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Latest China Brief Articles
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The Relevant Organs: Institutional Factors behind China’s Gulf of Aden Deployment
Numerous institutional factors have driven and incentivized China’s participation in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Central to executing China’s first instance of protracted Far Seas naval operations has been inter-agency coordination among the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and other military and civil... MORE
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Political Scandal in Taiwan Good Reason to Focus on Opposition’s Plans
With Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou’s approval ratings at record lows following another scandal—one poll held in late September show that only 9.2% of Taiwanese voters approved of his administration—it is more likely than ever that the opposition will win the 2014 “seven in one” elections,... MORE
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China Pushes “Silk Road” Regional Trade on Two Fronts
China’s top two leaders went to Southeast Asia last week with a message of regional economic integration, promising to build a “maritime silk road” (haishang sichou zhi lu) across the South China Sea (China News Service, October 3; Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, October 9).... MORE
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China-U.S. Military Ties on the Upswing
In less than two years, China-U.S. military relations have experienced a remarkable turnaround. President Xi Jinping in particular has expressed strong support for developing more military exchanges as part of his concept of a “new type great power relationship” between the People’s Republic of China... MORE
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Ideological Crackdown Reaches the Strongholds of Reform
The Xi Jinping leadership has started an ideological movement among party members and citizens that is geared toward promoting hard-line socialist values and absolute obedience to Beijing’s edicts. While the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Rectification Campaign, announced earlier this year, was focused mainly on nurturing... MORE
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Bo’s Arrest was About Politics—But His Verdict May Have Been About Corruption
Fallen Chinese leader Bo Xilai was sentenced to life in prison on Sunday, September 22 on charges of corruption, abuse of power and bribery (Jinan Intermediate People’s Court, September 22). The verdict represents an end to the most politically explosive episode in China’s recent history,... MORE
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Chinese Commercial Engagement with Guyana: The Challenges of Physical Presence and Political Change
For the People’s Republic of China, its relationship with Guyana has been one of its longest, most consistently close relationships in Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, between June and August 2013, Chinese companies lost almost a billion dollars in work in the country, including... MORE
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Li Keqiang, New Type Urbanist
Since coming into office in late 2013–early 2013, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has staked out political territory as an advocate of economic reform. His signature policy initiative is a “new type of urbanization,” described by Xinhua as an effort to boost consumption by getting local... MORE
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Charting Course for 2014 Elections, Taiwanese Opposition Debates China Policy
The leaders of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have spent the summer in discussion and negotiation over the Party's China policy, trying to establish a consensus on one of the central issues of Taiwanese politics. These negotiations, taking place in the party's newly-revived China Affairs... MORE
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Russo-China Naval Exercises: Dragging Moscow into China’s Territorial Disputes?
From July 5 to 12 the Chinese and Russian navies participated in a joint exercise called “Joint Sea 2013.” This was the first of two exercises conducted by these two militaries in 2013, the second being a ground forces exercise with a Central Asian element,... MORE