February 21,2014 Topics of the Month

Sino-US Relations – 2

United States Pushes Back Against Chinese Assertiveness; Xi Urges Dialogue Carefully sequenced statements by Obama administration officials in late January and February pushed back against Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea and other maritime disputes, taking Sino-American competition to a new stage. America’s measured resolve adds to circumstances that work against overall success ..

Robert Sutter
ADIZ , domestic concerns , interdependence , Kerry , Medeiros , Philippines , Russel , South China Sea , Southeast Asia , Xi Jinping
February 21,2014 Country Reports

Country Report: China (February 2014)

In the shadow of the pretense that Sino-US relations were improved by the Xi-Obama summit and are now guided by an understanding to pursue a “new type of great power relations,” Chinese writings convey a darker tone about security in the region. In spite of the overtures in Susan Rice’s Georgetown remarks in November and that were expected from Joe Biden’s visit to Beijing in December, Chi..

Editorial Staff (with the assistance of Dong Jiaxin*)
China Dream , John Kerry , New type of great power relations , Russia , Russian Far East , Taiwan
February 07,2014 National Commentaries

The Six-Party Talks and the P5+1: History Repeating Itself?

"Prospects for a North Korean Nuclear Deal" Mark Twain once remarked that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. As Iran consummates the P5+1 Nuclear Agreement, one can hear the history of the Six-Party Talks rhyming in the air—with disturbing overtones. In the “other Six-Party Talks” (the P5+1), Iran has echoed the successful North Korean strategy of offering a..

David Asher
Illicit Activities Initiative , Iran , P5+ 1 , Science and Technology Agreement , Six-Party Talks , Syria , Worldwide Threat Assessment
February 07,2014 Open Forum

Washington Insights: February 2014

US year-end review programs were preoccupied with Syria and Iran with mention of Afghanistan, leaving little or no time for coverage of East Asia. They painted two leaders—Obama and Putin—as weak and strong, respectively, without reference to four other leaders—Xi Jinping, Abe Shinzo, Park Geun-hye, and Kim Jong-un. Events in East Asia, however, would not pause while pundits pontificated on ..

Editorial Staff
Illicit Activities Initiative , Iran , P5+ 1 , Science and Technology Agreement , Six-Party Talks , Syria , USA , Worldwide Threat Assessment
February 07,2014 Country Reports

Country Report: Japan (February 2014)

This has been one of the richest periods for Japanese media coverage in memory. In covering Biden’s early December travel through the region at a time of renewed concern about a threat from China, the establishment of Japan’s National Security Council with attendant clarification of security guidelines, delayed negotiations over TPP, the backlash from Abe’s Yasukuni Shrine visit, the signifi..

Editorial Staff
Abe Shinzo , collective defense , Jang Song-Thaek , propaganda war , the China Dream , Yachi Shotaro , Yasukuni Shrine
February 07,2014 National Commentaries

A Joint Plan of Action for North Korea?

"Prospects for a North Korean Nuclear Deal" On November 24, 2013, Iran and the P5+1 (the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and German) reached agreement on the Joint Plan of Action, an interim nuclear deal. Could the Joint Plan of Action, which went into effect on January 20, 2014, serve as a model for a nuclear agreement in the Six Party Talks? In principle, ma..

Gary Samore
effectiveness of sanctions , interim agreements , Iran , Joint Plan of Action , nuclear program , P5+1 , transparency
February 07,2014 National Commentaries

The Iran Nuclear Deal and Its Implications for North Korea

"Prospects for a North Korean Nuclear Deal" Iran and North Korea pursue the same ultimate goal: nuclear armament. However, they have chosen fundamentally different strategies and approaches. There are also stark differences in the legal regimes governing their nuclear activities, levels of commitment of stakeholders to halt and roll back the respective nuclear programs of the two stat..

Chun Yungwoo*
confidence-building measures , existential issue , international community , Iran , legal regimes , military option , strategic calculus
January 27,2014 Topics of the Month

Sino-US Relations – 1

Obama’s Rebalance, Competition with China and Enduring US Leadership in Southeast Asia   A decision announced recently to implement regulations on enforcement of China’s jurisdiction over vessels using waters in the South China Sea raises concern over a confrontation that might start with Filipino, Vietnamese, or other fishing boats accustomed to using these waters and involve powers wi..

Robert Sutter
intimidation , power realities , Rebalancing , sources of influence , South China Sea