pacific forum History of Pacific Forum

PacNet #54 – The East Asia Summit: A 30-Point Agenda

On Dec. 14, 2005, representatives from 16 nations will gather in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the inaugural session of the East Asia Summit (EAS). Participants to that first meeting will comprise the 10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and India. The inclusion of the two primary engines […]

PacNet #53 – Yasukuni Shrine: Time to Make a Deal

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi remains in denial over the negative impact his continued visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are having on Japanese and U.S. national security interests. ROK President Roh Moo-hyun and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao just provided the latest clear example when they refused to arrange a three-way side meeting with him during […]

PacNet #52 – Tourism and changing perceptions across the Taiwan Strait

On Oct, 28, a 66-member delegation led by Shao Qiwei, chairman of China’s National Tourism Administration, arrived in Taipei for a private visit to inspect Taiwan and determine whether it was a suitable “official” destination for mainland tourists. When he departed 10 days later, Shao said his group had a positive impression of Taiwan and […]

PacNet #51 – The allure of Asia and America’s role

President Bush has just returned from after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, but he should continue to pay attention to another Asian summit to which he was not invited. In December, Malaysia will host an East Asian Summit (EAS) that deliberately excludes the United States. According to many close observers, America’s attractiveness is […]

PacNet #50 – APEC 2005: economics takes center stage

Given the flurry of media coverage of the various summit meetings that did (or, in the case of China-Japan, did not) occur along the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Busan, South Korea last week, it is easy to overlook the fact that the primary reason for this gathering was to […]

PacNet #49A – South Korea’s ambitions

Busan, South Korea – South Korea, long considered “a shrimp among whales” in Northeast Asia, senses opportunity. Diplomatic developments in the region hold out hope of a transformation of relations among states, and South Korean strategists see their nation as uniquely positioned to lead this process.  

PacNet #49 – APEC 2005: can South Korea lead the charge?

There are two big events on the international economic calendar in the six weeks remaining in 2005. The first is the APEC Economic Leaders meeting that will be held Nov. 18-19 in Busan, South Korea; the second is the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial that will be held in Hong Kong Dec. 17-18. The two […]

PacNet #46A – The U.S.-Japan alliance: unbalanced and unfulfilled

U.S. President George Bush will soon meet with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro to affirm a number of promising agreements. Decade-long quarrels over the relocation of the Futenma U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Okinawa and of home-porting a nuclear carrier in Yokosuka appear resolved. Five long years of talks to foster greater U.S.-Japan security […]

PacNet #48 – Six Party Talks: Defining a Realistic Roadmap for Success

As representatives to the Six-Party Talks reconvene to determine next steps toward their agreed goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, they face a decidedly mixed picture. The Sept. 19, 2005 Joint Statement of principles, the first mutually agreed product to result from two years of meetings, has created real momentum. It is not yet a […]