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Global Affairs Session 37 15 May 2026 THE TAIWAN QUESTION Taiwan and the question of "One China" Taiwan is one island claimed by two governments, and it sits at the centre of the world's most dangerous flashpoint. The Republic of China and the People's Republic of China each trace a rival claim back to 1949, Taiwan has turned itself into an indispensable semiconductor economy, and Washington's stake in its fate now shapes the entire US-China relationship.

Global Affairs Session 33 11 May 2026 THREE FIRES RAGING Iran, Ukraine and US–China tensions burning together The world is facing three simultaneous geopolitical crises: the Iran war threatening energy security and the Strait of Hormuz, the Ukraine war keeping Europe militarised and unstable, and U.S.–China tensions reshaping trade, technology and security. These fires are separate, but they are connected by oil, weapons, alliances, AI and global power — reshaping the world in real time, before our eyes.

Global Affairs Session 28 4 May 2026 THE THUCYDIDES TRAP Rising powers, ruling powers and the danger of war The Thucydides Trap describes the structural danger that emerges when a rising power challenges an established power. Historical transitions show that war is possible but not inevitable: fear, pride, alliances and miscalculation raise the risk, while communication, restraint and workable rules can reduce it.