security — 9DASHLINE

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.

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China’s uncertain future as a global security provider

Written by Lukas Fiala

The key question is whether Xi’s growing assertiveness and inadequacy of existing means to ensure the security of Chinese entities abroad will lead to a more pronounced security footprint over the coming decade, featuring new military base arrangements and, potentially, institutionalised security guarantees.

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The very consequential presidency of Joe Biden

Written by Dr Richard Johnson

Whatever happens in the remaining two years of the first Biden term, the octogenarian president can already feel confident that he has left a major legacy and will be recorded as a very consequential president.

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Bite the hand that fed you: Imran Khan’s populist challenge for the military

Written by Marcus Andreopoulos

Out of office, Khan is proving to be a relentless source of pressure, first for Bajwa and now for Munir. Khan has accused the military of holding the country back during a time of economic and humanitarian catastrophe.

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Xi, the state, and war

Written by Maximilian Ernst

Hence, before looking for clues to Chinese foreign policy in the personalities of Chinese leaders, foreign policy analysts would be well advised to first direct their attention to the international level.

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Jammu and Kashmir: Living with violence along the border

Written by Deep Pal

For locals as well as security agencies, the current ceasefire, without resolving underlying issues, is temporary at best. This is evident in the fact that in over 18 months without CFVs, permanent security structures along the border have not been dismantled.

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Alignment without alliance: China’s growing ambivalence to Putin’s war

Written by Lunting Wu and Kamil Matusiewicz

Functional, strategic and normative factors have shaped Beijing’s growing ambivalence towards the war, and despite the absence of outright condemnation, a subtle shift and distancing can be discerned.

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Why factional politics might no longer matter in China

Written by Jabin T. Jacob

Under these circumstances, what will be worth watching is the composition of the Politburo Standing Committee for clues on what Xi’s policy directions for the next five years of his rule are going to be.

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Going global: Beijing’s bid to rewrite the rules of international security

Written by Sam Bresnick

If Beijing succeeds in impelling Global Security Initiative partners to revise existing security norms and arrangements (certainly a big ‘if’), the United States and its allies could find themselves increasingly constrained.

The upper house elections and Japanese defence spending

Written by Felix Kuhn

Over the coming months in Japan, discussions over the level of defence spending, what the money will be spent on, and where it will come from, will become more heated. The Japanese government will have to provide clearer answers and allow for some compromises to retain broad support among policymakers and keep the majority of the public on board.