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COMMENT
Blair's Christian
'challenge' to the East
Former British
premier Tony Blair, who recently converted to
Catholicism, apparently believes his or other Christian
faiths should underpin the West in meeting the
challenges from the East. But people such as Blair
should start taking the "East" more seriously, and the
coming Group of Eight summit in July could be an
opportunity for Europeans to start calling democratic
Asians "we" rather than "they". - Masayuki
Tadokoro
(May 14,
'08)
China,
Korea: More nationalist than thou
South Korea got an
up-close view of China's new-found nationalism when
Chinese protesters came out en masse for the Seoul leg
of the Olympic torch relay. South Korea had its own
patriotic upsurge ahead of the 1988 Games, but the
neighbors continue to brand the other's acts as more
excessive and upsetting. - Sunny
Lee
(May 14, '08)
China
counts earthquake costs
After initially
underestimating the effects of the earthquake that has
claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people, Chinese
authorities have appealed for help in the stricken
southwestern region. With the full scale of the tragedy
yet to be known, the economic impact, too, is only
slowly emerging. - John Ng (May 13, '08)
 Tens
of thousands dead (AFP)
China and Japan tiptoe into a 'warm
spring'
Chinese
President Hu Jintao's five-day visit to Japan was an
important step towards stabilizing relations between the
two powers. Clearly, a positive Sino-Japanese
relationship serves the interests of the region - and
the United States - but territorial disputes, food
safety issues and rising nationalism in both countries
remain unresolved. - Jing-dong Yuan (May 12,
'08)
China's
submarine progress alarms
India
Reports of China building a
massive strategic naval base capable of housing
nuclear-powered submarines on Hainan island in the South
China Sea have India on red alert. The fear is not so
much that China will launch any offensive against India,
but that India is falling far behind in the race to
dominate the region's seas. - Siddharth Srivastava
(May 8, '08)
Beijing
treads a Tibetan tightrope
China's
state-run media are gushing over the government's first
face-to-face talks with representatives of the Dalai
Lama since the March 14 riots in Lhasa, painting a rosy
picture of rapprochement and progress. What is not
mentioned is Beijing's dilemma, caught between Western
pressure, Olympic apprehension and internal hawks who
have branded the Dalai Lama "a wolf in monk's robes". -
Fong Tak-ho (May 7,
'08)
China-bashing
is a blind man's game
China's
renaissance, arguably the most significant story of our
time, offers to the world as much as the world brings to
China. Yet some fail to grasp the big picture, and for
them, China's re-emergence generates anxiety. The result
is anti-Chinese rhetoric and behavior that can only
generate anti-Western attitudes within China. Meanwhile
Beijing and the West can join forces to solve global
problems, and bitter confrontations won't help
Sino-Western synergy. - David Gosset (May 6,
'08)
 SUN WUKONG
Blowing the
whistle on
'Big Brother'
Fundamental
problems exist in China's railway system, not the least
of which is that the behemoth Ministry of Railways is
both the monopoly operator and industry regulator for
all rail transport. If this system is not restructured,
nothing will change, and accidents such as the recent
crash that claimed 70 lives will continue. - Wu Zhong
(May 6,
'08)
Just blame
it on China and India
US President
George W Bush's implication of China and India in global
warming and food shortages shows that the rise of these
two countries is a problem for Washington. Especially as
Bush's accusations about the global environment and
economy can be traced to Western over-consumption and
exploitation of resources. - Sreeram Chaulia
(May 5, '08)
China runs
at its own pace
As part of the original
understanding that brought the Olympics to Beijing, the
Chinese government promised to make democratic reforms
and human-rights improvements. Seven years later, it is
fair to say the pledge has not met Western expectations,
but that does not mean there have not been reforms in
China's "own way". - Fong Tak-ho (May 2,
'08)
China's pride
versus Western prejudice
The
Chinese government did not expect the Olympic Games to
be politicized to the extent it has and the result is a
big loss for Beijing. It has also damaged the image of
China's "harmonious society" and prompted a new wave of
Chinese nationalism. Many Chinese now feel that they
face, for the first time in many years, Western
ideology. - Da Wei
(May 1, '08)
Protests at Carrefour stores
in China (AFP)
China's inflation carries
long-term risks
Concern in China over rising
inflation is justified, given the potential it can have
for creating social unrest. Yet failure to recognize the
core causes of higher prices, and whether these are
imported from the global economy, may lead to the wrong
decisions being made and unsought consequences.(Apr 30,
'08)
Food
prices dim biofuel glow
China's determination to promote biofuels as an alternative to polluting coal
and oil is being undermined as growers of the core products find themselves
squeezed by the rising cost of agriculture products and government control of
fuel prices. (Apr 25, '08)
Olympic paranoia causes visa hurdles
Frustration is building in Hong Kong among travelers and entrepreneurs over new
visa restrictions on travel to mainland China. It's clear the cumbersome,
impromptu restrictions have arisen from Beijing's concerns over security at the
Olympic Games. What's unclear is how the changes make China any more secure. - Kent
Ewing (Apr 24, '08)
Musharraf bolsters China-Pakistan
bond
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's six-day trip to China was productive and
timely for the "all-weather" friends. It's buoyed the beleaguered president's
credibility while trumpeting needed international support for Beijing. China is
Pakistan's largest arms supplier and it is no coincidence Musharraf's last stop
was to speak against extremism in China's restive Muslim province of Xinjiang.
- Pallavi Aiyar (Apr 23, '08)
Time to outgrow
boycott calls
Chinese, angered at Western criticism of the country over Tibet and calls to
boycott the Beijing Olympic Games, have themselves staged boycotts, notably of
French products and goods advertised on CNN that are sold in China. Where does
it end? With a bad reputation for China, which should have better outlets for
its people's angst. - Wu Zhong (Apr 22, '08)
China caught in potash crunch
China has found that its market muscle counts for little when it comes to
buying the fertilizer essential to maintain its output of rice and other crops.
New contract terms more than doubled the price it pays for shipments from
Russia, and competition with other consumers is set to intensify. Suppliers,
meanwhile, are seeing their share prices soar. - John Helmer
(Apr 21, '08)
Taiwan's defeated party rebuilds
In addition to losing the presidency, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party now
has less than 25% of the seats in the legislature. It's been a steep slide for
the party, which now needs to figure out where to go, including how to hold on
to core voters as well as rebuild its platform to appeal to more people.
According to one expert, "They're going to have to start almost from scratch."
- Cindy Sui (Apr 21, '08)
BOOK REVIEW
Asia pushes, West resists
The New Asian Hemisphere by Kishore Mahbubani
A turbulent era of de-Westernization has begun in Asia, and Western societies,
apprehensive about Asia's galloping modernization, fear the world order built
to sustain their domination will be overthrown. This could be a good thing, the
enlightening book suggests, if the West could learn to work with, rather than
against, Asia's renaissance. - Sreeram Chaulia
(Apr 18, '08)
China confronts its Uyghur threat
With international media fixated on riots in Tibet and the Olympic torch relay,
Beijing is braced for another potential menace: ethnic Uyghur militants from
the far western province of Xinjiang. Four recent incidents highlight a small
but determined group of well-funded and well-schooled separatists seeping into
China from training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
(Apr 17, '08)
SUN WUKONG
A fight against rot at the core
There has been widespread criticism of the 18-year jail term given to former
Shanghai Communist Party chief Chen Liangyu as being too lenient. Certainly,
the 61-year-old could have been sentenced to death for the embezzlement of
state funds and taking bribes for which he was convicted. More to the point,
Chen's imprisonment shows the leadership's determination to combat rampant
corruption, right up to the politburo - the power core. - Wu Zhong
(Apr 16, '08)
Man at work: Rudd walks Asian tightrope
As seen by his recent trip to Beijing, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
faces a balancing act as he integrates new ally China into Canberra's foreign
policy while seeking to define just how Australia fits into Asia. Improving
ties with Beijing may sour relations with key ally the United States and
long-term main trading partner Japan, as well as cloud ties with India. - Tanja
Vestergaard (Apr 16, '08)
China bunkers down behind its great wall
The circus of protests dogging the Olympic torch as it makes its painful and
humiliating way around the globe has many believe China will "cave in" to
Western protests. The reaction is the opposite. Beijing has hardened its
position on Tibet and human rights, and far from the Games being China's
international coming-out party, people in China - with US house speaker Nancy
Pelosi as the poster demon - are angered. - Kent Ewing
(Apr 15, '08)
COMMENT
Italian lesson for the Dalai Lama
Beijing simply is not going to grant Tibet full independence. Recognizing this,
the Dalai Lama ought to clear the ambiguity that has followed him for decades
and stick to being a religious leader. In many ways, he could seek inspiration
for the Italian experience with the Vatican in Rome. - Francesco Sisci
(Apr 14, '08)
A new era or a 'made in China' affair?
The 20-minute talk between Taiwan's vice president-elect and Chinese President
Hu Jintao at the sidelines of a forum over the weekend has been described as an
"ice-melting" meet between the cross-strait rivals. Indeed, much goodwill was
expressed - and promised charter flights look to be on track in coming months -
but some feel Taiwan played right into Beijing's hands. - Ting-I Tsai
(Apr 14, '08)
COMMENT
US candidates ride the China bogey
Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both
seized on China as potentially being able to damage the United States' foreign
policy, as well as its economy. They are correct, but for all their rhetoric
they avoid naming the US's many problems or offering solutions. - Dmitry
Shlapentokh (Apr 11, '08)
 SEX
IN DEPTH
My big, fat Triad wedding
Hong Kong's sex trade exists under the omnipresent influence of notorious Triad
crime syndicates, so what better way to find the facts than to attend a
high-ranking Triad wedding? Call it an invitation one couldn't refuse, but the
results were intriguing - and as illuminating as the city's famous Wan Chai
district on a Saturday night. (Apr 11, '08)
William Sparrow writes a weekly column looking at issues relating to sex
in Asia.
Devils and angels in Taiwan
Taiwan's president-elect Ma Ying-jeou spent
last weekend honoring his political ancestors: Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek
and his son, the late president Chiang Ching-kuo. It's the latest move by Ma
and his Kuomintang party to polish the tarnished image of the Chiang dynasty
and reinstall its name to public places and monuments, and it could influence
Taiwan's future by determining how people see its past. - Stephen A Nelson
(Apr 10, '08)
Tibet a defining issue for
China
The uprising in Lhasa and the
ensuing demonstrations in areas of China populated by
ethnic Tibetans created a series of issues for the
future of the country. These challenges go beyond the
simple scope of the protests and far beyond the pressing
issue of assuring the peaceful completion of the Beijing
Olympic Games in August. The issues are radical - those
of history, geography and the role of China in the
world. - Francesco Sisci
(Apr 10, '08)
SPEAKING FREELY
China's Pacific strategy
unfurled
In the
words of Premier Wen Jiabao, China's increased
engagement with Pacific island nations is not so much
about diplomacy as it is "a strategic decision". This
embraces maritime and military interests, space
technology, natural resources, trade and investment -
and the chance to snub Taiwan and the United States at
the same time. For China, it's an ocean of opportunity.
- Zhang Guihong (Apr 9,
'08)
Why Beijing just can't grasp
Tibet
Beijing has hoped for
years that rising prosperity will convince Tibetans it
is the Communist Party, rather than the Dalai Lama, that
can ensure a better life. This misunderstanding boils
down to an inability to grasp a society in which the
spiritual is prioritized over the material. The average
Tibetan still believes the Dalai Lama is a living
Buddha, and this belief won't be bought off by subsidies
and trains. - Pallavi
Aiyar (Apr 9, '08)
SUN
WUKONG
Courts
withdraw
verdict on ATM
bandit
The young
Chinese migrant worker who stumbled on a faulty but
extremely generous ATM machine has been blessed with
more good fortune - the life sentence he received for
taking an undocumented US$25,000 has been reduced to a
five-year stint. The case is a jackpot for observers who
note that public opinion is increasingly influencing
China's judicial system. - Wu Zhong
(Apr 8, '08)
Macau's rotten basket of
riches
In the
space of a few years, Macau has metamorphosed from a
sleepy backwater into the richest place in Asia. New
casinos are the driving force and their owners the main
beneficiaries. Strip out the gambling money and another
reality is evident - the locals are still picking up
crumbs from the rich folks' table. - Kent Ewing (Apr 3, '08)
The age of the immigrant
spy
International
espionage has reacted to the new multipolar world by
reinventing the rules of spying. A clear example is the
recent case of Chinese-born engineer Chi Mak, who was
jailed for plotting to obtain American submarine
technology. China and India recruit agents from their
diasporas by playing the "shared ancestry" card and
tugging at the cultural and patriotic ties that bind
immigrants to their homelands. - Sreeram Chaulia (Apr 2, '08)
SUN WUKONG
'Paper tiger' tales shred
credibility
A rash
of fraudulent reports about the existence of the
critically endangered South China tiger has exposed an
unbecoming practice of modifying, even forging, news for
personal profit and fame. If those who put forth the
fake reports, and the local officials who are found to
be complicit, aren't dealt with harshly it's likely that
less-than-credible reporting will soon become the norm
in China. - Wu Zhong
(Apr 2,
'08)
Cracks emerge in 'Dalai Lama
clique'
Beijing's condemnation of anti-China
protests in Tibet has incorrectly swept all protesters
into the so-called "Dalai Lama clique". It's not so
simple: some radical groups - such as the Tibetan Youth
Congress - have distanced themselves from the Dalai
Lama's "middle-road" approach, and these are the ones
Beijing has to observe intently. - Law Siu-lan (Apr 1, '08)
Tibet, China the West: Back to
stereotypes
The riots in Tibet have blown a
formidable flicker into China's Olympic flame, and any
chance of keeping the sporting event free of politics
has been extinguished. All the same, the Games still
offer China the opportunity to educate the world on the
daunting challenges it faces as a still-developing
nation. - Kent Ewing (Mar 27,
'08)
Will the real Ma please stand
up
For years, the
Kuomintang's Ma Ying-jeou has been considered an heir to
the presidency of Taiwan. Now that it has come true, and
with a trail of contradictory campaign promises in his
wake, the nation is left to decipher what kind of leader
Ma will become. He already has some telling nicknames,
among them "Mr Clean", "Mr Teflon" and "Mr Promises,
Platitudes and Pablum". - Stephen
A Nelson (Mar 26, '08)
Tibet, the 'great game' and the
CIA
The main
beneficiaries to the death and destruction in Tibet
could be in the United States. For Washington and the
Central Intelligence Agency, with its deep involvement
with the Free Tibet Movement, this would be a
heaven-sent opportunity to create a significant lever
against Beijing, with little risk to American interests.
For China, the seriousness with which it is treating the
unrest is illustrated by the deployment of a large
number of important army units. - Richard M Bennett (Mar 25,
'08)
Promises and pandas for Taiwan's
Ma
Saturday's
decisive presidential victory by Kuomintang candidate Ma
Ying-jeou was a clear mandate to rule the island and a
humbling end for the era of President Chen Shui-bian.
But with a sluggish economy, internal party divisions
and complex relationships with Beijing and Washington,
Ma faces an enormous balancing act. - Ting-I Tsai (Mar 25, '08)
Economic and strait-talk as Taiwan
votes
A sluggish
economy is of greatest concern as Taiwan heads for the
weekend's presidential polls. The island's relations
with China, as always, are a key issue, while the ethnic
backgrounds of the two candidates - the Kuomintang's Ma
Ying-jeou and Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic
Progressive Party - are a bitter debating point. - Cindy Sui (Mar 20, '08)
BOOK
REVIEW
Larger than life
Tell Me a Story by Kevin Sinclair
Sinclair epitomized the
swashbuckling, hard-drinking journalists of yesteryear,
and his memoir is sure to stir nostalgia for the days of
inebriated gatherings of close-knit China scribes in
Hong Kong. Sinclair was the leader of the pack, and his
descriptions of crazy stories and eccentric
personalities are an important backdrop to the history
of Hong Kong and China. - Kent
Ewing (Mar 20, '08)
SUN
WUKONG
Stumbling towards
Confucius-ville
As part a Beijing-sponsored
"cultural renaissance", the 2,500-year-old teachings of
Confucius are back into vogue as a counterbalance to the
meteoric rise of modern China. But a plan to erect a
US$4.2 billion "Chinese Cultural Symbolic City" in the
philosopher's hometown has hardly inspired the peace and
social harmony of which Confucius wrote. - Wu Zhong (Mar 19, '08)
Olympic clock ticks for unified
Korean team
The two
Koreas, which by their very rationales are involved in a
highly-charged competition for legitimacy with their
other "part-nation", the Olympic Games have been a
particularly potent arena for political posturing. As
they try to out-do each other in the runup to the
Beijing Games over the possibility of a joint Korean
team, China has a role to play. (Mar 19,
'08)
Now the Tibet blame game
begins
Chinese
Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Tuesday assured that
"social order" has all but been restored in Lhasa, the
capital of Tibet scarred by anti-Chinese demonstrations.
Beijing is now left to limit the damage from the
high-profile disturbances, and is doing so by squarely
blaming the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader, for
not only instigating the unrest, but also for trying to
sabotage China's Olympic dream. - John Ng (Mar 18, '08)
China and India: Oh to be
different
Once again, with the unrest in
Tibet, Beijing has been caught unprepared and has
revealed its inability to deal with dissent and
difference, despite the stated goal of creating a
harmonious society. In direct contrast, India's diverse
polity has flourished against all the odds precisely
because of its ability to acknowledge difference. -
Pallavi Aiyar (Mar 18,
'08)
Olympic flame burns
ominously
In just a
few months, the Olympic torch is due to pass through
Lhasa, the Tibetan capital that has erupted in
anti-Chinese violence. Officials in Beijing are adamant
that nothing will stop the torch's progress on its way
to the opening of the Games in August. Which means,
whatever it takes, the protests will be silenced. - Situ Feng and John Ng (Mar 17, '08)
India wakes to a Tibetan
headache
The Dalai
Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan government in
exile based in India, is reveling in all the attention
from the hordes of Western media who have descended on
his Himalayan township. For now, Beijing's crackdown on
protesters in the Tibetan capital Lhasa plays into his
hands as a fierce critic of China. But a delicate
three-way diplomatic tango is commencing, involving the
United States and China, with India providing the turf -
which can only turn out messy for India, as well as for
the Dalai Lama. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Mar
17, '08)
Rubber chicken for China's sick
soul
In
China, despite all the hype about greater press freedom
and political reform, maintaining the supreme power of
the Communist Party is still national priority number
one. All the new acronyms and "mega-ministries" unveiled
by Beijing last week should not be misconstrued as a
grand plan to tackle the country's challenges. In the
end, it is all pretty simple: bureaucratic restructuring
is what masquerades as reform. - Kent Ewing (Mar 17, '08)
COMMENT
US enters 'checkbook war' with
China
With its
forces stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan and its
leader nearing lame-duck status, some might argue the
end of the so-called American empire is near. If
Washington's influence is dwindling, a new confrontation
will emerge in which nations compete in a "cash war"
over access to natural resources. In this battle the
biggest spender wins, and the US is already being
outpaced by Beijing. - Dmitry Shlapentokh (Mar 14, '08)
BOOK
REVIEW
Ancient tactics for modern
battles
The 36 Secret
Strategies of the Martial Arts by Hiroshi Moriya
The ancient Chinese maxims featured
in the book encapsulate some of the Far East's most
cunning tactics for battle and deception. In the end,
it's useful, and surprisingly applicable, advice for how
to counter the actions of any tough opponent - be it in
contemporary business, politics, diplomacy or sport. -
Michael Jen-Siu (Mar 14,
'08)
'Terror' attack a warning shot for
Beijing
Chinese
authorities have linked the foiled hijacking of a plane
bound for Beijing to independence fighters in the remote
northwestern Xinjiang Autonomous Region, causing much
concern about security for the Summer Olympics. The
investigation has revealed a spate of other "terror"
plots and sent a clear message to the government. -
Fong Tak-ho (Mar 13,
'08)
China puts its trust in
Putinism
More than
any other capital in the world, Beijing has closely
observed the changing of the guard in the Kremlin. And
the Chinese know that with or without President Vladimir
Putin, it is only natural for Russia to continue its
current policies. There's therefore still work to be
done on the Sino-Russian relationship. - Yu Bin (Mar 12, '08)
While China marches, the US
guesses
To the US,
there's nothing new about China's continuing military
development, it's the unsaid intentions behind the
buildup that are worrying Washington. Without disclosing
its own strategies, Washington wants to know what
Beijing is up to. But obfuscation is an art of war, and
the Chinese are masters at it. - Law Siu-lan(Mar 12, '08)
Democracy on the dragon's
doorstep
No matter
what Beijing's censors say, Taiwan's presidential
election on March 22 will be a reminder to mainland
Chinese that a democratic society flourishes in the
"renegade province". The important race, which could
write a new chapter in cross-strait relations, has young
mainlanders abandoning the hard line of their elders and
calling for flexible attitudes and harmonious relations.
- Cindy Sui (Mar 11,
'08)
Helping Taiwan help
itself
If Taiwan
continues upgrading its defense capabilities, as appears
likely irrespective of March 22 election results, it
will be indirectly advancing US interests in the
Pacific, both by stalling China's ambitions for regional
hegemony and as a partner in any security or
humanitarian crises. Carefully managed, a policy of
actively helping Taiwan's defense could pay healthy
dividends into America's geopolitical accounts. (Mar 10,
'08)
China card still wild in White House
race
Washington's China policy is
expected to soon become a major issue in the White House
race, from currency concerns and product safety to
military buildup. But despite whatever campaign rhetoric
is flung about, there is no getting away from the fact
that the most important relationship in the world is
taking shape. - Jing-dong Yuan
(Mar 7,
'08)
The fancy guns are trained on
China
Just as the
Pentagon and its corporate allies touted the "Soviet
threat" during the Cold War to stampede Congress and the
American public into supporting ever-increasing spending
on advanced weapons, so a hypothetical "China threat" is
now being conjured up to achieve the same purpose - and
it's costing multi-billions of dollars. - Michael T Klare (Mar 7,
'08)
SPEAKING FREELY
Don't be lazy, snooze at
work
Asia's culture
of napping has reached a new level in China, where the
state has authorized sleeping on the job, at least for a
little while. It's time to wake up to the age of the
"cubicle nap" and experts say the results are
eye-opening. Increased productivity, safety and morale
surely put to bed any Western notions of the dangers of
a work-day doze. - Matt
Young (Mar 6, '08)
Icy hand of China corruption
bared
The discovery
that substandard power poles exacerbated the fatal
consequences of China's brutal winter snowstorms has
thrust the icy specter of provincial corruption once
again into national debate. China's vociferous websites
and chat rooms are blasting official corruption and
transparency, and it seems President Hu Jintao, for one,
is listening. - Zhang
Yi (Mar 5, '08)
SUN WUKONG
Green whirlwind sweeps
China
China's
National People's Congress this week upgrades its State
Environmental Protection Administration into a
mega-sized environmental ministry. This is part of a
green policy geared to strengthening the country's
"toothless tiger" laws. Whether other departments and
provinces cooperate is another matter, particularly when
their own interests are at risk. - Wu Zhong (Mar 4, '08)
China's cartoon police not
amused
The
superheroes and cuddly critters of the animated universe
face a formidable foe in China's censors. From Superman
to Digimon, the state's media watchdog has extended a
ban on all foreign cartoons from prime time television.
It's Beijing's effort to spur growth in the lagging
animation industry, but young consumers find domestic
cartoons dull and childish. - Olivia Chung (Mar 3, '08)
China, India, play it again for
Uncle Sam
With US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Beijing and
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in New Delhi, the US's
evolving Asian strategy is on display. Washington is out
to convince China and India that each is a privileged
partner of the US's global strategies, a part of which
is containing a resurgent Russia. Beijing has welcomed
the US "invitation", but Delhi is convinced the US is
building up Indian capabilities just to make it a
counterweight to China. - M
K Bhadrakumar (Feb 29, '08)
Hoops and hurdles for Olympic
media
A
journalistic pentathlon faces reporters eager to cover
this summer's Beijing Olympic Games. Those who can
overcome restrictions, intimidation, detentions,
surveillance and reprimands will no doubt cross a finish
line drawn with red tape. And all the while, a
controversial database on foreign journalists grows
bigger by the day. - Josh
Adams (Feb 28, '08)
US prowls for China in the
Philippines
With China now becoming the US's
greatest potential competitor, Washington needs the
Philippines more than ever. Not only is it ideally
located, its government has been far more willing than
other Southeast Asian countries to align itself with the
demands of the US. Thus Washington is steadily
transforming and deepening its military presence and
intervention in the Philippines in preparation for any
face-off with China. In return, Beijing is aggressively
courting Manila. - Herbert
Docena (Feb 27, '08)
The fun's going out of Chinese
festivals
Beijing's efforts to revive
traditional celebrations and folk culture are going over
like a dud firecracker. Older Chinese say the new
festivals just aren't what they used to be, and they're
steamed at the loss of handmade snacks, music and
artistry. Scholars even frame it as a matter of cultural
sovereignty - the South Koreans have already "stolen"
one festival. (Feb 26, '08)
Lust knows no end in Hong
Kong
Actor
Edison Chen and his snapshots of bedroom triumphs with
celebrity starlets remains at the center of Hong Kong's
juiciest-ever sex scandal, despite his contrite mea
culpa and pleas for forgiveness. Now the police have
added their own layer to the almost comical bungling
that has characterized the steamy saga, ensuring it
still has a lot of titillating to do. - Kent Ewing (Feb 25, '08)
BOOK REVIEW
Hong Kong and the oral
tradition
The Man Who
Owned All the Opium in Hong Kong by Jonathan Chamberlain
Hong Kong's Peter Hui was, at
various times, a gambler, a tailor and CIA agent. At one
point he also controlled an awful lot of opium. Hui’s
remembrance of his riotous life give a rare peek at the
Hong Kong of yesteryear - the opium dens, the pool
halls, the nightclubs, the casinos and the girls, girls,
girls. The protagonist’s triumphs and tragedies
underscore the dynamism of the city and the times that
shaped him. - Kent
Ewing (Feb 22, '08)
Buffer benefits in Spratly
initiative
Protests over President Chen
Shui-bian's recent visit to the disputed Spratly Islands
overlooked his proposals for joint actions in the area
with neighboring countries. A negative response by
Southeast Asian claimants on the atolls would fail to
recognize the benefits of a Taiwanese presence in the
sea-lanes south of mainland China. (Feb 21, '08)
Beijing's new Taiwan strategy:
Washington
In a departure from past
strategies, Beijing has stopped directing its
saber-rattling rhetoric at Taiwan and is now pressuring
Washington to do it in its stead. Despite Taiwan's
provocative moves, Beijing is remaining calm and quiet.
So far Beijing's strategy is proving successful and
Taipei has yet to develop a counter strategy. - Ting-I Tsai (Feb 21,
'08)
China puppet-play a plus for
Koreas
The
prospect of a Chinese takeover of North Korea will
horrify many onlookers. Yet little could be done to
prevent such action and the benefits would be widespread
for all parties, including the South. - Andrei Lankov (Feb 20, '08)
Winter debris exposes China's
woes
The Chinese
government has much rebuilding to do in the wake of the
country's savage winter. It also has considerable
homework to do on how to avoid a repeat of the dismal
forecasting that preceded the storms and absence of
disaster management plans that exacerbated their impact.
- Kent Ewing (Feb 20,
'08)
SUN
WUKONG
Toxic brew shrouds State Council
shake-up
A
scandal involving one of China's worst pollution
disasters and alleged plagiarism by a senior
environmental official is gathering over plans to shake
up the State Council. Thickening the toxic brew, the
country's Internet police are giving the allegations
free range on even government websites - Wu Zhong (Feb 19, '08)
China
stakes much on new stock board
China is resurrecting plans to
launch a growth board for listing small companies as a
route to encourage more start-ups, further develop its
venture capital industry, and soak up liquidity in the
booming economy. -> Candy
Zeng(Feb 15, '08)
Spielberg's Olympic-size
snub
Director Steven Spielberg's
decision to pull out of helping plan Olympic Games
ceremonies due to China's perceived indifference over
atrocities in Darfur never happened as far as Beijing is
concerned. The information blackout is the latest
awkward attempt by the authorities to hide the wrinkles
in its plans for a "harmonious", controversy free Games.
(Feb 14,
'08)
Wedding bell blues in Taiwan
Despite having a language and
culture in common, the Taiwanese government continues to
view mainland Chinese brides with suspicion, relegating
them to second class status below those from other
countries. Politics trumps marital rights, partly
because mainland spouses could play an important role in
drawing Taiwan closer to China. - Cindy Sui (Feb 14,
'08)
Asian arms race gathers
speed
In Northeast Asia, the
United States, China, Japan, Russia and North and South
Korea are investing in war, spending staggering amounts
of money in new weapons systems and offensive
capabilities. From China's ambitious naval program to
South Korea's state-of-the-art fighter aircraft, this
buildup on the land, on the seas and in space undercuts
all talk of peace and sustains an ever-growing global
military-industrial complex. - John Feffer (Feb 13,
'08)
SPEAKING FREELY
China's soft power filling a moral
void
From Malta to
Zimbabwe, no nation is too insignificant or morally
bankrupt to qualify for Chinese investment as part of
its generous foreign policy machine. But while Beijing
has been criticized for shoring up questionable regimes
with trade and reciprocal promises of non-interference,
the US is no stranger to Faustian bargains - as in Saudi
Arabia. For both, the allure is of foreign policy based
on naked self interest. - David
B Roberts (Feb 13, '08)
SUN WUKONG
Feel the warmth
President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen
Jiabao have won hearts and minds for their "people
first" approach, even if it comes somewhat belatedly, as
with the recent snow debacle. It's a good start for
their next five years, but more than photo ops and warm
publicity will be needed to deal with harder issues such
as the economy. - Wu Zhong
(Feb 12,
'08)
China threat. What threat?
Since the end of
the Cold War, China has become the candidate of choice
among "illusionist" hawks looking to justify Pentagon
spending. It's a paranoia sharpened by authors and
think-tanks who for years have worried over the
increased military might of the Middle Kingdom. A closer
look reveals why China is not a military threat to
America, and in fact Beijing's concerns about
Washington's agenda might be closer to the truth. - Henry Rosemont (Feb 11,
'08)
Chillin' at a North Korean karaoke
bar
While Pyongyang
nightlife may be beyond most curious tourists' reach,
North Korean restaurants and karaoke bars in China
provide a rare chance for foreign guests to experience
the real deal and, if not paint the town red, perhaps
brush it a tasteful beige. - Sunny Lee (Feb 7,
'08)
SPEAKING FREELY
The peacekeeping dragon is on
safari
China's
growing contribution to UN peacekeeping operations -
including in Haiti, which still recognizes Taipei rather
than Beijing - now makes it No 11 after France among the
119 troop-contributing countries. But Beijing has not
contributed any combat troops to the peacekeeping forces
because it is wary of the "China threat" theory. - Yin He (Feb 7, '08)
Racy photos strip heart-throb's
image
Hong Kong newsstands are awash with the story of nude
celebrity photos found on singer-actor Edison Chen's
computer at a repair shop. Whether the pics are bogus or
bona fide, at least eight arrests have been made and
more than 1,000 "explicit images" seized, including
those of four women described as "public figures". Chen
says he's sorry, but police say the photos are spreading
everywhere. - Justin Mitchell
(Feb
6, '08)
Rats! It could be a tough
year
 The
Year of the Rat will bring mixed blessings to Hong Kong
and China, especially when the crucial five elements -
earth, wind, fire, water and metal - are factored into
the astrological mix. But one significant rodent, Mickey
Mouse, is really hoping for a boost in Hong Kong. -
Kent Ewing (Feb 6,
'08)
Hu tightens grip over Shanghai
faction
President Hu Jintao has shaken up
the long-standing practice of "Shanghai people running
Shanghai" with a mixture of power and relative
magnanimity. He's also salted more than half of China's
31 provinces with his underlings to ensure the fail-safe
implementation of Beijing's edicts. The test will be
whether Hu's appointees can remain loyal while also
doing their jobs well. - Willy Lam (Feb 5,
'08)
BOOK REVIEW
One mainland, two
systems
Rural Democracy in
China by Baogang He
An in-depth study of China's rural
election system finds that the grassroots
semi-competitive polls have given birth to a "mixed
regime" that, despite contradictions, fortifies the
Communist Party's supremacy. - Sreeram Chaulia (Feb 1, '08)
SPEAKING
FREELY
The naked truth about China's
censors
 For
China's new wave of film directors, a slap from the
censors is an expected hazard. They're now aware that
too much sex, or too much Tiananmen, will land a film on
the cutting board. But the rules for art, or even the
Internet, are unwritten. Just ask director Lou Ye, who's
been barred from making movies for five years after
entering a steamy film at Cannes without permission.
(Jan 30,
'08)
SUN
WUKONG
China's need for a firmer
hand
Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao won accolades for his public,
down-to-earth approach to dealing with crises such as
the SARS epidemic, but he's also drawn brickbats for his
indecisive approach to slowing down the galloping
economy. He now has a chance to build a new team as he
picks his cabinet in preparation for another five-year
term. - Wu Zhong (Jan 29,
'08)
India's vision blurs over
China
Since
the US's return into South Asian affairs after September
11, 2001, India's traditional nemesis - the
Beijing-Islamabad entente - has been overshadowed by the
Washington-Islamabad alliance. Yet, New Delhi's security
community continues to focus on the former relationship,
while playing down cooperation with Beijing, which is
also worried about tumult in its southern periphery. -
Zorawar Daulet Singh
(Jan 28, '08)
China moves to expand its
reach
China's decision to create a new
city administration for the disputed Paracels and
Spratlys islands underlines its need to resurrect
territorial claims to resources-rich spots. The move has
also sparked anti-Chinese demonstrations in Vietnam.
(Jan 28,
'08)
China's 'Olympic' approach to
refugees
China is taking a two-system
approach to North Korean refugees as the Summer Olympics
draw near. In hopes of making the capital a
"refugee-free city", Beijing is quickly issuing exit
stamps for North Koreans who've found diplomatic
shelter, while also cracking down hard on those who
aren't behind embassy or United Nations walls. - Sunny Lee (Jan 25, '08)
China crawls slowly towards
judicial reform
Unlike most legal systems, China
places the power of constitutional review not in courts,
but in the legislature. Though there is no indication
the National People's Congress has exercised this power
in any systematic or significant way, a new generation
of lawyers, judges, scholars and intellectuals is
pressuring Beijing to make meaningful judicial review a
reality. (Jan 24, '08)
China and the US remain
focused
Iran, Taiwan and mutual military
issues were top of the agenda at the latest high-level
dialogue between the United States and China. Yet the
two powers have not made any significant movement beyond
their immediate bilateral concerns, let alone truly
strategic matters. - Jing-dong
Yuan (Jan 22, '08)
US woos a partner over
Iran
The United States goes into another
meeting with Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany
on Iran's nuclear program in an unusually restrained
mood. Washington's push for more sanctions has been
blunted by a a US government report questioning their
economic impact, while Paris is developing an
independent line. When push comes to shove, the US has
made it clear to Beijing where its loyalties should lie.
-
M K
Bhadrakumar (Jan 22,
'08)
India could yet play the 'China'
hand
Outwardly it looks as though
China-India relations are becoming cozier, but a look at
the history of United States-China relations provides a
guide for how New Delhi within the next decade may "do a
China" on China, by linking up with Washington the way
Beijing did with the world's most powerful country in
the 1970s. (Jan 18, '08)
China's Bollywood love
affair
Beijing's limited foreign film
quota, as well as Hollywood's clout, have made it
difficult for India's Bollywood films to make deep
inroads into China. More Indian films, though, could
pave the way for a kind of silver screen detente that
would benefit the governments of both countries and
their moviegoers. - Debasish Roy
Chowdhury (Jan 18, '08)
All bets off on Taiwan's
presidential race
With a sweeping legislative win
under its belt, Taiwan's independence-opposed Kuomintang
party has good reason to be optimistic ahead of the
March 22 presidential vote. Not so fast, say Taipei
watchers, as all the top candidates carry question marks
and Taiwanese elections can be famously dramatic,
last-minute affairs. - Fong
Tak-ho (Jan 17, '08)
Beijing, Beijing, it's a helluva
town
China's fabled capital Beijing is
fast losing its luster for some Chinese fed up with its
pollution, swelling population, staggering prices,
snarled traffic and construction boom. Some are even
calling for a new capital - though others are in love
with Beijing's chic appeal and are anxious to bask in
the rest of the world's approval under the Summer
Olympics' spotlight. (Jan 16, '08)
SUN
WUKONG
Petty officials with
grand
delusions
A
flagrant abuse of power by a small Chinese county chief
and his police force that challenged Beijing's authority
to regulate libel laws spotlights the need for stricter
supervision of the country's penny ante officials, who
regard themselves as all-powerful "fathers" above
challenge or reproach. - Wu
Zhong (Jan 15, '08)
Taiwan, and president, take a
drubbing
The shock landslide victory by
Taiwan's nationalist party over President Chen
Shui-bian's party at the weekend's legislative elections
is essentially a no-confidence vote in Chen, who has
resigned as party chairman. As the losers regroup and
the winners try to maintain their new-found momentum,
there's trouble ahead for the island's entire political
process. - Ting-I
Tsai (Jan 14, '08)
China card comes up
trumps
The opposition
victory in Taiwan is not only a rebuke to the
Democratic Progressive Party's failed leadership, the
shift could also signal a process of smoothing relations
with China, which has been antagonized by lame-duck
President Chen Shui-bian's efforts to play the
Taiwan identity card. - Jing-dong Yuan (Jan 14,
'08)
Indians in China feel left
out
The
Indian diaspora is 25-million strong, but only some
20,000 live in China. This could explain why Delhi
failed to fete them at its annual celebration for
overseas Indians, even though the small but growing
Indian community in China can help change cultural
perceptions of Indians. -Sudha Ramachandran (Jan 11,
'08)
Commerce to the fore for Delhi and
Beijing
Continuing differences over the
China-India border will not prevent commerce dominating
the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Beijing
next week, when he will have an opportunity to address
head on the challenges of promoting cross-border
economic ties. - Pallavi Aiyar
(Jan 11,
'08)
In Bhutan, China and India
collide
All's not well in Shangri-la. As
the world's newest democracy, the Himalayan Kingdom of
Bhutan has earned high praise from around the globe, but
as the country's first elections come to a close the new
government has to determine whether the country will
stand on its own or become caught between the expanding
powers of China and India. - Mohan Balaji (Jan 11, '08)
Ants and pyramids: China scams
abound
It
was a pyramid scheme with Chinese characteristics that
suckered more than a million investors who thought a
US$1,300 box of ants would make them a fortune. Its
collapse led to the one thing China's leaders fear most,
"social unrest" in the form of a demonstration turned
riot. Now the authorities are taking official notice of
scams. - Kent Ewing (Jan 11,
'08)
Hong Kong on the march -
again
Just
how many people will take part in a march for democracy
in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest China's continued
attempts to stymie full universal suffrage is anyone's
guess. The only certainty is that Hong Kong will get
exactly what Beijing wants it to have. - Augustine Tan (Jan 10,
'08)
Super! Beijing's ministries go
big
As
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao works on building his
second cabinet, plans are also afoot to revamp and
consolidate a number the government's cluttered,
conflicting and often ineffective ministries and
commissions. New "super ministry" status will be
conferred on several critical areas, including
transportation, the environment, energy and development,
in an effort to push through measures previously stilted
by corruption, in-fighting and indifference. - Willy Lam (Jan 9, '08)
Differing readings of the Bible in
China
Following international pressure,
Beijing has released a Chinese Christian bookstore owner
after he was arrested in November for "illegally"
publishing Bibles. While China boasts of being the
world's largest publisher of Bibles and a nation of
religious freedom, only five faiths are officially
sanctioned and believers such as the bookshop owner pray
in a gray zone. - Dinah Gardner
(Jan 9,
'08)
India walks a long road to
China
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's three-day visit to Beijing is the first by an
Indian premier in almost five years. But despite warming
ties and increasingly common interests, the nations
share almost as much friction as they do friendship. The
real action will go on behind the scenes. - Pallavi Aiyar (Jan 8, '08)
Chinese navy floats three-carrier
plan
The
People's Liberation Army Navy is believed to have grand
plans for three aircraft carrier groups - two of which
could be patrolling the seas by 2016. That, along with
Chinese air exercises in the East China Sea last
September, is not welcome news in Taiwan or Japan,
despite Beijing's assurances that it will never "resort
to force with the use of carrier vessels". (Jan 7,
'08)
China faces a second land
revolution
Farmers
in three provinces are firing up the Internet with
demands for an end to the vaunted communist ideal of
collective land ownership. Their anger is aimed at
greedy developers and corrupt officials who seize
farmland for real estate projects. Though Beijing has
taken little official notice, it's a sign of things to
come if land-use policy doesn't change. - Kent Ewing (Jan 2, '08)
In China, tension and
triumph
China has
weathered an overheating economy, increasing inflation,
environmental ruin, corruption and trade tensions with
the US, all of which will temporarily take a back seat
as the Summer Olympics approach. - Kent Ewing (Dec 21, '07)
For Sino-US ties, cautious
progress
The
maturing relationship between China and the United
States has cemented military ties and helped the
countries inch closer on the touchy topics of trade,
North Korea and Taiwan. But unanswered questions loom,
such as how the US will accommodate China's rise to
superpower and how well Beijing will accept the existing
international order. - Jing-dong
Yuan (Dec 21, '07)
There's method in China's peace
push
Beijing's new
eagerness to join high-profile UN peacekeeping missions
is a surprising shift from its hardline noninterference
stance to humanitarianism. But along with troops, China
is exporting an alternative diplomacy it hopes will
serve its agenda as an ascending superpower. Party
leaders say "China sets a glorious example," but
observers are calling it a global image overhaul aimed
at gaining geopolitical clout. - Rebecca Jackson (Dec 20,
'07)
China seeks six-party solution on
Iran
Washington
and Beijing have different takes on Tehran. As the
biggest consumers of the Middle East's oil they're both
significant stakeholders in its stability, but divergent
perceptions and differing historical relations are again
placing Iran high on the agenda of Sino-US relations.
(Dec 19,
'07)
US tweaks stance on Taiwan
vote
The United
States has altered its opposition to Taiwan President
Chen Shui-bian's plan for a referendum over UN
membership as "Taiwan" rather than the Republic of
China. The US shift to reluctant toleration of the plan
seems to be guided by China, but with presidential
elections and the referendum still months away, there is
time for a rethink. - Ting-I
Tsai (Dec 19, '07)
China, Vietnam churn diplomatic
waters
The
slow-burning dispute over sovereignty of the Paracel and
Spratly islands is threatening to flare again. Recent
actions have a familiar ring: the award of an oil
exploration contract to India's state-owned ONGC;
administrative moves over the islands by China; student
demonstrations in Hanoi warning of ''hegemony''. New to
the picture is that Vietnam is about to take up a seat
at the United Nations Security Council. - Andrew Symon (Dec 19,
'07)
SUN WUKONG
China's leadership
plays musical chairs
The Chinese Communist Party is
moving its provincial leadership pawns around before the
government's new State Council, or cabinet, is named in
March. Among the contenders are a respected financial
princeling and a controversial figure who may have
changed his ways after a career that has included media
and protest crackdowns. - Wu
Zhong (Dec 18, '07)
China leaves the US and India
trailing
In an
audacious swoop, China has beaten off rivals from the
US, Canada and Russia to secure a US$4 billion copper
project in Afghanistan, leaving India to build hospitals
and schools. And this week, China Petroleum Corporation
sealed a $2 billion oil and gas development project in
Iran, just as Delhi - at Washington's bidding - slapped
banking restrictions on Tehran. By hitching its colors
to the US-Israeli bandwagon, India is now paying the
price for overlooking the reality that Iran is the only
really viable regional power in the Middle East and the
Persian Gulf. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Dec 14,
'07)
Russia's east warms to
China
A cultural
shif |
