Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once thought to be the wealthiest man in Russia, was arrested and imprisoned by President Vladimir Putin in 2003 and now lives in exile. From London, he advocates against Russian aggression and provides unique insight into how the current Russian leadership thinks and operates. As Russia’s sham presidential election approaches and Moscow’s illegal occupation of Ukraine drags on, Mr. Khodorkovsky will sit down with former United Kingdom secretary of defence and longtime Putin critic Sir Liam Fox, MP, on what 2024 could bring for the Kremlin, peace and security in Europe, and America’s global interests.

The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) is the “most sweeping and consequential foreign bribery law in nearly half a century” according to Transparency International. By criminalizing corrupt foreign officials’ bribery demands, FEPA will protect American companies operating overseas and deter unfair competition from China’s state-owned enterprises. President Joe Biden signed FEPA into law in December 2023 after Congress included the bipartisan legislation in its annual defense spending bill.Please join Hudson Institute for a fireside chat with Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a leading cosponsor of FEPA.

The AUKUS agreement—which includes Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—is best known for the nuclear submarines that Australia will receive at the end of this decade. But AUKUS’s lesser-known second pillar focuses on technology sharing and is more likely to affect the Australian Defense Force’s capability and capacity in the near term. Uncrewed systems are one of the foundations of AUKUS Pillar Two, which also includes hypersonic weapons, quantum technology, and electronic warfare. These emerging systems will be essential as Australia responds to intensifying security competition with China as well as challenges in border security and homeland defense. Like their counterparts in the US Department of Defense, Australian defense officials will need to formulate new business and development practices that allow for innovation within government policies and structures.Join Hudson’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology for a discussion on these strategies with the Australian defense officials who are currently working to implement them.

The People’s Republic of China poses a colossal threat to American values and the freedom-based world order. No other nation that has confronted the United States and its allies has possessed China’s combination of economic and military strength, which enables Beijing’s exploitative and bellicose foreign policies.If American citizens are not strong, Washington cannot lead internationally. If the US falters, despotic regimes led by the PRC will fill the void. And America can only succeed in defending freedom if it works diligently to create a new global alliance for freedom, linking established and nascent alliance structures to venerate liberty and the primacy of the individual.Join Hudson’s China Center for a conversation with leading experts and diplomats on how the US can forge this new coalition.

For more than 200 years, the United States Marine Corps has been America’s “911 force”—the service that is always ready to respond to crises and conflicts in every theater. The USMC is constantly evolving to exploit new concepts and technologies, and now employs advanced missiles and artillery alongside unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber and electronic warfare. But even as they transform for the future, Marines are called upon to protect US allies and citizens in conflicts across the Middle East and Africa and to deter further aggression in Europe.Please join Hudson Institute Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Dan Patt for a conversation with General Chris Mahoney, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, about the future of the USMC in a world of increasing competition and confrontation.

Last weekend’s election in Taiwan, which is officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is the most consequential presidential contest in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024. In this contentious yet free, open, fair, and democratic election, candidates from the three main political parties (the victorious Democratic Progressive Party, the main opposition Kuomintang, and the populist third party the Taiwan People’s Party) vigorously debated key issues for the island’s future. These issues are not only vital to the 23 million Taiwanese people, but also to regional and global prosperity and security. The momentous rise of Taiwan’s archenemy, the revanchist Communist China, is the most destabilizing factor in current geopolitics.Please join Hudson Institute’s China Center for a discussion of these key issues with two of the most authoritative experts fresh out of the exhilarating Taiwanese presidential campaign: Vincent Chao, the spokesperson for President-elect William Lai, and Alexander Huang, special advisor to the chairman of the Kuomintang.

What are the long-term implications of the United States’ current economic challenges, federal debt, and demographic trends for American national security? Although the president recently signed the $886 billion 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, what is the future of US defense spending? How do important federal domestic programs, interest on the national debt, and persistent and growing entitlement programs affect the funds available for national security? What types of spending does the Defense Department prioritize, and what does this prioritization mean? Brigadier General (US Army, Ret.) Mike Meese will join Hudson Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth to discuss these questions and more.

Hudson Senior Fellow James Przystup’s recent study examines how the Indo-Pacific security environment evolved during 2022, in part because of measures by key regional actors—such as the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and India—to strengthen deterrence. In addition, these countries expanded their diplomatic coordination and security cooperation, which reflected a strategic commitment among the region’s democracies to support a rules-based order and advance a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the same time, European democracies have continued to expand diplomatic and security engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.In this event, Dr. Przystup and other experts will reflect on recent changes in the Indo-Pacific, how the US and its allies are working to build a multilayered network to shape the region’s strategic environment, and where greater cooperation and coordination are still needed.

While Taiwan’s new president will not take office for a few months after the election on January 13, the implications of this new government can already be felt throughout the region. What is the significance of the incoming government on United States–Taiwan relations? How will the new government handle its relations with the People’s Republic of China? Will the incoming government have the domestic and international support it needs to meet the multifaceted challenges facing Taiwan’s military, economy, and international relationships? Join Hudson for a discussion on the results of Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections.

The future of the West’s economic engagement with the People’s Republic of China is increasingly uncertain. Though the PRC seems integral to the global economy, it is an increasingly untrustworthy and dangerous partner for Western corporations. The Chinese government’s August 2023 raids on American corporations operating in China further signaled the need for firms to reconsider their relationships with the PRC. Against the backdrop of an international conversation regarding “decoupling” and “de-risking,” concerns about human rights in Chinese manufacturing, and the increasing national security risks the PRC poses, the United States business community needs a clearer understanding of the Chinese economy and the risks it poses to US corporations. At issue is not merely a few instances of aberrant behavior on the part of the PRC. Rather, US corporations hold a fundamental misconception about the PRC as a free and open market economy.Please join Hudson Institute’s China Center for a panel on leading US corporations’ involvement with the PRC, and the future of US corporate engagement with China.