The Institute for European Studies invites you to the roundtable 'Deterrence in an Era of Great Power Competition: Views from Europe and East Asia' on Tuesday 19 November, from 11.00 to 12.30 PM.

One of the most visible and fundamental features that the European and East Asian security landscapes have in common is the role that the United States plays as the ultimate security guarantor. The United States has the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe and a series of bilateral security treaties in East Asia, with the US-Japan alliance being the most prominent. The need to maintain and enhance the credibility of extended deterrence by the United States looks obvious for US allies, but it is equally important for the United States since the US-led international order—from which Washington benefits a great deal—is based on the maintenance of the European and Northeast Asian alliance structures that undergird it. 

The return of great power competition in Europe and East Asia raises questions about the future of (extended) deterrence in both regions. Notably, dwindling US resources and the return of great power competition across more than one front compel Washington to think more strategically about how to prioritize between Europe and Northeast Asia. Against that backdrop, how can allies in Europe and East Asia strengthen deterrence in their respective regions? What are the similarities, differences and possible connections between US alliances in Europe and Northeast Asia? Is the credibility of U.S. military protection for European allies connected with that for Asian allies? What are the perceptions of credibility of US extended deterrence that abound in Europe and Northeast Asia? 

The roundtable aims to discuss these issues through a comparative approach to US alliances in Europe and East Asia, focusing particularly on NATO and the US-Japan alliance. It will be followed by a standing lunch.

Please register following the link to the website. 

Programme:

11.00 - 11.10 Welcome remarks by H.E. Ambassador Makita Shimokawa, Embassy of Japan to Belgium

11.10 - 12.30 Roundtable discussion with:

• Yuichi Hosoya, Professor of International Politics, Keio University 
• Hideshi Tokuchi, Senior Fellow, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS Alliance) and former Vice-Minister of Defense for International Affairs (2014-15)
• Benedetta Berti, Head of Policy Planning, NATO
• Linde Desmaele, Phd researcher, Institute for European Studies

Moderated by Luis Simon, Professor of International Security, Institute for European Studies 

12.30 Lunch