The size and dynamism of Asia makes its development a determining factor in protecting and promoting American interests and values. With over half of the global population, the fastest growing economies in the world, freedom and tyranny living side by side, and five treaty alliances of the United States, American leadership in Asia is vital for a free and prosperous region.
America’s network of alliances is critical to maintaining our role as the Asia–Pacific’s indispensable, predominant power. Read More.
The size and dynamism of Asia makes its development a determining factor in protecting and promoting American interests and values. Read More.
EDWIN J. FEULNER: I’m Ed Feulner. For the next 13 days, I am the president of The Heritage Foundation. I’m delighted to have with us this morning my successor as the new president of The Heritage Foundation, Senator Jim DeMint. Senator, we are very happy that you are able to join us this morning for our 16th annual B.C. Lee Lecture. It’s good to see so many friends here,…
IntroductionIn real terms, there is no denying the extraordinary progress in the engagement between India and the United States over the past two decades. Throughout, and even after, the Cold War, the world's two largest democracies remained estranged. In the first decade after the end of the Cold War, the two countries quarreled over nuclear nonproliferation; the U.S.…
While testifying before Congress regarding his nomination to be Secretary of State, then-Senator John Kerry indicated that he was uncomfortable with the Administration’s “pivot to Asia” and indicated that, in his view, this was neither necessary nor wise. Whether then-Senator Kerry was enunciating a new position is unclear, as Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter…
North Korea is easy to ridicule. The country is an anachronistic hangover from the Cold War, replete with cartoonish propaganda and over-the-top threats. Its leader could well play the villain in a James Bond or Austin Powers movie. Self-appointed ambassador Dennis Rodman’s visit affirmed the image of the reclusive regime as the ultimate reality show. As such, the…
It’s a delight to be here. I enjoy coming by and seeing friends, making new friends, and sharing ideas and insight. I have a terrific job—not just the job itself, which is interesting, but the fact that it’s a China-oriented job, and that it allows me, every time I visit China, to learn and to see and to chat with people. It was certainly interesting to do that in a…
North Korea routinely threatens to annihilate South Korea, the United States, and Japan. After its recent successful long-range missile and nuclear tests, Pyongyang now claims it already has the capability to target U.S. bases in the Pacific and the American homeland with nuclear weapons. As frightening as these warnings are, North Korea would more likely conduct…
The agreement between the United States government and the Republic of Korea (ROK) that allows commercial nuclear trade between the countries, referred to as a “123 agreement” since it is required by Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act[1] expires in March 2014.[2] To avoid any lapses, the Obama Administration must conclude negotiations by spring 2013. This will allow the…
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Committee on Foreign Affairs United States House of Representatives March 13, 2013 Walter Lohman My name is Walter Lohman. I am Director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own, and should not be construed as representing any official position of…
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with President Obama on February 22 to affirm the bilateral alliance and align policies responding to recent North Korean and Chinese aggression. Since Abe has been in office for only two months, no tangible summit achievements (“deliverables,” in diplomatic parlance) are expected. But President Obama should use the opportunity…
It has been a bad half-decade for American foreign economic policy. The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Doha round was mortally wounded in 2008. The last three bilateral trade agreements were stalled and then renegotiated. The next one is not even on the radar screen. While the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and a possible agreement with the 27-nation European…
Executive Summary To assess the Japanese experience, The Heritage Foundation reassembled a team of experts to evaluate Japan’s long-term efforts to recover from the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and to prepare for future catastrophes. Based on extensive literature and interviews with Japanese officials and experts, the team identified four critical areas that affect…
Testimony before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations July 19, 2012 My name is Derek Scissors. I am Senior Research Fellow for Asia Economics at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own and should not be construed as representing any official position of The Heritage Foundation. …
Stephen C. Johnson Senior Policy Analyst for Latin America, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies Before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. April 20, 2005 Mr. Chairman and distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me…
Abstract: The recent standoff at Scarborough Shoal between the Philippines and China demonstrates how Beijing is targeting Manila in its strategy of maritime brinkmanship. Manila’s weakness stems from the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) lack of air-defense system and air-surveillance capabilities to patrol and protect Philippine airspace and maritime territory. The…
John J. Tkacik, Jr.: Good morning, and thank you all for being here. This morning, Ambassador C. J. Chen (Cheng Chien-jen) of the Republic of China will share with us his vision of his country's democratic ideals and the dignity that are due them, not just among Americans but in the broader international community. Diplomacy and protocol are not, after all, the…
Project Overview India will soon have the largest population of any country in the world. It therefore has the potential, with extensive and difficult reforms, to become the world's most important free market—a position currently held by the United States. It follows directly that the economic relationship between India and the U.S., if allowed to flourish, can greatly…
As the world increasingly acknowledges India's rising power status, India is adapting its foreign policy to meet the international challenges of the 21st century and to increase its global influence and status. For many years, India took pride in its role as leader of the Non-Aligned Movement and viewed itself as the primary defender of the rights of the less…
Amid growing concerns about the People's Republic of China's burgeoning influence around the globe, Beijing has now set its sights on Africa. China's interest in Africa is not new. In the 1960s and 1970s, Beijing's interest centered on building ideological solidarity with other underdeveloped nations to advance Chinese-style communism and on repelling Western…
Two recent speeches by new Chinese leader Xi Jinping have attracted attention, providing the first insights into the views of China’s new leadership. One is focused on China’s internal political situation; the other discusses Chinese foreign policy. In combination, they could indicate the direction of Chinese policy for the next 10 years of Xi Jinping’s tenure as senior…
North Korea has again openly defied the international community, first by launching a rocket in violation of United Nations resolutions and then threatening those that seek to punish—however meekly—the regime for its transgressions. Yet the United States and the U.N. remain reluctant to fully implement measures to make sanctions more effective. This policy timidity…
Tensions between India and Pakistan are heating up along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir. A series of border incidents in early January left three Pakistani and two Indian soldiers dead. One of the Indian soldiers was beheaded and another severely mutilated, provoking Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to say that India’s ties with Pakistan would not be…
To lead the nation always under threat from North Korea, backbone is required. As the president of South Korea has...…
South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrived in Washington on May 6 to meet with President Obama and affirm the...…
Amidst all the regional concerns about North Korea, the Senkaku dispute between China and Japan has continued to...…
James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “In my almost...…
Drug wars have plagued Asia for decades, and the drug problem continues to stem the tide of economic growth and...…
New leaders are emerging on Capitol Hill to draw a line on Congress’s acquiescence to the White House’s rush to lift...…
“[T]his budget isn’t just a collection of numbers; it’s an illustration of our values and priorities,” said Secretary...…
During his trip to South Korea, Secretary of State John Kerry affirmed that the United States “will, if necessary,...…
North Korea continues to escalate the situation on the Peninsula, most recently by telling international diplomats it...…
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) recently informed its workforce about sequestration cuts to Voice of...…
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Senior Research Fellow, Northeast Asia
Director, Asian Studies Center
Senior Visiting Fellow, Japan