By Mehmet Enes Beşer There are fewer great power hotspots so long-lasting, so complicated, and so politically obstinate as the South China Sea. It has been a measure of great power competition, an experiment in naval convention, and a melting pot of nationalist anxieties for ten years. The 2025 picture is one of stalemate, more than solution, still less spectacular ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The new flare-up between Thailand and Cambodia in the year 2025 regarding the border dispute is just as much about historical antagonism as about unpredictable political undertows characterizing modern Southeast Asia. The most recent incident involving the mobilization of troops and nationalist posturing all across the region of the temples of the Preah Vihear is not ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base has emerged as a fulcrum of Southeast Asia’s geopolitically charged politics, the fine dance of great power politics and national interests. Bloating Cambodia-China relations at the base have surprised regional actors and great powers and sent shivers down their spines, striking a chord with widespread sentiments against China’s expanding presence in the ...
By Sergio Rodríguez Gelfenstein Note: Three weeks ago, I began publishing this article, which, due to its length, will be published in three installments. However, the death of Pope Francis and the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the United States’ defeat in Vietnam and the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War interrupted the ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer In a more divided world in which global power balances are changing, and regional tensions are mounting, Japan again stands at a strategy fork. The decision it faces is both of the past and of the present: Will it adhere to an increasingly outdated security framework rooted in neo-realist power politics, or will it move toward ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The rekindled US-China tensions once more left Australia in a delicate economic position. A nation deeply engaged with both superpowers—strategically aligned with Washington but economically with Beijing—Australia is faced with a sour dilemma endangering its long-term stability. Though previous episodes of trade and diplomatic tensions between China and the U.S. have exposed Australia’s economic model vulnerabilities, ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer In January 2024, Papua New Guinea (PNG) was rocked by mass civil unrest, as riots erupted in the national capital of Port Moresby and spread to other towns. The immediate cause was an instantaneous reduction in the pay of public servants, attributed by the government to a “technical glitch” in the payroll system. This was followed ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The Solomon Islands, a Pacific island country, has long suffered a myriad of socio-economic and political issues. The country is at a critical juncture today under new leadership, where emerging challenges have to be overcome by comprehensive and masterminded solutions. The current paper expounds the key challenges for the Solomon Islands and avenues towards long-term development ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The global geopolitical landscape is undergoing significant transformations, prompting regional blocs like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reassess their strategic alignments. A notable development in this context is the deepening engagement between ASEAN member states and the BRICS consortium—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This evolving relationship reflects ASEAN’s adaptive strategies ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer The recent formalization of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea marks a significant shift in East Asia’s geopolitical dynamics. This alliance, encompassing mutual defense commitments and extensive military cooperation, introduces new complexities to the regional security landscape, particularly concerning Japan’s strategic interests. The deployment of North Korean troops to support Russian operations in ...