The Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) organised a three-part webinar on “Shifting Nodes of Power”— a series that explores Big Power competition and the rise of new powers, new and old vectors of contestation (including technological competition, cyber and statecraft), and its implications on the global geopolitical, economic, military, and social landscapes.
Webinar 1: Old and New Vectors of Big Power Competition
Held on 23 May 2024, this webinar explored the contours of Big Power competition, specifically between US and China.
Mr Drew Thompson, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, opened the webinar on the socioeconomic and political environment under the current party leadership in China. This has notably ushered in a period of heightened competition with the US. The US’ approach, which is distinct and often opposed to China’s, is seen by China as an attempt to limit its growth.
Mr John Lee, Director of consultancy East West Futures and Researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre followed with a presentation on US-China technological competition. This is entwined with the future of the global trading system, globalised supply chains and knowledge production, and the willingness of even “likeminded” states to support visions espoused by the Big Powers.
Teo Yi-Ling, Senior Fellow and Deputy Head of CENS, led the subsequent Q&A session. The audience participated in a vibrant discussion on various topics, including the future of US-China rivalry. Recent bilateral discussions between the US and China in Geneva have sparked some optimism. These talks, focusing on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to initiate nuclear weapon launches, suggest that both nations understand the value of dialogue. However, it’s unlikely that their communication will return to the levels seen ten years ago. The West’s securitisation of Chinese policies, combined with mutual suspicion and a lack of shared understanding about competition boundaries or destabilising actions, has hindered any advancement in their relationship.
Webinar 2: Cyber and Statecraft
Held on 24 June 2024, this webinar explored the ushering of a “new threat era”, where cyber tools and cyberspace are increasingly leveraged to further national interests.
Mr John Mallery, Chief Technological Officer of WFA Group LLC and Researcher at MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, examined the current landscape in cyber risk reduction and military stability, taking into account the risk management strategies of various parties involved.
This was followed by Dr Karthik Nachiappan, Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, NUS, who discussed India as a new cyber power. Dr Nachiappan discussed India’s cyber statecraft, focusing on India’s cyber policies, institutions, and strategies, amidst persistent international and domestic risks to its digital ecosystem.
The Q&A session, moderated by Mr Benjamin Ang, Senior Fellow and Head of CENS, covered topics from trade blocs driven by US-China competition and the security constraints on imports which are likely to emerge as another form of bifurcation, and India’s upcoming Digital India Act, which will contain new provisions possibly including a security framework that businesses have to comply to, while also reinforcing existing security and diplomatic measures.
Webinar 3: Global Winds, Local Tides
Concluding the series on 27 June 2024, the last webinar explored the resonance of conflicts abroad on local contexts amidst an increasingly interconnected world.
Dr Hisham A. Hellyer, scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Senior Associate Fellow in International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security, discussed the profound implications of the Israel-Palestine conflict on global identities and local sociopolitical conditions.
Dr Hew Wai Weng, Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, National University of Malaysia, then outlined the politics of “Save Uyghur” in Malaysia. He examined how the plight of Uyghurs has been increasingly channelled through the lens of “Muslim solidarity” in Malaysia, despite Chinese attempts at “Islamic diplomacy”.
The spotlight was shone on the Palestinian issue during the discussion moderated by Ms Yasmine Wong, Associate Research Fellow at CENS. In Malaysia, unlike the US, where support for Palestine is portrayed as a left-wing issue, support for Palestine is said to cut across religious and ethnic lines. In the wider context, there were discussions on Palestine as a divisive issue, and the potential use of legitimate grievances emerging from the conflict as a means of recruitment for extremist groups in Southeast Asia.
This era of geopolitics is characterised by major power rivalry and global interconnectedness. This webinar series offered valuable insights into the current state and future of this major power competition. As we look ahead, we can anticipate an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. This complexity will be driven by the evolution of technology and, consequently, military strategy, all set against the backdrop of unavoidable economic interdependence. Additionally, grievances and moral issues will further complicate matters across national borders.
