ed figure, but actual defense spending is more likely
between 3.5% to 5.0% of GDP for 2002

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international: in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards
creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding,
confidence-building measure; much of the rugged, militarized boundary
with India is in dispute, but talks to resolve the least contested middle
sector resumed in 2001; ongoing talks with Tajikistan have failed to
resolve the longstanding dispute over the indefinite boundary; Kazakhstan
is working rapidly with China to delimit its large open borders to
control population migration, illegal activities, and trade; 2001 Treaty
of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation commits Russia and
China to seek peaceable unanimity over disputed alluvial islands at the
confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers and a small island on the Argun;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia,
Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary
agreement with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin awaits ratification; Paracel
Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims
Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as
does Taiwan; demarcation of the land boundary with Vietnam has commenced,
but details of the alignment have not been made public; 33-km section of
boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the
Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country
for chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Chile

Introduction

Chile

Background: A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by
a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a
freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies,
first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship, led to unprecedented
growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country's commitment to
democratic and representative government.

Geography Chile

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean
and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: to