In 2020, the way we define “insecurity” has drastically changed. Insecurity can now also be invisible and all around us, in the shape of a virus that disrupts people’s lives, upends the economy, subverts the core functions of national governments and jeopardises the foundations of international cooperation. At the same time, the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic has not made traditional security challenges disappear, especially in and around Asia.
This Report presents short- and long-term scenarios for each of the hotspots that challenge peace and stability in Asia, a region that, after the pandemic, has become even more crucial for a swift global recovery.
Table of Contents
Introduction, Paolo Magri - ISPI
1. Linking Economic and Security Factors and Policies After the Pandemic
Niklas Swanström - Institute for Security and Development Policy
2. Great Power Rivalry in Asia: Thucydides Trap or Leninist Power Game?
Valérie Niquet - Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique
3. Multilateral Competition: The Quad vis-à-vis China in the UN System
Shino Watanabe - Tokyo Sophia University
4. North Korea’s Reliance on Nuclear Weapons: Actors and Implications
Cristina Varriale - Royal United Services Institute
5. Securing Asia’s Sea Lanes: Balancing Military and Trade Applications
Abhijit Singh - Observer Research Foundation
6. The Impact of Sars-CoV-2 on Terrorism in Asia: Preliminary Considerations
Giulia Sciorati - ISPI
7. The EU and Europe in the Indo-Pacific Region: Finally Getting on Board?
Axel Berkofsky - ISPI and University of Pavia
Conclusions and Policy Recommendations for the EU