China’s false memory syndrome

China’s false memory syndrome

Posted by on Jul 10, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

    The nationalist academics and government committees of the first half of the 20th century have bequeathed the Communist Party an “official history” that is demonstrably false. It is this, and not the threat of nationalist mobs on the streets that makes the South China Sea disputes so intractable and dangerous. But to concede […]

Clashes and artificial islands, BBC interview

Clashes and artificial islands, BBC interview

Posted by on Jun 6, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

  An interview for BBC World News about developments in the South China Sea – particularly the release by the Vietnamese government of video showing a Chinese ship chasing and sinking a Vietnamese fishing vessel and allegations from the Philippines government that China is constructing new artificial islands in the Spratlys. The interviewer is Kasia […]

China incompetent? The tale of the oil rig

China incompetent? The tale of the oil rig

Posted by on May 19, 2014 in South China Sea, Vietnam | No Comments

            What has China achieved by sending its oil rig to drill off the Paracel Islands? It has managed to rupture relations with its brother communists in Vietnam, incensed Vietnamese popular opinion, generated gigabytes of critical international media coverage, revived the “China Threat” discourse in Southeast Asia and unified ASEAN […]

Vietnam’s protests aren’t just about China

Vietnam’s protests aren’t just about China

Posted by on May 16, 2014 in South China Sea, Vietnam | No Comments

          Dramatic images of Vietnamese workers vandalising Chinese-owned factories appear to be yet more proof that an angry nationalism is taking hold in East and South East Asia. The reality is a little more complex. Although passions are certainly rising over the fate of a few specks of rock in the […]

China-Vietnam clash – interview for BBC World

China-Vietnam clash – interview for BBC World

Posted by on May 7, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

          Why has China sent an oil rig, guarded by a flotilla of ships, into disputed waters near the Paracel Islands and sparked a confrontation with Vietnam just days before a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)? An interview explaining the background for BBC World’s Newsday programme. Link […]