South Pacific

The World’s Largest Trade Pact

(click to enlarge) Judging solely by its headline figures, the newly inked 15-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – by most metrics the world’s largest...

Daily Memo: China Airs Its Grievances With Australia

14 points of disagreement. A day after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian listed seven points of disagreement with Australia – ostensibly as justification...

Daily Memo: Risks of Debt Contagion in China

Chinese corporate debt troubles. Two Chinese state-linked enterprises said Monday that they would not be able to meet upcoming onshore bond repayment obligations. Defaults...

Daily Memo: Going After Chinese Companies, Updates on Nagorno-Karabakh

The U.S. goes after Chinese finance. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning investment in more than 30 Chinese companies...

Daily Memo: China Plays Tough in the Pacific

Empowering China’s coast guard. Beijing has drafted legislation authorizing the Chinese coast guard to fire on foreign vessels that intrude into Chinese-claimed waters. The...

Daily Memo: Strains in US-South Korea Ties

South Korea rebuffs the U.S. on military … South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook, apparently for the first time, hinted on Tuesday (but never...

Daily Memo: Progress in Libya and Belarus

Second wave crashes on Europe’s recovery. A second wave of coronavirus infections is pushing eurozone economies into a double-dip recession, according to preliminary surveys...

Daily Memo: Western Naval Cooperation, Helping Taiwan

Western naval cooperation. The U.S. and British navies are preparing to sign an agreement to dramatically boost interoperability and technological integration, according to the...

Daily Memo: Japan’s Energetic Diplomacy, Sino-Russian Gas Trade

Suga in Vietnam. New Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga isn’t wasting time taking advantage of Southeast Asian countries’ desire for deeper regional involvement from...

Daily Memo: China’s Uneven Recovery

China’s economy falls short. China’s economy grew an estimated 4.9 percent year over year in real terms in the third quarter, according to official...

Daily Memo: Kyrgyzstan’s President Resigns, Kim’s Apology Tour Continues

Kyrgyz president resigns. With protests over the results of Oct. 4 parliamentary elections showing no sign of stopping, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov announced his...

Daily Memo: Diplomacy in the Himalayas, Weapons for Taiwan

Editor’s Note: Astute readers will notice that today’s Daily Memo has a new look and feel. The alterations are meant to accommodate other content...

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