Tim Shorrock

The Trump administration’s inflexibility on sanctions, an apparent turn inward by North Korea, the global threat from the COVID-19 virus, and the political imperatives of the upcoming presidential election have diminished hopes for progress in the Trump administration’s denuclearization negotiations with Kim Jong-un this year. But a year after those talks collapsed in Hanoi, the … Continue reading “Washington Hawks Are Softening Their Hard Line on Sanctions Against North Korea”

Japan’s commitment to help Indonesia train its police and upgrade its sea defenses may be compromised by Japan’s constitutional ban on participating in military actions overseas, according to a senior Indonesian diplomat. Specifically, Indonesia wants Japan to strengthen collective security in the Malacca Straits by providing financial assistance to the Indonesian Coast Guard, said Soemadi … Continue reading “Japan Constitution May Hinder Ties to Indonesia”

The Chinese government is fully committed to working with the international community to support economic and political stability in East Asia, but would be willing to sacrifice those principles if Taiwan tried to break away from the mainland and create an independent state, according to a leading Chinese foreign affairs analyst. “Taiwan is a big … Continue reading “Neocons Stir China-Taiwan Conflict”