Sep 10, 2014

Are recent aerial encounters between Chinese fighter aircraft and U.S. surveillance planes a sign of the Obama administration’s further containment of China? Examining the legality of Washington’s surveillance flights, Ted Galen Carpenter warns that while the maneuvers are justified, they only escalate tensions in the Asia-Pacific.

Aug 21, 2014

The United States’ engagement policy toward China is a strategic step toward containing Beijing’s growing financial power and economic influence. However, with tension increasing between China and the United States, Carpenter heeds Washington to look for more sustainable engagement plans before advancing on what American scholars have coined “congagement”, in fear of erupting a larger Sino-American crisis.

Jul 16, 2014

President Xi Jingping’s recent visit to South Korea was a rebuff to North Korea’s defiance of China’s warnings not to conduct nuclear or missile tests. If the United States incentivizes the Chinese government to incur the risks of abandoning the North Korean regime, Beijing might be willing to dump Pyongyang and treat Seoul as its future partner on the Peninsula.

Jul 03, 2014

With tensions at a seemingly all time high in the Asia Pacific, cross-straits relations between mainland China and Taiwan remain positive and relatively peaceful. However, Ted Galen Carpenter posits that this quiet period may be coming to an end and the Taiwan issue could prominently reemerge in the near future.

Jun 05, 2014

In the wake of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue, Ted Galen Carpenter assess the speech and subsequently delineates three measures that are critical to Shinzo Abe’s new policy declaration.

May 23, 2014

Beijing’s recent warning that Pyongyang not conduct another nuclear test will likely prove as ineffectual as previous warnings, writes Ted Galen Carpenter. Without huge incentives, which Washington has yet to offer, Beijing is unwilling to employ harsh measures to ensure North Korean compliance due to the risks entailed in such a drastic policy change.

Apr 28, 2014

The US and Philippines have developed a close military relationship in recent years that the Chinese fear is an attempt to entrap or counter their influence in the region. Recent aggressive moves by the Philippines over territorial disputes have caused China to fear that this relationship will cause greater tensions in the region, and between the US and China.

Mar 31, 2014

As international tensions increase over Russia’s actions in Crimea, China continues to keep a low profile. Ted Galen Carpenter explains that as China’s leaders exhibit nervous ambivalence over the developments, the United States should not misinterpret this as siding with Western powers.

Feb 12, 2014

Two news reports in late January suggested that India was becoming a more active participant in regional security issues. Ted Galen Carpenter discusses how a more assertive India could put the U.S. in a difficult situation.

Jan 17, 2014

Observers in both East Asia and the United States have become increasingly worried about the growing tensions between China and Japan. However, the tendency to place all of the blame on Beijing may be mis-guided.