9DASHLINE — Articles

Written by Manoj Kewalramani and Rakshith Shetty

The enforcement of these regulations is expected to further fortify Xi’s leadership and consolidate ideological conformity within the Party.

East Asia9DLMarch 13, 20249dashline, China, Chinese history, Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, Xi Jinping Thought, Mao Zedong, history learning regulation, CCP, CPC, Chinese history education, Chinese communist party history, history resolution, Manoj Kewalramani, Rakshith Shetty, China’s history learning regulations

Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

Written by JiMin Nam

In South Korea specifically, backlash is not just a reaction to the rise of popular feminism since 2015. Instead, it is an indicator that two related institutions, militarism and patriarchy, persist in South Korean society and represent gender norms in a way that positions feminism as something problematic.

Editor's Picks, East Asia9DLFebruary 28, 20249dashline, JiMin Nam, Understanding backlash in the South Korean context, Remnants of militarism and patriarchy, gender rights, feminism, women's rights, anti-gender movements, LGBTQIA+ rights, South Korea, employment rights, social media, abortion rights, spycam crime, cyberbullying, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Brazil, backlash, oppressive institutions, militarism, patriarchy, gender norms, point system, Ewha Women’s University, misogyny, cyber terror, military, conscription, gendered identities, moral identity, human rights abuses, militaristic hierarchical culture, workspace, excluded, exclusionary patterns, post-war developmentalism, Asian Financial Crisis, male workers, female workers, patriarchal fantasies, Seoul, Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

Taiwan must be cautious in drawing lessons from the Israel-Hamas war

Written by Dr Mor Sobol

In the last few years, amid escalating tensions between Taiwan and China, and the heightened geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Beijing, there has been a noticeable surge in interest from the Taiwanese side — both at official and ‘academic’ levels — in learning from the Israeli experience regarding security and defence.

East Asia9DLFebruary 21, 2024Taiwan must be cautious in drawing lessons from the Israel-Hamas war, Dr Mor Sobol, Israel, Palestine, Taiwan, Israeli-Hamas war, Taiwan's Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, Gaza, Ukraine, Russia, Military strategy, cybersecurity, civil society, China, PLA, Cross-Strait relations

The significance of North Korea's spy satellite launch for regional security

Written by Wooyun Jo

The spy satellite launch reinforces the need for vigilant monitoring and surveillance to assess the capabilities and intentions of North Korea, as well as to strengthen regional defence against potential nuclear missile attacks.

East Asia9DLJanuary 17, 20249dashline, The significance of North Korea's spy satellite launch for regional security, Wooyun Jo, North Korea, spy satellite, regional security, MALLIGYONG-1, South Korea, US, Japan, Korean Peninsula, Missile Technology Control Regime, satellite technology, Russia, critical technologies, heavy artillery ammunition, Moscow, Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine, technology transfer, military capabilities, spy satellite launch, inter-Korean relationship, Pyongyang, technological advancement, espionage, hostile nations, regional security dynamics, countering threats, detecting threats, long-range ballistic missile technology, United Nations, United Nations resolutions, UNSC, Vann Van Diepen, new technology, troop movements, strategic advantages, nuclear deterrence, intercontinental ballistic missiles, ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, SLBMs, strategic bombers, intelligence-gathering capabilities, strategic assets, real-time intelligence, missiles technology, ballistic missile tests, security interests, regional allies, Yoon Suk-yeol, satellite launch, threat perception, nuclear tensions, space programme, missile capabilities, regional cooperation, deterrence measures, ROK-US-Japan, surveillance, security cooperation, General Security of Military Information Agreement, GSOMIA, Tokyo, ballistic missile defence drill, anti-submarine exercises, trilaterals, missile defence systems, joint military exercises, sanctions, nuclear programmes, missile programmes, economic sanctions, Seoul, Washington

Should South Korea develop nuclear weapons?

Written by Yulgok Kim

South Korea's nuclear development has been an unthinkable taboo for decades, but North Korea's upgrading nuclear capabilities requires a policy shift.

The Kim-Putin summit: thrusting Russia-US tensions into Northeast Asia

Written by Anthony V. Rinna

From a longer-term perspective, the summit between Kim and Putin could also thrust Moscow-Washington tensions into the Asia-Pacific in ways not seen since the Cold War.

The strawman defence is torching Taiwan’s military

Written by Michael Lostumbo

Taiwan should assess its existing force and all future investments and evaluate them from the lens of their warfighting potential, which should be the primary focus for their military.

Evaluating South Korea's democratic backsliding

Written by Dr Mi-son Kim

The current state of South Korean politics suggests that the country is at a critical moment that could determine its fate: democratic backsliding or consolidation.

East Asia9DLOctober 9, 20239dashline, Evaluating South Korea's democratic backsliding, Dr Mi-son Kim, Park Geun-hye, South Korea, impeachment, abuse of power, corruption, Constitutional Court of Korea, candlelight protests, protests, demonstrations, democratic consolidation, President Park, partisan polarisation, concentration of power, Moon Jae-in, Yoon Suk-yeol, weak legislature, Park administration, opposition parties, Labour Reform Act, Service Industry Development Act, bipartisan bill, National Assembly Act, Saenuri Party, democratic transition, veto, Yoo Seung-min, cabinet appointments, presidential impeachment, Democratic Party, Supreme Prosecutor, Korean presidents, National Intelligence Service, Yoon administration, Han Dong-hoon, Park Geun-hye administration, personalist political systems, Kaesong Industrial Complex, North Korea, nuclear, US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, THAAD, Sewol ferry, Japan, hyper-partisan, hostile rhetoric, Lee Myung-bak, coercive state apparatuses, Board of Audit and Inspection, Anything but Moon (ABM), political volatility, democratic backsliding

Is the South Korea-Japan-US summit a breakthrough?

Written by Abhishek Sharma

The trilateral summit is a stepping stone towards countering the DPRK and strengthening regional security; however, its success will only be judged in the face of changing politics in the respective capitals.

North Korea: successful satellite launch coming soon

Written by Joe Varner

Even though this satellite launch failed, it suggests that Pyongyang is following the model of other nuclear weapons states to develop and refine its nuclear deterrence capabilities.

East Asia9DLJuly 20, 2023North Korea: successful satellite launch coming soon, Joe Varner, North Korea, Reconnaissance Satellite, North Korea Space Program, Nuclear weapons, nuclear deterrence, Chollima-1, Malligyong-1, intercontinental ballistic missile, Pyongyang, Military ballistic capabilities, Sohae Satellite Launch Station, long-range drones, Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, 9dashline

Conservative zealots: Evangelical politics in South Korea

Written by Dr Yong Jae Kim

The critical conundrum for the political success of conservative evangelicals nowadays lies in the uncertainty of the relationship between evangelicals and the established conservative parties.

Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation

Written by Rupert Schulenburg

A rotational deployment of US ground-based anti-ship missiles to Philippine bases would constitute a major deepening of US-Philippines defence cooperation and could bolster regional deterrence.

East Asia9DLMay 18, 20239dashline, Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation, RUPERT SCHULENBURG, The Philippines, China, indo-pacific, US, US military primacy, navy, US military bases, Taiwan, military capabilities, US force posture, Taiwan contingency, US-Philippines defence cooperation, regional deterrence, US-Philippines, defence cooperation, anti-ship missile system, Manila, weapons systems, conventional missile strike volume, land-based nuclear forces, precision-strike missiles, Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, Trump administration, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, INF, Russia, Mark Esper, south korea, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, THAAD, Beijing, economic boycott, conventional weapons, land-attack capability, missile-hosting nations, nuclear escalation, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, EDCA, Typhon Weapon System, TWS, Tomahawk cruise missile, US army, Block Va, naval targets, Cesar Basa Air Base, Luzon, Antonio Bautista Air Base, Palawan, Taiwan Strait, short-range ballistic missile rounds, medium-range ballistic missile, launcher, Okinawa, missile batteries, strike volume, DF-26, Guam, surface combatants, amphibious assault ships, 2+2 ministerial dialogue, 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Marcos Jr., Philippine sea, joint patrols, South China Sea, intelligence-sharing framework, joint jet fighter exercises, Bilateral Defense Guidelines, missile-hosting agreement, Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation, Rupert Schulenburg, Philippines, United States, South Korea, Japan, Indo-Pacific, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, RAND Corporation, Rodrigo Duterte

Ten-year review of China’s defence budget: Steadily toward modernisation

Written by Fei Su and Xiao Liang

Despite concerns over the transparency on the official figures, the sustained growth in China's military spending demonstrates its unwavering commitment to the PLA’s modernisation to become a ‘world-class’ military by the mid-21st century.

Japan’s defence plans: What matters is implementation

Written by Dr Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi

Without continuous efforts in Japan including securing monetary and political capital — together with coordinating and cooperating with regional partners — Tokyo’s push for defence modernisation will face a myriad of challenges going forward.

East Asia9DLMay 8, 2023Japan’s defence plans: what matters is implementation, 9DashLine, Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, Japan, defence, military, National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Strategy (NDS), Defense Buildup Program (DBP), pacifism, Japan’s pacifist constitution, Tokyo, Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), counterattacks, military readiness, defence planning, National Defense Program Guidelines, China, North Korea, Russia, threats, Beijing, Moscow, Pyongyang, conflict, warfare, military modernisation, strike capabilities, nuclear doctrine, preemptive strikes, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia-Ukraine war, hybrid warfare, psychological warfare, cognitive warfare, capabilities, resilience, hypervelocity gliding projectiles, Okinawa, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, defence budget, US-Japan alliance, Korean Peninsula, Taiwan Strait, US-Japan-South Korea trilateral coordination, Seoul, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, free and open Indo-Pacific, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), NATO, Southeast Asia, rule of law, security dilemma

Tokyo does not need constitutional reform to bolster defence

Written by Adrienne Wu and Melynn Oliver

Those who argue for a formal remilitarisation of Japan should consider why they advocate such a move. Amending Japan’s constitution has proven unnecessary to expand the SDF, therefore the only major benefit is to assay the fears of the Japanese public and expand its international role.

East Asia9DLMay 5, 20239DashLine, Tokyo does not need constitutional reform to bolster defence, Adrienne Wu, Melynn Oliver, Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, defence budget, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tokyo, Japan's security, defence capabilities, Article 9 framework, Article 9, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, constitutional reform, US, Indo-Pacific, Japan’s pacifist constitution, pacifism, US forces, World War II, Korean War, Washington, Japan’s Supreme Court, right to self-defence, sovereignty, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, remilitarisation of Japan, Defense Agency, defence-related exports, collective defence, National Security Council, National Security Strategy (NSS), House of Representatives, Public support, Russia’s nuclear threats, Russia, China, anti-nuclear stance, Japan’s security role, tax hikes, National Defense Strategy (NDS), Defense Build-up Program (DBP), heightened alert posture, global power shifts, strategic challenge, North Korea, counter-strike capabilities, defence procurement and industrial development strategy, strategic clarity, strategic ambiguity, Taiwan, US-Japan Alliance, Quad, NATO

A new cut of the cloth: Exploring Beijing’s tailored response to the Tsai-McCarthy meeting

Written by Rorry Daniels

Beijing long signalled that it would respond to a Tsai-McCarthy meeting, but its actions did not break precedent and in many ways showed restraint.

Power Politics, East Asia9DLApril 24, 20239dashline, A new cut of the cloth: Exploring Beijing’s tailored response to the Tsai-McCarthy meeting, Rorry Daniels, Taiwan, US, China, Cross-Straits relations, cross-strait politics, Tsai Ing-wen, Kevin McCarthy, US Speaker of the House, military drills

The Chinese dragon may spout fire but is not ten feet tall yet

Written by Joe Varner

A strong US industrial base with sufficient munitions stockpiles and weapons systems is critical for deterring Beijing in war.

Decoupling from China is not so easy for Japan and Korea

Written by Dr Chang-min Lee

Although both allies of the US, Japan and Korea are forced to compete with each other economically, which is exacerbated by persisting political problems between Tokyo and Seoul.

East Asia9DLApril 10, 20239DashLine, Decoupling from China is not so easy for Japan and Korea, CHANG-MIN LEE, White House, US economic security strategy, economic security, President Joe Biden, CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, China, US-China competition for hegemony, US-China competition, Japan, Korea, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, decoupling, technology, semiconductor, Samsung Electronics, chip makers, SK Hynix, electric vehicles, North America, Russia, automakers, core minerals, US-China rivalry, COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerability of global supply chains, supply chain security, Reshoring Initiative, foreign direct investment, Near-shoring, Mexico, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, small yard, high fence, friend-shoring, AI, quantum technology, allies, technology gap, Economic Security Promotion Act, Kishida government, Biden administration, chip alliance, IBM, Rapidus, Toyota, Denso, Sony, NEC, NTT, Softbank, Kioxia, Toshiba, Tokyo Electron, high-tech, TSMC, Taiwan, export, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Human Rights Violation Act, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, foreign trade, friendly nations, National Security Council, pro-China