Bridging The Oceans

After over two years, the Bridging the Oceans podcast is coming to an end. Hosted by Veerle Nouwens, this was the first podcast dedicated specifically to the defence and security of the Indo-Pacific, exploring what the region is, where its limits lie, and the fast-evolving nature of defence and security in this dynamic part of the world.

Together with a diverse range of experts, the podcast sought to understand how these matters are seen within the region itself, and how they may impact the wider world, including the UK.

To find out more about the work of the International Security team at RUSI, and to explore the back-catalogue of Bridging the Oceans, please follow the links below.

International Security at RUSI: International Security | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)

Bridging the Oceans: Bridging the Oceans Podcasts | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)

The recent annual meetings of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress (NPC) – the ‘Two Sessions’ – have already confirmed the national budget, high-level personnel appointments and noted China’s foreign and security outlook. Newly appointed Foreign Minister Qin Gang used tough language when discussing the US, while President Xi Jinping accused the West – led by the US – of seeking China’s containment. Amid growing strains in the Sino-US relationship, our host Veerle Nouwens sits down with Bonny Lin, Senior Fellow for Asian Security and Director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, to discuss the future trajectory of the bilateral relationship.

The current year is set to be a significant one for India, as it takes on both the G20 and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) presidencies – two landmark moments for the Modi government ahead of the highly anticipated general elections next year.

Host Veerle Nouwens sits down with Garima Mohan, Senior Fellow at the George Marshall Fund, to discuss just what the Indian government hopes to achieve through these two significant positions. What impact will these events have on China–India relations? How does New Delhi view the G20 and SCO when compared to other minilaterals that India is engaging in? And what will count as a success for New Delhi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party? For answers to these questions and more, tune in now!

Tough times lie ahead for Beijing, with a turbulent external environment now matched with domestic unrest.

To round out 2022, Veerle and Dr Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin, reflect on a turbulent year for China policy. From a downward spiral in Sino-US relations and tensions over Taiwan, to the war in Ukraine and Beijing’s relationship with Moscow, this has been a tumultuous year. The search for a predictable framework to relations between China and the West provides some limited hope for 2023, but the fundamental differences between these actors remain, and another difficult year likely lies ahead.

Six months in, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol still treads a careful balance on some policy matters.

Veerle speaks with Ms Saeme Kim, Korea Foundation Visiting Fellow in RUSI’s Indo-Pacific Programme from 2021–2022. Saeme explores the policy continuities and changes in the Republic of Korea (ROK) from former President Moon Jae-in to current President Yoon Suk-yeol, outlining the country’s soon-to-be-launched Indo-Pacific Strategy and some bold new endeavours with partners like the US.

As tensions with Beijing and Pyongyang remain, greater cooperation with partners in Europe and the Indo-Pacific could come at a cost in Seoul’s own immediate regional environment. Despite this, a more outward-facing and networked South Korea with expertise in specific subregions and policy areas is likely to materialise. The UK, in particular, stands to gain from working more closely with Seoul, and Saeme offers a few ideas in this regard.

Does the recent Congress indicate triumph or challenges ahead for China?

Veerle Nouwens speaks with two guests on China’s 20th Party Congress, in which Xi Jinping attained an unprecedented third term in office and brought in a set of personnel changes in Party governance. Raffaello Pantucci, RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, explores how Xi’s speech and the Party Congress’s work report indicate an emphasis on internal stability and continuity in domestic and foreign affairs, including on Taiwan. Dr Lai I-Chung, President of Taiwan’s Prospect Foundation, explores differences in language and the listing of topics in the work report as a possible indication of subtle messaging to audiences that Beijing is serious about reunification. An accelerated push for peaceful reunification is to be expected with below-the-threshold advances that circumvent official channels for communication across the strait, while Beijing will further limit Taiwan’s space on the international stage. For this, I-Chung has some ideas of how countries, including the UK, can help.

As strategic and economic interest in the region grows, how can states around the Indian Ocean and their partners mitigate the risk of conflict?

Jeffrey Payne of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Washington joins Veerle and Aaditya to discuss growing competition in the Indian Ocean region. Why has interest in the region among nuclear maritime states – including India, China and the US – grown steadily over recent years? They consider the strategic risks to the region as a nuclear flashpoint and what steps could be taken to stabilise it.

What lessons can be learned from the war in Ukraine when tackling the cross-strait crisis?

In this special episode of Bridging the Oceans, Veerle speaks with Yuichi Hosoya of Keio University, Tokyo about the parallels between the war in Ukraine and the current standoff over Taiwan, and the extent to which these comparisons are valid. They examine escalation scenarios across the Taiwan Strait, in light of Russia’s pattern of behaviour before invading Ukraine. And they discuss what role Japan could play in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, as well as which key networks and strategic alliances Japan will be relying on.

Will UK foreign policy under Liz Truss be business as usual or a radical departure?

While the UK’s relations with China have been strained in recent years, Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI, explains how current policy towards China may experience a radical shift and, should that happen, what the repercussions would be. Similarly, the Hon. Alexander Downer, the former Australian foreign minister, joins Veerle in exploring Liz Truss’ views on the Indo-Pacific, how she may need to balance realities in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, and whether a values-driven foreign policy will resonate with Indo-Pacific partners.

Thoughts from Japan on the Recent Cross-Strait Tensions and a Look at What Lies Ahead.

In this episode, Veerle speaks with Li Hao, Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), about the Japanese reaction to Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan and China’s subsequent live-fire drills in the region. They discuss the direct impacts the military exercises have had on Japan and consider the larger implications these events may have on Japan’s economy and security policy in the future. They also look at the possibility of war breaking out in the region and what Japan’s role could be in moderating and mitigating harm.