Asia joins world economy’s new normal as China loses its edge

Asia joins world economy’s new normal as China loses its edge

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — “Asia Pacific economic economies will see subdued growth in 2013 after last year’s sharp slowdown caused by external factors,” is the prognosis from a recent UN survey. “Economic growth in the developing countries of Asia and the Pacific slowed to 5.5 percent in 2012 as a result of the […]

An overlooked but bloody war on another Asian front

An overlooked but bloody war on another Asian front

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com MANILA — War planes strafe and bomb. Tanks shell enemy redoubts. The infantry move in under air and artillery support, spraying automatic weapons fire. Sound like a fantasy of the fighting that might break out across the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas? Could this be the latest […]

Japan finding unlikely allies in repelling Beijing’s campaign of ‘cartographical aggression’

Japan finding unlikely allies in repelling Beijing’s campaign of ‘cartographical aggression’

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com MANILA — Japan is probing the possibilities of a most improbable alliance in a corner of Southeast Asia that once lay at the heart of the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.” The term “co-prosperity” was a euphemism for Imperial Japan’s policy of prospering off impoverished people from Burma […]

When world leaders talk about ‘human rights’ and when they do not

When world leaders talk about ‘human rights’ and when they do not

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com The spectacle of the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh did more to lay bare the problems, conflicts and paradoxes of relations among the region’s wildly different and widely scattered nations than to resolve them. The fact that at least three of the leaders at this year’s ASEAN summit […]

Chinese media mounts all out propaganda offensive against the Philippines

Chinese media mounts all out propaganda offensive against the Philippines

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com Judging by the rhetoric of the official Chinese media and military commentators, the Chinese Communist Party authorities seem to be readying a small-scale naval skirmish to “teach the Philippines a lesson.” Yet at the same time, Beijing is brandishing non-military solutions, such as joint development of oil and […]

Tensions in Asia-Pacific give rise to multiple war games

Tensions in Asia-Pacific give rise to multiple war games

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com A series of naval exercises involving troops from China, Russia, South Korea, the U.S. and the Philippines are likely to significantly raise tensions in the Asia-Pacific. The largest China-Russian naval war game since 2005 is scheduled to start next week in waters very close to South Korea and […]

Philippines bends to China on Spratlys; open to joint development

Philippines bends to China on Spratlys; open to joint development

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com Manila appears to be easing its hardline stance towards Beijing and may be willing to jointly develop oil and natural gas resources in the hotly disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. “We are amenable to the [Chinese offer of joint development] for as long as […]

Emerging U.S. strategy builds a ‘geopolitical economy’ along China’s periphery

Emerging U.S. strategy builds a ‘geopolitical economy’ along China’s periphery

Special to WorldTribune.com By Brian M. Downing, FreePressers.com One can scarcely read anything on world affairs these days without seeing discussion of the decline of the U.S. and the rise of China. In recent weeks, however, President Obama spoke plainly, bluntly, and even disparagingly to China. At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Obama chided China, […]