Tough Choices Ahead for Global India
Memo #64 – This is a time of great tumult in the Middle East. All major global powers are struggling with tough choices to strike a balance between their values and strategic interests in responding to the unfolding crisis in Libya. India is no exception but it is particularly under the spotlight as it assumed the non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in January.
Sino-European Hope for the G20 in 2011
Memo #63 – Is the G20 still useful? What can we expect of it this year? Analysts in Canada and the US are often quick to discount the G20 process as meaningless summitry among too many countries focused on widely divergent domestic agendas and embroiled in pre-electoral politics. Ian Bremmer and Nouriel Roubini both call this a G-zero situation.
Thailand’s Red-Shirts: One Year Later
Memo #60 – March 12, 2011 will mark the first anniversary of Thailand’s red-shirt protesters’ massive street campaign in Bangkok that ended in some of the worst political violence in modern Thai history. 91 people were killed and over 1,800 were injured in a military crackdown that resembled more of a civil war than a restoration of order. This was mainly due to the appearance of mysterious black-clad men on the side of the protesters who engaged the Thai army with automatic rifles and grenade launchers.
Is China the Next Domino?
Memo #59 (Part 2) – Authoritarian regimes seem to be crumbling almost daily. Will China go the way of Middle Eastern dictatorships?
The similarities are obvious. China relies on harsh measures to put down calls for democratic reform. And it is plagued by a huge gap between rich and poor, rampant corruption, rising prices of basic food stuffs, and high unemployment among recent university graduates.
Comparing Tahrir Square Demonstrations of 2011 and Tiananmen Protests of 1989
Memo #59 (Part 1) – At first glance there are many similarities: huge crowds (including many young people) demonstrate peacefully in the main square of the capital city against a repressive government that has been in power for a long time; the crowd has no clearly defined leaders; and the military allows the demonstrations to continue over an extended period of time.
North Korean Leadership Succession: What Does the First Party Conference in 44 Years Tell Us?
Memo #27 – For the first time since 1966, North Korea held a Party Conference and elected new leadership for the Korean Worker’s Party (KWP). Although U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley cynically called it, “the ultimate reality show,” the rare Party Conference reveals important clues about the character of leadership succession in North Korea.
The Death Penalty in China: How Big is the Difference between 68 and 55?
Memo #21 – China accounts for half the world’s executions. Currently, it is contemplating a reduction in the number of capital crimes. Draft legislation before the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress proposes cutting the number of capital crimes from 68 to 55. But how big is the difference?
死刑在中国：68与55的差别有多大？
Memo #21 – 中国的死刑几乎占据了世界的一半。最近，中国在考虑减少适用死刑罪名的数量。之前，全国人大常务委员会立法草案，提出要将适用死刑罪名从68条删减到55条。这与之前究竟有多大的不同呢？
The Privatization of Security in Indonesia
Memo #20 – Violence is becoming more frequent in Indonesia and is taking on new forms. There have been attacks by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) against Christian churches in greater Jakarta over the past two years. This has raised concerns about the future of democracy and religious tolerance in Indonesia. Large Islamic organizations, especially Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, have deplored these acts of violence conducted in the name of religion. Major metropolitan newspapers are reporting that many Jakarta residents have called for the FPI to be banned even while recognizing that this could further radicalize members of the organization.
Analysis of the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between Taiwan and China
Memo #19 – On August 17th, 2010, the Taiwanese legislature passed the “Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement” (ECFA). This is an agreement between Taipei and Beijing, signed on June 29th, 2010, towards creating a cross-Strait free trade agreement. Some see economic integration as the precursor to political integration. But even after the ECFA’s successful ratification, the electoral strategies of Taiwanese political parties make cross-Strait normalization far from a forgone conclusion.