President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney squared off last night on foreign policy in the final of three presidential candidates’ debates.

Here’s a rundown of reactions from Heritage Foundation experts: Continue Reading »

Did you know that Voyager, a 1970’s-era American spacecraft, has traveled farther from Earth than any other man-made object? It was back-page news.

But you may have heard recently that China successfully launched its fourth manned space mission.

NASA is respected the world over, yet it simply under utilizes its international credibility.

The final frontier is an excellent way for the United States to demonstrate its strength to potential rivals. Continue Reading »

The Philippines and China are competing in a game of chicken over a disputed spit of land in the South China Sea.

“There is a very basic calculation involved here,” Heritage Foundation expert Walter Lohman explains. ”The first to leave the shoal will be perceived as ceding sovereignty.”

A Philippine warship confronted private Chinese poachers last month in the waters off Scarborough Shoal, near the Philippine main island of Luzon, an area of disputed sovereignty.

Though both the Chinese fishing boats and the Philippine naval vessel have since cleared the area, the issue remains critical. Tension has escalated: China is upset that a Filipino warship was policing the waters, and the Philippines are sensitive to rumors of PRC war preparations.

Neither side is submitting, Lohman explains:

As things stand, two Chinese marine surveillance ships and a fisheries patrol ship remain in the area today, as do two Filipino public vessels, one from the coast guard and the other from the Philippines’ own fisheries bureau. Dozens of Chinese fishing vessels are also reported to be in the area.

The way America handles this situation will determine both our credibility as an ally and our commitment to peace: Continue Reading »

Source:Wikimedia Commons-Satellite pictures, from NASA World Wind Globe

A new Heritage Foundation report paints a grim picture of America’s national security interests in Asia in the wake of proposed defense cuts.

If the defense cuts are not reversed, we will be severely limited in our ability to ensure the region’s stability, Dean Cheng and Bruce Klingner argue:

The United States is the only nation with both the capabilities and the historical record needed to assume the role of regional balancer and “honest broker.” Consequently, the United States is the hub of a “wagon wheel” of bilateral alliances that undergirds regional security. Where Japan and South Korea have only recently agreed to undertake staff talks with each other, both sides have long maintained channels of communication through their respective alliances with the United States and the attendant U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ). Even then, historical animosities continue to hinder the improvement of Korean–Japanese relations.

Klingner and Cheng list several reasons for maintaining a strong presence in the Pacific, including: Continue Reading »

The Obama administration’s refusal to sell new, high-tech fighter jets to the Taiwanese is a dangerous decision that will weaken American influence in the region and leave our ally vulnerable to Chinese attack.

In his latest report, The Heritage Foundation’s Dean Cheng explains that America has a duty to Taiwan’s national defense: Continue Reading »

On September 29, China launched its Tiangong-1 space lab into orbit. As it takes to the stars, questions inevitably rise regarding China’s intent and whether or not America needs to rise to this new potential challenge.

In his new report, The Heritage Foundation’s Dean Cheng offers insight into China’s motivations, intentions and technological capabilities in space: Continue Reading »

James Phillips

At 7:15 a.m. Eastern on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Middle East expert Jim Phillips will discuss developments in Syria.

Update: At 4:04 p.m. on Fox News’ “Your World,” legal expert Hans von Spakovsky will discuss the National Labor Relations Board and its recent overreaches.

In the 5:00 p.m. hour on CNN’s “Situation Room,” Asia expert Dean Cheng will discuss China’s naval build-up.

And in the 6:00 p.m. hour on Fox News’ “Special Report,” health care expert Ed Haislmaier will discuss nursing homes seeking an exemption from Obamacare.