About this Event
The Invisible War: Malign Influence Activities in the Indo-Pacific
The rivalry between the United States and the People’s Republic of China in the Indo-Pacific will not be settled through force of arms alone. The PRC advances its interests in the region through a multifaceted effort that intimidates, entangles, and misinforms the public in democratic countries, including US allies. Such efforts deepen polarization, influence election results, and in some cases defeat US-friendly initiatives. This program will outline the PRC’s political warfare strategy, how it takes shape in US partner democracies, and steps the US should take to combat it.
About the Speakers
Alexander Neill has devoted his career to examining the impact of China on the global stage. Through his work for government agencies and think-tanks, he has fostered deep links with the strategic community across the Indo-Pacific region. After graduating from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, Alexander Neill worked for the British and US governments in his early career. As a Chinese linguist and expert, he has published on Asian security issues and developed a keen grasp of geopolitics and security concerns in Asia. In 2005, he joined the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London as Head of the Asia Programme. There, his focus was to develop research on British security policy in Asia, including by coordinating “track two” projects in Asia and high-level dialogues in Beijing, Delhi, Pyongyang, Taipei, and Tokyo. He joined the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore in 2013 as Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Security. He was responsible for delivering the summit agenda and research projects focusing on Asia-Pacific security issues, particularly on China and its relationships in the region.
Rob York is Director for Regional Affairs at Pacific Forum. He is responsible for editing Pacific Forum publications, including the weekly PacNet series, the triannual Comparative Connections e-journal, and the in-depth Issues & Insights series. He also oversees Pacific Forum fellowships and internship programs, as well as on counter-disinformation and media training. Prior to joining Pacific Forum, Rob worked as a production editor at The South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. In 2023 he earned his Ph.D. in Korean history at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he previously received his master’s degree in Asian studies. Rob regularly contributes commentary on inter-Korean and Indo-Pacific affairs to NK News, The South China Morning Post, The American Conservative, China Review International, and The Journal of American-East Asian Relations, as well as conducting numerous interviews in various media outlets.
🎟 Attendance:
- Become a HIF Member for access to this and all upcoming forums → https://pacforum.org/honolulu-international-forum/
- Or email us to attend this session only at [email protected]