from 1% of its annual budget to 2% over the next 5 years and publishing new defence and security strategies, Japan is reacting to Asia’s new regional security environment. With new defence capabilities and a growing willingness to cooperate with “like-minded countries”, it is thereby making headway to become a stronger security actor in the region.
The looming climate crisis has generated a pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Engaging China in the fight against climate change will be a crucial element in attaining this objective. China’s commitment in climate action has also grown considerably, as global climate governance has even become one of the country’s prototypical discursive frames in constructing its new international identity.
As one of Asia’s leading military powers and arms manufacturers, South Korea has developed a solid and growing security cooperation framework with the EU, with nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and cybersecurity at its core. In light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Charles Michel’s and Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Seoul on 22 May 2023 may have given this close relationship a new impetus.
The summit on 16 March 2023 between the Japanese and Republic of Korea (ROK) heads of state was seen as a milestone in relations between the two powers. Such a thawing could present a unique opportunity for Japan and Korea’s strategic partners and see the establishment of a structured trilateral relationship on green cooperation with the EU. This EIAS opinion piece explores how a trilateral promises to strengthen current rapprochement efforts and complements ongoing measures being taken to achieve each actor’s strategic goals in the green transition.
Signed in November 2022, the EU-ROK Digital Partnership offers itself as an unprecedented opportunity for both parties to develop their cooperation in the digital realm. Yet for all it does succeed in covering, the agreement remains silent on development cooperation in the area of digital capacity building in third countries.
While the EU’s Central Asia strategy places an emphasis on human security, the issue of migration is a key pillar in the pursuit of resilience and should not be viewed solely through the lens of security. This Op-Ed examines migration patterns in Central Asia and the EU‘s strategy for the region in light of the war in Ukraine, providing three key focus points.
On the 24th March 2023 the Cyber Security Association of China and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China co-hosted a hybrid event titled the “China-Europe Track II Digital Dialogue Plan” in which experts and representatives from Chinese and European universities, think tanks, research institutions, hospitals and associations took part in a series of panel discussions designed to identify best practice and ways forward in digital cooperation between the EU and China.