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| South
China Sea Disputes
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U.S. Navy Commander Implies China Has Eroded Safety of South China
Sea (2015-12-16)
(New
York Times, By Jane Perlez) A senior American naval commander has implicitly
accused China of creating “so-called military zones” close to artificial islands
it has built in the South China Sea, declaring that such actions are eroding the
security of one of the world’s busiest waterways.
Beijing Blasts US for Military ‘Prod’ (2015-12-20)
(AP)
China accused the US of committing a “serious military provocation” by flying a
US Air Force B-52 strategic bomber over a Chinese-controlled artificial island
in the South China Sea.
Ma Taiping Visit Could Cause Tension: Former US
Official (2015-12-18)
(China
Post) "(The trip) will send the wrong signal to the region at the wrong time"
and will set an "unhelpful precedent as the first leader of the claimants to
visit an outpost in nearly a decade," Evan S. Medeiros, former senior director
for Asian affairs under the White House's National Security Council,
said.
Randall Schriver Praises President's Diplomatic
Efforts (2015-12-16)
(CNA)
Former US deputy assistant secretary of state for Asia Randall Schriver praised
a fisheries agreement signed between Taiwan and the Philippines as a result of
President Ma Ying-jeou’s “pragmatic and creative” diplomacy.
US Representatives Hail S China Sea Initiatives (2015-12-20)
(CNA)
Six US House of Representatives members expressed support for Taiwan’s South
China Sea initiatives, including a peace proposal and efforts to make Itu Aba
Island a hub for humanitarian assistance and scientific research.
China Touts Week of War Games in South China Sea (2015-12-19)
(Reuters)
China’s military carried out war games in the disputed South China Sea this
week, with warships, submarines and fighter jets simulating cruise missile
strikes on ships, the official People’s Liberation Army Daily said.
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| U.S.
“Pivot” to Asia and Sino-U.S. Engagement
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Singapore Calls for More Inclusive Asian Security Order Amid
China's Rise (2015-12-17)
(The
Diplomat, By Prashanth Parameswaran) Singapore’s defense minister told a forum
in Washington, D.C. last week that a new accommodation needed to be found
between the United States and other rising powers like China as part of a more
inclusive security architecture for the Asia-Pacific.
An Insider's View of Chinese-Russian Relations: How China Sees
Russia (2015-12-19)
(Foreign
Affairs, By Fu Ying) The United States and its allies might interpret closer
ties between China and Russia as evidence of a proto-alliance that intends to
disrupt or challenge the U.S.-led world order. But from the Chinese perspective,
the tripartite relationship should not be considered a game in which two players
ally against a third. The sound development of Chinese-Russian relations is not
intended to harm the United States, nor should Washington seek to influence
it.
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| PLA,
Military Balance and Arms Sales
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China Criticizes Expected US Arms Sale to Taiwan (2015-12-16)
(AP)
China has strongly criticized an expected U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, saying it
should be canceled to avoid harming relations between Taipei and
Beijing.
Arms Sale Threatens China Exchanges (2015-12-16)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) China might temporarily shut down or limit its
military exchange program with the US if Washington announces new arms sales to
Taiwan later this week, a media report said.
US Approves New Taiwan Arms Sale Package Worth $1.83
Billion (2015-12-17)
(The
Diplomat, By Prashanth Parameswaran) Today, the Obama administration notified
Congress of a new $1.83 billion arms sale package for
Taiwan.
US Arms Sale Proves Good Ties: Ministry (2015-12-18)
(CNA)
Taiwan has welcomed the latest arms sales package announced by the US, with both
the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying that it
highlights the fact that Taiwan-US relations have never been better.
Parties Welcome Arms Sale (2015-12-18)
(Taipei
Times) Both the KMT and the DPP welcomed the US’ announcement on arms sales to
Taiwan.
Newest Arms Sales Reflect US Trust in Taiwan, Says
Analysts (2015-12-18)
(CNA)
Taiwanese defense analysts said Thursday that the new package of U.S. arms sales
reflect that the U.S. administration trusts Taiwan, because the highly sensitive
Stinger shoulder fired missiles, once under strict export restrictions, were
included.
China Protests Sale of U.S. Arms to Taiwan (2015-12-18)
(New
York Times, By Michael Forsythe) Evan S. Medeiros, who until this year was the
top official overseeing Asia at the National Security Council, said that the
timing of the sale, coming before next month’s presidential elections in Taiwan,
helped to reduce the diplomatic fallout.
On Taiwan Arms Sales, China's Bark May Be Worse Than Its
Bite (2015-12-20)
(The
Diplomat, By Shannon Tiezzi) The proposed sanctions on U.S. companies are
interesting, as it provides a new lever for Beijing to pull when responding to
these arms sales. But Beijing has made the sanctions threat before and not
followed through.
The Mind Games Behind Obama Arming Taiwan (2015-12-18)
(The
National Interest, By Patrick M. Cronin and Harry Krejsa) If Taiwan's next
administration is able to demonstrate that Taiwan is committed to the difficult
choices necessary to protect everything their experiment in culturally Chinese
democracy has built, they will continue to find a stalwart partner in the United
States.
Ministry Confirms PLAN Maneuvers around Taiwan (2015-12-17)
(Taipei
Times) Ministry of National Defense officials confirmed that a Chinese naval
fleet, which in recent days has been training in the South China Sea, traveled
through the Miyako Strait, off Okinawa, then headed south through international
waters to the east of Taiwan.
Understanding PLA Reforms (2015-12-15)
(PacNet
#85, Pacific Forum, CSIS, By Loro Horta) Chinese state media has been replete
with articles reporting resistance from the military to the reforms. The fact
that state-controlled media has reported this dissatisfaction suggests
significant resistance from the PLA. Why is Xi so determined to carry out these
reforms?
At U.N., China Tries to Influence Fight Over Internet
Control (2015-12-17)
(New
York Times, By Dan Levin) In China’s view, Internet sovereignty justifies the
tangle of controls used to monitor its more than 640 million Internet users and
restrict what they see and say online with a system known as the Great Firewall
that blocks thousands of foreign websites.
Xi Jinping Calls for ‘United Front’ to Control
Cyberspace (2015-12-17)
(Reuters)
Chinese President Xi Jinping laid out his vision for the Internet, calling for a
new “status quo” where Internet sovereignty rests in the hands of nations
controlling the flow of information.
Use By Iraqi Military May Be a Boon for China-Made
Drones (2015-12-18)
(New
York Times, By Patrick Boehler and Gerry Doyle) According to footage released by
the Iraqi armed forces, soldiers used the Chinese drone on Dec. 6 to destroy an
ISIS position amid efforts to retake the city of Ramadi.
China Deploys First Nuclear Deterrence Patrol (2015-12-19)
(The
Diplomat, By Benjamin David Baker) According to IHS Jane’s, U.S. military
officials confirmed that the People’s Liberation Army Navy has deployed a
Type-094 Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic submarine on a nuclear deterrence
patrol.
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| Taiwan's
Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
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Central Bank Cuts Interest Rates to Boost Economy (2015-12-18)
(China
Post) In a bid to add momentum to the nation's economy, Taiwan's Central Bank
decided on Thursday to lower interest rates by 0.125 percentage
points.
Diplomatic Access: Taiwan (2015-12-17)
(The
Diplomat) In this interview, His Excellency Lyushun Shen, Representative of the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S., discusses
Taiwan’s role in the world and the Asia-Pacific, and its relations with the
United States and mainland China.
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| China's
Rise and Its Domestic Issues
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Inclusion of Yuan in SDR Matters (2015-12-19)
(Project
Syndicate, By Zhang Jun) China’s leaders anticipate that, in the longer term,
the yuan’s inclusion in the SDR basket would help to bring about the currency’s
steady appreciation and, by serving as a kind of certification of credibility,
support its continued internationalization.
Contact:
Dalton Lin, Executive Editor
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