Critical Analysis: China’s ‘Rebalancing’ Through Urbanization

Chinese officials recently announced their intention to move 250 million rural residents into cities over the next decade in an effort to reform China’s economy. The goal is to create a new class of urban consumers and increase demand domestically, thereby making economic growth more sustainable. The policy follows in the footsteps of previous actions … Read more

Critical Analysis: What’s up with North Korea?

Since being sanctioned by the UN in March for carrying out a third nuclear test, Pyongyang has threatened nuclear strikes on the US, formally declared war on the South, and pledged to reopen a nuclear reactor in blatant defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. On Friday, North Korea warned it would not be able to … Read more

Critical Analysis: Maritime Tensions between China and Japan Increase

Maritime disputes between the Japanese and Chinese continue to escalate. The Japanese-named Senkaku Islands, and the Chinese-named Diaoyu Islands continue to be a major source of conflict between the two nations. Last week, the situation escalated when Japan scrambled fighter jets after a Chinese plane flew over the islands.  Though other island disputes between these … Read more

Critical Analysis: China Continues Developing Hydropower Dams Along the Mekong River

China recently announced that its Nuozhadu Dam, the largest dam on the upper reaches of the Mekong River, has begun generating electricity.  The Nuozhadu Dam joins four other Chinese dams along the Upper Mekong River, all commissioned to help China double its overall hydropower capacity to 300 gigawatts by 2020.  The Nuozhadu itself will eventually … Read more

United States Must Monitor Island Dispute in the South China Sea

China is embroiled in maritime territorial disputes, not only with Japan over control of a group of tiny islands in the East China Sea, but also with The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei over the island chains of the Spratleys and Paracels in the South China Sea.  The dispute with Japan over the Senkaku (in … Read more

Critical Analysis: China’s One Child Policy

A Chinese woman who was forced to abort her 7-month old fetus has found herself in the center of international controversy after she claimed that local officials were holding her in the hospital against her will and that her husband had disappeared. Twenty-three year old Feng Jianmei and her husband Deng Jiyuan, who already have … Read more

Critical Analysis: China’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan Looks to the Sky

Having weathered the global recession with surprisingly few troubles, China is looking for ways to sustainably grow its economy.  This goal is reflected in China’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan – the intended economic course charted by the central government.  Unlike the Five-Year plans of the Soviet Union, China blends central planning with a healthy acceptance of … Read more

Part 6: Mianzi, Chinese Perspectives and Chinese Practice

Old and New China

Upon reflection, two divergent themes emerged from Judge Xue’s lectures.  Much of what she said made me realize that Western apprehension over China’s rapid ascension is somewhat misplaced and that the Chinese government is serious about using its power to improve the lives of its people.  It gave me confidence that China is likely to … Read more