Sounds Strategic

In this episode, Sounds Strategic podcast host Meia Nouwens is joined by IISS expert Nigel Inkster, Senior Adviser for Cyber Security and China, to discuss the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which took place mid-October in Beijing. The event was widely anticipated to cement Xi Jinping's third term in power. Meia and Nigel discuss their reflections, including the following topics: Xi Jinping's leadership and the impact on the domestic political trajectory of the party  The social contract between the party and the Chinese population The vitality of the Chinese economy and the possible leveraging of the military  CCP and China on the world stage The impact on potential flashpoints such as Taiwan in the short term Speakers: Meia Nouwens, IISS Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation | Twitter: @MeiaNouwens | Meia Nouwens (iiss.org) Nigel Inkster, Senior Adviser for Cyber Security and China | Nigel Inkster (iiss.org)&

Taiwan has been at the forefront of geopolitical concern in Asia and beyond, following Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei and the string of military exercises conducted by China in early August. Podcast guest host James Crabtree is joined by IISS experts Meia Nouwens, Franz-Stefan Gady and Henry Boyd to discuss the recent developments.   Topics the speakers address in this episode: Taiwan’s political leadership People’s Liberation Army’s military exercises around Taiwan Development of capability design and cognitive advantage  Potential lessons from Ukraine Impact of disinformation and public perception Emerging technological capabilities   Guest host: James Crabtree, Executive Director, IISS–Asia | Twitter: @jamescrabtree | James Crabtree (iiss.org) Meia Nouwens, IISS Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation | Twitter: @MeiaNouwens | Meia Nouwens (iiss.org)  Franz-Stefan Gady, Senior Fel

Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the world has witnessed unprecedented sanctions against Russia, and military and humanitarian support for Ukraine against a backdrop of ongoing military campaigns and loss of civilian life. In this episode of Sounds Strategic, host Meia Nouwens is joined by four IISS experts to discuss the past six months, and what’s next in terms of military operations, political strategies and economic sanctions. Meia Nouwens and IISS experts Dr Maria Shagina, Dr Nigel Gould-Davies, Franz-Stefan Gady and Henry Boyd discuss:   The state of Russian and Ukrainian armed forces The impact of sanctions on the civilian and military sectors in Russia Eastern Europe and the role of Turkey Military aid the next six months  Host and speakers:Meia Nouwens, IISS Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation | Twitter: @MeiaNouwens | Meia Nouwens (iiss.org)  Dr Maria Shagina, Diamond-Brown Research Fellow for Econ

NATO held its Madrid summit on 28-30 June 2022 against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the signing of an accession protocol for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. Podcast host Meia Nouwens is joined by IISS experts to discuss the adoption of the new Strategic Concept, its ambitions and challenges.   Meia Nouwens and IISS experts Dr Bastian Giegerich, William Alberque, Dr Simona Soare and Fenella McGerty discuss:   NATO's conventional force and tasks NATO’s nuclear posture and arms control NATO’s defence spending ambitions NATO’s innovation efforts  Host and speakers: Meia Nouwens, IISS Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation | Twitter: @MeiaNouwens | Meia Nouwens (iiss.org) Dr Bastian Giegerich, Director of Defence and Military Analysis | Dr Bastian Giegerich (iiss.org) William Alberque, Director of Strategy, Technology, and Arms Control | Twitter: @walberque | William Al

The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue was back with a bang earlier this month and underlined the prime importance of in-person defence diplomacy. In the second part of our reflections, guest host James Crabtree is joined by IISS colleagues Dr Lynn Kuok, Dr Euan Graham and Aaron Connelly to discuss Asia’s premium defence summit and what stood out for them.   Topics include:  First plenary speech by Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense, US US-China relations and Taiwan Australia, Pacific Islands and AUKUS European contribution to the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue with France and the Netherlands Southeast Asia and the armed conflict in Myanmar Guest host:  James Crabtree | @jamescrabtree | James Crabtree (iiss.org)    Speakers:   Dr Lynn Kuok, Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Security Editor, Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment | @LynnKuok | Lynn Kuok (iiss.org) Dr Euan Graham, Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow fo

The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue was back with a bang earlier this month and underlined the prime importance of in-person defence diplomacy. For the first time a crisis in Europe loomed large over Asia’s premier security summit, which took place in Singapore on 10-12 June 2022.   Guest host James Crabtree is joined by IISS colleagues William Alberque, Nigel Gould-Davies, Meia Nouwens and Yuka Koshino to share their expert opinions.    Topics include: US-China relations and great-power competition Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the impact on Asia Keynote Address by Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his administration’s response to the war in Ukraine Arms control and non-proliferation Taiwan   Guest host: James Crabtree | @jamescrabtree | James Crabtree (iiss.org)  Speakers:    William Alberque, Director of Strategy, Technology, and Arms Control | @walberqueNigel Gould-Davies, Editor, Strategic Survey; Senior Fel

It’s back! Asia’s premier security summit, the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, will take place in Singapore on 10–12 June 2022. In this episode, guest host James Crabtree, Executive Director IISS-Asia, is joined by IISS colleagues Meia Nouwens, IISS Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation, and Aaron Connelly, Senior Fellow for Southeast Asian Politics and Foreign Policy, to discuss themes and topics of the upcoming event. At a time of ever-greater focus on the geopolitical and defence dynamics of the Asia-Pacific, the importance of in-person debate among the region’s key actors is greater than ever. The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue is a unique platform for such debate, enabling government ministers and senior officials, as well as business leaders and security experts, to come together to share fresh perspectives on Asia’s developing security challenges.The focus of the episode’s discussion will include:US-China relationsSoutheast Asia and regional securityThe impact of the war in Ukrai

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and it remains an ongoing war. In this new Sounds Strategic episode, host Meia Nouwens is joined by Dr Nigel Gould-Davies, William Alberque and Franz-Stefan Gady to discuss the conflict through military, economic and political lenses.Meia and her guests address some of the most pressing questions in the international security community, share their observations on past and future challenges, and offer their perspectives on some of the unprecedented developments.-         Military operations and the performance of the Russian armed forces-         Disinformation warfare-         Russia’s failed statecraft in Europe-         Sanctions and their intended impact-         Multinational response to the crisis-      &n

France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and the European Union have published Indo-Pacific strategies, all of which foresee a greater economic, political and security relationship with the region. Military engagement of European powers in the maritime domain has received significant attention in 2021, following the deployment of the US, UK and Netherlands navies in the Carrier Strike Group 2021 voyage, the deployment of the German frigate the Bayern, and a continued French naval presence in the region.    To discuss the realities, practicalities and prospects of European naval engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, host Meia Nouwens is joined by IISS experts Nick Childs, Euan Graham and Hugo Decis.   Topics include:  Where can European navies best contribute to security in the Indo-Pacific region? How can European powers coordinate their engagement better?  And how much has AUKUS derailed the possibility of collaboration bet

In this episode, host Meia Nouwens is joined by Sir Tom Beckett, Dr. Hasan al Hasan and Camille Lons to discuss the key themes from the 17th IISS Manama Dialogue, which was held in Bahrain From the 19th to the 21st of November 2021.   The Manama Dialogue is an annual international security and regional diplomatic summit held in Bahrain that brings together high level representation from governments and stakeholders from across the Middle East and beyond.   This year’s event covered key regional security developments ranging from questions about the US security commitment to the region, the growing relationship between the Gulf and Asia, the cautious optimism around de-escalation efforts, the potential role of minilateral diplomacy in the region, and a renewed focus on the Red Sea as a geopolitical arena with its own unique dynamics.   _________________________________________________________________We hope you enjoy

From a cooperation deficit to the prospect of conflict over Taiwan, Strategic Survey 2021 outlines the wide array of challenges faced by the international rules-based order, and shows that great-power competition is becoming more prevalent and complex.To mark the launch of the annual flagship publication and discuss the main themes and topics, host Meia Nouwens is joined byDr Nigel Gould-Davies | Editor, Strategic Survey; Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia Nigel Inkster | Senior Adviser for Cyber Security and China Dr David Gordon | Senior Adviser for Geo-Economics and Strategy _________________________________________________________________We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. Date of recording: 25 October 2021Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.To find out more, please visit https://www.iiss.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-ou

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, mobility restrictions and calls from the UN for a global ceasefire, the number of conflicts hit a record high in 2020, with more active conflicts than at any time since 1945. To mark the launch of The Armed Conflict Survey 2021, host Meia Nouwens is joined by some of the team behind the annual flagship report exploring the political, military and humanitarian impacts of active armed conflicts across the world.  Whilst the world has been battling the coronavirus pandemic, a more familiar challenge has continued unabated – armed conflict. The coronavirus pandemic has caused huge economic damage and human suffering. This has added fuel to the fire of social and political instability, with a legacy that is likely to be felt for years to come. The Armed Conflict Survey raises important questions about how conflict is changing, who the main actors are and how conflicts can be resolved. It looks at new technologies and

In this special episode of Sounds Strategic to mark the opening of the IISS–Europe office in Berlin, we meet key members of our new European research team. From great-power competition to state-led influence operations, and arms control to emerging and disruptive technologies, they explain how the IISS will bring a unique perspective to the European strategic debate.   Joining host Meia Nouwens to discuss the strategic questions that the Institute’s new European research agenda seeks to address are: Dr Ben Schreer, Executive Director, IISS–Europe; William Alberque, Director of Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy; Dr Simona Soare, Research Fellow for Defence and Military Analysis; and Thornike Gordadze, Senior Fellow for Statecraft and Influence Networks.     As Ben explains, with IISS–Europe now fully open for business, the Institute is uniquely placed to facilitate a debate on key strategic questions in Germany and Europe as a w

In this episode, host Meia Nouwens is joined by Dr Samir Puri, IISS Senior Fellow in Urban Security and Hybrid Warfare, and Antônio Sampaio, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, to discuss how technology impacts urban security and the democratic landscapes of cities.  With over half of the world’s population living in cities, new technologies, such as smart cities or surveillance tech, have increasingly been leveraged to make life in cities safer and more efficient. This includes leveraging technology to combat crime and terrorism, to respond to natural disasters or to improve the quality of life of citizens. New technologies are also starting to play an important role in political landscapes, for example by connecting people in protest movements. But these technologies can also be leveraged to other ends: to suppress protesters and restrict freedom of speech. We hope you enjoy listening to the

In this Sounds Strategic episode, Meia Nouwens is joined by Dr Nigel Gould-Davies, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia, Strategic Survey Editor and former ambassador to Minsk, to reflect on the protest movement in Belarus and Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.One year after an implausible election result ignited mass protests across Belarus, Nigel joins Meia to discuss authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s rule, the relationship between Putin’s Russia and Lukashenko’s Belarus, and why the 2020−21 protests became so widespread. Can Lukashenko, the autocratic president of Belarus since 1994, regain the legitimacy he has lost? And what is his standing within the country today? We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.Date of recording: 5 August 2021Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This special episode of Sounds Strategic explores the significance of the 40th Fullerton Lecture, which US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III delivered on Tuesday 27 July 2021. Podcast host Meia Nouwens is joined by James Crabtree, Executive Director of IISS–Asia, Dr Euan Graham, Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Security, and Aaron Connelly, Research Fellow in Southeast Asian Political Change and Foreign Policy.   Secretary Austin’s visit was the first to Southeast Asia by a member of US President Joe Biden’s cabinet. In his Fullerton Lecture on ‘The imperative of partnership’, the Secretary made the case for the United States’ role as a reliable partner in helping nations in the Indo-Pacific make their own choices and ‘build back better’ after COVID-19.  Watch the recorded lecture on our website - The International Institute for Strategic Studies (iiss.org) ____

In this episode of Sounds Strategic, special guest host James Crabtree is joined by Meia Nouwens, Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation, and Nigel Inkster, Senior Adviser for Cyber Security and China, to examine China’s domestic and international outlook. As China marks the centenary of its ruling party, James, Meia and Nigel assess what this anniversary signifies for the Chinese Communist Party and how strong the party is today.James, Meia and Nigel also discuss why the centrality of the party is so important to President Xi Jinping, where the relationship between the CCP and the People’s Liberation Army stands today, what to take away from Xi’s anniversary speech and where the party goes from here._________________________________________________________________We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.Date of recording: 21 July 2021Sounds Strategic

In this episode, Sounds Strategic host Meia Nouwens is joined by Ben Barry, Senior Fellow for Land Warfare, and Shiloh Fetzek, Associate Fellow for Conflict, Security and Development, to discuss the implications of climate change for global security and defence.With climate security rising on the global security agenda, Meia, Ben and Shiloh discuss the impact of climate change on the strategic environment, how existing security challenges are made worse by climate-related impacts and the importance of integrating climate change considerations into national and multilateral security plans. Exploring the challenges ahead for defence and security establishments, Meia, Ben and Shiloh also consider how NATO, the G7, the European Union and the United Nations Security Council have addressed climate risk, as well as Biden’s climate agenda and the UK Ministry of Defence’s climate change strategy.We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you l

In this episode, Sounds Strategic host Meia Nouwens is joined by Greg Austin, Senior Fellow for Cyber, Space and Future Conflict, and Franz-Stefan Gady, Research Fellow for Cyber, Space and Future Conflict, to discuss the findings of a new IISS report on cyber capabilities and national power. A new report by the IISS has assessed the cyber power of 15 states, placing them into three tiers of capability. Following the launch of this major two-year study, Meia, Greg and Franz-Stefan discuss how to define and measure cyber power and who comes out on top.Meia, Greg and Franz-Stefan discuss the categories used to assess each country’s cyber capabilities in the report, including strategy and doctrine, governance, cyber-intelligence capability, cyber security and resilience, global leadership and offensive cyber capability. According to the qualitative framework developed by IISS researchers, the United States is the only country with world-leading strengths in all categories, with China placed in the second tier of

In this episode, Sounds Strategic host Meia Nouwens is joined by Irene Mia, Editor of the Armed Conflict Survey and Senior Fellow for Latin America and Conflict, Security and Development, and Amanda Lapo, Research Associate for Defence and Military Analysis, to discuss geopolitical developments in Latin America.How has the shifting global geopolitical environment impacted Latin America? Meia, Irene and Amanda examine geopolitical competition in Latin America and the region’s engagement with external powers. Irene argues that the Latin American order is no longer unipolar, highlighting China’s inroads in the region and growing importance as a regional commercial partner. She also notes the role of the United States and questions surrounding the level of engagement to be expected from the Biden administration, stressing the impact migration flows have had on US policy towards the region. Amanda talks about military-to-military engagement between China and the region, arguing that China is now the third largest