Thread by @IISS_org

‘The strategic dynamic in the Indo-Pacific region has developed in ways that have naturally shaped our agenda for this weekend’, says @chipmanj as he opens the 19th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue | #SLD22: go.iiss.org/SLD2022

‘The growth in number and importance of mini-lateral security arrangements is dazzling even to the most astute observers of diplomatic practice’ | @chipmanj #SLD22: go.iiss.org/SLD2022

‘Exercises at sea and in the air often bring operators dangerously close to each other, as each stick to their national scripts on where freedom to operate begins or ends’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Russia’s war against Ukraine started as a war for regime change and occupation, and has morphed into one of annihilation and destruction’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Ukraine has a UN Article 51 right of self-defence, and any other UN member state has the right … to give it all the military support it may seek for its self-defence and in the service of collective security’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘To use a phrase commonly heard in Asia, the European security order is “a core interest” of the West’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Germany has pledged an additional €100 billion on defence and to move at pace to spend 2% of GDP on defence. It will still take time for Germany to adapt its strategic culture to this cash infusion’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Strategic hedging, rather like its financial equivalent, requires active portfolio management. Russia’s strategic currency is now in free fall. It is perhaps not prudent to be “too long Russia”’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘What this war has additionally shown is that the Euro-Atlantic and wider Indo-Pacific strategic theatres are co-dependent’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘For North Americans and Europeans, who this weekend will be pledging their commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, success in Europe is vital to success in Asia’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘How can one speak about helping to support a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, when so far it has not proven possible to ensure a Free and Open Black Sea?’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Negotiations are unlikely to be enough, it will require some risk-taking to get the traffic moving again from the Black Sea to the rest of the world’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Prime Minister Kishida of Japan became head of government after a long period of success as foreign minister, and has been especially active on questions of international relations and strategy’ | @chipmanj #SLD22

‘Kishida’s administration will craft a new National Security Strategy this year … some have suggested that Japan move towards 2% of GDP expenditure on defence, making Japan the third-biggest defence spender in the world’ | @chipmanj #SLD22