In The News

"Return at Any Cost" Is Breach of Rights

Jamie Doward April 21, 2005
Several human rights groups are alleging that Britain is increasingly returning refugees to places of conflict. In particular, the British Home Office has purportedly been repatriating political dissidents to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where their return means certain imprisonment, torture, and even death. Amnesty International and the Institute of Race Relations, among other...

China Owes Japan for Riots

April 21, 2005
Citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Japanese officials and experts in international law say that Beijing must apologize to Japan and compensate for property damage incurred in recent anti-Japanese demonstrations. The windows of the Japanese embassy and consulates were shattered and the walls smeared with paint by protestors throughout China. Many Japanese businesses have also...

Rising Dragon and the American Eagle – Part I

David Shambaugh April 20, 2005
Recent developments – including the high-profile visit by China's premier Wen Jiabao to South Asia – showing the rising profile of China have intensified a long-running debate in Washington. How does the growing power and influence of China affect the dominance that the United States has so far enjoyed in Asia? In the first of our two-part series, George Washington University's China...

The New Nationalism

David Ignatius April 20, 2005
As examples of nationalist sentiment appear around the globe, it seems that the world has entered a new era. Contrary to many analysts' beliefs, writes Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, a more interconnected world has not, in fact, eliminated the need for political borders; it has actually increased the intensity of nationalism. Citizen protests, market protectionism, nuclear...

American Nationals Given Jail Terms for Selling Pirated DVDs

April 20, 2005
China has been under increasing pressure from the United States for its lack of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, as the country has become a global hub for pirated DVDs and CDs. In a recent court ruling in China, two Americans and their two Chinese accomplices were found guilty of selling pirated DVDs to more than 20 countries; the four each incurred prison terms and substantial...

Susilo Wants Asia, Africa to Lead Energy Revolution

Leony Aurora April 19, 2005
Speaking before the upcoming Asian-African Summit, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on leaders from the two continents to initiate increased use of renewable energy. High investment costs and limited incentives make renewable energy a tough sell across the region. Yet as conventional energy resources decline, nations are increasingly engaged in conflict over resource-rich...

Untapped Potential: US Science and Technology Cooperation with the Islamic World

Michael A. Levi April 19, 2005
The US relationship with the Islamic world, particularly the problem of terrorism, is a crucial issue. In order to combat terrorism, says this Brookings Institution report, the US must enact policies that address the causes of radicalism, improve the perception of the US in Muslim eyes, and drain support for terrorists in Islamic society. Although there is widespread hostility towards the US in...