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| East
China Sea Disputes
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S. Korea, China Hold First Talks on EEZs in 7
Years (2015-12-22)
(Yonhap)
South Korea and China opened the first talks on their overlapping exclusive
economic zones in seven years but skepticism is rampant over an early
deal.
Japan: China Sent Armed Coast Guard Vessel Near Disputed
Island (2015-12-24)
(The
Diplomat, By Shannon Tiezzi) In September 2012 (when the regular Chinese patrols
began), Japan’s central government nationalized three of the Senkaku Islands,
which had previously been under private ownership. Beijing accused Japan of
breaking a tacit agreement to shelve the territorial dispute and began sending
Coast Guard vessels.
Japanese Cabinet Approves Record Defense Budget (2015-12-25)
(AP)
The Japanese Cabinet approved a record-high military spending plan, endorsing
plans to purchase pricey US surveillance drones and F-35 jets as Tokyo steps up
cooperation with Washington amid China’s increasingly assertive activity in
regional seas.
Japan Protests Intrusion of Armed Chinese Vessel (2015-12-27)
(Bloomberg)
The Japanese government formally protested the entry of an armed Chinese
government ship and two other vessels into waters that it claims as its
own.
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| U.S.
“Pivot” to Asia and Sino-U.S. Engagement
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China Tells US to Stop Flexing Military Muscle in
Asia (2015-12-22)
(Bloomberg)
Wang Yi also requested that the US stop selling arms to Taiwan, which China
regards as a province. The US last week said it would sell US$1.83 billion in
arms to Taiwan, its first such sale in four years.
2015: The Year US-China Relations Went Public (2015-12-23)
(The
Diplomat, By Graham Webster) A look back at the year’s headlines and ten months
of weekly reflections on U.S.–China relations might suggest a rising rivalry. In
reality, however, 2015 was the year longstanding tensions went public, in no
small part due to changes in U.S. policy.
US Navy's Fleet of Littoral Combat Ships Will Be Cut to 40
Vessels (2015-12-22)
(The
Diplomat, By Franz-Stefan Gady) U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter wants to
save money to purchase more fighter jets and missiles for the Navy.
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| DPP
Searches for New China Stance; Cross-Strait Issues
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Tsai Believes Beijing Will Respect Will of the
Public (2015-12-24)
(CNA)
Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party and its
presidential candidate, said Wednesday that if elected, she will aim for sincere
communications with mainland China, seeking common ground and putting aside
differences.
How China Sees the Risky Path Ahead with Taiwan (2015-12-28)
(The
National Interest, By Lyle J. Goldstein) After Tsai’s June trip to the United
States, the lead article in the mainland journal 现代台湾研究 [Modern Taiwan
Research], published by the Fujian Academy of Social Sciences, reacted with a
short analysis that did not pull any punches.
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| PLA,
Military Balance and Arms Sales
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Arm Taiwan, America. But Don't Defend It (2015-12-21)
(The
National Interest, By Doug Bandow) Enabling Taiwan to defend itself is the best
way out of this conundrum. So long as the residents of Zhongnanhai value
prosperity and stability, they have reason to avoid costly conflict. No arms
sales would enable Taipei to defeat a determined PRC in war. The former’s
objective, however, should be deterrence, not victory.
Obama's Arms Sale Leaves Taiwan Vulnerable (2015-12-24)
(The
National Interest, By Dean Cheng) While the decision to sell arms to an American
friend is welcome, it raises the question of what the administration actually
intends to do. While these systems are helpful in sustaining Taiwan, they do not
address two of the most fundamental imbalances in the cross-strait security
situation: the air and undersea situations.
China's Tantrum on Taiwan Arms Deal (2015-12-24)
(New
York Times) China’s attention should be focused on building productive ties with
Taiwan that allow both societies to live in peace and
prosper.
Punting on Taiwan's Security (2015-12-24)
(Wall
Street Journal) DPP's Tsai Ing-wen has promised to spend 3% of GDP on
defense—it’s now closer to 2%—only if economic growth picks up. That won’t do.
Taipei can’t expect Washington to be more concerned for Taiwan’s security than
the Taiwanese are.
The Latest Indication of the PLA's Network Warfare
Strategy (2015-12-21)
(China
Brief 15(24), Jamestown Foundation, By Elsa Kania) The 2015 text of
the Science
of Military Strategy (战略学)
includes not only sections on ‘military struggle in cyberspace’ (网络空间军事斗争) and
network-electromagnetic space operations (网络电磁空间作战) but also a full chapter on
measures to establish and develop the PLA’s cyberspace forces.
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| Taiwan's
Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
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TPP Can Make Taiwan More Competitive: Study (2015-12-25)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) An independent study on the Trans Pacific Partnership
trade agreement said that membership in the bloc would make Taiwan more
competitive and would reduce the nation’s economic dependence on China.
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| China's
Rise and Its Domestic Issues
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China's Renminbi Declines After Being Named a Global Currency,
Posing Challenges (2015-12-19)
(New
York Times, By Keith Bradsher) Soon after being anointed as one of the world’s
elite currencies, the renminbi started slowly and steadily falling as Chinese
companies and individuals moved huge sums of money out of the country’s
weakening economy.
China Unveils Economic Blueprint for 2016 (2015-12-22)
(Wall
Street Journal, By Lingling Wei) The plan, laid out at a closed-door conclave of
senior party officials led by President Xi Jinping, comes as the country’s
massive buildup of debt and legions of factories pumping out unwanted goods
astride towers of empty apartments have become severe drags on economic
output.
Contact:
Dalton Lin, Executive Editor
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