In The News

State Secrets Revealed in Vietnam

David Brown January 10, 2013
Though it’s rare for officials in Vietnam to speak freely on foreign affairs, a colonel’s speech to an academic audience was secretly recorded and posted online. “The occasion was a meeting of senior Party cadre who administer or teach at colleges and universities in the capital area, and who double as functionaries charged with propaganda and training,” writes David Brown for Asia Times. The...

Island Nations Play China, India

Harsh V. Pant January 9, 2013
As rising powers India and China compete for influence, Indian Ocean’s small island states like Maldives, Seychelles or Mauritius gain disproportionate prominence and attract new funding for their strategic space in the Indian Ocean. In domestic politics, parties take advantage of the rivalry and take sides. A recent example described by Harsh V. Pant of King’s College is the cancellation of a 25...

Nationalism Rises in Northeast Asia

Jean-Pierre Lehmann January 4, 2013
The job-creating economies of the Northeast Asia Pacific region are the envy of the world. China, Japan and Korea – the world’s second, third and eleventh largest economies, respectively – are significant global economic powers. China, Japan and South Korea are major trade and investment partners, each thriving by embracing economic globalization. But because of historical differences and...

No Lone Wolves in Cyberspace

Gabriel Weimann December 21, 2012
Two Florida brothers, naturalized US citizens, were arrested in November for trying to obtain explosives and carry out an attack in New York City. Prosecutors allege the men had read Inspire, a magazine in English said to be published by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula for encouraging terrorism and random attacks in Europe and the US. Lone wolf terrorism – typically young adult men who plan a...

Turkey Can’t Afford Over-Involvement in Syria

Mohammed Ayoob December 17, 2012
Turkey has enjoyed enormous economic success over the past decade, and is now ranked as the world’s 16th largest economy. At the same time, the government has steered an independent foreign policy course under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, maintaining security ties with the US through NATO, supporting protesters throughout the Arab Spring regime changes...

Obama Visits China-Tilting Cambodia

Sebastian Strangio December 7, 2012
Barack Obama is the first sitting US president to visit Cambodia and Burma. Both nations have close ties with China, and the contrast in welcomes for Obama was stark: Burmese lined streets and cheered, and Burma officials assured the president on ongoing reform. In Cambodia – which hosted the East Asian Summit attended by Obama, heads of state of ASEAN members and others in the region – the...

China’s Aggressive Stance Reveals Lack of Coordination

Terry McCarthy December 5, 2012
Growing tensions in East Asia over aggressive postures from China may stem from a lack of coordination among government factions rather than concerted policy. But that is hardly reassuring, argues Terry McCarthy. The country lacks strong leadership that can control factions competing to be most outspoken and nationalistic. As a result, the country antagonizes neighbors with far-reaching claims...