
Latest Articles about China and the Asia-Pacific

China’s “One Belt, One Road” Strategy Meets the UAE’s Look East Policy
From May 8 to 15, Dubai, the second largest state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), hosted a first of its kind seven-day trade exhibition bringing together prominent government leaders, high net worth individuals and global corporate giants in Beijing. The week intended to showcase... MORE

Chinese Submarines in Sri Lanka Unnerve India: Next Stop Pakistan?
The sighting of Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean has unnerved India. A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Song-class conventional submarine along with Changxing Dao, a Type 925 submarine support ship, docked at the Chinese-run Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) in Sri Lanka last September... MORE

Russo-Chinese Exercises in the Mediterranean
Sino-Russian joint naval maneuvers are not a new phenomenon; they have occurred at least twice in the Far East. But the most recent maneuvers that took place in the Mediterranean, and concluded on May 21, represent some new aspects of the Russo-Chinese relationship and both... MORE

China and Kazakhstan to Construct a Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Line From Khorgos to Aktau
Kazakhstan is onboard to help make China’s Silk Road vision a reality. Speaking in Astana on May 5, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at a plenary government meeting, “We need to build a new railway line across the territory of Kazakhstan from the border with... MORE

Chinese Provinces Aim to Find Their Place Along New Silk Road
As Chinese President Xi Jinping’s New Silk Road initiative continues to build momentum, provincial governments are looking for ways to integrate their own economic plans with the national strategy and thus provide local companies and workers the benefits touted by Beijing. Xi’s promotion of the... MORE

Curing China’s Elephantiasis of the Fleet
China has placed great faith in the unarmed patrol ship as an instrument with which to realize its maritime ambitions. According to a recent U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence report, Chinese maritime law enforcement (MLE) agencies collectively operate over 200 oceangoing ships, giving the country... MORE

China and Sri Lanka: In Choppy Waters
Sino–Sri Lankan relations are in a state of flux. Bilateral relations, which had surged significantly during the rule of Sri Lanka’s former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005–2015), are strained today. In January, Sri Lanka’s new President Maithripala Sirisena suspended the $1.4 billion Colombo Port City (CPC)... MORE

China’s Two-Track Approach to Christianity: Vatican vs. Wenzhou
Beijing and the Holy See are ostensibly as close to establishing diplomatic relations as they have been in over 60 years; yet, little has changed for mainland Chinese Christians. As Beijing turns the screws of ideological authority, those advocating for religious freedom must learn to... MORE

Kim Jong-un: The Man Who Got Away
Even as South Korean media were speculating about Kim Jong-un’s projected visit to Moscow to attend the VE-Day celebration on May 9, 2015, he announced abruptly that he would not, after all, be attending (Yonhap, April 30; Dong-a-Ilbo Online, May 1; The Moscow Time, April... MORE

Potential Northeast Asian Economic Corridors: Differing Chinese and Russian Priorities
Sitting at a strategic crossroads between Europe and East Asia, Mongolia and North Korea are potential economic corridors for the wider Eurasian landmass. However, the realization of such corridors depends in large part on Chinese and Russian policy priorities, since both have long-standing geostrategic interests... MORE