That China’s financial system—even in the midst of reform and development—has acquired significant international influence is evident. The 8.9 percent drop of the Shanghai Composite Index on February 27, compounding certain remarks on the U.S. economy by Alan Greenspan the previous night in Hong Kong,... MORE

Iraq could soon emerge as an important new focal point of intensifying Chinese and Japanese commercial diplomacy and energy rivalry, in spite of their extensive overlapping interests and mutually beneficial economic ties. It is difficult to determine whether friction over energy-related matters is a symptom... MORE

PLA FLAG OFFICERS DIFFER ON CHINA’S AIRCRAFT CARRIER DEVELOPMENT At the recent Fifth Session of the 10th National People’s Congress held in Beijing, an admiral from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) delegation claimed, off-the-record, that China has already begun the research and development (R&D) of... MORE

China is nearly a decade into a program to commission up to half of the new People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers from its finest universities. In the near-term, this initiative will take advantage of civilian institutions of higher education to train large numbers of technologically... MORE

That China’s financial system—even in the midst of reform and development—has acquired significant international influence is evident. The 8.9 percent drop of the Shanghai Composite Index on February 27, compounding certain remarks on the U.S. economy by Alan Greenspan the previous night in Hong Kong,... MORE

Iraq could soon emerge as an important new focal point of intensifying Chinese and Japanese commercial diplomacy and energy rivalry, in spite of their extensive overlapping interests and mutually beneficial economic ties. It is difficult to determine whether friction over energy-related matters is a symptom... MORE

BEIJING BEGINS NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS WITH PROMISES OF ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL POOR In accordance with President Hu Jintao’s commitment toward creating a “harmonious society” (hexie shehui) within China, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled a new series of measures that would provide medical, agricultural and social... MORE

Even as China has committed an unprecedented level of resources toward the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), President Hu Jintao has placed an emphasis on raising the “fighting spirit” and strategic ingenuity of the PLA. President Hu has also sought the views of... MORE

When President Hu Jintao visited Zambia in early February 2007, he met with the country’s liberation leader and first head of state, Kenneth Kaunda and said, “In China, we say that when you are drinking water, you should not forget the people who dug the... MORE

The official threat assessments that Taiwan has released in recent years reflect the growing concern over China’s military modernization, which is typically portrayed as part of a broader strategic challenge with potentially serious implications for the island’s security. Moreover, Taiwanese officials assess that the modernization... MORE