On 25 November 2022, RSIS hosted a one-day workshop for the Young Experts for Security in Asia (YESA). An initiative by the German Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and their regional programme Political Dialogue Asia (KASPDA), YESA aims to engage with young foreign and security affairs experts from Europe (specifically Germany) and the Indo-Pacific region (including Singapore). It provides a platform for political discussions and exchanges, while enabling members to develop a comprehensive understanding of the respective threat perceptions, national security priorities and strategies, as well as transnational security challenges. Members are also encouraged to communicate the diverse perspectives from across the regions to stakeholders back home. Their frequent engagement in various settings fosters trust and mutual understanding, increases predictability, and helps to identify common interests and collaborative solutions to current as well as possible future security risks. Moreover, the European experts get to learn from their Indo-Pacific counterparts as to what role they can play in developing a global security architecture and contributing to a more active foreign and security policy.
The Dean of RSIS, Professor Ralf Emmers, and KASPDA Director Mr Andreas Klein opened the workshop with thoughtful remarks on the collaboration between RSIS and KAS over the years. This was followed by a panel discussion on the region’s security situation against the invasion of Ukraine. A panel of three RSIS experts, Assistant Professor Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit, Associate Professor Li Mingjiang and Dr Frederick Kliem, shared their perspectives from the region. Prof Li pointed out how a stronger Xi Jinping would shape a more assertive Chinese foreign policy. Prof Kaewkamol addressed the current economic challenges in the region and how regional economies were managing rising inflation and supply-chain problems. Dr Kliem provided an overview of Europe-Asia relations and spoke about a new era of EU-ASEAN relations post the 45th Commemorative EU-ASEAN Summit in December 2022. The workshop concluded with an intense yet productive discussion among all participants.
