Writing in the New York Times, former Harvard Kennedy School fellow Paul V. Kane argues that giving up military support of Taiwan will reduce American debt, make China happy, help Obama win re-election, and generally just make things peachy-effing-keen for all parties involved: more ›

For those of you that weren't in Shanghai today, just know that the weather has affected the city's regular serotonin production in a significant way. Suffice it to say, the day's lack of sunlight and non-stop gray drizzle means that a great number of us are going to spend the evening moping about indoors, and we have just the perfect thing for it: an hour-long BBC documentary on China's expansion in Africa! more ›

Using one of the first info-gathering strategies taught in journalism schools, Graeme Smith of The Globe and Mail discovered documents hiding in a pile of street trash in the Bab Akkarah neighborhood of Tripoli, which allegedly detail China's recent offer to sell arms to Col. Gaddhafi, in violation of UN sanctions. more ›

It's not you, Muammar, it's us. We just feel like we should start seeing other leaders: "China said Monday that Libya’s opposition leader [Mahmoud Jibril] will visit this week, further increasing Beijing’s engagement in the Libyan conflict and dealing another setback to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. Mr. Jibril is the chairman of the executive board of the Transitional National Council, the umbrella organization of rebel groups trying to unseat Colonel Qaddafi. Chinese diplomats in Qatar met this month with the rebel council chairman, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil. A few days later, the Libyan foreign minister, Abdulati al-Obeidi, was sent to Beijing in an apparent attempt to reassert the Libyan government’s influence. China has pointedly avoided joining international calls for Colonel Qaddafi to step down, saying it is a matter for the Libyan people to decide. It also abstained in the vote by the United Nations Security Council authorizing the use of force against the Libyan government and has repeatedly criticized the NATO bombing campaign in support of the rebels." [New York Times]
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As the United States and Europe continue to reel from the financial fallout, Asia is heaving a collective sigh of relief that this time, it is at least not their fault. Iceland's biggest banking crisis ever has forced its almost bankrupt government to turn to Russia for a US$4 billion loan, raising eyebrows everywhere as to what this means for geopolitics in Europe. more ›