January 2, 2008

With Fukuda's Beijing trip, Tokyo's policy shifts left

The visit to China by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has signaled a shift in Japan’s policy toward Beijing from the more conservative policies of his two immediate predecessors. U.S. officials said the shift is similar in tone to the changes in China policy that followed the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his replacement by Robert Gates.

 (FULL STORY)

U.S. goals for closer China military ties suffered major setbacks in 2007
Changing ties: Then Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Cao Gangchuan, in Beijing. [zoom]             USAF / Master Sgt. James M. Bowman

Hu Jintao making would-be successor pay his ideological dues

Since his surprise elevation to the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) at the 17th Party Congress last October, former Shanghai party boss Xi Jinping has been steadily accumulating credentials as heir-apparent to President and General Secretary Hu Jintao. Yet Xi is known to be nervous about whether he will receive Hu’s blessings for promotion to CCP General Secretary at the 18th Congress, five years down the road.
(FULL STORY)
Britain's Conservative Party leader David Cameron talks with China's Politburo Standing Committee Member Xi Jinping in Beijing on Dec. 19.   Reuters/Jason Lee                                                                  
New S. Korean leader eyes development of Russian natural resources using N. Korean labor
   
New campaign to deify Kim Jong-Il's mother seen pointing to succession
Rice uses Beijing's terminology to blast Taiwan vote on joining UN
Taiwan: Beijing opposes self determination, at odds with UN principles
'Sunshine policy' eclipsed? Seoul's new president to upgrade U.S. ties

Musharraf’s economic fix, which had led to three years of growth, now endangered / On second glance, China’s boom may be slowing / India-U.S. nukes still stymied
Report: China helping fund Venezuela's leftist 'schemes' in U.S. backyard
U.S. responds to PLA's anti-satellite weapons test: Limits satellite exports to China
 
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