Korean Peninsula
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1. ROK-DPRK Summit
The ROK and the DPRK agreed on most issues for holding the summit meeting in Pyongyang in June, except for the number of journalists that would be allowed to cover the meeting. The ROK wanted to allow a pool of 80 reporters, while the DPRK was willing to accept on half that amount.
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“Inter-Korean Summit” (Daily Report, May 12, ROK)
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 11, ROK)
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 9, US)
“Inter-Korean Summit” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK)
“ROK-DPRK Summit” (Daily Report, May 8, US)
“US on Inter-Korean Talks” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK) |
2. ROK-US-Japan Policy Coordination
Delegates from the US, Japan, and the ROK met in Tokyo to coordinate their policies toward the DPRK. Anonymous sources said that the three sides are showing some differences in their approaches.
“US-ROK-Japan Policy Coordination” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“ROK-US-Japan Policy Coordination” (Daily Report, May 12, ROK)
“US-ROK-Japan Policy Coordination” (Daily Report, May 12, Japan) |
3. ROK Aid to DPRK
The ROK agreed to send 200,000 tons of fertilizer to the DPRK. The DPRK also asked for ROK aid in setting up pediatric and dental hospitals.
“ROK Aid to DPRK” (Daily Report, May 12, ROK)
“ROK Aid to DPRK” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“ROK Aid to DPRK” (Daily Report, May 11, ROK)
“ROK Aid to DPRK” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“ROK Aid for DPRK” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK))
“ROK Aid to DPRK” (Daily Report, May 8, US) |
4. DPRK Participation in ARF
The DPRK formally submitted an application to join the Associations of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF). The application is expected to be approved.
“DPRK Participation in ARF” (Daily Report, May 12, ROK)\
“DPRK Participation in ARF” (Daily Report, May 11, US) |
5. DPRK Participation in ADB
The ROK proposed that the DPRK be allowed to join the Asian Development Bank, but the US and Japan voted against the proposal on the grounds that the DPRK remains on the US State Department’s list of states that sponsor terrorism.
“DPRK Membership in ADB” (Daily Report, May 12, Japan)
“DPRK Participation in International Organizations” (Daily Report , May 9, ROK)
“DPRK Participation in ADB” (Daily Report, May 8, US) |
6. US-DPRK Relations
The DPRK criticized the US for keeping it on the list of states sponsoring terrorism, arguing that such an act is not conducive to a true engagement policy. The US announced that it would resume joint searches with the DPRK for the remains of US servicemen killed during the Korean War. The US will also carry out a second inspection of the underground construction site at Kumchangri.
“DPRK-US Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“Remains of US Soldiers from Korean War” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“DPRK-US Talks” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK)
“US Inspection of DPRK Site” (Daily Report, May 8, ROK) |
7. DPRK-Japan Talks
The DPRK accused Japan of deliberately slowing the progress of normalization talks by raising the issues of alleged DPRK kidnapping of Japanese citizens and the DPRK’s missile program.
“DPRK-Japan Normalization Talks” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“Japan-DPRK Relations” (Daily Report, May 9, US) |
8. Australia-DPRK Relations
Australia and the DPRK formally announced their resumption of diplomatic relations after a 25-year hiatus.
“DPRK-Australian Normalization” (Daily Report, May 12, Japan)
“PRC View of DPRK-Australian Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“DPRK-Australia” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK)
“DPRK-Australian Normalization” (Daily Report, May 9, Australia)
“Commentaries on Normalization” (Daily Report, May 9, Australia)
“DPRK-Australia Normalization” (Daily Report, May 8, US)
“DPRK-Australia Normalization” (Daily Report, May 8, ROK) |
9. DPRK Refugees in PRC
Kim Young-dal, an activist for human rights for DPRK refugees in the PRC, was found dead in his home in Japan. Police are treating the death as a murder case.
“DPRK Refugees in PRC” (Daily Report, May 11, ROK) |
10. ROK Chemical Weapons
The ROK admitted that it had a stockpile of chemical weapons, but said it was in the process of carrying out its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
“ROK Chemical Weapons” (Daily Report, May 9, ROK) |
Taiwan Straits
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11. Satellite Photos of PRC Military
The Federation of American Scientists published satellite images of the PRC’s airforce bases which challenge the idea that the PRC holds air superiority over Taiwan.
“PRC-Taiwan Balance of Power” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“Satellite Photos of PRC Military” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“Security and Commercial Satellite Imagery” (NPP Special Report) |
12. PRC Military Exercises
Taiwan military sources were quoted as saying that the PRC plans to hold military exercises targeted at Taiwan around the time of Taiwan President-elect Chen Shui-bian’s inauguration, but a Taiwan Defense Department spokesman denied the reports.
“PRC Military Exercises” (Daily Report, May 8, US) |
13. US Views of Taiwan Straits
US analysts said that it would be difficult for the US to respond if the PRC decided to attack Taiwan. US Captain Richard Sharpe said that the PRC’s “obsessive” focus on Taiwan in changing the naval balance in East Asia. Tsai Ing-wen, incoming chairwoman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, called on the US to take a more active role in helping the PRC and Taiwan improve relations.
“US Response to Cross-Straits Conflict” (Daily Report, May 9, US)
“PRC Naval Strength” (Daily Report, May 9, US)
“US Policy toward Taiwan” (Daily Report, May 12, US) |
People’s Republic of China
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14. PRC View of Missile Defense
The PRC warned that US development of a missile defense system would lead to a new arms race, but US officials said that they believed that the PRC would seek to upgrade its nuclear weapons regardless of US actions on missile defense.
“PRC View of Missile Defense” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“PRC View of US Missile Defense” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“PRC Views of Missile Defense” (NPP Flash, V. 2, N. 17) |
15. US-PRC Trade Relations
Lyuba Zarsky, Ted Galen Carpenter, and the Heritage Foundation all called on the US to grant the PRC Permanent Normal Trade Relations as part of an overall strategy of engagement. Members of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, however, warned that doing so would hurt US security by aiding the PRC military.
“US-PRC Trade Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“PRC-US Trade Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“The Future of US-China Relations: Do Progressives Have a Vision?” (Nautilus paper)
“US-PRC Trade Relations” (NPP Flash, V. 2, N. 17)
“The US should adopt a flexible policy toward Beijing” (Special Report) |
16. PRC Military
Experts at a conference sponsored by Jane’s Information Group expressed skepticism that the PRC will be able to carry out the military modernization it seeks.
“PRC Military” (Daily Report, May 8, US) |
17. PRC-Japan Talks
PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks in Tokyo with Japanese officials on Taiwan and other issues of mutual concern.
“Japanese-PRC Talks” (Daily Report, May 12, Japan)
“Japan-PRC Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
“PRC-Japanese Relations” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“Japan-PRC Relations” (Daily Report, May 9, US) |
Japan
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18. Japanese Navy
The PRC criticized joint Japan-Indian naval exercises in the South China Sea. Japan also concluded an agreement with Singapore to use the latter’s naval bases.
“Japan-India Military Exercises” (Daily Report, May 11, PRC)
“Indian Naval Exercises” (Daily Report, May 8, US)
“Japanese Navy” (NPP Flash, V. 2, N. 17) |
19. US Military in Japan
Protesters on Okinawa demanded the removal of US troops based in Japan. Analysts said that the move to revise the Japanese constitution is partly driven by a desire to no longer depend on US troop presence for security.
“US Military in Japan” (Daily Report, May 12, US)
“Japanese Constitutional Revisions” (Daily Report, May 11, US)
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