In late August the Ministry of Science and Technology and State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of China announced that on July 13 the Jiaolong manned deep-water submersible, which is named for a mythical sea dragon, had successfully completed a test dive to a depth of 3,759... MORE

Much of the discussion regarding China’s maritime ambitions in the Indian Ocean has revolved around the so-called “String of Pearls” strategy that Beijing is alleged to be pursuing.  As part of this strategic construct it is claimed that Beijing is building a comprehensive network of... MORE

As of November 15, the world’s fastest supercomputer officially belongs to China, according to the most recent listing of the world’s Top 500 computers [1]. China has pushed the United States out of the top spot as well as putting a third machine into the... MORE

Beijing is waging an economics-focused diplomacy of reassurance to counter the “China Threat” theory and to augment its political clout particularly in the Asia-Pacific and European regions. In the last two years of its term of office, the Hu Jintao leadership is expected to use... MORE

The modernization of China’s aerospace capabilities was prominently on display at the Eighth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (2010 Zhuhai Air Show). The biannual air show, which is taking place from November 16-21 in the southeastern province of Guangdong, involves more than 600 domestic... MORE

The term rare earths (RE) apply to a group of 17 chemically similar metal elements that include scandium, yttrium and the fifteen lanthanides. RE elements are considered strategically important commodities that are used to manufacture defense and commercial high value-added applications, especially green technology. Rare... MORE

The National Security Council (NSC) is an apparatus for the top executive to “formulate, coordinate and oversee security and defense policy” in order to “enhance effectiveness by developing strategies, guidance, mobilizing resources and overseeing implementation” [1]. Conceptually, the NSC in Taiwan, as in the United... MORE

Underneath the fanfare that greeted the FBI’s arrest of ten Russian intelligence officers in June, federal authorities quietly proceeded against a young Michigan man, Glenn Duffie Shriver, applying to the CIA at the direction of Chinese intelligence. The story missed major media outlets and was... MORE

On October 9, the Chinese media announced the start of a multi-region, joint air-land exercise called Mission Action 2010 (shiming xingdong 2010). People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground force units from three of the seven Military Regions (MR) were deployed by road, rail and air across... MORE

In spite of an apparent thaw in overt cross-Strait tensions since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou was elected into office in 2008, the shadow war between Chinese and Taiwanese intelligence agencies has continue unabated. While Beijing and Taipei have made remarkable progress in liberalizing economic barriers,... MORE