South China Sea and the Law of the Sea: Where is China’s Power Heading?
On Tuesday July 12th, after three years of deliberations, the Permanent Court of Arbitration finally delivered its verdict on the conflict opposing the Philippines and China over status of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The judgment is historic, as it goes far beyond the expectations of the involved parties and observers.
China in Djibouti: A military base with Chinese characteristics?
Last February, the Chinese Defense Ministry confirmed the launch of the construction of a Chinese military base in Djibouti. For a long time, Chinese officials had insisted that China would never build military bases or to station troops abroad.
Japan and its Alliance with the US. Structure, Dynamics, Evolution to 2030
China’s rise, US rebalancing in Asia, historic defense reforms in Japan, the adoption of new Guidelines for bilateral cooperation: the Japan-US alliance has reached a turning point in its history.
China’s rise: the view from South Korea
Monitoring China-South Korea relations is key for the EU, as both countries have been designated strategic partners. Moreover, the Union has important economic ties to both, and signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 2011.
The Return of Geopolitical Risk - Russia, China and the United States
The year 2014 was defined by the conflict in Ukraine, the emergence of Daesh, and tensions between China and Japan. As for 2015, it has witnessed the spread of Daesh, the conflict in Yemen, the Greek crisis, revelations about the activity of the National Security Agency (NSA), the migrant crisis, and a ramping-up of terrorist attacks.
Scientific Cooperation in the South China Sea: A vector for China's security diplomacy in Southeast Asia?
In the South China Sea, the field of marine science could be seen as a catalyst for functional cooperation in the region. In reality, it often reflects regional asymmetries and has become yet another domain in which the weight of China is ultimately a destabilizing factor, according to Sophie Boisseau du Rocher.
Taiwan after the elections: what next?
On 16 January, the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won a double victory over the ruling party, the Kuomintang (KMT). DPP candidate Tsai Ing-wen was elected president with 56% of the vote, and for the first time the party won a majority in the Legislative Yuan – Taiwan’s parliament – with 68 of the 113 seats.
China vs. USA: After South China Sea, the Arctic as a Second Act
The focus on the power confrontation between China and the U.S. has for a while been directed towards the South China Sea, but a focus should be given to the Arctic region, where the second act is already ongoing.
Eurasia in Russian Foreign Policy: Interests, Opportunities and Constraints
The Eurasian axis of Russian foreign policy has been given several impetuses over the last two years. The most important of these has been the sharp deterioration in relations with the West against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis.
Assessing the Achievements of International Criminal Justice / A New Era of Oil Abundance?
Born from the ashes of two world wars, the concept of international criminal justice took nearly half a century to become anchored in institutions and legal concepts that are independent of specific conflicts. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, that for Rwanda, and the creation of the International Criminal Court, among others, bear witness to the real progress made during the 1990s. This issue of Politique étrangère offers a series of articles that shed light on these achievements and their limits.
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