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6941. Policy Report: Rule of Law and Peace and Order in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea

Author:
Catherine S. Panaguiton
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Council on International Policy (CIP)
Abstract:
The judgment award rendered in the Republic of the Philippines vs. The People’s Republic of China was a significant development to the disputes in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea. Conflicting opinions from littoral and affected states on the legal issues abound the institution of the case and the conduct in these areas as a whole have been raised and a decision has been rendered on these issues. Provisions in the UNCLOS that were made to be deliberately vague because States at the UN Conference negotiating UNCLOS could not agree on more precise language have been clarified. The judgment not only has implications in the lawyering and judicial sphere. It also carries practical implications that are to be considered in lawmaking and formulation of government policies. All these implications will be discussed in this paper.
Topic:
Peace Studies and Law
Political Geography:
South China and West Philippines

6942. Discipline and Punish: Party Power Under Xi

Author:
François Godement
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
European Council On Foreign Relations
Abstract:
The Chinese have long been obsessed with strategic culture, power balances and geopolitical shifts. Academic institutions, think-tanks, journals and web-based debates are growing in
Topic:
International Relations and International Security
Political Geography:
China

6943. Expanded ambitions, shrinking achievements: How China sees the global order

Author:
François Godement
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Council On Foreign Relations
Abstract:
Xi Jinping took a bold stance at this year's Davos summit, claiming that China could be the leader and protector of global free trade. However, he fell short of pronouncing the same commitment to the international order. • While China finds little to criticise in globalisation, which has fuelled its rapid economic rise, it has an uneasy relationship with the international order, picking and choosing what parts of it to engage with. • China's governance model at home is fundamentally at odds with the liberal international order. Whether in climate talks, international arbitrations, or on the topic of open markets, China resists any parts of the order that infringe on its sovereignty. • Facing an increasingly interest-driven China, and a US in retreat from the international order, the EU must stand by its values if it wants to protect them. Faced with Donald Trump, Xi has sent a clear message about his country's commitment to internationalism. The EU should hold China to its word on this.
Topic:
International Relations and International Political Economy
Political Geography:
China

6944. Peripheral Vision: How Europe can help preserve Tunisia’s fragile democracy

Author:
Hamza Meddeb
Publication Date:
01-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Council On Foreign Relations
Abstract:
Six years since the revolution, the success of democracy in Tunisia depends on those parts of the country where the popular uprising began: its ‘periphery’, whose regions lag far behind the country’s economically more developed coast. Tunisia’s periphery regions suffer from weak economic growth and high levels of poverty and unemployment – a legacy of decades of underinvestment. Regional conflict, terrorism and organised crime have led the government to crack down on security threats in the periphery regions. This has disrupted the informal and illegal economic networks on which much of the population relies and caused it to lose faith in the government. Tunisia has enjoyed extensive support from international partners since 2011 – money is not the problem. Instead, the country must strengthen its regional governance and address fragmentation at the heart of government. Europeans can radically alter the terms of debate by offering Tunisia membership of the European Economic Area, galvanising change in support of its journey towards democracy and stability.
Topic:
International Relations
Political Geography:
Europe

6945. After ISIS: How to Win the Peace in Iraq and Libya

Author:
Hayder al-Khoei, Ellie Geranmayeh, and Mattia Toaldo
Publication Date:
01-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Council On Foreign Relations
Abstract:
ISIS has suffered significant setbacks in both Iraq and Libya with the battles for Mosul and Sirte representing potential turning-points. • Without a clear political strategy to guide post- ISIS efforts, these military gains could quickly be lost. Both countries could again become breeding grounds for conflict and extremism, exacerbating European security and migration challenges. This risk is especially high for Iraq given the conflict in neighbouring Syria. • The new US administration is likely to invest less energy than its predecessors in strengthening political orders which provide stability. European states must step up their own efforts
Topic:
International Relations and International Security
Political Geography:
Middle East and Global Focus

6946. Rule of Law and Peace and Order in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea

Author:
Catherine S. Panaguiton
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Council on International Policy (CIP)
Abstract:
Chinese incursions in disputed waters in the SCS and WPS started from as early as the 1950s. However, they were scant and far in between. As decades passed, Chinese surveillance and incursions and the incidents between PRC, RP and Vietnam have increased in these areas. Rapid reclamation activities by PRC and the construction of installations on them (many of which are of a military nature)7, amidst protests by its neighbors (including the Philippines) and claimant states, have likewise increased the tensions.
Topic:
International Law and Peace Studies
Political Geography:
China and Philippines

6947. Make Japan Great Again? The Rise of Trump and Significance of the US-Japan Alliance

Author:
Fuad Olajuwon
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
Council on International Policy (CIP)
Abstract:
Japan is in a unique position. With the rise of Trump and the changing of the American political landscape, the world faces a new challenge. That challenge is uncertainty. If you’re from a realist background, that raises concern. The shifting of the global narrative is one to look out for, as countries across Europe and the Western world are shifting away from the “liberal world order” and more into an ideologist that puts the concerns of the host over that of the guest. With Brexit and “#AmericaFirst” rhetoric gaining momentum, what is the fate of East Asia? One thing is sure: this is a unique time as ever for Japan to stand on its own two feet.
Topic:
International Cooperation and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Japan and America

6948. The Plutonium Disposition Management Agreement: Russia’s Withdrawal and the Possible Consequences

Author:
Debalina Ghoshal
Publication Date:
04-2017
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
Council on International Policy (CIP)
Abstract:
InOctober2016,RussianPresidentVladmirPutin suspendedthePlutoniumDispositionManagementAgreement (PDMA) that mandated both the United States and Russia to eliminate a sufficient quantity of weapons grade plutonium. The suspension of the PDMA represents a step away toward achieving nuclear disarmament, a crucial component of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) under Article VI.
Topic:
International Security and Nuclear Power
Political Geography:
Russia and Global Focus

6949. Deciphering China’s Coal Ban from North Korea:

Author:
Debalina Ghoshal
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
Council on International Policy (CIP)
Abstract:
For years, the Chinese have remained soft towards North Korea when it came to imposing sanctions on them for their nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has prohibited Pyongyang from testing nuclear and ballistic missiles but yet Pyongyang has continued to do develop and conduct nuclear and ballistic missile tests. In February 2017, North Korea test fired a ballistic missile which was reported to be a modified version of their Musudan missile with range of 2500-4000km. At present, North Korea’s missile arsenal consists Scud-D, Nodong, Taepo Dong-1 and 2 and Musudan ballistic missiles. In addition, North Korea is also working on submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
Topic:
Energy Policy and International Political Economy
Political Geography:
China and North Korea

6950. The Future Shape Of Europe: How The EU Can Bend Without Breaking

Author:
Dinah Pardijs and Almut Möller
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
European Council On Foreign Relations
Abstract:
Faced with internal and external pressures, the EU is increasingly focused on “cooperation” and “deliverables”, rather than “integration”. ECFR’s research shows that a critical mass of countries agree on the need for more flexible cooperation within the EU.
Topic:
International Cooperation, European Union, and Brexit
Political Geography:
Europe