event
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

A Shifting Power Balance in the Indo-Pacific: Views from Tokyo and Moscow

Mon. March 22nd, 2021
Zoom Webinar
Transcript

With the arrival of the Biden administration, an increased focus on China is clear in the speeches of senior U.S. officials and drafts of strategic documents. It looks like across-the-board competition with China is becoming the core of U.S. foreign policy. One of the instruments that Washington is using to limit China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region is the reinvigorated Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) with Japan, Australia, and India.

At the same time, China's own foreign policy has shifted significantly since 2012. Russia, meanwhile, is not the most influential player in Indo-Pacific geopolitics, but in tandem with China, that might change.

  • What is driving change in both U.S. and Chinese foreign policy strategies?
  • How does Japan view the evolution of U.S.-China relations? Is this an opportunity to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance?
  • How likely are changes in China's behavior toward its neighbors, including Japan, India, and Australia?
  • How does Tokyo view the current state of China-Russia ties? Is the relationship between Moscow and Beijing seen as important, or should the U.S. and its allies refrain from overhyping its significance?

These questions and much more were on the agenda in a discussion featuring Akio Takahara, a professor of contemporary Chinese politics at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics and the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo; and Alexander Gabuev, chair of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

The event was be held in English with simultaneous interpretation into Russian.

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Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers
Alexander Gabuev

Alexander Gabuev

Director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Alexander Gabuev is director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Gabuev’s research is focused on Russian foreign policy with particular focus on the impact of the war in Ukraine and the Sino-Russia relationship. Since joining Carnegie in 2015, Gabuev has contributed commentary and analysis to a wide range of publications, including the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Economist.

Akio Takahara

Akio Takahara is a professor of contemporary Chinese politics at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics and the Graduate School of Public Policy at The University of Tokyo.