The Western Pacific remains a highly active theater defined by sustained U.S.-led military exercises and escalating great power competition. Key evidence includes continuous joint operations, such as RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii and the deployment of CSGs into the South China Sea, juxtaposed with increased naval activity from both China (PLAN task groups) and Russia near Japan's critical straits. These movements underscore a strategic push by non-allied powers to assert presence and challenge regional norms. Policy implications dictate that allied nations must maintain robust multilateral cooperation and interoperability to safeguard freedom of navigation and manage escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Justice for Ukraine: Supporting survivors of war crimes and building international solidarity
English Summary
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to over 200,000 documented atrocities, presenting a significant challenge to delivering justice. The article advocates for Ukraine to adopt a transitional justice framework that combines prosecutions, truth-seeking, reparations, and institutional reform to manage the vast scale of war crimes. This approach aims to ensure meaningful, victim-centered justice without overwhelming the legal system and addresses complex issues such as enforcing verdicts against Russian leaders and engaging international partners. A robust transitional justice policy is seen as vital for building international solidarity and navigating the conflict's aftermath.
中文摘要
俄羅斯對烏克蘭的入侵已導致逾 20 萬起記錄在案的暴行,為司法正義的落實帶來嚴峻挑戰。本文倡議烏克蘭應採納一套轉型正義框架,整合刑事起訴、真相調查、損害賠償及制度改革,以應對規模龐大的戰爭罪行。此一途徑旨在確保落實具實質意義且以受害者為中心的司法正義,同時避免法律體系負荷過重,並處理諸如執行針對俄羅斯領導人的判決以及與國際夥伴協作等複雜議題。健全的轉型正義政策被視為凝聚國際團結及應對衝突後續影響之關鍵。
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