Latest China Brief Articles

Chinese Corruption Crusade Causes New Factional Infighting

The plethora of regulations on party discipline introduced earlier this month by President Hu Jintao has much more to do with the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) perennial battle against corruption. While laying down stricter regulations against what the Chinese media calls "the exchange of power... MORE

The Chinese Perspective On The Daqing Pipeline Project

Does the Russian Pipeline project, slated to deliver oil to China, remain a source of controversy--or is it simply dead? According to some statements from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, and also from environmental organizations and various press reports, it is, at the very... MORE

The China Factor In Indo-pakistani Detente

Unlike India, which continues to squander geopolitical opportunities (such as the recent chance to get a ringside seat in Iraq by participating in the U.S.-led coalition there), Pakistan has been skillful in leveraging its international relationships. By attaching itself to the U.S.-led anti-Communist alliance beginning... MORE

Beijing Confronts Growing Pro-democracy Sentiment In Hong Kong

Once again, a rude shock for Beijing. On January 1, close to 100,000 Hong Kong citizens hit the streets to demand universal suffrage elections for the next chief executive (CE) by 2007--and for members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) by 2008. These Special Administrative Region... MORE

Can Japan Counter China’s Growing Influence In Southeast Asia?

Japan, seeking to counter China's growing influence in Southeast Asia, is hamstrung by an inability to act in enlightened self-interest. In mid-December, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's summit in Tokyo with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sought to reassert Japan's influence as... MORE

Taiwan Nukes, North Korean Nukes

There are interesting parallels between North Korea's current nuclear weapons program and Taiwan's nuclear ambitions fifteen years ago. In both cases, a weapons program was discovered, dismantled and secretly restarted. In both cases, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring was inadequate and easily circumvented.... MORE