YPFP (Young Professionals in Foreign Policy)’s Post

🔥 Have you played the Chinese Game of Go? If not, you're missing a key to unlocking the secrets of PRC culture and social dynamics. 🔍 Too often, we inadvertently succumb to the Mirror-Image Fallacy, interpreting the People's Republic of China (PRC) through the lens of familiar games like chess or football. However, such analogies can create a distorted perception of PRC strategy in competition, crisis, and conflict. 🎯 Instead, I urge you to explore the profound intricacies of the Game of Go, embraced by over 1 billion people worldwide. Its essence lies in deception, encirclement, and long-term strategy to achieve an ultimate goal. 💡 At SAMS, we immersed ourselves in understanding the PRC mindset. Through daily sessions of Go (+ lots of reading), we unlocked invaluable insights into PRC strategic thinking. 🚀 I highly recommend unlocking the depths of the PRC's strategic landscape through the Game of Go #GameOfGo #PRCInsights #CulturalUnderstanding The Strategy Bridge #StrategicInsight Amy Webb Paul Licata Andrew Morgado Tyler Wood Andy Graham U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) United States Marine Corps Army University Press US Army United States Air Force United States Space Force US Navy James Cowen

Glad to meet again with this talented and powerful network in NATO - the Alumni of the #NATO Executive Development Programme. Ahead of the Washington summit in July, we spoke about the challenges of today and tomorrow and their role in keeping the alliance fit for the future. I shared some of my personal reflections: 🗣️Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, but also your bosses. You have agency. I’m forever grateful to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for listening to my professional advice whenever I had to tell him something he may not have liked. The best leaders listen with humility, create commitment, and accept that they too can make mistakes - they don’t just expect people to follow, or break things just because they can. 🤝 Genuine teamwork is key. I am so proud of everyone in my amazing press & media team at NATO and what we have achieved together. Grow as a person, a professional and as a team. Network across your organisation and beyond. The trust you create in good times will make you more resilient in bad times - and those times will come. The personal ties you’ve forged will help you connect the dots of what you do with the broader aims of the organisation, help put things into perspective and bring fresh perspectives. 🌎 There is a world outside NATO - yes, really 😉 I have now made my transition to the world of think-tank and academia. It’s actually been easier than leaving the BBC 14 years ago, and I’m much busier than I thought. It’s important to stay engaged in the conversation on defence and security at this existential moment. So act as a spokesperson for NATO with your family and friends, understand their hopes and anxieties in this dangerous world, and when/if the time comes, use what you’ve learnt beyond NATO. You’ll do great! 🙏 for the invitation & best of luck ✌️ #development #teamwork #listening #leadership #career Mircea Geoana Carlo M Borghini (he/him) Irina Novakova Spela Kranjc Nuno Quaresma Dylan P. White Delyth Hemingway

In the past seventy years, the U.S.-South Korea alliance has evolved from a patron-client relationship to a global comprehensive strategic alliance. Explore how the relationship has changed https://lnkd.in/gC9gVf_a

The greatest takeaway from your video is that the real competition between East and West is economic, not military. As long as the East can avoid war with the West, the East will win.

U.S. Ambassador Emanuel discussed the strength of our trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea at his recent visit to the U.S. Naval War College. Three takeaways from the Ambassador's remarks: - Conflict, coercion, COVID steered the nations of the world in adapting in regards to politics, economics, military, etc. - Dialogue and diplomacy were key for three partners (U.S., Japan, ROK) with complicated histories with each other developing a strong alliance. - Deterrence is not only achieved through presence and weapons systems. Deterrence can be achieved by pursuing, building, and maintaining peace. The United States' partnership with Japan and South Korea, along with other INDO-PACIFIC powers, is a force multiplier in our ability to maintain maritime access and achieving other national strategic goals.

DTI highlights FDI Surge Ahead of Trilateral Economic Ministers Meeting: Strengthening Ties with US and Japan The DTI highlighted the positive trend in foreign direct investments (FDI) for January 2024, based on data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Net inflows reached US$907 million, reflecting an impressive 89.9% growth compared to US$478 million in January 2023. This increase was driven in part by investments in the manufacturing, real estate, construction, and wholesale and retail trade sectors. This notable rise in FDI marks the third consecutive month of expansion, following growth of 28% in November and 30% in December, in a month-to-month comparison with the previous year. "The surge in FDIs reflects the unwavering confidence and steadfast trust the global business community places in the Philippines' economic potential," said DTI Secretary Alfredo "Fred" Pascual. "This only strengthens our commitment to further improve the country’s business environment to attract even more foreign investments, which in turn will create more jobs and sustain our economic growth. In particular, we are leveraging our strengths across key sectors such as manufacturing, real estate, construction, and wholesale and retail trade," he added. The upward trajectory is primarily driven by a 173.2% increase in nonresidents' net investments in debt instruments, reaching US$820 million from US$300 million in January 2023. Reinvestment of earnings also saw a positive trend, rising by 16.4% to US$99 million. Although net equity capital placements, excluding reinvestment of earnings, saw a slight outflow of US$11 million compared to net inflows of US$93 million in January 2023, the report emphasizes the overall positive aspects. Equity investments during this period came primarily from Japan and the United States, targeting strategic sectors for the Philippine economy. The DTI remains focused on further attracting significant investments in these essential sectors and other high-growth industries. By bolstering these foundational industries, the Philippines can create a more robust and resilient economy. The announcement comes ahead of the Trilateral Economic Ministers Meeting, scheduled for April 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. This significant event will bring together US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Japan’s METI Minister Ken Saito, and DTI Secretary Fred Pascual. The meeting aims to explore new trade and investment avenues that promise to generate business, create jobs, and foster sustainability. Past engagements, including Secretary Raimondo's successful trade and investment mission to the Philippines and discussions during the ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation Forum, have set the stage for future collaborations. These efforts underscore the robust economic ties between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan. Under the leadership of President Marcos Jr., the Philippines is keen on enhancing its investment climate.

From My Service in Korea, I learned…Stan Fisher I have been to Korea three times. The first was as a surprised and reluctant U.S. Army enlistee. I left 18 months later frustrated by my Eurocentric education, determined to fill some of my knowledge gaps, and filled with admiration for the resilience and perseverance of the Korean people. Soon afterward, I enrolled in a master’s program with an emphasis on U.S. foreign relations with East Asia. The scarcity of reliable source materials in English on Korean history meant that China and Japan got the primary emphasis. I’ve worked over the past 61 years to fill in some of the gaps as more materials on Korea have become available in English. My second trip was almost 50 years to the day from my departure in 1963. This time I was accompanied by my adult son adopted from Korea. Read more... https://lnkd.in/enSs6eZ7 --- What did you learn from serving in Korea? Let us know – Sharing your experiences from serving in Korea can be a powerful way to connect with others who have had similar experiences. By sharing your story, you may be able to help others who are currently serving in Korea or who are preparing to do so. You can share insights about the culture, the people, and the challenges you faced while serving. Your story can also help to shed light on the sacrifices that service members and their families make in order to protect our freedoms. So, if you have a story to share, we encourage you to take the time to put it down in writing and send it to KDVA.MyServiceInKorea@gmail.com along with any photos that help to tell your story. #kdva #iservedinkorea

The Full Competition Report In 2024, the geopolitical chessboard saw heightened competition between the United States and China, with Beijing's strategic maneuvers aiming to reshape the global order and challenge U.S. dominance. Despite their profound ideological rifts, both nations engaged in cautious dialogue, striving to manage their rivalry responsibly. Despite the outreach, the first half of the year was marked by escalating economic, military, and diplomatic tensions, with neither side willing to seek cooperation over competition. https://lnkd.in/eNf5wm9R

In Japan, there is a position in a meeting called "The Loud American". The idea is that as the culture is built on respect, you don't talk back to your boss, no matter how outlandish their idea is. This caused problems as some ideas were so outlandish, they almost wiped out the entire company. A group at Nissan hired an american to sit at the meeting and shoot down the wild ideas of the boss, as the american had no reservations to point out that the idea was potentially dangerous and he should listen to the people in the meeting. In the movie World War Z, there is the concept of the "10th man" (I love this one): when a group of 10 people from military intelligence get their hands on information and they arrive to the same conclusions, it is the duty of the 10th man to disagree (effectively playing the devil's advocate - to argue for the sake of argument). This stirs up conversation and thought patterns that wouldn't happen if everyone was simply the yes-man. The idea is to cover even the craziest potential scenario that would not have even occurred to them. Something to think about.

A good sober read from this month’s China Leadership Monitor. Some minor points within it to quibble with-most notably the idea that retired leaders are talking timelines for military action because of the notion of China peaking making it more likely to do something. Aside from the entire idea being a Eurocentric view of IR, I believe the ‘window’ and the like comes directly from interpretation of CCP statements, PLA actions, and concerns about near term trajectory between nations. *Editorially I don’t know that the near term timelines, aside from being mandates for capability to the PLA, are nearly as likely as they potentially were-for a multitude of reasons internal and external. The tough part is the lack of precision in language and the lack of apples to apples empirics. What does that mean for all the folks still wearing the cloth, particularly those in the Pacific and especially those standing in? Nothing. Emperics or not, combat credible forces appropriately postured is the rent that is due, and it is due everyday. That said, at the strategic level is always good to have nuanced discussion that lacks hyperbole. https://lnkd.in/gASgpBJ4