China Digest #86

Dr. Matthew Jenkins ('23) will discuss what drives states to pursue a space policy and the competitive landscape that is outer space.

About the Lecture: 

The lecture provides a historical overview of space competition, highlighting what drives states to go to space. The lecture concludes with an overview of the new landscape of space power competition in 2023 and highlights the role of non-state actors, commercial space, and dual-use systems including how they all combine to make space less transparent, and more unstable than it has ever been.

About the Speaker: 

Dr. Matthew Jenkins (’23) had spent 16 years serving in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, where he built and operated satellites to support the military and the Intelligence Community. He was ready to learn additional skills beyond engineering. After falling in love with strategic-level policy during an assignment on Capitol Hill, he decided to pursue IWP’s Doctor of Statecraft of National Security to connect his technical expertise to an in-depth understanding of space policy issues. As a result, he has interfaced with the National Space Council at the Executive Office of the President and briefed the House Homeland Security Committee staff on emerging space challenges.

***Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academic-programs/
***Make a gift to IWP: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=18

The Changing Dynamics of Outer Space Competition with Dr. Matthew Jenkins

About the Lecture: Until about two decades ago, Israel imported 98 percent of its energy requirements from far off places on the globe. Although located in a region rich in oil and gas, relation of political enmity with the producers effectively rendered the Jewish state an energy island, isolated from intra-regional energy trade and electricity grids. Securing energy supply from abroad has always been a major concern of Israeli policymakers. However, with the discovery of natural gas in its Mediterranean waters, Israel’s energy-dependent status is changing rapidly. Today, close to 70 percent of Israel’s electricity is generated from natural gas; the rest comes from imported coal. Israel’s transportation still relies exclusively on imported oil, a small amount of which is also used in industrial, residential and commercial sectors. To meet its growing energy requirement and vulnerability vis-à-vis the imports of fossil fuels, Israel – similar to other large energy consumers, such as, India, China and Turkey – has evolved a multi-faceted energy security strategy, which has six essential components. These include, broadening of import; pursuit of proximate supply sources; constant search for indigenous energy; development of renewables and alternatives; ensuring physical security of energy installations; and promotion of energy efficiency. This lecture will talk about each of these components and assess the on-going transformation of Israel’s energy status from import-dependency to energy self-sufficiency that is underpinned by the gas discoveries.

About the Speaker: Dr. Sujata Ashwarya is Associate Professor in the Centre for West Asian Studies [Middle Eastern], Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. She received her MPhil and PhD degrees in West Asian Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She was awarded research fellowships at the Rothberg International School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH) and Centre d’Etudes et des Recherches Internationales (CERI), Paris; and the Schusterman Centre for Israel Studies, Brandeis University, USA. She was also affiliated as a researcher at the Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Iran. Her research interests cover a wide range of areas related to politics, economics and international relations of West Asia. Of primary focus are the domestic development, foreign policy and strategic-security issues (especially those related to Iran, Iraq and Israel), politics of energy, conflict and peace-making, and themes related to civil society and democratization in the region. She also has a strong interest in exploring India’s West Asia policy. A frequent traveler, Dr Ashwarya has presented more than 50 research papers in national and international conferences and seminars. She has more than 30 published research articles and has written, edited and co-edited 5 books. Her books include, Israel’s Mediterranean Gas: Domestic Governance, Economic Impact, and Strategic Implications (Routledge, 2019), Contemporary West Asia: Perspectives on Change and Continuity (co-edited; Routledge, 2019); India-Iran Relations: Progress, Problems and Prospects (Routledge, 2017); Essays on Iran and Israel: An Indian Perspective(Knowledge World, 2014); and Civil Society, Democracy and State in West Asia (edited; New Century, 2010).

Israel’s Energy Security and Strategy: Changing Dynamics in the Age of Gas

The covid-19 pandemic sweeping across Asia and the world has highlighted the strengths and limitations in the delivery of public health services within different states. While some states like Vietnam and South Korea are praised for their successful responses to the global crisis, the public health systems in other countries have seemingly struggled to manage surges in cases.

A well-developed and effective public health system is one that meets the needs of communities through the achievement of primary health care objectives. This requires recognising and accounting for the complex relationships between the delivery of health services and other national priorities in politics, economics, the environment, culture and education. What lessons can Asian states draw from Covid-19 and other pandemics in strengthening their public health systems? Which states have been successful in dealing with pandemics and why? And how are pandemics linked with other global challenges?

In this La Trobe Asia webinar a panel of experts will discuss these questions.

Panel:
Professor Vivian Lin (Public Health Practice, University of Hong Kong)
Professor George Liu (School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University)
Dr Susan Mercado (Special Envoy of the President for Global Health Initiatives, Philippines)
Chair: Dr Bec Strating (La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University) 

Recorded live via zoom on 2 September, 2020.

Asia Rising

Pandemics and Public Health Systems in Asia

Во втором эпизоде "Скажи что-нибудь по-китайски" мы снова говорили о Гражданском кодексе КНР. Во время подготовки первой части с Яной Вайвадс мы поняли, что нам хочется поговорить и о социальной стороне вопроса.
Напомним, ранее в Китае существовали только разрозненные нормативные акт, а сам кодекс заменит собой 9 основных законов. Мы с Настей сосредоточились на интересных деталях, многие из которых характерны только для КНР.

Если вы, хотите принять участие в записи подкаста, оставить отзыв или задать вопрос, пишите в Facebook @muravyevaa и @anastaseeyah, либо в Telegram-бот t.me/speak_chinese_bot

P.S. Учли комментарии про то, что одну Настю (Муравьёву) слышно хуже, нежели другую (Цык). Мы постараемся исправить это в следующем выпуске! Муравьёва просто слишком тихо говорит.

02. Анастасия Муравьёва и Анастасия Цык, Гражданский кодекс КНР, часть вторая

The party’s Fifth Plenum sets out a five-year vision; we mine the plan for clues about how China views itself in the world—and how long Xi Jinping intends to lead. The pandemic has the rich world thinking and talking about death in a way not seen since the second world war. And an uncertain future for Singapore’s famed street-food hawkers. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

What Xi said: China’s five-year plan

This event is part of the China Lecture Series sponsored by The Institute of World Politics.

About the lecture: In 2019 China began to apply noticeable military pressure on Taiwan, which has increased considerably in 2020. China now proclaims in its media almost weekly that it will invade and conquer democratic Taiwan. This mounting threat to Taiwan will be examined, in addition to why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must destroy this democracy in order to achieve hegemony first in Asia, and then the world. Yet, all is not lost, there is still time for the United States to help Taiwan deter a Chinese invasion and by doing so, prevent a dark age of CCP hegemony.

About the speaker: Mr. Richard D. Fisher, Jr. is a Senior Fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center. In 2016 he joined the Advisory Board of the Global Taiwan Institute. He has previously worked with the Center for Security Policy, Jamestown Foundation China Brief, U.S. House of Representatives Republican Policy Committee, and The Heritage Foundation. He is the author of China’s Military Modernization, Building for Regional and Global Reach (Praeger, 2008, Stanford University Press, 2010, Taiwan Ministry of National Defense translation 2012) Since 1996 he has covered scores of international arms exhibits and his articles have been published in the Jane’s Intelligence Review, Jane’s Defence Weekly, Aviation Week and Space Technology, Armed Forces Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, Asian Wall Street Journal, Defense News, The Epoch Times and the The Washington Times. He has studied at Georgetown University and received a B.A. (Honors) in 1981 from Eisenhower College.

Taiwan: China’s Most Important Target On The Way To Global Hegemony

The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition.

**Please note that the views expressed by our guest lecturers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Institute of World Politics.**

Taiwan: China’s Most Important Target On The Way To Global Hegemony

The Institute of World Politics

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