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National Commentaries

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February 11, 2016 National Commentaries
A Japanese Perspective

"US-ROK-Japanese Trilateral Security Cooperation"   In the mid-1990s, when Japan and the United States redefined their alliance and revised the “Guidelines for Defense Cooperation between the United States […]

Yamaguchi Noboru*

Regionalism, Track 2 talks, US deterrence
February 11, 2016 National Commentaries
A US Perspective

"US-ROK-Japanese Trilateral Security Cooperation"   When President Barack Obama announced his much-touted “rebalance” to Asia in a speech in Australia in November 2011, his administration believed that its […]

Michael Auslin

Democracy, Hub-and-Spokes, National security, Regionalism
December 18, 2015 National Commentaries
The Malaysian POV: The Elephant in the Room – Is the Emerging Third Pillar Reshaping Asian Architecture and Regional Responses?

"The November Summits in Retrospect"   There was an elephant in the room at the recently concluded Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila as well as at […]

Kuik Cheng-Chwee*

"Belt and Road" Initiative, China hub, Common Destiny, Regionalism
December 18, 2015 National Commentaries
The United States POV: Southeast Asian Reactions to the Firmer US Posture in the South China Sea

"The November Summits in Retrospect" Summitry is often seen as a way for national leaders to directly hash out disagreements and reach some accommodation. That was not the […]

Felix K. Chang

National security, Regionalism, South China Sea Initiative
December 18, 2015 National Commentaries
The Japanese POV: Japan-US-Australian Trilateralism

"The November Summits in Retrospect" The “quasi-alliance” (jundomei) is an increasingly fashionable term of the Japanese government as well as the wider policy community in Tokyo to describe […]

Yusuke Ishihara

Capacity-building assistance, China gap, National security, Naval cooperation, Quasi-alliance, Regionalism, Rules-based order
October 12, 2015 National Commentaries
The South Korean Perspective

"The Challenge for Park’s Summit with Obama after Abe’s Summit."   As President Park Geun-hye prepares for her meeting with President Barack Obama on October 16, her visit […]

Lee Chung Min*

China's military parade, Japan-US alliance, Japanese SDF, National security, North Korea, Sino-ROK Relations
October 12, 2015 National Commentaries
The Japanese Perspective

"The Challenge for Park’s Summit with Obama after Abe’s Summit."   The most important factor we need to consider in directing our attention in East Asia to developments […]

Kazuhiko Togo

Article 9, CJK summit, National security, normal state, US security
October 12, 2015 National Commentaries
The US Perspective

"The Challenge for Park’s Summit with Obama after Abe’s Summit."   Positive US responses to Abe’s defense and history initiatives leave South Korea’s Japan policy in limbo. The […]

Larry A. Niksch

Balancing China, Japan-US alliance, Japanese SDF, National security
August 3, 2015 National Commentaries
A Russian Commentary

"The Iran Nuclear Deal and the North Korean Nuclear Issue"   Russian policymakers, academics, and pundits who believe that the Iran deal was good and Russia stands to […]

Alexandre Y. Mansourov

Crimea annexation, Iran nuclear deal, National security
August 3, 2015 National Commentaries
An American Commentary

"The Iran Nuclear Deal and the North Korean Nuclear Issue"   The international nuclear agreement with Iran has generated some speculation about the potential for resurrecting similar negotiations […]

Bruce Klingner

National security, Six-Party Talks, Snap-back clause, Sony hacking