David MacSweeney
@macsdavid.bsky.social
120 followers 170 following 77 posts
Founder: @9dashline.com
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macsdavid.bsky.social
Looking forward to meaningful exchanges and connecting with new people.

Feel free to follow and reach out.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Australia’s decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine stands in contrast to Fiji’s move to double down on its support for Israel (which saw Suva open an embassy in Jerusalem this week) underscoring the range of potential wedge issues now shaping key Pacific relations.

shorturl.at/BTsJJ
Fiji defies international pressure with Jerusalem embassy opening - ABC Pacific
As Israel faces genocide allegations at the UN, Fiji opens its Jerusalem embassy, drawing both praise and backlash across the region.
shorturl.at
macsdavid.bsky.social
Putin providing the ideal (worrying) backdrop to @glandsbergis.bsky.social discussion with @gideonrachman.bsky.social on all things NATO, Ukraine and European security.

Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/25uJ...
Reposted by David MacSweeney
9dashline.com
New episode 🎙️

In conjunction with the European Parliament in ASEAN

Stefania Benaglia joins @zsuzsettte.bsky.social and @richheydarian.bsky.social to discuss the recent SCO summit, focusing on India’s strategic role and evolving EU–ASEAN dynamics.

Listen here 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/6FCy...
macsdavid.bsky.social
In just 6 years the Solomon Islands has gone from key Taiwan ally to adopting China’s surveillance model including familiarising kids with surveillance drones, fingerprint and data collection.

Few states illustrate the speed of Beijing’s expanding reach more clearly.

www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...
China pilots village surveillance in Solomon Islands, seeks stability
Chinese police are piloting fingerprint and data collection to curb social unrest, officials and locals confirmed to Reuters.
www.rnz.co.nz
macsdavid.bsky.social
Framing some undoubtedly violent protest as potential “terrorism” and "treason" risks shifting ordinary citizens from modest criminals and/or political actors to existential threats.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Indonesia's president to revoke some politicians' privileges after protests
The Indonesian president's announcement comes after days of protests across the country.
www.abc.net.au
macsdavid.bsky.social
Once rare, now common.

The normalisation of state violence in civic spaces is not only reshaping how Europe manages dissent but is also reinforcing perceptions of democratic decline. Each episode makes it harder for Europeans to call out authoritarianism anywhere.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Last year in Hiroshima, I stumbled on the exact spot where the world’s first atomic bomb exploded—now a profoundly ordinary street and home to apartments, businesses and a car park.

In the wake of images from Gaza, an important reminder that recovery—though hard—is possible.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Nothing like digesting Europe’s politics after a trip to Berlin’s leading photography space to remember everyone’s just performing — some just happen to have better lighting.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Brings to mind Omar El Akkad’s chilling book title: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This.
shashj.bsky.social
I think there is a word for this. “The idea of the zone, according to Katz, is to accommodate … 600,000 Palestinians who have been living in the Mawasi area on the coast… after screening them…Palestinians will not be allowed to leave the zone, he said.” timesofisrael.com/katz-calls-for…
https://timesofisrael.com/katz-calls-for…
macsdavid.bsky.social
Grateful to @chathamhouse.org and panellists for this evening’s discussion on how the UK can build influence on the Korean Peninsula at a critical moment for European and Indo-Pacific security.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Warm London evening offset by some cool-headed analysis.

Thanks to the #LSEFestival for hosting a fantastic discussion on the future of US-China relations with John Ikenberry, Rana Mitter, Peter Trubowitz and Nathalie Tocci.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Adding Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu—with tiny populations—to the travel ban list is a unforced error. These are critical frontline Indo-Pacific states and says Washington sees you as a problem, not a key strategic partner.

Beijing 'wins' again without lifting a finger: www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...
Three Pacific nations in Trump's expanded travel ban list
It's part of President Trump's crackdown on foreign nationals from countries that fail to meet "established benchmarks and requirements" for remaining in the US.
www.rnz.co.nz
macsdavid.bsky.social
The scramble to stand up VOA Farsi should be an urgent wake-up call about the importance of credible news in contested information spaces.

Whatever damage has been done to US credibility in the Indo-Pacific, a return to 'normal service’ would be welcome and still a strategic 'win' for democracy.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Hearing Hegseth talk of a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan at #SLD25 took me back to my recent visit.

It didn’t feel like Taiwan was ready — and I tried to capture why in this piece.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Life in Taiwan feels remarkably normal. And that might be the real danger. I’ve tried to capture some thoughts after a recent visit.

Read here: buff.ly/ZOMUTxm
Reposted by David MacSweeney
9dashline.com
The May issue of The Navigator — out now.

We track the India-Pakistan flare-up that revived nuclear fears — and the regional diplomacy that followed.

Plus: how China and India are recasting foreign policy as a tool of domestic control.

Read: buff.ly/K8rnagr

Subscribe now!
macsdavid.bsky.social
Excellent thread.
fbermingham.bsky.social
Macron keynote at Shangri-La, starts on perceived double standards over Ukraine

"This is a total mistake. If we consider Russia could be allowed to take part of the territory of Ukraine ... how would you phrase what could happen in Taiwan, what will you do the day something happens in Philippines?"
macsdavid.bsky.social
Ireland’s ‘Silicon Island’ strategy with billions in subsidies for Samsung and TSMC could see it as a critical node linking European tech autonomy to developments across the Indo-Pacific.

Would force Dublin to address risks—i.e. cross-Strait tension, supply chain pressure, domestic security, etc.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Powerful op-ed from David Hearst.

China’s position on the war means its going to be hard(er) for Asia’s Muslim democracies to maintain pro-Western alignment as images from Gaza further shape public opinion. Growing cries of hypocrisy will inevitably feed into foreign policy.

buff.ly/8pHhUll
Israel has already lost the Gaza war. It just doesn't know it yet
As with Vietnam, two factors will end this slaughter: the determination of Palestinians to stay on their land, and mounting public outrage in the West
www.middleeasteye.net
macsdavid.bsky.social
Not just a fund—it’s a signal.

The EU is preparing for a long period of strategic competition and betting big on deterrence through debt.
macsdavid.bsky.social
Among the factors.. I suspect the UK is keen to avoid another drawn out embassy asylum/eviction drama.