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Suspicions between the People's Republic of China and its neighbours bedevil its boundaries to the east, south and west. Added to www.audiovideo.economist.com in February 2010.

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Over the centuries China has grown and shrunk, and grown. It began as a unified state in a third century BC but became far larger by the time of Mongol rule in the 13th century, and again during the last imperial dynasty the Qing.

In 1921 Mongolia's independence took out a huge chunk. Today's map is a legacy of empire building. Suspicions between the People's Republic of China and its neighbors still bedevil its borders. Even at the best of times China and Japan often treat each other as rivals. Their differences are sharpened by territorial feuds. A cluster of rocks called the Diaoyutai Islands, or Senkakus in Japanese, is the focus of much bickering. Japan controls them, but China says it should. And how to draw the line between their exclusive economic zones. Japan says it should be halfway between them, China claims the entire continental shelf up close to Okinawa.

In 2008 both sides agreed to develop the area together but now Japan's are angry about the Chunxiao gas field, known as Shirakaba gas field in Japanese, where it thinks China is trying to suck natural gas from the Japanese economic zone.

Other claims would stretch China's territory deep into Southeast Asia. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia all have competing claims with China here. In 2002 all parties agree to exercise self-restraint but tensions have been growing again recently. China said last year it wanted to develop tourism on the Paracel Islands which are also claimed by Vietnam. Again oil and gas are involved, and China wants a boat service from Hainan.

Tensions are simmering again in the Himalayas too. Disagreements here with India led to a border war in 1962. China's recent worries about Tibet seem to be reviving them. China's stepped up its accusations that India is occupying what China calls South Tibet. India calls this region the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

To the west India says China is occupying its territory in Aksai Chin. Talks between China and India have been getting nowhere.

Finally there's Taiwan. China's long been fearful that the island might make a formal bid for independence. In the mid-1990s China made gestures that alarmed Taiwan and its backer America. America moved to aircraft carriers close to the island is warning to China to back off. Lately things have been smoother; in 2008 director rights between Taiwan and the mainland were launched along with direct sea transport and postal links.

China's trying to persuade its neighbors that its rise is not to be feared but its border disputes and feud with Taiwan create widespread unease in the region. Many wonder whether a powerful China might one day try to take by force the land that it sees as its own.

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To overcome one of the worst labour markets in the country, the smallest American state needs to start helping itself.

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