Politik - Demokratie (2014/6)

Corruption in Vietnam - Rooting out graft not as simple as setting up government hotlines

30.12.2014 By Atsushi Tomiyama (Nikkei Asian Review) - HANOI -- The government of Vietnam is making it easier to file complaints about corruption. This year, new channels have opened up for reporting graft in sectors such as railways, ports and food. But while the nation's leaders may be keen to cut down on such practices, would-be whistleblowers remain mostly mum.

In November, the Japanese Business Association of Ho Chi Minh City went to the local People's Committee to complain about kickbacks regularly demanded by customers and other officials. In response, the committee gave the JBAH the phone numbers of some 20 senior officials at the agencies responsible for customs, ports and taxation. The committee urged the JBAH to report any questionable cases to these officials. [read more]

China Names New Navy Head as Territorial Disputes Fuel Tensions

25.12.2014 (Bloomberg) –- China appointed Miao Hua as the new political commissar of its navy, making him the most senior official for a fleet that’s been put in the spotlight by ongoing territorial disputes with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army, published a report yesterday describing a meeting of military leaders that identified Miao, 59, as holding the post. It didn’t elaborate on when or why Miao was named to the position. [read more]

China police stop 'extremists' leaving country, one shot dead

24.12.2014 (Yahoo News) - BEIJING (Reuters) - Police in southwestern China shot dead one person and detained 21 others who were part of a group of "religious extremists" trying to cross the border into Vietnam, state media said on Wednesday.

The reports, carried by state television and the official Xinhua news agency, did not say where the group was from, but small numbers of Uighurs from China's far western region of Xinjiang have begun trickling out of China to Southeast Asia in recent years.

State television said that one of the group tried to stab a policeman but two other officers shot the person dead, adding that the others had all been detained. The incident happened on Sunday night in Guangxi region, it said. [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

Senior Chinese leader to visit Vietnam amid sea tension

22.12.2014 (Reuters) - A senior Chinese leader will visit Vietnam this month, China's state media said on Monday, amid tension between the neighbours over competing claims in the South China Sea.

Yu Zhengsheng, who heads a largely ceremonial advisory body to China's parliament but is ranked fourth in the Communist Party leadership, will be going at the invitation of Vietnam's Communist Party, the official Xinhua news agency said. [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

China pledges $11.5 billion to Mekong neighbors, looking to allay regional fears

21.12.2014 (Japan Times) - BEIJING – China will provide over $11.5 billion in loans and aid to neighboring Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, mostly for infrastructure and industrial capacity building, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged $1 billion in funding for infrastructure, $490 million aid for poverty reduction and $10 billion in “special loans.”

China in recent months has devoted considerable diplomatic energy, as well as huge sums of money, to wooing Southeast Asia, where its reputation as a regional powerhouse is blighted by maritime disputes and fears over its long-term intentions. [read more]

Five Events That Will Shape Southeast Asia in 2015

18.12.2014 By Murray Hiebert, Gregory B. Poling (CSIS) - As we prepare to leave 2014 behind, we explore five events that are expected to shape the coming year in Southeast Asia:

Elections in Myanmar.

Ruling on Philippines’ South China Sea case.

Thailand’s return to democracy delayed.

Prognosis for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Progress on ASEAN Economic Community. [read more]

Le Parti communiste vietnamien dans l’impasse ?

16.12.2014 (Églises d'Asie) - Le mois de décembre est l’époque où l’on dresse les bilans. En cette fin de l’année, l’auteur du texte ci-dessous, qui signe sous le nom de Lê Minh Nguyên, fait le point sur la situation du Parti communiste au Vietnam, un parti qui depuis cinquante ans détient le monopole du pouvoir. Ce bilan est d’autant plus urgent ...que le Parti est en train de préparer son XIIe Congrès, qui devrait se tenir en janvier 2016. Le texte met en doute la capacité des dirigeants actuels à apporter une solution aux graves problèmes actuels et à procéder aux choix qui s’imposent. [en savoir plus]

Challenges Mount to Beijing's South China Sea Claims

14.12.2014 Simone Orendain (VOA) - MANILA— Monday is the deadline for China to submit a counter-argument in the Philippines arbitration case that questions China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. But China shuns arbitration and will not respond, while challenges to its position continue to mount.

Just days before the December 15 deadline, Vietnam Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Bin said his government told the Permanent Court of Arbitration that Vietnam fully rejected "China’s claim over the Hoang Sa [Paracel] and Truong Sa [Spratly] archipelagoes and the adjacent waters.”

In a statement, the Philippines called Vietnam’s position “helpful in terms of promoting the rule of law and in finding peaceful and nonviolent solutions to the South China Sea claims.” [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

Vietnam's sea dispute arbitration case vs China promotes peace--Manila

14.12.2014 (The Asahi Shimbun) - MANILA--Vietnam has helped ensure peace in the South China Sea dispute with Beijing by following the Philippines in seeking U.N. arbitration, Manila said, despite the fact that Beijing has refused to take part.

Beijing claims almost the entire energy-rich South China Sea but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims. Only Brunei has not occupied and garrisoned territory in the potential flashpoint in the region.

Vietnam on Dec. 11 submitted its position to a U.N. arbitration tribunal initiated by the Philippines over the festering dispute. China called on Vietnam to respect its sovereignty and has refused U.N. arbitration. [read more]

Land Information Disclosure in Vietnam Improved, but More Progress Needed

12.12.2014 (World Bank) - HANOI — Vietnam has improved in making land-related information public, but still falls short of legal requirements, according to a new World Bank study.

The Land Transparency Study found that reforms in recent decades have made more information on land issues publicly available, but responsible public officials fail to provide information as prescribed by law in many cases.

“Enhancing transparency in land management is critical for more efficient and sustainable use of Vietnam’s land resources,” said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam. [read more]

China rejects Vietnam claims in arbitration submission over South China Sea dispute

12.12.2014 Zuraidah Ibrahim and Kristine Kwok (SCMP) - Seeking to protect its own claims, Vietnam has lodged a submission to the international arbitration panel studying the Philippines’ case against China over the South China Sea dispute, but the move has been swiftly rejected by China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei yesterday dismissed the Vietnamese action and described its claims over the Spratleys or Nansha and Paracels – known as Xisha by the Chinese – as “illegal and invalid” and said “China will never accept such a claim”.

Carlyle Thayer, an emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy, in Canberra, who has studied the South China Sea issue, said that Vietnam’s decision to recognise the PCA’s jurisdiction would “inflame” China.

It opened the door for Vietnam to be involved in the hearing by the PCA to explain its interests and thus “it’s a cheap way of getting into the back door without joining the Philippines’ case”. [read more]

China, Vietnam clash again over South China Sea claims

12.12.2014 (Yahoo News India) BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Vietnam have clashed again over competing claims in the South China Sea, after Vietnam submitted its position to an arbitration tribunal initiated by the Philippines over the festering dispute that involves several countries.

China has said repeatedly it will not participate in the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, branding it an underhand attempt to exert political pressure over territory which is inherently Chinese.

Vietnam's foreign ministry said it had submitted its point of view to the court to ensure it pays attention to "our legal rights and interests". [read more]

Wettrennen unter Wasser

03.12.2014 von Till Fähnders, Singapur (FAZ) - In den vergangenen Jahren hat China eine beachtliche U-Boot-Flotte aufgebaut. Aus Furcht ziehen nun viele südostasiatische Länder nach und rüsten ihre Seestreitkräfte ebenfalls auf.

Es sei lediglich eine Hypothese, sagte jüngst ein ehemaliger französischer General. Unrealistisch ist seine Theorie zu Chinas Territorialansprüchen im Südchinesischen Meer indessen nicht. Ein Grund, weshalb China ein paar unscheinbare Eilande so wichtig seien, dass es ihretwegen sogar einen befreundeten Nachbarn wie Vietnam düpiere, könne sein, dass es aus strategischen Gründen eine freie Passage für seine Schiffe und insbesondere seine U-Boote benötige, sagte der pensionierte General.

Die Hypothese klingt plausibel. Denn ein Teil der 56 Unterseeboote der chinesischen Volksbefreiungsarmee ist in einer Marinebasis bei Sanya am südlichen Zipfel der chinesischen Tropeninsel Hainan untergebracht. Richtung Süden führt der Wasserweg nahe an den Paracel-Inseln vorbei. [Weiterlesen]

Vietnam abre a Rusia el puerto marítimo de Cam Ranh

29.11.2014 (RT) - Rusia y Vietnam han firmado un acuerdo intergubernamental para simplificar la entrada de buques de guerra y embarcaciones rusas al puerto vietnamita de Cam Ranh.

Como comunicó a TASS una fuente del Ministerio de Defensa de Rusia, el acuerdo fue firmado en Sochi el 25 de noviembre durante la visita a Rusia del secretario general del Partido Comunista de Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Para entrar en Cam Ranh, los barcos rusos solo tienen que notificar su intención a las autoridades portuarias. [seguir leyendo] - [tiếng Việt]

Streit um Rohstoffe: China baut vierte künstliche Insel

28.11.2014 (Der Spiegel) - Hamburg - Im Südchinesischen Meer lagern große Mengen an Rohstoffen. Jetzt zeigen Satellitenbilder, dass China dort erneut eine künstliche Insel angelegt hat - es ist mittlerweile die vierte. Landebahn und Hafen sind bereits zu erkennen.

Am Fiery Cross Reef nahe der Spratly-Inseln haben Baggerschiffe demnach in den vergangenen vier Monaten eine drei Kilometer lange und bis zu 300 Meter breite Sandinsel geschaffen. Das Riff habe zuvor großteils unter Wasser gelegen. In den vergangenen Monaten hatte China bereits am Johnson South Reef, am Cuateron Reef und am Gaven Reef künstliche Inseln aufgeschüttet. [Weiterlesen]

China Extends Strategic Reach in Pacific

26.11.2014 By Joshua Philipp (Epoch Times) - The Chinese regime is taking a three-pronged approach in its bid to push U.S. influence out of the Asia-Pacific and extend its reach beyond its territorial waters.

Its first strategy is to undermine the United States in the region—a strategy clearly stated by Chinese leaders just days ago when, as reported by Financial Times, they signed a military cooperation pact with Russia to counter U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific.

Its second strategy is to continue pressing its territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea, through a long-term strategy of harassing incursions in disputed territories and land-grabs in unguarded waters. [read more]

Brennpunkt Südchinesisches Meer: China baut Vietnam Militärbasis vor die Nase

26.11.2014 von Yiyuan Zhou und Rosemarie Frühauf (Epoch Times) - Im Südchinesischen Meer steigt die Spannung: Auf einem umstrittenen Riff vor der Küste Vietnams baut China den Vietnamesen gerade eine Militärbasis vor die Nase. Die künstliche Insel soll als Luftwaffen-Stützpunkt dienen.

Dies berichtete das britische Militärmagazin IHS Janes am 20. November. Die Website veröffentlichte eine Satellitenaufnahme des „Fiery Cross Reefs“, das westlich der Spratly-Inseln liegt – und diese zeigt, das Chinas Baggerschiffe in den vergangenen drei Monaten sehr fleißig waren und eine große Portion künstliches Land gewinnen konnten. [Weiterlesen]

China Is Building an Island Large Enough for an Airstrip in Disputed Waters

24.11.2014 (Time) - The reclaimed land mass is situated among the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, claimed by five Southeast Asian nations

China appears to be building an island large enough to carry an airstrip in a disputed part of the South China Sea.

Satellite imagery shows a narrow land mass and harbor area taking shape over the previously submerged Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands, claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan, reports IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly. This is the fourth such Chinese project in the archipelago, located between the Philippines and Vietnam, and by far the largest. [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

Mar Chino meridional: Beijing construye una nueva isla, con base aérea y naval

24.11.2014 (AsiaNews) - Manila - Beijing está edificando una nueva isla- la cuarta- tan imponente en la barrera coralina (reef) del Fiery cross (Islas Spratly), que puede contener una pista de aterrizaje para aviones de guerra y un puerto en aguas profundas para el atarque de naves militares. Es lo que afirma, fuentes del ejército estadounidense, confirmando las miras expansionistas del gobierno asiático en el Mar Chino meridional, que ya es centro de feroces disputas con otras naciones de la zona, entre las cuales Vietnam y Filipinas. Washington pidió varias veces a Beijing que interrumpa el proyecto, auspiciando al mismo tiempo que se inicien "tratativas diplomáticas", para que cada una de las "partes en causa" en la disputa "se abstenga" de iniciar "este tipo de actividades"

China ha creado de la nada, mediante dragas que han sacado del fondo del fondo del mar arena, una isla ancha 3 metros y ancha 300 en la barrera coralina; en los últimos 3 meses, del 8 de agosto al 14 de noviembre, según la revista especializada de la defensa IHS Jane´s Deferice, la estructura creció en un modo exponencial y es el cuarto de estos proyectos promovidos por los chinos. Las otras maxi islas fueron edificadas en el Jhionson South reef, el Caurteron Reef y el Gaven Reef. [seguir leyendo] - [tiếng Việt]

Fischer-Festnahmen entfachen Gebietsstreit neu

24.11.2014 (Handelsblatt) - China beansprucht Gebiete im Südchinesischen Meer und liegt daher mit den Philippinen, Vietnam, Taiwan und Malaysia im Streit. Nachdem die Philippinen chinesische Fischer verurteilten, entfacht der Konflikt neu.

Puerto PrincesaEin Fischereistreit zwischen China und den Philippinen heizt den seit Jahren schwelenden Konflikt um Hoheitsrechte im Südchinesischen Meer weiter an. Am Montag verurteilte ein philippinisches Gericht neun chinesische Fischer wegen Wilderei zu Geldstrafen von jeweils mehr als 100.000 Dollar.

Den Männern wird vorgeworfen, in philippinischen Gewässern Hunderte vom Aussterben bedrohte Meeresschildkröten gefangen zu haben. China hat gegen die Festnahme der Fischer protestiert und erklärt, der Kutter sei in chinesischem Hoheitsgebiet aufgebracht worden. [Weiterlesen]

China building airstrip-capable island on Fiery Cross Reef

20.11.2014 James Hardy, London and Sean O'Connor, Indiana (IHS Jane's Defence Weekly) - China is building an island at least 3,000 m long on Fiery Cross Reef that could be the site for its first airstrip in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Satellite imagery of the island taken on 8 August and 14 November shows that in the past three months Chinese dredgers have created a land mass that is almost the entire length of the reef.

Fiery Cross Reef lies to the west of the main Spratly island archipelago and was previously under water; the only habitable area was a concrete platform built and maintained by China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). [read more]

Vietnam: Erfolg auf sozialistische Art - wo bleiben die Deutschen?

19.11.2014 (aktiencheck) - HANOI (dpa-AFX) - Mit einem Airbus voller Manager bereist Bundeswirtschaftsminister Sigmar Gabriel gerade Vietnam.

Das kommunistische Land, in dem Menschenrechte und Pressefreiheit nicht viel Wert sind, gilt weltweit als einer der Topmärkte der Zukunft. Deutsche Investoren sind spät dran, aber willkommen - der DDR sei Dank.

Deutsche Firmen treten bislang aber mit zugeknöpften Geldbeutel in Hanoi und der Wirtschaftsmetropole Ho-Chi-Minh-Stadt (früher Saigon) auf. Weit vorne hingegen liegen Japan, Korea, die USA, China und Russland.

Wie in vielen Schwellenländern gibt es ausufernde Korruption und Schikanen gegen ausländische Investoren. Wer die Kommunistische Partei verärgert, die keine Opposition und Pressefreiheit duldet und kritische Blogger jahrelang ins Gefängnis steckt, hat schlechte Karten. [Weiterlesen]

Vietnam still counting the cost of China tension

16.11.2014 Ian Ransom (China Spectator) - The drowsy security guards and humming machinery at the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park suggest it’s business as usual at this enclave of foreign investment outside Ho Chi Minh City, six months after anti-China riots left hundreds of factories in ruins and their managers cowering in fright.

Memories remain fresh, however, of the violence that plunged relations between the communist neighbours to their lowest point in decades and damaged Vietnam’s claims as a safe place to do business.

“I was a bit scared,” an infrastructure manager told China Spectator on a recent visit to VSIP, recalling the thousands of rioters who tore through the complex’s usually sleepy avenues, torching workshops and looting with impunity.

“It was political, and it happened too quick for anyone to control.” [read more]

Obama alerta de los peligros de los conflictos en el Asia Pacífico

15.11.2014 (lainformacion) - El presidente de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, alertó hoy en Brisbane, poco antes de que se inaugurase la cumbre del G20, de los peligros de los conflictos territoriales en el Asia Pacífico que suponen al desarrollo de la región. El mandatario aludía a las disputas territoriales por las islas conocidas como Senkaku en Japón, Diaoyu en China y Tiaoyu en Taiwán, o las que reclaman total o parcialmente Brunei, China, Filipinas, Malasia, Taiwán y Vietnam en el Mar de China Meridional. El mandatario reafirmó sus intenciones de fortalecer los lazos de defensa con Japón, Corea del Sur, los ejercicios antiterroristas con Filipinas o una ampliación del despliegue de marines en Australia, entre otras iniciativas. [seguir leyendo]

Vietnam confidence vote offers more than political theater

13.11.2014 (Reuters) - When lawmakers casting ballots are nearly all Communist Party members and "no confidence" is not among the options, a parliamentary censure vote on Vietnam's top leadership might seem like a pointless exercise.

Though heads are unlikely to roll, Saturday's ballot on the performances of about 50 top officials will provide a degree of accountability, and the possibility of a rare glimpse into the dynamics of a party undergoing a period of soul searching after nearly four decades of tight control. [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

Obama’s trip to China has brought good news for environmentalists, but not human rights activists

13.11.2014 Peter Popham (The Independent) - The Chinese might be willing to negotiate on reducing pollution, but on becoming more democratic they remain unmoved.

Coming at the lowest point of his presidency, there was something poignant about Mr Obama’s first productive encounter with President Xi Jinping. Getting the Chinese to sign a deal on emissions was a great step forward which may improve the world’s long-term prospects of controlling climate change. It was a vivid demonstration of the potential value of top-level summiteering. ...

Obama may congratulate himself that he cut a deal with Xi in the same year that he welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House. But if he has read his Kissinger he doubtless knows that China will not be changed. The colonisation of Tibet and the emasculation of its culture will continue apace. And the quiet squeezing to death of democracy protests will not be impeded. [read more]

Confidence vote exposes Vietnam tensions

13.11.2014 by Martin Petty (The Scotsman) - Politicians in Vietnam cast their ballots in a confidence vote on the country’s Communist leaders tomorrow, but few expect change.

After all, those charged with censuring or otherwise the ruling classes are largely members of the party themselves.

But as those at the top prepare for a period of significant soul-searching, it does offer one tangible benefit – a rare glimpse into the dynamics of a party faced with unprecedented demand for at least some change. [read more]

Obama acuerda con Vietnam una mayor cooperación diplomática

13.11.2014 (El Nacional) - Naypiydaw (EFE).- El presidente de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, y el primer ministro de Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, se comprometieron hoy a cooperar para mejorar las relaciones diplomáticas, durante una reunión mantenida en Birmania (Myanmar).

Obama señaló que el encuentro ofreció a ambos países “oportunidades adicionales para buscar la cooperación”, a pesar de la compleja historia común que arrastran y que incluye una contienda bélica el siglo pasado. [seguir leyendo]

Asean-Gipfel Südostasiatische Harmonieleere

13.11.2014 von Till Fähnders, Naypyidaw (FAZ) - Amerika und China buhlen auf dem Gipfeltreffen in Burma um die Asean-Staaten: Obama bemüht sich um eine diplomatische Charme-Offensive – Peking gibt sich versöhnlich.

Der südostasiatische Staatenverbund Asean ist ein bunt zusammengewürfelter Haufen. Kleine Länder wie Laos und Brunei stehen neben vergleichsweise großen Ländern wie Indonesien und Thailand. Hinzu kommen Entwicklungsländer wie Burma und Kambodscha, ein Industrieland wie Singapur – und ein Staat wie Malaysia, der sich an der Schwelle zu einem Land mit hohem Einkommen befindet. Zu dem Verbund zählen außerdem Länder wie Vietnam, die sich offiziell sozialistisch nennen, und Demokratien wie die Philippinen. Gemeinsam haben sie, dass sie in einer wirtschaftlich aufstrebenden Region liegen: Zusammen repräsentieren die zehn Mitgliedsländer mehr als sechshundert Millionen Menschen und erwirtschaften ein Bruttoinlandsprodukt von insgesamt 2,5 Billionen Dollar. [Weiterlesen]

The Significance of the US-VN Arms Deal

13.11.2014 Written by Murray Hiebert (Asia Sentinel) - Bolstering Vietnam’s security as China ups the game. The US’s partial suspension of its decades-old ban on weapons sales to Vietnam on Oct. 2 was one of the most significant steps in improving relations between the two former enemies since they normalized diplomatic ties nearly two decades ago.

The US State Department made clear this decision related only to maritime surveillance systems and said the move was taken in response to improvements in Vietnam’s human rights environment.

Washington’s policy shift was widely seen as an effort to bolster Vietnam’s maritime security at a time when China is stepping up its assertiveness in the South China Sea disputes. The move was no doubt in part prompted by China’s deployment of an oil exploration rig near the Paracel Islands claimed by both Beijing and Hanoi in May. [read more]

What is Asean?

13.11.2014 (BBC) - The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) is a 10-member international body that represents more than 500 million people living in the region.

Set up in 1967 in Bangkok by Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, it has since been joined by Brunei, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The Asean Summit was an annual affair until 2009, when leaders began meeting twice a year. Member countries take turns every year to chair the two meetings.

During the year-end meeting, the country chair also hosts the East Asia Summit which is a forum attended by Asean and the leaders of China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States. [read more]

Asean: frente común de Hanói y Manila contra el imperialismo de Beijing en los mares

12.11.2014 de N.H. (AsiaNews) - Hanoi - Cooperación a nivel regional, paz y seguridad marítima, pero sobre todo la antigua cuestión de la política "imperialista" y "bárbaro capitalismo" de Beijing en el mar Chino meridional, definida como "un nuevo colonialismo" por muchos países de la zona. Estos son los temas al centro del encuentro Asean (Asociación que reúne a 10 países del Sudeste asiático), en programa hoy y mañana en Naypydaw, capital de Myanmar. Los expertos prevén aguas "agitadas" en la región Asia-Pacífico, si el gobierno chino continuará a sobrepasar las fronteras territoriales para realizar sus propios intereses económicos y geopolíticos. 

El 6 de noviembre pasado el gobierno vietnamita se opuso a los tentativos ilegales de construcción por parte de China, en los parajes del Fiery Cross Reef en las islas Spratly, Hanói le pidió a Beijing la "interrupción inmediata" de los proyectos de edificación en los terrenos disputados. [seguir leyendo]

ASEAN: Hanoi and Manila united front against Chinese imperialism on the seas

12.11.2014 by N.H. (AsiaNews) - Hanoi - Co-operation at the regional level, peace and security at sea, but especially the vexed question of the "imperialist" policy and "savage capitalism" of Beijing in the South China Sea, termed a "new colonialism" by many of the countries in the area.

These are the central themes of the ASEAN summit (Association which brings together the 10 countries of South-East Asia), today and tomorrow in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw. Experts predict "hot waters" in the Asia-Pacific, where the Chinese government will continue to push the boundaries of its territorial claims in order to appease their economic and geopolitical interests.

On 6 November, the Vietnamese government opposed Chinese attempts at illegal construction near Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly islands; Hanoi has asked Beijing to "immediately stop" the construction project on disputed land. [read more]

Gipfel in Asien. Warten auf Obama

12.11.2014 Von Christoph Hein (FAZ) - Beim Gipfeltreffen in Asien muss Amerika nun Stärke beweisen, vor allem gegenüber China. Ob Obama nach der verlorenen Wahl daheim noch die Kraft besitzt, seine Asienpolitik durchzusetzen?

Das Tauziehen um die Vorherrschaft in Asien geht in die zweite Runde. Nach der großen China-Show während der Konferenz der Pazifik-Staaten (Apec) in Peking treffen sich die Wichtigsten der Beteiligten nun in der burmesischen Hauptstadt Naypidaw für gleich zwei Gipfel: Denjenigen des Staatenbundes der Südostasiaten (Asean) und den Ostasiengipfel. Dort werden neben den zehn südostasiatischen Ländern auch die Regierungschefs Amerikas, Australiens, Chinas, Indiens, Japans und Neuseelands mit am Tisch sitzen.

Einmal mehr wird in Naypidaw über die Lage im Südchinesischen Meer diskutiert werden. Peking beansprucht 90 Prozent von dessen Fläche und setzt seine Ansprüche immer wieder durch. Auf der anderen Seite stehen Vietnam und die Philippinen, aber auch Malaysia, Taiwan und Brunei mit unterschiedlichen Ansprüchen. [Weiterlesen]

Fehlt nur noch der Kotau

12.11.2014 von Matthias Naß (Die Zeit) - Als wäre das Reich der Mitte wieder auferstanden und der Sohn des Himmels auf den Drachenthron zurückgekehrt – mit geradezu imperialer Prachtentfaltung hat Xi Jinping Anfang der Woche seine Gäste in Peking empfangen. Der Präsident, der in der Kommunistischen Partei der Korruption den Kampf angesagt hat und die Kader zu sparsamem Lebensstil anhält, zelebrierte das Gipfeltreffen des Asiatisch-Pazifischen Wirtschaftsforums (Apec) mit einem Pomp, der in groteskem Widerspruch steht zu den Problemen des Landes.

Fehlt nur noch der Kotau. Ansonsten demonstriert Chinas Führung ein Selbstbewusstsein, dass es manchem Gast den Atem verschlagen haben dürfte. Dies ist der "chinesische Traum", wie Xi Jinping ihn träumt: eine machtvolle Nation, von aller Welt hofiert. China ist zur zweitgrößten Wirtschaftsmacht aufgestiegen, hat Japan hinter sich gelassen und wird demnächst auch die Vereinigten Staaten überflügeln. [Weiterlesen]

South China Sea row likely to dominate ASEAN, related summits

11.11.2014 By May Wong, Myanmar Correspondent (Channel NewsAsia) - The dispute has been simmering between China and other ASEAN members such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

YANGON: The South China Sea maritime territorial dispute will likely be a dominant issue as leaders gather in Myanmar for the ASEAN and East Asia summits from Wednesday (Nov 12). The dispute has been simmering between China and other ASEAN members such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

ASEAN and global leaders will likely address the issue of overlapping claims on parts of the South China Sea in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw. The issue featured significantly in discussions during the ASEAN Leaders' summit in May this year.

This time, the US - with President Barack Obama's participation - may also weigh in on the subject. Denzil Abel, a member of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said: "If the US comes out with its rebalancing strongly, then the South China Sea will pop up very much, very strongly." [read more]

India’s Strategic Vietnam Defense Relations

11.11.2014 By P K Ghosh (The Diplomat) - India is seeking to counter Chinese ambitions by training and supplying Vietnam’s military.

India’s courtship of Vietnam is now overt. For instance, during the recent visit of the Vietnamese Prime Minster Nguyen Tan Dung, New Delhi not only laid out the red carpet for the visiting Vietnamese leader and the accompanying business delegation of 50 members, it took the decisive step of overtly acknowledging its assistance in modernizing Vietnam’s armed forces, much to the chagrin of China.

Vietnam has its own difficult history with China. It is not surprising, then, that this emerging country is often seen as a linchpin in India’s counter-encirclement and “Look East” policies. As a consequence, New Delhi is actively courting Vietnam with defense-related offers and infrastructure deals. [read more]

Deutsch-Vietnamesischer Mediendialog 2014

Traditionelle und neue Medien: Erfahrungen aus Deutschland und Vietnam

10.11.2014 (KAS) - Der diesjährige Deutsch-Vietnamesische Mediendialog wurde von der KAS in Vietnam im Auftrag vom Auswärtigen Amt organisiert und durchgeführt. Das viertägige Programm beinhaltete den Besuch von Medienagenturen, den Erfahrungsaustausch mit vietnamesischen Journalisten und ein öffentliches Seminar an der Medienfakultät der Nationalen Universität Hanoi.

Die Gruppe deutscher Medienvertreter wurde sowohl von Journalisten (u.a. Die Welt, Captial, Deutsche Welle, Deutschland Radio) als auch von Bloggern vertreten. Die Einführung in den Mediendialog begann für die deutsche Gruppe mit Besuchen bei drei verschiedenen Medienagenturen in Hanoi: Thomson Reuters, Vietnam News und VTV. [Weiterlesen]

The choppy South China Sea

06.11.2014 Harsh V Pant (DNA) - With the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s recent visit to Delhi, the Modi government has underlined its intention to take the Hanoi-Delhi ties forward from the momentum it has gained in the last few years. The two sides agreed to enhance bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2020 and signed seven agreements in key areas of defence, trade, security, and counter-terrorism. India agreed to operationalise a $100 million line of credit for Vietnam, and provide support to modernise Vietnam's security forces. Vietnam offered two more oil blocks for exploration in the South China Sea to India. The two blocks offered were among the five blocks Vietnam had offered to India earlier. India made it clear that the oil blocks offered to it fall in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone contrary to China’s claims.

New Delhi formulated a Look East policy as early as 1991, to capitalize on East Asia’s economic growth. But the rise of China has given this relationship a powerful strategic, not to mention urgent, dimension. [read more]

Aquino says China's map only complicates South China Sea dispute

05.11.2014 Cliff Venzon, Nikkei staff writer (Nikkei Asian Review) - MANILA -- China's so-called "nine-dash line" charted on a map released of the South China Sea in 2009 marking its territorial claims has only complicated regional disputes, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said on Tuesday.

China's assertion that it owns almost all of what the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea has also put it at odds with Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia, which have territorial claims of their own.

China's aggressive stance has escalated regional tensions and resulted in ships colliding in May this year when Vietnam attempted to block China's drilling activities around the Paracel Islands, which both claim. [read more]

The Rising Tide of Change in Vietnam

03.11.2014 Written by Khanh Vu Duc and Duvien Tran (Asia Sentinel) - The US and Vietnam remain at an impasse despite Washington’s partial lifting of an arms embargo

US Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski did not mince words when he urged Vietnam to improve on human rights at the end of his five-day tour of the country late last week.

It may or may not have been a warning to the communist government, but the implication was clear: US–Vietnam relations will likely remain in neutral until Hanoi undertakes much needed reforms. Of particular concern to Malinowski were the Vietnamese government’s restrictions on freedom of expression and association. [read more]

What is the 9-Dash line? 02.11.2014 (The Asian Age) - The 9-Dash line is a controversial demarcation line used by China for its claim to territories and waters in the South China Sea, most notably over the Scarborough Shoal and the Paracel and Spratly Islands the two most important disputed island groups. The line, which is contested by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, encompasses virtually the entire South China Sea region and caused immediate controversy when China submitted a map to the UN in 2009 that included the demarcation. Beijing's issuance of a new passport in late 2012 containing a map of the disputed region based on the line drew fresh international criticism and backlash. [read more]

Armas oxidadas y veteranos de guerra enseñan en Camboya la historia del país

01.11.2014 Noel Caballero (Caracol Radio) - Siem Reap (Camboya) (EFE). - Un extenso y decrépito arsenal de armas recolectado en los abandonados campos de batalla de Camboya se exhibe en un museo en las afueras de Siem Reap, donde veteranos de guerra enseñan a los turistas la historia bélica del país.

La ascensión al poder del Jemer Rojo (1975-1979), aliados del Partido Comunista Chino y la facción norvietnamita, significó el periodo más negro de la historia reciente de Camboya con la muerte de 1,7 millones de personas en purgas políticas y deportaciones al campo en condiciones infrahumanas. [seguir leyendo]