Russia, China Block U.N. Sanctions on Syria over Gas Attacks

Michelle Nichols
Reuters
Russia on Tuesday cast its seventh veto to protect the Syrian government from United Nations Security Council action, blocking a bid by Western powers to impose sanctions over accusations of chemical weapons attacks during the six-year Syrian...

China Reacts with Anger, Threats After South Korean Missile Defense Decision

Ben Blanchard
Reuters
Chinese state media have reacted with anger and boycott threats after the board of an affiliate of South Korea’s Lotte Group approved a land swap with the government that allows authorities to deploy a U.S. missile defense system 

Books

02.28.17

Everything Under the Heavens

Howard W. French
From the former New York Times Asia correspondent and author of China’s Second Continent, an incisive investigation of China’s ideological development as it becomes an ever more aggressive player in regional and global diplomacy.For many years after its reform and opening in 1978, China maintained an attitude of false modesty about its ambitions. That role, reports Howard French, has been set aside. China has asserted its place among the global heavyweights, revealing its plans for pan-Asian dominance by building its navy, increasing territorial claims to areas like the South China Sea, and diplomatically bullying smaller players. Underlying this attitude is a strain of thinking that casts China’s present-day actions in decidedly historical terms, as the path to restoring the dynastic glory of the past. If we understand how that historical identity relates to current actions, in ways ideological, philosophical, and even legal, we can learn to forecast just what kind of global power China stands to become–and to interact wisely with a future peer.Steeped in deeply researched history as well as on-the-ground reporting, this is French at his revelatory best. —Penguin Random House{chop}

US-China Relations: Trump Meets Senior Official Yang Jiechi

BBC
A senior Chinese diplomat had a brief meeting with President Donald Trump while at the White House for talks with the president's advisers

Viewpoint

02.27.17

Back to the Jungle?

Zhang Boshu
The recent election of Donald J. Trump as the president of the United States is likely to have a profound effect on world history. The issue is not the controversies raised by Trump’s character, personality, abilities, and preferences, but rather...

Chinese Private Security Companies Go Global

Charles Clover
Financial Times
Beijing’s protection industry looks after workers in the most dangerous places.

How to Persuade China to Squeeze North Korea’s Lifeline

Patricia Kim
Foreign Policy
Beijing is reluctant to give Pyongyang a real ultimatum—but the U.S. can bring it round

China Is Likely to Ramp up Its Naval Abilities in Response to Trump’s Unpredictability

Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina
Time
The PLA Navy is likely to secure significant new funding in China’s upcoming defense budget as Beijing seeks to check U.S. dominance of the high seas and step up its own projection of power around the globe.

China Is Making Life Hard for South Korea Because of an Antimissile System in over 40 Petty Ways

Echo Huang
Quartz
Relations between China and South Korea have been icy of late, to say the least.

North Korea Mocks China for ‘Dancing to U.S. Tune’

Jonathan Cheng and Chun Han Wong
Wall Street Journal
North Korea appeared to lash out at Beijing in a state-media commentary published Thursday, aiming unusually pointed rhetoric at a powerful neighbor that Pyongyang has long relied on for economic and diplomatic support.

China Finishing South China Sea Buildings that Could House Missiles

Idrees Ali
Reuters
China has nearly finished building almost two dozen structures on artificial islands in the South China Sea that appear designed to house long-range surface-to-air missiles, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

Tillerson Affirms Importance of Constructive U.S.-China Ties

CNBC
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke by telephone with China’s top diplomat on Tuesday and affirmed the importance of a constructive U.S.-China relationship, and the two agreed on the need to address the threat posed by North Korea

Is China Pushing Trump to Talk to North Korea?

Jane Perlez
New York Times
Now President Xi Jinping of China has essentially said: We have done our part in enforcing sanctions. Over to you, Mr. Trump.

South China Sea: U.S. Carrier Group Begins ‘Routine’ Patrols

BBC
U.S. aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson has started what it calls “routine operations” in the South China Sea, with a fleet of supporting warships.

China Opposes U.S. Naval Patrols in South China Sea

Michael Martina
Reuters
China said on Tuesday it opposed action by other countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation that undermined its sovereignty, after a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group began patrols in the contested South China Sea 

China Loses a Friend, and Leverage, with North Korean Murder

Bloomberg
The mysterious death of Kim Jong Un’s half-brother removed a potential avenue for China to press the North Korean leader to rein in his nuclear ambitions.

New Chinese Missile Upgrade Likely Designed with Taiwan in Its Crosshairs

Bruce Dorminey
Forbes
Earlier this month, the state-run English-language newspaper China Daily reported on the most recent public displays of the People’s Republic of China’s DF-16, designed, in large part, as a potential offensive weapon against the island nation of...

China Warns U.S. against Fresh Naval Patrols in South China Sea

Reuters
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday warned Washington against challenging its sovereignty, responding to reports the United States was planning fresh naval patrols in the disputed South China Sea.

Russia, China, ISIS: Rex Tillerson Faces Daunting Global Challenges

Mark Hanrahan
NBC News
America’s new top diplomat will be tested during his maiden overseas trip to meet counterparts at a Group of 20 world powers gathering in Germany on Thursday and Friday.

China, Russia Condemn North Korea’s Missile Launch

Joshua Berlinger
CNN
China has voiced opposition to North Korea’s test of a reported new ballistic missile more than 24 hours after reports of the launch emerged. But the country shrugged off suggestions it should be doing more to intervene in the rogue state’s military...

Viewpoint

02.10.17

Taiwan Needs to Hear Trump Say ‘Democracy’

William Kazer
President Trump has sent conflicting signals on Taiwan, first suggesting cozier relations with the self-ruled island and then walking that back to reassure China.In a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, he pledged no change to...

U.S., China Military Planes Come Inadvertently Close over South China Sea

CNBC
A U.S. Navy P-3 plane and a Chinese military aircraft came close to each other over the South China Sea in an incident the Navy believes was inadvertent, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday.

Trump, Changing Course on Taiwan, Gives China an Upper Hand

Jane Perlez
New York Times
By backing down in a telephone call with China’s president on his promise to review the status of Taiwan, President Trump may have averted a confrontation with America’s most powerful rival.

China’s Response to THAAD Does Not Warrant South Korean Action: Minister

Christine Kim
Reuters
South Korea’s finance minister said on Thursday China had not taken any retaliatory measures over plans to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system that warranted official action, although South Korea is ready to lodge a formal complaint if needed.

China’s North Korea Calculus under Trump

Paul Haenle & Zhao Tong from Carnegie China
Two weeks into President Trump’s first term, the White House has launched a review of its North Korea policy. Dealing with the threat from Pyongyang’s missile launches and nuclear weapons program is likely to top the administration’s security agenda...

Donald Trump and China on Dangerous Collision Course, Say Experts

Tom Phillips
Guardian
Report says ties between the two nuclear-armed countries could deteriorate into an economic or military confrontation. 

China, United States cannot afford conflict: Chinese foreign minister

Colin Packham
Reuters
There would be no winner from conflict between China and the United States, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Tuesday, seeking to dampen tension between the two nations that flared after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Reports

02.07.17

U.S. Policy Toward China

Orville Schell and Susan L. Shirk
Asia Society
The Task Force on U.S.-China Policy generated the following report and set of recommendations to assist the 45th U.S. presidential administration in formulating a China strategy that will protect and further U.S. national interests. This report...

China Protests U.S. Sanctions on Iran, but Sees ‘Clouds of War’ Dispersing over South China Sea

Simon Denyer
Washington Post
China said Monday it had lodged a formal protest with the United States over a decision to impose new sanctions targeting Iran, which affected a handful of Chinese companies and individuals.

U.S.-China War Would Be a Disaster for the World, Says Communist Party

Tom Phillips
Guardian
Editorial says two countries should strive to avoid conflict in first statement since Donald Trump’s election win

China’s Intelligent Weaponry Gets Smarter

John Markoff and Matthew Rosenberg
New York Times
The Pentagon’s plan to bring A.I. to the military is taking shape as Chinese researchers assert themselves in the nascent technology field.

Trump, Tillerson and the South China Sea: What’s at Stake

Katie Hunt
CNN
Rex Tillerson, who was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of State Wednesday, takes responsibility for U.S. policy in one of the world’s biggest flashpoints: the South China Sea.

Trump’s Defense Chief Heads to Asia, Eying China, North Korea Threat

Phil Stewart and Nobuhiro Kubo
Reuters
President Donald Trump’s defense secretary is expected to underscore U.S. security commitments to key allies South Korea and Japan on his debut trip to Asia this week as concerns mount over North Korea’s missile program and tensions with China.

Make China Great Again

David Leonhardt
New York Times
America’s rivals and enemies have enjoyed a very good 10 days.

Philippines’ Duterte Asks China to Patrol Piracy-Plagued Waters

Reuters
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he had asked China to help in the fight against Islamic State-linked militants by sending ships to patrol southern waters plagued by raids on commercial vessels.

U.S.-China War Increasingly a ‘Reality,’ Chinese Army Official Says

Evelyn Cheng
CNBC
China is preparing for a potential military clash with the United States, according to an article on the Chinese army’s website.

Donald Trump Is Handing China the World

David Axe
Daily Beast
While Trump focuses on building up the U.S. Navy to counter China, Beijing is gobbling up the other segments of global relations that used to be dominated by the U.S.

China’s Happy to Sit Out the Nuclear Arms Race

Melissa Hanham
Foreign Policy
While Putin and Trump push for bigger arsenals, Beijing has all the nukes it'll ever need.

If the U.S. Ever Went to War with China, It Would Be a Trump Distraction Technique

Guardian
There is no indication that the U.S. president wants a war. But, if he did get into one, it would be to direct attention away from his incompetence.

China Gives Details of Items Banned from Export to North Korea

Reuters
China released on Wednesday a new, comprehensive list of goods that can not be exported to North Korea, including many “dual use” items that can be used to build weapons of mass destruction.

Hong Kong Denies Beijing Role in Seizure of Singaporean Troop Carriers

Christy Leung
South China Morning Post
Customs chief says the enforcement action was based on Hong Kong law and also claims Singapore’s government was never a target for investigation

China Commissions 31st Stealth Warship

Hindu
Chinese media have said the U.S. has to wage a war with China if America blocks it from accessing the artificial islands it has built in the contested South China Sea.

Is Trump Ready for War in the South China Sea, or Is His Team Just Not Being Clear?

Simon Denyer
Washington Post
Was this a prelude to a major escalation in the South China Sea, or is the Trump administration having trouble articulating its foreign policy?

Donald Trump Could Be Starting a New Cold War With China. But He Has Little Chance of Winning

Charlie Campbell
Time
The new U.S. administration has been testing Beijing with provocative stances on trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea. But starting up a Cold War with China is a highly risky strategy

A Chinese Nuclear Site, Hidden in a Mountain, Is Reborn as a Tourist Draw

Amy Qin
New York Times
Fifteen years ago, the local government announced that inside the hollowed-out mountain lay the remnants of what was once one of China’s most ambitious military infrastructure projects: the top-secret 816 nuclear plant.

China Urges Trump Administration to Grasp Importance of ‘One China’

Reuters
The new U.S. administration must fully understand the importance of the “One China” policy and appreciate that the issue of Taiwan is highly sensitive for the Beijing government, China said on Monday.

Viewpoint

01.23.17

The Chairmen, Trump and Mao

Geremie R. Barmé
The January 13, 1967 issue of TIME magazine featured Mao Zedong on its cover with the headline “China in Chaos.” Fifty years later, TIME made U.S. President-elect Donald Trump its Man of The Year. With a groundswell of mass support, both men...

Here’s How China Will Test Trump With North Korean Nukes

Gordon G. Chang
Daily Beast
China is demanding South Korea not defend itself from North Korean missiles and nuclear weapons, which Beijing has helped Pyongyang develop

Viewpoint

01.19.17

Do We Want to Live in China’s World?

Robert Daly
Each weekday morning, I cross D.C.’s National Mall and pass a sign on Constitution Avenue bearing an epigram by the U.S. architect Daniel Burnham: Make No Little Plans. And every morning, these words make me think not of Burnham’s 20th century...

Conversation

01.18.17

U.S.-China Flashpoints in the Age of Trump

Zha Daojiong, Isaac Stone Fish & more
Over the past year, Donald Trump has vowed to “utterly destroy” ISIS, considered lifting sanctions on Russia, promised to cancel the Paris climate agreement and “dismantle” the Iran nuclear deal. But many of his most inflammatory statements are...

Taiwan Carries out Drills amid Rising Fears of Chinese Invasion

Nicola Smith and Tom Phillips
Guardian
The island’s armed forces test combat readiness, amid deteriorating relations between Beijing and Taipei

New U.S.-China Rivalry Risks Lethal Confrontation

Andrew Browne
Wall Street Journal
Provocations by President-elect Trump over trade and territory could escalate into armed conflict

South China Sea: China Media Warn US over ‘Confrontation’

BBC
Blocking China from islands it has built in contested waters would lead to “devastating confrontation,” Chinese state media have warned.

Tillerson Channels Reagan on South China Sea

James Kraska
Lawfare Blog
Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson said that perhaps the United States should deny China access to its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Trump Nominee’s Proposal to Block China From Islands Sets Off Alarms

Jeremy Page
Wall Street Journal
If carried out, Tillerson’s proposal to bar Beijing from some South China Sea islands would likely trigger military battle, experts say

China Launches New Electronic Intelligence Naval Ship

CNBC
China’s Navy has launched a new electronic reconnaissance ship as Beijing’s new assertiveness to territorial claims in the South China Sea fuels tensions.

Japan And China Are Competing To Win Over The Philippines

Ralph Jennings
Forbes
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing away the United States in favor of its geopolitical rival China. But the man in office still likes Japan.

Taiwan Scrambles Jets, Navy as China Aircraft Carrier Enters Taiwan Strait

Reuters
Taiwan scrambled jets and navy ships on Wednesday as a group of Chinese warships, led by its sole aircraft carrier, sailed through the Taiwan Strait

2016 China-Africa Year in Review

Eric Olander & Cobus van Staden
After years of relatively trouble-free development, 2016 marked a turning point in the China-Africa relationship, amid turbulent changes in the global economic and political order. China increased its deployment of combat troops to the continent,...

Books

01.04.17

The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China

Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom
This lavishly illustrated volume explores the history of China during a period of dramatic shifts and surprising transformations, from the founding of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) through to the present day.The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China promises to be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand this rising superpower on the verge of what promises to be the “Chinese century,” introducing readers to important but often overlooked events in China’s past, such as the bloody Taiping Civil War (1850-1864), which had a death toll far higher than the roughly contemporaneous American Civil War. It also helps readers see more familiar landmarks in Chinese history in new ways, such as the Opium War (1839-1842), the Boxer Uprising of 1900, the rise to power of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, and the Tiananmen protests and Beijing Massacre of 1989.This is one of the first major efforts—and in many ways the most ambitious to date—to come to terms with the broad sweep of modern Chinese history, taking readers from the origins of modern China right up through the dramatic events of the last few years (the Beijing Games, the financial crisis, and China’s rise to global economic pre-eminence) which have so fundamentally altered Western views of China and China’s place in the world. —Oxford University Press{chop}