PART II North Korea will never honestly negotiate a dismantling of its nuclear weapons; this is the only trump card that has ensured cash flow into the regime. In essence, N. Korea is black mailing the region (and the U.S.). This behavior is not surprising, as the North is a “mafia state” lead […]
map from BBC Hot Spot – East China Sea: Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands: China, Japan, Taiwan In continuation: Over the last few days, China has been increasingly the saber rattling in regard to the arrest of a Chinese fishing crew by Japanese authorities. Japan contends that the former rammed the latter (JCG patrol ship Yonakuni) at […]
Nationalism is a beast the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not create, but has often tried harness to it’s benefit. Still, the use of this tool is tempered by the ever present Chinese fear of chaos (luàn:乱). A potential disaster scenario for the party is one in which it finds itself on the wrong side […]
If the accuracy of the Japanese finance ministry’s revision of their GDP estimates are to be believed, then it appears the Nippon economy is, finally, awakening from its ‘Lost Decade’ of economic slumber following the collapse of its once heralded economy. According the their finance ministry, Japan’s GDP expanded +4.6% in 4Q 2009.
The Defense Ministers of Japan and India met over the weekend to review defense relations between the two countries. In a joint press statement the two ministers agreed to increase cooperation in anti-piracy operations along the Coast of Somalia. They also “recognized their mutual interest in the safety of sea-lines of communications and welcomed recent […]
SE Asia: The NY Times has an article discussing East and Southeast Asian economic integration. Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, believes that the regions should be looking for a new growth model, one that is less reliant on the consumption of Western nations. This would mean increasing domestic demand and increasing aid between Asian nations. […]
The United States: Republican Senator Dick Lugar is calling for the U.S. to create a free trade agreement with ASEAN. Lugar stated that sanctions on Myanmar should not negatively America’s economic relationship with the rest of the region. Further: “China, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea have already finalized FTAs with Asean and are […]
It’s no secret that North Korea and China are close. Of all Pyongyang’s neighbors, it has the most intricate and rosy relationship with Beijing. Today Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao welcomed North Korean Prime Minister Kim Yong-Il (not to be confused with Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il) to Beijing. The two men held a very cordial conversation […]
A few items… 1. Eurasianet and the FPA’s Global Food Crisis blog have once again highlighted the plight of hunger in the Afghan state. The Eurasianet report states that around 40,000 Afghan citizens die every year because of hunger, way overshadowing those that are killed by violent conflict, though the two are connected in many […]
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