China Analysis - New Reforms to the Health System - Hu Jintao and the People’s Liberation Army

China Analysis

The US return to Asia does not close the window on China’s strategic opportunity

Xinjiang and Sino-Turkish Ties

China Analysis - Les Nouvelles de Chine

Analysis by Camille Bondois based on: • Yu Jieyun, “Proposals for transferring pension funds,” Xuexi Ribao(Study Times), 2 February 2009. • Chen Shanzhe, “According to the Ministry of Social Security, provincial level pension funds will be set up within a year,” Nanfang Zhoumo(Southern Weekend), 3 February 2009. Analysis by Mathieu Duchâtel based on: • Zhang Liangui, “Lacking a bottom line, Americans have become mired in North Korea’s nuclear imbroglio,” Huanqiu Ribao (Global Times), 3 March 2009.

Relations between France and China: the Break . . . with Germany?

Singapore: The Chinese path to political reform?

Analysis by Mathieu Duchâtel based on: – Visit of the CPC Central Party School study group to Singapore, “The political party system in Singapore,�? Xuexi shibao (Study Times), n° 420, 14 January 2008. – Visit of the Party School study group to Singapore, “The mechanisms of the fight against corruption in Singapore,�? Xuexi shibao (Study Times), n° 422, 28 January 2008.

China Analysis

The "Chinese Miracle" Challenged by Tibet

This section, prepared by the Asia Centre (www.centreasia.org), draws mainly on the press in Chinese, aiming to reflect the point of view of the People’s Republic of China on international questions and issues related to Greater China.

The European Union and the Modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army Navy: The Limits of Europe’s Strategic Irrelevance

Abstract: This article argues that the European Union has more interests in the People’s Liberation Army Navy modernisation and maritime security issues in East Asia than has traditionally been recognised. The PRC’s naval modernisation intersects with the EU’s foreign and security policy interests in five main areas: the international Law of the Sea; the risks for Europe of being dragged into an Asian maritime conflict and the safety of European trade with Asian partners; Europe’s competitiveness in international markets for naval military systems; the potential for maritime security cooperation against non-traditional threats; and finally, the arms embargo issue and the question of naval technology transfers to China. Through an assessment of the current PLAN modernisation – and Europe’s significant contribution to this effort – the article argues that European policy towards China doesn’t adequately address these five policy areas.

Keywords: People’s Liberation Army Navy, European Union, Maritime Security, EU embargo, UNCLOS, anti-piracy, arms sales, naval technologies

China’s Policy in the East China Sea: The Role of Crisis Management Mechanism Negotiations with Japan (2008-2015)

ABSTRACT: This paper looks back at China’s policy towards the establishment of a crisis management mechanism with Japan in the East China Sea from the beginning of the negotiations in 2008 to the deadlock reached at the end of 2015. During this period of seven years, China moved from being a reluctant negotiator to interrupting the negotiations and finally accepting their resumption, but only after setting such a high bar in terms of relative sovereignty gains that the talks unravelled. The paper argues that the socialisation of China to confidence-building norms in the security sphere – norms that the strategic community of the PRC traditionally rejects – is making very slow progress despite the rising risk of incidents in maritime East Asia. It concludes that Chinese foreign policy uses crisis management negotiations to secure a variety of foreign policy goals linked to sovereignty and balance of power rather than a tool purely dedicated to building security and stability by freezing an existing status quo. KEYWORDS: East China Sea, Diaoyu, Senkaku, crisis management, maritime security, confidence-building measures.

Taiwan : La politique de sécurité du gouvernement Chen depuis 2000

L'adoption de la loi anti-sécession, le 14 mars 2005, a rappelé que la Chine populaire ne renonce pas à utiliser la force contre Taiwan. Après l'élection de Chen Shui-bian en mars 2000, les positions des gouvernements des deux rives se sont durcies. Pékin exige de Taipei la reconnaissance du principe d'une Chine pour reprendre le dialogue, tandis que Taipei considère la République de Chine à Taiwan comme un Etat souverain et indépendant. Cet article décrit les différents outils utilisés par le gouvernement Chen Shui-bian – modernisation militaire, coopération militaire renforcée avec les Etats-Unis, et de plus en plus avec le Japon, contrôle restrictif des échanges entre les deux rives – pour résister à l'irrédentisme chinois. Il souligne la continuité avec la politique de sécurité de Lee Teng-hui, et les contraintes nouvelles pesant sur le pouvoir exécutif taiwanais, en particulier le refus des partis d'opposition, détenant la majorité au Yuan législatif, de voter son projet d'acquisitions d'armement.

The Modification of the Chinese Exchange Rate Policy Its rationale, extent and recent developments

On July 21st 2005, China slightly revalued the yuan and officially modified the exchange rate system. Interpreting this move as only the outcome of international pressures to reduce international trade imbalances is however misleading. To support our argument, we explore the rationale of the July 21st decision through a review of the twin debates of the exchange rate level / system in China. We argue that both external and internal concerns are taken into account by the Chinese authorities in the management of the exchange rate. Moreover, responsibility for the management of the Chinese exchange rate among the imbalance in world trade is in doubt. The review of recent developments since the July 21st decision shows that its impact is limited. While “hot money” inflows seem to have been tamed, previous economic trends have not yet been modified.

Taiwan: The Security Policy of the Chen Government since 2000