Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Tuesday 9 February 2016

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2016-02-09 | NO.20(6) epaper |
South China Sea Disputes and Other Regional Issues
North Korea Plans Earth Observation Satellite Launch This Month: Agency (2016-02-03)
(AP) An international agency says North Korea has declared plans to launch an Earth observation satellite on a rocket later this month.
China Struggles for Balance in Response to North Korea's Boldness (2016-02-08)
(New York Times, By Jane Perlez) “The general relationship between the United States and China is far from good, and I don’t think the U.S. has any real bargaining chips with China over North Korea,” Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University, said. “The vital interest of the United States is to reduce the nuclear weapons, and the vital interest of China is to keep a minimum degree of stability and to keep North Korea a friend.”

Dialogue with US Works for Ma's Taiping Visit: Minister
 (2016-02-02)
(China Post) - The United States is now issuing milder rhetoric over Taiwan's stance on the South China Sea issue, proving effective bilateral communication between the R.O.C. and the U.S. over President Ma Ying-jeou's visit to a Taiwan-controlled island in the disputed seas last, Foreign Minister David Lin said.

Taipei Concerned about Downgrading of Taiping (2016-02-04)
(CNA) The government is "highly concerned" about a case Philippines has brought against China in an international court in which it argues that the land features comprising the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea are not islands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Why Islands Still Matter in Asia (2016-02-05)
(The National Interest, By Andrew S. Erickson and Joel Wuthnow) In theory, Taiwan is not placed to expand China’s power projection capability significantly, but (by virtue of geography) could offer a potent “springboard” for a foreign military to attack mainland China. But this is certainly much less the case today given the PLA’s ability to crater runways; attack command and control with precision strike weapons; and use long-range SAMs to attack aircraft as soon as they are airborne. In short, given today’s Chinese weapons, Taiwan is too close to mainland China to have maximum “strategic value.”
East China Sea Disputes and Japan Policy
Japan Forms New Air Wing to Fend Off China's Advances in East China Sea (2016-02-01)
(The Diplomat, By Franz-Stefan Gady) For the first time in about 50 years, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has stood up a new air wing consisting of Mitsubishi F-15J all-weather air superiority fighters at Naha Air Base, located in the capital city of Okinawa, Japan’s most southern prefecture, according to local media reports.

Japan's Emperor Visits the Philippines: Major Takeaways (2016-02-06)
(The Diplomat, By Yuki Tatsumi) The imperial visit has attracted attention in the context of growing security ties between Japan and the Philippines.

Japan Ready to Help, Japan PM Shinzo Abe Says (2016-02-07)
(CNA) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Japan is ready to assist Taiwan after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit southern Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
U.S. “Pivot” to Asia and Sino-U.S. Engagement
Chinese Defector Reveals Beijing's Secrets (2016-02-03)
(Washington Free Beacon, By Bill Gertz) A defector from China has revealed some of the innermost secrets of the Chinese government and military, including details of its nuclear command and control system, according to American intelligence officials.
America Reveals 'Great Power' Plans Against Russia and China (2016-02-03)
(The National Interest, By Dave Majumdar) Ultimately, the message from the Pentagon is that while it will still keep an eye on lesser threats like ISIS and Al Qaeda, the United States understands that other great powers are a real threat to American security. Moving past the last fifteen years, the United States military is once again focusing on great power conflict.
What Does the Year 2016 Hold for China-U.S. Relations in Cyberspace? (2016-02-04)
(ChinaUSFocus, By Franz-Stefan Gady) Sino-U.S. relations in cyberspace in 2016 will be defined by three key policies: attribution, sanctions, and norms.

Concern Grows in U.S. Over China's Drive to Make Chips (2016-02-05)
(New York Times, By Paul Mozur and Jane Perlez) Worries over China’s chip ambitions were the main reason that United States officials blocked the proposed purchase for as much as $2.9 billion of a controlling stake in a unit of the Dutch electronics company Philips by Chinese investors, according to one expert and a second person involved with the deal discussions.
DPP Searches for New China Stance; Cross-Strait Issues
"One Country on Each Side" Remains Most Popular Characterization of Cross-Strait Relations, TISR Survey (2016-01-28)
(TISR) Asked to select any of fourteen different phrases related to cross-Strait relations that they could identify with, the most popular characterization of cross-Strait relations among respondents to the latestTaiwan Mood Barometer Survey (in Chinese) was “One Country on Each Side” (一邊一國) which was selected by 74.5 percent survey respondents, up from 69.3 percent in October 2015.

Chinese Travelers Make First Transit Stop in Taiwan, Says Mainland Affairs Minister
 (2016-02-02)
(CNA) Two Chinese passengers arrived in Taiwan Monday morning en route to Thailand, making history as the first ever Chinese air travelers to make a transit stop in Taiwan.

TSMC Gets Green Light to Build 12-Inch Fab in China (2016-02-04)
(China Post) Taiwan's Investment Commission on Wednesday gave Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. approval to build its first 12-inch wafer fab in mainland China.
Seek Approval Before Any Cross-Strait Meeting: NPP (2016-02-06)
(Taipei Times) DPP president-elect Tsai Ing-wen should seek legislative approval before agreeing to any meeting with China’s leaders, New Power Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang said.
China Picks Up Hotline Call (2016-02-06)
(Taipei Times) It was the first time that cross-strait officials used the hotline since Jan. 16, following rumors that China has refused to answer calls since the elections.
PLA and Military Balance
It's Official: China's Military Has 5 New Theater Commands (2016-02-02)
(The Diplomat, By Shannon Tiezzi) China inaugurated five new theater commands of the People’s Liberation Army on Monday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping presenting flags to the new commanders during a ceremony in Beijing.
The PLA's New Organizational Structure: What Is Known, Unknown and Speculation (Part 1) (2016-02-04)
(China Brief 16(3), Jamestown Foundation, By Kenneth Allen, Dennis J. Blasko and John F. Corbett) This article is part of a two-part series examining changes to China’s Military organizational structure and personnel. Part 1 examines what is known and unknown. Part 2 contains speculation as to changes that may occur in the future.
The Strategic Support Force: China's Information Warfare Service (2016-02-04)
(China Brief 16(3), Jamestown Foundation, By John Costello) Consolidating and restructuring China’s information forces is a key measure to enable a number of other state goals of reform, including reducing the power of the army, implementing joint operations, and increasing emphasis on high-tech forces.
Securing Taiwan Starts with Overhauling Its Navy (2016-02-05)
(The National Interest, By James Holmes) Tsai Ing-wen must make maritime-strategic affairs a priority and impose her vision on the naval establishment. Otherwise the ROCN will do what big, largely successful institutions do. It will revert to time-honored habits and methods—methods that are increasingly, and dangerously, out of step with the times. 
Taiwan's Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey, Second Half of January 2016 (2016-01-28)
(TISR) President Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating rose 0.8 percentage point over the latter part of January, according to the latest Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey (in Chinese).
Party Identification Tracking Analysis in Taiwan, January 2016 (2016-02-02)
(TISR) Taiwan Indicators Survey Research released its January surveyresults (in Chinese) on the public's party identities. The percentage of Taiwanese who expressed support for the KMT or other Pan-Blue parties fell 0.1 percentage points to 29.2%.

LY Elects First-ever Pan-green Leaders
 (2016-02-02)
(China Post) Su Jia-chyuan and Tsai Chi-chang of the Democratic Progressive Partywere elected as legislative speaker and deputy speaker respectively on Monday, Feb. 1 in the first day of the newly sworn-in Legislature.
AIT Director Congratulates New Legislative Speaker (2016-02-05)
(Taipei Times) AIT Director Kin Moy visited Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei to congratulate him on his recent election, as both parties expressed their desire for stronger US-Taiwan ties.
DPP-Dominated Taiwan Legislature Begins Session (2016-02-04)
(China Brief 16(3), Jamestown Foundation, By Jessica Drun and Fa-Shen Vincent Wang) While the relationship between the new legislators and between the new Legislature and president-elect Tsai is yet to be seen, their interaction will ultimately shape Chinese perceptions of the new government.
Nation's Economic Freedom Displays Great Improvement (2016-02-03)
(China Post) Taiwan ranks No. 14 in the U.S.-released 2016 Index of Economic Freedom, moving up 21 spots over the past eight years, the National Development Council said.

Exports Shrink for 12th Straight Month: Minister (2016-02-05)
(China Post) Finance Minister Chang Sheng-ford said that Taiwan exports dropped in double digits in January to mark their 12th straight month of decline.
Minister Downplays Concern Over Foreign White-Collar Workers (2016-02-05)
(Taipei Times) Minister of Labor sought to allay concerns that opening the market to more foreign white-collar workers might squeeze out their local peers, saying that wages would not be what attract these foreign workers, let alone the so-called “22K” jobs.
Taiwan Has Full Grasp of Mainland-Vatican Dialogue: MOFA (2016-02-06)
(China Post) The R.O.C. government has a full grasp on the dialogue between Mainland China and the Holy See, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said, amid foreign media reports that the two sides have made a major breakthrough on the bishop appointment issue.
China's Rise and Its Domestic Issues
Xi Jinping Assuming New Status As China's ‘Core’ Leader (2016-02-05)
(New York Times, By Chris Buckley) As Xi Jinping confronts economic challenges and prepares to pick a fresh cohort of subordinates, he has demanded that Communist Party officials close ranks around him more tightly than ever, and references to Mr. Xi as the “core” leader have become a daily occurrence in China’s state-run news media.

Why China Hacks the World (2016-01-31)
(Christian Science Monitor, By Adam Segal) The US Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive places China in a category all its own: “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.”
Contact: Dalton Lin, Executive Editor
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