The Philippines’ Arbitration Pleading Bodes Ill for South China Sea Disputes

THE Philippines submitted on March 30 a memorial to the arbitral tribunal at The Hague,urging it to invalidate China’s"nine-dash line"in the South China Sea.The Philippines first initiated arbitral proceedings against China over

Will Island and Reef Construction Change the Status Quo in South China Sea？

The West Pacific has become a new hot spot in the tense East Asian security situation.Aside from the dispute between China and Japan over the Diaoyu Islands,which is far from being resolved,the South China Sea(SCS)issue is catching a lot of attention,especially given China’s island and reef construction(IRC)activities on its Nansha Islands.On

China’s New Diplomatic Blueprint for South Asia

IN September, following his attendance at the 14th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO） and his state visit to Tajikistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping began his tour of three South Asian countries： the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India. It was President Xi＇s first visit to the region since he took office. The trip gave rise to significant improvements in mapping out China＇s new diplomatic blueprint on South Asia, expanding China＇s neighborhood diplomacy, and reshaping world geopolitics.

Behind the South China Sea Disputes

TERRITORIAL disputes over islands in the South China Sea have long been a latent threat to regional security and cooperation in East Asia,involving not only China and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors,but also members of ASEAN.For instance,sovereignty disputes over certain South China Sea islands also exist among the Philippines,Vietnam,Malaysia,Indonesia and Brunei.

2014 APEC:A New Opportunity for Sino-U.S. Relations

IN November 2o14, the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders＇ Meeting will be held in Beijing. Since the first APEC summit in Seattle in 1993, the annual Economic Leaders＇ Meeting has been an important platform for members to promote political communication and deepen regional cooperation as it gathers leaders from almost all important economies in the Asia-Pacific region.

China, Free Rider or Contributor?

IN an interview early last August with the New York Times,U.S.President Obama remarked that China had been a global free rider for the past 30 years,and that the U.S.does not expect China to do anything substantial in dealing with Iraq.Obama is in fact not the first to accuse China of being a free rider in the international community.

Will Duterte Overturn His Predecessor＇s Legacy？

While running for President of the Philippines and even after being elected, Rodrigo Duterte said he intended to adjust the Philippine＇s foreign policies, especially the South China Sea policy pursued under President Benigno Aquino III. But there is inconsistency or contradiction between his remarks. Duterte＇s remarks during the campaign featured his personal style, and also served to garner voters＇ attention and support. The adjustment of the Philippines＇ South China Sea policy under Duterte is expected to be based on Aquino＇s political legacy; subject to the struggle and equilibrium among domestic interest groups, and coordinated with the overall China policy of the United States.

How Can Sino-Japan Ties Be Improved?

There have been tensions between China and Japan since September2012.These have spiraled so that now the relationship is one of the most dangerous and uncertain in the Asia-Pacific region.This enduring conflict between the world’s second and third largest economies

Japan Bids Farewell to Pacifism

ON July 1,2014,Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration adopted a cabinet resolution to"reinterpret"the constitution and so allow the country to exercise collective self-defense.Since Abe took office in December 2012,his administration has consistently sought to break with the restrictions of Article 9 of Japan’s pacifist constitution,which renounces"the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes."The resolution in effect reflects Abe’s ultimate aim.Although the Abe administration has issued specific restrictions on the right to collective self-defense,and there are constraints on Japan’s use of military force,this reinterpretation nonetheless marks a turning point in Japan’s histori-

Intensified Terrorism Counteroffensive

ON the morning of June 21, 2014, a group of assailants rammed their truck into the public security bureau building in Yecheng County, southwestern Xinjiang, and detonated explosives. It was one of the latest violent incidents perpetrated by religious extremist groups in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region - the site of rampant acts of violence by national separatists against innocent civilians.

Does the Crimea Issue Presage Cold WarⅡ?

AN overwhelming 96.6 per- cent of Crimeans voted in the referendum on March 16 to secede from Ukraine andjoin the Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin welcomed Crimea＇s re- turn, and signed a decree on March 18 confirming the region as part of Russia. The move triggered sanctions from the U.S., EU and Japan. Russia retaliated with a list of senior U.S. officials andlawmakers now banned from entering its territory.

S&ED Promotes Stable and Cooperative Sino-U.S. Ties

THE Sixth U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue(S&ED)convenes in Beijing this July.President Obama’s Special Representative and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew visited China ahead of the event,from May 11 to13,to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Wang Yang.The two sides reached consensus on the basic content of the coming S&ED.