Regional Geopolitics – Page 5

Factum Perspective: Why Xi Jinping is not the “New Mao”

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 7, 2022574Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita China changed its Constitution in 2018, abolishing term limits on the only top position it had limits on, the presidency. Following this move, certain commentators have been insisting that President Xi Jinping has transformed into a new Mao Zedong. This argument is based on their reading of certain events at the 20th…

Factum Special Perspective: Sri Lanka and Türkiye – Renewing an old friendship

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 4, 2022570Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya The Sri Lankan government has tasked the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute to conduct a review of the country’s foreign relations. While officials have not yet come out with details, the review is set to include a reconsideration of Sri Lanka’s ties with various countries, in light of recent international developments. The Executive Director…

Factum Perspective: Rishi Sunak as British Prime Minister

Regional Geopolitics, UncategorizedOctober 31, 2022790Views 0Likes 0Comments

Cartoon by Awantha Artigala By Uditha Devapriya Though he lacks a popular mandate and the Opposition, plus some in his own party, are calling for an election, Rishi Sunak has forged ahead to create history. He is not Britain’s first ethnic minority Prime Minister, but he is the first Asian and the first “colored” person to…

Factum Special Perspective: “Completely friendly” – The history of Türkiye-Sri Lanka relations

History and Culture, International Development, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 28, 2022448Views 0Likes 0Comments

Statue of Alâeddin Keykûbad / Wikimedia Commons By Vinod Moonesinghe The country we now know as Türkiye has a long history, holding within its borders the remains of the world’s first city, Çatalhöyük. Our knowledge of much of ancient foreign relations comes from the records of the Hittite empire, based at Hattusa. The great city of…

Factum Perspective: Turkiye’s South Asia policy – An assessment

Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 24, 2022413Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran On the face of it, opting for “strategic autonomy” in a multi-polar world makes sense. It releases a country from the shackles of pre-existing alliances and enables it to take its decisions independently. It enables a country to navigate among antagonistic international groups and strike the best bilateral bargains. In the…

Factum Perspective: The President elaborates on the geopolitics of two oceans

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 2, 2022618Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya In a recent speech at the National Defence College, President Ranil Wickremesinghe made comments on the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean, some of which throw light on aspects of his approach to foreign policy - and others that point to some grey areas. “The geopolitics of the Indian Ocean has unfortunately made…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s crisis and the dilemmas of small states

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 12, 2022441Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Sri Lanka’s economic woes have not cast a shadow over its complex foreign relations. On August 16, the southern port of Hambantota welcomed the Yuan Wang 5, a research vessel from China. While Colombo had asked for a deferral of the visit, it later relented and allowed the ship to dock until…

Factum Perspective: The Case for a Sri Lankan Maritime Strategy and a National Security Advisor

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Maritime Security, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 29, 2022486Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran The recent Sri Lanka-India-China triangular controversy over the docking of the Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5 at Hambantota port once again underscores the need to have a Sri Lankan National Maritime Strategy, a functioning National Security Council (NSC), and the appointment of a National Security Advisor (NSA). While Sri Lanka…

Factum Special Perspective: Taiwan – The Jewel of the West Pacific

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 28, 2022711Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kusum Wijetilleke Following the first Sino-Japanese war in 1895, the Qing Dynasty ceded the island of Taiwan, creating Imperial Japan’s first colony. The Japanese had planned to create what it called a “model” colony, to showcase the benefits of “Japanization.” Roads and infrastructure were developed, as well as sanitation systems and a network of…

Factum Perspective: The 21st Century, an Asian Century?

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 21, 2022507Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kaif Sally For some 500 years, the West dominated the course of history. The burning question now on the horizon is, how will the 21st century become an Asian one? The notion of an Asian led global order is not recent. According to British economist Angus Maddison, China, India, and Japan alone had a…

Factum Special Perspective: Spy ships in our waters

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 18, 2022478Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne A Chinese spy ship docking at the Hambantota Port has become news in Sri Lanka and India. Yet very few seem to be asking as to what exactly a spy ship is. Simply put, it is a ship dedicated for reconnaissance missions, especially electronic eavesdropping. A considerable number of countries…

Factum Perspective: The war in Ukraine – Five months on

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 15, 2022552Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita The war in Ukraine is in its fifth month. After a few initial setbacks, due to underestimations of Ukrainian morale, the accuracy of Western signals intelligence, and Putin’s desire to minimize casualties, it seems that Russia is en route to achieving its objectives. There’s no point discussing why Russia is winning. Russia…