Asia’s troubles are about to get a great deal worse, because Asia is becoming a victim of the rise in energy prices in an even more spectacular way than higher gasoline prices.
Consider, for example, why it is that China’s steel exports to the United States are dropping at a rate of 20 percent this year. [...]

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American Intelligence Analysts Work Overtime as Israel Sends Signals
An attack on the U.S. 5th Fleet, exploding Saudi oil refineries, and a Hezbollah operation against a soft target in the Americas, Asia, or Europe. These are scenarios America’s intelligence analysts are now poring over as Israel signals its preparedness to deal with Iran’s race for the [...]

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As always – but especially now with globalization intensifying the effect — a few continuing events dominate the worldwide media. From the drama of the natural catastrophe that has befallen the Chinese and the Burmese to the falderal surrounding the American presidential campaign, the headlines and the commentators leave little room for these “minor” topics.
Events [...]

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Japan’s prime minister said Tuesday that his country and China were close to resolving a dispute over offshore natural gas fields that had become a symbol of rising rivalries between Asia’s two richest nations.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters that the two sides were close to an agreement on developing a string of natural gas [...]

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A recent hardening of positions on both sides does not augur well for regional stability in Asia.
Notwithstanding this lofty rhetoric, the reality of Sino-Indian relations is growing increasingly complicated as the two Asian giants continue their ascent in the global inter-state hierarchy.
Tensions over a boundary dispute between the two sides are escalating, with China opening [...]

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For decades, the world relied on the powerful U.S. Navy to protect this vital sea lane. But as India and China gain economic heft, they are moving to expand their control of the waterway, sparking a new - and potentially dangerous - rivalry between Asia’s emerging giants.
China has given massive aid to Indian Ocean nations, [...]

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A building frenzy is raging in Asia, Russia and on the Persian Gulf. And cities like London and New York don’t have the money to compete. Will Western urban landscapes soon look outdated? By Ulrike Knöfel, Frank Hornig and Bernhard Zand more…

Photo Gallery: The East’s New Skylines
The Rise of Dubai: A Queue in the Sand
Unveiling [...]

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Putin may be endangering Russia’s future by revisiting the past.
The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453. But you wouldn’t know it in Russia, where Vladimir V. Putin has been behaving as though the 15th century never ended, as though he is the direct descendant of the Byzantine kings and Moscow remains the “Third Rome” it declared [...]

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Is it really that hard to figure out? China is boosting it high tech weapons arsenal in order to take on America. China understands that at some point there will be confrontation between the countries. Most likely it will be over Taiwan. China is positioning itself to defeat America or at least prevent America for [...]

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Asia in general, and China in particular: The pressure in Asia is starting to show, beginning with South Korea. But anecdotal reports out of China also show the ratcheting of pressure. We have reports of plant closures due partly to informal taxes for earthquake relief imposed by the government and partly to the business environment. [...]

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Chinese officials at the Toulouse Space Show have announced plans to put an Asia-wide satellite positioning system in place by 2010 to work alongside the US GPS and European Galileo programmes.
The Beidou/Compass system already has four satellites in position. It will be free to use, but will include an encrypted channel for “authorised” users.
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The maritime arms race in Asia has crossed another threshold with the publication of satellite pictures of a massive Chinese underground submarine and warship base giving it a significant tactical advantage in the strategically important South China Sea.
The naval base has been constructed by tunnelling into the mountainous shoreline of China’s southern Hainan Island near [...]

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Some of the world’s major concentrations of military power and potential hot spots are in Asia: for example on the Korean peninsula, across the Taiwan Straits and between India and Pakistan. Strong economic growth in our region is leading to the build-up of modern military forces in China and India, as well as in South [...]

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One accusation leveled by the Indian Left against the US is that in a unipolar world, the US is trying to be the global Policeman. Be that as it may, a question to be posed to the Left is: Is China usurping the role as Asia’s Policeman?
The ruthless stand taken by China against Tibetan [...]

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The growth of the world’s two most populous nations, India and China, is often cited as the largest contributor to the reduction in global poverty levels in the last fifteen years. With an average annual growth rate of 9.5 percent, China has lifted over 400 million of its 1.3 billion citizens out of poverty in [...]

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Vladimir Putin’s statement at this week’s Caspian Sea summit that no country in the region “should offer its territory to third powers for use of force or military aggression” has been widely and correctly seen as aimed to deter U.S. military intervention in Iran.
But this warning was directed not only at the U.S., but at [...]

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Opinions from some westerners conclude that what motivates Beijing to support Myanmar is economic interest, and yet others think it is out of Beijing’s fear of democracy. Some experts in China defended the government with seemingly correct reasons—in principle Beijing does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and really doesn’t possess [...]

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China and Russia rule out Security Council action on Myanmar
International Herald Tribune, France - 8 hours ago
In January, China and Russia cast a rare double veto on a US-sponsored resolution calling on Myanmar’s military government to release all political …
Ban Ki-moon meets Myanmar envoy NDTV.com
UN given grim report on Myanmar Aljazeera.net
UN Chief Meets Myanmar Envoy The Associated [...]

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Several people have been killed, including a Japanese photographer, as the Burmese military opened fire on thousands of demonstrators in the city of Yangon on Thursday. Many have been badly beaten after early morning raids on Buddhist monasteries. more…

Photo Gallery: Military Cracks Down in Burma
The Cyber Rebellion: Burmese Bloggers By-Pass Censors
The World from Berlin: Burmese [...]

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Burmese soldiers kill 9, US imposes sanctions
CTV.ca, Canada - 43 minutes ago
The United States imposed economic sanctions Thursday on more than a dozen senior Myanmar officials, including members of the country’s ruling military …
Trade away tyranny The Australian
Burmese diplomat carpeted: PM Sydney Morning Herald
Sanctions to freeze junta’s cash The Age
Sydney Morning Herald - The Age
all 137 news articles »

Q&A: [...]

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MYANMAR: CHINA, MILITARY JUNTA USE RESTRAINT
Agenzia Giornalistica Italia, Italy - 3 hours ago
(AGI) - Beijing, Sept 27 - The Chinese government, main ally of Myanmar, has asked the Burmese military junta to use restraint in managing the …
Burmese military crackdown condemned Telegraph.co.uk
Global outrage over Burma protest crackdown Melbourne Herald Sun
China’s crucial role in Burma crisis [...]

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