Bound to Fail
Op-ed in the Washington Times
By Randall Schriver
July 25, 2011
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then surely it’s time for a serious examination of the costs and benefits of U.S. government efforts to build a more robust military relationship with China.
Rebuilding a United Front on China Rights
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
May 18, 2011
An effective U.S.-led partnership with Europe stands a better chance of promoting human rights in China. But the EU will only follow the U.S. into the breach if they are confident the U.S. won't leave them hanging when Beijing dangles some much-desired deliverable. The U.S. may be able to "lead from behind" on Libya, but it can't afford to do so in Asia.
Indonesia's Seven-Year Itch
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
March 30, 2011
Indonesians voted for Mr. Yudhoyono because they wanted a leader who could take their democracy to the next level. He has three years left, which is enough time to make an indelible mark on Indonesia and put the country on a positive trajectory, but only if he has the requisite political will to forge ahead.
An American Message for the Chinese President
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
January 12, 2011
Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington presents the White House with a unique opportunity to contrast the weaknesses of the Chinese political system with the strengths of the American one. That's why aspects of the visit involving freedom of expression should be non-negotiable.
Why China's Missiles Should Be Our Focus
Op-ed in the Washington Post
By Mark Stokes and Dan Blumenthal
January 2, 2011
With the New START treaty ratified, the Obama administration can turn its attention to the real source of nuclear instability among the great powers: China's buildup of conventional ballistic missiles. Defending against sophisticated ballistic and ground-launched cruise missiles is extremely difficult, and, unlike the United States and Russia, China is not a signatory to the 1987 INF treaty and its buildup could result in the INF's demise.
Beijing's Unlikely Ally in Burma?
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
November 24, 2010
The Nov. 13 release of Aung San Suu Kyi has set off a predictable deluge of commentary about the significance of her return to the fore of Burma's pro-democracy movement. But there has been little commentary on how China factors into Ms. Suu Kyi's future. Beijing's reaction to this event, and how Ms. Suu Kyi fits into China's strategic calculus in Burma, may be one of the most important yet poorly understood aspects of this unfolding morality play.
Commissioning Justice for Burma
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
August 24, 2010
The US has indicated it will support a UN-backed Commission of Inquiry into Burmese war crimes, which could potentially send Junta members to the In...ternational Criminal Court and single out its top leaders. The challenge for the US, however, will be getting the Commission up and running, as it will likely face many of the institutional and political challenges international justice-seeking efforts so frequently encounter.
Taiwan Faces Two Chinas
Op-ed in the Washington Times
By Randall Schriver
July 9, 2010
It is important that the Obama administration understand what is driving China's military buildup and why there is strong rationale for the PLA's threatening posture opposite Taiwan to grow more provocative. It also is important that the Obama administration understand the U.S. role in supporting long-term peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Even after ECFA, a strong and capable Taiwan remains a key ingredient to security in the region.
Keeping Burma Out of the Nuclear Silo
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
June 10, 2010
The lessons the Burmese junta seem to be studying most closely these days are those being taught by North Korea. While opportunities to undermine North Korea's regime have narrowed as its nuclear program has advanced, in Burma there are still viable options beyond the nuclear non-proliferation policy silo. Most importantly, U.S. policymakers should not focus on the nuclear issue at the expense of addressing the underlying political situation in Burma.
Prick the China Policy Bubble
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
May 24, 2010
The U.S. should use the Strategic and Economic Dialogue as an opportunity to have a less comfortable, but ultimately more honest, dialogue with Beijing about the differences in political cultures and systems that will necessarily impact this important and complex relationship.
Time for New Dialogue for China Human Rights
The Daily Caller
By Kelley Currie
May 13, 2010
The latest session of the U.S.-China bilateral human rights dialogue is taking place in Washington this week, the first such meeting since May 2008. These sporadic, formulaic meetings long ceased to be useful in addressing China’s most serious human rights offenses.
Administration Must Sharpen Message on Burma
The Daily Caller
By Kelley Currie
May 3, 2010
The Obama administration’s well-intentioned efforts at engagement have largely played into the junta’s hands. In order to change this dynamic, the administration should refocus on moving engagement from the generals�? playing field onto areas of relative U.S. strength: legitimacy, international influence, interconnectedness, institutional strength, and diplomatic heft.
Burma's North Korea Gambit
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
March 16, 2010
The growing trade in conventional weapons—including reports of Burmese purchases of North Korean-made short-range ballistic missiles—and increasing evidence of nuclear cooperation is deeply troubling. These are clear violations of United Nations sanctions on North Korea, and the U.S. should be clear about the costs of continuing this cooperation with Pyongyang.
Obama - Dalai Lama Meeting Mishandled
The Daily Caller
By Kelley Currie
February 22, 2010
With the U.S.-China relationship hitting the skids in recent months, last week’s meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama became symbolic of the current tensions in the U.S.-China relationship and a focal point for speculation about whether the Obama administration is taking a tougher line on China.
The Tibetan Agenda
Op-ed in the Weekly Standard Blog
By Kelley Currie
February 17, 2010
Given the circumstances surrounding the upcoming meeting with the U.S. President and the urgency of the overall situation, the Dalai Lama is well positioned to push President Obama to do more than his predecessors.
Fixing Obama's Tibet Bungle
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
February 16, 2010
This week's meeting between President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama is generating an unusually vocal uproar from Beijing. That uproar, for those who listen carefully, is a sign that Mr. Obama's policies on Tibet and China are not working. The question is whether Mr. Obama will realize in time to fix it.
Nothing new about China's 'new' assertiveness
The Daily Caller
By Kelley Currie
February 4, 2010
Recent events, such as the Chinese government’s extreme reaction to the Obama administration’s recent announcement of a modest arms deal for Taiwan, as well as Beijing’s hyperventilating response to a range of other recent U.S. “provocations,�?have sparked a new set of questions over how the U.S. should respond.
India Can Move the Needle on Burma
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
January 18, 2010
India faces an increasingly untenable balancing act in maintaining its current accommodation of the junta, and will be under growing pressure this year to move toward a policy that better aligns its values and interests. Such a shift would be a boon to those supporting democratic reforms in Burma, as well as to India's own interests and its regional leadership aspirations.
Japan's Risky Rapprochement with China
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
December 21, 2009
The new Japanese government has wasted no time in "rebalancing" the country's foreign-policy stance toward China. But Japan's growing friendship with the authoritarian regime in Beijing has inherent limits that the new government is starting to push up against.
The Copenhagen Kowtow
The Weekly Standard Online
By Kelley Currie
December 18, 2009
While the U.S.-China tiff at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was grabbing headlines last week, the conference hosts quietly issued a diplomatic note stating that Denmark "attaches great importance to the view of the Chinese government" on Tibet-related issues and"takes seriously the Chinese opposition" to government meetings with the Dalai Lama.
The Doctrine of 'Strategic Reassurance'
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
October 22, 2009
When President Barack Obama lands in China next month, he'll come carrying a new catchphrase for the U.S.-China relationship: "strategic reassurance." The phrase is presumably meant to indicate a new approach but what does the Obama formula for U.S.-China relations really mean?
Negotiating Wild Cards
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
September 30, 2009
The Obama administration recently clarified its intentions to expand direct contact with the Burmese junta, starting with a meeting with junta officials in New York this week. Offering to talk to the junta can work, but only under certain conditions.
Also see Sen. Jim Webb (D., VA)'s response "A Step-by-Step Approach to Burma," October 6, 2009.
The Thrill Is Gone: Australia falls out of love with China
The Weekly Standard
By Andrew Shearer
August 24, 2009
China-boosters like to laud the Middle Kingdom's soft power, contrasting it with barely disguised glee with America's supposed loss of "moral authority" and fading influence. But what China is exercising vis-à-vis Australia looks much more like old-fashioned authoritarian hard power.
People's Army not standing still
Op-ed in the Washington Times
By Randall Schriver
August 12, 2009
China has already reached a position of influence in our world that demands a more sophisticated understanding of both the challenges and opportunities being presented by an evolving defense institution. Unfortunately, current discussions of China's military development often miss the mark.
Deter, Defend, Repel, and Partner: A Defense Strategy for Taiwan
The report of the American Enterprise Institute & Project 2049 Institute Taiwan Policy Working Group
By Dan Blumenthal, Michael Mazza, Gary J. Schmitt, Randall Schriver & Mark Stokes
August 03, 2009
The Taiwan Policy Working Group, under the leadership of AEI's Dan Blumenthal and the Project 2049 Institute's Randall Schriver and Mark Stokes, issues a new report to augment existing reviews, examine alternative competitive defense and security strategies, and offer possible ways to broaden and deepen unofficial U.S.-ROC defense and security relations.
Media Savvy In Xinjiang
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal
By Kelley Currie
July 9, 2009
The recent protests in China's Xinjiang region may provoke a sense of déjà vu after last year's protests in Tibet. But a closer look shows that the Chinese government is learning from past crises and incorporating these lessons into an increasingly sophisticated, multifaceted public relations strategy.
What America's Done Right in Burma
Op-ed in the Far Eastern Economic Review
May 14, 2009
Non-Resident Fellow Kelley Currie argues in the Far Eastern Economic Review that the Obama administration needs to examine the facts rather than the mythology about U.S. policy on Burma
Tibet Lessons
Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Asia
March 9, 2009
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's dismissive comments about the limits of diplomacy in advancing human rights last month will likely be seen in Beijing as tacit permission to do what it feels necessary to maintain "stability" on the Tibetan plateau.
The U.S. - ROK Alliance: regional challenges for an evolving alliance
Going Global: The Future of the U.S. - South Korea Alliance, Center for a New American Security
By Randall Schriver
Februrary 23, 2009
The alliance appears poised to play a key role in U.S. efforts to manage some of the region’s most critical security challenges, including those linked to proliferation and to the management of China’s rising power.�?lt;/p>
Cleaning the U.S. Arms Sales Deck
Peace Forum
By Mark Stokes
October 20, 2008
With formal requests such as the one for F-16s going unheeded, it may be time to bring back the annual Arms Sales Talks forum, so as to make sure that ROC requests for significant military equipment, technology, and defense services are given due consideration.
Taiwan's Liberation of China
Current History
By Randall Schriver and Mark Stokes
September 1, 2008
There is reason for guarded optimism that -- as long as Taiwan's process of democratic consolidation continues -- the island will continue to exert influence over China's peaceful transformation.
Bush Should Keep His Word on Taiwan
The Wall Street Journal
By Dan Blumenthal, Aaron Friedberg, Randall Schriver and Ashley J. Tellis
July 19, 2008
In 2001, President Bush made a bold and principled decision to offer Taiwan a range of military equipment for its security. In 2008, as he prepares to leave office, the president seems to have reneged on that commitment.
Taiwan and its Future: Reason for Guarded Optimism
Formosa Foundation newsletter, vol. vii, Summer 2008
By Mark Stokes
June 23, 2008
In the wake of Taiwan’s second democratic transfer of power in history, Americans and Taiwanese alike have reason for guarded optimism regarding the island’s future. President Ma Ying-jeou has
an opportunity to achieve greatness and improve the lives of the people on Taiwan who have entrusted him with the responsibility to lead the nation.
Taiwan Must Review Security Risks
Taipei Times
By Mark Stokes
March 12, 2008
The recent US Department of Defense report on PRC military modernization is a useful reminder of the challenges posed by China's rise as a major regional power. This year's report is the most detailed and insightful to date and a number of issues are worthy of consideration for Taiwan.
Strengthening Freedom in Asia: A Twenty-First Century Agenda for the U.S.-Taiwan Partnership
The report of the American Enterprise Institute & Armitage International Taiwan Policy Working Group
By Dan Blumenthal and Randall Schriver
February 22, 2008
A U.S.-Taiwan common agenda is needed now more than ever. The relationship is dangerously drifting, which carries the potential for harming U.S. interests. Beijing is using diplomatic isolation and the threat of military force to pressure Taiwan into an unfavorable settlement, and Taiwan is reacting by forcing intractable disputes to the front of the debate.
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Although the recent cross-Strait political climate has improved, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has steadfastly refused to renounce the use of force against Taiwan while shifting the cross-Strait military balance in its favor. Faced with such challenges, the Taiwan Quadrennial Defense Review is meant to increase military transparency while convincing Taiwanese legislators, the Chinese PLA, and U.S. policy makers and analysts alike that the Ministry of National Defense is firmly dedicated to creating new strategies and engaging in reforms that will prepare the military for future challenges.
Befitting for a prominent ally, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton waited only a day to establish communication with her counterpart in Japan. While the gesture is surely appreciated in Tokyo, and the symbolism was not lost
How the PRC could apply force as an instrument of national power may be more significant than specific technical capabilities it develops and fields. An increasingly sophisticated arsenal of advanced weapon systems serves as an enabler for the PRC to expand its range of options for exercising coercive uses of force to resolve differences with democracies in the region.
It is very likely that events in the Asia-Pacific region more than any other region will have the greatest impact on your Presidency for good or for ill during your tenure as President. While your predecessors time and attention was dominated by the Middle East and the global war on terror, it is now imperative that the United States give due attention to Asia as we look to the future.