Term: December 1-31, 2013

Main Issues

1. Asia-Pacific Issues: Tensions Over China’s ADIZ Persists; China Furious Over Japanese ‘Revisionism’; U.S. Talks Peace, Cooperation and Rebalance to Asia

United States
December 2, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Declared ADIZ of China
December 3, Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: Focus of the U.S.-Japanese Alliance
December 5, Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney
December 6, Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden on U.S.-Korea Relations and the Asia Pacific
December 9, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Sri Lanka
December 9, State Department Daily Press Briefing: China
December 12, Remarks by the U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel: Hagel, U.S. Committed to Singapore Relationship
December 17, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Japan
December 18, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Japan
December 18, Testimony by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the East Asia and the Pacific, Scot Marciel: Economic Aspects of the Asia Rebalance
December 27 Remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel: Hagel Welcomes Approval of Futenma Landfill Permit
December 30, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Yasukuni Shrine

China

December 2, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 2, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 4, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 12, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference
December 15, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Remarks: the Japanese Leader's Improper Comments on the Establishment of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone by China
December 17, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 18, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 26, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Regular Press Conference
December 26, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Regular Press Conference
December 26, Statement by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Visit to the Yasukuni Shrine
December 27, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 30, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Regular Press Conference

2. Direction of U.S.-China Cooperation: Biden Visits China; Both Sides Emphasize Cooperation; U.S. Appoints New Ambassador to China

United States
December 3, Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China
December 4, Background Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Vice President's Asia Trip
December 20, State Department Daily Press Briefing: New Ambassador to China
December 23, Department of Defense Press Briefing by Admiral Locklear

China

December 2, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 3, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 5 - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Remarks on the Relevant US Official's Statement
December 12, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Remarks on the Relevant U.S. Official's Statement

3. Economic Cooperation: Focus on Open Trade; U.S. and China Discuss Bilateral Economic Relations

United States
December 4, Background Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Vice President's Asia Trip
December 5, Joint Fact Sheet on Strengthening U.S.-China Economic Relations
December 18, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Scot Marciel’s Remarks in the Senate

China

December 17, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 17, China and the U.S. to hold the 24th Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade
December 20, Vice Premier Wang Yang, U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Representative Jointly Preside over the 24th China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT)

4. Cooperation on Military Security: U.S. Urges China to Take More Responsibility; China Claims Pacifist Motivations

United States

December 2, State Department Daily Press Briefing: China
December 6, State Department Daily Press Briefing: China’s ADIZ

China

December 12, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference
December 26, Chinese, U.S. militaries have multiple communication channels: DM

5. Human Rights: U.S. Concerned Over Violations in China; China Ignores the U.S. and Focuses on Domestic Terrorism

United States
December 9, Press Statement by Secretary of State John Kerry’s: Fifth Anniversary of Liu Xiaobo’s Detention
December 11, State Department Daily Press Briefing: China
December 30, State Department Daily Press Briefing: Xinjiang

China
December 16, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 30, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Regular Press Conference

6. Climate Change: How to Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change: U.S. Looks Out and China Looks In

United States
December 5, Statements by Office of the Vice President: U.S. Fact Sheet on Strengthening U.S.-China Economic Relations
December 15, Secretary Kerry’s Remarks in Vietnam
December 18, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Scot Marciel’s Remarks in the Senate

China

December 18, To Promote the Reform of EIA Approval and the Functional Transformation, MEP Continuously Releases Three Documents to Delegate Approval Authorities, Intensify Information Disclosure, and Strengthen Supervision of EIA

7. Middle East and Africa Issues: Chemical Weapons, Assad and Syria; The Iranian Nuclear Problem; Unrest in South Sudan

United States
December 2, State Department Daily Press Briefing
December 5, Remarks by the U.S. DOD Senior Defense Officials: DOD Offers Help to Meet Syria Chemical Weapon Deadline
December 7, Remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel: Hagel Outlines U.S. Posture, Way Ahead in Middle East
December 11, Press Briefing by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest
December 12, Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney
December 13, Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney
December 16, State Department Daily Press Briefing
December 18, State Department Daily Press Briefing
December 19, Remarks by U.S. Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby: Hagel, Al-Sisi Discuss U.S.-Egypt Relationship
December 20, State Department Daily Press Briefing
December 21, Readout of President Obama’s Updates on South Sudan
December 31, Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on South Sudan

China

December 12, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei’s Regular Press Conference
December 16, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 19, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 20, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 23, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 23, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 27, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 27, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 30, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang’s Regular Press Conference
December 31, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference

8. Korean Peninsula: Relations with Both Koreas; China Reassures the ROK on the Issue of the Chinese ADIZ

United States
December 4, Background Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Vice President's Asia Trip
December 6, State Department Press Statement on North Korea
December 6, 2013, Remarks by the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden: U.S.-South Korea Alliance Key to Regional Security
December 9, State Department Daily Press Briefing: South Korea
December 13, State Department Daily Press Briefing: North Korea
December 17, State Department Daily Press Briefing: North Korea
December 17, State Department Daily Press Briefing: North Korea
December 20, State Department Daily Press Briefing: North Korea

China
December 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference
December 17, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 18, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 24, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference
December 31, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference

9. Cybersecurity Issues: U.S. Expresses Concerns on Cybersecurity; China Adopts a Defensive Position

United States

December 7, Remarks by U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel: IISS Manama Dialogue

China
December 10, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference
December 18, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference

(Continued)