In The News

China’s Neighbors Worry About its Growing Military Strength

September 22, 2006
The latest poll by the Pew Research Center reveals an intense distrust in Asia, not only between traditional rivals like Japan and China, but also between China and India as well as Japan and Pakistan. The public opinion survey, part of the Pew Global Attitudes Project, was conducted in China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, and the US. Its results confirm that Chinese hostility toward Japan...

Unearthing Pope’s Real Message

Nazry Bahrawi September 22, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to echo a Byzantine emperor’s attack on Islam and its perceived violence struck a raw nerve with many Muslims, but editor Nazry Bahrawi argues that Muslims need to promote a calm and rational form of Islam. Aggrieved Muslims could take cues from Christians who objected to novel, “The Da Vinci Code” – which challenged the foundations of Christianity by suggesting that...

What Went Wrong With the Dialogue Between Cultures?

Traugott Schoefthaler September 21, 2006
Cultural diversity in and of itself has value, and yet cultures continue to clash about which cultural practices work best for the world. Mutual respect for differences, along with language that can address those differences, is required in a civil world, argues author Traugott Schoefthaler. More than a billion Muslims throughout the world remain frustrated, questioning why Western values often...

Iran Befriends Iraq

Dilip Hiro September 19, 2006
Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship in Iraq relied on mass murder, torture and chemical warfare against its own citizens. He was also the last of several Iraqi rulers who elevated the Sunni minority at the expense of the Shiite majority. During the years of repression, the Shiite sect in Iraq sought refuge in the mosque, much like their spiritual brethren in Iran, who became more devout during the...

Can a White House Visit Shore Up a Sagging US-South Korea Alliance?

Morton Abramowitz September 14, 2006
North Korea is the biggest common problem for both South Korea and the US, but the two presidents do not agree on strategy. As presidents Roh Moo-hyun and George Bush meet on September 14, their conversation could be awkward. Both men are stubborn about how to end the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program: the Bush administration favors sanctions or even regime change, while Roh insists on...

China Puts Stricter Limits on Distribution of Foreign News

Joseph Kahn September 12, 2006
China imposed broad new restrictions on foreign news released in the country – with the state-run China News Agency reviewing all news and photos. The agency vows to censor any content that threatens “national security” or promotes religious or cult activity. The new regulations will also restrict web sites, which have flourished in recent years. Motivation may not be solely political: Western...

Chávez-China Oil Deal May Produce Unsuspected Winners

Trevor Houser September 7, 2006
The Venezuelan president announced plans to increase oil exports to China tenfold over the next five years, with the expectation that China will invest in the nation’s oil infrastructure, particularly in developing the reserves of the Orinoco Belt. The heavy tar-like reserves, which require special technology to extract, amount to about 20 percent of the global oil supply. But any agreement...