9DASHLINE

9DASHLINE — The road to Indonesia’s nickel industrialisation runs through China Written by Anoushka Singh. Without rewriting the terms on which capital and expertise enter the sector, Indonesia’s nickel future may continue to be shaped elsewhere, despite being mined at home.

"Without rewriting the terms on which capital and expertise enter the sector, Indonesia’s nickel future may continue to be shaped elsewhere, despite being mined at home" www.9dashline.com/article/the-... | by Anoushka Singh

Debate over “America First” strategy raises questions about whether the US is pursuing restraint or reshaping its role in the Indo-Pacific.

We invite several experts to assess how shifting defence burdens to allies is affecting deterrence and alliance credibility:

www.9dashline.com/article/rest...

9DASHLINE — Carney inaugurates 'global centrism': but how will the Indo-Pacific feature? Written by Quay Say Jye and Connor O’Brien. The thorny question remains what lines are not worth crossing, and when normative and institutional guardrails may prove strategically beneficial over the l...

'The thorny question remains what lines are not worth crossing, and when normative and institutional guardrails may prove strategically beneficial over the long term, especially for small and middle powers' www.9dashline.com/article/carn... | by Quah Say Jye and Connor O’Brien

9DASHLINE — China and the shifting nature of global health governance Written by Jeremy Youde. If the existing liberal international order is indeed undergoing a profound and transformative shift, and not just a reaction to Trump’s foreign policy, then there is an oppor...

'China will not simply fill the gap left by US withdrawal from the WHO and its slashing of development assistance for health; its greater prominence in global health could alter the system itself' www.9dashline.com/article/chin... by @jeremyyoude.bsky.social

9DASHLINE — The grey-zone of interest: How China tests Indonesia’s South China Sea strategy Written by Omar Rasya Joenoes. The challenge, therefore, is to transform ambiguity from a reactive posture into a deliberate and integrated strategy — one that manages asymmetry without allowing incre...

'The challenge, therefore, is to transform ambiguity from a reactive posture into a deliberate and integrated strategy — one that manages asymmetry without allowing incremental pressure to redefine the strategic status quo' www.9dashline.com/article/the-... | by Omar Rasya Joenoes

The Navigator — latest issue out now!

This month,

• Grey-zone pressure & drone incursions shaping Indo-Pacific deterrence
• Political recalibration across South & Southeast Asia
• Lessons for Europe

Plus,

• Comprehensive regional roundup

Read: 9dashline.substack.com/p/the-naviga...

9DASHLINE — Economic security moves India-Japan relations into a new strategic phase By Simran Walia Institutional mechanisms for economic security cooperation require clear roadmaps, regulatory predictability, and policy coordination to attract increased Japanese participation in In...

'Institutional mechanisms for economic security cooperation require clear roadmaps, regulatory predictability, and policy coordination to attract increased Japanese participation in India’s high-technology sectors' www.9dashline.com/article/econ... | by Simran Walia

9DASHLINE — Interpreting crime data in Japan's immigration debate Written by Peter Chai. If Japan is to navigate rising immigration without fuelling social division, public debate must move beyond simplified crime narratives. When officials discuss crimes by “foreig...

'If Japan is to navigate rising immigration without fuelling social division, public debate must move beyond simplified crime narratives' www.9dashline.com/article/inte... | by Peter Chai

9DASHLINE — Prabowo’s presidency: Meals, power, and China Written by Peyson Hunt and Nathaniel Schochet. The MBG programme stands as both a policy initiative and a political symbol of the Prabowo administration: ambitious in scope, reinforced by the military...

'Indonesia’s deepening civil-military fusion warrants close observation by the US and its allies, as these developments could significantly shape the country’s external orientation' www.9dashline.com/article/prab... | by Peyson Hunt and Nathaniel Schochet.

9DASHLINE — Bangladesh’s defence diversification and pivot to networked security Written by Taufiq E. Faruque and Rubiat Saimum. Bangladesh no longer intends to operate as a peripheral state within an India-centric security order in South Asia, but as a globally connected security...

"For Bangladesh’s global partners, welcoming this shift creates a new foundation for deeper cooperation, positioning the country as a resilient anchor for security in the Bay of Bengal and the broader Indo-Pacific" www.9dashline.com/article/bang... | by Taufiq E. Faruque and Rubiat Saimum.

9DASHLINE — Europe's dependency on critical minerals: How China keeps EU industry on a tight leash Written by Kristofers Krumins. In a bid to power green and digital transitions, Europe is struggling with its dependence on Chinese exports, exposed to coercion, industrial disruption, and geopolitica...

"In a bid to power green and digital transitions, Europe is struggling with its dependence on Chinese exports that expose it to coercion, industrial disruption, and geopolitical pressure" www.9dashline.com/article/euro... | by Kristofers Krumins

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧

January issue — out now!

This month:

• Middle powers hedging through overlapping, issue-based partnerships
• Myanmar’s sham election and the limits of values-based realism

Plus,

Stay ahead with our regional roundup

Read: 9dashline.substack.com/p/the-naviga...

9DASHLINE — The tech test: New Zealand’s independence in a connected world Written by Phuong Nguyen. The era of digital independence is closing fast. From 5G to AI, the Indo-Pacific is fragmenting into competing ecosystems centred on Washington and Beijing.

"The era of digital independence is closing fast. From 5G to AI, the Indo-Pacific is fragmenting into competing ecosystems centred on Washington and Beijing" www.9dashline.com/article/the-... | by Phuong Nguyen

9DASHLINE — Countering cognitive warfare: Lessons for the EU from Taiwan Written by Jia Yin Chen and Luc van de Goor. Crucially, countering cognitive warfare is not just about timely dissemination of factual counter-narratives. It must also build each citizen’s defences ag...

'Countering cognitive warfare: Lessons for the EU from Taiwan'—New external article from SIPRI's Jia Yin Chen and Luc van de Goor on @9dashline.com: www.9dashline.com/article/coun...

9DASHLINE — South Korea’s SSN debate: toward an East-Asian AUKUS Written by Seungwan Kim and Jun Sun Yoo. An East Asian AUKUS framework could align with these expectations by signalling Seoul’s commitment to Indo-Pacific security while adding industrial and operat...

"An East Asian AUKUS framework could align with these expectations by signalling Seoul’s commitment to Indo-Pacific security while adding industrial and operational depth to alliance deterrence" www.9dashline.com/article/sout... | by SeungHwan Kim and Jun Sun Yoo.

9DASHLINE — In Brief: Naledi Tilmann and Dr. Yatana Yamahata We are delighted to introduce our new editorial leadership. In this In Brief discussion, Editor-in-Chief Dr Yatana Yamahata and Managing Editor Naledi Tilmann share their vision for the platform’s fut...

Welcoming Dr Yatana Yamahata and Naledi Tilmann to the helm at 9DASHLINE.

Alongside our usual output we will spotlight small states, youth-led digital resistance and non-state actors reshaping the region.

Join as we connect Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

More here: www.9dashline.com/article/in-b...

💯 Southeast Asian countries are pursuing similar strategies to de-risk from the United States, a trend I previously warned about in a piece for @9dashline.com: "the US appears to be yesterday’s story, while Asia has moved on with the new rules of the road." www.9dashline.com/article/desp...

New episode 🎙️

In collaboration with the European Parliament in ASEAN

This month David MacSweeney joins @zsuzsettte and @richheydarian

– Key issues shaping EU–ASEAN relations in 2026
– Indo-Pacific developments
– Five areas to watch

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9DASHLINE — COP30: The struggle for ambitious action in a shifting climate governance order Written by Luana Correia. Influence in climate diplomacy is becoming increasingly dispersed, as traditional agenda-setters fail to consolidate their authority, creating space for competing interests —...

"Influence in climate diplomacy is becoming increasingly dispersed, as traditional agenda-setters fail to consolidate their authority, creating space for competing interests — and claims to leadership — to shape outcomes" www.9dashline.com/article/cop3... | by Luana Correia

9DASHLINE — Malaysia's gamble: turning data centres into industrial power Written by Faye Simanjuntak. Malaysia’s National AI Roadmap reveals tension between its stated ambitions and the industrial reality taking shape. Although Malaysia has courted notable investments into...

"If Malaysia fails to convert these data centres into engines of local innovation, it risks hosting compute without agency to gain significant value-add." www.9dashline.com/article/mala... by Faye Simanjuntak

THE NAVIGATOR Welcome to the December edition of The Navigator. Alongside our usual roundup of regional developments, this month’s features examine an Indo-Pacific shaped by hybrid insecurity: as the United States...

The Navigator — latest issue out now!

This month our briefs focus on:

• Strategic autonomy shaped by digital, defence & climate shocks

• Middle powers filling the gaps left by US retreat

Plus,

• Our full regional roundup

Join our briefing today: 9dashline.substack.com/p/the-naviga...

9DASHLINE — Fair and balanced EU-India relations: what mutual benefit really requires Written by Stefania Benaglia. If the EU and India choose realism over rhetoric and build trust not only between governments but also among businesses, innovators, and people, the 2026 Summit could mar...

''The EU and India already have multiple strategic dialogues, but the private sector is still too often an afterthought rather than a partner, behaving more like a consumer than a responsible stakeholder' www.9dashline.com/article/fair... | by Stefania Benaglia

9DASHLINE — First female Prime Minister in Japan: symbol of progress or status quo? Written by Federica Cidale. While she broke a significant glass ceiling, her policy positions, from historical revisionism and expanded national security powers to restrictive immigration policies, re...

'While she broke a significant glass ceiling, her policy positions, from historical revisionism and expanded national security powers to restrictive immigration policies, reinforce existing conservative structures' www.9dashline.com/article/firs... | by Federica Cidale.

9DASHLINE — Countering cognitive warfare: Lessons for the EU from Taiwan Written by Jia Yin Chen and Luc van de Goor. Crucially, countering cognitive warfare is not just about timely dissemination of factual counter-narratives. It must also build each citizen’s defences ag...

'Unlike the EU’s ban on Russia-linked media outlets, Taiwan’s approach makes only limited use of coercive measures such as prosecuting perpetrators of disinformation or ordering social media posts and videos containing disinformation to be taken down' www.9dashline.com/article/coun...

9DASHLINE — Five days that shook ASEAN: How the Cambodia-Thailand border clash became a superpower showdown Written by Chhay Lim and Chandarith Neak. Without institutional mechanisms that both parties accept as legitimate and binding, border disputes remain vulnerable to escalation and external intervention...

Reupping this important piece from Chhay Lim & Chandarith Neak in light of renewed conflict between #Cambodia & #Thailand @9dashline.com: www.9dashline.com/article/five...

New episode 🎙️

In collaboration with the EPinASEAN

This month @hmarston.bsky.social joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social & @richheydarian.bsky.social to discuss

-Developments from latest ASEAN summit
-Accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN
-EU-Indonesia CEPA

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The Navigator’s latest issue—out now!

This month:

• A north–south undersea security arc as S.Korea joins Australia on the path to nuclear-powered submarines

• COP30 and a deepening crisis of trust in global climate governance

• Regional roundup

Read here: 9dashline.substack.com/p/the-naviga...

9DASHLINE — Youth-led protest movements across South and Southeast Asia seek a political reset Written by Adhiraaj Anand. Deeper and more sustained transnational exchanges could foster new regional identities and solidarities between national protest movements, as well as increase their resilie...

'Deeper and more sustained transnational exchanges could foster new regional identities and solidarities between national protest movements, as well as increase their resilience and capacity for innovation' www.9dashline.com/article/yout... | by Adhiraaj Anand

9DASHLINE — Canada and the Philippines: A fast-rising security partnership reshaping Ottawa's Indo-Pacific posture Written by Jonathan Berkshire Miller. For the first time in years, Ottawa is treating the Indo-Pacific not as a region of opportunities to sample but as a theatre in which it must choose where to inve...

'For the first time in years, Ottawa is treating the Indo-Pacific not as a region of opportunities to sample but as a theatre in which it must choose where to invest' www.9dashline.com/article/cana... | by Jonathan Berkshire Miller

9DASHLINE — People for democracy, States for impunity: Competing transnational solidarities in Southeast Asia Written by Yatana Yamahata. Solidarity among Southeast Asians has strengthened pro-democracy movements across the region and, in doing so, fostered a sense of shared regional identity. ASEAN, however,...

'Although the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 aspires to build a “resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN,” the organisation has instead constructed a regional order defined by authoritarian solidarity from above.' www.9dashline.com/article/peop... | by Yatana Yamahata