As the conflict in Yemen drags on, an interesting dynamic has marked the last year of war: the rise of popular protests in many Southern regions, the areas which are not directly hit by airstrikes and fighting. Demonstrations are mainly driven by worsened economic conditions: Yemenis peacefully take to the streets, organise sit-ins or go on strike to express their dissent against unstoppable inflation, lack of public salaries and services, electricity shortages and limited access to clean water.
Asia is divided in its condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The more advanced economies, such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, not only approved the resolution, but they had already imposed sanctions on Russia. Taiwan, too, although not represented at the UN, has expressed its condemnation of Russian actions and aligned itself with Western sanctions. However, many Asian countries have opted for a broadly neutral approach with significant differences between their positions. The most relevant ones are those of China and India.
While differences might remain in the interpretation of how the war in Ukraine could have been avoided and what the consequences will be, it is unanimously understood that the conflict has recompacted the Western front and has in fact divided the world. This division was very visibile on 2 March, at the United Nations, when the General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion was passed with 141 votes in favour, 35 abstentions, and 5 against.
Pivot to Asia is our monthly newsletter focusing on the most significant issues and trends in Asia. Today, we turn the spotlight on the war in Ukraine and Asia’s reaction.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we turn the spotlight on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's visit to the UAE, his first trip to an Arab country in over a decade.
Only days after Russia’s President Vladmir Putin stated his intention to rely on Syrian fighters to boost the country’s manpower, Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov announced that he had travelled to Ukraine to show support and meet with Russian troops.
The gloves are off. There is very little disagreement among (non-Chinese) scholars and analysts that China is the elephant in the room in the Indo-Pacific. China is challenging and indeed changing the territorial status quo in the South China Sea, has increased its unlawful intrusions into Taiwanese-controlled airspace and intrusions into Japanese-controlled territorial waters in the East China Sea.
The Indo-Pacific concept has become a useful organising principle for a wide range of nations seeking to manage and balance Chinese power. This is not automatically about excluding China from the regional order, but about incorporating China into a regional order where the rights of others are respected, while balancing against China when those rights are not. The Indo-Pacific idea recognises a two-ocean strategic system of connectivity and contest, a maritime, multipolar region centred on Asia but not exclusively Asian.