ISDP Voices

On November 28, Hondurans will take to the polls in a presidential election that will likely have a major impact on the Central American nation’s foreign policy. Popular opposition candidate Xiomara Castro de Zelaya has publicly pledged to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (RoC), to Mainland China (the PRC). Castro […]

The 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) sixth plenary session held in Beijing from November 8 to 11 is one of the most important events on the CCP´s political agenda. The plenum is held at a special time as 2021 marks the CCP’s centennial and reviewed the nation and the party’s achievements […]

On September 15, US president Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, and British Premier Johnson announced a new trilateral security alliance, known as AUKUS. Even though the official announcement did not make any particular reference to China, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry reacted swiftly by calling AUKUS “extremely irresponsible.” A ministerial spokesperson later doubled down and proclaimed that […]

On October 5th, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) hosted the third annual Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) summit. Officials and industry leaders gathered in Tokyo to discuss how the TCFD guidelines can improve the transparency of climate engagement. Green accounting, a regulatory practice of increasing interest, might provide a shortcut […]

This week marks the 50th anniversary of China and Lebanon establishing diplomatic relations in November 1971. Much has changed since then for both Beijing and Beirut, but the history of the relationship is revealing of some key forces driving both countries’ foreign relations. China is building closer relations with Middle Eastern states, part of a […]