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  • Standing in-between— Gulf States in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Under New Security Dynamics: The GCC, Saudi Arabia and Qatar

    The addition of Gulf states to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has significantly altered regional dynamics. By examining two Gulf states’ foreign policy motivations for joining the SCO, through the lens of institutional balancing and hedging concepts, we argue that they engage in both hedging through multi-alignment to achieve national objectives and mitigate risks and institutional balancing in order to constrain China’s and Russia’s geopolitical ambitions within the organisation, check their regional rivals and at the same time exclude the United States from an emerging security architecture. Moreover, Gulf states’ priorities focus on strategic autonomy and have avoided taking clear-cut sides in the US–China competition, while not isolating Russia despite capitalising on its deteriorating position in the Middle East since the Ukraine war. Finally, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s reluctant position as a unitary actor in establishing relations with the SCO indicates its strategic neutrality and a cautious stance towards the United States as its security guarantor.

  • China’s Arrival in the Great Sanctions Game: A Learnt Response, Made by America

    This article examines the development of China’s sanctions legislation in an era of strategic competition. Beijing’s new sanctions regime is informed by its experience as a sanctionee, with much of the new legislation almost directly mirrored on sanctions enacted against China by the West. The article seeks to account for Beijing’s interest in pursuing a formalised approach, employing four explanatory ‘models’, namely national security threats; retaliatory economic competition; status-seeking and prestige; and domestic constituents. The article argues that, despite China creating a new legislative framework, Beijing will continue to implement informal tactics for the most part, while employing formal measures in a targeted and measured way. Ultimately this two-pronged approach delivers a highly effective and adaptable toolkit of statecraft for China as an ascending power. However, there are normative implications for the orderly conduct of global trade and political cooperation as more states enter a great sanctions race.

  • Dirty, Dangerous… and Difficult? Regional Perspectives on a Nuclear South Korea

    Domestic support for a nuclear South Korea is increasingly noticeable—with envisioned pathways including the return of US tactical nuclear weapons, a NATO-style nuclear sharing agreement and an indigenous nuclear programme. Existing accounts largely frame the issue in terms of Washington-Seoul alliance management and a single defining North Korean threat, focusing on questions of ‘why’ South Korea should/should not pursue nuclear options. In this article, I instead reframe the debate as a broader regional security issue, investigating how South Korea’s Indo-Pacific neighbours might view and respond to the activation of these nuclear pathways. Drawing on interviews and exchanges with nuclear and regional security experts, this article provides a preliminary and tentative sketch of the perspectives of foreign policy elites in six Indo-Pacific states: the United States, China, Japan, India, Indonesia and Australia; and also Taiwan. I conclude the article by offering further policy-relevant insights into how regional states can act, both individually and collectively, to lessen the prospects of a nuclear South Korea.

  • Book review: Hsiao-Ting Lin, Taiwan, the United States, and the Hidden History of the Cold War in Asia: Divided Allies

    Hsiao-Ting Lin, Taiwan, the United States, and the Hidden History of the Cold War in Asia: Divided Allies. Routledge, 2022, 260p. ISBN: 9781032134994.

  • A Non-nuclear US Ally’s Nuclear Option: South Korea’s Case

    North Korea’s nuclear armament has placed South Korea in a dilemma, as it can neither rely entirely on the United States’ nuclear extended deterrence (NED) nor pursue its own nuclear weapons development (the nuclear option). The reliability of the US NED has diminished, given North Korea’s ability to deploy intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the US mainland. However, pursuing the nuclear option is fraught with difficulties due to the stringent restrictions imposed by the international non-proliferation regime. This article evaluates the feasibility of South Korea’s nuclear option using three factors: opportunity, willingness and the availability of special nuclear materials. The findings suggest that the feasibility of South Korea’s nuclear option is very low. Consequently, the article advises the South Korean public to acknowledge this reality rather than making emotional demands for the nuclear option. Furthermore, it calls upon the international community to engage in discussions and address the dilemma faced by non-nuclear US allies, such as South Korea, in light of the growing threat of nuclear attacks from nuclear-armed states like Russia and North Korea.

  • Indonesia’s Handling of Terrorists’ Cyber Activities: How Repressive Measures Still Fall Short

    The article examines discrepancies between the Indonesian government’s response to terrorist cyber activities and the actual activities of terrorists online. By analysing data from 55 convicted terrorists, the study reveals that while government efforts focus on censoring extremist content on social media and websites, terrorists have shifted to using messaging platforms for tactical coordination. This shift indicates that current censorship and platform removal strategies are ineffective in preventing terrorists from exploiting cyberspace. The article highlights that repressive measures, such as criminal prosecution and strict regulation, may undermine the roles of users, platform managers and tech companies in content moderation. Additionally, these measures could drive terrorists to smaller, less monitored platforms, ultimately failing to curb their online activities and compromising freedom of expression. The findings suggest that a more nuanced approach is needed to address terrorist use of cyberspace effectively.

  • Book review: Chanborey Cheunboran, Cambodia’s China Strategy: Security Dilemmas of Embracing the Dragon

    Chanborey Cheunboran, Cambodia’s China Strategy: Security Dilemmas of Embracing the Dragon. New York: Routledge, 2021, 251 pp. £37.99 (paperback). ISBN 9780367762339.

  • Book review: S. Jaishankar, Why Bharat Matters

    S. Jaishankar, Why Bharat Matters. New Delhi: Rupa Publications, 2024, 248 pp., $40 (Hardcover) ISBN: 978-9357027601.

  • Book review: Jamey E. Dorsey, The Battle for the Soul of Islam: Defining the Muslim Faith in the 21st Century

    Jamey E. Dorsey, The Battle for the Soul of Islam: Defining the Muslim Faith in the 21st Century. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2024, 216 pp. (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-9819728060.

  • Book review: T. V. Paul, India’s Unfulfilled Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi

    T. V. Paul, India’s Unfulfilled Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2024, 263 pp. (hardback) ISBN: 9780197669990.

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