2005-2006

[ News ] [ Papers ] 

North Korea Crisis

EU Arms Embargo

~ 2001 ; 2002 ; 2003-2004

EU Elevates China to 'Strategic Partner'
(AP, Dec. 13, 2006) The European Union has elevated its 'maturing' relations with China to a strategic partnership, saying that China's phenomenal economic growth is driving a revamp of trade and other relations.

India, China to Cooperate in Nuke Energy
(Times of India, Nov. 22, 2006) India and China took the path-breaking step to promote cooperation in civil nuclear energy, four days after the US Senate voted for a similar tie-up between Washington and New Delhi.

China's Hu Jintao Visits India to Bolster Political, Trade Ties
(AFP, Nov. 20, 2006) Chinese President Hu Jintao begins a historic visit to India to improve political and economic links between the two Asian giants and mend fences from a bitter border war 44 years ago.

Bush Cautiously Backs Pacific Rim Free Trade
(Washington Post, Nov. 17, 2006) President Bush reassured Pacific Rim leaders Thursday that the United States stands squarely behind efforts to liberalize trade with the region, and he promised to continue pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

China and India Reaffirm Claims to Disputed State
(Straits Times, Nov. 15, 2006) China and India have publicly restated their claims on a large expanse of territory bordering Tibet, underscoring the key issue that remains unresolved as the Chinese President prepares to visit New Delhi.

China, Russia Sign Array of Trade Deals
(Reuters, Nov. 10, 2006) China and Russia signed a series of trade and investment deals in sectors including energy, car production and infrastructure.

China, Africa to Build Strategic Partnership
(Straits Times, Nov. 6, 2006) China and Africa wrapped up a two-day forum with US$1.9 billion in new business deals and a pledge to build a 'new strategic partnership'.

Soft Power, Hard Deals as China-Africa Forum Opens
(Reuters, Nov. 2, 2006) China will be projecting soft power and seeking hard deals as it hosts dozens of African leaders at a summit this weekend that cements the Asian superpower's deepening trade and political ties with the continent.

China Wants to Deepen Military Ties with ASEAN
(Reuters, Oct. 31, 2006) China and Southeast Asia should deepen their military ties and speed up negotiations on the creation of the world's most populous free trade area, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said.

China Trade Policies Draw a Warning from Europe
(New York Times, Oct. 25, 2006) The European Union told China on Tuesday that it could face barriers to its booming exports like clothes, shoes and electronic goods if it did not work toward creating a two-way street for global commerce.

Australia Could Be Exporting Uranium to China Early Next Year, Official Says (Associated Press, Sep. 4, 2006)Australian uranium exports to China could begin early next year, with Australia expected to capture about one third of the growing Chinese uranium market.

Government Denies 'Checkbook Diplomacy'
(China Post, Aug. 17, 2006) The government denied accusations of "checkbook diplomacy" from New Zealand's foreign minister, who accused Taipei of playing a role in recent riots in the Solomon Islands.

NZ Foreign Minister Hits Out at Taiwan's Chequebook Diplomacy
(AFP, Aug. 16, 2006) New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has cited Taiwan's alleged role in this year's Solomon Islands riots as an example of the dangers of chequebook diplomacy in the Pacific.

Asia to Strengthen Civilian-Military Disaster Cooperation
(AFP, July 29, 2004) Asia's top security forum, which includes the United States, China and Russia, plans to develop guidelines for civilian and military cooperation to ensure swift responses to natural disasters.

China, India Gearing Up to Open Historic Border Pass
(AFP, July 4, 2006) China and India will reopen an historic trading route through Tibet that has been closed for 44 years, in a further sign of warming ties between the world's two most populous nations.

Australian PM's China Visit Reflects 'Best Ever' Ties
(AFP, June 25, 2006) Australian Prime Minister John Howard's visit to China to launch a multi-billion dollar gas deal reflects a readiness to accept Beijing's growing economic and political clout as an opportunity, not a threat.

Little Prospect of EU Lifting China Arms Ban: UK
(Reuters, June 8, 2006) Britain said it saw little prospect of the European Union lifting its arms embargo on China in the near future. British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett said there was still disagreement within the 25-member bloc.

China and India Sign Military Cooperation Deal
(Straits Times, May 30, 2006) Once-bitter rivals China and India have signed an agreement to step up military cooperation and uphold peace on their disputed border. No details were immediately available on the agreement.

Study Says Taiwan Will Suffer Over PRC-ASEAN Pact
(Central News Agency, Feb. 27, 2006) Taiwan will see its gross domestic product shrink by 0.0187 percent if it fails to take measures to cushion the impact of the establishment of a free trade zone between China the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a think tank warned.

Taiwan Creates Council to Build Closer Business Ties with India
(Financial Times, Feb. 11, 2006) Taiwan will launch a government-backed body intended to build closer ties with India, amid calls from the island's president for action to reduce its economic dependence on rival mainland China.

China Scores for Its Dealings with Asean By Roger Mitton
(Straits Times, Feb. 6, 2006) The roles of China and the United States in South-east Asia were contrasted at a forum of regional ambassadors and top Asian experts, with China being praised and the United States being criticized.

India and China: A Delicate Dance By Michael Vatikiotis
(International Herald Tribune, Jan. 23, 2006) India and China are performing an awkward tango. Each is wary of the other as partners; both are talented and experienced on their feet. But dance together they must.

China, India to Cooperate in Oil Hunt
(AP, Jan. 13, 2006) China and India have agreed to share information on what they're paying for foreign oil and gas for their energy-hungry economies in an effort to tone down a multibillion-dollar rivalry that was driving up asset prices abroad.

Bolivia's Morales Makes China Overture
(AP, Jan. 8, 2006) Bolivia's president elect invited energy-hungry China to help develop his country's vast gas reserves after his government carries out plans to nationalize them.

Vietnam Protests Spratly Runway Plan
(Taipei Times, Dec 31, 2005) Vietnam has asked Taiwan to immediately stop plans for building a runway on one of the disputed Spratly Islands, the state-run Vietnam News reported.

China, India Co-operate in Oil Deal
(China Daily, Dec. 22, 2005) State-owned China National Petroleum Corp and India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp have provisionally agreed to buy a Canadian oil company's 37 per cent stake in Syrian oilfields for US$581 million.

East Asia Stages Inaugural Summit
(BBC News, Dec. 14, 2005) Leaders from 16 nations gathered in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to hold the inaugural East Asia Summit.

Rising China Seen Keeping Low Profile at WTO Talks
(Reuters, Dec. 12, 2005) China is a rising trade colossus with more farmers than any other country in the world, but it is expected to keep a low profile at world trade talks as negotiators debate contentious agricultural reforms.

China Says Growth Poses No Danger to Neighbors
(Reuters, Dec. 12, 2005) China's rapid economic rise spells an opportunity, not a threat, to the rest of East Asia, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reassured leaders from neighboring countries.

Australia Inks Asia Pact, Rejects "Puerile" Remark
(Reuters, Dec. 11, 2005) Australia signed a peace treaty with its Southeast Asian neighbors and rejected what it called puerile comments about it being America's deputy sheriff in the region.

Security to Dominate in Annual Asian Jamboree
(Reuters, Dec. 6, 2006) Security, trade and energy will top the agenda when Asian leaders meet in the Philippines next week, with declarations expected on combating terrorism, accelerating economic integration and boosting energy security.

Hu Ends South Asian Trip Focused on Trade Diplomacy
(Reuters, Nov. 27, 2006) Chinese President Hu Jintao ended a four-day visit to Pakistan during which he promised to work with Islamabad to elevate strategic ties to ''a new high'' and strengthen trade and economic cooperation.

China's Ambitions in Africa
(BBC, Nov. 25, 2006) China has stepped up its business presence in Africa, but is being criticized for not pushing for improvements in human rights and governance in some countries.

Asia’s Agenda: This Time, Terrorism Takes a Back Seat to Trade Issues By David Sanger (New York Times, Nov. 22, 2006) Perhaps it was an example of what Graham E. Fuller, a former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council, described recently as “superpower fatigue” — a sense that Washington is overstretched, and that other nations sense the opening that creates for them.

Wall of Doubts Looms as China's Hu Arrives in India
(Reuters, Nov. 21, 2006) Mistrust and misperceptions left over by history linger just below the surface, creating hurdles and threatening to distract what could be a lucrative partnership between two of the world's fastest growing economies.

Hu's India trip to Symbolize China's New Pragmatism
(Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Nov. 16, 2006) Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India will mainly show that the world's two most populous nations can cooperate despite border disputes and China's long-term alliance with Pakistan, Chinese and Indian analysts say.

China's Power Play Bearing Fruit By Yuan Jing-dong
(Taipei Times, Nov. 3, 2006) China and member states of ASEAN are marking the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN dialogue this week in Nanning, China. Held for the first time in a Chinese city, the China-ASEAN Commemor-ative Summit is living testimony to Beijing's rising (soft) power.

Beijing Lays the Ground for Soft-Power Influence By Sheng Lijun
(Straits Times, Oct. 30, 2006) While China has gained influence in South-east Asia, it still lacks the economic, social and strategic influence to replace the United States and Japan as the main players in the region.

East Asian Community a Tough Prospect
(Japan Times, Oct. 30, 2006) Pessimists warn that unresolved historical issues, fundamentally different systems of government among the nations and the current structure of Japan's alliance with the United States mean that it's unlikely an integrated East Asian community will become reality anytime soon.

Asean-China Ties Reaching New Milestone
(Straits Times, Oct. 28, 2006) When the southern Chinese city of Nanning rolls out the red carpet for Asean and Chinese leaders next week, it will mark the first time that the Asean-China summit is being held in China as the two sides celebrate 15 years of dialogue which began in 1991.

Rivals China, Taiwan Jostle for South Pacific Ascendancy
(Reuters, Oct. 28, 2006) There is room in the South Pacific for diplomatic rivals China and Taiwan, say island states who benefit from their chequebook diplomacy, just so long as they don't stay at the same hotel.

A New Way to Do Business with China By Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Peter Mandelson (IHT, Oct. 22, 2006) After two decades of rapid change in China, Europe needs a new strategy for managing the relationship that responds to today's global challenges and encompasses both a frank debate on values and tough commercial competition.

China Returns to Africa By Paul Kennedy
(The Khaleej Times, Oct. 16, 2006) In five to 10 years’ time, hundreds of Chinese merchant vessels may be steaming in and out of African ports, just as they have steamed in and out of Long Beach and Seattle over the past quarter-century.

The East Asian Triangle By Joseph Nye
(Taipei Times, Oct. 16, 2006) Dialogue between the US, China and Japan, which share a common interest in maintaining peace in East Asia, is crucial to the region's stability.

Singapore Military Juggles Ties with Taiwan and China
(Reuters, Aug. 27, 2006) Singapore has begun scaling back its military presence in Taiwan in recent years as it sought to warm relations with China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province.

A Thaw Between India and China
(LA Times, August 24, 2006) The reopened Nathu La pass is an apt symbol of Sino-Indian ties in more ways than one. Leaders in India and China hailed the event as a sign of the growing rapprochement between neighbors that have eyed each other with distrust since a 1962 border war. 

Asean: A Different Plane
(Editorial, Straits Times, July 31, 2006) The framework agreement that the US and Asean signed at last week's Asean Regional Forum meeting, setting out a five-year action plan to improve economic and political ties between them, signals Asean's growing weight.

Asian Pols Face Second-Term Blues By Simon Montlake
(Christian Science Monitor, July 20, 2006) A severe bout of second-term blues is afflicting the leadership of some of the region's most vibrant, US-allied democracies. How their institutions resolve the various clouds is shaping up as a crucial test of their resilience.

Q&A: China-North Korea Relationship By Esther Pan
(New York Times, Jul. 13, 2006) China and North Korea have been allies for more than half a century. But as Kim tests ballistic missiles and develops his nation's nuclear weapons capacity, China may be rethinking its support.

Asia Turns to Nuclear Power as Global Oil Prices Soar
(Associated Press, July 8, 2006) Led by fast-growing China and India, Asia is going nuclear in a big way to feed its ravenous appetite for energy. Eighteen reactors - about 70 per cent of the world's total under construction - are going up in Asia, and 77 more have been planned or proposed.

N. Korea Puts China in Difficult Spot By Charles Hutzler
(Associated Press, July 7, 2006) When North Korea fired a volley of missiles this week, it not only defied warnings from longtime enemies the United States and Japan, it also spurned the pleas of its chief benefactor — China.

China-India Ties Growing But Many Obstacles in the Way
(Straits Times, July 4, 2006) While India and China are drawing closer to each other, there remains a serious lack of knowledge of each other's countries on both sides.

U.S. Competes With China for Vietnam's Allegiance By Jane Perlez
(New York Times, June 19, 2006) With the fastest growth in East Asia after China and a capitalist game plan that is attracting global investment, Communist Vietnam is emerging as a regional economic power as it moves steadily from rice fields to factories.

Shanghai Club, Once Obscure, Now Attracts Wide Interest By Howard W. French (New York Times, June 16, 2006) Five years after its founding as an obscure regional organization with a nondescript name, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization opened its annual gathering here in an unaccustomed flush of interest from nations eager to join.

Race to Lead Japan May Turn on Asia Ties By Norimitsu Onishi
(New York Times, June 4, 2006) With Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi set to retire in September, the battle in the governing LDP over who will succeed him as party leader and prime minister is well under way. So far, the race is turning into a referendum on what to do about Japan's troubled relations with its Asian neighbors, especially China.

Rumsfeld Lauds Growing Asian Security Networks
(Reuters, June 3, 2006) U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Saturday hailed an expanding network of multilateral security co-operation in Asia as a ``welcome shift'' in a region that has lacked institutions like NATO in Europe.

Russia, China Close Ranks in Central Asia
(AFP, May 31, 2006) Russia and China moved to fortify their growing security cooperation in Central Asia but reassured the United States that their new-found unity of purpose in the prized region was not designed to subvert US interests there.

Singapore Could Have Role in Cross-Strait Talks: KMT
(Straits Times, May 8, 2006) Singapore can play a constructive role in cross-strait ties as it has done before, Taiwan's chief opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou said in Singapore.

Asian Leaders Acting Badly: The Makings of Nightmares By Tom Plate
(Japan Times, Apr. 24, 2006) If Japanese, Chinese and Korean leaders are not careful, the territorial disputes their countries are embroiled in could spin out of control.

Report Finds PRC-Taiwan Rivalry Fuels Pacific Corruption
(Reuters, Apr. 4, 2006) A recent Australian Senate committee report on China says competition for diplomatic recognition between Beijing and Taipei among the region's 12 island states could hurt political stability and economic development in the South Pacific.

Taiwan Says 'Go to India' But Businesses Are Wary
(Reuters, Apr. 1, 2006) It may be the world's second most populous country, with an economy growing at 8 per cent a year, but there are many reasons why Taiwan companies are wary about their government's exhortations to invest in India.

Beijing Still Quiet on US-India Deal By Yuan Jing-dong
(Taipei Times, Mar. 16, 20060 China's official response to the March 2 US-India nuclear deal has been rather low-key, if not completely muted. There is a lot at stake for the two Asian powers, and neither would benefit from an adversarial relationship.

'Relax' Indo-China Talks By Ravi Velloor
(Straits Times, Mar. 6, 2006) India and China will hold their next round of border talks in a southern Indian holiday resort favoured by the rich and the famous, and the backdrop will be Chinese-style fishing nets in the lagoon.

India, China, and the United States: A Delicate Balance By Esther Pan
(New York Times, Mar. 1, 2006) Neither India nor the United States is interested in any kind of containment of China." Still Chinese officials still harbor suspicions about U.S.-Indian intentions.

The East Asian Model to Creating a Regional Community By Yiyi Lu and Chris Hughes (Straits Times, Dec. 24, 2005) Rather than stumbling blocks, all these issues can actually serve as catalysts for regional cooperation in East Asia at the present stage.

Future of E. Asia's New Institutions By Ralf Emmers
(Straits Times, Dec. 20, 2005) The inaugural meeting of the East Asia Summit (EAS) is an important event for the region. Some trends characterize the East Asian multilateral architecture when examined from a security perspective.

False Dawn in East Asia By Baradan Kuppusamy
(Asia Times, Dec. 17, 2005) Leaders billed this week's inaugural East Asia summit as the dawn of a new era, but critics, pointing to the sheer diversity among member states, say it will end up as yet another talk shop.

Asian Leaders Search for Common Interests, in America's Absence By Seth Mydans
(New York Times, Dec. 15, 2005) Japan and China were not talking. Russia was talking to everybody. Australia was fending off bad press. The Philippines was denying coup rumors. India was offering to teach English. And the United States, for once, was looking in from the cold.

ASEAN and China Form Strategic Partnership By Jusuf Wanandi
(Jakarta Post, Dec. 15, 2005) A new era has dawned in East Asia. ASEAN and China have forged a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity. The strategic partnership is a means to making an effective contribution to regional and global peace and prosperity.

East Asian Summit Marked by Discord By Edward Cody
(Washington Post, Dec. 14, 2005) Sixteen Asian leaders held a groundbreaking summit Wednesday designed to promote regional economic and security cooperation outside the traditional umbrella of U.S. military power and political leadership.

As an Asian Century Is Planned, U.S. Power Stays in the Shadows
(New York Times, Dec. 13, 2005) The focus was on Myanmar Monday as a regional summit meeting began here, but the broader view was on the evolving shape of Asia as economies grow and alliances shift in the decades to come.

Asean's Vision 2020
(Straits Times, Dec. 12, 2005) ASEAN has an ambitious vision of turning itself into an integrated community by 2020, and the job of drafting the document that will set its direction has fallen on a group of 10 'wise men'.