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South
China Sea Disputes and Other Regional Issues
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Who Is the Biggest Aggressor in the South China Sea? (A
Rejoinder) (2015-06-21) (The
Diplomat, By Carl Thayer) China’s track record in the South China Sea is
markedly different from those of the other claimants. Related: -Who
Is the Biggest Aggressor in the South China Sea? Japan Open to Joining U.S. in South China Sea
Patrols (2015-06-25) (Wall
Street Journal, By Yuka Hayashi) Japan’s military would consider joining U.S.
forces in regular patrols in the South China Sea, the nation’s top uniformed
officer said, underscoring how China’s territorial claims are encouraging Tokyo
to play a greater role in regional security.
China's HD-981 Oil Rig Returns, Near Disputed South China Sea
Waters (2015-06-27) (The
Diplomat, By Ankit Panda) In an unexpected development, China’s Haiyang Shiyou
981 oil rig is back in contested waters. Regional
Divisions Simmer Beneath the Surface at Shangri-La (2015-06-10) (PacNet
#34, Pacific Forum, CSIS, By Evelyn Goh) If this trend continues, Asia risks
developing separate sets of multilateral security dialogues, one dominated by
the US and the other by China, with each set talking in parallel and past each
other. This trend is especially worrying given current tensions in the South
China Sea.
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U.S.
“Pivot” to Asia and Sino-U.S. Engagement
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The Impossible Price of a U.S.-China Grand Bargain: Dumping
Taiwan (2015-06-24) (The
National Interest, By Denny Roy) The case for abandoning Taiwan typically meets
at least three large barriers: the betrayal of U.S. ideals, harm to America’s
reputation as a reliable security partner, and Taiwan’s strategic
value.
Pentagon Sees Risk of War Increasing (2015-07-03) (Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) The Pentagon this week updated its National Military
Strategy for the first time in four years, warning that the probability of a
major war was growing.
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PLA,
Military Balance and Arms Sales
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China's New Military Strategy: “Winning Informationalized Local
Wars” (2015-06-23) (China
Brief 15(13), Jamestown Foundation, By M. Taylor Fravel) The new guidelines
shift the goal of China’s military strategy from “winning local wars under the
conditions of informationization” to “winning informationized local wars.” The
change in the strategic guidelines reflects an evolution of the existing
strategy, not a dramatic departure.
Nuclear Policy Issues in the 2013 Edition of the Science of
Military Strategy: Part 2 on PLA Second Artillery Force (PLASAF) Strategy and
Capabilities (2015-07-02) (China
Brief 15(13), Jamestown Foundation, By Michael S. Chase) SMS 2013 contains a
detailed section on PLASAF strategy that also touches on PLASAF roles and
responsibilities and force modernization requirements. Notably, the discussion
of force modernization requirements in SMS 2013 appears to track very closely
with the assessment of PLASAF capabilities that appears in the most recent U.S.
Department of Defense report on Chinese military power. Chinese Military Develops ‘Midget’ Sub: Reports (2015-07-01) (Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) Satellite evidence indicating that China has built a
“midget” submarine at its Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan might be of particular
concern to Taiwan, analysts said. Congress Wants the Pentagon to Empower Taiwan (2015-06-29) (The
National Interest, By Claire Chu) The National Defense Authorization Act for
fiscal year 2016 (H.R. 1735) includes several provisions and clauses that
express support for greater U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation in the interest of
maintaining security, expanding prosperity, and supporting common
values.
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Taiwan's
Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
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Support for Tsai Growing: Poll (2015-06-30) (Taipei
Times) Support for DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen rose again to 47.7
percent after her likely rival, KMT presidential hopeful Hung Hsiu-chu, earlier
this month cleared a hurdle to becoming the party’s nominee, a survey showed. Taiwan Mood Barometer
Survey, Second Half of June 2015 (2015-06-29) (TISR)
President Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating jumped 6 percentage points over the
latter part of June, according to the latest Taiwan Mood
Barometer Survey (in
Chinese).
MOFA, Japan Talk Over Celebration
Compaint (2015-07-01) (China
Post) A recent Japanese media report that said the Japanese representative
office in Taiwan is not happy with the holding of Second Sino-Japanese War
victory commemorative events. Japanese ‘Victory Decal’ Flags Removed from
Fighters (2015-07-01) (China
Post) R.O.C. Air Force jets painted with Japanese flags to denote the number of
victories over Japanese fighters during World War II have been removed, the
Ministry of National Defense said. Japanese Military Representative Attends Display (2015-07-05) (China
Post) A military representative at Japan's de facto embassy in Taiwan attended
an R.O.C. Armed Forces military display as a special guest to mark the 70th
anniversary of the R.O.C.'s victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese
War.
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China's
Rise and Its Domestic Issues
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Xi Hosts 56 Nations at Founding of Asian Infrastructure
Bank (2015-06-30) (New
York Times, By Jane Perlez) At a ceremony imbued with quiet triumph at the Great
Hall of the People, China’s president, Xi Jinping, hosted 56 member countries
for the founding of a Chinese-led infrastructure bank for Asia, including major
American allies from Asia and Europe that Washington had counseled not to join
the bank.
MAC Says Sovereignty Key to AIIB Bid (2015-07-01) (Taipei
Times) The government will not apply for membership in the AIIB if Beijing
insists that Taiwan is subject to an article relating to applicants without
sovereignty or rights to exercise external relations, the Mainland Affairs
Council said.
Taiwan Will Join China-Led AIIB under “Chinese Taipei” Name or Not
At All: Ma (2015-07-05) (Taipei
Times) President Ma Ying-jeou reiterated that the name Taiwan uses to join the
China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is at the heart of whether the
nation will participate in the financial institution or
not. China Approves Sweeping Security Law, Bolstering Communist
Rule (2015-07-02) (New
York Times, By Edward Wong) The Chinese government announced that it had enacted
a new national security law, one that amounts to a sweeping command from
President Xi Jinping to maintain the primacy of Communist Party rule across all
aspects of society. Security Law Suggests a Broadening of China's ‘Core
Interests’ (2015-07-03) (New
York Times, By Edward Wong) Some scholars say that the much wider, more abstract
definition of China's "core interests" has made the term increasingly
meaningless in diplomatic talks. Contact:
Dalton Lin, Executive Editor
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