Obama＇s ＇ Strategic Patience＇ and the North Korean Nuclear Issue

How do we persuade Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear weapons program？ How do we stop it from behaving provocatively？ Obama has been struggling with these questions. In his first term, Obama adopted a policy of strategic patience. How will he deal with the country in his second term, especially after the D.P.R.K. launched its third nuclear test and heightened tensions in the Korean Peninsula remain？ What is Obama＇s motivation？     

Factors Affecting Latin America＇s Development Prospects

Since entering the 21^st century, Latin America has witnessed deepening economic reforms and relatively high economic growth rates. Democracy has been all the more resilient and, with the rise of the left, political dualism has been reinforced. In the foreign policy area, the region＇s diplomatic independence has been strengthened and its international position is on the rise. Last but not least, poverty rate has been curtailed in many countries of the region, though social problems remain very serious.     

Strategic Interest Orientation of China and Latin America,and Advantages and Disadvantages to Realize It

For China and Latin America, the 21th century is a century inwhich great progress could be achieved. As the economic globalization sweeps its way across the world, interdependency between countries will be enhanced, and relations between China and Latin America tend to be even closer. What's more important, both sides consider its rela- tions with the other one on a strategic level. This serves as a new impe- tus to promote the bilateral relations in the new century. Judging by the present …     

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.     

U.S.-ASEAN Relations and the Policy Adjustments of the Obama Administration

The United States did not have an overall strategy toward ASEAN （the Association of Southeast Asian Nations） for a long time in the past. In its bilateral relations with ASEAN member countries, it focused mainly on the old members while paying less attention to the new ones, which exerted a negative impact upon U.S.-ASEAN relations. To tackle the new problems and challenges arising from the new situation, the Obama administration has set to adjust U.S. policy toward ASEAN.     

Changes in China's Southeast-Asia Policy

Southeast Asia is an important region in China's neighboring diplomacy and the focus has been on its good neighbor policy.After China andASEAN set up a dialogue-partnership in 1991, their relations have progressed substantially.China now has a strategic partnership with ASEAN and has also taken the initiative in building good economic, trade,security and cultural ties with ASEAN member states.China is currently ASEAN's largest trading partner, while ASEAN is China's third largest trading partner.Beijing, however, has mostly ignored security ties and cultural exchanges with the region over economic cooperation.This has led to a number of security issues and perception problems that have gradually hindered bilateral ties.Most recently, China changed its Southeast Asia policy after holding the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Neighboring Diplomacy Work Conference, and recent visits by China's top leaders to regional countries.These changes will form the foundation of a grand blueprint for the future development of Sino-ASEAN relations.     

TREND OF INDIA＇S DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY

In recent years, India has actively pursued an all-directional diplomatic strategy, attaching much importance to developing its relations with major powers. In particular, due to the great efforts made by the United States to draw India over to its side, relations between India and the United States have witnessed a fast development, which has attracted worldwide attention. It seems that this trend of laying special emphasis by India on its relations with the United States will continue for a considerably long period. However, it is unlikely that India will make a fundamental change to its independent and non-aligned foreign policy. It is expected that India will continue to consolidate and develop its traditional friendly relations with Russia, steadily improve its relations with China and strengthen its relations with the European Union. In Asia, India will continue to actively promote its external relations and enhance its influence in the region through bilateral as well as multilateral channels.     

Sino-US Relations and the US Economic and Political Variables

Since coming to power in 2009, the Obama administration has ＇ prioritized domestic reconstruction, redesigning and rebalancingAmerica＇s foreign strategies in order to revitalize the United States＇ economic competitiveness. It has pushed forward social reforms and other major domestic policy agendas） In his second term, president Obama and his administration will continue to conceive of governance as ＂domestic affairs with the support of overseas performance.＂ In terms of Washingtoffs policy towards China, the United States＇ economic, political and social landscape will continue to bring about profound changes in China, while China has had an increasingly prominent impact on American society as well as the policy-decision environment faced by the United States government in its dealings with China.     

An Analysis of India＇s Latin America Policy

In the Cold War period, India took a relatively estrangementpolicy toward Latin America and relations between the two sides were fairly cold. With the adjustment of its policy after the end of the Cold War, India began to actively engage the Latin American countries, especially the major ones,     

Evolvement of New China＇s Relations with Other Developing Countries

China＇s relationship with other developing countries is an important basis for China＇s foreign strategy. Since its founding, New China has accumulated complex experience and achieved rich fruits in how to handle and develop its relations with other developing countries. It has experienced contradictions between ideology and national identity and also made strenuous efforts to safeguard the country＇s strategic independence. Since the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy, China has rapidly enhanced its national strength, providing a new platform for it to play a greater role in the current international system. But China＇s identity as a developing country remains the starting point of its foreign strategy, and hence promoting and consolidating its relationship with other developing countries will also remain as China＇s strategic choice.     

Reform and Opening Up Versus Adjustment of China＇s Relations with Other Developing Countries

China＇s relations with other developing countries, an important component part and the foundation of its foreign policy, comprises two major dimensions： One, it has been the tradition of China＇s foreign affairs to promote relations with other developing countries. This tradition constitutes an extremely important basis of its foreign relations because China, a major member of the developing world, has had a similar destiny like the vast number of developing countries.     

Gains and Losses of Obama Diplomacy

After a year＇s perfection and evolution, the Obama Administra- tion＇s New Deal in foreign policy has taken shape. A distinctive feature of the Obama diplomacy is that to maintain the leadership status in the world, the United States should use its ＂mart power＂ to achieve its foreign policy goals through multilateral cooperation and in a soft and pragmatic way.     

Strategic Interest Orientation of China and Latin America,and Advantages and Disadvantages to Realize It

For China and Latin America, the 21th century is a century inwhich great progress could be achieved. As the economic globalization sweeps its way across the world, interdependency between countries will be enhanced, and relations between China and Latin America tend to be even closer.……     

The EU’s Foreign Policy Under Debt Crisis

Under the impact of the sovereign debt crisis, the European Union pays less attention to its foreign policy and the Common Foreign Policy tends to be "renationalized"; the EU is again embracing "geo-economics" with an enhanced tendency of highlighting economic ties and trade in its external relations; EU countries have greatly cut their defence expenditures, making it more difficult to implement the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in future. The author holds that the prospects of economic growth in the Eurozone countries, European integration under the pressure of structural changes in international relations, and competition and collaboration in a multiple structure of foreign policy establishments are combined to shape the EU’s foreign policy in the coming years.     

New Developments in China＇s Relations with Neighboring Countries

China has vast land and water territories, with 22,000km border line and 18,000km coastal line. Bordering 14 countries, China is also a country with the most neighboring countries in the world. Harmony with neighbors leads to peaceful surrounding environment--an important prerequisite for China＇s domestic economic building. Therefore, China always puts developing good-neighborly relations as the priority of its foreign policy.     

U.S. Societal Landscape: Reality and Challenges

Barack Obama became the first African American president calling for change. He is not only faced with serious challenges on the economic and financial fronts, but also has to deal with a variety of major social problems which will potentially reshape American society in the 21 st century： increasing economic inequality, complex race relations, an unsustainable healthcare burden and a weakening education system. These are issues which have existed for decades in the U.S., but now it seems that President Obama has a better opportunity to make a ＂real change＂ happen than his predecessors, because American society is going through a fundamental evolution.     

The Limitations of Obama's Af-Pak Strategy

The ＂Af-Pak Strategy＂ formulated by the Obama administration is characterized by ＂localization＂, ＂integration＂, ＂demilitarization＂ and ＂polygonization＂. It is a rational strategy, but it has three defects： the first is that strong pressure imposed on Pakistan may make the country more unstable and increase the unrest in surrounding areas; the second is that ＂demilitarization＂ will be unable to produce results or to meet the political needs of the Obama administration; the third is that its geopolitical dimension may weaken other countries＇ cooperation and support. China generally supports the strategy, but still has many misgivings.     

＂Deindustrialization＂ and Sino-Brazilian Ties

After the global financial crisis broke out in 2008, major industrial economies became concerned about delndustrlahzation . The important roles that the industrial sector plays in creating jobs and ensuring intemational competitiveness began to be recognized again. The U.S. launched its policy of ＂re-industrialization＂ and Brazil published a plan to develop its industrial sector between 2011 and 2014. China＇s industrial sector has rapidly developed. ＂Deindustrialization＂ sparked widespread concern because it is connected with the global distribution of technological capability and the future global economic order. It is noteworthy that the U.S., Brazil and some other major economies partly blamed China for the problems that ＂deindustrialization＂ has caused and this has had an increasing effect on China＇ s relations with these countries. It reflects China＇ s problem as a new manufacturing power. In this article, the author analyzes those political and economic factors associated with ＂deindustrialization＂ and makes some suggestions for the Sino-Brazilian strategic partnership. In this way, the author explores some ideas on establishing a new type of big power relations.     

LATIN AMERICA:ADJUSTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Poradoxically,the first half of the 1990s has been witnessing both fairly rapideconomic growth and daily deteriorating social conditions in Latin America.This has touched off a heated debate in the region over legitimacy of the currentneo-liberalist development strategy practised by Latin American countries.Oneschool of thought asserts that since the present model has entailed serious socialconsequences,it goes without saying that it should be abolished right away.But     

Characteristics of the ＂Islamic State＂

The extreme organization that calls itself the ＂Islamic State＂ has alarmed the world with its rapid rise and grave damage while drawing sharp censure from numerous directions. In his speech on the strategy of dismantling the ＂Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,＂ American President Barak Obama＇ s called it ＂a terrorist organization, pure and simple.＂ 1 Rooted in Middle East turmoil, facilitated by the irresponsible policies of the great powers and nearby countries, the ＂Islamic State＂ （also known as ISIS or ISIL） stands out from among regional terrorist organizations in a number of vital characteristics. ISIS, disowned by the A1-Qaeda, nevertheless challenges it and seems to gain the upper hand. What lies behind its success are at least two powerful characteristics： its religio-political ambition to establish a recognizable country, and its ability to entice the zeal of Western jihadists.