Economics and Trade
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Global Commons
Protecting the global commons against rising threats to undersea, space infrastructure
U.S. Army 8th Theater Sustainment Command, National Security Law Team The security of critical undersea and space networks has become a central concern for governments, businesses and international organizations. These vital cables, pipelines, satellites and data centers form the backbone of global communications, trade and security. As geopolitical tensions escalate, the need to safeguard these assets is increasingly urgent. There…
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Global Commons
Shadow networks: Shell companies help PRC, Russia evade sanctions, export controls
U.S. Army 8th Theater Sustainment Command, National Security Law Team The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia are using offshore shell companies to circumvent international sanctions. These opaque legal entities, set up in jurisdictions with loose regulations and lax enforcement, allow sanctioned individuals, companies and nations to continue accessing critical goods, technologies and financial systems, evading stringent sanctions imposed…
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Global Commons
Jakarta prioritizing domestic defense industry
Gusty Da Costa Amid growing regional tensions and evolving battlefield technology, Indonesia is seeking to further strengthen its domestic defense industry. While already boasting a successful record of domestic production for national defense needs as well as export, the industry is set to benefit from a growing defense budget, new strategic partnerships and technology agreements with other countries, as well…
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Contemplations
Aquafarming Now Main Global Source for Fish, U.N. Food Agency Says
REUTERS | Photos by AFP/Getty Images For the first time, farmed aquatic production has exceeded the catch from traditional fisheries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in mid-2024, underscoring hopes that aquaculture can meet growing global demand for seafood. In its latest biennial report on the state of world fisheries, the Rome-based FAO said global fisheries and…
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Conflicts - Tensions
PRC funding in doubt for Cambodian canal, other promised projects
FORUM Staff Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said in May 2024 that a People’s Republic of China (PRC)-owned company would “totally” fund the Funan Techo canal. Phnom Penh touted the project linking the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand as an economic game changer. By August, Cambodian leader Hun Manet said at the project’s groundbreaking that the PRC…
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Global Commons
Japan Cabinet OKs record defense budget as nation enhances counterstrike capabilities
The Associated Press The Japanese Cabinet approved a record $55 billion defense budget for 2025 as Japan enhances its counterstrike proficiency with long-range cruise missiles and begins deploying Tomahawk missiles to counter growing threats from North Korea, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia. The budget marks the third year of Japan’s five-year defense buildup under a national security…
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Global Commons
Weapons expo helps Vietnam boost domestic defense industry, reduce reliance on Russian arms
Reuters Vietnam showcased locally made weapons at an international defense fair in Hanoi as it seeks to boost its arms industry and lessen its reliance on Russian military equipment. Top defense companies from Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific were among the nearly 250 exhibitors at the mid-December 2024 fair at Gia Lam Airport. Vietnam’s National Defence Ministry holds…
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Global Commons
Maritime security group examines Southeast Asian challenges, accessible U.S. technology
FORUM Staff A new public-private plan to transform maritime security in Southeast Asia will commit about $95 million annually for low-cost, commercially available solutions to strengthen maritime domain awareness (MDA), sustainment and security in the region. The United States Department of Defense (DOD) launched the Maritime Security (MARSEC) Consortium in November 2024. It will unite Southeast Asian government leaders, U.S.…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Beijing extends its coercive campaign against neighbors
FORUM Staff Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders complain about a rules-based order in which Beijing did not make the rules. By refusing to accept international laws that protect the global economy and the security of his Indo-Pacific neighbors, CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping offers a preview of the authoritarian system he favors. Coercive CCP military activity in and around the…
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Oceania
Australia, Nauru boost security, economic ties with new accord
Reuters Australia and Nauru finalized an economic and security treaty in December 2024, with Canberra pledging $64 million in direct budget support over five years and $26 million to boost security in the Blue Pacific nation. The agreement effectively blocks the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from forming police ties with Nauru, giving Australia a veto over Chinese involvement in…
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