3206 publications
Russia and the "Eastern Partnership" after the War in Georgia
Russia's military intervention in Georgia in August 2008 sent a shock wave across the post-Soviet space, particularly the republics to the west and south of Russia. In December 2008, the European Union formalized the Eastern Partnership initiative, directed at Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In order to understand the impact of this war both on Russia's bilateral relations with these countries and on the Eastern Partnership area as a whole, this article analyzes the reactions of these former Soviet republics to the Russian offensive. Three types of response are observed: keeping distance from Russia; maintaining a balance between Moscow and the West; and, finally, changing course (from rapprochement to keeping a distance and vice-versa) vis-à-vis the former center of the Soviet Empire.
Japan-North Korea Relations: (Sad) State of Play and (Sad) Prospects
Japan and the Democratic People"s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are as far away as ever from establishing anything resembling ‘normal" relations, let alone official diplomatic ties. This paper traces the history of the ups-and-downs in the Japan-DPRK relationship during the last decade.
Development of Rural China in the 21st Century: Progress Made and Challenges Ahead -- From the Perspective of Economic Freedoms and Social Rights
This paper proposes a detailed presentation of the obstacles to the development of rural areas in China today, and of the transformations and ongoing reforms since the beginning of the 21st century.
Chen Guangjin is a Research Fellow of the Institute of Sociology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.