Global Engagement Series - The Shifting Geopolitical Landscape and International Law in the Asia-Pacific

Global Engagement Series

Cosponsored by the Asian Society of International Law

In recent years, an extraordinary series of events in the Asia-Pacific--a region that has become central to global investment and trade--has significantly altered the geopolitical landscape across the world. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the regional repercussions of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, environmental devastation, the fight for women's rights in Iran, increasingly tense cross-straits relations regarding Taiwan, China's expanding presence in the broader region, the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the rise of India, and profound changes to global supply chains. How has international law responded to these events and, in turn, how have these events and trends contributed to changes in international law? This panel explores the mutual effects of geopolitical shifts and international law in the Asia-Pacific region. Panelists will provide insights and address questions pertaining to how geopolitical change is affecting international law and how it may (or may not) be changing as a result. Those interested in questions of international law in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond will enjoy this panel.

Speakers:

  • Syed Hamid Albar, Former Foreign Minister of Malaysia and former Special Envoy to Myanmar for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Chancellor of Asia e University
  • Rayhan Asat, Human Rights Lawyer, Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council, and Tom & Andi Bernstein Fellow at Yale Law School
  • Siddharth Mallavarapu, Shiv Nadar University
  • Hsien-Li Tan (moderator), National University of Singapore Law Faculty
  • Ying Zhu, Hong Kong University Law Faculty