Thai elections usually produce undesirable results for the powerful monarchy-military alliance, whose policy agenda is rarely on the same path as the voting patterns of the Thai electorate. May’s general election was no different, but it was far from usual. For the past twenty years, Thai voters have thrown their support behind politicians and political… Continue reading Can Thailand move forward past its historic 2023 election?
The persistent internal political deadlock in Bulgaria diminishes even further prospects for focusing policy attention on major international questions, specifically concerning the Indo-Pacific. Sofia risks becoming a weak link in Western strategies for countering the Chinese authoritarian threat. Bulgaria’s domestic political stalemate, characterized by multiple ineffectual elections incapable of producing a stable regular government, is… Continue reading Bulgarian elections and the Indo-Pacific: Worlds apart
Slovenia’s attempt at renewed China policy is still burdened by a lack of knowledge. While Slovenia’s new foreign policy strategy recognizes the importance of the Asia-Pacific region, it lacks a clear China policy due to a lack of understanding. As Slovenia aims to strike a balance between cooperation with China in high-tech industries and avoiding… Continue reading Slovenia’s China policy still looking for the right fit
William Lai’s appointment as the presumptive presidential candidate is contested at the party base; Washington has reservations and is worried; Beijing remains underwhelmed and positions its players. On January 15th, six weeks after President Tsai Ing-wen’s official resignation from her position as chairperson of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), incumbent vice-president William Lai (Lai… Continue reading New Party Chair of Taiwan’s DPP on Everyone’s Lips: William Lai and the Strategic Triangle of Taiwan, China, and the US
The publication “Developing the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership: An analysis of European Union member states’ relations with Japan” dissects relations between Japan and EU countries. Our research fellow Róbert Vancel contributed with his comments on the relationship between Slovakia and Japan. This chapter provides an overview of bilateral relations between Japan and the Slovak Republic. Relations… Continue reading Slovakia-Japan relations: Valuable, yet underestimated
