Defence

While the extent of Japan's role in the event of a Taiwan emergency has not been thoroughly discussed and decided domestically, it appears that Japan’s involvement in some way is expected in most of the scenarios. Japanese academic Rira Momma goes over the possibilities.

Academic Chen Hongbin looks at the different scenarios of mainland China engaging in military reunification with Taiwan, and argues that Japan would do well to remain neutral in order to protect its land and people, rather than suffer serious consequences.

With China intensifying its interest in the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route, India also looks to subtly increase its cooperation with Russia in the shipping route which can significantly reduce sailing time between Europe and Asia. But India has strategic reasons of its own to do so.

Chan Heng Chee, ambassador-at-large and professor at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design, delivered a speech at the Reinventing Destiny conference on 14 August, held in commemoration of the 100th birth year anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding prime minister. She spoke about how strengthening Singapore as a nation and being part of an inclusive regional grouping like ASEAN could help the city state better survive these divisive and conflictual times. Here is the edited transcript of her speech.

Although the US Navy’s aircraft carrier fleet dwarfs that of China in quantity, quality and combat experience, the closer the US fleet gets to the Chinese coast the more vulnerable it becomes.

The sudden reshuffle of senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army has shocked the media and the public. While the reasons for the removal of two generals from the Rocket Force remains unclear, authorities seem to be signalling an anti-corruption wave in China’s military. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan headed to the Gulf last week seeking investments, he had a formidable bargaining chip — drone diplomacy. The top-of-the-line Turkish combat UAV, the Akinci, is much sought-after in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia. China may be worried, as this development could threaten its leading position in the field and hinder its economic and diplomatic offensive in the Middle East.

Even as unanswered questions remain about the revolt led by the Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign friends such as China may be worried about Putin’s status and the unclear future of Wagner Group, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, where Chinese businesses and private military companies also operate.

Former journalist Goh Choon Kang says the recent non-dialogue between China and the US at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore shows the two countries’ very different interpretations of maintaining the status quo, and their differing strategic goals. Moreover, the growing rivalry between both sides will bring spillover effects to the entire Asia-Pacific region.