Eastern Asia
Huge contradictions behind China’s stimulus-driven recovery
By John Chan, November 19, 2009
US President Obama’s visit to China focussed attention on the country’s rising economic power, high growth and large currency reserves. A closer examination, however, reveals that China’s hothou...
The US-China summit highlights sharp schisms
By John Chan, November 18, 2009
The grand summit between Hu and Obama was mostly show and no substance. The formulations in the joint statement about the need for peace, economic cooperation and strategic trust were a rather threadb...
China continues its aggressive pursuit of Africa’s resources
By Brian Smith and Ann Talbot, November 16, 2009
The ministerial Forum on China-Africa Cooperation met in Egypt last week, attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. He pledged $10 billion (£6bn) in concessional loans to Africa over the next three yea...
Obama seeks to boost US influence in Asia
By John Chan, November 16, 2009
On his first trip to Asia, US President Barack Obama has made clear that its main purpose is to reassure key allies and enhance American interests in the region against Washington’s main rivals, esp...
US-China tensions overshadow Obama’s trip to Asia
By Peter Symonds, November 13, 2009
US President Barack Obama arrives today in Tokyo at the start of his first trip to Asia. While he will also stop off in South Korea and the APEC summit in Singapore, the central focus of the tour is C...
Naval clash between two Koreas as Obama heads to Asia
By John Chan, November 12, 2009
Just days before US President Barack Obama commences his first major visit to Asia, a brief exchange of fire took place between South and North Korean naval vessels.
New Japanese government under pressure to slash social spending
By John Chan, November 12, 2009
The government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is facing growing demands from big business to ditch its election promises, slash social spending and rein in mushrooming public debt.
France: The affairs the Clearstream trial aims to suppress
By Alex Lantier, November 7, 2009
A decades-long series of corruption scandals, bound up with oil and arms deals, constitute the essential legal background to the Clearstream Affair.
Japan’s new government seeks to refashion US alliance
By John Chan, November 4, 2009
In the lead-up to US President Barack Obama’s first visit to Japan, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has signalled that his government is wanting to readjust the country’s longstanding alliance with ...
South Korean government cracks down on workers’ rights
By Terry Cook, October 26, 2009
Following the suppression of the 77-day occupation of the Ssangyong Motor plant at Pyeongtaek in August, the government has broadened its offensive against the rights and conditions of the working cla...
Tensions between India and China flare again
By John Chan, October 23, 2009
The immediate spark was a visit by the Indian prime minister to the northern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The trip provoked a protest from Beijing, which disputes Indian control of the area, resulting ...
Signs of the US dollar’s demise
By John Chan, October 19, 2009
An article the Independent on October 6 entitled “The demise of the dollar” is credited with adding to the recent weakness of the US dollar and the rise of gold prices.
