Foreign Policy
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Why China’s Actions in the South China Sea Matter to the U.S.
HONG KONG — Conflicts have recently escalated between China and its Southeast Asian maritime neighbors over rocks, reefs, shoals and islets in the South China Sea. Last week, Hanoi released video footage of its vessels being rammed by the Chinese Coast Guard after Vietnam tried to block China’s attempt to commence drilling for hydrocarbons off […]
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China’s maritime disputes: Fear, honor and interest
ADIZ, Air Defense Identification Zone, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Diplomatic Relations, Foreign Policy, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, Taiwan, UNCLOS, VietnamFueled by China’s growing assertiveness as a rising global power, tensions over territorial disputes have mounted in the Asia-Pacific region. In November last year, Beijing unilaterally expanded its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) to cover most of the East China Sea, triggering a bitter dispute with Tokyo as the ADIZ also covers the airspace above […]
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China’s Consistently Inconsistent South China Sea Policy
Adrien Morin contends that China’s foreign policy is consistently non-assertive toward Western power, basing this on its policy throughout the Syrian crises. While Mr. Morin’s thesis on consistency may find support in China’s position on non-interventionism in Syria, it falls apart in his attempted extrapolation to the South China Sea. Despite any perception within China […]
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South China Sea Dispute: China Unchallenged By ASEAN – Analysis
The coincidence of the China-Vietnam tussle and the ASEAN Summit of 2014 re-focused discussions on the South China Sea dispute but failed to create a significant impact. The foreign ministers of the ASEAN countries issued a standalone declaration that called for “restraint by all parties involved in the maritime dispute and to avoid resorting to […]
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In US, Chinese General Defends South China Sea Oil Rig
Anti China Protesters, China, Diplomatic Relations, Foreign Policy, Intentional Rammings, Mob Violence, Oil, Oil Rig, Paracels, South China Sea Dispute, USA, Vietnam, Water CannonGeneral Fang Fenghui, the Chief of the General Staff of the PLA, arrived in Washington, DC today for formal meetings with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey. According to Dempsey and Fang’s comments during their joint press conference, they held extensive discussions on the military relationship, including counterterrorism, the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, […]
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ALL TALK? | Allies question US’ ‘ironclad commitment’ amid Chinese aggression
WASHINGTON/MANILA — US President Barack Obama sought to reassure allies in Asia last month that the United States would support them in the face of a more assertive China. But after one of Beijing’s boldest moves in years to lay claim to contested waters off Vietnam, some Asian countries are asking a simple question: Where […]
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China Tests American Resolve: More Trouble in the South China Sea
China, Diplomatic Relations, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Foreign Policy, Intentional Rammings, Japan, Oil Rig, Paracels, Philippines, Poaching, Spratlys, USA, Vietnam, Water Cannon“What would America fight for?” exclaimed The Economist, as it cautioned the Obama administration against strategic retreat and neo-isolationism. It dismissed President Obama’s foreign policy as a cerebral doctrine that excuses inaction — one that is based on visceral recoil at confrontation and distaste for strategic gamble. It warned Washington about increasing doubt among allies, […]
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Philippines-China ties: What went wrong?
Ayungin Shoal, China, Diplomatic Relations, EDCA, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Foreign Policy, Memorial, Panatag Shoal, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute“IS this how the Philippines should deal with its powerhouse neighbor?” Former President Fidel V. Ramos raised this question in 2011 following conflicting reports on the dates of President Benigno S. Aquino’s state visit to China. But back then, relations between the Philippines and China were still in good shape. Hu Jintao was then the […]
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Why China’s Communist Party is headed for collapse
Nothing lasts forever, not even the Chinese Communist Party. Whether it will perish in a few years, or last for decades to come, there are a series of worrying indicators. Beijing has been slow to implement reforms that will orient the economy on a sustainable path. President Xi Jinping is knee-deep in an anti-corruption campaign […]
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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 […]