Security Challenges and Arms Control in Europe: Are There Effects on Asia?

VCDNP Senior Fellow Angela Kane discussed new developments in the European security landscape and how they may affect the Asia-Pacific region during a panel discussion at Carnegie Tsinghua. Tsinghua University's Li Bin joined Ms. Kane on the panel, which was moderated by Carnegie Tsinghua Senior Fellow Tong Zhao.

During her remarks, Ms. Kane made particular reference to the inextricable bond that Europe has with NATO. On the one hand, she warned of rifts among members of NATO, especially due to the estrangement of the United States and its negative impact on European collective security. On the other, she observed that some European non-members of NATO have grown closer to the alliance in recent years.

Shifting her commentary towards Asia, Ms. Kane called for a focus on how Europe and China can better cooperate on matters of global security, rather than how Europe's experience can be grafted onto the Asian security landscape. She observed that, in a globalized world, the problems of one country have global effects which cannot be ignored, which necessitates maximum cooperation.

Ms. Kane recalled China's participation in the negotiations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and observed that China could take a more active role in other discussions of security outside its immediate sphere of interest, such as in Europe. Europe could, in turn, take a more active role in issues in the Asian security landscape.

Concluding her remarks, Ms. Kane called for increased political dialogue on security issues, including under the auspices of the Shangri-La Dialogue and through the founding of a new conference series focused on Asian security and non-proliferation.