South China

KILL THE CHICKEN TO SCARE THE MONKEY The Chinese proverb shā jī jǐng hóu—kill the chicken to scare the monkey—captures something essential about power and punishment. You don't need to destroy everyone. You need only make an example of one to terrify the rest into submission. On a sweltering evening in August 2023, Chen Dawei appeared on Chinese state television. His face was pale, his voice hollow. Flanked by stern officials, he confessed to crimes that had destroyed thousands of lives. But Chen was not the architect of these crimes—he was merely a cog in a vast machine, a ...

The South China Sea is well known as a hotspot of geopolitical tensions. But it is more than just that. It has been a critical node and nexus of trade, strategic rivalries, and the exchange of cultures and ideas for at least a millennium.

Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly shifting from Europe to Asia. With oil reserves of several billion barrels, an estimated 900 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and several centuries' worth of competing territorial claims, the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential conflict. The underreported military buildup in the area where the Western Pacific meets the Indian Ocean means that it will likely be a hinge point for global war and peace for the foreseeable future.

“I don’t know if it was the shouts, the gunfire, the dogs barking or a combination of all three which woke me, but the shock was such that I almost fell out of bed in my haste to rejoin the conscious. I was naked, save for the pair of shorts I always wore in bed, and had no time to dress. I didn’t bother with the light. As I awkwardly pushed my feet into the pair of flip-flops, I grabbed for the pistol belt. I heard my father shout something while I was fumbling to fasten the belt around my waist. My bedroom door suddenly opened. My god! The terrs are in the house?! I was reaching, ...

Modern Pirate Series A collection of stories about Alex the Pirate and his savvy crew of rogues and thieves. They are modern pirates who love fast boats and the freedom of the sea. These are the stories of their early days as smugglers and pirates working to make a living in the tough and dangerous sea going trades. From their home base in Malaysia during the treacherous 1990s, they smuggle high tech goods into Vietnam and Cambodia while carrying freedom seeking exiles from those lands to safer shores. Later, Alex and Diego, his second in command, scout the South China Sea and Caribbean for...

Frances FitzGerald's landmark history of Vietnam and the Vietnam War, "A compassionate and penetrating account of the collision of two societies that remain untranslatable to one another." (New York Times Book Review) This magisterial work, based on Frances FitzGerald's many years of research...

“THE BOOK CHINA DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ.” —CNN​ SELECTED AS A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by THE ECONOMIST and FINANCIAL TIMES This “powerful and disturbing” (Bill Browder, author of Red Notice) New York Times bestseller is narrated by a man who, with his wife, Whitney Duan, rose to the...

"Bangladesh: A Political History" offers a captivating story of Bangladesh's past, present, and future. From its ancient origins along the fertile river valleys to its modern-day challenges and aspirations, this concise yet comprehensive exploration provides insights into the diverse cultures, socio-economic dynamics, and geopolitical significance of this vibrant nation. Through meticulous research and engaging narrative, the book sheds light on key historical milestones, cultural contributions, and contemporary issues, offering readers a deeper understanding of Bangladesh's enduring spirit...

South China Morning Post's (SCMP) reporting team looks back at Hong Kong's most wrenching political crisis since its return to Chinese rule in 1997. Anti-extradition bill protests that morphed rapidly into a wider anti-government movement in 2019 left no aspect of the city untouched, from its...

Immerse yourself in the intricate world of geopolitical hotspots with the riveting new eBook - 'Unstable Borders'. This insightful guide studies intricate dynamics on a global scale, unearthing layers of political, cultural, and social complexities that define today's world order. Dive into the pulsating heart of global conflicts, past and present, and trace the outlines of today's geopolitical landscapes from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, Africa to Asia. You'll navigate startlingly complex narratives like the longstanding struggle in Israel-Palestine, the emerging battlefield of South...

A groundbreaking, haunting, and profoundly moving history of modernity's greatest tragedy: concentration camps. For over 100 years, at least one concentration camp has existed somewhere on Earth. First used as battlefield strategy, camps have evolved with each passing decade, in the scope of...

This is the inspiring short story, about a 20 minute read, of Annie Armstrong, 1850-1938 of Baltimore, Maryland. Opportunities for women were not in abundance during Annie's lifetime, but that did stop her! She worked tirelessly to encourage churches in the Southern Baptist Convention to give and to pray for missionaries. Annie started a school for Native Americans, helped Chinese immigrants and fledgling African American churches, mostly composed of freed slaves. She also helped at the Ladies Bayview Mission and the Friendless Orphanage. She did all of this without ever taking a salary. ...

As a deputy national security advisor specializing in far east countries, Cole Ormond is on assignment in Taiwan conducting a survey for the administration on Taiwan’s ability to defend itself from an invasion by the Chinese military with or without intervention by the United States. On his last night in Taipei Cole witnesses an assassination of a senior Chinese trade delegate. Within days after ordered by the White House to assist Taiwan government investigators Cole and his Taiwan partner evade attempts on their lives. Only the skills leaned from his time as a Navy Seal prevents their ...

From the author of the Carnegie Medal in Fiction winner The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu comes a tantalizing, American West saga about a Chinese American family trying to survive on their Dakota farm as a powerful, mysterious, and morally dubious military secret shapes their lives. When Saul...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NUMA crew leaders Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala must beat the clock to stop the world’s most dazzling new technological advance from becoming mankind’s last in this action-packed thriller from the #1 New York Times–bestselling grand master of adventure. When the...

In Eurasia vs. NATOstan, Pepe Escobar takes us on a whirlwind journey through the swirling sands of the 21st century's defining clash. From the ancient Silk Roads to the modern-day War of Economic Corridors, Escobar paints a vivid picture of a world in transition, where the old order is crumbling and a new, multipolar reality is struggling to be born. With his nonpareil blend of historical insight, deep cultural appreciation, and sharp geopolitical analysis, Escobar exposes the West's "rules-based international order" for the sham it is, a mere smokescreen for the Empire of Chaos to ...

Did you know that at its peak, Angkor was the largest city in the world, almost the size of a modern metropolis, maybe even comparable to Los Angeles? When we think of the great civilizations in the world, the first ones that come to mind are Egyptian, Inca, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Not many people think of the Khmer Empire or are aware of how great it was. The Khmer Empire was the greatest player in the political and cultural world of medieval Southeast Asia.

—character-driven, hard science fiction with a heart— —the epic finale to a globe-spanning, first contact story of aliens, AIs, and humans— As the alien arkship nears Earth, plans for good and evil reach their climax. At sea, Interstellar Ambassador Miharu and her friends battle typhoon winds and North Korean assassins. But Miharu’s deadliest enemy may be her own wounded heart. In space, a Chinese taikonaut defies orders. UN Secretary-General Pirez fights to celebrate alien law and generosity. The hearts, values, and loyalties of humans, aliens, and AIs alike are laid bare. If you...

The impact of continuous coastal development, reclamation, destruction of corals, overfishing and increased maritime traffic places all of us on the front lines of preserving our oceans. Marine biologists, who share a common language that cuts across political, economic and social differences, recognize that the sea’s remarkable coral reefs, which provide food, jobs and protection against storms and floods, have suffered unprecedented rates of destruction in recent decades. Dispatches from the South China Sea’s blend of participatory research and field reportage paves the way for a ...

"His forefathers and Mick", traces the riveting saga of the Kramer family across three tumultuous generations. Friedrich Kramer, an intrepid German engineer, revolutionises railway and communication technologies in early 20th century China and Namibia, unknowingly setting the stage for international espionage and warfare. His son, grappling with the shadows of World War Two, seeks redemption and a new start in Australia, only for his son, Michael to confront his own battlefield in Vietnam. Each generation wrestles with the legacies of the past, forging their paths in a world that refuses to...