Centre for War and Diplomacy

The CWD recently held a workshop to discuss Grey Zone Warfare at the European University Institute in Florence.

You can read about it here:

CWD Grey Zone Warfare Workshop at EUI Florence - Lancaster University In mid-November 2025, CWD researchers gathered at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence with academics and thinkers from the UK and Europe, including visiting fellows and researchers from EUI. Their workshop was the final in a series for the project ‘Into the Grey: Grey Zone Warfare ...

Our moderator and panellists for our public roundtable, 'China’s Sea Power and UK Security' on 26 November.

See the link for portraits and bios for our world-class panel.

Free tickets available from Eventbrite via the link.

LDSD - Lancaster University We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional cookies to help us measure web traffic and report on campaigns.

Lancaster Defence and Security Dialogue Round Table: ‘China’s Sea Power and UK Security’

The Storey, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster, Wednesday 26 November, 17.00-18.30

We are pleased to share more information about our public forum moderator and panellists. A world class panel who promise an informed and fascinating discussion.

Moderator and Panel

The Rt Hon Alastair Burt (moderator) was Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development from June 2017 to March 2019. Alistair served as Minister of State for Community and Social Care at the Department of Health from May 2015 until July 2016. Previously he served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from May 2010 until October 2013. He entered Parliament for the first time in 1983. He is the Lancaster University Pro-Chancellor.

Paul Mason (panellist) is a journalist and political consultant. He was economics editor at BBC Newsnight and Channel 4 News; he is a columnist for The New World Magazine where he writes on politics and geopolitics, and adjunct fellow in Defence and Resilience at the Council on Geostrategy, where he co-presents the podcast Defence Talks. He is the author of six books, including the bestseller Postcapitalism and most recently How to Stop Fascism. He was part of the team that authored Labour's defence industrial strategy.

Meia Nouwens (panellist) is Senior Fellow for Chinese Security and Defence Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Meia’s expertise lies in Chinese cross-service defence analysis, China’s defence industry and innovation, as well as China’s regional strategic affairs. She leads IISS research on China’s Digital Silk Road and was a co-lead of the China Security Project with the Mercator Institute for China Studies. Meia previously worked for the European External Action Service as a policy officer in Taipei, and as a trade analyst in the EU’s delegation to New Zealand.

Avinash Paliwal (panellist) is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London. He specialises in the International Relations of South Asia. His latest book, India’s Near East: A New History (Hurst, 2024) has been shortlisted for the prestigious 2025 Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Book Prize and was a Finalist in the 2025 Eastern Eye Arts, Culture, and Theatre Awards. His first book My Enemy’s Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the US Withdrawal (Hurst, 2017) has been translated into Pashto. In 2024-25, Avinash served as an ‘India and South Asia’ analyst at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) as part of the British Academy’s Innovation Fellowship programme.

Alessio Patalano (panellist) is Professor of War & Strategy in East Asia at the Department of War Studies (DWS), and Co-Director of the Centre for Grand Strategy (CGS) at King’s College London (KCL). A specialist in maritime strategy and doctrine, Japanese military history and strategy, East Asian security, and European defence and foreign policy, he has taught at the UK Joint Command and Staff Services College (JSCSC) and held research positions at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the IRIS in Paris.

Cindy Yu (panellist) is a columnist and contributing editor at The Times and The Sunday Times. Previously, she was assistant editor (broadcast) at The Spectator magazine, where she also hosted the Chinese Whispers podcast, a series on Chinese politics, society and history.

To book your free place:

China’s Sea Power and UK Security Join us for a discussion between World-leading experts as they examine the expansion and global implications of China's maritime power

We are delighted to announce the panel for our roundtable discussion 'China's Sea Power and UK Security' on 26th November.

The panel will be moderated by Rt Hon Alistair Burt, former Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development and Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University.

Our distinguished panellists are

- Paul Mason (Council on Geostrategy)
- Cindy Yu (The Times)
- Avinash Paliwal (SOAS/FCDO)
- Alessio Patalano (King’s College London)
- Meia Nouwens (IISS)

Free tickets available now at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chinas-sea-power-and-uk-security-tickets-1770403958899?aff=oddtdtcreator

Free tickets now available for our public forum in November!

We have a world class-panel and this is not to be missed by anyone concerned with global strategy.

🎟️ Tickets are now on sale for the RAF Museum’s 2025 Conference 🎟️

Join us in London on 4–5 September for "New Perspectives in Military Aviation Research" – a two-day hybrid event featuring interdisciplinary insights that challenge traditional narratives in air power and military history. ✈️

👥 Attend in person for £60 (or £40 concession) — ticket includes lunch & refreshments.

💻 Or join online for FREE via livestream on Crowdcast!

📍 In-person sessions at the RAF Museum London Lecture Theatre
🕘 9am–5:30pm both days

🔗 Book now via Digitickets at: https://royalairforcemuseum.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/65977?branches.branchID=2042

🎥 Register for livestream on Crowdcast at:https://www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-conference-2025

For our current programme of events, please visit👉 https://bit.ly/4dQFyvU

Let’s explore the future of aviation research together!

Royal Aeronautical Society RUSI - Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies Centre for War and Diplomacy

Last week Professor Marco Wyss Deputy Director of the CWD led the third in a series of workshops for the Grey Zone Warfare Project.

Our location was the NATO Defence College in Rome and 15 leading academics came together to share and develop their thinking on the concept of Grey Zone Warfare.

The Defence College was an outstanding venue and we are grateful to Dr Gaub and her team for their kind hospitality.

Thank you everyone who came to our public forum 'A New Approach to China?', last night at The Storey Lancaster. It was great to see such a large and engaged audience.

We heard fascinating presentations from our distinguished panel and a lively question and answer session with the audience!

Delighted to see our Public Forum on relations with China covered in the Lancaster Guardian this week! Free tickets available from : https://bit.ly/40xJcpV https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/arts-and-culture/public-forum-will-examine-approach-to-future-relations-with-china-4871172

Public forum will examine approach to future relations with China Relationships between the UK, EU, US and China will be up for discussion at a public forum in Lancaster later this month.

LDSD Public Forum 2024 - Chair Professor Edward Simpson, Lancaster University. 27 Nov 2024, Lancaster at 5pm.

Welcome to the LDSD Public Forum 2024 ! Join us at The Storey for a discussion on 'A New Approach to China? An Assessment of UK, US and EU Approaches'.

This panel discussion will feature leading experts and academics discussing whether the new administrations in the UK, US and EU will develop a new approach to China.

Admission is by free ticket only - see poster for QR code or from : https://bit.ly/40xJcpV

We were delighted our Public Roundtable was so well supported last evening. The packed room heard a fascinating debate chaired by the Rt Hon Alistair Burt on strategy towards China. Some great questions from the public too.

Thanks to everyone who came along!