Latest Articles about China and the Asia-Pacific
Beijing’s Post-Bo Xilai Loyalty Drive Could Blunt Calls for Reform
The shock downfall of Chongqing Party Secretary Bo Xilai has shattered the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) façade of unity and stability. The past fortnight has witnessed a plethora of rumors about a failed coup d’etat supposedly masterminded by Bo in conjunction with Politburo Standing Committee... MORE
Zhou Yongkang and the Tarnished Reputation of China’s Police
The fallout over Politburo member Bo Xilai’s removal as Chongqing Party Secretary on March 15 only increased the wave of rumor and speculation sweeping across China after Bo’s right-hand man, Wang Lijun, attempted to get political asylum last month at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu... MORE
Russia Seeks Increased Trade with China
Russia has repeatedly pledged to expand trade with China, the Kremlin apparently continuing to view the commercial ties as an important indicator of what was officially described as a “bilateral strategic partnership.” The increasing bilateral trade reflects a successful development of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation, said... MORE
The PLA’s Three-Pronged Approach to Achieving Jointness in Command and Control
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to develop a more complex form of joint operations (“PLA Developing Joint Operations Capability (Part One): Joint Task Force Experimentation,” China Brief, May 20, 2011; “PLA Developing Joint Operations Capability (Part Two): Military Training Coordination Zones,” China Brief, June... MORE
Pivot and Parry: China’s Response to America’s New Defense Strategy
On January 5, 2012, President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta released new defense strategic guidance, highlighting U.S. national defense priorities and underscoring America’s determination to maintain its global leadership and military superiority despite budgetary constraints [1]. The strategy indicates the United States... MORE
Sino-Indian Border Negotiations: Problems and Prospects
On March 6, China and India operationalized a coordination agreement to avert conflict along their contested border. The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, as the agreement is officially termed, was first broached by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during a visit... MORE
Beijing Denies Russian Rumors of Su-35 Purchase; Evaluating China’s Intelligence Penetration of Taiwan
BEIJING DENIES RUSSIAN RUMORS OF SU-35 FIGHTER PURCHASE Last week, Russian media reported Moscow was close to finalizing a $4 billion deal for 48 Su-35s with Beijing. The reported sticking point was that the Russian side wanted greater assurances that Chinese engineers would not reverse... MORE
PLA Air Force Male Aviation Cadet Recruitment, Education and Training
China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is still searching for the best way to recruit, educate and train its male aviation cadets (feixing xueyuan). After graduation, they serve as aviators (feixing renyuan), which includes fighter, attack, helicopter, bomber and transport pilots (feixingyuan), as well... MORE
China’s New Property Tax: Toward a Stable Financial Future for Local Government?
Just over a year ago, the Chinese government took the unprecedented step of launching a trial property tax in response to rising real estate prices. Since the mid-2000s in China, real estate prices have been going through the roof. In 2010, home prices in Shanghai... MORE
The Dalai Lama Card Reappears in Sino-Mongolian Relations
The mid-November 2011 surprise four-day visit to Mongolia of the 14th Dalai Lama reignited simmering Chinese worries about how the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader is using and is being used by its northern neighbor and important mineral trade partner. From China’s perspective, the Dalai Lama’s... MORE