Why Geopolitics begins with History

If you follow the news about East Asian countries, you might recognize his name; Casper Wits is a university lecturer in international studies and East Asia studies at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies. His area of expertise is the diplomatic history between east Asian countries, with special focus on Japan and China. In an interview with LeidenGlobal, dr. Wits spoke about his recent research, its relevance, and the importance of regional experts to current politics and international relations.

Dr. Wits became professionally interested in East Asia due to the dynamic character of international relations in this area. In a recent project, he researched how the diplomatic relationship between China and Japan developed during the Cold War. He discovered that, contrary to his initial expectations, the right-wing conservative party in Japan played a crucial role in forming relations with (communist) China. This was surprisingly similar to some European countries, where such tendencies were also visible from the 1960s onwards.  He explains that the relationship was partly economically motivated, but after the Sino-Soviet split, it also served as a strategic alliance against the Soviet Union. Japan’s example was followed by other countries such as Germany and the United States of America under President Nixon’s rule.

While this might appear as a ‘dusty subject’ at first, he says, subjects like these remain relevant today. For example, due to these past dynamics, Germany had a head start on other (European) countries in making trade agreements with China when the country became more open to trade in the 80s. Although Germany has profited from its ties with China, its close economic links have become a burden as European policies toward China grow stricter due to its rising military threat. While this is just one example, Dr. Wits emphasises that we cannot understand the current state of geopolitics without understanding history: all current geopolitical problems are retraceable to the past.

For that reason, he argues that it is important to educate and make use of regional experts’ knowledge of the current global economy and political situation. This way politicians can make better-informed choices about forming and maintaining international relationships that influence us now and in the future. Especially since countries such as China (and Japan) are becoming increasingly influential powers.

However, Europe, including the Netherlands, seemingly lost some interest in international relations since the Cold War ended. Dr. Wits worries about how undervalued language abilities are among both regional experts in the media and policymakers. For example, while they emphasise the growing international importance of China, not one current member of the European Parliament speaks a Chinese language. As a result, the same few translated sources are repeatedly used when making policy. 

Dr. Wits strongly believes that politicians should value language and regional expertise more in the political debate. He thinks that universities such as Leiden University can offer an extra piece of knowledge that is now missing. So, together with other regional and geopolitical experts such as Michel Don Michaloliákos, Rajeev Lachmipersad and Remco Breuker, he formed the organisation Haagsch Instituut GeopolitiekNu. This organisation attempts to share universities’ geopolitical knowledge with a broader audience, specifically policymakers, experts, and journalists. Through their podcast, news updates, and events, people can form more informed opinions and make smart choices (that could change history). 

Through these kind of initiatives, Casper Wits hopes that his research interests of the past will positively impact the present.

Interview by LeidenGlobal Intern Shunita Gerritsen
October 2025