December 9th, 2011

China's vibrant, changing media landscape

Newsstands dot the street corners of China's major cities, and each day the country's netizens cram into Internet cafes to surf the web and connect with friends online. Last year alone, Chinese readers purchased 50 billion newspapers and the government reported 163 million regular Internet cafe users. According to panelists at the Dec. 7 China's Changing Media Landscape event, now is both an exciting and a challenging time to be a journalist in China. Read more »

December 6th, 2011

Lee Kong Chian NUS-Stanford Distinguished Fellowship program accepting applications

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Stanford University are offering qualified scholars working on contemporary Southeast Asia the unique opportunity to spend time at both campuses (for a combined total of up to six months) writing, researching, and interacting with NUS and Stanford scholars and students. Up to two awards will be made. Applications for the 2012-13 Lee Kong Chian NUS-Stanford Distinguished Fellowship will be accepted until February 10, 2012.

• » Lee Kong Chian NUS-Stanford Distinguished Fellowship on Contemporary Southeast Asia 2012-2013

December 5th, 2011

Economic, social, and security implications of East Asia's demographic transition

Asia's demographic landscape is changing in a big way, presenting policymakers with new challenges and questions. Shorenstein APARC focused its third annual Stanford Kyoto Trans-Asian Dialogue on addressing the possible economic, social, and security implications of Asia’s unprecedented demographic transition. The final report from this event is now available for free download. Read more »

December 2nd, 2011

Fractured Rebellion a 'groundbreaking book,' says China Beat

Fractured Rebellion is the first full-length account of the evolution of China's Red Guard Movement in Beijing, the nation's capital, from its beginnings in 1966 to its forcible suppression in 1968. A recent China Beat review praised Andrew G. Walder's 2009 book as "groundbreaking" and as "[bringing] meaning to a whirlwind of events."

• » Fractured Rebellion: The Beijing Red Guard Movement
• » China Beat: Fractured Rebellion

Food aid would set North Korea's capacity free

Life in North Korea is not as bleak as people imagine, says former humanitarian aid worker Katharina Zellweger, who lived in Pyongyang for five years. Food scarcity, however, is a serious concern and Zellweger says that other countries should consider providing more food aid to North Korea in order to set its economic and creative capacity free.

• » New American Media: Food aid can change North Korea
• » Yonhap News: Former aid official says N. Korean children suffer from poor diet

U.S. visit to Myanmar a major step

Southeast Asia is home to half a billion people, and the United States has significant political and economic interest in the region. In response to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent Myanmar visit -- the first major U.S. visit in more than 50 years -- Donald K. Emmerson spoke with the International Business Times and LinkAsia about what the trip potentially means for the United States, for Southeast Asia, and for China.

• » International Business Times: Clinton's Myanmar visit: Can Suu Kyi work magic after election?
• » LinkAsia: Clinton Embraces Aung San Suu Kyi (video)

November 22nd, 2011

Three graduates with FSI ties earn Rhodes, Mitchell scholarships

Two Stanford graduates with close ties to FSI’s centers have been named 2012 Rhodes Scholars. A third was selected as a Mitchell Scholar. Read more »

America pivots toward ASEAN

At the conclusion of the 2011 ASEAN Summit, Donald K. Emmerson says that President Barack Obama's participation in the summit and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Myanmar signal a brighter future for U.S.-Southeast Asia relations.

• » Asia Times Online: America Pivots toward ASEAN

November 21st, 2011

US, China role play for ASEAN

While attending the 2011 ASEAN Summit in Bali, SEAF director Donald K. Emmerson wrote in the Asia Times about the balance between the respectively economic and security roles that China and the United States play in East Asia.

• » Asia Times Online: US, China role play for ASEAN

November 17th, 2011

Thomas Fingar proposes some questions for the Republican presidential debate

GOP presidential hopefuls will discuss foreign policy and national security at a debate in Washington, D.C., Nov. 22. Here are five questions China scholar Thomas Fingar would like them to answer. Read more »

November 16th, 2011

A Facebook approach to work

Stepping into Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto, a first-time visitor might wonder how the company's employees ever accomplish anything. Wide-open work, meeting, and lounge spaces replace the traditional cubicle-office environment. Corporate Affiliates Visiting Fellows recently toured the Facebook facility -- a former Hewlett Packard building -- and learned about the company's open and creative work culture. Read more »

November 11th, 2011

Cambodia's successful battle against HIV/AIDS

When Siyan Yi was a medical student in Cambodia 12 years ago, he volunteered with a collaborative government-NGO project to provide young women at high risk for HIV/AIDS -- the victims of sexual exploitation -- with housing, vocational training, medical care, and psychological support. Cambodia at that time had one of Asia’s highest HIV-infection rates. That rate has dropped by half, thanks to government policy measures, international NGO support, and the efforts of medical professionals like Yi. Read more »

October 26th, 2011

Stable peninsula important to China's economy

North Korea is launching several joint mining projects with China and Russia, including copper and coal, which will help boost its economy. David Straub, associate director of the Korean Studies Program, spoke with the New York Times about how China's policy toward North Korea is influenced by its own economic interests.

• » New York Times: North Korea rents out its resources to stave off reform

October 24th, 2011

Huang Jianli discusses experience as Lee Kong Chian Fellow

Jianli Huang visited Stanford University during the spring quarter while serving as the 2010-11 Lee Kong Chian Fellow at the Southeast Asia Forum. Jointly sponsored by Stanford and the National University of Singapore (NUS), the fellowship was established in 2007 to promote scholarship on contemporary Southeast Asia. Huang recently spoke with NUS about his experience at Stanford and about the research that he is conducting on Singapore entrepreneur and philanthropist Lee Kong Chian.

• » FASS, NUS: Huang Jianli interview

October 19th, 2011

Corporate Affiliates Program welcomes 2011-12 fellows to Stanford

As the new academic year gets underway, the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center's Corporate Affiliates Program is excited to welcome its new class of fellows to Stanford University. Read more »

October 17th, 2011

Independent Chinese media pioneer Caixin to receive 2011 Shorenstein Journalism Award

Stanford University's Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center is pleased to announce China's Caixin Media as the recipient of the 2011 Shorenstein Journalism Award. Caixin was selected for its commitment to integrity in journalism, and for its path-breaking role as a leader in establishing an independent media in China. On December 7, Caixin editor-in-chief Hu Shuli and managing editor Wang Shuo visited Stanford to accept the award. Read more »

October 13th, 2011

Possible new trends in caring for China's elderly

As lifestyles in China are changing, so too is the ability for people to care for their elderly family members at home. American healthcare companies are beginning to eye China as a potential market for senior residential facilities. Asia Health Policy Program director Karen Eggleston spoke with NPR about possible models for providing affordable, quality care for China's elderly.

• » NPR: U.S. assisted living model to be tried in China

Indonesia promotes its economic and political strengths

Indonesia is strategically positioning itself to play an even greater role in global economics and politics, particularly by promoting its stable political system and the opportunities for foreign investment there. Southeast Asia Forum director Donald Emmerson spoke recently with the Straits Times about the Indonesian government's strategy and about the global conditions favoring the country's growth.

• » Straits Times: Push to rebrand Indonesia as key global player

October 11th, 2011

In final year, President Lee Myung-bak should pave the way for the next administration

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's term will come to a close in December 2012 and a new administration will take office. What does this mean for the country's North Korea policy in the coming year? In an interview with the Korea Times, Gi-Wook Shin urges that Lee stay consistent with his current hard-line stance rather than adopt any new strategies before exiting.

• » Korea Daily

New Beginnings group releases annual U.S.-Korea recommendations to Obama administration

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to Washington, DC on October 13, and the two leaders traveled together to Detroit the following day to urge early approval of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) by both legislatures. On the eve of the visit, the New Beginnings policy study group released its annual report of recommendations on U.S.-Korea relations to the Obama administration. With U.S.-South Korean relations stronger than ever and with presidential elections scheduled in both countries late next year, the New Beginnings policy experts urged a steady course and a focus on implementation of current policies rather than new initiatives in the alliance or toward North Korea.

• » “New Beginnings” in the U.S.-ROK Alliance: Recommendations to the Obama Administration (October 2011)

October 6th, 2011

East Asia internships for students

The Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center and the Division of International, Comparative, and Area Studies are excited to offer highly qualified Stanford students an opportunity to extend classroom knowledge of East Asia to real-life working and cultural experiences through the East Asia Internship Program. Internship positions will cover a wide spectrum of business, non-profit, media, educational, medical, technology, and government activities.

• » East Asia Internship Program

Informing EU policymakers on Japan's experiences

The European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, recently invited professor of political science Phillip Lipscy to exchange views with European policymakers and present his research. The Directorate General of Enterprise and Industry sponsored Lipscy’s visit. Lipscy presented on lessons learned from Japan's experience in three areas: energy policy, financial crisis response, and fiscal retrenchment. He highlighted several practical policy solutions from Japan that the European Union should consider, such as the top runner program for energy efficiency. In addition, Lipscy warned that European policymakers should avoid repeating the mistakes of Japan's lost decade by responding to the Euro crisis quickly and decisively.

Japanese policymakers struggle over nuclear power question

Following March's triple disaster, Japanese policymakers are locked in a debate over nuclear power. Daniel Sneider, associate director for research at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, discusses the issues creating this political gridlock in the first op-ed of a two-part YaleGlobal series.

• » YaleGlobal: Japan in a Post 3/11 World, Part I

September 2nd, 2011

Opportunity for two junior scholars studying contemporary Asia

We are pleased to announce our annual call for the Walter H. Shorenstein Fellowship, which offers an exciting opportunity for two junior scholars to take part in the center’s research and publishing activities during the 2012–13 academic year. Application submission deadline is December 31, 2011.

• » Shorenstein Fellowships in Contemporary Asia

August 24th, 2011

Lipscy discusses global financial concerns

Political economist Phillip Lipscy spoke recently with Estrategia, a leading Chilean finance and business publication, about the politics of the financial crisis in the Euro Area, as well as what kind of implications it might have for the U.S. and Chinese economies. (Spanish-language interview)

• » Estrategia: U.S. weakness was expected, does not mean there will be another recession