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Black smoke rises from the area of Gazprom Neft’s Moscow oil refinery on the southeastern outskirts of Moscow on June 18, 2026. (Getty Images)
Tensions have risen in the South China Sea as China undertakes a campaign to convert reefs into islands among the disputed Spratly Islands. While the U.S. has sent a naval reconnaissance patrol plane over the site, China has asserted territorial claims and reportedly placed artillery on some of the newly created real estate.
On the morning of June 19, Patrick Cronin, Paul Giarra, and Michael Frodl joined Hudson Senior Fellow Seth Cropsey for a discussion on the roots of the current situation, its strategic and commercial implications, and U.S. policy options to balance this challenge to the international order.
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24
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Taiwan’s National Mobilization Against the China Threat
Featured Speakers:
Chi-Chang Tsai
Pao-Yang Shen
Ting-Yu Wang
Miles Yu
24
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Taiwan’s National Mobilization Against the China Threat
Please join Hudson Institute’s China Center as Miles Yu hosts a panel with key members of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and the Democratic Progressive Party to examine Taiwan’s mobilization efforts against the CCP’s increasing threats.
Featured Speakers:
Chi-Chang Tsai
Pao-Yang Shen
Ting-Yu Wang
Miles Yu
28
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US-Armenia Relationship and the Future of the South Caucasus: A Conversation with Ambassador Narek Mkrtchyan
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan
Michael Doran
28
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US-Armenia Relationship and the Future of the South Caucasus: A Conversation with Ambassador Narek Mkrtchyan
Join Senior Fellow Michael Doran for a candid conversation with H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan, ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America, as they discuss the developments, challenges, and opportunities defining the US-Armenia relationship.
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan
Michael Doran
30
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Responding to Global Threats: A Conversation with Senator Rick Scott
Featured Speakers:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Senator Rick Scott
30
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Responding to Global Threats: A Conversation with Senator Rick Scott
Join Senior Fellow Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) for a fireside discussion on how Congress can guide American strategy, the need to modernize the defense industrial base, and the vital role of allies and partners in an unstable international environment.
Featured Speakers:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Senator Rick Scott
04
August 2026
Virtual Event | Online Only
Taiwan’s Ever-Changing Security Environment
Featured Speakers:
Riley Walters
Dr. Michael Hunzeker
Dr. Liang-chih Evans Chen
Can Kasapoğlu
Related Research
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 20, 2026, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
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A US Marine Corps F-35 at an undisclosed location in the Middle East supports Operation Epic Fury on May 28, 2026. (US Marines)
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(Screenshot via YouTube)
