Changes in the US National Security Council in the Trump Administration

The structure of the National Security Council(NSC)under Donald Trump has been tweaked only slightly on the basis of the previous administration’s"three tiers of committees"model,and without any breakthrough in reform.However,the NSC also faces a series of new changes and features,including instability caused by changes in the President’s entourage,and dysfunction induced by the decreased number of formal meetings.These changes may be attributed principally to the impact of Trump’s governing style,management style and informal decision-making process.The NSC’s role in the decision-making system varies according to the frequent changes in National Security Advisor.In the 70 plus year history of the NSC,it is evident that its development direction is determined by structural changes in the international pattern,US national security challenges and the transfer of power within the decision-making system.How the President positions and utilizes the NSC ultimately determines the structure and efficiency of the mechanism.     

The Sino-Japan Friendship in Full Blossom on the Oasis in the Desert

AttheinvitationofCAFIU,thethree-memberdele-gationheadedbyMr.Tsurukenji,PresidentoftheBerupokaiofJapanandMr.KotamaShiichi,Direc-toroftheBeijingOfficeoftheJapanInternationalCreditCompany(JCB)visitedXinjiangAutonomousRegionfromAugust17to25.Theretheyattendedtheceremonyofthedonationofthefar-distanceed-ucationfacilitiesfortheCentralSchooloftheHe-dongxinTowninTumushukeCity.Duringtheirstaythere,Mr.LiuDefeng,MayoroftheTumushukemetwiththedelegation,andMr.WuJindong,SecretaryofthePartyCom…     

Invest in Guizhou,Invest in the Future

Guizhou Province is a place rich in recourses with great development potential. Due to various reasons, Guizhou is out of people's knowledge scope for a long time. Moreover, its unique economic advantages and development potential are not known. Actually, Guizhou enjoys lots of favorable conditions, some of them are unique to itself compared with other provinces. The following is some of the details.Firstly, Guizhou has a very special location. In many people's mind, Guizhou is a place far …     

China's Role in the World

In essence, two epoch-making events are reshaping the world order today: thecollapse of the old Soviet bloc and the rise of Asia-Pacific, of which China's eco-nomic takeoff constitutes an important part. While the former brought an end tothe East-West Cold War, the latter is making tremendous contributions towards     

China''''s Role in the World

China s role in the world has become an important topic of dis-cussion among international relations experts.Debate over theissue has persisted in the Chinese academic community sincethe mid-90s,①and to this day studies continue to delve deeper.Revi-tali…     

Wishes in the New Century

Tobeginwith,I'dliketocongratulateonthesuccessofthe9thCouncilMeetingofCAFIU。The9thCouncilMeetingofCAFIUisthefirstMeetinginthenewcentury.Experiencingthetestofdifficultiesandhardshipsofthe20thcentury,thehumansocietyhasbecomemoremature,moreadvancedandmorecivilized.Peaceanddevelop-mentremainthemainthemesoftheera.Moreandmorecountriesandpeoplehavereachedthecon-sensusthatdialoguebasedonequalityandcoop-erationofmutualbenefitareeffectiveapproachesforsolutionofinternationaldisputesandbuildingandd…     

Terrorist learning in context – the case of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

ABSTRACT

It is astonishing how many researchers adopt a counterterrorism agenda and suggest researching terrorist learning in order to shape security countermeasures. Posing different questions would lead to different answers. One such question would be, “What makes terrorist learning different?” Terrorist groups operate clandestinely, which means the environment in which they learn is different. This paper investigates the context in which Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has learned. Thus, a qualitative case study analysis of the influence of meso- and macro-level factors on AQIM’s tactical and strategic patterns between 1999 and 2013 will shed light on terrorist learning. Meso-level influences are conceptualised as cooperation and ultimate merging with Al Qaeda, and macro-level influences as government action. The result is puzzling: AQIM has learned tactically from Al Qaeda and strategically from counterterrorism. This is puzzling because scholars commonly question whether it is possible to learn under pressure. Nevertheless, AQIM’s learning has been more profound when faced with pressure than when cooperating voluntarily. The sustainable answer to the question of the political implication thereof is not how to boost counterterrorism measures but how to redefine them. If what is different about terrorist learning is above all the context, we need to question the context.     

The UN factor in the “regional power role” and the Turkish case in the 2000s

This article aims to explore the relationship between regional powers and the United Nations (UN) with respect to regional issues by examining UN-Turkish ties concerning the Middle East during the 2000s. Bidding for a leading regional role in the Middle East, especially in the 2000s, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in Turkey has increasingly used international platforms, including the UN, to gain a significant regional position in the Middle East. Turkey’s relationship with the UN in this respect could provide a relevant example to explore multilateralism and multilateral instruments in Turkey’s perceived regional power role during the last decade. The term “regional power” will be used as a conceptual framework to explore Turkey’s behavioural pattern with respect to the UN in view of the regional-global linkage, as global activism is nearly a standard behaviour of any state with a leading regional power role/claim. In view of this, the period during which Turkey held a temporary seat on the UN Security Council between 2009 and 2010 will be given particular attention in order to identify any significant link or at least any tentative correlations between Turkey’s then-closer involvement in the UN and its regional power role/claim in the Middle East. Moreover, fluctuations recorded in Turkey’s relations with the UN with respect to the Middle East during the last decade will be taken into account to examine a variety of challenges involved in any regional state’s relations with the UN regarding regional issues. Conducting a periodical analysis of Turkey-UN relations with respect to the Middle East could provide some provisional answers regarding both limitations and opportunities related to the future state of relations between any regional power and the most universal organization of world politics.     

A General Review of the Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2008

In 2008, Latin America and the Caribbean area maintained the momentum of economic growth. However, the pace of growth slowed down due to various factors. The stagnant impact of global financial crisis lashed on its economy was beginning to show its effect. The overall political situation in Latin America remained stable. But some countries experienced political turmoil, which had some impact on their political landscape countries, the ruling parties faced . In some with new challenges. In foreign relations, pragmatism and pluralism continued to be the main features. The role of regional diplomacy in promoting regional stability was conspicuous. Latin American countries have demonstrated strong will for regional integration. The relations between Latin America and other major regions in the world were enhanced at different levels. China-Latin America relations of partnership also witnessed further boost in various fields.     

Impression about the visit in America

AttheinvitationoftheAsiaFoundationoftheUnit鄄edStates,CAFIU'sthree-memberteamheadedbySecretary-GeneralXuJianguopaidavisittoU.S.from4-11November熏2003.ArrangedbytheAmer鄄icanside熏thedelegationengagedintheextensivecontactswiththeAsiaFoundation,theWorldAf鄄fairsCouncil熏UniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley熏UnitedNationsAssociationoftheUSA,CouncilonForeignRelations熏EastAsianInstituteoftheColumbiaUniversity,″Newsday″EditorialDepart鄄ment熏SisterCitiesProgramofthecityofNewYork,Ame…     

China-DPRK Relations in the New Era

During the four visits to China by Kim Jong Un,coupled with President Xi J*inping s state visit to the Democratic People*s Republic of Korea,the two countries reaffirmed their traditional friendship.While the goals of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and deeper strategic communication on major issues remain active,China and DPRK carry out exchanges and cooperation.The positive movement in China-DPRK relations characterizes the need to jointly prevent war and chaos on the peninsula and is the result of policy adjustments.The changes in China-DPRK relations are conducive to DPRK's pursuit of a new strategic route.For peninsula denuclearization and economic integration in northeast Asia,China should increase support to DPRK and maintain momentum toward better relations.     

＂Emerging Economies＂ in the Transformations of the World

The world today is undergoing great transformations and readjustments, which is characterized by the coming into being of ＂emerging economies＂ in recent five years, such as the BRICS （namely Brazil, Russia India and China） followed by the VISTA （namely Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey and Argentina）. Although these terms created by the Americans and the Japanese are not accurate by ignoring important developing countries such as Korea, Thailand and Mexico, they demonstrate the extensive attention of the world on the ＂emerging economies＂.     

Forecasting the World Scene in 2004

A review of the year 2003 paints a bleak, frustrating world sceneof unending terrorist attacks, crises and hostilities. Nevertheless,rationalism as a unique human attribute prevailed. The six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Indo-Pak reconciliationovertures, the quickening tempo of East Asian economic integration andthe relaxation of tension among big powers—all these bear eloquenttestimony to this statement. What lies in store in the year 2004? Needlessto say, there will…     

Non-governmental Organizations in the Western Countries

Humansocietyisnowundergoingprofoundchangesagainstthebackdropofrapiddevelop-mentofworldmulti-polarization,economicglobal-izationandinformationtechnologyrevolution.Thepresent-dayeraisfeaturedbyaworldwideemer-genceofnon-governmentalorganizations(NGOs),whichhasattractedmuchattentionfromvariouscountriesandtheinternationalcommunity.Itistruethatthepredictionofthe″21stcenturywouldbeacenturyofNGOs″remainstobetestifiedandprovedbyhistory.However,ithasbeenaninar-guablefactthatthestatus,roleandinfluenc…     

New Turbulence in the Middle East

Americans often say that September 11 has transformed theworld, but in fact, it has primarily changed the U.S. itself. TheMiddle East, as well, due to a shift in U.S. policies and strategies,has gone through significant changes. This in turn has exerted s…     

Making Friends Everywhere in the World

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Characteristics of the Current Political Situation in the Middle East

By comparison with the ＂Arab Spring＂ that swept through the whole ＇region in 2011 and the political transition evident in many Arab countries in 2012, political development in the Middle East in 2013, to many observers, seemed lost in chaos. Arab countries undergoing political change were plagued by disorder, volatility, and violence.     

Diversity of the Model of Development and the Choice in the Harmonious Development

Since the end of the cold war, the world has undergone extensive, complex and profound changes. The features of such changes are multi -polarization, globalization and diversification. These three features are interconnected and closely linked. They influence each other and promote each other. Muhipolarization, globalization and diversification are still in the process of development, and are therefore fluid and constantly changing. Generally speaking, the development of the world situation is in favour of world peace and stability. But in the process of multi-polarization, globalization and diversification, various unprecedentedly complicated contradictions and new problems crop up, so we still need to jointly and appropriately handle the situation.     

Views on How to Break the Deadlock in the Sino-Japanese Relations

Inrecentyears,duetotheexistenceoftoomuchmisinterpretationandmisunderstandingaswellasthelackofknowingandunderstandingeachotherbetweenChinaandJapan,theSino-Japaneserela-tionshavebeenoutofbalancebybeing″economi-callyhotandpoliticallycold″andbyhaving″warmresponsefromthenongovernmentalcirclesandcoldreactionfromthegovernments″.Atthesametimetherehasbeenanunprecedentedcrisisofconfi-dencesincethenormalizationofdiplomaticrela-tionsbetweenthetwocountries.Inordertobreakthecurrentdeadlock,bothsideshav…