In The News

Broadcast Media in China Put On Notice

Edward Cody February 27, 2007
Communist Party leaders in China have issued strict guidelines for broadcasters that require praise for the nation's socialist system of governance rather than protection of individual leaders. Still, officials in power often rely on such controls to prevent negative coverage that could be linked to them individually. The controls could also squash complaints of party conservatives who...

A Denuclearization Deal in Beijing: The Prospect of Ending the 20th Century in East Asia

Gavan McCormack February 23, 2007
The February agreement to begin the denuclearization process of North Korea could usher in a new era of peace and cooperation for a once volatile region. The agreement required diplomacy – the US willing to back away from its stance of refusing to talk with North Korea before the nuclear program was dismantled. In this paper for “Japan Focus,” Gavan McCormack points that North Korea had long “...

A Budget for Globalization

February 22, 2007
Singapore’s historic status as a thriving international port has long rested on its openness to international business and trade. The government’s efforts in enticing foreign businesses and tourists to Singapore have made it among the most business-friendly economies in the world. One key to that success has been a willingness to adapt to a rapidly changing global economy, and the government...

Conservatives Assail North Korea Accord

Glenn Kessler February 16, 2007
Conservatives in the US do not trust the Kim Jong Il regime in North Korea and expect proof that the country has “stopped sponsoring terrorism” before removing it from a US terror list. Conservatives who promote a tough stance toward terrorists and nations that sponsor terror resent what they view as a new pragmatic approach emerging from the Bush administration, reports Glenn Kessler in “The...

North Korean Nuclear Agreement: Back to the Future?

Shim Jae Hoon February 15, 2007
Members of the Six-Party talks have finally reached an agreement aimed at halting North Korea’s nuclear-weapons program. If the agreement holds, the accord has a good deal to offer both sides: In return for energy aid, security guarantees and steps toward normalizing relations, Pyongyang will dismantle its nuclear infrastructure in a way that outside powers can verify. Plenty of pitfalls remain,...

America’s China Worries – Part III

Bertil Lintner February 13, 2007
In recent decades, the South Pacific has been a friendly region for the US and its interests, including islands that sit on Asia's doorstep. But the rise of China and its growing interest in the Pacific islands may be emerging as yet another area of possible concern. In this final article of a three-part series, author Bertil Lintner examines how China is moving in the region to fill the...

US Signals Flexibility on N. Korea

Demetri Sevastopulo February 12, 2007
Determined to end North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, the US could be willing to take steps toward normalizing relations as soon as disarmament begins, reports “The Financial Times.” US sanctions on North Korean financial assets discouraged other banks from working with the rogue state, and this is bringing the struggling nation back to the negotiating table. Still, the Bush administration...