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Nov 8, 2023 | 
usip.org | Rosie Levine |Jennifer Staats |Alex Stephenson
USIP’s Kemi Adewalure, Rosie Levine, Jennifer Staats and Alex Stephenson explain how the candidates are approaching cross-Strait relations, what the key domestic issues are and how the elections are viewed in Beijing and Washington. Adewalure: Taiwan is in the midst of a landmark presidential campaign in the lead-up to the January election. According to a recent poll, Lai Ching-te leads with about 29.7%, followed by Ko Wen-je at 25.6%, Hou Yu-ih at 21.1% and Terry Guo trailing far behind.
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Sep 7, 2023 | 
usip.org | Alex Stephenson
Only days after the incident, the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Stratbase ADR Institute convened international experts to discuss ways Washington and Manila can coordinate as alliance partners during future crises to prevent escalation into unwanted conflict. Participants were quick to point out the effective steps already taken by the United States and the Philippines to de-escalate tensions.
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Sep 2, 2023 | 
philstar.com | Brian Harding |Alex Stephenson
During the August 5 crisis at Second Thomas Shoal, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs tried to contact its Chinese counterparts through a bilateral hotline. Manila’s effort to de-escalate the standoff despite being the victim of Chinese aggression was laudable. Unfortunately, the calls went unanswered. Officials in Washington have shared the same experience on many occasions – when communication is needed most, Beijing can’t be reached.
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Aug 16, 2023 | 
realcleardefense.com | Margarita Konaev |Ryan Fedasiuk |Jack Corrigan |Ellen Lu |Alex Stephenson |Helen Toner | +1 more
An Assessment of Military Procurement Data between April and November 2020This report uses procurement records published by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) between April and November of 2020 to assess, and, where appropriate, compare what each military is buying when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI).
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Aug 2, 2023 | 
usip.org | Alex Stephenson
USIP’s Andrew Scobell and Alex Stephenson discuss the PLA’s origins, how it’s organized and deployed, and how Beijing's neighbors and the United States should view the threat China’s armed forces pose. Stephenson: In the mid-1920s, the fledgling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), founded in 1921, was in an uneasy alliance with the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT).
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Jul 20, 2023 | 
usip.org | Alex Stephenson |Jason Tower
ASEAN’s regional centrality means that the bloc is often thrust into broader geopolitical issues. At the ASEAN Regional Forum that took place alongside the foreign minister’s meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, continued discussions on thawing U.S.-China ties. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also attended the regional forum.
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Jun 22, 2023 | 
usip.org | Rosie Levine |Alison McFarland |Alex Stephenson
USIP’s Rosie Levine, Alison McFarland, Alex Stephenson and Carla Freeman discuss the signals coming out of Blinken’s trip, how major areas of disagreement were addressed, where stalled military-to-military talks stand and what comes next. What’s the good news coming out of Secretary Blinken’s visit to China?
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Jun 21, 2023 | 
labourlist.org | Alex Stephenson
This week, Keir Starmer outlined his fourth ‘mission’ for a future Labour government, introducing the leadership’s plans to combat the “twin risks of climate change and energy security” looming large today. In his speech – made alongside Rachel Reeves, Ed Miliband and Anas Sarwar – Starmer repeated a slew of promises, including creating thousands of green jobs, reforming local planning regulations to build more onshore wind farms and empowering local communities with green energy.
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Jun 7, 2023 | 
usip.org | Alex Stephenson
Those incidents highlight an extremely concerning dynamic between the two superpowers. While a conflict is far from inevitable, the lack of mechanisms to manage crises makes it more likely. Indeed, this issue was a particular point of discussion among numerous countries at Shangri-La, who want to see Washington and Beijing manage their differences, lest they get dragged into a great power conflict.
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May 31, 2023 | 
usip.org | Alex Stephenson
Tensions over the border dispute are a particular cause for concern given the overall trajectory of the Sino-Indian relationship, which has soured significantly in recent years. If Beijing and New Delhi are to resolve these long-standing disputes, they have several challenges to face, many of which were only exacerbated by these recent clashes. These include militarization of the border, India’s increasingly assertive foreign policy and growing threats to regional strategic stability.
