The 11th summit between the EU and South Korea in Brussels produced a joint statement condemning Pyongyang-Moscow military cooperation and advancing the bilateral Security and Defense Partnership. Key takeaways: The EU and South Korea issued their strongest joint language yet on Russia-North Korea military cooperation, calling on both Moscow and Pyongyang to halt arms transfers,… Continue reading EU and South Korea close ranks against a common threat
As Myanmar’s military regime regains the strategic initiative in the civil war and seeks to normalize its relations with other Southeast Asian countries, the EU faces the politically difficult reality of having to restore ties with the junta. Key takeaways: Backed by China and Russia, the Tatmadaw has regained the strategic initiative in the civil war and… Continue reading The Tatmadaw empire strikes back, and the EU will likely soon have to swallow a bitter pill
China’s rules on AI-generated content are meant to control what models say about China, in line with official CCP rhetoric. This experiment, however, finds that the effects extend far more widely. When asked about human rights, opposition, or ethnic minorities in another country, some of the LLMs often stop answering about that country and instead… Continue reading Chinese LLMs and the spillover effects of political alignment
Five years after Myanmar’s military coup, a scene that once would have seemed surreal has become routine: soldiers in full uniform dance to propaganda songs on TikTok, racking up tens of thousands of likes. What appears to be harmless entertainment is, in fact, the latest face of an authoritarian project that has killed at least… Continue reading Dancing soldiers on TikTok and warfare on Telegram: The new normal of the Burmese military’s digital influence
Mandarin education has become an important part of Taiwan’s niche diplomacy as the country seeks to boost its international profile. Key takeaways: Taiwan has adopted a multi-pronged approach, investing substantial funds and resources in Mandarin education for foreigners in Taiwan and abroad to establish a distinct model from China. Taiwan’s Mandarin education policy plays a… Continue reading Leveraging Mandarin education: Expanding Taiwan’s international reach through soft power
