China
Understanding China’s suspension of North Korean coal imports
How should we understand the motivation behind China's decision to cut-off imports of coal from North Korea?
A conventional place to start might be from Chinese officials. Yet…
Quick comment: Seiichiro Takagi on China, Trump and Japan-Australia relations
Yesterday afternoon International Security Program Director Euan Graham spoke with prominent Japanese Sinologist Seiichiro Takagi, Senior Research Advisor at the Japan Institute…
‘Striking hard’ with ‘thunderous power’: Beijing's show of force in Xinjiang
Last weekend Chinese authorities conducted mass parades of thousands of security personnel and military equipment in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The parades, described…
The 'China Solution': Beijing responds to Trump
A draft Trump Administration executive order threatening cuts to America’s UN funding, not least for peacekeeping, has been circulating since late January. Days before it emerged,…
Explaining China’s involvement in the South Sudan peace process
Most analyses of China’s relations with South Sudan begin and end with oil.
Oil was the most important reason for China’s heavy investment in, and intensification of, relations…
What's next for Xi Jinping?
There has been considerable speculation about whether Chinese President (and newly annointed 'core' leader) Xi Jinping might be secretly planning to extend his time in…
Russia over a South China Sea barrel
Russia and China have just kicked off a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea, Joint Sea 2016. It is scheduled to last until 19 September, including a visit by the Russian…
Did Saudi Arabia just side with China on the South China Sea?
'His highness criticised the actions of the United States in the South China Sea, describing such measures as being in conflict with Chinese and Saudi interests.'
This was the…
Floating nuclear plants and safety zones: Another looming problem in the South China Sea?
China’s first floating nuclear power plant is expected to be operational by 2019, and will likely be deployed to the South China Sea to support China’s outposts and oil drilling…
The Philippines considers the price of victory in South China Sea
Significant moments in history never follow the path of least resistance. They are often memorable at least partly because they were won at great cost.
Such is the case for the…