A breakthrough on trade in Asia

Strange bedfellows of 2015: As the Obama administration pushes toward a major new trade agreement in Asia this spring, it is developing two unlikely allies: Chinese officials abroad, who are signaling that they want in, and Republicans in Congress, who appear willing to support what would be one of President […]



Washington Post via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1Htz2Jh

Say “ni hao” to Jack Ma’s Amazon-style volatility

Jack Ma is a force of nature, and he pushes Alibaba in unexpected directions. Like counterpart Jeff Bezos at Amazon, Ma has built online retail dominance. But “predictable” isn’t a word to describe either company. The Chinese group’s stock tumbled more than 10 percent on Thursday following its latest financial […]



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China’s Hottest Tech Giants Join the ‘War on Pollution’

China’s hottest tech giants – Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Baidu – are making a splash on a global scale. But even as they battle for market shares, they are also helping Chinese people fight against pollution with newly released tech products that monitor air, water, and food pollution. While the government […]



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China’s Alternative Diplomacy

Chinese president Xi Jinping has certainly kept China experts busy since he came to power in 2012. Xi has made major changes to Chinese policies, domestic and foreign. These policies have been quite different from those of his predecessors, keeping China scholars occupied explaining their meaning and implications. This has […]



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The Twilight of China’s Communist Party

“I can’t give you a date when it will fall, but China’s Communist Party has entered its endgame.” So says one of America’s most experienced China watchers to a small table of foreign diplomats at a private dinner in Washington, D.C. The pessimism from someone with deep connections to the […]



Wall Street Journal via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1uJSyWX

A Strategy for Achieving US, Chinese, and Russian Cooperation on North Korea

America’s long-standing affront with North Korea needs fresh approaches, especially considering its increasingly disruptive international actions. Ted Carpenter proposes that instead of trying to increase unilateral sanctions on Pyongyang, Washington should make a concerted effort to reduce tensions with Kim Jong-un’s regime by creating a united front with China and Russia.



Ted Carpenter, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1wGsATO

A Chinese Reflection on Obama’s State of the Union Address

In his 2015 State of the Union, President Obama repeatedly mentioned China, made forceful proposals to improve the economy for the middle-class, and warned against any attempt to repeal his signature legislation and executive actions.



Zhang Zhixin, Chief of American Political Studies, CICIR via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1CFbf4D

Is it time for an alternate media narrative?

Russian and EU narratives seem to be on a collision course. A low-intensity information war between Moscow and Brussels is heating up and the main victims may be the citizens on both sides, deprived of reliable and credible information. Propaganda, defined as the systematic, widespread distribution of specific ideas, doctrines, […]



Aljazeera via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/15ZCzym

China Hops on a ‘Treadmill to Hell’

Call it irrational exuberance with Chinese characteristics. In August, a fascinating campaign unfolded in China’s state-run media, prodding citizens to pile into stocks. In one week alone that month, the official Xinhua News Agency ran at least eight articles touting the wonders and patriotic virtue of owning equities. The People’s […]



Bloomberg via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/15ZCtHg

Alibaba gives crash course on government relations

Alibaba is teaching its shareholders a useful lesson about Chinese business: there’s no such thing as having a good relationship with the government. The company’s shares fell 4.4 percent on Jan. 28 after a regulator lambasted its sales habits. Alibaba says the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) is […]



Reuters via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/15ZCtH3

Is China’s Periphery Becoming the Core of Its International Relations?

The U.S.-China bilateral relationship is widely regarded by politicians, practitioners, and pundits as the world’s most important. Effectively managing China’s reemergence as a major power in the context of a U.S.-led international order is seen as key to continuing peace and security in the Asia-Pacific. But is working together the […]



The Diplomat via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/15ZCtqD

China’s Dream Doesn’t Have To Be Japan’s Nightmare

Thanks to President Xi Jinping, the Chinese dream has become a household word in China and is fast gaining international attention. The Chinese dream, said Xi shortly after he became the top leader of the Chinese Communist Party in October 2012, is the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This […]



The Diplomat via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1CDlG8D

Safeguarding and Improving the Post-World War II International Order

China is both an important contributor to and overall beneficiary of the post-war international order. In facing new challenges, China should take the opportunity offered by the 70th anniversary of World War II, and make an effort to safeguard and improve the post-war international order.



Chen Xiangyang, Deputy Director, CICIR via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1y8Aszj

Obama’s Legacy and Sino-US Relations

President Obama’s sixth State of the Union (SOTU) address was heavy on domestic policy and light on foreign policy. The president did not talk much about recent progress in the US-Chinese relations. Instead, he focused on the urgency to complete the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement – without China. There is a reason to the omission and the focus: the Obama White House is increasingly concerned over its legacy.



Dan Steinbock, Research Director, India China and America Institute via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1z5ZDGU

ASEAN to Intensify South China Sea Response Amid China Concerns

ASEAN will intensify efforts to conclude a code of conduct in the South China Sea under Malaysia’s chairmanship amid growing concerns from some members about land reclamation activities there, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said yesterday. “The ministers instructed senior officials to intensify efforts towards achieving the full and effective […]



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Why the US Should Encourage Closer Sino-Indian Ties

My colleague, Ankit Panda, did an excellent summary of the nine major takeaways from U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit to India. He concludes that “this visit is a strong indicator that U.S.-India ties will follow a positive trajectory over the course of this year.” He also notes that both […]



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China political investment bubble has new antihero

It’s hard to think of a better embodiment of China’s soaring stock market than Shenwan Hongyuan. Shares in the brokerage – newly formed from the merger of China’s tenth and sixteenth biggest trading houses – reached a valuation of $47 billion on its first day of trading. That made it […]



Reuters via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1uBMAaz

New Delhi and Washington’s China Convergence

Just a few years ago, Pakistan would have dominated any conversation between an Indian prime minister and an American president. During President Obama’s visit to India this week for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, the two no doubt spent significantly more time discussing their shared geopolitical challenge in […]



Wall Street Journal via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1uBuVj7

A New Chapter for America and India

After years of near misses and unfulfilled promises, President Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India appear to have set relations between their democracies on a deeper, perhaps even revolutionary, path. Part of the improvement in bilateral relations has to do with the personal chemistry between the two, which […]



New York Times via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JHxut0

Why Low Oil Prices Are No Panacea for China’s Energy Insecurity

Falling oil prices present challenges for the competitiveness of China’s own oil and gas sectors, and while providing short-term benefits for production, poses additional deflationary risks. However, there are opportunities for Beijing to support oil companies in acquisitions, and further its own reserves.



Michal Meidan, Director, China Matters via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1z0VqnO

Monetary Policy Will Stay Neutral In 2015

China’s central bank will maintain a neutral stance in 2015, in order to stabilize the stock market and provide support to the economy, writes Yi Xianrong.



Yi Xianrong, Researcher, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1zuHapk

By Oil Price, Saudi Arabia Is Expressing Anger

The last months have witnessed oil prices at global markets dropping by more than 50%, the primary reasons being due to Saudi Arabia’s political protectionism over oil prices. Jin Liangxiang contends that beyond purely economic factors, Saudi Arabia actually intends to express its discontent and frustration, especially with Iran.



Jin Liangxiang, Research Fellow, Shanghai Institute of Int'l Studies via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1uWwkqu

Obama Speech Reaffirms Security Policies with China by Omission

By not emphasizing security differences with Beijing, President Barack Obama’s State-of-the-Union address made evident his general satisfaction with the success of his China policies.



Richard Weitz, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1yXIO0P

Why China’s U.S. Treasury Sell-Off Is Good News

China owns more U.S. Treasury securities than anyone but the U.S. government itself. So when China’s foreign exchange reserves — after piling up steadily, year after year, to an astounding $4 trillion — fell by $153 billion in the second half of 2014, some people grew worried. They fear that […]



Foreign Policy via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JuBRaD

China: Top Anti-Graft Body Faces Historic Challenge

It is very rare for an annual plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the nation’s top anti-graft body, to be held two months earlier than usual. Presiding over the meeting last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to keep up the intensity of his sweeping anti-corruption […]



The Diplomat via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JuBRYb

U.S. and India: Two democracies can join to balance China’s rise

On January 26, President Barack Obama will be the chief guest at India’s 66th Republic Day celebrations. His presence at the birthday party of the world’s largest democracy, just four months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, is highly symbolic. The visit is also expected […]



Reuters via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1H0wLoN

China’s Turn to Gouge Latin America

To many in Latin America, the Caribbean and Latin America Community summit in Beijing earlier this month was the dawn of a new world order. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s big-money nod to the region — $500 billion in trade and $250 billion in investment by 2025 — fueled hopes for […]



Bloomberg via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1H0wMZO

A Game Changer for China and India in Sri Lanka?

On January 18, a Reuters reported claimed that Sri Lanka’s now former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had expelled the station chief of India’s intelligence agency in Colombo after accusing him of working against his government and supporting the opposition. India denied the claim, but the report serves as an example of […]



The Diplomat via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1H0wK4h

China-U.S. Economic Cooperation: One Year Later

Approximately a year ago, a study, U.S.-China Economic Relations in the Next Ten Years, was published by the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation. The study makes a number of proposals for China-U.S. economic cooperation. The purpose of this paper is to revisit this study to see whether the proposals made have had […]



Lawrence Lau, Hong Kong Economist via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1C5D1IB

China’s Major-Power Diplomacy

Chen Jimin explains the four principle aspects of China’s new approach to foreign policy, called “major-power diplomacy,” which entails agenda setting, strategy promotion, and flexibility.



Chen Jimin, Assistant Research Fellow, CPC Party School via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JriDmi

In His SOTU Speech Obama Takes a ‘Cheap Shot’ at China and Proclaims America’s Right to ‘Lead’ Asia

The “Pivot to Asia” policy has been primarily driven by cold war and military conceptions of containing China’s rise. President Obama’s recent State of the Union speech kept with a distinctly American theme of soft-imperialism with mention of “writing the rules” to free trade agreements in Asia, instead of acknowledging China’s own sovereignty.



Stephen Harner, Former US State Department Official via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JrfanR

The Trans-Pacific Partnership can help the U.S. counter China’s expansion

WE’VE FAULTED President Obama for his less-than-full-throated support of free-trade agreements that enjoy the nominal backing of his administration. There was no such cause for complaint about his State of the Union address Tuesday night, however, in which he called on “both parties to give me trade promotion authority to […]



Washington Post via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1t8pYmH

China’s National Security Strategy

On January 23, the Politburo of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted the outline of a national security strategy. Chinese media reports did not go into detail about the strategy, but underlined the sense of urgency running through the document. The new strategy, without going into specifics, warned of […]



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China Joins Afghanistan’s Great Game

However much they extol the virtues of cooperation, U.S. officials remain wary of China’s spreading influence in Asia. President Barack Obama issued the latest warning in his State of the Union speech Tuesday. In one area, however, the U.S. should be aiming to increase rather than diminish Beijing’s role: the […]



Bloomberg via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1t8pSLT

Beijing’s Xinjiang Policy: Striking Too Hard?

China’s long-running Uighur insurgency has flared up dramatically of late, with more than 900 recorded deaths in the past seven years. This puts the conflict’s cumulative death toll in a range similar to that of The Troubles in Ireland or the ETA/Basque separatist violence in Spain. Russia’s longstanding conflicts in […]



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China Reacts to Obama’s State of the Union: America is in Decline

In his State of the Union address on Wednesday, President Obama mentioned China a total of three times. One was to praise China’s commitment to cut carbon emissions. The second was to encourage American manufacturing executives to bring back jobs from China. The third was a call-to-arms to prevent China […]



The National Interest via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1zEdC88

Social Mistrust and Political Tension in US Investments in China

As America and China are ratcheting up their negotiations on the bilateral investment treaty (BIT), policymakers and pundits are energized by the political will on both sides to push for its conclusion in 2015 and are excited about increased openness to American investments in China in the future. Social and political tensions that grew with America’s investments in China in the past fifteen years, however, are little noted, and especially not recognized is the role that China’s diaspora played in FDI.



Min Ye Assistant Professor, The Pardee School of Global Studies via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1AWgyrZ

How to Strengthen Sino-US Relations?

It is my hope that the Obama administration will leave a satisfactory legacy in promoting US-China relations by enhancing mutual strategic trust and pragmatic cooperation between the two nations.



Wu Zurong, Research Fellow, China Foundation for Int'l Studies via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1JiyeT6

Latin America is the Latest Focus of China’s Major-Power Diplomacy

The China-CELAC Forum in January adopted institutional cooperation between Beijing and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). China’s foreign cooperation and economic development trend has allowed China to introduce new standards for international diplomacy.



Wu Baiyi, Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1Cz4WgB

The “New Normal” in Cuba, U.S. and China Relations

Obama’s announcement to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba is not an absolute opening of trade, which is still privileged to U.S. agro-export, telecommunication, and financial industries. China on the other hand is Cuba’s second largest importer, with investments in petroleum, tourism, nickel, and infrastructure – all of which could prove beneficial once American firms and consumers are allowed to enter the Cuban economy.



Fernando Menéndez, Principal, Cordoba Group Int'l LLC via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1zvq89Y

The Xinjiang Problem

Strained relations between the Uyghur community in Xinjiang and the Chinese government have led to increasing instability, which hinders China’s larger goals to increase trade with Central Asia and the Middle East. China's New Silk Road strategy may provide an opportunity for the CCP and Uyghur leaders to strike an uneasy bargain, albeit one that can halt the cycle of repression and retaliatory violence.



Ben Reynolds Writer and Foreign Policy Analyst in New York via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1CyUplG

Human Rights and the 2022 Olympics

The Olympic spirit has come to this: Two authoritarian countries are vying to host the 2022 Winter Games, competing to endure a huge financial strain for the benefit of burnishing their public image. The withdrawal of Oslo in October left Beijing, China’s capital, and Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, […]



New York Times via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1Enj8Lj

What Obama Could Teach China

What a difference six years makes. China’s Premier Li Keqiang lands in Davos this week, leading the most high-level Chinese delegation to the annual Swiss retreat since 2009. Those meetings took place as the U.S. economy was crashing and threatening to bring down the global economy. By contrast, just weeks […]



Bloomberg via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1BAGkaC

Good News in China’s Bad GDP Numbers

By the time a government releases gross domestic product numbers, they’re ancient history. That proved true again today, after China announced its economy had expanded 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter, making 2014 growth the slowest since 1990. Within hours, attention had moved on to another figure released today: 6.8 […]



Bloomberg via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1BAGjTX

China slowdown sets scene for urban struggle

For politicians and peasants, China’s 7.4 percent GDP growth in 2014 is a happy outcome. Not so for the all-important demographic of middle-class city dwellers. The scene is set for a year of urban struggle. China hasn’t missed a GDP target since 1998, according to ANZ, which makes the slight […]



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London Kowtown on Hong Kong

Great Britain is shirking its historic duty to speak up for the freedom of Hong Kong. Foreign Office chief Hugo Swire claimed last week that the former colony is “on a journey to greater democracy and accountability.” It would be interesting to know exactly how Mr. Swire defines his terms. […]



Wall Street Journal via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1Enj6Dg

Egypt — Key to Stability in the Middle East

Wu Sike writes that stability in Egypt will hinge on finding a proper solution to the many issues plaguing the region, and that China-U.S. cooperation can help to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East.



Wu Sike, Member on Foreign Affairs Committee, CPPCC via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/15p54VZ

New Changes in International Order in 2014

Chen Xiangyang provides an overview of the major international power conflicts during 2014, a year marked by “flux” and “reconfiguration.” Western countries will find it hard to dominate international order, institutions, and rules due to the collective emergence of new powers, mostly in Asia.



Chen Xiangyang, Deputy Director, CICIR via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1DWC8mx

The Nine Dash Line and Its Basis in International law

The U.S. State Department released a study of China’s “nine-dash line” in December, analyzing the legal basis in maritime law. Sourabh Gupta critiques this analysis, stating that as long as China limits these activities to traditional fishing - not resource development or marine scientific research – and exercises them on a non-exclusive basis, the nine-dash line as a perimeter of China’s is not inconsistent with international law.



Sanjaya Baru, Former Adviser to India’s Prime Minister via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1yATG4x

Address North Korea by Listening to China

The U.S. has long sought China’s support in containing North Korea, but China accuses the U.S. for contributing to the sense of insecurity through its military exercises in the region. Doug Bandow argues that Washington and its allies should consider an alternative approach and together develop a comprehensive proposal for a grand bargain.



Doug Bandow Senior Fellow, Cato Institute via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1xIV6EH