World Politics with Ralph Buultjens: The Far East in Crisis—China, Japan, Korea—What's Next?

North Korea continues to raise the stakes with its nuclear escalations and threats. China's economic concerns are having a global impact and may be the forerunner of another global economic downturn. Will the prolonged economic slowdown of Japan (the world's third largest economy) continue or suddenly give way to decline? Are the differences with the mainland inevitably involving America? What will happen in the Taiwanese election of 2016? How will the national assembly elections of April 2016 change attitudes in South Korea? Can the islands disputes reach conflict levels as China, America and local states push the boundaries? Will the T-P-P trade agreement, which excludes China, be perceived as economic encirclement by the People's Republic and provoke hostile reactions?

Professor Ralph Buultjens, a noted analyst of international affairs, who has just returned from the region, will address these and allied issues concerning an area that can become a new area of crises in 2016.