It was exactly one decade ago that China became a net oil importer. That makes it one of the late arrivals in the global energy game. Since then, however, its accelerating industrialization has made it increasingly dependent on imported oil. Today, China's primary energy consumption... MORE

by Willy Lam   As befits a country where rule of personality--rather than rule of law--holds sway, much of the concern of the new administration under Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao and Premier-designate Wen Jiabao will be improving the efficiency and probity of... MORE

By Thomas Woodrow The former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan sit astride some of the world's most valuable oil and gas reserves or the routes to those reserves. Access to Central Asian energy resources, which are just now beginning to be exploited... MORE

By Willy Wo-Lap Lam Security will be the watchword of the new administration of Wen Jiabao, due to be named prime minister at the National People's Congress (NPC) early next month. In the past fortnight or so, Wen, a Zhu Rongji protégé, has conducted marathon... MORE

By Gordon G. Chang China has reported stellar economic growth for 2002. Can the country continue its success in developing its economy? Growth last year was largely the result of three factors: record investment flows inward, surging exports outward and massive fiscal stimulus. Because trends... MORE

By Prakash Nanda Despite being the world's largest democracy, India has always neglected Taiwan, the first Chinese society to reject authoritarianism in favor of democracy. India is so sensitive to China's reaction that it has compromised both principles and pragmatism in its relations with Taiwan.... MORE

"If we didn't have China I would be suicidal," chief Morgan Stanley economist Stephen Roach said this month. "It's the only bright spot in the world economy." And bright spot it is: Beijing announced that its gross domestic product grew 8 percent last year. The... MORE

Three months ago, in November of last year, Hu Jintao was anointed leader of the People's Republic of China. Until recently, leaders of China were emperors, the last of whom abdicated in 1912. Hu Jintao, like his communist predecessors who succeeded the emperors, resembles an... MORE

In an effort to counter the continued build-up of China's offensive missile and air power, Taiwan is again considering developing its own "active defense"--that is, the ability to attack select PLA capabilities as part of an overall "defensive" strategy. But this time it would prefer... MORE

Personnel issues are set to dominate the First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), due to convene on March 5. After having nailed down a sizeable number of senior Communist Party slots at the 16th CCP Congress last November, the Jiang Zemin (Shanghai)... MORE