Security in Asia

As a broad geographical focal point, Asia is the site of several distinct, as well as interconnected, geopolitical alignments and realignments. Its growing economic weight, ongoing contested historical legacies and territorial disputes, and newly emergent mini- and multilateral institutions mean that security developments in Asia will have global implications. Among these developments, the Indo-Pacific has emerged as an important geostrategic concept that encompasses great power rivalry and multi-realignments of countries’ foreign policy and economics. Also featuring as important topics in this theme of the SIPRI China and Asia Security Programme are the challenges of North Korean nuclear proliferation, growing tensions over the Taiwan Strait, and maritime security issues (from grey-zone activities to transnational crimes such as piracy). The theme’s focus remains wide, with both policy-relevant research analysis and the convening of dialogues related but not limited to developments in North East Asia (Korean peninsula issues, Japan, Taiwan), South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia and Eurasia, as well as functional topics such as military spending, defence industries, cyber security, and arms exports and control.