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Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
News briefing introduced and lead by Dr. Eric Frécon, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore.
Under pressure from the international community and the threat of piracy and terrorism, the countries bordering the Strait of Malacca have been led to cooperate more intensely since 2004.
1. With much journalistic and editorial support, trilateral operations were put in place by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Thailand then came to offer its services, and parallel to those developments, bilateral agreements have reinforced existing partnerships in certain more specific areas. Finally, piracy diminished between 2004 and 2008, Mas Selamat Kastari was arrested in Malaysia and illegal immigrants are detained and sent back to Indonesia each week.
2. However, quarrels and historical sensitivities impede complete, unrestrained cooperation. Neither Jakarta nor Kuala Lumpur is, for example, represented in the intergovernmental organisations based in Singapore in charge of the fight against maritime crime (ReCAAP, Information Fusion Centre). Is this the reason that piracy has risen in 2009, that there is worry about the radicalisation of Indonesia and that smuggling between Indonesia and Singapore endures?
3. If ASEAN remains subdued on these issues and if bi/tri/quadrilateral cooperation appears like a necessary but insufficient solution, then the call is to a third and/or peripheral power: the United States watch over the Strait by offering patrollers (and observe their usage via ICITAP), Japan also positions itself as a generous donor; China has delivered a satellite to Indonesia and India is training with the Indonesian navy off Sumatra. Why so much well benevolence? What about Europe?
Information: Sophie Boisseau du Rocher s.boisseau@centreasia.org
Registration: Rozenn Jouannigot r.jouannigot@centreasia.org
The Brainstorming Group on China Current Affairs brings together analyses from experts and researchers on China’s domestic politics, strategic affairs and foreign policy. The group meets eight times a year upon invitation in Paris. At each roundtable, discussion is based on the original paper of a leading specialist. Topics this year include China-Pakistan relations, the PLA Navy modernization, US-China relations after the presidential elections in the US, and Chinese perceptions and practice of economic security. Each year in June the group hosts an international conference: Asia Centre’s Annual Seminar on Chinese Contemporary Politics.
Related publications: China Analysis (22 issues up to date). Forthcoming: “Politics in the Hu Jintao Era: CCP’s Adaptat ion to Domest ic and Foreign Challenges“, special issue of China Aktuell, Journal of Current Chinese Affairs.
Experts: François Godement, Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Mathieu Duchâtel, Michal Meidan, Thibaud Voïta.
Informations : m.duchatel@centreasia.org
contributes to a better understanding of Southeast Asia’s main challenges with a multidisciplinary approach. In a volatile situation, evaluating the long-term trends beyond the current region’s instability (Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma). The Observatory is based on meetings amongst experts and practitioners of Southeast Asia who react to an initial paper on an issue of importance to the region. Southeast Asian, European and French experts will gather and address topics of common interest to the region’s 11 states.
Main Expert: Sophie Boisseau du Rocher s.boisseau@centreasia.org
Tuesday 17th November 2009
Second session of the 2009-2010 cycle of the Brainstorming group on China current affairs with Roy Kamphausen (Vice President, Political and Security Affairs and Director, Washington, DC Office, The National Bureau of Asian Research) on: « The Modernization of the People’s Liberation Army: Beyond Taiwan? »
The session will track new developments in the modernization process of the People’s Liberation Army. Since the 1995-1996 missile crisis in the Taiwan strait, a war over Taiwan has been the main scenario guiding the modernization of the PLA. To some extent, Taiwan’s new Mainland policy under Ma Ying-jeou has brought a thaw in cross-strait relations and brighter prospects for peaceful interactions, at least in the short-term. Does this imply that the PLA can now prioritize new missions for its future development?
Information - Mathieu Duchâtel m.duchatel@centreasia.org
Thursday 19th November 2009
Asia Centre at Sciences Po will hold a half-day roundtable on the People’s Liberation Army, within the larger framework of its brainstorming group on China current affairs.
The event will address two main issues: the political influence and role of the PLA, and the modernization of the PLA Navy. It will examine two structural issues that not only were put at the heart of Chinese current events by the military parade commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, but also traverse the history of the regime and of the Communist Party: the nature of the relations between the Party and the army, and the political weight of military personnel. Similarly, the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Chinese navy, celebrated this year, presents an opportunity to evaluate the strategic intentions that guide its modernization and its first deployments into outside theatres, as well as the importance of maritime security for China’s national security.
Information – Mathieu Duchâtel m.duchatel@centreasia.org
Thursday 22nd October 2009
First session of the 2009-2010 cycle of the brainstorming group on china’s current affairs with Dr Jabin Jacob (Research Fellow, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi).
The session has adressed the issue of China’s presence in South Asia maritime countries and the strategy on which it is based. The discussion will also tackle the question of the construction of China’s policy towards the Indian Ocean and its level of coherence into an integrated strategy.
Information - Mathieu Duchâtel m.duchatel@centreasia.org
Public talks focusing on an Asian or Asia-related guest of distinction, highlighted by a French panel of experts from the organising institutions (Asia Centre, Asia Press, the Conseillers du Commerce extérieur, and the Centre d’Accueil de la Presse Etrangère, CAPE).
Information - registration: debats.asie@centreasia.org
Friday, 12 June 2009
7th session of the Observatory on China, organised with the support of the Delegation for Policy and Strategic Affairs of the French Ministry of Defence: “An Assessment of the PLA ability to fight a regional war under high technology conditions” with Yoram Evrom (professeur at the Asian Studies Departement at the University of Haifa).
Information - Mathieu Duchâtel m.duchatel@centreasia.org
The fifth session of the East Asia Observatory was entitled:
« In the name of civil society in Southeast Asia ».
The session was introduced by Eva-Lotta Hedman, Senior Research Fellow at the Department for International Development, Oxford University.
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Information – Sophie Boisseau s.boisseau@centreasia.org
15 January 2009, Paris. Brainstorming Group on China Current Affairs.Second session of the 2008-09 cycle, part of the Observatory on Political and Strategic Evolution in China.
Just five days before the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on 20 January 2009, François Godement, President of Asia Centre, will present his analysis of how the election of Barack Obama can impact bilateral relations between China and the United States. Mr. Godement’s presentation will be in French.
Registration is by personal invitation only.
Information – Mathieu Duchâtel m.duchatel@centreasia.org
Roundtable at the National Institute of Defence Studies
4 July 2007, Tokyo. This meeting with the most influential Japanese defence think-tank, itself an offshoot of the Boesho (Ministry of Defence), featured issues related to Japan’s defence effort, its make over and Europe’s contribution.
11 June 2007, Paris With the support of the GMF
China’s new relationship with Africa is built on access to natural resources, trade, investment, development assistance and more openly declared political relations. These relations are both an opportunity for Africa and a source of interrogations. Governance, transparency of aid mechanisms, the influx of immigrants and security ties are the new issues confronting China as well as Africa. Europe and the United States will have to enter into dialogue with China as they do with their African partners. Is it possible to determine an agenda for China-Africa relations that will serve for development and good governance?
With D. Shinn (GWU), C. Fomunyoh (National Democratic Institute) and F. Godement.
Kuala Lumpur 2005. The 1st East Asian Summit
12 Dec. 2005. This Roundtable was organised by Asia Centre, the FIP and Asia Press. F. Debié (FIP), opened the session, chaired by Richard Artz, Vice President of Asia Press.
The day before the Summit, Asia Centre research fellows (F. Godement, S. Boisseau, J-P. Cabestan and J-L. Racine) addressed regionalism and the rise of nationalisms in Asia in a conference held at FIP. On the topic of regionalism: ASEAN is shaken by China’s pressure and has to consolidate before moving towards any wider institutionalisation enlargement. The Summit is being anticipated with an even greater interest nowthat the Japan-China-Korea Summit due take place along the ASEAN+3 meeting, has been cancelled. While India remains in China’s footsteps as far as its relations with ASEAN are concerned (ALE or strategic partner), Japan comes up with very concrete proposals. ASEAN fears dissolution but real progress are made on technical matters, such as environmental issues, maritime security in the straits, energy security, pandemic risks, etc. Yet this regional structure is confronted to the nationalism of both Japan and China. While there are obvious synergies between these two countries, they are also fundamental rivals in the region. Nonetheless, a “Power oligopoly”,seems better for Asia than a monopoly.