By Andrew Korybko *Part I The US’ Pivot to Asia (P2A) is obviously aimed against China, and Washington’s ultimate plan has always been to assemble a coalition of countries that can contain the global supergiant. As the Pivot enters into its fourth year soon, the contours of the Chinese Containment Coalition (CCC) are beginning to take … Continue reading
By Qingzhen Chen With presidential elections in the Philippines less than a year away, uncertainty regarding the future of economic policies has caused investors to remain cautious. The Philippines have experienced huge improvement under President Aquino’s administration. His administration’s economic reform has led to solid economic growth, and his anti-corruption campaign has improved governance. Last year, … Continue reading
By Daniel Wagner News that the People’s Republic of China is claiming ownership of and enlarging the size of some disputed islands in the South China Sea, and building air strips to enhance its ability to project its air power in the region, has been met with predictable alarm by a variety of countries in the … Continue reading
China’s 21st Century Maritime New Silk Road project may facilitate the resolution of longstanding maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Chinese media suggests. These disputes involve at least six parties, particularly China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Brunei has abandoned its territorial claim in the Spratlys and Malaysia has a relatively minor claim in … Continue reading
By James Borton The South China Sea remains at the epicenter of one of the most volatile maritime areas in the world with little or no agreement on sovereignty claims to ownership of atolls, submerged banks, islands, reefs and rocks. Yet South China Sea fishermen, marine biologists and policy shapers agree that without an end to … Continue reading
By Andrew Korybko The regional grouping of Southeast Asian states has catapulted to the forefront of global economics, becoming one of the fastest growing blocs in the world. Its economies have stabilized after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and have since then shown intense resilience by fully rebounding from the ‘Great Recession’ in 2010, much quicker … Continue reading
Emerging Asia will maintain its strong economic growth in 2015 and 2016, supported by soft commodity prices and recovery in the major industrial economies, a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says. The ADB’s annual economic report, Asian Development Outlook 2015 (ADO), released on Tuesday, forecasts gross domestic product (GDP) growth in emerging … Continue reading
By Andrew Korybko It’s no secret by now that the US is dead set on containing China, yet it’s shying away from engaging in a direct confrontation with it. Instead, the US is managing a dual policy of creating chaos along China’s western and southwest reaches, while coordinating a containment alliance along its southeastern and northeastern … Continue reading
By Walden Bello Early in the morning of January 25, commandos belonging to the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police crept into the southern town of Mamasapano — a stronghold of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The elite Seaborne Unit had come for Zulkifli Abdhir, a Malaysian bomb maker better known as … Continue reading
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned on Tuesday of growing risks to local currency bonds in emerging East Asia. In the ADB’s latest quarterly Asia Bond Monitor report it warns that widening credit spreads, a stronger U.S. dollar, Greece’s debt crisis, and falling oil prices are growing risks to local currency bonds in emerging East Asia. “While … Continue reading