January 02,2018 National Commentaries

A South Korean Perspective

South Korea’s current president, Moon Jae-in, entered office in May 2017 with an approval rating of nearly 80%, one of the highest in the country’s modern history.  Although he won the presidential election with 13.4 million votes (or 41% percent of the voting population)1, and has maintained an approval rating between 70-80%2, Moon faces many […]

Lisa Collins
2018 PyeongChang Olympics , ld Trump , Minjoo Party , Moon Jae-in , THAAD
October 26,2017 National Commentaries

A South Korean Perspective

As surreal as the current talks of war between the two angry leaders are, many outsiders often wonder about the calmness of South Koreans, even while facing a belligerent northern neighbor that fires missiles, tests nuclear bombs, and repeatedly threatens a war of annihilation. It is true that Koreans have grown inured to perennial threats […]

Joon-hyung Kim
Donald Trump , Moon Jae-in , Resolution 2375 , THAAD , US-South Korea-Japan
October 26,2017 National Commentaries

A Chinese Perspective

President Trump had a bad start in his governance in the United States, embroiled in bitter disputes with all kinds of people and suffering repeated frustration in promoting his agenda, but Trump has found a silver lining in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations. First, he has effectively replaced the previous administration’s “strategic […]

Cheng Xiaohe*
19th Party Congress , Donald Trump , Security Council , Xi Jinping
October 26,2017 National Commentaries

A Japanese Perspective

Whether he admits it or not, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s debt of gratitude to DPRK chairman Kim Jong-un is far-reaching—regarding Japanese domestic politics, relations with the United States, relations with South Korea, and perhaps even the future of Japan’s Constitution. First, both the timing and results of the 48th Japanese House of Representatives election of […]

Glen S. Fukushima
Abe Shinzo , Constitution , Diet , Donald Trump , Komeito , Liberal Democratic Party
September 05,2017 National Commentaries

A Southeast Asian Perspective

The annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the related ASEAN-plus meetings—a series of ASEAN-led forums involving foreign ministers from 27 nations across the Indo-Pacific—were held from August 2-8, 2017 in Manila, the capital of Philippines which holds the rotating chairmanship of the 10-member grouping. This year’s meetings marked the grouping’s 50th anniversary. They are the […]

Kuik Cheng-Chwee*
ARF , ASEAN Way , BRI , concentric multilateralism , EAS , hedging , Nine-dash line , North Natuna Sea , South China Sea
June 19,2017 National Commentaries

A View from the United States

On May 4, the United States announced the conclusion of a US-China trade deal. There is some good news in terms of immediate new market access for US beef exports as well as commitments by China that its domestic regulatory agencies will consider providing the licenses and patents that are needed to ensure market access […]

Joshua P. Meltzer
Belt and Road Forum , BRI , Donald Trump , RCEP , TPP , US-China Trade Agreement , Xi Jinping
June 19,2017 National Commentaries

A View from France

“China’s New World Order,” trumpeted CNN after the mid-May Belt and Road Forum. Media—and academics, analysts, markets—all around the world echoed the theme, devoting themselves to China and global transformation. But in France, the press found itself preoccupied with a different revolution: The victory of a 39-year-old self-proclaimed maverick Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 […]

Emily de la Bruyere
Belt and Road Forum , BRI , Emmanuel Macron , En Marche