Long Yan

Long Yan

Assistant Research Fellow, Centre for Maritime Silk Road Studies, National Institute for South China Sea Studies

Long Yan is an assistant research fellow with the Centre for Maritime Silk Road Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. She has a Masters in China and Globalisation from King's College, University of London. Her research interests are global governance and free trade zones.

A woman wearing a protective face mask walks the street following a surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in Taipei, Taiwan, 18 May 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Taiwan's unequal status in US-Taiwan trade talks

Chinese academic Long Yan notes that even though the US seems open to developing its economic ties with Taiwan, the latter is not a significant trading partner of the US and trade talks between them have always been used as political mileage. Long suggests that Taiwan should reconsider its currently confrontational political stance towards China, and build on close cross-strait trade relations.
President Jokowi listens to explanation on Natuna Water map at Lampa Strait Integrated Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Center Natuna Regency, 8 January 2020. (Cabinet Secretariat of Indonesia website)

[South China Sea] Pandemic and US-Japan support reasons for Indonesia’s strong stance on SCS

In late May, Indonesia wrote to the UN to register its objection to China’s nine-dash line in the South China Sea (SCS), saying that there is no legal basis for China’s claim. China academic Long Yan notes that this is quite an unexpected move from the relatively quiet Indonesia, who is not a main player in the SCS dispute. It remains to be seen if external support from countries such as Japan and the US will boost Indonesia’s confidence in protecting its rights and interests in the SCS, despite its strong economic ties with China.