Expert Commentary

The latest round of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration was hardly unexpected, but that does not make them any less unsettling for some of America’s staunchest allies in the Indo-Pacific. With even more tariffs expected to be introduced by...

Emily Holland, Eurasia Program Director This year’s NATO Summit in Ankara was less about substance than Trump centered theatrical spectacle, but the central message on Russia and Ukraine is consequential. Over the course of less than two days, President...

The sweeping victory for the ruling Democratic Party (DP) in the June 3 local elections could allow the current administration to pursue shifts in foreign as well as economic policies that could impact the Republic of Korea’s relations with...

The Wake-up Call for the US to Counter Chinese Economic Coercion – Shihoko Goto The much-anticipated meeting in Beijing between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping ended without any significant tangible breakthrough in relations between the United States and China....

On Monday, April 13th, the United States announced that the US Navy would block Iranian ships entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement came after the first-round of negotiations to formally end the conflict concluded in Islamabad,...

Shihoko Goto, Asia Program Director The surge in global oil prices following the attacks on Iran has materially weakened global growth prospects. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development now estimates that disruptions linked to the closure of the...

Shihoko Goto, Asia Program Director As the first G7 leader to meet with President Donald Trump in the White House since the US attacks on Iran, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s ability to manage relations with the United States...

Emily Holland, Eurasia Program Director With the world still reeling from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one fifth of global oil is shipped, Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Qatar’s LNG infrastructure have sent...

After weeks of war, pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to deploy sea and ground forces on an open-ended mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway connecting Asia with the Arabian Sea. The options for...

The third Gulf War began with an assassination on February 28, 2026, in broad daylight in central Iran. The war has engulfed the region in conflict, extending from neighboring Gulf Arab countries to the waters just off Sri Lanka....