Asia is now a nerve center for global economic activity and a theatre of some of the most critical political and security developments of our time. The Center for Asian Studies provides documented expertise and a platform of discussion on Asian issues that seeks to accompany decision makers and explain and contextualize developments in the region for the sake of a larger public dialogue.
Ifri's Center for Asian Studies’ research is organized along three major axes: regionalism and intra-regional relationships in Asia; relations between Asia’s major powers (China, Japan, India) and the rest of the world; and internal political, economic and social dynamics of Asian countries. This research focuses primarily on China, India and Japan, but also increasingly covers the Korean peninsula, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and the Indo-Pacific Strategies.
The Center organizes closed-door roundtables, expert-level seminars and a number of public events, including an Annual Conference, that welcome experts from Asia, Europe and the United States. The Center’s researchers regularly participate in international conferences, particularly in Asia. Their work, as well as that of their partners, is regularly published in the Center’s electronic journal Asie.Visions.
Research Fellow, Head of Japan Research, Coordinator of the Program on Pacific Islands,
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Research Fellow, Center for Asian Studies
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Advisor to the Program on Pacific Islands, Center for Asian Studies
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Senior Advisor, Center for Asian Studies
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Associate Research Fellow, Center for Asian Studies
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In April 2021, the Chinese government officially, but rather quietly, established a new state-owned enterprise (SOE) named China SatNet. Its mission: build out China’s “mega-constellation” program for low Earth orbiting internet satellites, known as Guowang (“national network”).
Despite all the talks about the reshuffling of value-chains and the trend to a form of industrial “Desinicization” (or decoupling/disengagement from China), the example of South Korea does not vindicate such assertions.
In January 2023, the Iranian Navy staged a show of force near the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) amid growing tensions between Tehran and Canberra.
President Emmanuel Macron will visit China from April 4 to 8 for the first time since 2019 and five months after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali.
Japan has recently stepped up its engagement with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs), building on its historical ties and strategic interests in the region.
More frequent climate disasters, rising sea levels, the economic fallout of Covid-19 lockdowns, border closures, supply chain constraints, and the global impact of the war in Ukraine have aggravated the challenge of maintaining sustainable and resilient food systems for Pacific Island...
As a key manufacturer of high-end technology components critical to the sustainability of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, South Korea is essential in any effort to rebuild a resilient global supply chain but also to the promotion of a clean economy. South Korea can thus contribute to...
In the current tumultuous geopolitical setting, Tokyo may have a very specific, stabilizing role to play.
In September 2020, Germany adopted policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific that comprehensively set out its approach towards this increasingly important region, seeking to diversify partnerships beyond China.
China-Russia cooperation in space has been increasing for the past two decades. This cooperation accelerated after the Crimea crisis in 2014 and culminated with the announcement in 2021 of the joint construction of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).<...>
The UK is the first State which formally applied to join the CPTPP. Its bid was accepted in early June.
The era of hyper globalization is now transforming into an age of geoeconomics, where trade and economic relations are increasingly conditioned by national security concerns. What impact will this shift have on the regional trade architecture and economic strategies in East Asia? <...>
Since 1983, the QUAD gathers every year, the SWP, RAND Corporation, Chatham House and Ifri. The QUAD was set up during the Euromissile crisis and brings together European and American diplomats, military officers, journalists and research fellow to debate on current geopolitical issues.<...>
The United States is the linchpin of Taiwan’s security. Under Donald Trump’s presidency, as tensions with the People’s Republic of China grew, the US increasingly took steps to signal ever more clearly its commitment to supporting and defending Taiwan, a trend that seems to have continued...
The EU-Japan Green Alliance has been adopted during the 27th EU-Japan Summit in May 2021.
Close to five months after the February 1 coup that ended Myanmar's democratic experiment and brought the military back to power, the situation in the country remains volatile with an expanding civil war, while international action remains ineffective given divisions between the West and China...
As its firms become more competitive, China is increasingly well positioned to define the standards that will shape the industries of the future.
Multilateralism – broadly understood as a form of institutionalized interaction between several states to achieve agreed-upon goal(s) – is an essential tool and process of global political and economic cooperation. Ideally, the number of states involved should be as large as possible.
Since the end of 2019, more than 20 Notes Verbales have been submitted to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the claims in the South China Sea (SCS).
A "Les...
Japan, which began developmental programmes in the 1990s, has been eclipsed in recent years by China, now Africa’s leading trade partner.Pledge to invest US$30 billion on the continent includes a focus on training Africans to run their economy.
Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) is made up of US, UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, with the latter two expected to spearhead cooperation efforts. Some experts say France is already interested despite anger over Aukus security pact; the new PBP will become ‘multilateral rather than...
When Prime Minister Fumio Kishida becomes the first Japanese leader to attend a NATO leaders summit on Wednesday, he’ll be looking to stress the need for unity in preventing China from taking the “wrong lessons” from the Ukraine war as the bloc looks to expand its footprint in the Indo-Pacific...
Marine protected areas (MPAs) offer a solution for countries in the region to manage their maritime space. Access to scientific data is required to set MDA.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France on May 4 is his fifth since 2015, and the 10th such high-level bilateral visit.
An interview with Kazuto SUZUKI, Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo.
Paris and Beijing have agreed to build infrastructure projects in Africa, South East Asia and Eastern Europe. But will this help shine light on China’s opaque foreign investments? Or just give the appearance of doing so?
The UK is the first State which formally applied to join the CPTPP. Its bid was accepted in early June 2021.
France is eager to prevent the crisis from spiralling further as it recognises it is in its national interest, and President Macron’s favour, to end it. But damage has been done, writes Ahmed Aboudouh.
The United States is the linchpin of Taiwan’s security. Under Donald Trump’s presidency, as tensions with the People’s Republic of China grew, the US increasingly took steps to signal...
