Latest Articles about China and the Asia-Pacific
Indonesia Neutralizes JI as Immediate Threat
Last week's capture of top Islamist militants Yusron Mahmudi (known as Abu Dujana) and Zarkasih (known as Nu'aim and Abu Irsyad) by Indonesian authorities has important implications for Jemaah Islamiya (JI). Both men have been involved in militancy since before JI's inception in 1992, and... MORE
The Role of Foreign Trainers in Southern Thailand’s Insurgency
The first five months of 2007 have seen a dramatic increase in both the lethality and brutality of the Thai insurgency, prompting numerous Thai military officials to suspect the growing presence of foreign trainers. The arrest of an Indonesian on May 19 further raised suspicions.... MORE
China’s Displeasure with North Korea’s Missile Tests
Conventional wisdom in Washington has stated that Beijing, if it wished to do so, could easily persuade Pyongyang to return to the Six-Party Talks and possibly even renounce its nuclear weapons program. This belief has only been bolstered by the statements of Chinese spokesmen who... MORE
Emergency Decree Extended in Southern Thailand
A series of violent attacks in Thailand's southern provinces between March 14 and April 14 seemed to reinforce disturbing trends in the ongoing insurgency. First, bombing attacks perpetrated by the insurgents have become more frequent, sophisticated and deadly. Second, women and children are increasingly becoming... MORE
Malaysia’s Role in Thailand’s Southern Insurgency
Against a backdrop of escalating communal and sectarian violence and warnings that militants could extend their attacks to Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont met with his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi on February 11-12. The ongoing insurgency in the three southern provinces of Yala,... MORE
Retracing the Steps of JI’s Abdullah Sunata
The January 20 killings of the top leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Khaddafy Janjalani, and his aides under the Philippine military's "Oplan Ultimatum" have created a leadership vacuum. Yet the hunt is far from over. There are various other leaders of ASG... MORE
MNLF May Quit the Peace Process in the Philippines
When looking at the multitude of insurgent problems in the Philippines, one tends to overlook the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which signed a peace agreement with the Philippine government in 1996 establishing the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for five provinces. MNLF founder... MORE
2007 Marks the Key Year in Thailand’s Southern Insurgency
January 4, 2007 marked the third anniversary of the outbreak of the current phase of Thailand's insurgency in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani. To date, the insurgency has claimed more than 1,900 lives. Many hoped that by this point the adoption of... MORE
Jemaah Islamiya Enters Regrouping Phase
In response to President George W. Bush's November visit to Indonesia, there have been demonstrations by Islamist parties and organizations, as well as increased terrorism threat warnings (Jakarta Post, November 19, 20). Indonesian security officials have braced themselves for an attack for several months now.... MORE
Japan’s Energy Supplies at Risk
Japan is well-known for being a resource-poor country, particularly when it comes to the acquisition of energy resources—such as oil and natural gas—that are needed to run its high-powered economy. Japan imports all of its energy supplies, the majority of which come from what most... MORE