[{"_1":2,"_297":-5,"_298":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_16":17,"_295":296},"root",{"_5":6,"_14":15},"fb",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":12,"_13":8},"apiKey","AIzaSyAdxqOaB63feHHqSm_nZCKsSHpSAcxkct8","authDomain","thediplomat.firebaseapp.com","projectId","firebase-thediplomat","appId","ga",true,"routes/$issue",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"slug","2015-11","path","/2015-11","issue",{"_24":25,"_26":27,"_28":29,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43},"eid","-K1X_9nAchZF3hzJt1IN","title","What Next for the Trans-Pacific Partnership?","description","This month Francisco Sanchez, former Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, looks at the future of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We also preview the Myanmar elections, go back in time to consider JFK’s forgotten 1962 crisis, and take on the conventional wisdom about China’s so-called ghost cities. All accompanied by reporting, analysis, and opinion from across the region.","masthead","","number",12,"date","November 2015","month",11,"year",2015,"status","rdy","toc",[44,62,85,95,121,145,170,195,220,241,262,279],{"_24":45,"_46":47,"_26":48,"_49":50},"CVRS","priority",0,"Cover Story","pages",[51],{"_24":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_46":47,"_18":61,"_40":41,"_26":27},"-K1X_D1dF0fiIuHqbHEm","image","12_CVRS_1","lead","

With the TPP, the Asia-Pacific has the opportunity to shape the future of international commerce.

","model","story","preview",1,"what-next-for-the-trans-pacific-partnership",{"_24":63,"_46":60,"_26":64,"_49":65},"LDS","Leads",[66,72,78],{"_24":67,"_53":68,"_55":69,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_46":47,"_18":70,"_40":41,"_26":71},"-K1X_D1zXUXbSyN6ihtD","12_LDS_1","

The forthcoming elections are a critical step into a somewhat uncertain future.

","myanmars-big-moment","Myanmar’s Big Moment",{"_24":73,"_53":74,"_55":75,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_46":60,"_18":76,"_40":41,"_26":77},"-K1X_D22b-18kzY72Oqy","12_LDS_2","

1962 is remembered for the Cuban Missile Crisis, but the U.S. almost got involved in another war.

","john-f-kennedys-forgotten-crisis","John F. Kennedy’s Forgotten Crisis",{"_24":79,"_53":80,"_55":81,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_46":82,"_18":83,"_40":41,"_26":84},"-K1X_D25f5KfauKCVSfS","12_LDS_3","

The same process that creates currently underpopulated new areas also has generated some of the world’s most successful cities

",2,"the-truth-about-chinas-ghost-cities","The Truth About China’s Ghost Cities",{"_24":86,"_46":82,"_26":87,"_49":88},"INT","Interview",[89],{"_24":90,"_53":91,"_55":92,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_46":47,"_18":93,"_40":41,"_26":94},"-K1X_D2DLbLv6qlUI7Fj","12_INT_1","

After a year in office, how has President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo redirected Indonesia’s foreign policy?

","donald-k-emmerson","Donald K. Emmerson",{"_24":96,"_46":97,"_26":98,"_49":99},"CHN",3,"China",[100,104,108,112,116],{"_24":101,"_55":102,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":103},"-K1X_D3uXwPK6j-KK_ZN","

It’s been nearly a year since the China-Japan breakthrough. What’s the state of the relationship today?

","Making Progress Between Beijing and Tokyo",{"_24":105,"_55":106,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":107},"-K1X_D3vWfcI0RfgGi7C","

Chinese investment in power plant projects in the U.K. has some worried, but “keeping the lights on is non-negotiable.”

","Kowtowing at Hinkley Point?",{"_24":109,"_55":110,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":111},"-K1X_D3wTmVtTZjOMCo9","

The two ambitious projects have become an integral part of Chinese diplomacy.

","China’s AIIB and OBOR: Ambitions and Challenges",{"_24":113,"_55":114,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":115},"-K1X_D3zQYk69ehyFQqO","

China is increasing its presence in the Russian Arctic. What does Moscow really think about it?

","Sino-Russian Relations in the Arctic: Thawing Out or Freezing Up?",{"_24":117,"_55":118,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":119,"_40":41,"_26":120},"-K1X_D4093vFjNCp0ATB","

It’s official: Hung Hsiu-chu is out, and Eric Chu is in. But will it make a difference?

",4,"Taiwan's Ruling Party Ousts Its Presidential Candidate",{"_24":122,"_46":119,"_26":123,"_49":124},"NEA","Northeast Asia",[125,129,133,137,141],{"_24":126,"_55":127,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":128},"-K1X_D44NNh_HKJiZEi4","

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic rhetoric is simple, but solutions to Japan’s economic woes are not.

","Japan: Getting Back to Abenomics",{"_24":130,"_55":131,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":132},"-K1X_D46DNXwrs8tvm4c","

South Korea’s Ministry of Education has a plan to renationalize the production of history textbooks.

","Politicizing History, Park Geun-hye Calls for State Textbook",{"_24":134,"_55":135,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":136},"-K1X_D49LPmn3_w1MVSt","

Could a new US-China-South Korea trilateral framework form?

","China’s Changing North Korea Policy",{"_24":138,"_55":139,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":140},"-K1X_D4AwpkiDQw2234x","

South Korea reverts to its old system of state-produced history textbooks, sparking a national debate.

","South Korea's Other History War",{"_24":142,"_55":143,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":119,"_40":41,"_26":144},"-K1X_D4CV3mVhSRsxwnZ","

South Korea’s relationships with China and the United States make for tricky diplomacy.

","Park’s US Visit Highlights Balancing Act With China",{"_24":146,"_46":147,"_26":148,"_49":149},"SOA",5,"South Asia",[150,154,158,162,166],{"_24":151,"_55":152,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":153},"-K1X_D4IJ2ApG7z6k-Fn","

It may be based in religion and sustained by sentiment and nationalism, but the beef taboo shouldn't justify violence in India.

","The Beef Taboo",{"_24":155,"_55":156,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":157},"-K1X_D4MxZBUfC6qNGA_","

Recent developments show that India’s attention is very much on the Indian Ocean.

","India’s ‘Look West’ Maritime Diplomacy",{"_24":159,"_55":160,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":161},"-K1X_D4QUyO66xVrsP61","

What are Pakistan’s interests in approaching the U.S. about a nuclear deal?

","All Pakistan Wants Is the Same Nuclear Deal the US Gave India",{"_24":163,"_55":164,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":165},"-K1X_D4V9EsxzU8oMXy6","

Bangladesh is rapidly making its bed with Islamic fundamentalism.

","Rising Extremist Worries in Bangladesh",{"_24":167,"_55":168,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":119,"_40":41,"_26":169},"-K1X_D4Wi-ven8vqeFYQ","

A group of young Afghans tries to stop their educated compatriots from migrating to Europe.

","Young Afghans Come Together to Prevent 'Brain Drain'",{"_24":171,"_46":172,"_26":173,"_49":174},"SEA",6,"Southeast Asia",[175,179,183,187,191],{"_24":176,"_55":177,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":178},"-K1X_D4ZJF-SjAQCMUSo","

Bangkok aims to create a single gateway for Internet traffic, with the express purpose of suppressing circulation of anti-monarchy material.

","Gateways of Perception in Thailand",{"_24":180,"_55":181,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":182},"-K1X_D4_zWyVQasp5GkV","

Wellington looks to deepen its already comprehensive engagement with Southeast Asia.

","ASEAN-New Zealand Relations Get a Boost",{"_24":184,"_55":185,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":186},"-K1X_D4afKYfPSydFwkM","

Other ethnic groups from Myanmar are facing an increasingly difficult situation too.

","Myanmar’s Refugee Problem: It’s Not Just the Rohingya",{"_24":188,"_55":189,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":190},"-K1X_D4dX7qyqNYG-KVi","

The future of the body hangs in the balance amid financial and performance concerns.

","Why the Mekong River Commission May Be In Peril",{"_24":192,"_55":193,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":119,"_40":41,"_26":194},"-K1X_D4eVNfL_gWsMdhL","

A look at the four major candidates ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

","The Race for the Philippine Presidency Has Begun",{"_24":196,"_46":197,"_26":198,"_49":199},"CEA",7,"Central Asia",[200,204,208,212,216],{"_24":201,"_55":202,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":203},"-K1X_D4gLX1SIL9lSsdG","

While Moscow never really left the region, its presence is noticeably on the rise.

","Russia’s Military Return to Central Asia",{"_24":205,"_55":206,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":207},"-K1X_D4jaat7jfdNnpZL","

In 2015, both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan elected new parliaments. They couldn’t more dissimilar.

","A Tale of Two Elections",{"_24":209,"_55":210,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":211},"-K1X_D4m2OnHPD31O7E2","

Once again the Kumtor gold mine produces controversy.

","European Environmental Team Harassed in Kyrgyzstan",{"_24":213,"_55":214,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":215},"-K1X_D4pDiarqRUFeX-r","

Caught between the undelineated Caspian and a deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, Ashgabat has few options.

","Are Turkmenistan’s Pipelines Pipe Dreams?",{"_24":217,"_55":218,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":119,"_40":41,"_26":219},"-K1X_D4rzobTAR5IjtVh","

Mostly more of the same in the annual religious freedom report, but a small hopeful note.

","Terrorism as Pretext: Religious Repression in Central Asia",{"_24":221,"_46":222,"_26":223,"_49":224},"OCE",8,"Oceania",[225,229,233,237],{"_24":226,"_55":227,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":228},"-K1X_D4u1uXchci1kauj","

The prime minister has big plans, but can he keep his party in step?

","Malcolm Turnbull: Reformer?",{"_24":230,"_55":231,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":232},"-K1X_D4vBOMaF7_O7RER","

The debate often misses the regional context surrounding Australia’s submarine program.

","Australia’s Submarine Debate: Shipyards and Seas",{"_24":234,"_55":235,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":236},"-K1X_D4wWTHGM6S_VDT2","

In 1815, a German, on behalf of the Russian-American Company, tried to conquer Hawaii in the name of the Tsar.

","Russia’s Pacific Paradise",{"_24":238,"_55":239,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":240},"-K1X_D4xA9Z9bvHF828y","

While the president was out of the country, the speaker of parliament pardoned himself after being convicted on corruption charges.

","Trouble in Paradise: Intrigue and Corruption in Vanuatu",{"_24":242,"_46":243,"_26":244,"_49":245},"SCR",9,"Security",[246,250,254,258],{"_24":247,"_55":248,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":249},"-K1X_D6P0DexbGQe5klu","

Four reasons why Tokyo’s military will not threaten peace in East Asia.

","Understanding Japan’s Military Limitations",{"_24":251,"_55":252,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":253},"-K1X_D6TuuoINoFVEzqu","

Is the Indian Navy justified in building large warships?

","The Indian Navy and the ‘Battleship’ Debate",{"_24":255,"_55":256,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":257},"-K1X_D6UQ_znkv5Wej4w","

The U.S. Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan does not meet requirements for amphibious warfare in the Pacific.

","Is the US Navy Too Weak to Fight in the Asia-Pacific?",{"_24":259,"_55":260,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":97,"_40":41,"_26":261},"-K1X_D6WxcmkLGBaT5HY","

At a recent Expo, Chinese companies showcased several new aircraft and drones.

","Chinese Arms Companies Pick Up the Pace in Africa and Middle East",{"_24":263,"_46":264,"_26":265,"_49":266},"DPL",10,"Diplomacy",[267,271,275],{"_24":268,"_55":269,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":270},"-K1X_D6YgisQXmZCTqu0","

Mongolia’s president wants the country to become an oasis of neutrality in a diplomatically fraught region.

","A Northeast Asian Switzerland",{"_24":272,"_55":273,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":274},"-K1X_D6_Obcoo98hkiDu","

September’s summit appears to have changed little.

","The Impasse of US-China Relations",{"_24":276,"_55":277,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":278},"-K1X_D6asHPfNDaxBt6G","

Upcoming visits next month by US and Chinese leaders will test Hanoi’s balancing skills.

","Vietnam Between China and the United States: The Next Balancing Test Beckons",{"_24":280,"_46":37,"_26":281,"_49":282},"ASL","Asia Life",[283,287,291],{"_24":284,"_55":285,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":286},"-K1X_D6dV3K9SQU_BwM3","

With the second season of the ISL underway, football is clearly on the rise in India.

","Football Slowly Emerges in India",{"_24":288,"_55":289,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":60,"_40":41,"_26":290},"-K1X_D6eZRLvtVpJinjw","

Zhang Zeduan’s masterpiece is on display for the first time in 10 years.

","China’s Greatest Painting Is Back in the Limelight",{"_24":292,"_55":293,"_57":58,"_59":47,"_46":82,"_40":41,"_26":294},"-K1X_D6fYTnrMSNJufRg","

In Yangon, artist Ma Ei has turned her period into a 3-day piece of performance art.

","Fighting Menstruation Stigma in Myanmar","routes/$issue.masthead",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"actionData","errors"]

Masthead