Dear ATCA Colleagues

[Please note that the views presented by individual contributors are not necessarily representative of the views of ATCA, which is neutral. ATCA conducts collective Socratic dialogue on global opportunities and threats.]

We are grateful to:

. The Rt Hon Lord Jenkin of Roding, Chairman, Foundation for Science & Technology, from The Palace of Westminster, London, UK, for "Persuading China over Burma;"
. Andrew Leung, CEO, AL International, London, UK, and frequent visitor to China for "China's Burmese chessboard;"
. Dr Harsh Pant, Department of Defence Studies, King's College, London, UK, for "South Asia's Emerging Democracy Deficit and the Role of India and China;"
. His Excellency Martin Morland, Former British Ambassador to Burma, London, UK, for "Alice in Wonderland Nature of Burma and the Mobile Camera;"

in response to the ATCA Research and Analysis Wing submission "Burma in Biggest Uprising in 20 Years: The China Black Swan."

Dear DK and Colleagues

Re: Persuading China over Burma

In all the discussion about the role of China in the current situation in Burma, we must remember Sir Winston Churchill's wise words in the House of Commons in March 1944: "The longer you can look back, the farther you can look forward." I am not in the least surprised that China has declined to back the Security Council in calling for stronger sanctions against the Junta in Burma.

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Patrick Jenkin

Lord Jenkin of Roding serves on the Foundation for Science and Technology as a chairman, and as vice-chairman of the Local Government Association in the UK. He was President of the Association for Science Education, 2002-03. Lord Jenkin has wide experience of government and business with a particular interest in science. He is also a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, and has chaired the influential 'Science and Society' inquiry. Lord Jenkin served as British Secretary of State for Social Services from 1979 to 1981, then as Secretary of State for Industry until 1983, and finally as Secretary of State for the Environment from 1983 to 1985. He was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Jenkin of Roding in 1987. He was the Conservative MP for Wanstead and Woodford from 1964 to 1987. He entered the cabinet in February 1974 as Secretary of State for Energy just weeks before the conservatives fell from office, and participated in many ways in the government of Margaret Thatcher.
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Dear DK and Colleagues

Re: China's Burmese chessboard

With the Burmese situation threatening to implode and the matter placed before the UN Security Council, all eyes are now on China (and to a lesser extent on India) as Burma's strong backer. What are China's options on this delicate Burmese chessboard?

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Best regards

Andrew K P Leung, SBS, FRSA

Andrew Leung has over 40 years of experience in a number of senior positions working closely with mainland China, including Hong Kong, with a focus on commerce, industry, finance, banking, transport, social welfare and diplomatic representation. He has addressed numerous local and international business and strategic fora, groups and organisations on China, including making regular television appearances. He has written many key commentaries on China for various organisations including ATCA. His target audience includes finance and investment houses, institutional investors, large businesses, think tanks, senior officials and business schools. Andrew was twice sponsored personally by the US Government on briefing visits to the United States, including a month-long visit to brief Chairmen and CEOs of multi-nationals in regard to China, post-Tiananmen Square. He was also sponsored by the Economist as a speaker at the China conference in Berlin with the German Foreign Affairs Institute. He was invited to brief personally the Duke of York and the Lord Mayor of London prior to their China visits.

Andrew is on the Governing Council of King's College London; the Advisory Board of Nottingham University's China Policy Institute; and the Executive Committee of the 48 Group Club with historical and working links with the Chinese leadership. He has been appointed as a Global Representative for Changsha City, China. He chairs the China Interest Group of the Institute of Directors' City Branch. He is a Visiting Professor of the International MBA Programmes of China's Sun Yat-Sen and Lingnan Universities. He will shortly begin lecturing as a Visiting Professor at NIMBAS University, Utrecht, Holland. Andrew is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in the 2005 Hong Kong's Honours List. He has qualifications from the University of London, Cambridge University, The Law Society and Harvard Business School. He speaks Cantonese and Mandarin and practices Chinese calligraphy as well as fine art.
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Dear DK and Colleagues

Re: South Asia's Emerging Democracy Deficit and the Role of India and China

If one were to suggest that a democracy deficit is gradually emerging in South Asia, there is a danger of being ignored completely given that the world's largest democracy is located in the region. But looking around South Asia today one is confronted with a number of weak states with decaying democratic institutions and an entire region in turmoil as a consequence. Burma being the latest in the list of states in the region where political churning is stepping up and the supporters of status-quo are finding it difficult to come to terms with a movement led by the much revered monks garnering growing support.

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Best

Harsh Pant

Dr Harsh V Pant teaches at King's College London in the Department of Defence Studies. He is also an Associate with the King's Centre for Science and Security and lectures at the UK Defence Academy. He joined King's after finishing his doctorate at the University of Notre Dame (USA). He holds a BA (Hons) from the University of Delhi and MA and M Phil degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi (India). His current research is focused on Asia-Pacific security and defence issues. He has been published on these issues by a number of academic journals and other publications across the world including the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Journal, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Asia-Pacific Review, Asian Survey, Armed Forces and Society, Middle East Quarterly, Strategic Analysis etc. He is also involved in consultancy work with organisations such as Oxford Analytica, Power and Interest News Report, and South Asia Strategic Stability Unit.

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