ASIA DECLARATION
2nd ASIA ANEW SECURITY FORUM
"Security and Intelligence Integration Models"
2nd ASIA ANEW SECURITY FORUM
"Security and Intelligence Integration Models"
2nd Asia Anew Security Forum, with the main theme of “Security and Intelligence Integration Models,“ was jointly organized by TASAM National Defence and Security Institute as a co-event of the 11th Istanbul Security Conference, held on November 27 and 28, 2025 , at the Wish More Hotel Istanbul.
The Forum attracted speakers and dignitaries from various countries and regions, representing diverse fields and sectors. Diplomatic representatives and delegations from different countries were also present. Local and international experts, academics, and diplomats delivered speeches and presentations. Relevant authorities from Turkey, Asia, Europe, America, and Africa were also represented at the Forum, and all sessions were followed institutionally.
The following key topics were addressed at the forum: “Resource Systems; Mutually Complementary Opportunities“, “Relations and Regional Strategies with RCEP, SCO, CICA, D8, ASEAN, EU, US and New Partners“, “Specific Strategic Sectors and Security“, “Defense Industry: Land, Naval, Air, Space, Police, Gendarmerie, Intelligence“, “Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia“.
It was decided that the following findings and recommendations put forward at the Forum should be presented to the attention of all relevant authorities and the public, with a vision that will enhance the existing achievements/institutions of all "ASIAN Countries":
1. Defining security solely in terms of military capacity is insufficient to explain the reality of the contemporary international system. A security approach focused on arms races and hard power, instead of reducing conflicts, increases their costs and deepens physical, economic, and psychological devastation. This necessitates a rethinking of security through alternative means. Soft power has become a constitutive, not merely complementary, element of security. Conceptualized by Joseph Nye, soft power stands out as one of the fundamental factors determining the legitimacy, scope of action, and influence of states in the international arena within today's interdependent relationships.
2. As seen in the example of the United States, even if economic or military indicators change, long-term and systematic soft power investments maintain its status as a global center of attraction. This confirms that security cannot be measured solely by material capacity. Soft power has the capacity to reconstruct historical memory. As seen in the example of British colonialism, intense cultural and academic interactions can render past structural exploitation invisible; political memory can be transformed through perception. This demonstrates the long-term impact of image building on security. Soft power is not merely a tool of foreign policy, but an epistemic line of defense. In this era where simulations have replaced truth, the capacity of states to produce their own narratives, support critical thinking, and strengthen their intellectual ecosystems has become an integral part of national security.
3. Perception has become a strategic security area that overtakes reality. Within the framework of Jean Baudrillard's concepts of "simulation" and "hyperreality," how states are represented has become more decisive than what they are. The replacement of reality with image makes the non-military dimensions of security critical. Image building at the global level reproduces power hierarchies. Perception management and manipulation have become central tools in the modern security environment. The presentation of truths alongside falsehoods through social media and digital platforms weakens individuals' ability to reason and focus, deepening security risks. In the post-truth era, security has become a matter of protecting the legitimacy of truth. Today, the threat is not so much the spread of misinformation, but the systematic devaluation of truth. Algorithms and global media networks are making states vulnerable in image wars.
4. Within this fundamental new paradigm and variables, the Asian continent, hosting rising global powers on the path to regaining leadership in global security, technology, and the economy, has become the economic and center of gravity of the world in the 21st century. Türkiye's "Asia Anew" initiative, announced in 2019 to forge stronger ties with this continent with which it has ancient connections, reflects an entrepreneurial foreign policy concept that also requires innovation. Aiming to adapt its Asian policy to the times and carry it into the future, Turkey has created a new opening with the Asia Anew initiative that takes into account the differences in the continent while also looking at it holistically. The goal is to achieve new energy and synergy with all of Asia through common values, mutual respect, equality, harmony, and the principles expressed in the UN Charter. The necessary tools to embrace the continent as a whole are being developed on the basis of public, private sector, university, and social cooperation.
These collaborations are envisioned within a broad perspective encompassing economy, civil society, health, tourism, technology, space, defense industry, education, culture, and diplomacy. In this context, the strength of the capacity to be mobilized, particularly think tanks which are critical for decision-making processes, will determine Turkey's future in this field.
5. As the chair of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, the continent's most comprehensive regional cooperation organization, for the 2019-2020 term, Turkey's aim with the Re-engagement with Asia initiative is not to shift its axis, but to strengthen its unifying position between the continents of Asia and Europe and to contribute to their sustainable development. It also aims to re-evaluate the opportunities and possibilities arising from the successes of both Turkey, whose global influence has increased over the last 20 years, and the rising Asian countries in global politics and economics, through a win-win approach. Asia, which is at the center of both the economy and the world's population, is rapidly developing in terms of economic and cultural diversity. Turkey, being a part of the continent, is making serious efforts to further develop its relations with it, highlighting and evaluating the new opportunities arising from this development and the potential for cooperation with the countries of the region.
6. In the process of refocusing on Asia, which began with this initiative; Turkey, the westernmost Asian country, is expected to further strengthen its ties with many countries across Asia, from Central to East Asia, and from South Asia to Southeast Asia, with which it has deep historical and cultural connections and millennia-old relations. While strong interaction and civil diplomacy opportunities are provided in the fields of economy and civil society with Asia, cooperation with dominant countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea in areas such as energy, high technology, and Industry 4.0, as well as knowledge and expertise transfer, are among the goals.
7. Priority Action Plans have been created for 40 key areas of activity targeting 31 Asian countries. More active and dynamic participation is being ensured in international organizations whose influence is increasing on the continent within the framework of the Re-Asia initiative, and cooperation is being deepened within the framework of the statuses held in each organization, and the prepared action plans are being implemented one by one.
8. Since 2004, TASAM has consistently voiced the motto "The 21st Century will be the 'Asian Century', the 'Asian Age'". With the Asia Anew initiative, which is based on four main pillars: “developing interstate relations“, “increasing the trade capacity of the private sector“, “improving academic cooperation“, and “expanding inter-societal interaction“, Asia, to which each country is given separate importance, can also be evaluated on a regional and country basis by dividing it into four main regions: “Central Asia“ (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan), which is the inland part far from the oceans; “East Asia“ (China, South Korea, Japan, North Korea, Russia); “South Asia“ (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka); and “Southeast Asia“ (Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), which is located between the mainland and Oceania.
9. TASAM, the first think tank to initiate holistic Asia studies in Turkey, and its network Since 2004, the institutions, with the vision they have set forth, have implemented numerous bilateral and multilateral international instruments, initially in a very challenging environment, but gradually becoming easier. Bilateral and trilateral mechanisms with all important countries, country and region-based strategic dialogue programs, economy-focused studies/projects, International Turkish-Asian Congresses and other specific forums, meetings, programs, projects, visits, reports, publications, academic studies have been managed as a complementary capacity-building process. At this point, it has been confirmed that the Asia Anew Security Forum, which will be held periodically every year starting from 2024 to discuss bilateral and multilateral partnership perspectives between Turkey and Asian countries in the new technopolitical and security ecosystem, has undertaken a unique mission in its field as a new instrument.
10. The example of India shows that security can be built without war for rising powers. Soft power strategies developed through cultural diplomacy, intellectual production, and peace-based narratives demonstrate that it is possible to provide security without generating conflict. India, recognizing the zero-sum nature of the hard power competition, has developed a strategic orientation towards soft power. This approach, built upon culture, tradition, philosophy, and life practices, has the potential to strengthen security without generating conflict. Yoga has become one of India's most effective tools of soft power on a global scale. In a world where the search for physical health, mental balance, and individual peace is increasing, yoga functions not only as a cultural practice but also as a carrier of India's peaceful identity. Cultural production and popular art play a strategic role in shaping the perception of security. Indian cinema, cuisine, and artistic production erode the stereotypes that India has historically been subjected to and is transforming the country's global image.
11. The concentration of semiconductor production in largely limited geographical areas constitutes a structural weakness for global security, even independently of geopolitical competition. In the 21st century, semiconductors have transformed from a classic industrial product into a strategic security resource. As a fundamental input for the defense industry, artificial intelligence, energy systems, space technologies, telecommunications, and the automotive sector, semiconductors have become a critical element determining the technological continuity of modern states. Uninterrupted access to semiconductors, and in the future superconductors, should be considered a national security issue equivalent to energy security today. Post-Covid-19 global supply chain disruptions have clearly demonstrated that continuity, not stockpiling, is the determining factor.
12. The semiconductor ecosystem is not limited to production alone. Design, testing, packaging, and especially R&D activities form the basis of long-term technological capacity and strategic autonomy.
13. For Turkey, semiconductors serve as a critical leverage between the defense industry and civilian technology. Developing semiconductor capacity in areas such as unmanned systems, radar technologies, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence-based applications has the potential to generate both military and economic power.
14. Sovereignty and autarky are not the same concepts. Strategic autonomy refers not to producing everything alone, but to the capacity to manage dependencies in critical areas and increase resilience. Different development and security models exist in semiconductor policies. China's highly autarky model and India's approach based on cooperation, foreign investment, and ecosystem building reflect the differences between states' security preferences and their perceptions of economic risk.
15. Cooperative production models increase strategic resilience by reducing vulnerabilities. Foreign investment, public-private partnerships, and international R&D networks are key tools that accelerate knowledge transfer, qualified human resources, and technological learning.
16. A full-scale autarky model poses high economic and institutional risks for Turkey in the short and medium term. Turkey's institutional integration with Europe, its NATO and OECD membership, and its relationships with global production networks make more harmonious and cooperative models rational. Exclusion in strategic sectors means industrial decline. Staying outside the semiconductor race is a structural security risk that could lead to a long-term weakening of defense and civilian industrial capacity.
17. Technopolitical competition is redefining geopolitical positioning. Semiconductors have become a key element not only in technological but also in geopolitical power projection. For Turkey, the sustainable path is to build a resilient semiconductor ecosystem that strengthens sovereignty through cooperation. An R&D-centric and investor-friendly approach, compatible with international partnerships, will provide a long-term strategic advantage supporting national security.
18. Energy security has evolved into a multi-dimensional national security area, transcending the classic definition of supply and price stability. Today, energy security holistically includes the protection of energy infrastructure, the defense of digital systems, information security, intelligence capacity, and strategic communication elements.
19. The hybrid threat environment has created a systematic attack field directly targeting the energy sector. Physical sabotage, cyberattacks, market manipulations, information and perception operations generate simultaneous risks that destabilize energy supply and energy markets.
20. The digitalization of energy infrastructures has made energy security an integral part of cybersecurity. SCADA systems, IoT-based control networks, and automation structures make production, transmission, and distribution processes more efficient, but they also make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Cyberattacks have not only technical but also strategic consequences for energy security. Production stoppages, data loss, market instability, and economic losses are security threats that directly undermine energy supply security.
21. In energy security, intelligence is the fundamental tool for generating early warning and risk forecasting. Detecting threats to critical infrastructure in advance is possible not only with technical data but also with intelligence-based analysis, scenario generation, and crisis simulations.
22. Strategic communication is the invisible but decisive dimension of energy security. Misinformation and disinformation regarding energy policies lead to an erosion of public trust, indirectly but profoundly affecting national security.
Devamı için...
The Forum attracted speakers and dignitaries from various countries and regions, representing diverse fields and sectors. Diplomatic representatives and delegations from different countries were also present. Local and international experts, academics, and diplomats delivered speeches and presentations. Relevant authorities from Turkey, Asia, Europe, America, and Africa were also represented at the Forum, and all sessions were followed institutionally.
The following key topics were addressed at the forum: “Resource Systems; Mutually Complementary Opportunities“, “Relations and Regional Strategies with RCEP, SCO, CICA, D8, ASEAN, EU, US and New Partners“, “Specific Strategic Sectors and Security“, “Defense Industry: Land, Naval, Air, Space, Police, Gendarmerie, Intelligence“, “Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia“.
It was decided that the following findings and recommendations put forward at the Forum should be presented to the attention of all relevant authorities and the public, with a vision that will enhance the existing achievements/institutions of all "ASIAN Countries":
1. Defining security solely in terms of military capacity is insufficient to explain the reality of the contemporary international system. A security approach focused on arms races and hard power, instead of reducing conflicts, increases their costs and deepens physical, economic, and psychological devastation. This necessitates a rethinking of security through alternative means. Soft power has become a constitutive, not merely complementary, element of security. Conceptualized by Joseph Nye, soft power stands out as one of the fundamental factors determining the legitimacy, scope of action, and influence of states in the international arena within today's interdependent relationships.
2. As seen in the example of the United States, even if economic or military indicators change, long-term and systematic soft power investments maintain its status as a global center of attraction. This confirms that security cannot be measured solely by material capacity. Soft power has the capacity to reconstruct historical memory. As seen in the example of British colonialism, intense cultural and academic interactions can render past structural exploitation invisible; political memory can be transformed through perception. This demonstrates the long-term impact of image building on security. Soft power is not merely a tool of foreign policy, but an epistemic line of defense. In this era where simulations have replaced truth, the capacity of states to produce their own narratives, support critical thinking, and strengthen their intellectual ecosystems has become an integral part of national security.
3. Perception has become a strategic security area that overtakes reality. Within the framework of Jean Baudrillard's concepts of "simulation" and "hyperreality," how states are represented has become more decisive than what they are. The replacement of reality with image makes the non-military dimensions of security critical. Image building at the global level reproduces power hierarchies. Perception management and manipulation have become central tools in the modern security environment. The presentation of truths alongside falsehoods through social media and digital platforms weakens individuals' ability to reason and focus, deepening security risks. In the post-truth era, security has become a matter of protecting the legitimacy of truth. Today, the threat is not so much the spread of misinformation, but the systematic devaluation of truth. Algorithms and global media networks are making states vulnerable in image wars.
4. Within this fundamental new paradigm and variables, the Asian continent, hosting rising global powers on the path to regaining leadership in global security, technology, and the economy, has become the economic and center of gravity of the world in the 21st century. Türkiye's "Asia Anew" initiative, announced in 2019 to forge stronger ties with this continent with which it has ancient connections, reflects an entrepreneurial foreign policy concept that also requires innovation. Aiming to adapt its Asian policy to the times and carry it into the future, Turkey has created a new opening with the Asia Anew initiative that takes into account the differences in the continent while also looking at it holistically. The goal is to achieve new energy and synergy with all of Asia through common values, mutual respect, equality, harmony, and the principles expressed in the UN Charter. The necessary tools to embrace the continent as a whole are being developed on the basis of public, private sector, university, and social cooperation.
These collaborations are envisioned within a broad perspective encompassing economy, civil society, health, tourism, technology, space, defense industry, education, culture, and diplomacy. In this context, the strength of the capacity to be mobilized, particularly think tanks which are critical for decision-making processes, will determine Turkey's future in this field.
5. As the chair of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, the continent's most comprehensive regional cooperation organization, for the 2019-2020 term, Turkey's aim with the Re-engagement with Asia initiative is not to shift its axis, but to strengthen its unifying position between the continents of Asia and Europe and to contribute to their sustainable development. It also aims to re-evaluate the opportunities and possibilities arising from the successes of both Turkey, whose global influence has increased over the last 20 years, and the rising Asian countries in global politics and economics, through a win-win approach. Asia, which is at the center of both the economy and the world's population, is rapidly developing in terms of economic and cultural diversity. Turkey, being a part of the continent, is making serious efforts to further develop its relations with it, highlighting and evaluating the new opportunities arising from this development and the potential for cooperation with the countries of the region.
6. In the process of refocusing on Asia, which began with this initiative; Turkey, the westernmost Asian country, is expected to further strengthen its ties with many countries across Asia, from Central to East Asia, and from South Asia to Southeast Asia, with which it has deep historical and cultural connections and millennia-old relations. While strong interaction and civil diplomacy opportunities are provided in the fields of economy and civil society with Asia, cooperation with dominant countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea in areas such as energy, high technology, and Industry 4.0, as well as knowledge and expertise transfer, are among the goals.
7. Priority Action Plans have been created for 40 key areas of activity targeting 31 Asian countries. More active and dynamic participation is being ensured in international organizations whose influence is increasing on the continent within the framework of the Re-Asia initiative, and cooperation is being deepened within the framework of the statuses held in each organization, and the prepared action plans are being implemented one by one.
8. Since 2004, TASAM has consistently voiced the motto "The 21st Century will be the 'Asian Century', the 'Asian Age'". With the Asia Anew initiative, which is based on four main pillars: “developing interstate relations“, “increasing the trade capacity of the private sector“, “improving academic cooperation“, and “expanding inter-societal interaction“, Asia, to which each country is given separate importance, can also be evaluated on a regional and country basis by dividing it into four main regions: “Central Asia“ (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan), which is the inland part far from the oceans; “East Asia“ (China, South Korea, Japan, North Korea, Russia); “South Asia“ (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka); and “Southeast Asia“ (Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), which is located between the mainland and Oceania.
9. TASAM, the first think tank to initiate holistic Asia studies in Turkey, and its network Since 2004, the institutions, with the vision they have set forth, have implemented numerous bilateral and multilateral international instruments, initially in a very challenging environment, but gradually becoming easier. Bilateral and trilateral mechanisms with all important countries, country and region-based strategic dialogue programs, economy-focused studies/projects, International Turkish-Asian Congresses and other specific forums, meetings, programs, projects, visits, reports, publications, academic studies have been managed as a complementary capacity-building process. At this point, it has been confirmed that the Asia Anew Security Forum, which will be held periodically every year starting from 2024 to discuss bilateral and multilateral partnership perspectives between Turkey and Asian countries in the new technopolitical and security ecosystem, has undertaken a unique mission in its field as a new instrument.
10. The example of India shows that security can be built without war for rising powers. Soft power strategies developed through cultural diplomacy, intellectual production, and peace-based narratives demonstrate that it is possible to provide security without generating conflict. India, recognizing the zero-sum nature of the hard power competition, has developed a strategic orientation towards soft power. This approach, built upon culture, tradition, philosophy, and life practices, has the potential to strengthen security without generating conflict. Yoga has become one of India's most effective tools of soft power on a global scale. In a world where the search for physical health, mental balance, and individual peace is increasing, yoga functions not only as a cultural practice but also as a carrier of India's peaceful identity. Cultural production and popular art play a strategic role in shaping the perception of security. Indian cinema, cuisine, and artistic production erode the stereotypes that India has historically been subjected to and is transforming the country's global image.
11. The concentration of semiconductor production in largely limited geographical areas constitutes a structural weakness for global security, even independently of geopolitical competition. In the 21st century, semiconductors have transformed from a classic industrial product into a strategic security resource. As a fundamental input for the defense industry, artificial intelligence, energy systems, space technologies, telecommunications, and the automotive sector, semiconductors have become a critical element determining the technological continuity of modern states. Uninterrupted access to semiconductors, and in the future superconductors, should be considered a national security issue equivalent to energy security today. Post-Covid-19 global supply chain disruptions have clearly demonstrated that continuity, not stockpiling, is the determining factor.
12. The semiconductor ecosystem is not limited to production alone. Design, testing, packaging, and especially R&D activities form the basis of long-term technological capacity and strategic autonomy.
13. For Turkey, semiconductors serve as a critical leverage between the defense industry and civilian technology. Developing semiconductor capacity in areas such as unmanned systems, radar technologies, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence-based applications has the potential to generate both military and economic power.
14. Sovereignty and autarky are not the same concepts. Strategic autonomy refers not to producing everything alone, but to the capacity to manage dependencies in critical areas and increase resilience. Different development and security models exist in semiconductor policies. China's highly autarky model and India's approach based on cooperation, foreign investment, and ecosystem building reflect the differences between states' security preferences and their perceptions of economic risk.
15. Cooperative production models increase strategic resilience by reducing vulnerabilities. Foreign investment, public-private partnerships, and international R&D networks are key tools that accelerate knowledge transfer, qualified human resources, and technological learning.
16. A full-scale autarky model poses high economic and institutional risks for Turkey in the short and medium term. Turkey's institutional integration with Europe, its NATO and OECD membership, and its relationships with global production networks make more harmonious and cooperative models rational. Exclusion in strategic sectors means industrial decline. Staying outside the semiconductor race is a structural security risk that could lead to a long-term weakening of defense and civilian industrial capacity.
17. Technopolitical competition is redefining geopolitical positioning. Semiconductors have become a key element not only in technological but also in geopolitical power projection. For Turkey, the sustainable path is to build a resilient semiconductor ecosystem that strengthens sovereignty through cooperation. An R&D-centric and investor-friendly approach, compatible with international partnerships, will provide a long-term strategic advantage supporting national security.
18. Energy security has evolved into a multi-dimensional national security area, transcending the classic definition of supply and price stability. Today, energy security holistically includes the protection of energy infrastructure, the defense of digital systems, information security, intelligence capacity, and strategic communication elements.
19. The hybrid threat environment has created a systematic attack field directly targeting the energy sector. Physical sabotage, cyberattacks, market manipulations, information and perception operations generate simultaneous risks that destabilize energy supply and energy markets.
20. The digitalization of energy infrastructures has made energy security an integral part of cybersecurity. SCADA systems, IoT-based control networks, and automation structures make production, transmission, and distribution processes more efficient, but they also make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Cyberattacks have not only technical but also strategic consequences for energy security. Production stoppages, data loss, market instability, and economic losses are security threats that directly undermine energy supply security.
21. In energy security, intelligence is the fundamental tool for generating early warning and risk forecasting. Detecting threats to critical infrastructure in advance is possible not only with technical data but also with intelligence-based analysis, scenario generation, and crisis simulations.
22. Strategic communication is the invisible but decisive dimension of energy security. Misinformation and disinformation regarding energy policies lead to an erosion of public trust, indirectly but profoundly affecting national security.
Devamı için...
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