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This paper provides a historical overview of China's telecom development since market reform. Using Sichuan and Guangdong Provinces for comparison, the paper delineates two stages of telecom reform and explores how telecom networks foster domestic regional and social inequalities within the general process of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural Tibet is in the throes of a major paradigm shift from a predominately subsistence agricultural economy to a new mixed economy in which non-farm income plays a dominant role. This paper examines this change, comparing longitudinal data collected through direct fieldwork in rural Tibet in 1997-98 and 2006-07. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines U.S. engagement in Central Asia over the past two decades, with specific reference to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. While alarmist voices occasionally warn of the threat to American interests from China and Russia through the SCO, the organization's influence appears limited. Washington has engaged it only sporadically, preferring to conduct relations bilaterally with the Central Asian states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the origin and historical development of independent candi-dates in People's Congress elections of mainland China. It discusses the motives and strategies of independent candidates, and how the Party-state copes with the growing independent candidate movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the authors discuss China's strategic interest in expanding its relations with Cambodia. The authors note that China believes Cambodia is important for China to project greater influence in the Southeast Asia region and to act as a buffer between China's rivals. The article also notes that a relationship with Cambodia could also weaken the United States' hegemony. Such diplomacy on China's part and its increasing regional power could cause some concern for other traditional hegemonic countries.

The article examines the origin and development of "neidi" schools in China. The schools are defined as boarding institutions located within China but intended for the education of Tibetan students away from the cultural heritage of their native country. The paper notes that these Chinese institutions enjoy a significant degree of popularity within Tibet and among Tibetan students. The article examines the continued sustainability of these institutions and concludes that their future is uncertain.

This paper examines a recent debate at the highest level of China's politicolegal leadership on the application of the death penalty. The debate centers around the interpretation of a new criminal justice policy called "balancing leniency and severity" and around limiting the death penalty to all but the most egregious criminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how Taiwanese overseas investment creates an ethnic Chinese skilled labor market in Asia. Low costs, no language barrier, and the cultural "lived Taiwan experience" are the benefits. Through three different channels--internal corporate transfer, social networks, and placement agencies--skilled labor from the People's Republic is mobilized to work overseas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By comparing "manipulated" privatization in Wuxi and relatively "transparent" privatization in Wenzhou, this paper analyzes the politics of privatization in Chinese rural industry. It argues that power relations between government and people, and elite relations between leaders and managers, determine who was included and who was excluded in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the impact of ongoing cross-strait economic integration on the development of China and Taiwan. The overall impact has been positive for both economies. Taiwan's industrial employment remains robust even as it transforms into a knowledge-based economy. Taiwanese investment has spurred China's technological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the burgeoning of Chinese investment in North Korea. By drawing on various materials including press reports and official data from both China and South Korea, the paper suggests that this rapid growth serves China's general policy goals toward North Korea, propping up the Pyongyang regime by leading it to embrace sustainable economic reforms. At the same time, Chinese investment has increasingly taken on commercial attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the U.S. military's engagement with maintaining security in Taiwan and its evaluation of a possible Taiwan Strait crisis. Topics include how the U.S. became committed to resisting changes to Taiwan through the "Taiwan Relations Act" of 1979 and how U.S. military assessments consider the potential use of force by the People's Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan. Additional information is presented on how the PRC will likely not attack if it believes it cannot deter the U.S. from defending Taiwan.

The article discusses Chinese economic expansion and marketization in the Xinjiang and Tibet regions and how these processes affect employment and migration patterns for ethnic minorities. Topics include ethnic riots in Xinjiang in 2009 and how Chinese economic policy hopes to reduce social conflict through social development and economic growth in ethnic minority regions. Additional information is presented on how marketization destabilizes demographic contexts, resulting in the exclusion or marginalization of different groups.

The article examines the high levels of waste in government in China which has been concealed in the high degree of government expenditure. Expenses on the part of the Chinese administrative agencies have been increasing for some time, according to the article. The authors provide a number of policy suggestions based on the observations and findings contained in the article. The article examines the basic functions of the Chinese government, the cause of government waste, and the countermeasures used to deter wasteful government.

This article discusses Japan's renewed interest in regionalism as a way of soft balancing diplomacy that counters increasing Chinese influence. The article notes that an alliance with the United States that is considered a hard balancing diplomatic strategy is considered insufficient because of Japan's reliance on the Chinese economy for the success of its own economy and prosperity. Japan has made some overtures to other Asian countries to establish a regional economy, but has taken no significant steps to implement such a policy.

The paper discusses aspects of relations between China and South Korea. The central focus of the article is an examination of a protracted dispute between the two nations over differing views regarding the historiography of Koguryo, ancient Korean kingdom that comprised parts of what is now China, indicates the ease with which amicable relations between the two states can be disrupted. In addition the article contains the author's assertion that relations between South Korea and China call for careful administration and considered diplomatic measures.

In this article the author compares Internet usage in China and South Korea. Particular attention is given to an analysis of how the Chinese and South Korean leaders have influenced how the Internet is used. A discussion on how the Internet has made it possible for individuals and social groups to have their concerns addressed in government policy is provided. Also discussed is the belief amongst political leaders that information technology will pose a significant threat to authoritarian governments.

Increasing economic liberalization of the Chinese media has not resulted in proportional political liberalization, and previous explanations for the state's puzzlingly firm grip are inadequate. This article argues that a "regime of uncertainty" is critical toward keeping the Chinese media in line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of data on flows and stocks refutes the argument that China and Southeast Asia are engaged in a zero-sum competition for foreign investment. Although Southeast Asia appears to have lost out to Chinese-manufactured exports in global markets, this has been balanced by substantial increases in exports of components to China itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines North Korea's current energy security situation and suggests several possible energy options for the country to overcome its energy shortage crisis. The study investigates the serious problems of North Korea's heavily China-dependent energy structure, and ultimately proposes ensuring North Korea's energy security by promoting various natural gas aid programs over the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China's use of the WTO dispute settlement system has increased, its legal actions remain less aggressive than those of other large economies. This article examines how China's subsidy policies make Chinese leaders reluctant to use WTO dispute settlement mechanisms in resolving trade disputes with other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between China and Japan in multilateral "ASEAN plus dialogue partners" forums--the economic groupings ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit, and the security groupings ASEAN Regional Forum and ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus--have moved from attempts at cooperation, to competition for influence, and thence to attentiveness or disinterest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China has consistently rejected any binding emissions cut commitments in international climate change negotiations, it has made some compromises so as to maintain unity with the Group of 77 and to extract concessions and benefits from developed countries in general, and the U.S. in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tendency for Chinese foreign policy elites to securitize culture in international relations by portraying it as a zone of intense contestation with other states suggests that China's rise will be rocky. Some seek to defend China's cultural autonomy from American hegemony, others, to establish Chinese domination over weaker states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor conflicts in China can be classified into three types: those over legal rights, over interests, and over the pre-reform entitlements. They have relatively distinguishable bases, claims, framing, and patterns of interaction with the government. The typological classification is useful for understanding the developmental trajectory of labor conflict in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given China's rising power and its growing influence in post-Soviet Central Asia, Russia's active advertising of the merits of the China-inspired Shanghai Cooperation Organization looks surprising. However, when one explores the many geopolitical advantages that Moscow can extract from this young multilateral organization, its interest appears more than justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the causes of North Korea's failure to pursue export-oriented industrialization, and examines whether Sino-North Korean economic cooperation might facilitate such a transformation or not. It concludes that Sino-North Korean economic interactions are more likely to reinforce North Korea's traditional resource dependency than to stimulate export-oriented industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses China's climate policies during the early 21st century, highlighting its focus on pursuing renewable energy despite offering a weak commitment to reducing emissions. The author highlights China's policies on energy efficiency and climate change and argues that conflicts between these policies derive from the Communist Party of China's (CCP) emphasis on maintaining China's economic growth. Other topics include China's argument that developed countries bear more responsibility for climate change, the role of China's State Development and Planning Commission (NDRC) in addressing climate change in terms of development, and China's investment in renewable energy due to the growth potential of the renewable energy industry.

The article discusses China's involvement in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) multilateral dispute settlement system from 2002 to 2012, highlighting an increase in China's participation over the course of the decade. The author describes the WTO's litigation procedure for its dispute settlement system and highlights the effects of issues involving interest, power, and capacity on countries' trade adjudication efforts. Special attention is paid to a 2005 dispute involving shrimp between the U.S. and six other countries, focusing on differences in China and Vietnam's response to subsequent anti-dumping regulations, and the author argues that learning and socialization led China to embrace the DSB as a trade policy tool.

The article discusses conflict in the South China Sea and its Islands, focusing on a lack of resolution of disputes over sovereignty and control involving China and ASEAN countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines. The author highlights international, regional, and bilateral strategies for resolving conflict in the South China Sea, including discussions of a lack of involvement by the United Nations (U.N.), Track-2 (nongovernmental) diplomacy efforts, and foreign relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Vietnam. It is suggested that balancing strategies involving outside countries such as the U.S. may preserve the status quo in the South China Sea region.

The article discusses how Chinese President Hu Jintao's concept of "harmonious world" has affected Chinese foreign policy, specifically how it provided opportunities for public intellectuals to question authorities' foreign policy discourse. Topics include how citizens are shaping the generation of ideas about Chinese strategies and how the U.S. will likely control world affairs for several decades. Additional information is presented on discussions about post-American world orders involving a blend of socialism and Chinese characteristics.

This article discusses trends in the tumultuous political and social development of China in 2011 following widespread civil concerns. Topics include the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 18th National Congress inspiring political unrest and prompting the pluralization of its intellectual echelons, the growing protest by middle-class social groups over inequities such as the expansion of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and anxiety in China's ruling class over the changing power succession finalized at the Congress.

The article focuses on the important role of the predictions of the Dual Threats Model comprising the U.S. military response and the stability of North Korea on China's effort in formulating its response to North Korea's nuclear weapons provocations. It states that China's effort to prevent military conflicts on the Korean Peninsula is vital because peace and security in the region is important to ensure the country's continued economic growth. It mentions that the prospect of bolstered U.S. military activity cannot guarantee the country's support in confronting North Korea's misbehavior, because the fear of the instability in North Korea compels Beijing to refrain from exerting pressure on its troublesome fragile ally.

The article analyzes the mechanism and application of grand mediation (GM), a concept that links to the social and governmental resources in China. It states that the concept was designed as a complement to formal judicial proceedings for dispute settlement by mobilizing different social actors to participate in conflict solution. It notes that it was raised as a means of coping with intractable disputes involving economy, politics or ideology during the country's dramatic social change and it is the concept that derives directly from Chinese traditional civil mediation and seen as the universally preferred method of dispute resolution in Chinese society.

The article discusses the importance of the content of the book "Christian Textbook of Patriotism" to the Chinese Christian Patriotic Education campaign to the public and private institutional people in China. It highlights various topics being discussed in every chapter of the book including the consistency of patriotism with the Bible and Christian traditions in Chapter One, the contributions of Chinese Christians in Chapter Three and the development of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) in Chapters Four and Five. It mentions the three characteristics of the book such as totalitarian state ideology, theological sophistication and embryonic liberal ideas that are consistent with the adaptive state theory.

The article discusses the development of the city of Hong Kong, China in terms of its relationship to mainland Chinese industries, focusing on logistics. An argument is presented that Hong Kong's pre-eminent role as a port city and a source of financing has been superseded by its growing status as a center of third party logistics services. The effects of globalization are noted, and the ways in which international supply chains have made physical boundaries less relevant to trade are discussed. Hong Kong's success in adapting to the changing needs of international business is described.

The article focuses on economic overheating in China and how it has become a recurring problem since economic liberalization in 1978. The concept of overheating is described as when asset and commodity prices rise as a result of supply and demand imbalances. The intermediate factors behind overheating are analyzed including what causes excessive bank lending, why real estate speculation occurs, and if the central government's austerity policies effectively combat overheating. The economic value of Chinese goods and services is discussed.

The article focuses on the implementation of electricity reform in China and how it has led to power shortages and political struggles between state agencies. Information is provided on how the reform has changed the regulatory structure of China, how the emergence of global technology has affected the need for electricity, and China's struggle to establish a free market to promote competition between privatized energy companies. The transition to state regulatory structure and the development of central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is discussed.

The article focuses on Chinese governmental extra-budgetary revenue (EBR) and how it provides funding for local governments. Information is provided on the high rate of growth in the Chinese economy since 1980, how the central government uses exaction when necessary to promote economic development and political stability, and the impacts that central government intervention has on the political atmosphere within local government and the public. An explanation of the principle-agent relationship between local government and central government is provided.

The article focuses on China's "unconscious power" over Mongolia's environmental security sector. Information is provided on how China's demand for legal and illegal non-renewable resources has created Malaysian dependence on Chinese trade, how Malaysia is too weak politically to enforce or stop harmful environmental activity, and the interdependence of the two nations. Environmental problems that Malaysia faces due to Chinese demand are listed as: the decimation of wildlife populations through illegal trade, desertification caused by large goat populations, and illegal logging.

In this article the authors examine aspects regarding the uncertainty of politics in China through the exploration of three case studies related to labor organizations. It is noted that civic groups are becoming increasingly powerful vehicles for political participation among the Chinese population. Owing to the vagueness inherent in governing informal political rules, interactions between Chinese government agencies and nongovernmental civic organizations are beset with uncertainty, according to the authors.

In this article the authors discuss the issue of democratization as it applies to Hong Kong. It is the contention of the author that the transfer of power over Hong Kong to the Chinese state has not decreased democratic government in the region and that there has been an improvement in the transparency and accountability in Hong Kong since the 1997 hand over of power. The article attempts to explain these factors and includes a discussion of the implications for China and Taiwan and the international relations between the two countries.

This article discusses how China is continuing its efforts to develop both a global and a regional economic policy. The article notes that China has always tried to develop both types of economic policy and sees neither as being mutually exclusive. The global financial crisis of 2008-2009 and the resulting global recession has allowed China's strong economy to try both regional and global strategies from a stronger position. The author notes that China prefers the ASEAN Plus Three Association (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China, Japan, and South Korea) to promote regionalism and does not openly challenge any rival groups.

This article describes how foreign investors are introducing the neoliberal private equity model into emerging Asian markets, especially China and Korea. Even though private equity funds headquartered in the United States have been heavily criticized internationally from both civil society and regulators, and even though emerging markets are still hostile to foreign investors, resentment is beginning to ease when it comes to this industry. The article notes that private equity funds have spread beyond American borders and have moved into Russia, South Africa, Tunisia, East Asia and other countries.

This article discusses the increasing political roles of Taiwanese business people, called taishang, in the relations between Taiwan and China under the policy of Hu Jintao, president of the People's Republic of China. This article explains why the efforts of China to use Taiwanese business people to gain political leverage over Taiwan will most likely not work. The 2008 election of new Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou signaled a new effort to promote increased interaction and economic integration with China, hoping that it would lead to eventual peace between the two governments.