ASIA & THE PACIFIC ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

See also archives for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

New York Times, 19 Feb 10, by Edward Wong
Rift Grows as U.S. and China Seek Differing Goals
'... [Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama] and the routine announcement last month of American arms sales to Taiwan, were taken as the latest signs that despite China’s rapid ascent, the American government still refused to compromise on issues that China considered sacrosanct: matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb 10, by Jonathan Adams
Why US ignores China and sells arms to Taiwan
'Riling China, the US's newest $6.4 billion sale includes 60 Blackhawk helicopters, Patriot missiles, and sophisticated command-and-control software.'

Asia Times, 05 Feb 10, by Axel Berkofsky
Okinawa call to shape new US-Japan era
'Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has given his government a deadline of May to decide whether or not Tokyo will stick to a Japan-United States agreement from 2006 on the relocation of US troops in Japan.'

Asia Times, 04 Feb 10, by Peter J Brown
US's strike threat catches China off guard
'The United States plans to unveil later this decade a new conventional "Prompt Global Strike" (C-PGS) system. It will enable the US to instantly carry out a massive conventional attack anywhere in the world in an hour or less.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan 10, by Simon Montlake
Philippines peace talks regain traction after lengthy hiatus
'The Philippines’ peace talks with the largest insurgency group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, have shown staying power since resuming last month after folding in 2008.'

Washington Post, 19 Jan 10, by Craig Whitlock
Gates meets with Indian leaders on combating terrorism
'On a two-day trip to New Delhi, Gates on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other officials to bolster U.S.-Indian military ties and discuss a joint approach to combating al-Qaeda and regional terrorist groups.'

New York Times, 20 Jan 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Gates, in India, Warns of Interlocking Terror Networks
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned on Wednesday that a “syndicate of terrorist operators” on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border was working to destabilize the entire region, and that singling out only one extremist group for elimination would not solve the overall problem.'

New York Times, 20 Jan 10, by Choe Sang-Hun
South Korea Warns North on a First Nuclear Strike
'South Korea would launch a pre-emptive conventional strike against the North if there were clear indications of an impending nuclear attack, the South Korean defense minister said Wednesday ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 10, by Simon Montlake
US faces slog against Philippine militants, even with winning strategy
'The US and Philippines can claim many successes since joining forces in counterterrorism after 9/11, but uprooting militancy altogether remains elusive.'

New York Times, 12 Jan 10, by Andrew Jacobs and Jonathan Ansfield
With Defense Test, China Shows Displeasure of U.S.
'China said late Monday that it had successfully tested the nation’s first land-based missile defense system, announcing the news in a brief dispatch by Xinhua, the official news agency. “The test is defensive in nature and is not targeted at any country,” the item said.'

New York Times, 12 Jan 10, by Mark Landler
Clinton Tries to Defuse Asian Tension
'With tensions rising between the United States and both Japan and China, Asia has emerged as a diplomatic hornet’s nest, even beyond the perennial threat of North Korea.'

Washington Post, 14 Jan 10, by Ariana Eunjung Cha and Ellen Nakashima
Google China cyberattack part of vast espionage campaign, experts say
'Computer attacks on Google that the search giant said originated in China were part of a concerted political and corporate espionage effort that exploited security flaws in e-mail attachments to sneak into the networks of major financial, defense and technology companies and research institutions in the United States, security experts said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jan 10, by Donald Kirk
What's behind North Korea's new 'peace offensive'?
'While North Korea's New Year’s reconciliation message may be a sign of its willingness to return to six-party talks, it bears no clue as to whether the North would give up its nuclear program before attaining a number of other goals.'

2009 Asia and the Pacific archive
2008 Asia and the Pacific archive
2007 Asia and the Pacific archive

"Hunt for the Somali Pirates" airs soon on the National Geographic Channel.
When Somali pirates hijack the Maersk Alabama -- and international headlines -- Navy SEALs launch a sneak attack to rescue the ship's American captain. Pirate Hunters recounts the harrowing five days from hijack to final fatal shots, and reveals sophisticated Navy SEAL training methods that prepare the world's most elite reconnaissance teams for daring missions with no second chances.