China’s Troubled Waters
on August 20, 2010
Are Chinese-American maritime relations running aground? The recent sinking of the South Korean corvette the Cheonan, most likely by China’s unruly client state North Korea, has led to the U.S.S. George Washington participating in naval exercises off the Korean coast. Heightening tensions, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appearing at an ASEAN forum in Hanoi, challenged China’s long-standing claims to the Paracel and Spratly Islands—small reefs and assorted flecks of coral that happen to sit atop rich hydrocarbon stores in the South China Seas.
Waiting for WikiLeaks: Beijing’s Seven Secrets
on August 19, 2010
While people in the U.S. and elsewhere have been reacting to the release by WikiLeaks of classified U.S. documents on the Afghan War, Chinese bloggers have been discussing the event in parallel with another in their own country. On July 21 in Beijing, four days before WikiLeaks published its documents, Chinese President Hu Jintao convened a high-level meeting to discuss ways to prevent leaks from the archives of the Communist Party of China.
The Guo Degang Affair and China Apologists
on August 13, 2010
This week on Sinica, Jeremy Goldkorn, Gady Epstein, Will Moss, and David Moser join Kaiser to talk about the Guo Degang Affair. When a fight with the media at the famous comedian’s house became news, the incident sparked a week of heated public debate. This ended abruptly as authorities closed ranks, muzzled the outspoken comedian, and stepped-up an old-school campaign against the “three vulgarities.” Looking beyond the headlines, what does this tell us about the media in China and why does it matter?
China in Africa
on August 6, 2010
The world is abuzz over a number of recent large-scale infrastructure-for-resources deals China has signed in Africa. While some observers see these agreements as a force for good in local economic development, others have gone so far as to call the activities part of a perfidious, neo-imperialistic resource grab. Beijing is accused of perpetuating corruption, of obstructing progress on human rights, and of propping up dictators like Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Addressing the Environmental and Social Governance Challenges of Chinese Mining Companies Operating in Africa
A Comparative Study of OECD and Emerging Market Investor Behavior in Zambia’s Copper Mining Industry
on August 1, 2010
There is growing concern about the environmental and social implications of China’s overseas involvement in Africa, especially in environmentally-sensitive sectors such as mining and other extractive industries. In particular, Chinese firms are often perceived to be “the worst investors” in the African mining sector. There is therefore an urgent need for China to more firmly tackle the issue of corporate responsibility by overseas enterprises in Africa, not only for the benefit of the populations in the host countries concerned, but also in the economic interests of Chinese corporations themselves.
Topics:
Organization:
Global Environmental Institute
Addressing the Environmental and Social Governance Challenges of Chinese Mining Companies Operating in Africa
A Comparative Study of OECD and Emerging Market Behavior in Zambia’s Copper Mining Industry
on August 1, 2010
The growth of China’s consumption of base metals is reflected in increased overseas engagement in mining activities, particularly in Africa. There is increasing concern about the environmental and social implications of China’s overseas involvement in Africa, especially in environmentally sensitive sectors such as mining and other extractive industries. The criticism Chinese firms have received for their practices in the mining sector reveals the urgent need for China to more firmly tackle the issue of corporate responsibility in overseas enterprises, not only for the benefit of the populations in the host-countries, but also in the economic interests of Chinese corporations themselves. This study attempts to provide first steps for developing a more targeted framework that could help Chinese and other emerging-market companies systematize their management approaches in Africa’s mining sector.
Topics:
Organization:
Global Environmental Institute
Chess on the High Seas: Dangerous Times for U.S.-China Relations
on August 1, 2010
The Obama administration’s hopes that its warmer approach to Beijing would yield a more fruitful Sino-American relationship have been disappointed. Rather than adopting a more cooperative bearing, Beijing has become increasingly assertive over the past year. Recognizing the resulting detriment to U.S. interests and Asia-Pacific peace and security, the Obama administration is now pushing back. This new direction may convince Beijing to reconsider its recent assertive policies, but for now, the United States and China have entered a period of tense relations, raising the odds of a true crisis. Particularly worrisome is Chinese media coverage of this summer’s quarrels, which has been nationalistic and anti-American in tone and content. Such coverage makes conflicts more difficult to resolve, as the Chinese regime cannot afford to look weak in the eyes of an incensed citizenry. Policymakers in both countries should be aware of this dynamic as they approach any additional disputes in the coming months.
Topics:
Politics
Organization:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research