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| South
China Sea Disputes
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A Pivotal Moment in the South China Sea (2015-10-27)
(Wall
Street Journal, By Andrew Browne) By sending a U.S. warship within 12 nautical
miles of one of China’s artificial islands, Washington has signaled the start of
an open contest for the future of a critical waterway that carries more than
half of the world’s maritime trade, connecting the oil riches of the Middle East
with the powerhouse economies of the Western Pacific.
China Says It Warned U.S. Warship in South China
Sea (2015-10-27)
(Wall
Street Journal, By Chun Han Wong) The comments were the first confirmation from
Beijing that a U.S. Navy vessel passed close to Chinese-controlled islands and
reefs in the Spratlys.
China Left Fuming Over US Sail-by in Disputed Waters in South China
Sea (2015-10-29)
(AFP)
Chinese media denounced the US after Washington sent a warship into disputed
South China Sea waters and vowed to do so again, while netizens filled the
Internet with angry diatribes, demanding a far stronger reaction from
Beijing.
China Naval Chief Warns US of Conflict Risk in South China
Sea (2015-10-30)
(AFP)
China's navy chief warned his US counterpart encounters between their forces
could spiral into conflict, state media reported, two days after a US destroyer
sailed close to Beijing's artificial South China Sea
islands.
A U.S. Naval Signal in the South China Sea (2015-10-28)
(Council
on Foreign Relations, By Jonathan Masters) Recent U.S. naval maneuvers in the
South China Sea signal how the United States plans to safeguard its interests in
the Asia-Pacific region, says Capt. Sean Liedman, CFR’s Navy fellow and an
expert in maritime strategy.
White House Moves to Reassure Allies with South China Sea Patrol,
but Quietly (2015-10-28)
(New
York Times, By Helene Cooper and Jane Perlez) Even as it was authorizing the
naval patrol, which China promptly called a “deliberate provocation,” the White
House tried to play down the episode, anxious to avoid escalating a conflict
between the nations, a pair of adversarial Pacific behemoths.
Gov't Calls for Resolution of S. China Sea
Disputes (2015-10-28)
(CNA)
Taiwan on Tuesday called for peaceful resolution of the territorial issues in
the South China Sea, in response to reports of a United States warship
patrolling within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built in the area by
mainland China.
Indonesia Calls for South China Sea Restraint amid US-China
Tensions (2015-10-28)
(The
Diplomat, By Prashanth Parameswaran) Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
called for restraint in the South China Sea in Washington, D.C. just hours after
the U.S. navy carried out much-anticipated freedom of navigation operation near
China’s controversial artificial islands there.
How the Rest of Asia React to US Navy Patrol Near China's
Man-Made Island (2015-10-28)
(The
Diplomat, By Jake Douglas) American diplomats and military officials worked hard
behind closed doors to garner support before playing a card many consider risky
and provocative. On the other hand, the United States is also reportedly taking
this opportunity to challenge what it views as excessive maritime claims by some
of its own allies and partners.
Military Can Defend Islands, Officials Say (2015-10-30)
(Taipei
Times) Top defense officials said they are monitoring the South China Sea
situation closely, and that Taiwan’s armed forces have contingency plans in
place and are capable of defending the nation’s island outposts if a conflict
breaks out.
A First: Japanese and US Navies Hold Exercise in South China
Sea (2015-10-31)
(The
Diplomat, By Ankit Panda) The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S.
Navy are holding a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea, the Yomiuri
Shimbun reports.
In Victory for Philippines, Hague Court to Hear Disputes Over South
China Sea (2015-10-31)
(New
York Times, By Jane Perlez) The ruling would be useful in the Philippines'
diplomatic negotiations with other countries that oppose China’s actions in the
South China Sea, emboldening and bringing unity to the other
claimants.
ROC Does Not ‘Recognize’ UN Tribunal (2015-11-01)
(Taipei
Times) The government said that it does not recognize or accept a ruling by an
international arbitration panel that it could hear a case brought by the
Philippines against China over disputed territory in the South China
Sea.
Beijing Charts Course Between Nationalism, Diplomacy in South China
Sea (2015-10-30)
(Wall
Street Journal, By Chun Han Wong) China’s response to a U.S. warship’s patrol in
the South China Sea shows the balance it must strike between satisfying
nationalism at home and projecting firm diplomacy abroad without escalating
tensions.
How China Maintains Strategic Ambiguity in South China
Sea (2015-10-29)
(The
Diplomat, By Graham Webster) By avoiding the term “territorial sea” and any
explicit statement about the basis for calling the U.S. action illegal,
officials for the most part maintained China’s carefully cultivated ambiguity
about the nature of Chinese claims in the South China Sea. By doing so, they
deny U.S. planners one of their most likely goals in conducting FON operations,
to force reluctant Chinese officials to put forth claims that are unlikely to
find support in international law.
Is China Moving towards Compromise in the South China
Sea? (2015-10-31)
(Chatham
House, By Bill Hayton) Beijing’s responses to recent challenges show it may be
prepared to bring its maritime claims in line with the UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea. This could greatly reduce tensions in Southeast Asia and with the
US.
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| U.S.
“Pivot” to Asia and Sino-U.S. Engagement
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DSEI: Chinese Expansionism Presents Challenge and Opportunity, Says
Admiral (2015-09-15)
(USNI
News, By Jon Rosamond) Addressing a conference in London, Rear Adm. Jeff Harley,
the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, pointed out that the United
States’ recently revamped tri-service maritime strategy has identified China’s
military expansion as a “challenge and an opportunity” rather than a threat to
US interests.
Indonesia's Leader Says His Country to Join Asia Trade
Pact (2015-10-27)
(AP,
By Matthew Pennington) Indonesia's leader looked to cement his nation's growing
ties with the United States, declaring after a meeting Monday with President
Barack Obama that Southeast Asia's largest economy intended to join a sweeping
U.S.-backed Pacific Rim trade deal.
China Stance Critical in ROC's TPP Membership:
Deng (2015-10-29)
(China
Post) Beijing's stance is critical to Taiwan's potential membership in the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, Economics Minister John Deng
said.
Taiwan Urged to Prove Worth in US ‘Rebalancing’ (2015-10-31)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) Taiwan should step up efforts to prove it can be a
useful partner in the US’ foreign policy in Asia, but refrain from implementing
any radical changes that could unsettle cross-strait relations, Hudson Institute
director of Chinese strategy Michael Pillsbury said.
China Pushes Back Against U.S. Influence in the Seas of East
Asia (2015-10-29)
(New
York Times, By Jane Perlez) China, analysts say, is seeking to establish a
sphere of influence in these waters — and edge out the United
States.
U.S. Tech Giants May Blur National Security Boundaries in China
Deals (2015-10-31)
(New
York Times, By Paul Mozur and Jane Perlez) While the cross-border partnerships,
under which American tech companies share, license or jointly develop advanced
technologies with Chinese counterparts, are a growth area for business, security
experts are increasingly questioning whether the deals harm United States
national security.
Interview: Joseph Nye (2015-10-30)
(The
Diplomat, By Emanuel Pastreich) The U.S. and China are deeply entangled, and
that state is largely a good thing.
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| DPP
Searches for New China Stance; Cross-Strait Issues
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Mainland Says It Will Stay Out of Presidential
Elections (2015-10-29)
(AP)
Mainland China won't get involved in Taiwan's upcoming elections, a Chinese
government spokesman said, underscoring the sensitivity surrounding polls in
which the island's pro-independence opposition is expected to make a strong
showing.
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| PLA,
Military Balance and Arms Sales
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MND Releases Biennial Defense White Paper (2015-10-28)
(Taipei
Times) China has been upgrading its major weapons systems and building up the
PLA as part of its goal to have a strong enough fighting force to attack Taiwan
by 2020, according to the Ministry of National Defense’s 2015 National Defense
Report.
Government Extending the F-16 Training Program: Defense
Minister (2015-10-29)
(China
Post) Taiwan is the only non-diplomatic ally of the U.S. to be allowed to send
its pilots to the training program on American soil.
Grounded: Taiwan's US-Made Attack Helicopter Fleet Is Rusting
Away (2015-10-30)
(The
Diplomat, By Franz-Stefan Gady) In addition to the nine helicopters grounded due
to corrosion, twelve Apaches are also not operational due to missing spare
parts, leaving only eight AH-64E Apache gunships operational. (One AH-64E was
lost when it crashed into a three-story building during a training flight in bad
weather conditions in April 2014.)
Navy to Acquire 10 MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters from
US (2015-10-30)
(Taipei
Times) The military confirmed that it is looking to purchase several MH-60R
Seahawk marine patrol helicopters from the US to replace the nation’s aging
fleet of MD500 helicopters.
Seahawk Proposal Likely to Get Approval (2015-10-31)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) A military expert predicted that Taiwan’s request to
buy 10 Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters would win quick approval in
Washington.
Tsai Unveils Ambitious National Defense Policy (2015-10-30)
(Taipei
Times) The DPP said that plans to manufacture weapons domestically would
generate NT$400bn. It also said that it would take action on building
submarines.
Navy Looks to Europe for Submarine Tech (2015-11-01)
(China
Post) Taiwan is looking to Europe as an alternative to the United States as a
source of technological assistance in an effort to build submarines
domestically, a report said.
China's Military ‘Aimed at Preventing US
Intervention’ (2015-10-30)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) The growth of China’s military capabilities is
specifically oriented toward countering the US’ ability to assist in the defense
of Taiwan, a new Heritage Foundation report says.
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| Taiwan's
Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
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Tsai Dominates Polls with 48.1% Support (2015-10-28)
(Taipei
Times) Tsai leads with 48.1 percent support, while KMT presidential candidate
Eric Chu is in a distant second place with 16.3 percent support and PFP
presidential candidate James Soong has 10.4 percent support, according to the
poll, which was commissioned by Taiwan Thinktank and conducted by Trend Survey
and Research.
More Than Half of
Taiwanese Have Favorable Opinion of Tsai's (2015-10-29)
(TISR)
More than half of Taiwanese have a favorable opinion of the words and deeds (言行)
DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has expressed and advocated in her
campaign for the country’s highest office, according to the latest Taiwan Mood
Barometer Survey (in
Chinese).
Chu Fares Worse Than Hung in Poll (2015-10-30)
(Taipei
Times) The poll, conducted by Taiwan Indicators Survey Research, showed that
nearly 57 percent of respondents feel unfavorably toward Chu, with only 24
percent saying they had a good impression of the KMT
chairman.
Taiwan Mood Barometer
Survey, Second Half of October 2015 (2015-10-29)
(TISR)
President Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating dropped 1.9 percentage points over
the latter part of October, according to the latest Taiwan Mood
Barometer Survey (in
Chinese).
Economy Posts First Fall in Six Years (2015-10-31)
(Taipei
Times) The economy contracted for the first time in six years last quarter,
falling 1.01 percent from the same period last year.
Equal Treatment for Parties: AIT's Moy (2015-10-28)
(Taipei
Times) The US will continue to engage with all major Taiwanese political parties
and treat their candidates equally, American Institute in Taiwan Director Kin
Moy said.
TRA ‘Reaffirmation’ Sought (2015-10-31)
(Taipei
Times, By William Lowther) In a move aimed to reinforce US-Taiwan relations,
Republican Representative Steve Chabot introduced legislation to the US Congress
to “reaffirm” the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances.”
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| China's
Rise and Its Domestic Issues
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China's Fifth Plenum: What You Need to Know (2015-10-29)
(The
Diplomat, By Shannon Tiezzi) The fifth plenum of the 18th Party Congress wrapped
up in Beijing. This particular meeting of China’s top leaders was centered
around finalizing details of the country’s 13th Five Year Plan, the outline that
will shape economic and social policy in China from
2016-2020.
China Ends One-Child Policy, Allowing Families
Two-Children (2015-10-30)
(New
York Times, By Chris Buckley) Driven by fears that an aging population could
jeopardize China’s economic ascent, the Communist Party leadership ended its
decades-old “one child” policy, announcing that all married couples would be
allowed to have two children.
Experts Weigh Likely Impacts of China's ‘One Child’
Reversal (2015-10-30)
(New
York Times, By Javier C. Hernandez) The “one child” policy change announced by
the Communist Party left some economists and investors wondering how the
government would address longer-term financial and economic
pressures.
China Will Feel One-Child Policy's Effects for Decades, Experts
Say (2015-10-31)
(New
York Times, By Karen Zraick) After 35 years in force, experts say, the policy
was having undesirable side effects: It upended traditional structures for
supporting older adults and led to a widening imbalance in the number of men and
women, one that could sow social unrest.
Criticism of the UK's New Approach to China Is
Midplaced (2015-10-27)
(The
Diplomat, By Rebecca Fabrizi) At least George Osborne, the assumed architect of
the UK’s new uninhibited approach, seems to have a strategy: to give China more
clarity and predictability; and to focus on supporting British interests, both
at home and in terms of global governance and security. We can assume he would
prefer to deal with a democratic China, but has recognized Britain cannot change
the fact that the world’s second biggest economy is a one-Party
state.
Contact:
Dalton Lin, Executive Editor
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