Geostrategic environment (august 31, 2022 – pm)

WORLDS

China

• August 31, 2022. Liu Caiyu, Global Times. By June 2022, the number of internet users in China has reached 1.051 billion, an increase of 19.19 million over las year, according to a newly-released report by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) obtained by the Global Times on Wednesday.  China’s netizen population reaches 1.051 billion, boosted by 5G network infrastructure: report
• August 25, 2022. Aya Adachi, Alexander Brown, Max J. Zenglein, Merics. Over the past years, political relations between the EU and China have deteriorated.This has increased the risks associated with economic pressure. A sober assessment of companies’ vulnerabilities is necessary to adjust to this new reality. Fasten your seatbelts: How to manage China’s economic coercion

China – Russia

• August 26, 2022. François Chimits, Antonia Hmaidi, Merics.  Six months into the Ukraine war and against a backdrop of diplomatic posturing and international sanctions, China has not hesitated to fill the void left by OECD disengagement with Russia – but is taking care not to compromise its own economic interests in the process. China moves to fill the void left by Russian sanctions – on its own terms

China – Russia – Mongolia

• August 31, 2022. Global Times. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Tuesday attended a virtual meeting with deputy foreign ministers of Russia and Mongolia, in which they agreed to further strengthen mutual coordination. China, Russia, Mongolia to strengthen coordination in intl, regional affairs: Chinese Vice FM

China – Taiwan

• August 31, 2022. Global Times. After some of China’s most powerful air-to-air missiles feared by the US have joined the recent exercises by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) around the island of Taiwan, the chief designers of those missiles said that China’s current generation of missiles are leading the world, and the next generation of missiles will enjoy absolute superiority over their foreign counterparts. Chinese designers vow to make air-to-air missiles superior to foreign counterparts
• August 31, 2022. Wang Qi and Liu Xuanzun, Globl Times. The US is reportedly planning to sell an arms package involving anti-ship and air-to-air missiles worth $1.1 billion to the island of Taiwan only weeks after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s provocative visit to the island, a move analysts said on Tuesday is yet another ill-intended provocation that will only escalate tensions. US plans missile sales to Taiwan in ‘escalation of provocation’ after Pelosi visit; ‘drains every last drop of blood from island before reunification’
• August 31, 2022. Helena Legarda, Merics. What was supposed to be a relatively quiet August, with China’s leaders relocating to Beidaihe, turned into a tense month as Beijing took escalatory measures to respond to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. MERICS China Security and Risk Tracker 03/2022

Germany – Mali – Russia

• August 31, 2022. Theodore Murphy, ECFR. Russia is exploiting weaknesses in Europe’s relationships with states across Africa. Germany will need to set a precedent in Mali if it is to respond to this challenge effectively. Lone changer: Germany, Mali, and Russian influence in Africa’s arc of instability

Israel – Azerbaijan

• August 31, 2022. Arie Egozi, Breaking Defense. With all signs indicating a new Iran nuclear deal is in the offing, Israel is looking for new ways to challenge Tehran — including tightening defense ties with Azerbaijan, Iran’s northern neighbor. Israel may be looking to strengthen ties to Azerbaijan as an Iran counter

New Zealand

• August 30, 2022. Emily Benson, Elizabeth Duncan, CSIS. As international partners increasingly converge on policies that could more effectively leverage trade as a means of combating climate change, New Zealand has emerged as a leader in utilizing trade tools to move necessary environmental policies forward. It has done this through the World Trade Organization (WTO), bilateral free trade agreements, and other multilateral agreements. Small Country, Big Climate Agenda: New Zealand’s Approach to Climate and Trade

Russia

• August 30, 2022. Paul O’Neill and Beatrice Heuser, RUSI. Where do Russian military strategists seek their inspiration now that the Soviet authorities are no longer in fashion? In this episode, we will discuss Genrikh Leer and Evgeny Messner, key authors who have now been rediscovered by Russian military strategists. Episode 8: Old Strategic Thinkers for a Neo-Imperial Russia: Leer and Messner
• August 30, 2022. Emily Ferris, RUSI. A recent series of personnel changes in the Russian government highlights a growing emphasis on self-reliance in order to counter the impact of international sanctions. Decoupling Russia: Kremlin Reshuffle Reveals Focus on Self-Reliance

Taiwan – Japan

• August 31, 2022. Veerle Nouwens, RUSI. In this episode, Veerle speaks with Li Hao, Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), about the Japanese reaction to Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan and China’s subsequent live-fire drills in the region. They discuss the direct impacts the military exercises have had on Japan and consider the larger implications these events may have on Japan’s economy and security policy in the future. They also look at the possibility of war breaking out in the region and what Japan’s role could be in moderating and mitigating harm. Episode 39: Anything but ‘New Normal’: How Taiwan Strait Tensions Impact Japan

TOPICS

Cybersecurity

• August 31, 2022. Kevin Poireault, Infosecurity. A new security framework for the UK’s telecommunications industry is set to come into effect in October, making the UK’s telecoms security regulations among the strongest in the world. UK Imposes Tough New Cybersecurity Rules for Telecom Providers
• August 31, 2022. Brett Raybould, Infosecurity. In 2019, Valimail’s Email Fraud Landscape report estimated that more than one in every 100 emails was of a malicious nature. In 2020, the FBI then affirmed that phishing was the most common attack method seen for the year. And more recently, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APGW) revealed that phishing attacks hit an all-time high in 2021, with 300,000 attacks having been recorded in December alone. Looking East: Japanese Credit Card Customers Targeted With Phishing Attacks
• August 31, 2022. Alessandro Mascellino, Infosecurity. Check Point Software Technologies entered a new collaboration with Intel Corporation. Intel Selects Check Point Quantum IoT Protect for RISC-V Platform
• August 31, 2022. James Coker, Infosecurity. August 2022 saw another raft of announcements related to merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the booming cybersecurity industry. This is in keeping with market trends observed over the past 18 months. Here is Infosecurity Magazine’s roundup of a number of M&A news that emerged in August. August’s M&A News Roundup
• August 31, 2022. Kevin Poireault, Infosecurity. A total of €20m ($20m) additional funding to the French national cyber agency ANSSI has been promised to help improve the cyber-protection of the French health industry following a ransomware attack on the Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF) on August 24, 2022. Interview: Cloudflare France Head Warns Healthcare is Falling Behind in Cloud Security

Defense – Military – Security

• August 31, 2022. Justin Katz, Breaking Defense. The construction for the Navy’s first Constellation-class frigate begins today, when shipbuilders at Fincantieri Marinette Marine start cutting steel at its Wisconsin-based shipyard. Construction begins on Navy’s first Constellation-class frigate
• August 31, 2022. Juho Lee, Naval News. It has been confirmed that CVX, South Korea’s aircraft carrier program, has not been allocated any funding for 2023. The move puts the future of the program in serious doubt. CVX officially axed from South Korean defense budget in 2023
• August 31, 2022. Naval News. BAE Systems announced that its Combat System Mission Crew Workstation (CSMCW) which boosts the capabilities of P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft, has qualified. BAE Systems’ Combat System Mission Crew Workstation qualified for P-8A Poseidon aircraft
• August 31, 2022. Naval News. GERMAN NAVAL YARDS will unveil its new corvette design for the first time during this year’s SMM 2022, which will be held in Hamburg from September 6 to September 9, 2022. GERMAN NAVAL YARDS unveils new corvette design: SEAGUARD 96
• August 31, 2022. Megan Eckstein, Defense News. A Fincantieri shipyard in Wisconsin will begin constructing its first Constellation-class frigate Wednesday following a small ceremony, U.S. Navy officials announced. Marinette Marine to begin building first Constellation frigate

Terrorism

• August 31, 2022. Charlie Reynolds, RUSI. In 2020, the US Department of Justice dismantled several cryptocurrency-based terrorist financing networks. This Commentary examines the motivations and real-world factors influencing the use of Bitcoin by Malhama Tactical, one of the foreign-fighter factions targeted by the Department of Justice, and asks whether cryptocurrency financing has been a successful means of raising funds for the group. Cryptocurrency Crowdsourcing by Russian-Speaking Foreign Fighters in Syria