East Asia

East Asia

For more than seventy years, East Asia has been the nexus of US presence and engagement in Asia. Today, the region is becoming a hotbed for the return of great power competition, with long-term US allies and partners like Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan next door to competitors and challengers including China, Russia, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. While East Asia continues to navigate a number of longstanding traditional security issues, it must also address the rise of online disinformation, competition to pioneer emerging technologies, and more.

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Future of DHS Project identifies new threats to the homeland

New Atlanticist Mar 31, 2025

Dispatch from Hong Kong: How the ‘geoeconomic city’ is weathering global headwinds

By Josh Lipsky, Ananya Kumar

From Chinese and US economic growth to stablecoin regulations, a recent visit to Hong Kong offered important insights for two Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center experts.
China Digital Currencies
Future of DHS Project identifies new threats to the homeland

New Atlanticist Mar 25, 2025

Reading between the lines of Taiwan’s new Quadrennial Defense Review

By Kitsch Liao

The recently released Quadrennial Defense Review offers a window into the Taiwanese military’s issues with prioritization, operational readiness, and manpower retention.
China East Asia
Future of DHS Project identifies new threats to the homeland

Report Mar 24, 2025

How Beijing uses inducements as a tool of economic statecraft

By William Piekos

As strategic competition between the United States and China intensifies, Washington and Beijing seek every possible advantage to gain an edge. In this environment, both countries are increasingly turning to economic statecraft—the use of economic coercion or inducement to pursue strategic goals—to advance their interests.
China Economy & Business

Programs

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Indo-Pacific Security Initiative equips the transatlantic community to “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific and to position the Atlantic Council to serve as the essential link between high-level transatlantic and Asian leaders and thinkers

EXPLORE THE Initiative

Content

Event Recap

Oct 9, 2020

Future of DHS Project identifies new threats to the homeland

By Julia Siegel

On Wednesday, September 9, the Scowcroft Center’s Forward Defense practice launched the Future of DHS Project Final Report, building on its Key Findings and Recommendations released in August. Following the report release, Forward Defense hosted three panels of distinguished speakers to discuss the future of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a changing threat landscape.

China Coronavirus

In the News

Oct 9, 2020

Nurkin and Hu in The Hill on countering Chinese influence in multinational organizations

By Atlantic Council

On October 9, The Hill published an opinion piece from Forward Defense Non-Resident Senior Fellows Tate Nurkin and Evanna Hu discussing the need to counter Chinese influence in multilateral institutions. In this piece, they discuss how China has weaponized its role in international bodies like the United Nations and the International Technology Union to advance its foreign […]

China International Norms

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2020

Rising solar: Investing in Japan’s energy transition

By Alexis Crow

The ability to invest in renewable energy assets in Japan—and thus to contribute to the country’s energy transition—also presents a significant opportunity for long-term capital from around the globe

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy Transitions

In the News

Oct 8, 2020

Culver in Politico: Former intel officers: US must update its thinking on Taiwan

By Atlantic Council

On October 8, 2020, Global China Hub nonresident senior fellow John K. Culver joined Politico China Watcher for a discussion on US thinking on Taiwan. The Taiwan conflict could happen “even four or five years out,” Culver says. “You’ve got these culminating trends in the United States, Taiwan and China, especially the rapid maturity of […]

Politics & Diplomacy Taiwan

Article

Oct 8, 2020

Garlauskas quoted in Japan Times on North Korean strategic weaponry development

By Atlantic Council

On October 8, The Japan Times quoted a recent New Atlanticist analysis on North Korean strategic weaponry development coauthored by Markus Garlauskas, the former US National Intelligence Officer for North Korea and nonresident senior fellow with the Asia Security Initiative. The quoted analysis warns that the threat coming from North Korea is increasing not only […]

Arms Control Defense Policy

In the News

Oct 5, 2020

Tran Quoted in SCMP News on Unsustainable Liquidity Injections

By Hung Tran

Read the full article here.

China Economy & Business

Inflection Points

Oct 4, 2020

How Beijing gains from Trump’s COVID struggles and US electoral dysfunctions

By Frederick Kempe

Chinese officials will embrace this period as additional, welcome “breathing space” to escalate their ongoing efforts across a range of fronts to build upon their momentum – from tightening party control over the Chinese private sector, to the accelerated development of a digital currency, to closing remaining technology gaps with the United States.

China Elections

Article

Oct 3, 2020

Oh on East Asian allies’ response to Washington’s tough stand against China

By Atlantic Council

On October 3, Dr. Miyeon Oh, director and senior fellow of the Asia Security Initiative in the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, was quoted in a Reuters’ article on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s upcoming Asia trip. Oh predicts that both Japan and South Korea will attempt a balancing act during […]

China East Asia

New Atlanticist

Oct 1, 2020

What an ‘October surprise’ from North Korea might actually look like

By Markus Garlauskas and Bruce Perry

If Kim offers up an “October surprise” this year, it probably won’t be the North Korean version of the fictional Soviet ballistic-missile submarine “Red October.” Instead, it may well come in the form of new missiles displayed on the streets of Pyongyang during the Party’s 75th anniversary parade.

Arms Control Conflict

In the News

Sep 30, 2020

Ashford and Robert Kaplan Discuss Post-Election US Foreign Policy Direction: Biden vs. Trump

By Atlantic Council

Emma and Robert Kaplan discuss what kind of foreign policies to expect from a second Trump presidency or a new Biden administration. More about our expert

China International Norms
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Experts

Fellow

Ahmed Aboudouh

Former Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic China

Fellow

Michael Allen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Cybersecurity

Fellow

Peter Arvo

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

China Human Rights

Staff

Rayhan Asat

Former Senior Legal & Policy Advisor, China Lead

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Central Asia China

Fellow

Kelsang (Kaydor) Aukatsang

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global China Hub

China Civil Society

Fellow

Jieun Baek

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Democratic Transitions Human Rights
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