Archive | China SignPost™ 洞察中国

28 March 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #30–The Saudi Arabia of Corn: Reduce U.S. ethanol production and boost corn exports to China to trim the trade deficit and ensure China’s food security

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “The Saudi Arabia of Corn: Reduce U.S. Ethanol Production and Boost Corn Exports to China to Trim the Trade Deficit and Ensure China’s Food Security,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 30 (28 March 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
In 2010, the U.S. used roughly 138 million tonnes of corn to produce […]

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14 March 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #29: India Plays Catch-up with China: Asia’s titans boost 2011 defense budgets

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “India Plays Catch-up with China: Asia’s Titans Boost 2011 Defense Budgets,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 29 (14 March 2011).
Air and naval implications of India’s higher spending and evolving strategic priorities.
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
China announced on 5 March 2011 that it would boost defense spending by 12.7% in 2011 […]

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09 March 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #28: China’s Economic & Strategic Interests in CENTCOM’s Area of Responsibility: Assessment and policy recommendations

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “China’s Economic & Strategic Interests in CENTCOM’s Area of Responsibility: Assessment and Policy Recommendations,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 28 (9 March 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
China’s recent operation to evacuate its citizens in Libya saw PLA ships and aircraft pass through the U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR), suggesting […]

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01 March 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #27: “The PLA Air Force’s First Overseas Operational Deployment: Analysis of China’s decision to deploy IL-76 transport aircraft to Libya”

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “The PLA Air Force’s First Overseas Operational Deployment: Analysis of China’s decision to Deploy IL-76 Transport Aircraft to Libya,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 27 (1 March 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
China’s evacuation of its citizens from Libya became a multi-service operation on the afternoon of 28 February 2011, when the […]

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28 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #26–Missile Frigate Xuzhou Transits Suez Canal, to Arrive off Libya ~Wednesday 2 March: China’s first operational deployment to Mediterranean addresses Libya’s evolving security situation

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Missile Frigate Xuzhou Transits Suez Canal, to Arrive off Libya ~Wednesday 2 March: China’s First Operational Deployment to Mediterranean Addresses Libya’s Evolving Security Situation,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 26 (27 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
Current situation
Libya’s security situation is becoming increasingly volatile as embattled leader Col. Muammar […]

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24 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #25–China Dispatches Warship to Protect Libya Evacuation Mission: Marks the PRC’s first use of frontline military assets to protect an evacuation mission

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “China Dispatches Warship to Protect Libya Evacuation Mission: Marks the PRC’s First Use of Frontline Military Assets to Protect an Evacuation Mission,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 25 (24 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
What we know
The PLA Navy has just dispatched Xuzhou, a Type 054 Jiangkai-II class missile […]

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22 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #24: “Libya Looming: Key strategic implications for China of unrest in the Arab World and Iran”

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Libya Looming: Key strategic implications for China of unrest in the Arab World and Iran,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 24 (22 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
As violence flares in Libya and elsewhere across the Arab countries and Iran, we see a number of core interests that China will […]

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21 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #23: “Chinese now pay 33% more for gasoline and 16% more for diesel than Americans”

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Chinese Now Pay 33% More for Gasoline and 16% More for Diesel than Americans,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 23 (21 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©

With the latest price increase on 20 February 2011, Chinese drivers now pay more than US$4 per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel—more […]

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17 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #22–Keeping the Mandate of Heaven: Why China’s leaders focus heavily on grain prices and security

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Keeping the Mandate of Heaven: Why China’s Leaders Focus Heavily on Grain Prices and Security,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 22 (17 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©

Famine and grain supply problems helped topple at least 5 of China’s 17 dynasties.
Global grain prices are already near the 2008 levels […]

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04 February 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #21–Twilight in the Tundra: Russian and Kazakh oil production cannot keep up with China’s rising demand

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Twilight in the Tundra: Russian and Kazakh Oil Production Cannot Keep up with China’s Rising Demand,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 21 (4 February 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©

China’s oil demand growth each year is likely to exceed the delivery rate of the current Russia-to-China pipeline.
Oil production in Eastern Siberia […]

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31 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #20–Counting the Barrels: Heavy truck sales are a better barometer than car sales of China’s oil demand growth

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Counting the Barrels: Heavy Truck Sales Are a Better Barometer than Car Sales of China’s Oil Demand Growth,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 20 (31 January 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©

Chinese dealers sold more than one million heavy trucks in 2010 and sales could hit 1.2 million vehicles in 2011.
New […]

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24 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #19–Dissecting China’s Economy: 15 Chinese provinces and municipalities could by themselves qualify as Top-50 global economies

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Dissecting China’s Economy: 15 Chinese Provinces and Municipalities Could by Themselves Qualify as Top-50 Global Economies,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 19 (23 January 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
As China reports strong national GDP growth for 2010 (10.3%), we think it is interesting and worthwhile to see how the economic […]

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17 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #18–China’s New Project 718/J-20 Fighter: Development outlook and strategic implications

China’s New Project 718/J-20 Fighter: Development outlook and strategic implications
Posted: 17. Jan, 2011 Last update: 17. Jan, 2011
Gabe Collins and Andrew Erickson, “China’s New Project 718/J-20 Fighter: Development outlook and strategic implications,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国), No. 18 (17 January 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
–China’s J-20 fighter has the potential to be a formidable air […]

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10 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #17: Dying for a Spot: China’s car ownership growth is driving a national parking space shortage

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Dying for a Spot: China’s Car Ownership Growth is Driving a National Parking Space Shortage,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 17 (10 January 2011).

Major Chinese cities are suffering from a serious shortage of parking space as supporting infrastructure lags rapid car fleet growth. In Luoyang, a man was beaten to death […]

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05 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #16–Southern Sudan Referendum: Potential security problems for China

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Southern Sudan Referendum: Potential Security Problems for China,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 16 (5 January 2011).
Key Points

The independence referendum in Southern Sudan scheduled for 9 January 2011 is likely to test China’s non-interference policy.
China increasingly faces: 1) assumptions by the global community that it will behave as a global stakeholder […]

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03 January 2011

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #15–Eleven for ’11: Key things and events to watch for in China during 2011

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Eleven for ’11: Key Things and Events to Watch for in China during 2011,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 15 (1 January 2011).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
As China and the world bound into the Year of the Hare, it is worth examining key trends and events that are likely to […]

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26 December 2010

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #14–China Deploys World’s First Long-Range, Land-Based ‘Carrier Killer’: DF-21D Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) Reaches “Initial Operational Capability” (IOC)

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “China Deploys World’s First Long-Range, Land-Based ‘Carrier Killer’: DF-21D Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) Reaches ‘Initial Operational Capability’ (IOC),” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 14 (26 December 2010).
Japanese translation: “中国の対艦弾道ミサイル開発に関する最近の報道について”
[ACCOMPANYING GRAPHICS AVAILABLE IN FULL COLOR VIA LINKS TO PDF COPY ABOVE]
For further information on Chinese ASBM development, see also “China Testing Anti-Ship […]

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22 December 2010

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #13–Still a Pipedream: A Pakistan-to-China rail corridor is not a substitute for maritime transport

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Still a Pipedream: A Pakistan-to-China rail corridor is not a substitute for maritime transport,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 13 (22 December 2010).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
The recent flurry of trade deals and MOUs (worth US$35 billion) signed during Premier Wen Jiabao’s recent visit to Pakistan have brought the […]

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22 December 2010

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #12–LNG Carriers to Aircraft Carriers? Assessing the potential for crossover between civilian and military shipbuilding in China

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “LNG Carriers to Aircraft Carriers? Assessing the Potential for Crossover between Civilian and Military Shipbuilding in China,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 12 (18 December 2010).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
Key policy implications:

China’s growing proficiency in building massive ore carriers and oil tankers suggests that Chinese yards can physically fabricate […]

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