Latest Articles about China and the Asia-Pacific
Bombings in Bangkok: A Return to Political Violence for the Red Shirts?
After barely two months of calm in the Thai capital following a bloody end to the April-May protests, a pair of explosions in Bangkok threaten to mark a new wave of political violence in the confrontation between the “Red Shirts” (supporters of the United Front... MORE
Japanese-Kazakh Nuclear Energy Cooperation: a Partnership for the Future
Japan, the world’s third largest producer of nuclear energy after the US and France, plans to launch a feasibility study this month to explore the possibility of importing uranium from Kazakhstan through Russia’s Far East. Sumimoto Corporation, a Japanese nuclear energy company, claims the move... MORE
Chinese Analyses of Soviet Failure: The Dictatorship of the Proletariat
The centrality of the seemingly abstruse concept of the dictatorship of the proletariat to ongoing ideological debates in China was spotlighted recently in a wide ranging interview given by the 105 year old senior communist stalwart Zhou Youguang (1906-), best known for his invention of... MORE
China Building Africa’s Economic Infrastructure: SEZs and Railroads
Starting in the late 1990s, China's presence on the African continent experienced a phenomenal expansion. Far more profound changes, however, have been underway and may only become apparent in the next decade. These changes are likely to transform the regional economic landscape of the African... MORE
Assessing the PLA’s Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks – Part 1
As China approaches the 18th Party Congress in late 2012, followed by the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) in early 2013, China watchers have begun to speculate about the next cadre of Chinese military leaders who will become members and vice chairmen of the Communist... MORE
The Chinese Navy’s Emerging Support Network in the Indian Ocean
The ongoing debate in China over whether or not to formalize logistical support agreements for Chinese naval forces in the Indian Ocean is a natural outgrowth of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) expanding presence in the region. As China continues to maintain a task... MORE
China’s Cyber Command?
The development of China's cyber warfare program has captured worldwide attention in recent years. While evolving doctrines and incidents of cyber intrusions with alleged links to the Chinese government have helped China watchers glean the development of China's growing cyber warfare capabilities, far less certainty... MORE
Uyghurs Convicted in East Turkestan Islamic Movement Plot in Dubai
On June 29, a court in Dubai found two ethnic Uyghurs guilty of plotting to attack a massive shopping mall made up of 400 shops selling Chinese-made goods (The National [Abu Dhabi], June 30). This attempted attack was not only the first terrorist plot to... MORE
Vostok 2010 and the Very Curious Hypothetical Opponent
Recently, Roger McDermott, a regular contributor to this publication, offered an excellent overview of the operational-strategic exercise being conducted in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East by the Russian armed forces (EDM, July 6). McDermott correctly pointed to the role of the exercise in... MORE
Afghanistan in China’s Emerging Eurasian Transport Corridor
When Chinese officials consider their international economic interests, Afghanistan and Central Asia (sometimes referred to as “Greater Central Asia”) naturally come to mind. These countries possess an abundant supply of untapped natural resources, and they offer potential export markets as well as investment opportunities for... MORE