New partners for the Indo-Pacific: Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties

Written by Dr Selçuk Çolakoğlu

As the economic centre of gravity shifts from the North Atlantic to the Pacific, Turkey's increasing emphasis on its Asian identity is a strategic move to benefit from the economic rise of East Asian countries and organisations.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLApril 7, 20259DASHLINE, SELÇUK ÇOLAKOĞLU, Turkey, ASEAN, Ankara, Black Sea region, Central Asia, Turkey's Asian identity, Turkic, Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), Turkey's Eurasian identity, dialogue partner, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, sectoral dialogue partner, Asia Anew, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, trading partners, trade, G20, MIKTA, Australia, South Korea, Mexico, middle powers, Global South, Turkey-ASEAN relations, Turkey-ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, 43rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), Hanoi, Manila, ASEAN-Turkey Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AT-JSCC), Trilateral Meeting, ASEAN secretary, Laos, Vientiane, Practical Cooperation Areas, transnational crime, terrorism, good governance, human rights, investment, sustainable development, economic cooperation, defence industry, connectivity, NATO, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Sino-US strategic rivalry, second Trump administration, Trump, humanitarian aid, development support, mediator, International Contact Group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Timor-Leste, UN Security Council, Rohingya, Bangladesh, neutrality, maritime disputes, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), East Asian Summit, ASEAN Plus Three, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Liberal International Order, New partners for the Indo-Pacific: Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties, New partners for the Indo-Pacific - Turkey-ASEAN relations amid increasing geopolitical uncertainties

Trump’s climate abandonment will erode US standing, particularly in the Indo-Pacific

Written by James Bowen

The risk posed by Trump’s new strategy will be most pronounced abroad, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Home to the world’s most rapidly developing and energy-hungry economies, it also hosts many fossil fuels and/or prospective clean energy producers whose future trajectories remain open to external influence.

Has Australia turned its back on free trade?

Written by Melissa Conley Tyler and Viet Dung Trinh

By balancing domestic production and free trade, the Future Made in Australia Act aims to promote economic growth, create jobs, and support Australia's transition to a net-zero emissions economy.

In Dialogue: Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Matej Šimalčík on Taiwan

Central and Eastern Europe’s (CEE) relationship with Taiwan is evolving amid shifting global dynamics.

Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy speaks with Matej Šimalčík, a Taiwan Fellowship recipient currently based at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) in Taipei, to explore the implications of these developments for CEE, Taiwan, and the broader geopolitical landscape.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLFebruary 25, 2025In Dialogue: Taiwan, Central and Eastern Europe, Dr. Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Matej Šimalčík, 9DASHLINE, Taiwan, China, Russia, Taiwan Fellowship, Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), Taipei, Robert Fico, Hungary, Slovakia, Donald Trump, CEE, great power rivalry, Europe-Taiwan relations, US foreign policy, Israel, Egypt, development aid, Chinese assertiveness in Europe, Europe, Democratic Progressive Party, polarisation, new US administration, Germany, South Korea, Key US ally, Fico administration, Slovakian society, the West, communist nostalgia, Crimea, Vladimír Mečiar, NATO, Russian hybrid warfare, 2014 annexation of Crimea, Victor Orban, CEE region, Hungarian government, Chinese investment, bridge between the East and West, EV sector., EV sector, German value chains, Eastern Opening, All Azimuth Foreign Policy, Hanoi, Moscow, Beijing, Seoul, Vietnam, strategic partnership with China, Western allies, Brazil, Serbia, Orbán’s Eastern Opening, greenfield investments, hinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Volvo, EV factory, Gotion, Chinese battery producer, Volkswagen, transitioning to EV production, Automative sector, EU-Taiwan relations, cultural exchanges, people-to-people exchange, Slovakian perceptions, engagement with Taiwan, Mask diplomacy, COVID-19, trade and economic security, invasion of Ukraine, Central Eastern Europe, Polarisation, domestic politics, Civil Society, Grassroots, symbolic and substantive cooperation, One China policy, One China principle, PRC, like-minded partners in Europe, Taiwan-Europe relations, Normative power Taiwan? Human rights and Taiwan-EU relations, cooperation with Taiwan, Partners in Peace: Why Europe and Taiwan Matter to Each Other, Central European Institute of Asian Studies, ational Dong Hwa University, diplomatic recognition, deter coercion, grassroots leve, grassroots level, cities and regions, Tsai administration, Sweden, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, In Dialogue: Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Matej Šimalčík on Taiwan

No room for missteps: Cambodia’s strategic wishlist For Trump 2.0

Written by Chhay Lim

Policies that force Cambodia into a binary choice risk deepening its reliance on China and undermining US efforts to maintain influence in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia9DLFebruary 6, 20259DASHLINE, Chhay Lim, No Room for Missteps: Cambodia’s Strategic Wishlist For Trump 2.0, Donald Trump, White House, Cambodia, Strategic wishlist, Cambodia's strategic wishlist, Trump 2.0, Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh’s close alignment with Beijing on foreign policy, Prime Minister Hun Manet, Trump administration, proxy for Beijing, United States, Southeast Asia, infrastructure development, digital transformation, trade diversification, maritime capacity, economic positioning, Vietnam, The Philippines, US-China competition, Hedging, strategic hedging, Prioritising Pragmatic Cooperation Over Ideology, prioritise economic and development cooperation, maritime security, 90-day suspension of USAID, USAID, liberal democratic values, transactional, Western assistance, Digital innovation, Public health, civic engagement, overdependence, hub for technology, digital entrepreneurship, Greater Mekong subregion, digital divide, inadequate infrastructure, cybersecurity, public-private partnerships, digital literacy, Washington, great power competitio, digital sovereignty, data sovereignty, data security, economic autonomy, Ream Naval Base, Maritime Self-Defence Force, Japan, Gulf of Thailand, military exchanges, Cambodian policymakers, security engagements, security ties with Japan, binary choice, US-Cambodia relations, Democracy, human rights, democracy promotion, Cambodian Foreign Ministry, Cambodia Democracy and Human Rights Act, US Congress, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, mutual respect and understanding, cooperation, Cambodia-China relations, Cambodian People’s Party, Communist Party of Vietnam, national interest, Moscow, China-Vietnam, balance relations with Beijing, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, balanced relations with Beijing, great power rivalry, elephants fight or make love, smaller states, US-Vietnam trade, China-Vietnam trade, Thailand, China, Cambodia’s reliance on China, political legitimacy, security assurances, Chinese Communist Party, ideological pressure, regime change, strategic ambiguity, transparency, No room for missteps: Cambodia’s strategic wishlist For Trump 2.0

Vietnam’s semiconductor push amid the Sino-US technological rivalry

Written by Tran Thi Mong Tuyen

To establish itself as a semiconductor hub Vietnam needs a bold strategy that leverages its ‘latecomer’ advantages. Vietnam should set clear goals and concentrate resources on developing its semiconductor industry, with milestones for 2030 and 2050.

Southeast Asia9DLDecember 19, 20249DASHLINE, Vietnam, Tran Thi Mong Tuyen, Vietnam’s semiconductor push amid the Sino-US Technological Rivalry, Semiconductor, Chips Act, Taiwan, United States, China, semiconductors

Locked in paralysis: Vietnam's anti-corruption campaign and tightened public sphere

Written by Dr Mai Truong

The government has significantly increased arrests of pro-democracy activists. Recently, many prominent democracy advocates, including Pham Doan Trang, who received the 2024 PEN America Freedom to Write Award, have been detained, and many of the previously mentioned blogs and websites have been shut down.

Southeast Asia9DLJuly 30, 2024Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, anti-corruption campaign, Vietnamese Communist Party, VCP, nepotism, cronyism, NGO, public sphere, Mai Truong, 9DASHLINE, Luong Tam Quang, Nguyen Tan Dung, civil society organisations, Democracy activist, democracy movement, Truong Huy San

Diverting from China: Cambodia’s foreign policy in a new era

Chhay Lim and Kimpor Try

While there is leeway for Cambodia to hedge and pursue an independent foreign policy, the new government under Hun Manet has no choice but to continue diversifying strategic and economic partners.

Southeast Asia9DLJuly 3, 20249DASHLINE, Chhay Lim, Kimpor Try, Diverting from China: Cambodia’s foreign policy in a new era, China, Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Chinese global agendas, China’s regional interests, comprehensive strategic partnership, highest status in Cambodia’s three-tier diplomatic hierarchy, Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Chinese Communist Party, unbreakable ironclad friendship, Xi Jinping, Southeast asia, South China Sea, Global South, Phnom Penh, Global Civilization Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative (GSI), Hun Manet, Hun Sen, 'One China' principle, community of shared future, United States, Angkor Sentinel, Vietnam, Thailand, Funan-Techo Canal Project, Preah Vihear border conflict, multi-dimensional approach, third way, Japan, Australia, diversification, balanced and pragmatic approach to diplomacy, 2012 ASEAN Chairmanship, 2022 ASEAN Chairmanship, Myanmar, ussian invasion of Ukraine, annexation of Ukrainian territory, condemning the Russian invasion, Japanese global initiatives, Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, Cambodia's independent foreign policy, Chinese client state

The EU’s Global Gateway Initiative: Infrastructure cooperation with Southeast Asia

Written by Dr Alfred Gerstl and Nick Nieschalke

The investment in the Global Gateway Initiative (GGI) indicates the EU’s stronger global focus on infrastructure and connectivity partnerships within a dedicated scheme.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific, In Focus9DLMay 6, 20249dashline, The EU’s Global Gateway Initiative: Infrastructure cooperation with Southeast Asia, Dr Alfred Gerstl, Nick Nieschalke, EU, European Union, Indo-Pacific strategy, EU Global Gateway Initiative, Global Gateway Initiative, GGI, Indo-Pacific, Africa, Global South, geostrategic challenges, geo-economic challenges, EU institutions, EU member states, China, BRI, private sector, EU funds, Europe-Asia connectivity programme, infrastructure, connectivity partnerships, Brussels, Southeast Asia, alternative models of governance, economic benefits, values-based foreign policy, rules-based order, ASEAN, US, investment, de-risking, green transition, supply chains, energy supply, environment, health, education and research, energy, digital connectivity, UN SDG, sustainability, cooperation, Bac Ai hydropower plant, Vietnam, energy imports, net zero carbon emissions, electricity, hydropower, Hanoi, Beijing, environmental damages, lighthouse project, Philippines, Copernicus, natural disasters, climate change, Manila, soft power tool, geopolitical ambitions, security actor

Clashes in the South China Sea, looking back at the PCA Ruling

Written by Varenya Singh and Chetan Rana

China's persistent rejection of the tribunal's jurisdiction and ruling, along with its continuous assertion of sovereignty, underscores the limitations of international legal mechanisms in addressing deep-rooted geopolitical disputes.

Pacific, Power Politics9DLMarch 11, 20249DASHLINE, Clashes in the South China Sea, looking back at the PCA Ruling, Chetan Rana, Varenya Singh, South China Sea, Cold War, Europe, West Asia, Ukraine, Gaza, China, Philippines, South China Sea (SCS), SCS, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, map, standard map, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), littoral states, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines Coast Guard, Sierra Madre, Second Thomas Shoal, Spratly Islands, Filipino, grey-zone activities, non-military vessels, territorial claims, maritime militia, Beijing, Manila, vessels, maritime territorial disputes, arbitral proceedings, arbitration, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), PCA, PCA award of 2016, PCA ruling, China’s nine-dash line, nine-dash line, Annex VII, Arbitration Tribunal under Annex VII of UNCLOS, UNCLOS, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, sovereignty, delimitation, artificially built islands, delimitation of state boundaries, Article 9, unilateral, fishermen, marine resources, fishing, 12 nautical mile, extractive, purely extractive activity, self-dependent economic activity, maritime fishing zones, coral reefs, turtle, clam, international law, dispute, ASEAN, Code of Conduct (CoC), COC, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., non-claimant states, Australia, Japan, United States, us, USA, militarising, military exercises, sea lanes, environmental crisis, securitisation, marine diversity, sustainability, realpolitik, Israel-Hamas conflict

Portugal needs a clear strategy for the Indo-Pacific

Written by Rita Durão

Consolidating a strategy towards the Indo-Pacific would not only signify Portugal's commitment towards enhancing its global presence through a multilateral approach but also present opportunities for fostering economic growth, strengthening diplomatic ties, and promoting regional stability.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLMarch 7, 2024Portugal needs a clear strategy for the Indo-Pacific, 9DashLine, Rita Durão, Portugal, Indo-Pacific, European Union, Atlantic front, NATO, United States, Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), snap elections, Socialist Party (PS), Democratic Alliance (AD), Communist Party (PCP), Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), China, India, non-alignment, blocs, Liberal Initiative (IL), Risk Reduction Strategy, People Animals Nature (PAN), Portuguese-speaking countries, human rights, multilateral, rules-based order, 16th EU-India summit, Porto, 2021 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Macau, Belt and Road Initiative, soft distancing, 5G, Portugal's 5G network, like-minded partners, Japan, South Korea, Prime Minister António Costa, EU-ASEAN summit, Dialogue on Asia, 2024 Diplomatic Seminar, Lisbon, Singapore, G20, observer, Timor-Leste, Timor-Leste's accession to ASEAN, Vietnam, ASEAN, Shangri-La Dialogue, maritime empire, colonialism, Macao, East Timor, Sines Port, Azores, blue economy, EDP Renewables, Indonesia, Indo-Pacific strategy

In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads

The South China Sea remains one of the most potentially explosive regions in the world. What role can regional actors and organisations play in de-escalating the conflict and putting an end to the escalatory trends witnessed in 2023?

We invite several experts to assess the prospects for stability in 2024.

Editor's Picks, Pacific9DLFebruary 2, 2024In Forum: 2024 — South China Sea at a crossroads, 9DASHLINE, south china sea, SCS, China, Philippine, Philippine navy, The Philippines, vessels, Chinese vessels, freedom of navigation, United States, trade, shipping, US-China competition, escalation, CYBER, ELINA NOOR, non-claimant states, Code of Conduct (CoC), Code of Conduct (CoC) negotiations, military, international law, cross-domain, ASEAN, norms of responsible state behaviour, 2015 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts of Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, APILA SANGTAM, Beijing, Vietnam, India, Manila, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UNCLOS, 2016 Arbitral Award, comprehensive strategic partnership, 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, grey zone, Exclusive Economic Zones, Indonesia, Malaysia, NONG HONG, geopolitical rivalry, naval, military exercises, oil and gas exploitation, COLLIN KOH, unilateral, multilateral, littorals, Second Thomas Shoal, Taiwan, PRATNASHREE BASU, Belt and Road Initiative, strategic autonomy, de-escalation, containment, Japan, rules-based order, UN, United Nations, In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads

In Forum: 2024 — China’s policy towards the West

China and Australia appear to have patched things up, and more conciliatory tones are even heard about relations with the United States following Xi’s visit in November. In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks a number of experts to weigh in on whether we can expect improving ties to continue through 2024.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 12, 20249DashLine, In Forum 2024: China’s policy towards the West, China, Xi Jinping, dual circulation, Chinese Dual Circulation Strategy, trade, Beijing, Western democracies, Australia, United States, In Forum, FOREIGN POLICY, Selina Ho, Great power rivalry, Joe Biden, APEC summit, Chinese diplomacy, the West, wolf warrior, Wolf Warrior Diplomacy, the Philippines, Vietnam, security, sanctions, Chinese economy, Chinese society, South China Sea, Taiwan, JEAN CHRISTOPHER MITTELSTAEDT, self-reliance, geopolitical, China's strategic flexibility, green technology, electric vehicles, JUSTYNA SZCZUDLIK, smile diplomacy, Susan Shirk, overreach, strategic pause, Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Deng Xiaoping, China's global influence, G20 summit in Bali, China's de-risking agenda, raw materials, export, supply chains, de-risking, decoupling, open markets, Russia, Hamas, anti-coercion, dual diplomacy, DPP, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), China’s soft approach, ZICHEN WANG, Wang Yi, APEC, APEC meeting, high-quality domestic development, Japan, South Korea, european union, Marxism, ideology, Gina Raimondo, enemy, Washington, San Francisco, bilateral, unilateral, zero-sum game, peaceful development, ANDREW CHUBB, China-US relationship, Canberra, Albanese government, Anthony Albanese, In Forum: 2024 — China’s policy towards the West

Italy and the Indo-Pacific: towards an Italian Indo-Pacific strategy

Written by Dr Gabriele Abbondanza

All things considered, it seems evident that Italy is ready to develop and issue a formal Indo-Pacific strategy that considers national, European, and Indo-Pacific interests as vital components of a strategic whole.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLDecember 6, 20239dashline, Italy and the Indo-Pacific: towards an Italian Indo-Pacific strategy, Gabriele Abbondanza, Indo-Pacific, Italy, flashpoints, Taiwan, East China Seas, South China Seas, Korean Peninsula, choke points, global maritime trade, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, macro-region, US, Indo-Pacific nations, Europe, IPSR, International Political Science Review, European foreign policy, France, UK, Germany, EU, European Union, Indo-Pacific strategy, Indo-Pacific committee, Italian parliament, naval deployments, Rome, Enlarged Mediterranean, Mediterraneo Allargato, United Nations, Carabiniere frigate, European missions, NATO missions, Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific mission, Morosini offshore patrol vessel, offshore patrol vessels, South China Sea, multilateral exercises, Cavour carrier strike group, international law, multilateralism, strategic partnerships, China, beijing, international order, Pacific Island Forum, PIF, Vietnam, South Korea, Indian Ocean Rim Association, IORA, ASEAN, Italian-Indian-Japanese trilateral, Japan, Global Combat Air Programme, Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, multilateral approach, strategic compass, political affiliation, foreign policy priorities, Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary committee, risk-benefit analysis

Southeast Asia’s security partnerships stronger and more diverse at the end of 2023

Written by Hunter Marston

Japan has emerged as a critical partner of choice for Southeast Asian countries, particularly in its efforts to build maritime and coast guard capacity for frontline states in the South China Sea, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

In Brief with Antoine Ripoll, Director of the European Parliament in ASEAN

9DASHLINE recently enjoyed the opportunity to speak with Antoine Ripoll, Director of the European Parliament in ASEAN. Our discussion touched on a range of issues pertaining to the European Union’s relationship with Southeast Asia and the European Parliament’s growing role in foreign policy.

Structural trends could force swing states to choose sides

Written by Marc Saxer

‘Partnerships of the Middle’ recognise the aversion of Asian powers against alliances and offer informal avenues of collaboration to safeguard global public goods.

Power Politics9DLNovember 7, 20239DASHLINE, Will structural trends force ‘swing states’ to choose sides?, Marc Saxer, China, United States, hegemony, competition, Indo-Pacific, superpowers, allies, balancing, balancing power, balancing game, balancing strategies, bloc building, bloc, technological bifurcation, bipolarity, band-waggon, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, military alliance, Marcos Jr., President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President Marcos Jr., treaty ally, Russia, North Korea, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Burmese junta, Myanmar, ASEAN, bloc formation, binaries, Taiwan, cold war, hot war, hedging, Global South, Russian invasion, Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Malaysia, Pakistan, Beijing, International Monetary Fund (IMF), bailout, swing state, bamboo diplomacy, Thailand, Washington, Quad, Quadrilateral Dialogue, technology transfers, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Bangladesh, Vietnam, diversification, supply chains, China plus One, multi-alignment, non-alignment, Biden administration, de-risking, decoupling, democracies, systemic rivalry, autocracies, rules-based international order, Tokyo, Canberra, G20, 5G, Huawei, Netherlands, South China Sea, geoeconomic, geoeconomy, geoeconomics, export controls, investment bans, strategic competition, friend-shoring, Eurozone, sovereign debt crises, the West, sanction regime, SWIFT, de-dollarisation, Renminbi, Russian System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS), Chinese Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), Chip4, Partnerships of the Middle, Group of Friends for Multilateralism, Structural trends could force swing states to choose sides

The global politics of Barbenheimer

Written by Dr Rhys Crilley

Barbenheimer offers a focus onto subjects that define our modern moment, such as the dominance of patriarchy that ruins the lives of women and men across the planet, the anxiety and existentialism of modern life, and the existence of nuclear weapons that threaten to destroy it.