In The News

Could ASEAN Drift Apart?

Geoff Wade February 25, 2011
The motto of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.” But the economic powerhouse to the north – China – directs more attention to ASEAN’s mainland members in the Greater Mekong subregion than its maritime members. The subregion comprises of five member states: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand as well as the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and...

When Millennia-Old Mummies Threaten National Identity

James Cuno February 23, 2011
Centuries ago, traders and travelers bearing commodities and ideas forged a series of routes crossing Central Asia, connecting China with Rome. What became known as the Silk Road is the epitome of early and unprecedented globalization. Archaeological excavations in the oasis areas of the Tarim Basin, the far western reaches of modern China, uncovered mummified human remains from 3,500 years ago...

China to Block UN Report on North Korean Nuclear Capability

February 21, 2011
A Chinese expert was part of a team that prepared a report for the UN Security Council on North Korea violating sanctions, according to a Reuters article, yet China plans to block the report. The team expressed concerns that the impoverished nation may transfer technology – obtained illegally from Pakistan – to other secretive regimes. “North Korea almost certainly has several more undisclosed...

Revolution 2.0: Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media

Mark Sedra February 18, 2011
New communication technologies from the printing press to Facebook and Twitter don’t cause revolutions alone, argues Mark Sedra in an essay for the Globe and Mail. But fast means for distributing criticism and making plans can spur activism, particularly in promoting democracy. Social networking has emerged as the Web communication “medium of choice in the developing world, with those who are...

Huawei in Challenge to US

Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Kathrin Hille February 17, 2011
Social media sites – like LinkedIn or Facebook – make it easy for companies to find customers, employees, suppliers and more. But they also help regulators uncover troublesome connections. Such a case – with US regulators perusing LinkedIn and accidentally discovering that China’s telecom giant Huawei had purchased, without government review, interest in a California firm that makes cloud...

Apple Report Reveals Child Labor Increase

Tania Branigan February 15, 2011
Apple, which relies heavily on outsourcing, uses a portion of its record profits to audit suppliers for labor violations. “Apple said it had strengthened its checks on age because of concerns about the falsification of ages by such schools and labour agencies,” reports Tania Branigan for the Guardian. In an annual report on its manufacturers, the company reports that less than a third of audited...

China Cocks Its Ear to Arab Freedom Cry

Peter Hartcher February 14, 2011
Measured by market-exchange rates, China’s economy is about 40 percent the size of the US economy. Measured by purchasing power, China is the world’s largest economy, writes Peter Hartcher for the Sydney Morning Herald. The nation’s products, services and labor are comparably inexpensive, often due to great sacrifices of the Chinese people. The government uses an iron hand to keep opposition...