ASIAN STUDIES

Tassos Symeonides
(RIEAS Academic Advisor based in Seattle, USA)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) based in Athens, Greece. (Publication Date: 5 April 2014)

It is true that China has entered a period of uncertainty caused by factors mainly connected to the “contradictions” of its economic model, if we wish to recall for a moment Mao’s thoughts. Although, overall, the Chinese economy appears resilient, key essentials have begun to feel the pressure. Recent estimates speak of a general economic slowdown, with the Chinese communist government reacting with announced intentions to support domestic demand and increase public investment. ..... Read more

As part of the RIEAS-IFIMES Publication Exchange Cooperation, RIEAS reposts IFIMES article on “MALAYSIAN BOEING 777 ACCIDENT” written by Aviation General Blagoje Grahovac.

Copyright: International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (www.ifimes.org). Posted on RIEAS web site on 30 March 2014.

On the basis of the information gathered and published it is possible to establish some important parameters for the reconstruction of the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 accident. Those parameters are...   Read more

Murray Hunter
(Associate professor at the University Malaysia Perlis)

Copyright: www.ifimes.org

Ironically Australia is cutting its foreign aid budget by AUD 4.5 Billion over the next 4 years, while at the same time increasing its intelligence budget. This is not a good message to be sending out to the region if sincere and open engagement is truly sort by the Abbott Government. Asia is judging Australia by its actions, not rhetoric, and there appears to be a massive failure which the Abbott Government must quickly react to, if Australia's interests are to be safeguarded...  Read more

Nicky Hager
(Author, and Investigate Journalist based in Wellington, New Zealand)

Copyright: http://www.nickyhager.info

The Security Intelligence Service is New Zealand’s internal intelligence agency, which was set up to spy on New Zealanders and foreign people and organisations within New Zealand who are regarded as a threat to the country’s security. ‘Security’ has a very specific meaning for the SIS: it is defined in the SIS legislation as covering espionage, sabotage, terrorism and ‘subversion’ (planning to overthrow the state by force) plus two poorly defined recent extensions covering threats to New Zealand’s ‘international and economic well being’. The SIS also vets people in or applying for senior government jobs, gives security advice to government departments and, in recent years, it has begun some overseas intelligence collection operations, about which very little is yet known.

By Dr. Andreas Liaropoulos *

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between Greece and the Republic of China (Taiwan).  The aim is not only to explore the nature of the bilateral relationship, but also to evaluate the importance of the European Union (EU). In order to do that, we will first refer to the context of the EU-Taiwanese relations. Having defined the general context of the EU-Taiwanese relations, we will then focus on how Athens and Taipei view each other. In the end, we will attempt to highlight areas and issues were both countries can benefit from a stronger and more productive partnership.........   Read more

Anis H. Bajrektarevic
(Geopolitics of Energy Editorial Member, and Chairperson for Intl. Law & Global Pol. Studies, Vienna, Austria)

Copyright: Anis H. Bajrektarevic on line

As the recent maritime contests in both the South and the East China Sea has shown, Beijing underestimated an emotional charge that the territorial disputes carry along, as well as the convenience given to the neighbors to escalate these frictions in order to divert public attention from their own pressing domestic socio-economic and political issues. A costly, spiral and dangerous game of the reinvigorated nationalistic rhetoric, it presently instigate a climate that could easily hijack the next Asian decade as a whole......  Read more