Publications

An ultimatum from Ukraine;

The politicization of the Patriarchy

China irked Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan;

Beijing shuffles leadership in Xinjiang

Iraq's hydrological challenge;

Russia seeks another base in Kyrgyzstan;

Israel prepares for possible strike on Iran;

Signs of life in the West Bank;

HuT crackdown in Turkey

Friction with China's African immigrant-workers in Guanghzou;

China launches final stage of "

stability-maintaining campaign"

in Xinjiang

Xinjiang crackdown provokes Muslim ire...;

... as Beijing invokes Uighur-al Qaeda connection

SPECIAL ISSUE: The Islamic Republic Strikes Back

A China-U.S.-Japan dialogue?;

Thai mosque attack shrouded in mystery

A kinder, gentler NGO policy;

Moscow plans counterweight to NATO

Beijing plans local administration overhaul;

India voices more concern over PLA buildup

Beijing solidifies ties with new government in Zimbabwe;

Frustration in Russia over terms of trade with China

A War of Words between Baku and Tehran;

Al Qaeda gets its day in (Saudi) Court;

Turkey on a tightrope over Uighur crackdown;

Authoritarianism gains steam in Eurasia;

Another ideological body blow for the bin Laden network

Moscow, Minsk on the outs... over milk;

A new interest in Africa

A meeting of the minds in Moscow?;

America's atrophying arsenal;

Fear and loathing in Cairo;

An aerial option?

Chinese students agitate over diplomas;

China opens training center for peacekeepers in Beijing

SPECIAL ISSUE: Cracks in the Clerical Consensus

Expansive pipeline network to Myanmar to begin in September;

Asian Development Bank new site of Sino-Indian border spat

A grim economic forecast;

A new tack toward the WTO

The North Caucasus tinderbox;

Moscow plans "

unified defense space"

in the Near Abroad

A new training ground for South Asian radicals;

Seoul, Tokyo respond to Pyongyang

An Arab anti-piracy front;

Iran's elections and the Arab world;

Another olive branch to Syria;

A U-turn in Bishkek

Special Issue: Chinese healthcare reform

Russia, Japan mend fences;

Sri Lanka's counterterrorism victory

New censorship software to be included in all Chinese PCs;

Beijing reforms stale "

petition system"

Reinforcing Russia's take on history;

Second thoughts in Abkhazia

More aid for Palestinian security forces;

Another round in Turkey's ideological tug-of-war;

At SCO, China steals the show;

The cyber front in the Gaza war

Restarting START;

Second thoughts on Syria?

Tensions mount over troop movements on Sino-Indian border;

Beijing unveils new youth propaganda campaign

Strengthening the U.S.-Japanese alliance;

Keeping AfPak on track

Pyongyang makes the case for U.S. BMD;

Curtains for KEI?;

The growing ballistic missile threat;

A new push to ban space weapons

India irked by China's push into its backyard;

Beijing wins pledge for Turkmen gas

Sweetening the pot for Pyongyang;

Are energy wars in Russia's future?

The Sino-Russian partnership hits a speed bump;

Kuril islands to remain a contested issue

Beijing praises U.S. action against Uighur separatists;

DPP warming to better relations with the mainland

The politics of Iran's nuclear program;

Iran in Iraq: plus ca change;

Negotiating, with eyes open;

Defiant in Tehran

Serdyukov cleans house;

Russia's grim demographic future

China and India taking sides in Nepali political row;

Chinese court cracks open door on intellectual property rights

Carrots and sticks, North Korean style;

Sri Lanka's military presses its advantage

May 5:  

In the second half of this year, the People’

s Liberation Army (PLA) will use two months for a continuous series of live-forces exercises designated "

Kuayue 2009"

with the participation of four PLA military regions and the Air Force. The four Military Regions participating in the exercises will mobilize 50,000 troops and 60,000 vehicles, weapons and equipment. The Zhongguo Xinwen She reports that the exercises are intended “

to promote military training, boost units' ability to conduct combat operations, implement the army’

s new Outline for Training, and test the overall effectiveness of bases.”

May 6:  

Xi Jinping, China’

Vice President, greeted to more than 1,000 students on the campus of Beijing’

s Capital Normal University;

even joyfully hugging one and reportedly receiving a warm applause from others. Members of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, are also inspecting universities across the country to assess the “

ideological conditions of university students.”

According to the Zhongguo Tongxun She the delegations’

will review student’

s living conditions and their “

mentality and attitude”

and were “

helping resolve the realistic difficulties currently faced by the students in their life.”

The Central Organization Department, Ministry of Education, and other organs have jointly issued the "

Opinions on Establishing a Long-Lasting Mechanism for Selection and Appointment of University Graduates as Village Officials."

The document states the salaries and future career of university graduate-turned village officials, stressing that "

measures should be taken to ensure that [they] are willing to go down to and stay at the grassroots level."

May 7:  

China views Vietnam’

s $1.8 billion purchase of 6 kilo class submarines from Russia as a direct provocation. “

Tension in the South Sea has escalated since the beginning of this year. Some Southeast Asian countries are trying to occupy some of China's island reefs in the South Sea either through legislation or strengthening their armament. If Vietnam takes military measures to confront China on the South Sea issue, this will be unfavorable to Vietnam,”

the Zhongguo Tongxun She (ZTS) reports. Vietnam’

s is also building 10 Molniya class missile boats with Russian technology, buying 2 Gepard 3.9-class frigates, and has spent $3.8 billion on 17 Russian Su-27 and 4 Su-30 fighter planes with “

the capability of air-to-sea combat covering most of Nansha [Spratly] waters.”

ZTS was critical of Washington’

s role: “

After the "

9/11"

attack, the United States began to try to win over Southeast Asian countries' militaries under the pretext of assisting global antiterrorism war. If China and Vietnam clash in the South Sea, this is something a certain third party would be glad to see. Hopefully, China and Vietnam will not fall into the trap set by a third party.”

Moscow also came under fire: “

Russia is trying to gain strategic benefit by stepping up arms sales to Southeast Asian countries. Its arms sales to Vietnam possibly have special significance for Russia, because returning to Cam Ranh Bay has been a goal long cherished by Russia.”

May 8:  

Beijing dissident Li Jinping has staged a demonstration on Tiananmen Square holding a banner and shouting "

Long live Chairman Hu, Right the Wrong for Mr Zhao Ziyang!"

Zhao, the now deceased former chairman of the Communist Party of China, was forced to step down after he opposed hardliners’

decision to crackdown in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Only seconds Li’

s arrival, two to three men rushed towards Li, took down his banner, and took him to a waiting police vehicle, as posted on youtube. Li himself was once part of Beijing public security personnel, but was forced out in 2001 because of his political views, Hong Kong’

s Apple Daily reports.  

May 10:  

Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has said he is prepared to talk politics with China if reelected to a second term in 2012. In an interview with Singapore’

s Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao published Saturday, Ma also said he would not rule out political talks with Beijing if a need for emergency negotiations occurred. In the interview Ma said he aimed to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore next November. Although Taiwan is a member, China has always opposed the attendance of the self-governing island’

s president. He emphasized that Taiwan wanted to become an ASEAN partner in the same fashion as China, Japan and South Korea. Ma denied there was a timetable to sign an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China, but repeated his stance that an agreement was necessary or Taiwan might become marginalized as ASEAN cuttrade tariffs with China, Japan and South Korea beginning next year.