Asia-Pacific Research Forum

The Asia-Pacific Research Forum is an informal community of interest supported by the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy and Defense and Political Sciences Department to give Asia-Pacific scholars at RAND a platform to share resources, information, and ideas, as well as to create a channel for external stakeholders and thought leaders interested in Asia-Pacific issues to access relevant RAND research, researchers, and events.

Recent Publications and Events

Report
Deterring China in Space
Krista Langeland, Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

How could the United States, along with key allies and partners, prevent China from taking actions in space or interfering with space-based capabilities in ways that are harmful to U.S. national security interests?
Commentary
A Taiwan Contingency and Japan's Counterstrike Debate
Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold, Satoru Mori

The United States and Japan could be drawn into a conflict in the event of Chinese aggression against Taiwan whether they like it or not. Allied defense planning could consider how Japan might further reinforce deterrence and if necessary improve its ability to contribute to the common defense.
Blog
The Fight Against COVID, Sexual Violence in the Military, Disinformation on Social Media: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the ongoing fight against COVID-19, countering sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military, disinformation on social media, and more.
Commentary
China and the Taliban Begin Their Romance
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

The upcoming U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan will remove the most formidable obstacle to total Taliban takeover of the country. China is set to benefit significantly if the Taliban come to power again. It is worth following this dynamic closely in the coming weeks and months.
Report
Indonesian Fires and Haze
Miriam E. Marlier, Jaime Madrigano @JMadrigano, et al.

Fires in Indonesia contribute to severe air pollution that causes public health, environmental, and economic degradation across Indonesia and across equatorial Asia. What are the drivers of fire activity in Indonesia? And what are some the health impacts of air pollution exposure?
Report
The Pandemic's Effects on Strategic Competition in Sub-Saharan Africa
Michael Shurkin, Alexander Noyes @alexhnoyes, et al.

What have been the public health, political, and economic ramifications of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa? And has the pandemic allowed China and Russia to gain more influence on the continent?
Commentary
America's Strategy in Oceania: Time for a Better Approach
Jennifer D. P. Moroney @jdpmoroney, Alan Tidwell

China has moved in earnest to engage with Oceania, while the United States is vying to get a toehold in the region. To develop an effective strategy for engaging there, Washington could seek guidance from key allies to better understand their experience, lessons, and efforts already underway.
Report
Chinese Disinformation Efforts on Social Media
Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold, Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga, et al.

Given rising tensions between the United States and China, understanding how the People's Liberation Army thinks about the use of disinformation campaigns on social media has emerged as an important question. The authors of this report identify key Chinese practices and the supporting infrastructure and conditions that such campaigns require to be successful, concluding that China is using Taiwan as a test bed for developing attack vectors.
Commentary
Can China Be a Real Partner in Bringing North Korea to the Nuclear Negotiating Table?
Soo Kim @mllesookim

The United States remains committed to the goal of denuclearization of North Korea. China is more interested in maintaining a delicate geopolitical balance to counter U.S. influence in the region and in expanding its own reach. Thus, prospects for productive U.S.-China cooperation on the North Korean nuclear threat seem faint at best.
Report
Defense Acquisition in Russia and China
Mark Ashby, Caolionn O'Connell, et al.

Russia and China have sought to modernize their legacy defense equipment while concurrently developing new and increasingly sophisticated systems. In which areas does each country excel and where do they have challenges?