America.gov-East Asia and the Pacific

Indonesia Partners with United States to Protect Tropical Forests

Bridget Hunter — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:19:22 -0400

Indonesia is the newest participant in an innovative U.S. program to promote conservation of the world’s tropical forests. The State Department predicts these debt-for-nature agreements together will generate more than $218 million to protect these sensitive, and increasingly imperiled, ecosystems.

New Chinese Information Regulation Off to Good Start, Experts Say

Jim Fisher-Thompson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:44:03 -0400

As an exercise in participatory governance and a check on corruption, China’s new open government information regulation is off to a good start, specialists in freedom of information law say. But challenges remain, especially in the area of document disclosure.

Obama Says U.S. Prepared for Any North Korean Threat

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:34:25 -0400

The United States is prepared if North Korea launches a long-range ballistic missile in the direction of Hawaii near the July 4 weekend, President Obama says. “This administration, and our military, is fully prepared for any contingencies,” Obama says in a media interview.

Obama, South Korea President Discuss North Korea, Trade Issues

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:02:24 -0400

President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, following a meeting at the White House, say they are committed to making the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons, and that recent actions by North Korea pose a grave threat.

U.S. Honors Anti-Trafficking “Heroes” from Indonesia, Malaysia

Yasmine Alotaibi — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:51:23 -0400

Elly Anita of Indonesia and Alice Nah of Malaysia are being recognized by the United States for their courageous efforts to combat human trafficking.

China, United States Can Cooperate to Reduce CO2 Emissions

Bridget Hunter — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:24:29 -0400

Following meetings in Beijing, U.S. Special Envoy Todd Stern says he is confident the United States and China can work together to resolve the urgent problem of climate change. All participants “came away with a better and a clearer understanding of each other’s views and perspectives,” he says.

United Nations Imposes Sanctions on North Korea

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:08:19 -0400

The U.N. Security Council unanimously votes to impose additional security and economic sanctions and a trade and arms embargo on North Korea for testing a nuclear device on May 25 and also for testing a long-range ballistic missile in April.

Four Uighur Guantánamo Detainees Resettled in Bermuda

Stephen Kaufman — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:20:57 -0400

The U.S. Department of Justice announces that Bermuda has resettled four of the 17 Uighur detainees who have been held at the Guantánamo Bay detention center in Cuba. Attorney General Eric Holder commends the government of Bermuda’s leadership and assistance on the issue.

U.N. Security Council to Consider New Sanctions on North Korea

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:47:43 -0400

The five permanent Security Council members, along with Japan and South Korea, presented a resolution to the full 15-member Council on June 10 that would impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent nuclear weapon test, says U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice.

U.S. Seeking Strong Response to North Korea’s Nuclear Actions

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:40:11 -0400

Not taking significant and effective action against North Korea’s recent “provocative and belligerent behavior” to test a nuclear weapon and launch repeated short-range missiles could spark an arms race in Northeast Asia that nobody wants, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says.

U.S. Global Partnerships Key in Fighting Drug-Resistant TB

Kelly Daniel — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:23:13 -0400

Partnerships among U.S. government agencies, private entities, research institutions and other governments are at the center of global efforts to conquer the threat of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Countries Victimized by Pirates Pursue Legal Cases

Jacquelyn S. Porth — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:13:29 -0400

The international community is combating piracy in various ways. Laws need to be updated as governments seek new legal authorities. Successful prosecution requires eyewitnesses to be available for trials held far from the crime scene. This is problematic for those who earn their living at sea.

U.S., China Cooperating to Help Shape Global Economic Recovery

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:11:40 -0400

In remarks at Peking University, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says China and the United States are working together to help shape a global strategy to contain the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for a rapid recovery. Geithner says the global recession appears to be losing force.

U.S. Will Not Accept North Korea as Nuclear Weapons State

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:42:33 -0400

The United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told an annual Asian security conference. The country’s quest for nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles has “isolated North Korea globally and, quite literally, starved its people.”

Asian-American Graphic Novelist Gene Yang Turns Life into Comics

Sonya Weakley — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:32:03 -0400

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the first graphic novel to be nominated for the National Book Award in the United States. The book, based on Yang’s childhood difficulties accepting his Asian heritage, was one of five 2006 finalists in the Young People’s Literature category.

Global Initiative for Halting Weapons Shipments Gains New Member

Deidra Avendasora — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:44:32 -0400

South Korea’s May 26 decision to endorse the Proliferation Security Initiative, following North Korea’s May 25 nuclear test, is drawing new attention to the global cooperative that aims to stop trafficking in weapons of mass destruction.

Clinton Says North Korea’s Actions Will Bring Consequences

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:00:36 -0400

The United States is working with the international community at the United Nations and in national capitals across the globe to determine the consequences that North Korea will face based on its latest behavior, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says.

Obama Calls North Korea’s Nuclear Test Reckless

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:58:20 -0400

North Korea’s recent underground nuclear test and short-range missile tests pose “a great threat to the peace and security of the world, and I strongly condemn their reckless action,” President Obama says at the White House, adding that the tests are a violation of international law.

U.S. Trade Representative Underscores Safety of U.S. Meat Exports

Bridget Hunter — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:01:22 -0400

U.S. meat products are safe and American ranchers and farmers are helping feed the families of the world, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says. Trade, particularly trade in agricultural products, can be a “powerful contributor to the revival of the U.S. and global economies,” he says.

Obama Names Utah Governor to be U.S. Ambassador to China

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:42:07 -0400

President Obama selects Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. to be the next U.S. ambassador to China. The nomination, which requires U.S. Senate approval, reflects the president’s regard for the breadth of issues in U.S.-China relations as well as Huntsman’s character and qualifications.

Obama on Nomination of Governor Huntsman as U.S. Envoy to China

simmonsjx — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:21:13 -0400

President Obama and Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah make remarks on Obama’s appointment of Huntsman as the new U.S. ambassador to China.

Ambassador Rice’s Remarks on Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma

safiae — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:35:13 -0400

Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, makes remarks on the current situation of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma.

United States Expresses Outrage over Arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:48:43 -0400

The United States expresses outrage to Burma’s military junta for placing new charges against detained Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. “I am deeply troubled by the Burmese government’s decision to charge Aung San Suu Kyi for a baseless crime,” Secretary of State Clinton says.

Clinton Remarks After Meeting Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah

simmonsjx — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:34:18 -0400

The State Department releases remarks by Secretary of State Clinton and Malaysian Foreign Minister Y.B. Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman after their meeting.

From Philosophy to Food, Asian Culture Inspires Americans

Andrew Lam — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:40:53 -0400

Author Andrew Lam says the popularity of Asian culture and its influence in the United States no longer is news. What is new is that it’s often non-Asian Americans who practice and promote Asian cultures, and that people now have more options than simply accepting traditions in which they grew up.

Clinton’s Remarks on Global Engagement and Citizen Diplomacy

safiae — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:29:03 -0400

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton outlines renewed U.S. efforts toward global engagement for the graduating class of New York University and asks students to help build new partnerships and “seek solutions to the global crises that cannot be solved by any one people or one government alone.”

Remarks to Media by U.S. Representative for North Korea Policy

Bridget Hunter — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:54:18 -0400

Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, ends a visit to East Asia after having reached agreement with some members of the Six-Party Talks process on the way forward and leaving the door open to the possibility of bilateral U.S.-North Korea talks.

Editors Discuss Creation of Asian-American Superhero Anthology

Peggy B. Hu — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:02:13 -0400

America.gov interviews editors Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, Keith Chow and Jerry Ma about their new graphic novel, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology.

Asian-American Experiences Viewed Through Superhero Lens

Peggy B. Hu — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:59:34 -0400

Although superheroes have become part of modern-day mythology, the experiences of Asian Americans rarely have been included in those stories, says the editor in chief of a new graphic novel, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, that seeks to fill that gap.

Graphic Novels: An Evolving Art Form Tackles New Themes

Lauren Monsen — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:04:52 -0400

Graphic novels, combining comics-style artwork and dialogue, are winning acceptance as serious literary works that address complex issues. With the emergence of a new generation of Asian-American authors, the genre is exploring themes of identity, cultural roots and ethnic heritage.

U.S. Delegation Seeks to Resume North Korea Talks

Merle David Kellerhals, Jr. — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:38:49 -0400

A U.S. delegation is traveling to Northeast Asia and Moscow to determine if North Korea can be convinced to resume Six-Party Talks. “We all, in the international community, have an interest in seeing a denuclearized Korean Peninsula,” State Department spokesman Robert Wood says.

United States, China Agree to Enhanced Strategic, Economic Talks

Merle David Kellerhals Jr. — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:27:28 -0400

The United States and China have agreed to actively seek improvements in U.S.-China relations and address global issues of common interest, President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao say. Obama has accepted an invitation from Hu to visit China later in 2009.