Diplomatic Relations
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Why Is China Talking Tough?
Aircraft Carrier Liaoing, China, Chuck Hagel, Diplomatic Relations, Foreign Policy, Nationalism, USADuring his recent visit to Beijing, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel received some harsh criticism from his Chinese military counterpart General Fan Changlong. Before arriving in Beijing, Hagel had stated: “You cannot go around the world and redefine boundaries and violate territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations by force, coercion and intimidation whether it’s in […]
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A “Weak” America is Making Asia Uneasy
Chinese actions in maritime Asia are raising questions about American willingness and ability to act decisively in the region. That ambiguity is bad news for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), traditionally dependent on the U.S. security umbrella and more recently enjoying rapid expansion of trade with China. Chinese perceptions of American […]
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Is Indonesia shifting its South China Sea policy?
A Jakarta think-tank intellectual was once asked whether Beijing listens when Jakarta speaks. He responded emphatically: ‘Oh yes! The problem is we don’t say enough’. In the post-authoritarian era, Indonesian officials, like many of their Southeast Asian counterparts, have tended to self-censor when it comes to China, avoiding public criticism while benefiting from considerable Chinese […]
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Does the US Have ‘Trump Cards’ Over China?
China, Diplomatic Relations, East China Sea, Economy, Foreign Policy, South China Sea Dispute, Trade, USAAlthough the war bugle has yet to be sounded, the increasingly confrontational tensions between China and the U.S. over a series of regional issues seem to indicate that both sides are trying to test the other’s red lines. Each side hopes to be able to lay significant strategic weights or threats on the other side […]
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Solons support backdoor talks to help resolve PH-China row
Lawmakers are seeing backdoor negotiations as among the “effective” peaceful strategies that could be employed to help resolve the long-standing dispute between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao and AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe said “behind-the-scenes negotiations” could ease the tension […]
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The end of China’s soft power?
he views expressed in this article are the author’s own and not necessarily those of China Daily Mail: “Will China invade its neighbours?” This is a question I tend to be bombarded with whenever I present lectures or attend talks on East Asian affairs. From Tehran to Tokyo, one can sense the growing anxiety towards […]
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Diaoyutai dispute pushes US and Japan closer: report
China’s efforts to antagonize Japan over the Diaoyutai islands (Diaoyu to China, Senkaku to Japan) islands dispute has only strengthened ties between Tokyo and Washington, reports the independent citizen journalism website Mingjing News. Japan is a huge beneficiary of its diplomatic ties with the US, the report said, adding that Washington has continued to provide […]
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When is a rock not a rock?
Arbitration, China, Diplomatic Relations, Foreign Policy, Memorial, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, UNCLOS, USAWASHINGTON: A diplomatic standoff between China and the Philippines that flared up two years ago in a dispute over fishing rights at a tiny shoal in the South China Sea is coming to a head after Manila decided to ignore Chinese threats and sue Beijing in an international tribunal. The legal case marks the first […]
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East/South China seas: The strategy is failing
It now seems reasonable to assume that China will continue to ramp up the pressure on the disputed islands across the East and South China Seas until it owns them. The latest moves against the Philippines and Indonesia, and on over-fishing, are just the most recent steps towards eventual possession. If we wish to prevent […]
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Philippines offers US forces access to military bases
MANILA – The Philippines has agreed to allow the United States access to its military bases under a new security deal being negotiated by the two allies, amid mounting concern over China’s increasing assertiveness in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The offer was made during a sixth round of talks held in […]