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Michael Martina
For Michael Martina's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
WORLD
May 10, 2022
U.S. to announce plans to battle illegal fishing in the Pacific
The United States will soon announce plans to better battle illegal fishing in the Pacific, U.S. Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Monday.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Apr 7, 2022
China's balancing act over Ukraine offers Washington a subtle 'win'
U.S.-led pressure on China, including the specter of sanctions should it provide material support for Russia's war, appears to be helping keep Beijing on the fence over the conflict.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 4, 2022
'Quad' leaders agree Ukraine scenario must never happen in Indo-Pacific region
'This development makes it even more important to work toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific,' Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters after the virtual meeting.
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 4, 2022
U.S. lawmakers push to rename Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington
Any change in the office's name could provide cover to smaller countries to take similar steps to boost engagement with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 20, 2022
U.S. to set 'common goals' on Indo-Pacific economic cooperation in early 2022
U.S.-China relations have sunk to their lowest point in decades as U.S. President Joe Biden has sought to leverage ties with allies and partners to counter Beijing's actions.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 13, 2021
The curious case of a map and a disappearing Taiwan minister at U.S. democracy summit
A video feed of Taiwanese Digital Minister Audrey Tang was cut during the summit after a map in her slide presentation showed Taiwan in a different color to China.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 3, 2021
U.S. and EU concerned by China's 'problematic and unilateral actions' at sea
Both the U.S. and EU have 'increasingly convergent' views on China's 'concerning behavior' in the South China Sea.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Oct 22, 2021
With Biden and Xi meeting, U.S. aims to show responsible handling of China ties
Departing from Trump's go-it-alone approach to China policy, Biden has staked his strategy on mobilizing allies and partners in Europe and Asia.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jul 27, 2021
U.S. and China positions ossify at entrenched Tianjin talks
With no indication of a U.S.-China leaders' summit in the works, nor any outcomes announced from high-level diplomatic talks on Monday, relations between Beijing and Washington appear to be at a standstill as both sides insist the other must make concessions for ties to improve.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 28, 2021
U.S. senators and pro-China business lobby at odds over chip subsidy bill
A key goal of the funding is to bring the world's most advanced chip plants to the United States, but only foreign firms have the technology to do that.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Oct 29, 2020
Too hard to vote? Fired-up Black Americans are doing it anyway.
In the historically Black neighborhoods of Waco, Texas, the usual get-out-the-vote activities in this U.S. presidential election year were upended by the pandemic.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 15, 2019
China offers to end market-distorting subsidies at trade talks, but U.S. negotiators remain skeptical
China has pledged to end market-distorting subsidies for its domestic industries but offered no details on how it would achieve that goal, according to three people familiar with the U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing this week.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Sep 7, 2018
As U.S. readies to slap more tariffs on China, no end in sight for trade tensions
With U.S. President Donald Trump gearing up to impose tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods and Beijing certain to retaliate against any such measures, the world's two biggest economies are locked in an escalating trade war, with no resolution in sight.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Feb 28, 2018
China's military flexes muscles for domestic objective: more funding
With stealth jets entering service, leaked pictures of new high-tech naval artillery and proud reports of maneuvers that "dare to shine the sword," China's armed forces are putting on a show of power as they lobby for greater defense spending.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 26, 2018
China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power
China's plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea's ruling dynasty and charges of creating a dictator by a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Feb 19, 2018
China's Hui Muslims fear Lunar New Year education ban a sign of further restrictions to come
For some in China's ethnic Hui Muslim minority here, a recent ban on young people engaging in religious education in mosques is an unwelcome interference in how they lead their lives.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 5, 2017
China's Xi wants to put relations with India on 'right track'
China wants to put its relationship with India on the "right track," President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, as the two countries sought to mend ties damaged by a recent tense Himalayan border standoff.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Apr 4, 2017
Chinese wary over U.S. THAAD missile system because capabilities unknown, experts say
China is steadfastly opposed to the deployment of advanced U.S. anti-missile radars in South Korea because it does not know whether the defenses, intended for North Korean missiles, are capable of tracking and countering Beijing's own nuclear program, experts say.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 9, 2016
China responds strongly to North Korean nuclear test but is unlikely to do much
China criticized North Korea's nuclear test on Friday, but Beijing is unlikely to follow up with strong action because its influence is limited and it believes the United States and South Korea share responsibility for growing tensions in the region.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 31, 2016
China promises humane, lawful treatment of detained Canadian Christian accused of spying
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang promised on Wednesday that a Canadian man held in China for two years on suspicion of spying would be treated humanely and lawfully, but the man's family expressed frustration and called for his release.

Longform

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