NATO''s New Strategy in C. Asia and Its Impacts

Ever since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the United States and NATO have sent large troops to Afghanistan and greatly strengthened partnership for peace (PfP) with Central Asian countries. The recent dramatic political changes in some Eurasian countries have also provided U. S. and NATO favorable conditions to expand their influence and to squeeze Russia-China's strategic space.While U. S. and NATO have steadily become established in Afghanistan and some Eurasian countries, their potential threat to China's security and energy supply from Central Asia is looming large. Therefore, how to cope with the expanding U. S. -NATO's influence in Central Asia and have dialogue and cooperation with NATO have become urgent tasks for China. This article tries to explore and analyze the U. S.-NATO new strategy toward Central Asia and its potential impacts on China's security and its other interests in the region. It also makes some tentative exploration on the possibilities of China-NATO cooperation in the future.     

An Assessment of Future Patterns of Security in Central Asia

Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, various social problems left over have emerged in some Central Asian states, thus threatening social stability in the region. Under globalization, the former Soviet republics in Central Asia have made great efforts to develop constructive relations with others in the hope of strengthening their security. However, the threat of terrorism, extremism and separatism still exists. These non-traditional security issues play a role in current international politics, and the countries in the region are trying to meet new challenges.     

Japan＇s Diplomacy in Central Asia

Japan＇s diplomacy in Central Asia started in the wake of the disintegration of the Soviet Union. After years of efforts, Japan＇s strategy on Asia was formed and its diplomacy in Central Asia entered a stage of steady growth. Though having scored some achievements, Japan still has some marked limitations as far as its Central Asia diplomacy is concerned. In the foreseeable future, Japan will still find it hard to become a main player on the stage of Central Asia diplomacy.     

China-Central Asia ＂Twin-Track＂ Energy Cooperation

China＇s large-scale investment in Kazakh oil and gas resource development ushered in a new era of China-Kazakhstan bilateral trade in the late 1990s. This lifted cooperation between China and the five countries in Central Asia to a new level, opening the China-Central Asia energy channel and bringing the ＂Silk Road economic belt＂ into being. Central Asia and China＇s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, areas which are both abundant in renewable energy, should fully utilize their geopolitical advantages as neighbors by means of Xinjiang＇s rapid growth. Projecting a twin-track mechanism of developing both renewable and non-renewable energy resources is of great significance to both China and Central Asia.     

U.S. Policy Towards Southeast Asia

Greater East Asia is expected to be the next theatre for world politics. 1 East Asian cooperation is rapidly developing through the channels of ASEAN Plus Three （APT） and East Asia Summit （EAS）, both driven by ASEAN. Southeast Asia is a region of diverse states and cultures that brings together all the major powers of the Asian-Pacific in a myriad of strategic interests. It is thus an open arena with the potential for a variety of strategic game-playing, options, and uncertain outcomes.2 In recent years, China＇s developing relationship with Southeast Asia has undergone a significant shift as the U.S.＇ distraction elsewhere and neglect of the region have created opportunities for an increased Chinese diplomatic and economic role in Southeast Asia.3 U.S. analysts are concerned about what may lie behind this shift in China-ASEAN relations, how it may affect American interests in the region and how best to react to the changes. Some have expressed concerns that to avoid becoming distanced from the region the U.S. should pay more attention to Southeast Asia, rather than just watching from a distance. This paper attempts to analyze the possible changes of U.S. policy towards Southeast Asia in the current context of East Asian Cooperation and its implications for China.     

The Expansion of Islamic State in China's Periphery

From June 2014,ISIS has waged war and controlled territory in areas of Syria and Iraq.ISIS is also expected to seek to control areas in China's periphery in South Asia,Southeast Asia and Central Asia.This poses a direct threat to China's own security and development as well as to public safety.This article analyzes how ISIS is expanding into these areas and evaluates the scope of its influence in South Asia,Southeast Asia and Central Asia.It also examines ISIS ideology,political objectives and strategy.     

India’s “Connect Central Asia” Policy:Elements and Outcomes

Although India is not geographically adjacent to Central Asia,it has made great efforts to formulate its own Central Asia policy.In recent years,India’s“Connect Central Asia”policy(CCAP)has served as the leading concept of India’s policy towards Central Asia.Studying the implementation of CCAP is of great significance for a comprehensive understanding of India’s diplomacy in Central Asia.     

The EU＇s Energy Diplomacy in Central Asia/Caspian Sea Region and China-EU Cooperation

The European Union （EU） is one of the main energy consumers and importers in the world. Safeguarding energy security has become the priority objective in internal and external policies of the EU. By implementing its diversification strategy in energy supply, the EU has strengthened its rivalry for energy in Central Asia. China and the EU face similar energy security problem. After the launching of the natural gas pipelines in Central Asia,     

People-to-people Diplomacy towards South Asia: Status-quo,Problems and Countermeasures

Certain effects have been achieved in the China-South Asia people-to-people diplomacy,demonstrated by increasingly active events,better environment for development,a big leap in economic and trade cooperation,further openingup of the people-to-people and cultural exchanges and growing importance of the academic and think-tank dialogues.Still,inadequacies of people-to-people diplomacy towards South Asia remain,manifested by unbalanced exchange pattern and rather weak social influence awaits further enhancement.In order to make up the inadequacies,the authors contend that the following measures need to be adopted:1)to fully play the government’s role and break the existing bottleneck in people-to-people diplomacy;2)to list media exchange and study-abroad program as key areas of the agenda;3)to give a trial of conducting people-to-people diplomacy in cases of Bhutan and Maldives,exploring comparative advantages to official diplomacy.These proposals may vary,however,the aim to expand the optimal reach of China-South Asia people-to-people diplomacy with creative forms,leaves unchanged.In China’s overall diplomatic agenda,South Asia owns quadri-categories,which are major powers,neighboring and developing countries and multilateral regions.Undoubtedly,South Asia is entitled to status and importance because of these characteristics,covering 8 sovereignty countries of great differences,namely India,Pakistan,Nepal and Maldives etc.Throughout history,China and South Asia have witnessed long-standing cultural exchanges,gradual deepening of economic and social contacts,closer intimacy among peoples’interactions and prosperous development of public diplomacy.Despite of all these,problems remain unsolved that need further consideration and solution in response.     

International System and China’s Asia-Pacific Strategy

What impact does a shift in the global distribution of power have on the international order? According to the views of traditional realists,power transitions in the international order are usually accompanied by major wars,the best example being the two world wars of the twentieth century.China’s peaceful rise is conducive to the peace and stability of Asia and Pacific regions.The steady rise of China’s position and its role in dealing with international and regional problems have proved China’s success in...     

The Role and Function of Xinjiang in Sub-regional Cooperation around Afghanistan

Xinjiang is the only Chinese territory that neighbors Afghanistan.It plays a special and important role and function in sub-regional cooperation around Afghanistan. Sub-regional Cooperation around Afghanistan Afghanistan is located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent in the China,South Asia and Central Asia region.It is not only the vital communication hub of Eurasia and the Middle East,but also the necessary route for major powers moving west and east,or travelling up and down from north to south.Its geographic location is very important.Throughout history,a series of international actions,measures,mechanisms and planning projects have combined,with little success,to attempt to complete regional cooperation around or through Afghanistan.The key issue is the lack of a unified platform for cooperation that considers the needs and interests of all parties.     

Silk Road Economic Belt： A Dynamic New Concept for Geopolitics in Central Asia

In the autumn of 2013 two notable opening-up and diplomatic initiatives were forthcoming from China. One was the concept of a ＂Silk Road Economic Belt＂ put forward by President Xi Jinping during his visit to the Central Asia, and the other was the convocation of the conference on the diplomatic work towards neighboring countries held in Beijing in October, which, due to the finalization of strategic objectives for China＇s diplomatic work towards neighboring countries in the next five to ten years, was of great significance to the realization of the two centenary goals laid down at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, ushering in a brand- new geopolitical situation in Central Asia.     

How Can China, the U.S. and China＇ s Neighbors Interact Positively？

New Developments Before the 2008 financial crisis,and especially before the U.S.began its "return" to Asia,relations between China,the U.S.and China's neighbors in East Asia were not a major issue.However,since 2010,relations have been stirred up.Take the Cheonan incident,the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island,the Diaoyu Islands dispute between China and Japan,the Huangyan Island confrontation between China and the Philippines,and the South China Sea issue,for example.Sino-U.S.relations have grown more complex,and sovereignty disputes between China and some of its neighbors have intensified.At the same time,relations between the U.S.and most of China'sneighbors have improved.The U.S.' decision to "pivot" to Asia contains many objectives.     

China's New Neighboring Diplomacy

China＇s new thinking about neighboring diplomacy in Asia since the end of Cold War can be analyzed theoretically from angle of international institutions. China utilizes institutionalism with great flexibility in four sub-regions-Central Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia, where institutional models-dominant participation, deep participation, active participation and moderate participation models have been adopted. In the four sub-regions in Asia, China has handled the presence of U.S interests well and responded reasonably to the United States＇ Asian diplomacy. China and the United States have therefore achieved a compatible coexistence in Asia. Compatibility and coexistence between China and the United States in Asia are the fundamental reasons that China has made progress in this new stage, and are the essence of the new thinking in China＇s neighboring diplomacy.     

Evaluation of Several Issues with Regard to the Central Asian Situation

The unique geopolitical feature of Central Asia and the changes of the situation there as a result of thisfeature have always focused the attention of theworld. Along with the disintegration of the formerSoviet Union, this region has become a coveted ob-ject by various political forces. After the "9.11"event, the U.S., making use of the opportunities ofoverthrowing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan andfighting against terrorism, established militarybases in some Central Asian countries and…     

The United States and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization： From Bush to Obama

Ever since the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO）, the relationship between the United States and the SCO has remained unclear. Despite some casual but not institutional contacts between each other, the bilateral relations are more like an empty shell. However, as two important actors in Central Asia, the United States and the SCO do have a certain relationship in the region.     

China and Asia-Europe Cooperation

1. China highly values the achievements of Asia-Europe cooperation. Cooperation between Asia and Europe has developed rapidly after the Cold War. In particular, with the initiation of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) the cooperation of mutual benefit and relations between the two continents have undergone positive changes of strategic importance. Up to now, three summit meetings have been held. The multi-level political consultations and dialogues between Asia and Europe have been strengt…     

Recent Sino-ASEAN Cooperation and Its Regional Impact

Since the year 2000, China and the ASEAN countries have promoted mutual trade and investment, strengthened political trust and increased cooperation in terms of economic aid, security, and cultural and educational exchanges. More and more people are realizing that China poses no threat to other countries. With China's growing influence in ASEAN, the U.S., Japan, and other big powers have increased their strategic investment in Southeast Asia to try to maintain their long-standing strategic advantage in the region. At the same time, the ASEAN countries are trying to play off these big powers against each other to maximize their own advantage.     

The Lagging behind Security Ties and the Way out

The present Sino-Japanese relations have developed smoothly and achieved marked results, but some problems are yet to be, solved. One of them is that, compared with the closer economic ties, political and security relations between the two states are lagging behind, in which security relations in particular have obstructed the deepening of ties between the two nations. As two major powers in East Asia, the ties be-     

Kazakhstan： Impact of and Countermeasures to the Global Financial Crisis

Kazakhstan, a big power in Central Asia, is one of the first countries affected by the U.S. financial crisis. As the funds of Kazakh banks are mostly from the international bank loans, Kazakhstan has suffered a slowdown in the international capital flows after the outbreak of the U.S. subprime lending crisis. In the second half of 2007, many other issues such as the decline in bank solvency, the increase in non-performing loans and the problem of ＂loan stint＂ emerged in Kazakhstan. Several projects had to be stopped due to capital-strand break.