9/30/2016

Hugh White - Don't be so presumptious

 
In his article in the ST on 27 Sep titled ‘Choosing between America and China’, this Australian academic could not resist wearing his pink lenses and all his western biases to discuss the China American relations in Asia. ‘None of us in these countries want to live under China’s shadow….At the same time, all of us want America to stay engaged in Asia, to help balance China’s power and set limits on how far its regional leadership develops….’ Who were these ‘none of us’ and ‘all of us’? Australia and Singapore, or do they include Laos, Cambodia and other neutral states? Hey mate, Asia is not only Australia and Singapore and American allies. Now the Philippines is not going be counted in your ‘none of us and all of us’, get it? The ‘us’ must be the Little USAs right?

Now what is your problem, what is Australia and America’s problem, an assertive and expanding China upsetting the balance of power in Asia? What is the picture, what kind of balance of power? China expansionist, assertive and has no right to want to have a bigger breathing space and room to play with? Look at the chess board, China is occupying only two squares in a corner. The rest of the squares are occupied by the Americans. This is the status quo that the American and the Australians and the ‘us’ would want to preserve as the status quo. And this was what he said in the rest of the article. China must be contained in the same two squares, by persuasion, coercion or war.

Now, who is pushing who into a corner? The American Empire is very comfortable to constrain China in a corner, with two squares and the Empire controlling the whole chess board. So, is China pushing outwards against the squeeze put up by the Empire, trying to break free, or being assertive and trying to eat into the space of the Empire?

He then dwelt with the reality of accepting China as an equal partner to the US, that the rise of China is inevitable. How could the relationship be equal if the Americans insist on sitting on 62 squares and demanding China, as an equal, to sit in the corner with 2 squares?

Hugh White could not see this inequality, inequity, that the Americans have been occupying too many squares in the chess board and it is time to relinquish some space to an equal partner. How about each power sitting on 32 squares? Is it too much for China to want to sit on half of the squares in the chess board? Why is China called aggressive and expansionist and ambitious, when it has only 2 squares and wanting a few more squares to breathe easier while the Americans refused to vacate a few of the squares?

What kind of balance of power is Hugh White talking about? What kind of equal partnership is he advocating for China to accept? What was clear in his article is this, the fear that ‘America might start slowly but surely, to withdraw from Asia’. What kind of foundation for a regional order would he think would be acceptable to both China and the US? A chess board where the Americans continue to sit on 62 squares and China to sit in 2 in a relationship among equals and with the Americans pointing a gun at China not to move?

To the western narrative, China’s OBOR, AIIB are all expansionist and belligerent in nature, a country that is planning to conduct wars, to conquer other nations. On the other hand, all the wars conducted by the Americans and western countries all over the world are for peace. Signing up military alliances and conducting war games are for peace, friendly gestures to the countries targeted, even when conducted outside their doorsteps.

Finally there is an Asian leader, brave enough and clear thinking to admit the truth, that conducting war games are aggressive in nature and would raise tension in the region. Duterte is going to end all military war games with the Americans. No provocative joint patrols in the South China Sea. I said he is brave for his life is at stake for going against the ‘peaceful’ Empire. He would be removed by the Empire, dead or alive. His Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay is negating almost everything he said to appease the Americans. Yasay could be a hot favourite of the Americans to be engineered to take over from the fall of Duterte. Duterte must watch his back and his every move. Defying the Empire is very risky thing to do. It is better to be Little USAs to be safe and be in the good books of the Empire.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

"What kind of balance of power is Hugh White talking about?"
RB

He is talking about being pro USA.

Just like RB always talk about being pro China. Not surprising since he is also a columnist for the China Daily, and assuming he not doing it FOC. If he did FOC, then it is surprising.

So anything wrong with such talk? Or is it a kind of balance of talking about?

patriot said...


Haha.....

Is there an oversight somewhere?

The World represented on a chess board with China and US Each taking 32 squares. The Rest of the World lives as Chinese and US Subjects?

There is a fellacy to divide the World just to 2 Superpowers. Every Nation has its' sovereignty and weak or strong, their independence should and must be respected.

The Humankinds have to refrain from interfering, bullying and or invade the Freedom and Territorial Ownership of another nation.

The So-called Power as in Might
is not for invasion or interfering in the Domestic Affairs of any sovereign states unless on humanitarian ground and reason.

Be it China, US and Others, it is best that each and everyone do not abuse their mights to take advantage of others.

Must say that President Duterte of the Philippines is an enlighten and very wise man who appreciates peace and has also committed himself to rid his nation of malaises.
Me wishes him success, kudos to a great man.

There was Yudhoyono who did extremely well whence he was President of Indonesia.

Hope Duterte will be as good if not
better.


patriot



patriot said...


Elder Virgo;

gene may not matters that much.

Lee Hsien Yang appears much differently from the Siblings.

Fown the Line, who knows?
The Succeeding Generations or some of them may just become Americans,
Australians, Swiss or Canadians.


patriot



Anonymous said...

Can you imagine Singapore join the USA and Japan to attack China?
Possible?

Anonymous said...


P people is very very blessed to have Duterte as their president!

恭喜! 恭喜! 恭喜! Not to worry! Duterte is the man!

Cheers.

virgo49 said...


Unfortunately his personal choice of allying with the Americans and the western allies does not reflect the majority of the people's choice.

The PAP gonna lose big in coming GE if this is what their foreign policy is heading.

Still many of the older generation even though now we are in the miniority percentage has affectation for China even been brainwashed for fifty odd years.

When comes to the crunch of making a decision, they will still forego all carrots hung in front of them and voted them out for a more pro China party.

Hopefully Teochew Ah Hia as seen more to be NanTah descendents will make more headway with CSM.

Anonymous said...

Wells Fargo CEO undergoing intense questioning for alleged mis-steps by American law-makers.
The last video clip (5 minutes) is the most intense.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-09-29/here-are-best-scream-fests-todays-john-stumpf-testimony
----------------

Do you think SMRT CEO will undergo such intense questioning by Singapore parliament?
Desmond - what do you think?

Anonymous said...

Singapore are aggressively pushing for TPP pact in US and Japan.
Singapore received highest level of honor in US and Japan recently.There are no free lunch here.

Global Times is speaking the truth about NAM.
Singapore continue to accuse Global Times for fabrication.

Singapore said that Singapore only raise those issue because it is a common position adopted by Asean.

While Global Times said otherwise that only Singapore try to raise those issue in Nam meeting.


Australia expert seem to assume that everyone are eager to live under US shadow instead. Everyone must follow those Western rule based order which totally unfair and undemocratic in the first place.

USA probably coerced Singapore to support their agenda by blackmailing them

Otherwise, US would exposed money laundering in Singapore financial system, like Panama leak.



b said...

China elites are not nice to their own people. Only allow them leasehold housing. US elites are also not nice to their own people but still allow them freehold housing. Its the lesser of two evils.

b said...

Communism and socialism both based on karl marx are scam scheme to take away from the working class (thru high tax, fines or confiscation) and give a large chunk to the elites (and their cronies thru siubsidies) and a small chunk to the needy.

Anonymous said...

B, freehold housing?

Does that meant that US citizen can sold the land to a foreign power and it would immediately become a foreign territories?

Anonymous said...

http://po.m.baidu.com/feed/share?context=%7B%22nid%22%3A%22news_7318679149292798246%22%2C%22ext%22%3A%7B%22rec_src%22%3A%5B5%5D%7D%7D

韩海警向中国渔船投掷爆音弹 3名中国船员死亡

This is one example some if not all don't want China.

All pro PRC can migrate, with China;s escalating out of control property prices, all of you will be very rich in a few years time. Couples fake divorce just to buy extra units of housing.

Anonymous said...

Well i definitely dont want Yang Yin .

Anonymous said...

Redbean you mentioned in your post " Little USAs ". Is Singapore one of these?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

There are people in Singapore and Asean that like to be ruled by the Americans. Philippines has just decided not to be one.

Anonymous said...

A people with no talent, no confidence, with no pride, would always feel comfortable to be ruled by other people.

Anonymous said...


Some people talking rubbish as usual and got no common sense.

By default, we would want to rule our selves and made our own choices.

But if no choice (singapore is really a red dot) and have to choose over China or US as rulers, the answer is obvious. 70% of Sinkie agreed to this and allowed PAP to import FT into Singapore irregardless.

Just like GCT promise to give us Swiss life which so many people believe, if he said he would give us China life. Do you think he or his team will be elected?

Taiwan people so brave and made their choice.

Philippines people did not made any choice with regards to US/pinoy relations, Aquino was so popular with pinoy people because he take on China on Pinoy land rights (national issue) with no money and still able to grow pinoy economy. He is able to stand up to China pressure. His legacy is already in the books.

The current pinoy president is pissing off everyone. All black or white forces internal or external will start aiming him starting with his son (also a mayor) who is also fat. We will see whether he and his family is "clean" or as dirty as the drug lords. Time only started with Duterte. How many months only and got involved with senate inquiry case. How to consolidate economy by just starting war with internal and external once took on power.