EPIS Thinktank · Report Group

Indo-Pacific

Biannual reports on strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN dynamics, China's regional posture, and maritime security.

Published biannually · Peer-reviewed

119 articles
Escalation in the Dark
Non-Proliferation of WMDs

Escalation in the Dark

China’s nuclear expansion is increasing uncertainty around crisis decision-making, making deterrence less predictable and raising the risk of miscalculation,…

Ylva Vesterholm · 11 min read · 17 July 2026
Fuel Crisis: Car dependence & Environmental Impact
Energy Policy

Fuel Crisis: Car dependence & Environmental Impact

Argument: How Australia’s car-dependent urban policy model and heavy reliance on imports for fuel expose Australian cities and the national economy to…

Marc Pajares · 8 min read · 29 April 2026
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Trade Policy

The Weak Yen Trap

Q: Does Japan’s dollar exposure prevent the BoJ from raising rates? Arg: Low rates fuel carry trades that weaken the yen, while $1T+ in U.S. Treasuries ties…

Valentin Grangier · 14 min read · 29 April 2026
Taiwan’s Porcupine Strategy
Conflict Prevention

Taiwan’s Porcupine Strategy

To what extent does Taiwan’s defence production and external security cooperation enhance the effectiveness of its porcupine strategy in response to escalating…

Artyom Papyan · 11 min read · 29 April 2026
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Alliance Building

Bridging Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Security

RQ: Can NATO and the IP4 build a deeper, structured partnership now that the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security theatres have merged? Arg: The political…

Francisco Negreira Gomez · 13 min read · 29 April 2026
NATO and the IP4 – Closer Cooperation Incoming?
International Cooperation

NATO and the IP4 – Closer Cooperation Incoming?

Main question: How and to what extent is cooperation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four evolving? Argument: Cooperation is deepening across political,…

Prannavan Surendran · 11 min read · 28 April 2026
R
Cyber Defence & Hybrid Warfare

Regionalising Maritime Domain Awareness in SEA

– what are the challenges inhibiting a comprehensive MDA strategy in SEA? – On a technical and governance level, SEA states are uncoordinated – states should…

Josephine Pau · 12 min read · 28 April 2026
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Energy Policy

Philippine Energy Security: The 2026 Crisis

– How can the Philippines mitigate national security threats from “single-source” energy reliance and Maritime chokepoint disruptions? – The Philippines must…

Ameya Satam · 1 min read · 28 April 2026
The Cost of Blindness
Humanitarian Interventions

The Cost of Blindness

Prioritisation and fascination with the democratisation and economic development of Myanmar blinded the International Community from the genocidal human rights…

Harriet Lannero · 10 min read · 28 April 2026
M
Bilateralism & Multilateralism

ME Instability & the US-China Power Balance

1: How does the escalation of instability in the Middle East affect the global balance of power between the U.S. and China, and what are the secondary…

Electra Gkika · 1 min read · 28 April 2026
Beyond Succession
Alliance Building

Beyond Succession

Main question: Do Kim Ju-ae’s appearances signal succession, or something broader about regime strategy? Argument: Her visibility is less about naming a…

Nuria Mallofre Forn · 3 min read · 27 April 2026
Taiwan’s Big Brother
Alliance Building

Taiwan’s Big Brother

Main question: Does Taiwan prefer partnership with the U.S. or China? Argument: Shifting opinions and geopolitics in East Asia affect Taiwan’s confidence and…

Devin Nguyen · 4 min read · 21 April 2026
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International Cooperation

Tianxia, All Under Heaven

– What is the Chinese concept of Tianxia? Can be useful in the international system? – Tianxia aimed to represent a civilised society governed by rituals,…

Nicolo' Marcucci · 2 min read · 21 April 2026
Accountability Gaps in Indonesia’s Palm Oil
Environmental Security

Accountability Gaps in Indonesia’s Palm Oil

How do governance failures and land conflicts in Indonesia’s palm oil sector contribute to broader climate security risks? Weak legal frameworks and…

Emma Sole · 10 min read · 01 April 2026
THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND THE INDO-PACIFIC
Energy Policy

THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND THE INDO-PACIFIC

The US-Iran conflict that began on March 2, followed by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, affected the Indo-Pacific countries the most. As an important…

Yusuf Ertargin · 8 min read · 27 March 2026
Reconciling Cambodia and Thailand
International Cooperation

Reconciling Cambodia and Thailand

Have international legal regimes been effective in mediating the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia? While each side pursues different international…

Rory O Connor · 11 min read · 01 March 2026
Beyond Formal Diplomatic Relations
Alliance Building

Beyond Formal Diplomatic Relations

Main question: How does Taiwan stay internationally present despite diplomatic isolation? Argument: It relies on strong informal economic, political, and…

Theodor Krejci · 10 min read · 28 February 2026
Global South Korea
Bilateralism & Multilateralism

Global South Korea

Main question: How does South Korea navigate through the current geopolitical landscape? Argument: Considering the fact that the country has a new…

Renato Moraes · 4 min read · 27 February 2026
Critical political ecology (CPE)
Environmental Security

Critical political ecology (CPE)

– The concept of critical political ecology highlights the link between the moral and practical concerns of the environmental movement and contemporary…

Giulia Convertini · 2 min read · 21 February 2026
When Aid Becomes a Weapon
Humanitarian Interventions

When Aid Becomes a Weapon

1. Does the long-standing belief that independent, international agencies are best suited to deliver humanitarian assistance still hold today? 2. Aid…

Angelina Schuelke · 1 min read · 19 February 2026
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