Debating Russia’s “Turn to the East” over a Decade

Mainstream coverage of Russia’s decade-long reorientation to the East consistently found wisdom in Vladimir Putin’s decisions and progress on all dimensions of foreign policy. The country was marching […]

Introduction

The bi-monthly country reports in The Asan Forum provide a continuous record of how changes in the Indo-Pacific region were interpreted in Russia and three other states. Drawing […]

Tracking Russia’s ‘Turn to the East’ over a Decade

Over four stages we can discern significant changes in how Russia, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, sought to transform its standing in East Asia. From the time […]

The Russian Far East and China’s Northeast: A Decade in the Shadow of the Belt and Road Initiative

The Russian Far East and China’s Northeast: A Decade in the Shadow of the Belt and Road Initiative Gaye Christoffersen In 2013, the same year the Silk Road […]

Mongolia: Russia’s Best Friend in Asia?

On September 3, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia, taking part in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan), an undeclared […]

Country Report: Russia (May 2021)

For a champion of multipolarity, Russia was increasingly feeling isolated with only one partner in the spring of 2021. The Biden administration was deemed hostile with no prospect […]

Japan, the Quad and the Indo-Pacific

In the early months of 2021, all eyes have been on the Biden Administration as it unveiled its diplomatic approach to the Indo-Pacific. Perhaps more than at any […]

Country Report: China (February 2021)

In the winter of 2020–2021, Chinese analysts contemplated a world in flux, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to devastate the United States and the arrival of new leadership […]

Country Report: China (October 2020)

In the fall of 2020, Chinese analysts assessed the likely impact on Sino–US relations of the US presidential election and praised the effectiveness of China’s pandemic-era foreign policy. […]

Mongolia’s Response to China’s New Educational Policy in Inner Mongolia

As Chinese authorities began to introduce the new educational policy in Inner Mongolia, protests have been staged by ethnic Mongolian communities in Chinese northern provinces. The new educational […]