Chinese Use of Marmaray Subsea Tunnel Another First for Belt and Road Initiative Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: John C. K. Daly The Jamestown Foundation On November 7, at 3:30 A.M., a westbound train from Xi’an, China, for the first time ever used Istanbul’s $4 billion Marmaray sub-Bosporus railway tunnel to dispatch goods to central…
Art and Buddhism crossing from the Middle Kingdom to the Land of the Rising Sun Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The path of Buddhism in China and Japan knows many roads because of various sects. Equally important, the thought patterns of Buddhism and cultural impact are extremely diverse in China and Japan. This equally…
Russia Exports Its Missile Early-Warning Knowhow to China Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Pavel Felgenhauer The Jamestown Foundation Russo-Chinese relations continue to improve (see EDM, July 25, 30) as both countries’ ties with the United States have grown increasingly strained. Moscow and Beijing describe their bilateral relationship as a “strategic partnership,” constantly adding new adjectives…
Hundreds of Tibetan monks instructed to praise People’s Republic of China and Communist Party in choreographed video Free Tibet Free Tibet’s research partner Tibet Watch (1) has obtained background details of a video (2) released by official Chinese media on 22 September of Galden Jampaling Monastery in Chamdo, central Tibet (3). The video shows an orchestrated…
President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation says, “G7 is no good without India and China.” Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation seeks a genuine multipolar world that takes away the centrism of America, along with the supporting role of fellow nations belonging to the…
Hong Kong crisis: Carrie Lam warns of “Abyss” and China stresses “terrorism” Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The ongoing crisis in Hong Kong is unsettling the leader, Carrie Lam. Likewise, political elites in Beijing are dismayed by the longevity of the crisis in Hong Kong. Hence, Lam is now expressing her…
Hong Kong demonstrators need to avoid playing into the hands of China Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The centralized Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is worried about losing power concentration over Hong Kong. Equally, statements emanating out of America and the United Kingdom are angering China. This notably applies to Nancy Pelosi…
First Ever Sino-Russian Joint Air Patrol Barely Avoids Triggering Regional Conflict Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Pavel Felgenhauer The Jamestown Foundation The Chinese Ministry of National Defense published a white paper yesterday, July 24, entitled “China’s National Defense in a New Era.” The document accuses the United States of pursuing “unilateral policies,” provoking “intensified competition…
Japanese Zen Buddhist poetry by Sesson Yūbai and the impact of the Middle Kingdom (China) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The notable Japanese Zen Buddhist monk, Sesson Yūbai (1290-1346?), witnessed the richness of culture during his stay in the Middle Kingdom (China) and the darkness of the ruling elites who imprisoned him. Hence, his…
Japan Considers a New Security Relationship Via “Networking” with Taiwan Publication: China Brief Volume: 19 Issue: 10 By: Howard Wang The Jamestown Foundation Introduction—Japan Seeks “Networking” with Regional Allies In early May 2019, Japanese Foreign Minister (FM) Taro Kono tweeted support for Taiwan’s bid to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer—thereby advocating for…
Suspension of Extradition Bill in Hong Kong but full cancellation is needed Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, announced the suspension of the extradition bill that is despised in vast numbers in Hong Kong. Despite this, her distractions seem rather blasé and not based…
President of Taiwan says “all like-minded friends” stand with the protestors in Hong Kong Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of China under the current leader Xi Jinping is known for re-closing Christian churches, ruling Muslim subjects by fear in Xinjiang, continuing its firm grip over Buddhist Tibet, mass surveillance,…
Novatek May Be Carving Out a Bigger Role in Russian Energy Diplomacy Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Rauf Mammadov The Jamestown Foundation Russia’s second-largest natural gas producer, Novatek, which captured the largest share of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market in Europe in the first quarter of 2019, has sold 20 percent of its planned…
Cyberspace in uproar after Google slams Huawei Horace C. White Modern Tokyo Times Fears Grip Users as Google Suspends Services to Huawei It is often said that it is easy to start a war, but no one knows when the war would end. Indeed, there is no better way to describe the U.S.-China trade war…
Japan and electronic warfare based on a wary eye on China and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Irrespective of the rights or wrongs of events surrounding Crimea between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the role of Russia’s electronic warfare opened-up eyes in Japan. Similarly, with China and the Russian Federation…
Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide: Whither Jihadism in China? Publication: China Brief By: Jacob Zenn The Jamestown Foundation Introduction—Ethnic Conflict in Xinjiang and the Government’s Response Over the past year, political re-education camps in the western Xinjiang Province of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have attracted much international attention due to allegations that…
Democrats in Hong Kong demonstrate against a dangerous proposed extradition law with China Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The most potent recent demonstration to shake Hong Kong emerged based on proposals for an extradition treaty with China. This comes at a time when Christian churches are being closed in China; Muslims…
US and Japan affirm Cybersecurity ties: Japan’s non-Northeast Asian fixation and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan claims that he desires to solve the protracted territorial dispute with the Russian Federation. Yet, many within the corridors of power in Moscow dispute the sincerity of Japan.…
Forensic image of Tibetan leader held in Chinese captivity to be unveiled on BBC’s ‘The One Show’ Free Tibet A new, forensically constructed image showing what Tibet’s missing Panchen Lama could look like twenty-four years after his abduction by the Chinese government will be unveiled on BBC’s The One Show. The short film will be…
China pledges strong support of Myanmar: Western nations need to open up! Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Myanmar is on the path of strengthening democracy under the State Counsellor of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi. Yet, after mass propaganda about the crisis in Rakhine, many Western nations have…
Learning Without Fighting: New Developments in PLA Artificial Intelligence War-Gaming Publication: China Brief By: Elsa Kania The Jamestown Foundation The Opportunities and Challenges of Intelligentization A lack of recent experience in combat is often characterized as a major liability and potential disadvantage for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in any future conflict scenario.…
Artist Shen Quan (Nanpin) and the small window of opportunity in Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Chinese artist Shen Quan (Nanpin) had a limited opportunity and a narrow window to view Japanese culture. This is based on entering the narrow window of Nagasaki for roughly two years because Japan was mainly isolated…
Power concentration under President Xi Jinping of China: Deng Xiaoping warned against this Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Deng Xiaoping radically altered China from a tainted one-party-state based on power concentration under an all-encompassing leader, into a party that focused on the path of modernization and furthering the wealth of ordinary…
Is a global Bill of Rights needed to protect digital privacy against China’s cashless systems? Horace C. White Modern Tokyo Times China’s Cashless Systems: A Flagrant Violation of Human Rights Technology keeps shaping our world every day. And the beauty of innovative technology is that it has no substitute. For instance, the United States automaker…
The poetry of Yamanoue no Okura (660-733?): Morals of Buddhism and Confucianism in old Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The early life of Yamanoue no Okura (660-733?) remains shrouded in mystery. Hence, speculation of his birth, be it Paekche in Korea or in Japan is open to debate. Irrespective of this, it is…
Common cybersecurity standards a solution sites Huawei to allay US concerns Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Huawei, understanding international concern about security risks is calling for the need for an international approach to allay fears of certain governments. This notably applies to America and staunch allies that have also spoken out…
Myanmar attracts investment from the Northeast Asian powers of China, Japan, and South Korea Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The economic powers of Northeast Asia continue to view the future of Myanmar in a positive light. Hence, continuing investments, infrastructural projects, political goodwill, and the collective understanding of the many difficulties…
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman treated with high dignity in China, India, and Pakistan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the most promising monarch to have taken over important reigns in Saudi Arabia. This is based on his modernist tendencies and his desire to transform this kingdom and…
Arrests in Poland Contribute to the International Controversies Surrounding Huawei By: John Dotson China Brief The Jamestown Foundation Introduction The December 1, 2018, arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (孟晚舟) in Vancouver—an arrest made by Canadian officials pursuant to a warrant issued in the United States—touched off a three-way diplomatic firestorm between China,…
America and China: Who will win the 5G technology tussle? Horace C. White Modern Tokyo Times 5G tech War Update: Huawei official appears in court As the United States basks in the partial halt of a 35-day federal government shutdown, the Trump administration still has a lot to worry about. Besides the failure of…
Myanmar needs international support: Archbishop Maung Bo says protect “Our Mother Irrawaddy” Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, Charles Maung Bo, is demanding that the Myitsone Dam is taken off the table in Myanmar. This relates to stopping China from impacting on the River Irrawaddy by…
Emerging EU Policies Take a Harder Look at Chinese Investments By: Ashley Feng, Sagatom Saha China Brief The Jamestown Foundation Like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), foreign direct investment (FDI) from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) now has a much broader reach than Beijing’s own backyard. It is well-known that Washington is actively…
