Regional Issues

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US, Filipino Forces Plan Combat Drills at Oil Rigs near South China Sea Waters Beijing Claims (AP, Jan. 19, 2012) U.S. and Philippine marines plan to hold combat drills at an oil rig in the South China Sea to bolster the defense of such sensitive facilities in a bold move that may provoke protests from China, which claims waters in or near the location.

China at It Again, Denies Visa to Arunachal Officer
(Times of India, Jan. 7, 2012) India has put "on hold" the visit of a 30-strong military delegation to China next week after Beijing refused to issue a visa to one member, a colonel-rank IAF officer who hails from Arunachal Pradesh.

China Welcomes Japan-India Ties
(China Daily, Dec. 29, 2011) China welcomes mutual visits between India and Japan and wants to “actively develop” relations with both countries, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda continued his state visit to India.

Taiwan Still a Top Buyer of US Arms
(Taipei Times, Dec. 22, 2011) A new report from the US Congressional Research Service shows that despite a sale of F-16C/D aircraft being turned down this year, Taiwan remains one of the US’ four major arms buyers.

Philippines Seeks 12 F-16 Fighter Jets, Coast Guard Ship from US amid Territorial Row (AP, Dec. 21, 2011) The Philippines will seek a squadron of F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard ship from longtime ally Washington amid simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Chinese Diplomat Meets with Myanmar Dissident
(Wall Street Journal, Dec. 16, 2011) China's ambassador to Myanmar met with Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, in a potential signal that Beijing hopes to take a greater role in the Southeast Asian nation's political transformation.

S. Korea’s China Embassy Shot at amid Tension
(Reuters, Dec. 15, 2011) South Korea said it had asked China for security guarantees at its Beijing embassy after the building was hit by a small projectile as tensions run high after the killing of a South Korean coastguard by a Chinese fisherman.

Solar Power Station Opens on Taiping
(Taipei Times, Dec. 14, 2011) The initiative hopes to cement Taiwan’s sovereignty in the area by focusing on scientific research and environmental protection.

China and Neighbors Begin Joint Mekong River Patrols
(New York Times, Dec. 11, 2011) Chinese border guards began joint patrols Saturday on the Mekong River with counterparts from Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The effort is a significant step by China toward playing a larger role in regional security.

Military Buildup in S. China Sea Amid Tension
(Jakarta Post, Dec. 8, 2011) Several countries with overlapping claims in the South China Sea are reportedly building up their military powers in the territory — a move that may endanger regional security and stability.

Chinese General Heads to India After Dalai Lama Spat Underlines Tensions (Bloomberg, Dec. 6, 2011) General Ma Xiaotian, the deputy chief of the People’s Liberation Army General Staff, will lead a delegation to New Delhi for meetings Dec. 9 with Indian Defense Secretary Shashikant Sharma and ministry officials.

China Defends Naval Drills in Western Pacific
(VOA, Nov. 24, 2011) China's defense ministry announced that it is planning a naval training exercise in the western Pacific. It said the drill will adhere to relevant international laws and practice and is not directed against any particular country.

Three-Way Military Drills with US, PRC Possible: Australia
(AFP, Nov. 23, 2011) Australian Minister of Defense Stephen Smith said Canberra would seriously consider trilateral military training with the US and China following the announcement of a US troop buildup in Darwin.

China to Join Effort to Patrol Mekong River
(New York Times, Nov.10, 2011) China announced that it would join its southeastern neighbors to conduct police patrols on the Mekong River, after the killings last month of 11 Chinese crewmen in an area plagued by drug smuggling.

US Pushes an APEC Trade Agenda China Calls ‘Too Ambitious’
(Bloomberg, Nov. 9, 2011) Rejecting criticism by China that the goals of US President Barck Obama’s administration for this week’s APEC summit are too ambitious, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the US would “push the envelope” to promote trade in renewable energy technology.

Taiwan to Support US in Bid to Remove New Tech Tariffs: Official
(China Post, Nov. 7, 2011) Taiwan will voice its support for the United States' effort to expand the Information Technology Agreement, which removes tariffs from a number of high-tech products, said Chuo Shih-chao, director-general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade.

Security Official Backs Stronger Taiwan Presence in South China Sea (CNA, Oct. 26, 2011) Tsai De-sheng, director-general of the National Security Bureau, said at a legislative hearing that Taiwan should upgrade its defensive capabilities on Taiping Island, the largest of the disputed, and Pratas Island in the South China Sea.

PRC Paper Warns of ‘Sounds of Cannons’ in Sea Dispute
(Reuters, Oct. 26, 2011) One of China’s most popular newspapers warned that nations involved in territorial disputes in the South China Sea should “mentally prepare for the sounds of cannons” if they remain at loggerheads with Beijing.

MOFA Chief Yang Supports Deploying Missiles to Taiping
(China Post, Oct. 20, 2011) Foreign Minister Timothy Yang expressed support for a proposal by lawmakers to strengthen Taiwan's defensive capabilities on Taiping Island in the South China Sea, including the deployment of missiles.

Philippines Unfazed by Taiwan Spratlys Missile Plan
(AFP, Oct. 16, 2011) The Philippines said it was prepared to defend its claims in the South China Sea, but downplayed a plan by Taiwan to deploy missiles in the area.

Defense Minister Considers Taiping Missile Placement
(China Post, Oct. 14, 2011) Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration said it is working closely with the Ministry of National Defense on conducting a comprehensive review of the defense of Taiping Island in the South China Sea amid the escalating dispute over the region.

China and Vietnam Move to Reduce Tensions in South China Sea
(New York Times, Oct. 13, 2011) China and Vietnam announced on Wednesday agreement on a series of steps to reduce tensions in the South China Sea, a source of frequent friction over their rival claims to islands and undersea minerals

Chinese Analyst Calls for War in South China Sea
(Taipei Times, Sep. 30, 2011) The comments came after an editorial published in the Global Times called on the Beijing government to declare war on Vietnam and the Philippines, two countries that have been proactive in defending their claims over the islets.

China Warns Asia Not to Hide Behind U.S. Security Umbrella
(Bloomberg, Sep. 28, 2011) Asian countries should be on guard against the “danger” of feeling they can “do whatever they want” because of the U.S. military presence in the region, the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily said in a commentary.

Japan, Philippines Tighten Defense Ties
(Wall Street Journal, Sep. 27, 2011) Japan and the Philippines agreed on Tuesday to strengthen maritime security ties, while also underscoring the importance of preserving peace and stability in the South China Sea amid rising tensions with China.

US Shows Off Supercarrier to Former Foe Vietnam After China’s Aircraft Carrier Takes Test Run (AP, Aug. 14, 2011) Less than a week after China launched its first aircraft carrier, the U.S. showed off its own big-boy supercarrier to former enemy Vietnam — one of several smaller Asian nations with jittery nerves amid Beijing’s burgeoning maritime ambitions.

Vietnam Accuses Beijing Over South China Sea Exploration
(VoA, Aug. 9, 2011) Vietnamese officials say they have met with Chinese counterparts to formally protest the activities of a research vessel in the South China Sea off its coasts.

China Issues Guidelines to Ease South China Sea Tensions
(Reuters, Aug. 2, 2011) China has unveiled rules aimed at easing territorial disputes with southeast Asian nations with an official newspaper on Tuesday placed much of the blame for recent tensions in the South China Sea on U.S. trouble-making.

Clinton Addresses South China Sea Rifts
(AP, Jul. 25, 2011) Clinton said dangerous incidents were on the rise and the international community has a vested interest in ending them because they threaten the stability, economic growth, and prosperity of the entire Asia-Pacific.

US Calls for Legal Basis to Claims in South China Sea
(Reuters, Jul. 24, 2011) The US called on rivals in the disputed South China Sea to back up territorial claims with legal evidence — a challenge to China’s declaration of sovereignty over vast stretches of the region.

China, U.S. Play Down Tensions at Asian Security Summit
(Reuters, Jul. 22, 2011) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, meeting at Asia's biggest security conference, appeared eager to downplay strains between the world's largest economy and Asia's emerging economic superpower.

‘Significant’ Progress Made on Disputed Sea: Officials
(AFP, Jul. 21, 2011) Southeast Asian countries and China said they had made “significant” progress for cooperation in the South China Sea, but diplomats cautioned the deal was watered down.

Taiwan Reiterates Sovereignty Over Spratlys
(CNA, Jul. 21, 2011) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Taiwan's sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, shortly after Philippine lawmakers made a trip there to declare their country's ownership.

ASEAN Ministers Urged to Pursue Early Agreement on China Sea
(VoA, Jul. 19, 2011) Southeast Asian foreign ministers were urged to speed up talks with China on a binding code of conduct for the South China Sea at the start of their annual gathering in Bali.

US Resolution Calls for Freedom to Navigate Strait
(Taipei Times, Jul. 17, 2011) A new resolution calling for continued operations by the US military to support freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait has been introduced in the US House of Representatives.

Vietnam: U.S. Ship to Join Exercises, Raising Objections from China (New York Times, Jul. 16, 2011) Three American Navy ships were welcomed by Vietnam for joint training, despite objections from China.

US Will Maintain South China Sea Presence: Mullen

(Reuters, Jul. 11, 2011) The US is committed to maintaining its presence in the South China Sea, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen said in China, adding that Washington was worried that disputes over the resource-rich waters could lead to serious conflict.

US, Philippines Hold Drills near South China Sea
(China Daily, Jun. 29, 2011) The Philippines and the United States launched regular naval exercises close to the South China Sea, showcasing the US' high-profile military presence in the region at a sensitive time, experts said.

China and Vietnam Agree to Talks on South China Sea Dispute
(New York Times, Jun. 27, 2011) China announced that it and Vietnam had agreed to hold talks on how to resolve conflicts arising from a sovereignty dispute over the South China Sea.

US Calls on China to Lower Tensions in South China Sea
(AFP, Jun. 27, 2011) The US called for China to lower tensions in the South China Sea through dialogue as the Pacific powers held first-of-a-kind talks on friction in Southeast Asia.

US Looks to Help Defuse Tensions in South China Sea
(AFP, Jun. 26, 2011) The US said it would seek to help defuse tensions in the strategic and resource-rich South China Sea as it was set to hold talks with China in Hawaii.

US ‘Committed’ to Philippines Defense: Clinton
(AFP, Jun. 25, 2011) The United States said it was ready to provide hardware to modernize the military of the Philippines, which vowed to “stand up to any aggressive action” amid rising tension at sea with China.

Philippines, US to Hold Drill at Sea
(Reuters, Jun. 25, 2011) The United States and the Philippines will begin 11 days of maritime security exercises near disputed waters in the South China Sea next week.

Gov’t Mulls Fortifying Sea Claim: Yang
(CNA, Jun. 23, 2011) Plans are in the works to better defend Taiwan's sovereignty claim over the South China Sea, Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy C.T. Yang said.

MND Denies Spratly Deployment Reports
(CNA, Jun. 18, 2011) The Ministry of National Defense said that it has no plans to increase its military deployment on several islands in the South China Sea, despite recent increasing tension in the area.

China to Boost Its Coastal Forces
(Reuters, Jun. 18, 2011) China will boost its coastal forces by adding ships and 6,000 personnel by 2020, state media said, a move likely to raise tensions with neighbors staking rival claims to waters thought to hold vast reserves of oil and gas.

Vietnam-China Spratly Islands Dispute Threatens to Escalate
(Christian Science Monitor, Jun. 16, 2011) Neither country is likely to back down easily, and if they did, neither population would see it in a favorable light. Because of this, some worry tensions could escalate to the point of exchange of fire.

Vietnam Navy Holds Live-Fire Drill amid Tensions with China
(AFP, Jun. 14, 2011) Vietnam put on a show of military strength in the tense South China Sea, risking the ire of Beijing in the face of a deepening maritime rift with its powerful neighbor.

Hanoi Welcomes Assistance As Sea Dispute Heats Up
(Reuters, Jun. 12, 2011) Vietnam said live-fire naval drills scheduled for tomorrow were “routine” and said it would welcome efforts by the international community, including the US, to help resolve disputes in the South China Sea.

Dispute between Vietnam and China Escalates Over Competing Claims in South China Sea (AP, Jun. 11, 2011) Vietnam said that it would conduct live-fire naval exercises off its coast next week, a step that escalated a long-running dispute with China over territory in the South China Sea that both nations claim.

China Tells Nations to Stop Spratly Oil Searches
(AP, Jun. 10, 2011) China warned Asian neighbors to stop searching for oil near the disputed Spratly Islands and vowed to assert its sovereignty over the potentially petroleum-rich territory in the South China Sea despite rival claims.

China Pledges Peace in Sea Territorial Disputes
(CNN, Jun. 5, 2011) China reassured its neighbors Sunday that it will maintain "peace and stability" in the turbulent South China Sea, a day after the U.S. renewed concerns over territorial disputes.

Norway Feels Sting of China’s Nobel Anger
(Forbes, May 6, 2011) Since the Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, Norwegian salmon exporters say their fish is being held up for days or even weeks by Chinese food safety inspectors - devastating its freshness.

Australia’s Rudd: Bring China into System
(AFP, May 4, 2011) Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has pressed for a global effort to bring China into institutions, saying that the future of the world economy depended on it.

China Embraces ASEAN for ‘Asian Century’
(Jakarta Post, May 1, 2011) Wen said cooperation among countries in East Asia could grow well only if ASEAN was the dominant player, a statement seemingly aimed at fending off the idea of using the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a nucleus of wider Asia-Pacific cooperation

Taiwan Wants Peaceful End to Islands Dispute
(CNA, Apr. 22, 2011) Taiwan hopes to achieve a peaceful resolution to the South China Sea territorial dispute and is not in favor of any actions that could cause an escalation of tensions, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said.

Lawmaker Proposes Sending Marines Back to South China Sea
(CNA, Apr. 19, 2011) A lawmaker proposed that Taiwan send its marine corps back to the South China Sea to strengthen its position in the regional dispute over claims to the area.

Taiwan Protests Philippines’ Sovereignty Claim Over Spratlys
(DPA, Apr. 18, 2011) Taiwan protested the Philippines' sovereign claims over the Spratlys islands, asserting that the archipelago belongs to the Republic of China.

China’s Hu Calls for Asian Security Cooperation
(AP, Apr. 15, 2011) Chinese President Hu Jintao called for Asian nations to better cooperate in security matters to avoid disagreements in a region increasingly beset by rival territorial claims — often involving China.

China Gunboats Harass RP Vessel
(Philippine Star, Mar. 4, 2011) Two Chinese Navy gunboats reportedly harassed a vessel owned by the Department of Energy (DOE) that was conducting maritime research off the disputed Spratly Islands.

China Openly Backs North Korea Succession Plan: KCNA
(Reuters, Feb. 15, 2011) A top Chinese official has backed ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's plans to hand power to his son, the North's state media said.

US Says Willing to Assist India-China Dialogue
(Times of India, Feb. 3, 2011) The US is willing to take steps to improve relations between India and China, a top Obama Administration official said.

S. Korea, Japan to Explore Deeper Defense Cooperation
(AFP, Jan. 4, 2011) The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan will hold talks in Seoul next week to discuss increasing military cooperation and how to tackle North Korea, the South's military said.

China Plans More Patrols in Disputed Seas, Daily Says
(Bloomberg, Dec. 24, 2010) China plans to increase patrols to protect fishing boats in disputed waters that sparked clashes with Japan, South Korea and Vietnam this year.

New Zealand Defense Officials Warned US on PLA’s actions in Pacific: Cables (AFP, Dec. 22, 2010) New Zealand defense officials warned Washington that China’s People’s Liberation Army was fueling political instability in the Pacific, reports citing leaked diplomatic cables said.

US Urges South China Sea Cooperation
(Reuters, Nov. 12, 2010) The US Navy’s top officer is urging China to work with the US in the South China Sea despite Beijing’s declaration of “indisputable sovereignty” over an area where more than half the world’s oil tankers transit.

Australia, US Want China to Be ‘Force for Good’
(AFP, Nov. 7, 2010) Australia and the United States want China to be a "force for good" Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.

U.S. Military Moves in Asia Not Aimed at China: Gates
(Reuters, Nov. 7, 2010) U.S. military efforts to strengthen its presence in Asia are not aimed at countering China, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

China Stages Naval Exercises
(New York Times, Nov. 4, 2010) China’s Marine Corps held major naval exercises in the South China Sea, massing 1,800 troops and more than 100 ships, submarines and aircraft for a live-fire display of the nation’s growing military power.

China Rejects US Offer of Three-Way Talks
(AFP, Nov. 3, 2010) China and Japan alone should resolve their dispute over contested islands in the East China Sea, Beijing said, rejecting a US offer for three-way talks to address the simmering row.

Clinton Visits China to Urge End to Marine Rows
(AFP, Nov. 1, 2010) US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made a quick visit to China to reiterate her view that Beijing must help defuse maritime disputes with its neighbors and especially Japan.

US, Russia Join Asian Summit As Regional Spats Simmer
(AFP, Oct. 30, 2010) The United States and Russia will be formally invited as members of the East Asia Summit at the group's annual gathering, in what analysts say is a blow to Chinese attempts to diminish US influence in the region.

South Korea and US Shelve Plan to Stage Drill: Report
(AFP, Oct. 25, 2010) South Korea and the US have shelved a plan to stage a major joint exercise later this month in the Yellow Sea, reflecting concerns about China’s objections, a report said.

Rising China Causes Apprehension at Asia Summit
(AFP, Oct. 24, 2010) Behind the official handshakes and smiles at this week's 16-nation Asian summit in Vietnam, China's increasingly assertive behaviour means the region will be in an apprehensive mood, analysts say.

Taiwan Warships to Escort Fishing Boats
(China Post, Oct. 21, 2010) Taiwan will send its “big battleships” to escort the country's trawlers as the autumn crab season began almost two months late this year, the Council of Agriculture and the Coast Guard Administration said.

Vietnam Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Maritime Disputes as China Balks (Bloomberg, Oct. 12, 2010) Vietnam called for increased efforts to peacefully resolve maritime disputes at a meeting of Asia- Pacific defense ministers after flare-ups in disputed waters off China’s coast last month heightened tensions.

US Willing to Help Craft a South China Sea Code of Conduct
(AFP, Oct. 5, 2010) The US is willing to help craft a legally binding “code of conduct” to end a territorial dispute between ASEAN members and China that threatens regional stability, a US envoy said.

US, S Korea Begin an Anti-Submarine Drill in Yellow Sea
(AFP, Sep. 28, 2010) The US and South Korea launched a joint anti-submarine exercise yesterday in a show of strength against the North, which is preparing for a key meeting of its ruling party.

Australia, China Conduct Live-Fire Naval Exercise in Yellow Sea
(VoA, Sep. 25, 2010) Australia and China have conducted their first-ever joint naval exercise involving the firing of live ammunition. Ongoing tensions between China and the United States forced organizers not to invite American forces to take part in the military maneuvers.

Indonesia Rejects China Stance That U.S. Stay Out of Local Waters Dispute (Bloomberg, Sep. 23, 2010) Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa rejected China’s stance that the U.S. stay out of territorial disputes in the South China Sea ahead of a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders with President Barack Obama.

China Refutes Reports of Sending Troops to Pakistan
(Xinhua, Sep. 1, 2010) China rejected reports of the presence of over 11,000 Chinese troops in northern Pakistan, saying that such "groundless reports" were made with "ulterior motives."

Yellow Sea Venue for Rival War Games
(VoA, Sep. 1, 2010) The Yellow Sea is again the setting for naval war games. China has started a four-day artillery exercise in waters off Qingdao. The United States and South Korea are to hold joint drills in the same waters in a few days.

Delhi Concerned at China’s ‘Interest’ in Indian Ocean
(Daily Times, Sep. 1, 2010) India said China was demonstrating “more than normal interest” in the Indian Ocean as two Chinese warships made a rare visit to military-ruled Myanmar.

Chinese Navy to Hold Drills in Yellow Sea
(AP, Aug. 29, 2010) China said its navy will stage live-ammunition drills in the Yellow Sea this week, after Beijing condemned recent and planned U.S.-South Korean joint naval exercises there and vowed to respond in kind.

Beijing Claims to Plant Flag under South China Sea
(Reuters, Aug. 27, 2010) China said it had used a small, manned submarine to plant the national flag deep beneath the South China Sea, where Beijing has tussled with Washington and Southeast Asian nations over territorial disputes.

U.S. Announces New Joint Exercise with South Korea
(Reuters, Aug. 18, 2010) The U.S. military will conduct an anti-submarine warfare exercise with South Korea early next month, sending a message to the North that Washington is committed to defending its ally, the Pentagon said.

PLA Urges Tough Stance against US Exercises in Region
(Reuters, Aug. 13, 2010) China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) demanded a tough response to US plans to send an aircraft carrier to naval exercises near its coast, saying that “respect” was at stake.

Chinese Admiral Says U.S., South Korea Drills ‘Fresh Provocation’ to China (Bloomberg, Aug. 12, 2010) A U.S. decision to use a nuclear- powered aircraft carrier in joint naval drills with South Korea in the Yellow Sea would be “a fresh provocation” to China and its surrounding region, Rear Admiral Yang Yi wrote in a commentary published in China Daily.

US Navy Destroyer Docks in Vietnam for Four-Day Visit
(VoA, Aug. 10, 2010) The visit by the guided-missile USS John S. McCain comes amid escalating tensions with China over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

China Shaken by US Move to Sign Nuclear Deal with Vietnam
(Times of India, Aug. 6, 2010) China, which has recently dominated the security situation in North Asia, appeared shaken by a surprise move by the US administration to begin negotiations for a civilian nuclear deal with Vietnam.

Vietnam Says China Violates Its Sovereignty in Sea
(Reuters, Aug. 5, 2010) Vietnam accused China of violating its sovereignty by conducting seismic exploration near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

U.S. to Send Aircraft Carrier into Waters off China for Drills
(Bloomberg, Aug. 5, 2010) The U.S. will send a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korea’s west coast in the coming months for more joint drills that have sparked opposition from China.

Beijing Urges Seoul to Refrain from West Sea Drill
(Chosun Ilbo, Jul. 8, 2010) China has asked the South Korean government through a diplomatic channel to refrain from a join exercise with the U.S. in the West Sea this month.

Opposition in ASEAN Nations As China Free-Trade Agreement Comes into Force (Bloomberg, Jan. 2, 2009) A FTA between China and ASEAN came into force, consolidating a sixfold surge in economic activity over the past decade between countries representing a quarter of the world’s population.

ASEAN-China Open Free Trade Area
(AFP, Dec. 29, 2009) China and Southeast Asia establish the world's biggest free trade area (FTA), liberalizing billions of dollars in goods and investments covering a market of 1.7 billion consumers.

The Devil in the Deep Blue Detail
(Economist, Feb. 4, 2012) The disputes over the South China Sea have persisted for decades without threatening global peace and need not inevitably become the main focus of tension between China and America. There is a danger that putting the sea in the same sentence as the cold war too often is self-fulfilling.

Australia Defense Report Urges Northward Shift By Enda Curran
(Wall Street Journal, Jan. 31, 2012) China's growing military power through the Pacific and Australia's development of vast natural-resource projects along its northwestern seaboard has pushed the country's defense planners to rethink strategy.

China Courts the Middle East By Dilip Hiro
(YaleGlobal, Jan. 30, 2012) As a rising global power, China favors the region’s status quo, gambling it can continue to fulfill its growing hydrocarbon needs from the Middle East, acquiring a larger footprint there while spurning the West's pressure to join its anti-Iran drive.

Philippines Sends ‘Wrong Signal’ By Chi Haipei
(China Daily, Jan. 30, 2012) By allowing more US troops on its soil, the Philippines has sent the wrong signal, experts said, and the decision will cause more tension in the South China Sea.

China in 2012: Foreign Affairs a Secondary Priority but Salient Challenges Ahead By Robert Sutter (China Breif 12(2), Jamestown Foundation, Jan. 20, 2012) China’s main problems in foreign affairs in 2012 relate to Chinese leaders’ difficulty in sustaining an effective and unified approach to foreign affairs amid challenges along China’s periphery in Asia.

China, Vietnam Drift in South China Sea By David Brown
(Asia Times, Jan. 21, 2012) If ASEAN's diplomacy is feckless and the US and regional allies are being drawn into the region's quarrels, where then is the ray of hope? It comes from recent indications that Vietnam and China may be working out a bilateral deal, or at least towards a modus vivendi.

How China Ends West’s Domination By Zhang Yunling
(The Diplomat, Jan. 16, 2012) Some have worried that China may “operate both within and outside the existing international system, seeking to transform that system while at the same time, in effect, sponsoring a new China-centric international system." The fact is, though, that a China-centric system would neither be acceptable to other nations nor in China’s own interest.

Battle for Control of Asia’s Seas Goes Underwater By Eric Talmadge
(AP, Jan. 19, 2012) Nearly every Asian country with a coastline is fortifying its submarine fleet amid territorial disputes stirred up by an increasingly assertive China and the promise of bountiful natural resources.

US Navy Commander Concerned South China Sea Incident Could Easily Escalate (AP, Jan. 18, 2012) The U.S. Navy’s top commander in the Pacific says he’s concerned local arguments in disputed oil rich waters near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea could escalate into larger, more serious confrontations.

China’s New Strategic Target: Arctic Minerals By Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins (China Real Time Report, Jan. 18, 2012) As policymakers in Washington focus on China’s expanding presence in Africa and growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean region, Danish diplomatic assistance is opening the gate for China to establish a strategic foothold in the Arctic.

China’s Assertive Behavior—Part Three: The Role of the Military in Foreign Policy By Michael D. Swaine (China Leadership Monitor #36, Jan. 6, 2012, Hoover Institution) This article assesses what is reliably known about the role of the PLA in China’s foreign policy processes. It reviews the changing relationship of the PLA to the overall PRC leadership system and political power structure in China and focuses on the organizational and procedural relationship of the PLA to the foreign policy process in particular.

Nobody Keen to Answer the Big Taiwan Question By Hamish McDonald (Sydney Morning Herald, Dec. 31, 2011) Two weeks from today, the people of Taiwan vote in a presidential election. Depending on the result, a dragon that seemed to be sleeping may be stirred, and an old dilemma revived for Canberra.

Disquiet Returns to China-India Relations By Rark Magnier
(LA Times, Dec. 18, 2011) The India-China relationship, relatively well managed for years by the two governments, is under growing pressure in the face of insensitivity and nationalism on both sides, India's hyperactive broadcast media and the growing autonomy of Chinese ministries, analysts say.

Can Asia Step Up to 21st Century Leadership? By Amitav Acharya
(YaleGlobal, Dec. 1, 2011) “Asia’s role in global governance cannot be delinked from the question: Who leads Asia?” Acharya writes. A collective leadership, along the lines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, would complement Asia’s growing economic power.

China, India Perform Dangerous New Dance of Encircler, Counter-encircler By Simon Denyer (Washington Post, Nov. 27, 2011) Threatened by China’s rapidly growing ties with its South Asian neighbors, India is increasingly trying to penetrate Beijing’s traditional sphere of influence, and the mutual irritations are beginning to show.

Obama and Asian Leaders Confront China’s Premier By Jackie Calmes (New York Times, Nov. 20, 2011) President Obama and nearly all the leaders at an Asian summit directly confronted China for its expansive claims to the resource-rich South China Sea, putting the Chinese premier on the defensive in the long-festering dispute.

Dispute Over Bare Islands Underscores Philippines’ Rocky Relations with China By Andrew Jacobs (New York Times, Nov. 16, 2011) Even as it takes comfort in its longstanding alliance with the United States, the Philippines, a former American colony, is eager to find common ground with its giant neighbor to the north, whose growing economic pull it is finding impossible to resist.

A New Era of Gunboat Diplomacy By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Nov. 13, 2011) The showdown in the South China Sea augurs a new type of maritime conflict, where fuel-hungry economic powers, newly accessible undersea energy riches and even changes in the earth’s climate are conspiring to create a 21st-century contest for the seas.

Europe’s Coming Trade War with China By Jonathan Holslag
(Foreign Policy, Nov. 7, 2011) Today, the talk in Brussels is all about Beijing's price for helping bail out the eurozone. But the real danger is a looming protectionist backlash.

Alms from China
(Editorial, New York Times, Nov. 6, 2011) It is true that rescuing Europe will be costly, weighing on European budgets and diverting resources from other priorities. But allowing China to pay for Europe’s bailout would prove even costlier.

Russia’s Role in EAS: Promoting Inter-regional Cooperation By Alica Kizekova (PacNet #62, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Nov. 3, 2011) The Asia-Pacific region has been identified as the world’s new center of gravity. The emerging new architecture revolving around Asian powers has given rise to questions about Russia’s role in the region, given that the Eurasian giant maintains a presence in the Far East.

Denying Imbalances, G20 Risks Chaos—Part I By Shen Dingli
(YaleGlobal, Nov. 4, 2011) The US focus on currency exchange rates and an undervalued renminbi overlooks fundamental imbalances. Attempts to slow China’s rise with congressional pressure, protectionism or misguided confrontation won’t restore jobs in Europe or the US.

China to Hold Sway at G20 Cannes Summit By Catherine Bremer
(Reuters, Oct. 31, 2011) Efforts to coax China into throwing the euro zone a lifeline will dominate this week’s G20 Summit and leave Beijing holding the cards.

China’s Provocation ‘Sparks Insecurity’ By Yohanna Ririhena
(Jakarta Post, Nov. 1, 2011) Last week China’s official media outlet said that nations involved in territorial disputes in the South China Sea should “mentally prepare for the sounds of cannons” if they remain at loggerheads with Beijing. This rhetoric has raised eyebrows and has prompted many to justify concerns that China is a real threat to regional security.

Wary of China, Its Southern Neighbors Court India By Harsh V. Pant
(YaleGlobal, Oct. 28, 2011) China’s rapid ascent, along with the flexing of its muscles, has worried neighbors. They chafe at becoming too dependent, and a loose, yet perceptible balancing coalition aimed at curbing China has emerged.

Russia’s Eastern Anxieties By Raffaello Pantucci and Alexandros Petersen (IHT, Oct. 18, 2011) While cordial, an unspoken undertone to the meetings was Russian concern about growing Chinese influence in the former Soviet Union and particularly Central Asia.

We Are All Taiwanese Now By Brad Glosserman
(PacNet #58, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Oct. 6, 2011) Taiwanese grievances are a crystallized and crystal-clear manifestation of anxieties felt worldwide as we try to pin down the meaning and implications of the global power shift that is underway. We are all Taiwanese now.

The Advantages of an Assertive China: Responding to Beijing’s Abrasive Diplomacy By Thomas J. Christensen (Foreign Affairs, March/April, 2011) Rather than a simple assertion of its newfound power, China's negative diplomacy seems rooted in a strange mix of confidence on the international stage and insecurity at home.

Chinese Call for War Was Aimed at Oil: Academic
(Taipei Times, Oct. 9, 2011) The op-ed may have the one more immediate goal to scare Western oil companies away from Vietnam and from the Philippines and to deter them from concluding deals with them.

It Takes Two to Have “Win-Win” Relations By Mihoko Matsubara
(PacNet #54, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Sep. 20, 2011) China is absolutely right: Tokyo must “carefully craft and implement a proper policy” to make relations better. But Beijing has to play its part as well.

Shelving Difference While Hedging in the South China Sea By Peter Mattis (China Brief 11(17), Jamestown Foundation, Sep. 16, 2011) Although the rhetoric of these meetings reiterated commitments to peaceful settlement of disputes and pushed economic ties, Hanoi and Manila both sought domestic and foreign means to hedge against Chinese coercion in the South China Sea.

India’s Entry into South China Sea Aimed at Countering China: Chinese Analysts (Economic Times, Sep. 18, 2011) Watching warily India’s decision to go ahead with oil exploration cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea, Chinese analysts say it is New Delhi’s counter-strategy to checkmate the forays being made by China into its neighborhood.

Unraveling China’s “String of Pearls” By Ashley S. Townshend
(YaleGlobal, Sep. 16, 2011) Reports that Pakistan invited China to construct a naval base in Gwadar have reignited concerns about Beijing’s strategic ambitions in the Indian Ocean.

India Concerned Over Military Gap with China By James Lamont
(Financial Times, Sep. 6, 2011) Senior Indian military officers have voiced their concerns about a widening gap between India and China’s defense capabilities, as New Delhi falls behind in the modernization of its armed forces.

Vietnam Embraces An Old Enemy By Albert R Hunt
(Bloomberg, Aug. 29, 2011) Vietnam’s foreign minister said that Vietnam and the United States are discussing upgrading their strategic relationship to “a new level.” That, he declared, would be “good for the stability of the region,” in accord with Vietnam’s “multilateral” approach.

Taiwan Considers Eco-Tourism to Assert Territorial Claims By Ralph Jennings (VOA, Aug. 29, 2011) Taiwan has been a relatively quiet player in the tense dispute about territorial claims in the South China Sea. That could change with an unusual initiative that involves tourists, rare turtles and a remote atoll.

The South China Sea Is the Future of Conflict By Robert D. Kaplan
(Foreign Policy, Sept/Oct 2011) Because of the way geography illuminates and sets priorities, the physical contours of East Asia augur a naval century. It is through sea power that China will psychologically erase two centuries of foreign transgressions on its territory -- forcing every country around it to react.

The Phantom Menace By Daniel L. Byman and Charles King
(New York Times, Aug. 16, 2011) Taiwan shows one way out of this conundrum; despite existing in a state of legal uncertainty, it has thrived. The key was engagement. Taiwan’s economic and strategic importance pushed the United States, China and other great powers to tiptoe around — and sometimes even embrace — its unsettled legal status.

The Chinese Okhotsk: The Nuclear Dimension of South China Sea Disputes By Tetsuo Kotani (PacNet #37, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jul. 22, 2011) From a submariner’s perspective, the semi-closed South China Sea can be referred to as the “Chinese Okhotsk” given its position in China’s nuclear strategy.

China’s Fishing Ban in the South China Sea: Implications for Territorial Disputes By Nguyen Dang Thang (PacNet #35A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jul. 20, 2011) The defiance of China’s fishing ban is likely to result in the arrest of Vietnamese fishermen and confiscation of their vessels by Chinese authorities. This will lead to renewed tension and friction in the region, and damage the efforts of both China and Vietnam to improve their global image.

South China Sea Diplomacy: More Needs to Be Done By Zha Daojiong (PacNet #35, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jul. 19, 2011) The geo-strategic relations between Beijing and Washington need to be better understood as a continuous search for levels of comfort in co-existence in the western Pacific. The South China Sea then, features as an occasional component of a larger set of uncertainties between the two capitals.

Engaging China in the South China Sea Conflict By Bambamg Hartadi Nugroho (Jakarta Post, Jul. 17, 2011) It is up to Asean countries, particularly the claimants, which option they will choose. Nonetheless, the smart choice is to continue engaging China in multilateral arrangements while restraining themselves from doing provocative actions in the disputed area.

Folly and the South China Sea By David Brown
(Asia Times, Jul. 15, 2011) Particular care should be taken to reassure China that it will not be excluded from participation in oil and gas development activities anywhere in the South China Sea area. It might even make sense to accord Chinese companies some priority access, just as long as they play by the world's rules instead of the ones that they've made up.

The South China Sea’s Georgia Scenario By Lyle Goldstein
(Foreign Policy, Jul. 11, 2011) The United States must retain a "big stick," but much more actually needs to be done to "speak softly" through flexible, practical, and quiet diplomacy.

South China Sea: A Commons for China Only? By Carlyle A. Thayer (YaleGlobal, Jul. 7, 2011) As the center of the global economy shifts eastward, trade routes serving the area have acquired greater importance. It’s also brought new attention to the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

China Sea Dispute Looms Large in U.S. Visit By Jeremy Page
(Wall Street Journal, Jul. 9, 2011) Adm. Mullen is due to arrive in Beijing Saturday just as the U.S. and its two main regional military partners—Japan and Australia—begin joint naval drills in the South China Sea for the first time.

US Hesitates on Philippine Arms By Al Labita
(Asia Times, Jul. 2, 2011) Doubts are swirling in the Philippines over whether the United States will live up to its promise to provide its military with the weaponry and equipment needed to stand up to China's aggressions in the South China Sea.

China Rejects US Involvement in South China Sea Disputes By Ariel Zirulnick (Christian Science Monitor, Jun. 28, 2011) China seriously rejected a US Senate resolution criticizing its actions in the South China Sea and calling for multilateral negotiations, saying the regional dispute is not a matter for the US.

A U.S. Role in the South China Sea
(Editorial, Washington Post, Jun. 26, 2011) China’s menacing language makes clear why the United States needs to exert its influence. As important is checking China’s impulse to bully its neighbors.

Beijing Warns U.S. about South China Sea Disputes By Edward Wong (New York Times, Jun. 23, 2011) The Chinese vice foreign minister warned the United States to stay out of the increasingly tense territorial disputes and maritime conflicts in the South China Sea.

Taiwan Pivots in the South China Sea By Russell Hsiao
(China Brief 11(11), Jamestown Foundation, Jun. 17, 2011) The Ma government’s emphasis on the “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea is a subtle but significant departure from the administration’s low-key approach and could have important implications for cross-Strait relations.

Waters Roil in the South China Sea By Joel D Adriano
(Asia Times, Jun. 17, 2011) If a military confrontation breaks out that the US, a key Philippine military ally, would be unlikely to side with the Philippines due to the risk of being dragged into a potential major conflict with China.

Chinese Naval Maneuvers Seen As Warning to Vietnam By Barbara Demick (LA Times, Jun. 18, 2011) The Chinese navy conducted three days of exercises — including live fire drills — in the disputed waters of the South China Sea this week, escalating tensions over a potentially resource-rich area also claimed by some neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

Fight or Flight in the South China Sea By David Brown
(Asia Times, Jun. 9, 2011) Washington ought to stand tough vis-a-vis China's hawks, putting Beijing privately on notice that provocative actions can only result in uniting other claimants, drawing the US further into the conflict.

China’s Troubled Neighbors By Philip Bowring
(IHT, Jun. 8, 2011) China’s emergence has upset the status quo. Beijing’s actions, be they conciliatory or aggressive, will set the tone for the future, and hence the relationships between the United States and the other nations of the region.

Crowed Waters By Abraham M. Denmark
(Foreign Policy, Jun. 7, 2011) A disastrous Southeast Asian arms race is not inevitable. The United States should encourage the rise of new naval powers that can help maintain their own independence, provided they do not limit freedom of navigation or threaten regional stability.

U.S. Won’t Become Isolationist, Gates Tells Worried Asian Leaders By Thom Shanker (New York Times, Jun. 4, 2011) Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pledged that the United States would sustain its military presence and diplomatic involvement in Asia.

South China Sea Oil Rush Heightens Conflict Risk As U.S. Emboldens Vietnam By Daniel Ten Kate (Bloomberg, May 27, 2011) Vietnam and the Philippines are pushing forward oil and gas exploration projects in areas of the South China Sea claimed by China, sparking a fresh clash in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.

PLA Steps Up Military Diplomacy in Asia By Russell Hsiao
(China Brief, Jamestown Foundation, May 6, 2011) The apparent Asia-focus of China's recent diplomatic maneuvers dovetails President Hu Jintao's public pronouncement at the 2011 Boao Forum about putting Asia first in China's external relations.

Amidst Cooperation, “Normalcy” Returns to Northeast Asia By Jeffrey Hornung (PacNet #25, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Apr. 28,2011) It is wishful thinking to believe that March 11 provided the Northeast Asian states an opportunity to move beyond historical disputes. Yet, disaster relief cooperation could have laid the groundwork for a greater paradigm shift in relations.

Limits of Chinese Power in Southeast Asia By Evelyn Goh
(YaleGlobal, Apr. 26, 2011) A growing economy does not necessarily translate into political influence. Beijing sways economic choices of members of the Association of South East Asian Nations through trade but less so in security matters.

China Yearns for Peace on Southern Flank By Peter Lee
(Asia Times, Apr. 22, 2011) It looks like the People's Republic of China (PRC) yearns for stability on its borders - and in the Tibetan Autonomous Region - as it nervously eyes the wave of popular protests sweeping the Middle East.

The Politics of Globalization By Peter Mandelson
(YaleGlobal, Apr. 8, 2011) Governments have the capability to tame what seems to be a senseless race to devour resources and amass profits. Collective action is the only way to control dangerous competition, prevent unreasonable behavior of a few and ensure stability.

China Hedges Over Whether South China Sea Is a ‘Core Interest’ Worth War By Edward Wong (New York Times, Mar. 30, 2011) A public debate erupted in China over this question: Should China officially upgrade the South China Sea to a “core interest,” placing it on par with other sovereignty issues like Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang that could justify military intervention?

The Implications of China’s Active Defense Strategy By Balbina Y. Hwang (PacNet #16A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 10, 2011) China’s rise seems to be different not just due to the sheer magnitude of its size and breadth but because it has been accompanied by a shift in its foreign policy.

US Asserts Its Power in Indochina By Chen Hurng-yu
(Taipei Times, Mar. 25, 2011) The administration of US President Barack Obama has rapidly adjusted its policy toward Southeast Asia, especially Indochina, and has shown a strong interest in matters related to the South China Sea.

Westward Ho: Asians March into Africa—Part I By Johan Lagerkvist
(YaleGlobal, Mar. 16, 2011) There’s some wariness among Africans about an onslaught of new foreign investors, but Africans are more empowered than in previous centuries to monitor their foreign relations and chart their destiny.

Rising China Threatens U.S. Clout in Latin America By Stuart Grudgings and Simon Gardner (Reuters, Mar. 16, 2011) China's growing economic stake in the region may one day raise a threat to Washington's strategic dominance as its deep pockets bring new friends.

Could ASEAN Drift Apart? By Geoff Wade
(YaleGlobal, Feb. 25, 2011) China’s infrastructure assistance helps economic growth, but the weighting toward the organization’s mainland members contributes to tensions that could weaken ASEAN's own collaboration.

Asia’s Rise, Western Anxiety: Leadership in a Tripolar World By Brad Glosserman (PacNet #12, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Feb. 18, 2011) This is an age of anxiety for the West. The unease deeply rooted among Westerners is a feeling—a fear—that they are losing control.

Small Victories Add Up for China By Benjamin A. Shobert
(Asia Times, Feb. 11, 2011) the Chinese are implementing a strategy designed to prevent deployment of US forces in the region. But whether this is something to be feared, or the sort of gesturing and gamesmanship commonly seen among great powers, remains an unanswered question.

Renewing the India-Indonesia Bond By Rupakjyoti Borah
(PacNet #6, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jan. 31, 2011) As India readies to play an increasingly important role in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is crucial to Delhi’s efforts to reach out to the region.

US-China Relations Take a New Direction?—Part II By Harsh V. Pant (YaleGlobal, Jan. 26, 2011) India and other nations throughout Asia, unsure about US ability or willingness to stay the course, quietly go about building their own strengths, seeking counterbalance to China.

Shadow of Sino-US ‘New Normal’ Falls on India By Sumit Ganguly and David P. Fidler (Times of India, Jan. 23, 2011) The summit did show US-China relations entering a new phase characterized by acknowledged parity and a commitment to stabilizing this bilateral relationship.

A Tale of Two Ports By Christophe Jaffrelot
(YaleGlobal, Jan. 7, 2011) Asian giants seek connections while resisting encirclement by rivals. Some of the new alliances make for strange bedfellows and, depending on political or military events, may not last for long.

China Quietly Extends Its Footprints Deep into Central Asia By Edward Wong (New York Times, Jan. 3, 2011) While China is seizing the spotlight in East and Southeast Asia with its widening economic footprint and muscular diplomacy, it is also quietly making its presence felt on its western flank, once primarily Russia’s domain.

China Respects European Unity By Jonas Parello-Plesner
(PacNet #62, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Dec. 21, 2010) EU member-states need to move China up the policy agenda and act in unison if they want to reap the benefits of stronger ties to China and avoid being divided and ultimately ruled.

China’s Missteps in Southeast Asia: Less Charm, More Offense By Ian Storey (China Brief 10(25), Jamestown Foundation, Dec. 17, 2010) China’s diplomatic missteps in Southeast Asia over the past year have sent ripples of concern across the region, undermined Beijing’s “peaceful development” thesis and led to a renewed appreciation of America’s diplomatic role and military presence in Asia.

India-China Border Tensions Belie Warm Words By Pratap Chakravarty (AFP, Dec. 25, 2010) The theme of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India was "friends not rivals," but a border dispute remains a source of tension and, analysts warn, potential conflict between the Asian giants.

In India, China Leader Pushes Trade By Jim Yardley
(New York Times, Dec. 17, 2010) China and India set ambitious new economic targets by pledging to nearly double their trade in the next five years to $100 billion annually.

WikiLeaks Cables: ‘Aggressive’ China Losing Friends around the World By Ewen MacAskill (Guardian, Dec. 4, 2010) Britain, India and Japan complain of Beijing’s diplomatic ‘muscle-flexing’, while Africans talk of coercion in aid-for-resources deals.

WikiLeaks: Hillary Clinton’s Question: How Can We Stand Up to Beijing? By Ewen MacAskill (Guardian, Dec. 4, 2010) Australia’s ex-PM Kevin Rudd advised US secretary of state to welcome Beijing onto world stage but keep force as a last resort. The Cable

South Korea and U.S. Reach Deal on Trade By Sewell Chan
(New York Times, Dec. 4, 2010) American negotiators have completed a free-trade agreement with South Korea that will eliminate most tariffs on exports and solidify one of the nation’s most significant alliances in Asia, the Obama administration said.

Can China Afford to Confront the World?—Part II By Pichamon Yeophantong (YaleGlobal, Nov. 30, 2010) Historically, geographically and economically, China is the region’s major player, so outright confrontation is not an option. History suggests that powerful states diminish their own standing with reckless behavior, and ASEAN counts on China to keep its word for a peaceful rise.

China’s Billions Reap Rewards in Cambodia By John Pomfret
(Washington Post, Nov. 20, 2010) Spreading investment and aid along with political pressure, China is transforming a huge swath of territory along its southern border. Call it the Monroe Doctrine, Chinese style.

Stalled South Korea Trade Deal Is Setback for Obama By Sheryl Gay Stolberg (New York Times, Nov. 12, 2010) Analysts say the free trade accord is an important underpinning for other deals the administration is seeking, including a regional agreement with Asia-Pacific nations

Clinton Urges Cambodia to Strike a Balance with China By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Nov. 1, 2010) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called on Cambodia to maintain an independent foreign policy and avoid relying too much on China.

China’s Fast Rise Leads Neighbors to Join Forces By Mark Landler, Jim Yardley and Michael Wines (New York Times, Oct. 31, 2010) China’s military expansion and assertive trade policies have set off jitters across Asia, prompting many of its neighbors to rekindle old alliances and cultivate new ones.

U.S. Works to Ease China-Japan Conflict By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Oct. 31, 2010) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed a three-way meeting with China and Japan to resolve their dispute in the East China Sea.

Taking Harder Stance toward China, Obama Lines up Allies By Mark Landler and Sewell Chan (New York Times, Oct. 26, 2010) The Obama administration is stiffening its approach toward Beijing, seeking allies to confront a newly assertive power that officials now say has little intention of working with the United States.

Taipei and the New, Assertive China By Arthur Waldron
(China Brief 10(21), Jamestown Foundation, Oct. 22, 2010) Starting in late spring an unexpected tide of events set in motion the beginning of a new polarization between China and many of the other. This redrawing posed in turn an unanticipated question for President Ma's government in Taiwan: which side would the island take?

Turbulence Remains in South China Sea By Jim Stevenson
(VoA, Oct. 17, 2010) Ultimately, as China expands its activities, they will come in contact with the United States more and more. It is in U.S. interest, and indeed in Chinese interests, and the interests of the other countries in the Asian-Pacific region, that countries work more closely together to establish rules of the road.

Asia in the “New American Moment” By Amitav Acharya
(PacNet #49, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Oct. 14, 2010) If recent US statements on the South China Sea succeed in prodding China and ASEAN to renew efforts to conclude the long-overdue code of conduct in the South China Sea, then that would be a worthy achievement of US diplomacy.

U.S. and China Soften Tone Over Disputed Seas By Thom Shanker
(New York Times, Oct. 13, 2010) The United States and China sought to defuse tensions over disputed territorial seas, with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urging nations to honor historic rights of free transit through international waters and his Chinese counterpart saying the region had nothing to fear from Beijing’s armed forces.

Shared Concern about China Aligns U.S. and Vietnam By Seth Mydans (New York Times, Oct. 11, 2010) A steady progression of careful gestures between the United States and Vietnam has eroded the enmities of the war and turned attention from issues of the past to the present.

China’s Growing Clout in the SCO: Peace Mission 2010 By Richard Weitz (China Brief 10(20), Jamestown Foundation, Oct. 8, 2010) For Beijing, these exercises serve a number of purposes besides enhancing the collective military capacity of the member states.

China’s ‘Frown Diplomacy’ in Southeast Asia By Donald K. Emmerson (PacNet #45, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Oct. 6, 2010) The “smile diplomacy” in Southeast Asia that China watchers used to describe has been reversed by Beijing – into a frown.

China’s Irresistible Power Surge By Rowan Callick
(Australian, Oct. 4, 2010) The danger is less one of a large-scale military threat than of the gradual constriction of our freedom to operate in the manner to which Anglo-American naval primacy has long accustomed us.

China’s Rise, the United States, and Asia’s Angst By Robert Sutter
(PacNet #41, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Sep. 13, 2010) As the U.S. government deepens its involvement in sensitive regional issues, Asian friends and others will be watching carefully how well the US balances efforts to offset Chinese unilateralism and intimidation while avoiding serious and disruptive confrontation or conflict.

What the Asian Debate about U.S. Hegemony Tells Us By Evelyn Goh (PacNet #39A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Sep. 7, 2010) The implicit parallel question is whether Asians are willing either to shift into a Chinese sphere of influence, or to facilitate a highly complex negotiated power sharing arrangement between the US, China, and Japan.

Asia’s Clouded Horizon—Part II By Yoichi Funabashi
(YaleGlobal, Sep. 29, 2010) The nature of global threats is evolving, and as a global economic power, Japan can lead in peace-building, economic development, nonproliferation and environmental protection.

China’s Aggressive New Diplomacy
(Wall Street Journal, Oct. 1, 2010) There is still time to nudge China's leaders back to the Dengist road, perhaps long enough for political pluralism to take hold. One key is to keep the door open to Chinese goods so that China cannot conclude that its economic rise is being stifled. But at the same time, the onus is on the U.S. to show that it has the will and means to protect its allies against aggression.

Singapore Looks to China for Food Security By Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop (IHT, Sep. 28, 2010) Singapore is eyeing a gigantic farming project in northeast China that could help the small, densely populated city-state diversify its food supplies.

Three Faces of the New China By David E. Sanger
(New York Times, Sep. 26, 2010) In a blur of headlines over the past few days, Americans have been surprised with brief, seemingly contradictory glimpses of how China is wielding its newfound power.

While U.S. Is Distracted, China Develops Sea Power By Robert D. Kaplan (Washington Post, Sep. 26, 2010) The degree to which the United States can shift its focus from the Middle East to East Asia will say much about our future prospects as a great power.

China’s Aggression and Insecurity By Jeffrey Wasserstrom
(Project Syndicate, Sep. 25, 2010) A closer look reveals that Chinese President Hu Jintao’s words and deeds are often shaped by a mixture of insecurity and cockiness and that Chinese officials alternate between playing up and playing down the country’s rise.

China Unveils “The Kashmir Card” By Mohan Malik
(China Brief 10(19), Jamestown Foundation, Sep. 24, 2010) While China and India have long sparred over the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s status, border incursions and China’s growing footprint in southern Asia, a perceptible shift in the Chinese stance on Kashmir has now emerged as a new source of interstate friction.

China’s Disputes in Asia Buttress Influence of U.S. By Edward Wong (New York Times, Sep. 23, 2010) Rising frictions between China and its neighbors in recent weeks over security issues have handed the United States an opportunity to reassert itself.

U.S., Asean to Push Back Against China By Jeremy Page, Patrick Barta and Jay Solomon (Wall Street Journal, Sep. 22, 2010) The U.S. and its Asian allies are starting to push back at China's growing assertiveness in the region, strengthening security ties and taking more robust positions in territorial disputes in the East and South China seas.

China Ire at Sea Chase Signals Wider Reach By Peter J Brown
(Asia Times, Sep. 16, 2010) Beijing’s reaction to the incident in the East China Sea seems overblown, given all available evidence. Yet it signals that Beijing may be preparing to extend the focus of its expression of core maritime interests to beyond the South China Sea.

Brzail’s Huge New Port Highlights China’s Drive into South America By Tom Phillips (Guardian, Sep. 15, 2010) This new phase of engagement with Brazil and South America, is part of China's "going out strategy" – an economic and, some say, diplomatic push for Chinese companies.

As China Finds Bigger Place in World Affairs, Its Wealth Breeds Hostility By Andrew Higgins (Washington Post, Sep. 7, 2010) As China pushes beyond its borders in search of markets, jobs and a bigger voice in world affairs, its wealth and clout might inspire awe and wary respect, but they also generate envy and, at times, violent hostility.

A Cash-Strapped US Faces Diminished Political Clout By Michael Mandelbaum (YaleGlobal, Aug. 31, 2010) A bleak economic outlook results in reduced US expenditures on foreign products or support for foreign-policy initiatives that drain the budget. No other country stands ready to step into the US role. Some leaders and nations may take advantage of the vacuum; others could rally as a group, cooperating on security or assistance priorities. Willingness to prepare for such global action has yet to be seen.

FTA Pushes ASEAN Ties By Zheng Anguang
(Xinhua, Aug. 24, 2010) Washington's intention to sow discord between China and Southeast Asian countries will be in vain. China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are beginning to harvest tangible economic benefits two decades after a dialogue mechanism between the two was initiated.

For China, Will Money Bring Power? By Piers Brendon
(New York Times, Aug. 22, 2010) China may well keep its promise, for the moment at least, to follow the path of peaceful development. We can’t know, of course. But doom-merchants predicting that China will topple America from its pre-eminence should recognize that history is not necessarily on their side.

Rising China Tests the Waters By Abraham M Denmark and Daniel M Kliman (Asia Times, Aug. 20, 2010) An anemic international reaction will embolden China, not only in the South China Sea, but elsewhere as well. Insistence on open access to the South China Sea, if backed by US and regional action, will incline China to reassess its approach.

Hawks vs. Doves: Beijing Debates “Core Interests” and Sino-U.S. Relations By Willy Lam (China Brief 10(17), Jamestown Foundation, Aug. 19, 2010) An intriguing divergence of views has been exposed within China’s foreign-policy establishment on how to handle the country’s worsening ties with the United States that may highlight a growing dissonance between China’s civilian and military establishments.

Singapore’s Tightrope Walk on Taiwan By Ernest Z. Bower and Charles Freeman (ABS-CBN, Aug. 19, 2010) Singapore’s policy toward Taiwan is an example of the tightrope that Southeast Asian countries must walk in the new era of an increasingly powerful China asserting itself – particularly in relation to its “core interests,” including Tibet, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

The Chinese Military Challenge
(Wall Street Journal, Aug. 19, 2010) Considering that the Pentagon's annual report on China's military power tells us little that we didn't already know, we'll put the delay down to the Obama Administration's reluctance to offend Beijing's sensitivities. That may be the most alarming fact of all.

China and the US Battle to Assert Presence in South China Sea By Peter Ford (Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 17, 2010) US warships are currently staging their third set of exercises in less than a month off the coast of China, in a show of force that has prompted sharp criticism from Beijing and fears of prolonged maritime tensions in the region.

The Gathering Storm: China’s Challenge to US Power in Asia By John Mearsheimer (University of Sydney, Aug. 4, 2010) The picture I have painted this evening of what is likely to happen if China continues its impressive economic growth is not a pretty one. Indeed, it is downright depressing.

US Dips into Mekong Politics By Simon Roughneen
(Asia Times, Aug. 14, 2010) China's dam-building on the upper reaches of the Mekong River is raising hackles with countries downstream and providing the United States with another strategic theater to counterbalance China's growing influence in Southeast Asia.

US-Vietnam Ties Strengthen with Military Exercises, to China’s Chagrin By Donald Kirk (Christien Science Monitor, Aug. 12, 2010) In the latest twist to Southeast Asia's blood-stained history, this week the USS John McCain is training Vietnamese forces in the South China Sea in search-and-rescue.

Power Game in Asia Trips Nuclear Non-Proliferation By Harsh V. Pant (YaleGlobal, Aug. 12, 2010) While China plans to assist Pakistan’s nuclear program, even Japan, a long-time critic of proliferation, may now aid India’s nuclear program as a balancing act.

Concerned about China’s Rise, Southeast Asian Nations Build Up Militaries By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Aug. 9, 2010) The nations of Southeast Asia are building up their militaries, buying submarines and jet fighters at a record pace and edging closer strategically to the United States as a hedge against China's rise and its claims to all of the South China Sea.

Former Enemies US, Vietnam Now Military Mates By Margie Mason
(AP, Aug. 7, 2010) Cold War enemies the United States and Vietnam demonstrated their blossoming military relations as a U.S. nuclear supercarrier floated in waters off the Southeast Asian nation's coast — sending a message that China is not the region's only big player.

Asia-US Bond Remains Strong By Tommy Koh
(PacNet #33, Jul. 22, 2010) My conclusion is that all the countries in Asia, including China, view the US as a stakeholder in Asia’s peace and prosperity. No one in Asia is seeking to exclude the US from the region.

China’s Cheonan Problem By Bonnie S. Glaser and Grad Glosserman
(PacNet #31, Jun. 18, 2010) Historians may well look back at the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in March 2010 as a turning point in China’s relations with Asia and the wider world.

Panda-Hugger Hangover By Christian Caryl
(Foreign Policy, Aug. 4, 2010) Until recently, the Chinese were earning praise for their shrewd handling of Southeast Asia. Not anymore.

U.S. Enlists China’s Worried Neighbors By Alan Dupont
(The Australian, Aug. 3, 2010) Like two circling titans, the US and China have now locked arms in a struggle for global pre-eminence that will define international politics and power for the next half century.

India Digs Under Top of the World to Match Rival By Lydia Polgreen
(New York Times, Aug. 1, 2010) India is racing to match China for regional and global power, building and bolstering airstrips and army outposts, shoring up neglected roads and building a tunnel to bypass the deadly Rohtang Pass.

Beijing Claims ‘Indisputable Sovereignty’ Over South China Sea By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Jul. 30, 2010) The Chinese military declared that China had "indisputable sovereignty" over the South China Sea but insisted it would continue to allow others to freely navigate one of the busiest waterways in the world.

U.S. Takes a Tougher Tone with China By John Pomfret
(Washington Post, Jul. 30, 2010) The Obama administration has adopted a tougher tone with China in recent weeks as part of a diplomatic balancing act in which the United States welcomes China's rise in some areas but also confronts Beijing when it butts up against American interests.

China Warns U.S. to Stay Out of Islands Dispute By Andrew Jacobs
(New York Times, Jul. 27, 2010) The Chinese government reacted angrily to an announcement by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that Washington might step into a long-simmering territorial dispute between China and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea.

China Rejects U.S. Efforts in Maritime Spat By Jay Solomon
(Wall Street Journal, Jul. 25, 2010) The U.S. shouldn't internationalize the South China Sea issue, China Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said. Mr. Yang said the best way to solve the disputes relevant to the South China Sea was through bilateral negotiations between China and the countries involved.

China: US Comments on S China Sea Are An ‘Attack’
(AP, Jul. 25, 2010) The Chinese foreign ministry accused U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of an "attack" on China for her recent comments that competing claims over South China Sea island chains should be resolved without coercion or threat.

Offering to Aid Talks, U.S. Challenges China on Disputed Islands By Mark Landler (New York Times, Jul. 24, 2010) Opening a new source of potential friction with China, the Obama administration said that it would step into a tangled dispute between China and its smaller Asian neighbors over a string of strategically significant islands in the South China Sea.

U.S. Continues Effort to Counter China’s Influence in Asia By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Jul. 23, 2010) The Obama administration's announcement that it will resume relations with Indonesia's special forces is the most significant move yet by the United States to strengthen ties in East Asia as a hedge against China's rise.

On North Korea and More, China Flexes Its Muscles By Ishaan Tharoor (Time, Jul. 22, 2010) U.S. implicit hegemony is being steadily challenged by an ascendant China, charged by a feeling of historical grievance and an eagerness to assert itself on the global stage.

China Warily Eyes U.S.-Korea Drills By Elisabeth Bumiller and Edward Wong (New York Times, Jul. 21, 2010) The United States and South Korea announced that the first in a series of large-scale naval exercises off Japan and the Korean Peninsula would begin next week, despite objections from China.

U.S. Criticism of China May Overshadow Asian Security Meeting
(Bloomberg, Jul. 16, 2010) U.S. criticism of China’s military buildup may overshadow Asia’s biggest security forum next week after the sinking of a South Korean warship showed the potential for conflict in waters vital to world trade.

How Serious Is the Chinese Challenge? Part I By Bruce Stokes
(YaleGlobal, Jul. 13, 2010) Possible scenarios for how China might apply its newfound power are countless, and responses from US, European and Asian neighbors could do as much, if not more, than China to upset the status quo.

Full Steam Ahead for China’s Territorial Ambitions By Peter Hartcher (Sydney Morning Herald, Jul. 13, 2010) In an assertive redefinition of its place in the world, China has put the South China Sea into its "core national interest" category of non-negotiable territorial claims - in the same league as Taiwan and Tibet.

Aims and Motives of China’s East China Sea Live Fire Drills By Russell Hsiao (China Brief, Jamestown Foundation, Jul. 9, 2010) In spite of a lack of expert agreement over Chinese intentions, one aspect of the exercise seems clear, the combined arms exercise demonstrates the PLA’s growing integrated war-fighting capabilities.

US Misses History Lessons on Korea By Sung-Yoon Lee
(Asia Times, Jul. 2, 2010) It's also important for Washington to hold quiet consultations with Beijing to envision and prepare jointly for a unified Korea under Seoul's initiative, a new polity that will necessarily remain free, peaceful, capitalist, pro-US and pro-China.

Regional Overview: They’re (Not Quite) Baaaack! By Ralph A. Cossa and Brad Glosserman (Comparative Connections 12(1), Apr. 14, 2010) Speculation about the “changing balance of power” in Asia continues as a result of China’s economic resilience and apparent newfound confidence, although it still seems premature to announce that the Middle Kingdom is back, given the challenges highlighted at this year’s National Peoples’ Congress.

The Changing State of US-Asia Ties By Simon Tay
(PacNet #15, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 30, 2010) US President Barack Obama’s decision to postpone his visit to Indonesia and Australia was understandable but neither insignificant nor without consequence.

Xinjiang—Where China’s Worry Interests the World By Christopher M. Clarke (YaleGlobal, Mar. 19, 2010) Xinjiang is likely to remain a sore spot for Beijing as it worries about pressure from all sides regionally and tries to dampen unrest internally.

Asia-Pacific Security: Community, Concert or What? By Amitav Acharya (PacNet #11, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 12, 2010) I argue that while a concert recognizes the de facto inequality of nations and is useful in regulating relations among the great powers themselves, it is likely to fail if it tries to manage the Asia-Pacific region as a great power club.

Nepal: Caught Between the Ambitions of China and India By Jyoti Thottam (Time, Mar. 2, 2010) India has just launched a plan to spend $361 million over the next several years on roads and rail links in the terai; China, meanwhile, recently increased its annual aid to Nepal by 50% to about $22 million.

New World Order without a Hegemon: Compete and Cooperate By Dilip Hiro (YaleGlobal, Feb. 24, 2010) The US, China, EU, Russia, India, and Brazil are emerging as the key players whose relationships will define the future of global relations. While the era of unrivalled American supremacy is over, a new pattern of relations is emerging.

Globalization in Trouble—Part II By David Dapice
(YaleGlobal, Feb. 15, 2010) Free trade works well when there is relatively full employment. With rising unemployment globally, the tendency toward protectionism is bound to rise. Indeed, there are signs that it may already be here.

China Intensifies Tug of War with India on Nepal By Jim Yardley
(New York Times, Feb. 18, 2010) If it once regarded Nepal with intermittent interest, China is now exerting itself more broadly toward its small Himalayan neighbor, analysts say.

India Worries As China Builds Ports in South Asia By Vikas Bajaj
(New York Times, Feb. 16, 2010) As trade in the region grows more lucrative, China has been developing port facilities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and it is planning to build railroad lines in Nepal.

Australia’s Old Ties with U.S. Deepened in the Past Decade By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Feb. 14, 2010) Behind the scenes, the United States and Australia were working to strengthen their security and intelligence ties with a view to countering a rising China.

Globalization in Trouble—Part I By Bernard K. Gordon
(YaleGlobal, Feb. 12, 2010) While still too early to tell, if burden-sharing transforms into burden-shifting, the prognosis for free trade, let alone security, is bleak.

As Obama Bets on Asia, Regional Players Hedge By Jim Hoagland
(Washington Post, Feb. 14, 2010) These are clear signs of Indian hedging: seeking allies for worst-case scenarios while accommodating China on economic matters.

Demonizing China: Pundits Get Its Role in Africa Wrong By Barry Sautman and Yan Hairong (YaleGlobal, Feb. 10, 2010) China may be the newest scapegoat for Africa’s development problems, but in the end, the debate on China’s involvement in Africa misses the point – that of improving the lot of the poorest continent in the world.

A Reality Check in Asia By Brad Glosserman
(PacNet #5A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Feb. 8, 2010) There is a growing sense that we are witnesses to the first stages in a fundamental transition in the way the world works. This is a compelling portrait – but it is simplistic.

China Casts Nervous Eye at Erstwhile Ally Myanmar By Ben Blanchard (Reuters, Jan. 25, 2010) China's fear is that the kind of unrest seen last August in Kokang will be repeated with any one of a number of different ethnic rebel militias, and spill into its territory again.

China-ASEAN Pact Offers More Than Win-Win By Brantly Womack
(Asia Times, Jan. 7, 2010) The formal inauguration of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) on January 1 marks the culmination of arguably the most successful big-power diplomacy of the post-Cold War era.