The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security extends our sincerest condolences on the passing of Dr. Joseph S. Nye, Jr., close friend to, and intellectual partner of, our late former chairman Ambassador Richard L. Armitage. Dr. Nye was a consummate scholar and public servant who made innumerable contributions to the national security of the United States in his many government roles, including as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs during the Clinton administration. During his decades-long academic career, Dr. Nye deepened our understanding of international politics and educated several generations of American leaders. He and Ambassador Armitage dedicated much of their post-government careers to championing the U.S.-Japan relationship; the alliance has continued to flourish in no small part due to their efforts. His passing is a great loss and he will be deeply missed. Our prayers go out to his family, his friends, and the many people whose lives he touched.

The Honorable Randall G. Schriver

Chairman

The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security

Starting today, the Project 2049 Institute is now the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS).

Since the Project 2049 Institute’s founding in 2008, it has served as a thought leader in Washington, DC, focused on developing innovative approaches to counter the growing threat from the People’s Republic of China. As PRC threats to U.S. interests have evolved over the past 17 years, so too has Project 2049’s remit.

To reflect both the Indo-Pacific region’s growing complexity and Project 2049’s expanding research portfolio, the organization has become the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security. IIPS will retain Project 2049’s core mission, values, and commitments. This new organization will build on Project 2049’s fundamental strengths in China and Taiwan analysis, while devoting greater resources to the study of issues pertaining to allies and partners, defense and emerging technology, and economic security. IIPS will be dedicated to shaping U.S. strategy and policy to win the global competition with China, focused on the Indo-Pacific.

To launch this new endeavor, we are hosting an unprecedented gathering of the former top Asia policymakers for the Department of Defense under presidents from George W. Bush to Joe Biden on May 13 from 1-2:30 pm. Drawing on decades of combined public service, Richard Lawless, James Shinn, Wallace “Chip” Gregson, Mark Lippert, David Shear, Randall Schriver, and Ely Ratner will offer their thoughts on the past and future of the Pentagon’s Asia policymaking.

Please click here to RSVP.

050125_IIPS Information Sheet

The Project 2049 Institute deeply grieves the passing of Ambassador Richard L. Armitage. He leaves behind a storied legacy of leadership, intellect, integrity, and humility that was evident in his distinguished public service. The memories of Ambassador Armitage – the laughter we shared with him in the halls of the Departments of Defense and State, the numerous battle stories he shared, and the personal and professional guidance he so selflessly offered – they will be cherished by us forever. He was a true friend and mentor to the Project 2049 Institute, and we are very thankful for the time and dedication he poured into our organization.

Years before Ambassador Armitage was our Chairman of the Board, he bravely served his nation in Vietnam. As a naval officer, he volunteered for three combat tours with the Republic of Vietnam Navy as part of the riverine/advisory forces. Prior to the fall of Saigon, Ambassador Armitage organized the evacuation of as many as 30,000 South Vietnamese refugees, personally leading a flotilla of ships to shelter. This evacuation has been regarded as one of the U.S. military’s great humanitarian missions. Today, children of those refugees are serving as public servants and business leaders, fulfilling the American dream that Ambassador Armitage believed with his whole heart.

Following the war, Ambassador Armitage embarked on a decades-long career in government service. After working as an assistant to Kansas Senator Bob Dole, Ambassador Armitage served in the Reagan administration as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and in the George W. Bush administration as Deputy Secretary of State. He also held several diplomatic positions under the George H. W. Bush Administration through which he negotiated key international agreements, including the aid program for countries that broke away from the Soviet Union. Ambassador Armitage is the recipient of numerous U.S. military decorations and civil service awards, and he has received military and civilian honors from Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Bahrain, Pakistan, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Romania. His stories were many and we continue to retell those stories to remember the impacts of his service and dedication to this country.

After his career in the government, Ambassador Armitage founded Armitage International, one of the Washington area’s foremost international advisory firms, through which he continued to make a mark on America’s global standing and importance of alliances—until the end, visiting dignitaries, researchers, and students sought him out for council, which he was always willing to provide. He also served on the boards of multiple corporations and nonprofit organizations. Wherever he went, he inspired friends and next generation policy experts with his intellectual curiosity and kindness towards everyone.

Ambassador Armitage’s loss will be felt particularly deeply by the Project 2049 Institute. He left an indelible mark on the Institute, serving as a mentor and friend to those who passed through Project 2049 since its inception in 2008. Always generous with his time and his wisdom, Ambassador Armitage undoubtedly shaped generations of aspiring national security professionals, including those who walked through our doors. During his time as board chairman, from 2018 to 2020, Ambassador Armitage was instrumental in putting the Institute on sound financial footing and took an active role in providing direction for Project 2049’s research agenda and programmatic endeavors. Our successes today are due in no small part to his leadership in years past.

Ambassador Armitage’s passing is a terrible loss to us all. He was a true friend and mentor to me and I will always be grateful for who he has been in my life. During this difficult time, our deepest condolences go out to his family, his friends, and the many whose lives he touched during a lifetime of leadership and service.

The Honorable Randall G. Schriver

Chairman
The Project 2049 Institute

KHARIS TEMPLEMAN: I think I’ll just turn it over to you, Randy, and … lay out your vision … of where you think the Trump administration is headed … and how it relates to Taiwan.

RANDALL G. SCHRIVER: I will try to give you an assessment of where I think we are, but I think more importantly the trajectory and where things may go through the course of this administration. First thing, you have to put it in context of what the administration’s priorities are and what their focus is … a lot of that dominates every news cycle, but to… cut through some of that noise and try to describe what they would say their priorities are. Clearly they’re interested in reforming and reshaping the federal government … I will say, related to Taiwan and China, to the extent any agency has articulated what areas might be insulated or safe, they’ve always made a point to say work on China, competition work in the Indo-Pacific, will remain the priority area…

Listen to the full video on Hoover Institution

Many on the right have been advocating for a reverse “Nixon to China” policy in recent weeks. In this scenario, the U.S. would make concessions in Ukraine and thereby pull Russia out of China’s orbit, driving a wedge between Beijing and Moscow. Indeed, President Trump has on at least two occasions alluded to this.

This is a misguided idea, however, as it misunderstands both the past and the present…

Read the full article in The Hill

ANDREW EGGER: The headline today … is that China, Japan and South Korea agreed to jointly respond to U.S. tariffs… the comments came after the three countries held their first economic dialogue in five years on Sunday, seeking to facilitate regional trade as the Asian export powers brace against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs… What should we make of all this?

MICHAEL MAZZA: …My suspicion is that that is not true. So if you look at the joint statement that they put out yesterday, it had nothing that even hinted at that kind of approach to U.S. tariffs. There was talk of strengthening free trade arrangements, you know, greater economic integration economic development engagements among the three countries. But again, nothing hinted at this being targeted at or in response to what the United States is doing in any way…

Listen to the full video on The Bulwark

On March 26, Project 2049 Institute Chairman Randall Schriver testified at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. He emphasized the strategic necessity of strong partnerships to overcome the “tyranny of time and distance” in the Western Pacific. Noting the geographic advantages held by China, Russia, and North Korea, Schriver argued that U.S. allies should invest in their own defense, provide access and basing for U.S. forces, and contribute to a rules-based regional order. He urged a broader and more nuanced view of burden sharing—one that considers defense spending and support for dispersal logistics, civil defense, and military-adjacent capabilities such as coast guard development. Citing examples from Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore, he warned that outdated metrics obscure vital contributions and called Congress to modernize alliance policy and oversight accordingly.

Watch the full hearing at Senate Foreign Relations Committee

During this event, Project 2049 Institute Director of Programs Grace Price outlined how coordination between these four partner countries can serve their interests and the interests of the Pacific Island countries, while preventing China from gaining a foothold in this strategically vital region. A round-table discussion followed, in which Aizawa Riho, a research fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), and Nerida King, resident senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, engaged with the paper’s conclusions and recommendations.

Speaker Highlights: 

Grace Price: The PICs are thinking strategically about how they are receiving aid and want to diversify the aid pool. China has shifted from bigger, flashier infrastructure projects to more targeted and tangible projects, and while Chinese aid comes faster and with less strings attached, it can breed problems of corruption and transparency issues about how the money is being used.

Aizawa Riho: China poses risks to the Pacific Islands region by having larger influence over PIC policy and decision-making, countering Japanese influence. China is better at building people-to-people interactions than the Americans and the Japanese, both in Southeast Asian countries and the PICs. China is trying to leapfrog its presence by embedding itself in the PICs beyond the first and second island chains by establishing a third island chain.

Nerida King: Due to Australia’s position as a Pacific nation and strategic interests, Canberra is especially attuned to growing Chinese influence in the PICs. Australia is currently working on a number of projects that meet PICs’ development needs in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and promote closer strategic alignment, with a particular focus on high quality, sustainably financed infrastructure investment.

Read the full report here.

On March 21, Project 2049 Institute Senior Director Michael Mazza offered a wide-ranging analysis of U.S.-Taiwan relations, cross-Strait military dynamics, and the evolving strategic competition with China. He warned that “we have entered the danger zone,” as Beijing’s military capabilities are “getting better and better, more comparable to the sorts of capabilities that the United States and other modern militaries have.” From Taiwan’s domestic defense politics to global semiconductor supply chains, Mazza provided sharp insights into both immediate threats and long-term geopolitical trends. He also reflected on U.S. policy under different administrations and the future of defense technology.

Listen to the full episode on Breaking Battlegrounds

Pacific Island countries (PICs) have long attracted development and security assistance from the region’s traditional partner states—the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the Pacific has received renewed attention from them as China actively vies for influence. Despite increased engagement, the PICs are still turning to China in pursuit of their development and security needs. This report will map out efforts the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are taking to increase influence, obstacles that are hindering effective cooperation in the Pacific, and recommendations for improving their collective engagement with the PICs.