Asia
Asia is at the centre of major global transformations. Within the Asia Programme, we monitor and analyse political developments in the region and how they affect the world – including Europe and Sweden.
Our work has four geographical focus areas: Northeast Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. The programme also examines how China's rise affects Asia, while in-depth China-related analysis is primarily conducted within UI's National China Centre.
Our expertise is grounded in research and analysis, with a strong emphasis on thorough and multidisciplinary area knowledge. The programme and its staff are part of extensive networks, and we prioritize building collaborations with regional partners – something that enhances our knowledge acquisition. We publish our findings in our own and others’ publications. The programme also offers dialogue and meeting formats tailored to sharing knowledge effectively with diverse target audiences.
Based on our geographical division, we focus on:
- Rivalry and cooperation in Asia: Asia is a key region for addressing global challenges. In a changing world order, new lines of conflict emerge, but also new forms of cooperation. We analyse how countries in Asia build their foreign relations and partnerships to manage global challenges under shifting global power dynamics.
- Politics related to the economy, trade, and economic security: Some of the world’s fastest-growing economies are found in Asia. The conditions for expanding economic cooperation between Sweden, Europe, and Asia are favourable, but history, societal development, policy environments, and geopolitics influence the ability to realize this potential. We analyse politics and policy related to economic transformation, trade, innovation, and development strategies, and we have deep insight into political thinking on these issues.
- Policy and initiatives for technology, climate action, and connectivity: Like the rest of the world, Asia faces major, transformative changes because of climate change and technological development, with far-reaching consequences for society as a whole. We monitor and analyse the development and implementation of strategies aimed at addressing future challenges in Asia.
- Asia in the world: Asia’s growing importance affects global cooperation, conflicts, and norms. We study how regional rivalry and cooperation shape political and economic decisions beyond Asia itself.
Geographical focus areas
Geographical focus areas refer to the specific regions where our work is concentrated. Identifying these areas helps clarify where we direct our efforts and enables us to tailor our activities to the unique needs, opportunities, and local contexts of each region. Together, these focus areas reflect both the scope of our work and our commitment to place-based understanding and impact.
Explore our work by clicking a headline below to learn more about each focus area.
