In The News

S. Koreans Search Far and Wide for a Wife

Barbara Demick September 25, 2006
Tens of thousands of South Korean men look to China, Vietnam and beyond for wives, in response to a shortage of brides caused by a generation of gender-selective births. Since ultrasounds became widely available in the 1980s, parents in South Korea could screen out undesirable daughters, resulting in a gender imbalance of 113 males for every 100 females. The countryside’s shortage of marriage-...

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...

The Great Squanderer: China’s Scramble for Energy

Wieland Wagner September 18, 2006
Known as the “great factory of the world,” China is on a global hunt for energy, minerals and other natural resources. China accounts for about 10 percent of the world’s energy consumption, and with the world’s larges population, per-capita consumption is expected to increase steadily. Despite the fast growth of its economy, more than 9 percent annually, China does not use energy efficiently,...

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...

No More Chinese Whispers

James McGregor September 12, 2006
Sometimes it’s undiplomatic to point out the obvious. US military spending is highest in the world at $465 billion in 2004, and China comes in second at about $65 billion, and so in an interview, China’s ambassador to the United Nations pointedly advised the US to stop whining about China’s growing military budget. Confident with its rising economic power, China provides quick responses to US...

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...

We Should Be Wary of a Nuclear Reaction

Andrew Davies September 6, 2006
The only viable alternative to oil and gas for energy purposes is nuclear power at this point in time. But analyst Andrew Davies cautions against resolving the threat of diminishing fossil fuels that contribute to global warming with another energy source that poses a separate set of dangers. Australia is a major exporter of yellow-cake uranium and, as the world searches for new sources of fuel,...