Accountability of Hong Kong Leaders Is at Stake
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam stressed that the proposed amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance stemmed primarily from a murder, and was not a mandate from the central government.
Security,Hotspots,Southeast Asia
The China-Philippines Maritime Incident: A Sad Episode All Around
On June 9, 2019, there was a collision between two fishing boats in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, one a China-flagged vessel and one a Philippines-flagged fishing boat. The incident elicited wild accusations and demands for precipitous retaliatory action.
Politics,Security,Hotspots
The Hormuz Strait Initiative: Legal Obstacles to Participation
Security,Hotspots,East Asia
Xi Jinping’s Visit to North Korea: China is a Useful Leverage?
Politics,Hotspots,East Asia
Politics,Security,Hotspots
Could the US-Iran Crisis Lead to War?
Economic coercion is a major instrument of Trump’s policy towards Iran. Economic force explains why Trump imposed new unilateral sanctions against Iran to stem the alleged militarization of its nuclear program.
Politics,Security,Hotspots
Why the Middle East Does Not Want a War
Between all the warnings and threats, none of America’s Middle East allies would want a war, even as they would like to see Iran weakened. Trump also wants to avoid war, embarking on the path of even harsher sanctions and building up a coalition to guard the Strait of Hormuz.
Politics,Hotspots,East Asia
A New Social Movement Against Hong Kong’s Extradition Bill
Although there were regular mass demonstrations, the Occupy Central campaign, and later on the Umbrella Movement, many people did not expect that around two million Hong Kong people would take to the streets to protest the controversial extradition bill.
Security,Hotspots,Southeast Asia
Differentiating between Theory and Enforcement of FONOP in the South China Sea
There is no universal agreement on the interpretation of key provisions in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Indeed, important differences are emerging between Southeast Asian nations and the US regarding the theory and enforcement of freedom of navigation.
Security,Hotspots,Southeast Asia
US Bill Targeting China in South China Sea is Misguided and Hypocritical
Three US Senators have reintroduced the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act. Its purpose is to “impose sanctions against Chinese entities that participate in Beijing’s attempts to assert its expansive maritime and territorial claims in these disputed regions.”
Politics,Hotspots,China
A Conspicuous Innovation in Chinese Jurisprudence: The Advisory Interpretation
In late 2017, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress issued an Advisory Interpretation for the very first time. It arose from the intense debate about establishing joint Hong Kong and Mainland immigration facilities at the new Hong Kong High Speed Rail station.
Security,Hotspots,East Asia
A Third Trump-Kim Meeting in the Works?
On April 12, 2019, North Korea leader Kim Jong-un finally uttered publicly he was open to a third summit with US President Donald J Trump. Trump himself does not appear to rule out the possibility of a third summit.
Environment,Hotspots
My Brush with the Giant Clam “War” in the South China Sea
In the early 2000s, when I accepted an invitation to speak at one of the very first of what has since become a very prestigious annual event, The Boao Forum for Asia — I had no idea I might wind up playing a minor role in what became the great giant clam controversy.
