research

Events
A Regional Perspective on the new 'Af-Pak' Strategy
The Obama administration has recently revised its Afghanistan strategy, with an emphasis on a US troop surge of 17,000 men, targeting of the Taleban and Al-Qa'ida leadership, and the need for a comprehensive regional approach including better co-ordination with Pakistan.
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RUSI Analysis on North Korea
North Korea flag

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RUSI - Think Tank of the Year 2008


Climate Change
Climate Change

Research Series
Contacts
Alexander Neill
Head, Asia Programme
tel:+44 (0)20 7747 2614
alexn@rusi.org
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Asia Programme

The rise of China as a global power is but one of the challenges facing the region. The transformation of Japan’s military posture, the nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and terrorist problems in South East Asia remain important topics in the Programme’s activities.

The Programme concentrates on establishing bilateral security dialogues between British senior military officers, politicians and academics, and their counterparts from selected Asian nations.

Programme Outline

The Programme has a particular focus on promoting bilateral links between RUSI and partner institutes overseas. We have an established relationship with the Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies in Singapore, including an annual conference. Similarly, in 2003 we held the latest in our series of bilateral events with the National Institute for Defence Studies of Japan.

The Asia Programme has an established track record of working on a consultancy basis with a number of well-known British defence companies and has good links with a number of consultancy firms, providing support to their research and regional marketing directorates. The Programme has also worked for a number of other private companies, with an interest in how the domestic and international politics of the region impact on their operations there. As the Asian markets become ever more attractive to business, it is vitally important for companies to understand the countries with which they are dealing and the experience and knowledge contained in the Asia Programme can fill this vital role.

The Asia Programme has also drawn on the expertise of a number of visiting fellows from the armed forces and research institutes of the region. This includes a period when we hosted representatives from the People's Liberation Army and Taiwan at the same time - a first for a British institute. In 2001 we again had a first for a British institute when we hosted three Visiting Fellows from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including two government officials. Other Fellows have come from India, Republic of Korea and Japan. The Visiting Fellows Programme plays a vital role in fostering good relations between the UK and countries in the Asia Pacific region.