5/1/2021 On 1 December 2020, a historic decision was announced on the occasion of the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM). Forty-three years after the inauguration of the EU-ASEAN dialogue, the two major regional organizations elevated their Dialogue Partnership to an EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. In the spirit of shared values and mutual cooperation, this decision inaugurates
Read more
18/12/2020 The crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be an inspiring one when considering green policies and sustainability. Many countries have welcomed recovery plans in response to the economic crisis emanating from the pandemic, prioritising economic reform and a more sustainable growth model. South Korea is certainly one of them. Immediately after
Read more
17/12/2020 While the media spotlights were set on the 2020 US elections, the fifth Plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was held in Beijing from 26 to 29 October 2020. This event has a tremendous significance not only in Chinese domestic policy, but also for its resonance with the
Read more
27/11/2020 On 11 October 2020, the EU’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening mechanism, which entered into force in April 2019, officially became fully operational. The new framework embodies the EU’s necessity to level the playing field within its single market, especially with regard to state aid control, and to secure its strategic assets from investments
Read more
20/11/2020 Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many societies and economies to a standstill across the world, it has also given governments an opportunity to assess their nations’ sustainability. The pandemic has shown how consequential one action can be on the rest of the world and how vulnerable our economies can be when faced
Read more
17/11/2020 China’s investment in Africa has become a quite well-known phenomenon over the past few years, especially as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Yet, it should not be forgotten that Japan has also been playing a significant role on the African stage. After the Cold War, European investment in African countries had
Read more
10/11/2020 Relations between the Czech Republic and China continue to persevere despite a turbulent decade in their bilateral relationship. Since 2013, the Czech Republic, under the leadership of President Miloš Zeman, had originally sought close economic and thus political ties to China. However, Zeman underestimated the deep polarisation evident in the Czech political culture
Read more
10/11/2020 Following suit after France’s security strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, Germany is the second country in the EU to present its official vision on the region. On 1 September 2020, the German Federal Foreign Office unveiled its 70-page policy guidelines on the Indo-Pacific region, aiming at constructing multifaceted multilateral partnerships. The Indo-Pacific, to
Read more
10/11/2020 As Southeast Asia’s longest river, the Mekong embodies both the region’s heart and lifeblood. Despite offering countless benefits to its population for thousands of years, the river is now increasingly facing a plethora of challenges – particularly in relation to hydropower development – which are putting its very existence in jeopardy. In a strategic
Read more
30/10/2020 On 8 November 2020, general elections will be held in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. For the second time since the 2011 democratic transition, citizens will be asked to cast their vote. Despite observers and academics entrusting the National League for Democracy (NLD) victory, the nascent democratic system will surely be
Read more