Andrew S. Erickson

In January 2015, China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), the nation’s leading diplomatic school, released a report American China Experts (美国 “知华派” 专家, or members of the “School of American-Experts-Who-Know-China”). CFAU Associate Dean Prof. Wang Fan led scholars and analysts from leading universities and research institutions including CFAU, the Central Party School, Peking University, Renmin University […]

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Click here for more information on the House Armed Services Committee Hearing at which Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics), U.S. Department of Defense, recently testified.
House Armed Services Committee Hearing on Defense Department Technological Logistics
28 January 2015
Frank Kendall, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition:
[Underlining added]
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We’re at risk and the […]

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Words matter. Phrases such as “expansionist view” and “territorial revisionism” should not be used lightly when discussing the unfortunately painful, understandably sensitive, and fortunately not repeatable history of East Asia. It is a pity that Prof. Dudden did not place her assertions in a broader, more balanced comparative context by at least briefly mentioning the […]

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Wonder what Mao would have thought of all this lavishing vast personal wealth on the most decadent of foreign brands…
Devin Friedman, “The Bling Dynasty,” GQ (January 2015).
You probably know that people are getting rich in China. They lag only behind America in sheer number of billionaires. And you probably know that all of that money […]

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Defense News Asia Bureau Chief Wendell Minnick has published an 800-page directory on foreign aviation companies doing business in China (commercial and defense). The book includes the names of Chinese agents handling the company account, press releases, chronologies, speeches, and index. Directory of Foreign Aviation Companies in China: Commercial and Defense is available via Amazon.
Wendell […]

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A great debate whose time has come. Personally, I think Martinson strikes the right balance, but both experts have made useful contributions to the open source literature on this important yet understudied topic!
China’s consolidating Coast Guard is certainly acting in aggregate to further a larger national strategy of some sort; the question is, precisely how, […]

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Andrew S. Erickson, “Asia Get Ready: Is This China’s Vision of Future Aircraft Carrier Designs?” The National Interest, 8 December 2014.
Originally published as: Andrew S. Erickson, “Have We Just Glimpsed China’s Vision of Future Aircraft Carrier Designs?” China Analysis from Original Sources 以第一手资料研究中国 (6 December 2014).
A high-caliber model manufacturer may just have provided a unique glimpse […]

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One of the great things in life (in politics and elsewhere) is that even setbacks bring opportunities. Dan Twining makes a persuasive case that President Obama needs to act now to shore up his Asia-Pacific Rebalance–a signature part of his legacy that is not yet sufficiently funded or implemented. It’s time to make a full pitcher […]

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The National Interest demonstrates once again why it is one of the go-to forums for serious policy analysts. I’m always proud to publish there, and it’s a very enjoyable experience. Here’s why: instead of stipulating slick, superficial posts, the editors encourage in-depth analysis and serious debates. They even allow for occasional Chinese characters, which is […]

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Two unusually well-written articles by top journalists. Definitely worth reading if you haven’t already.
 
Jeremy Page, “Deep Threat: China’s Submarines Add Nuclear-Strike Capability, Altering Strategic Balance,” Wall Street Journal, October 24, 2014.
One Sunday morning last December, China’s defense ministry summoned military attachés from several embassies to its monolithic Beijing headquarters.
To the foreigners’ surprise, the Chinese said […]

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Here’s a great opportunity to join a world-class research community in a prime location. Do you have years of experience in warfare analysis, excellent critical thinking skills, and a desire to work closely with the best in the field? Getting tired of a Beltway commute, and/or want to have access to the Greater Boston Area […]

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An interesting interview with my respected mentor, and former Princeton dissertation committee reader and Naval War College colleague, Dr. Jonathan Pollack. Anyone who knows Jonathan knows that he always forms his own conclusions and clearly says what he thinks, without fear or favor! He was a pleasure to work for, and with, in Newport, and […]

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Serious multimedia coverage from serious journalists of these important events.
“Hong Kong Democracy Protests: CRT’s Live Blog,” China Real Time Report (中国实时报), Wall Street Journal, 1 October 2014.
Welcome to China Real Time’s live feed of what’s happening as tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters take to the streets of Hong Kong.
The city-wide protests entered their fourth day […]

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Information on some key actors in the current events: Leung Chun-ying, Andy Tsang, Zhang Xiaoming, Benny Tai, and Joshua Wong.
“Hong Kong Protests: Who’s Who,” China Real Time Report (中国实时报), Wall Street Journal, 30 September 2014.
The main characters in the tussle over Hong Kong democracy:
Leung Chun-ying
Hong Kong’s chief executive, 60
Mr. Leung, the son of a policeman, became Hong […]

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Incredible footage! If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this clip is worth at least 10,000…
Nero Chan, “Drone Shows Thousands Filling Hong Kong Streets,” YouTube, 29 September 2014.
Thousands of demonstrators turned out in downtown Hong Kong on September 29 to support a protest over Beijing’s decision to reject calls for open nominations for the election […]

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“Hong Kong Democracy Protests: CRT’s Live Blog,” China Real Time Report (中国实时报), Wall Street Journal, 29 September 2014.
Welcome to China Real Time’s live feed of what’s happening as pro-democracy protests kick off the week in Hong Kong, which was rocked over the weekend by tens of thousands of protesters massing in the streets and volleys of tear gas fired […]

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Thanks to Xiaoyu Pu for leading me to this prescient piece. 
David Schlesinger, Mei Fong, and Nicholas Bequelin, “Hong Kong—Now What?” A ChinaFile Conversation, 2 September 2014. 
David Schlesinger:
Hong Kong’s tragedy is that its political consciousness began to awaken precisely at the time when its leverage with China was at its lowest ebb. 
Where once China needed Hong […]

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On 29 September, Global Times published an article (pasted partially below here, and in full still further below) citing subject matter expert(s) as stating that, should the Hong Kong Police prove unable to control the protests, there would be no legal obstacles to People’s Armed Police crossing the border from the Mainland to stabilize the situation. […]

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Thanks to Xiaoyu Pu for directing me to these sources.
Max Fisher, “Hong Kong’s Unprecedented Protests and Police Crackdown, Explained,” Vox, 28 September 2014.
Protest marches and vigils are fairly common in Hong Kong, but what began on Friday and escalated dramatically on Sunday is unprecedented. Mass acts of civil disobedience were met by a shocking and swift […]

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