The United States-Republic of Korea Alliance has arrived at a critical
juncture. In July 2016, the countries jointly decided to deploy the U.S.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense
system to the Korean Peninsula to defend against North Korea’s
accelerating nuclear and ballistic missile programs. China has long
opposed an American-led, regional missile defense system, persistently
warning South Korea against deploying THAAD. Since the deciding to
deploy THAAD, the political landscapes in the U.S. and the ROK have
changed dramatically. The new Donald J. Trump administration has
signaled a change from the previous administration’s “strategic patience”
policy, but details of the new approach have yet to emerge. North Korea,
meanwhile, continues to aggressively test ballistic missiles and promote
its nuclear weapons program. In South Korea, the impeachment and
subsequent removal of Park Geun-hye triggered the need for a snap
election, and a left-leaning candidate, Moon Jae-in, is leading in the polls.
The election could mark a return of previous liberal administration
policies that favored cooperation with North Korea. Additionally, Moon
has signaled his opposition to THAAD. Nonetheless, the U.S. began
deploying THAAD to South Korea in March 2017. China retaliated,
implementing a series of economic, political, and military measures to
pressure South Korea. This paper provides background on THAAD,
analyzes the decision by Washington and Seoul to deploy the system to
Korea, and examines Beijing’s concerns and coercive counterstrategy
Topic:
Nuclear Weapons, Politics, Military Strategy, Weapons, Missile Defense, and Donald Trump
Political Geography:
China, Asia, South Korea, North Korea, and United States of America
Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional (RBPI)
Institution:
Instituto Brasileiro de Relações Internacionais (IBRI)
Abstract:
This article discusses the role of China, Russia, India and Brazil in the climate regime. It describes the trajectory of their emissions, of their domestic policies and of their international commitments, and argues that, despite their responsibility in causing the problem, they have been conservative forces in the climate regime.
Topic:
Climate Change, Politics, BRIC, and Decarbonization
Department of Political Science, University of the Punjab
Abstract:
China-Pakistan strategic partnership is evolving into the politics of interdependence by
encompassing not only the defense dimension but also the trade, investment, energy and
infrastructure development. The proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a mega
project which will connect the north-western Sinkiang autonomous region‘s Kashgar city with
the Pakistan‘s Gwadar Port. It is equally important both for China and Pakistan on the one hand
and for the regional states of South Asia, Middle East, landlocked Central Asia and East Asia, on
the other. It will provide China a shortest route of about 2500 kilometers to link with Middle East
by the Pakistan‘s much needed road and railway network. A huge amount of 46 billion US
dollars is allocated for the project to uplift Pakistan‘s development by meeting the energy needs,
building industrial parks and economic zones. This paper will use the paradigm of
interdependence to analyze the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Interdependence is a broad
term which refers to such situations of reciprocal effects among the states or actors in different
states. It is not only applicable to political-military interdependence but also to politicaleconomic interdependence. Here in the case it has been observed that with the rise of China and
its rapidly growing economy, a relatively peaceful environment and neighborhood is imperative.
With the completion of CPEC, this interdependence seems to be transformed into Complex
Interdependence by creating more peaceful environment and war; costly.
Topic:
Development, Energy Policy, Politics, Regional Cooperation, Infrastructure, and Economy