Kurt Campbell, a key architect of Barack Obama's US "pivot" to Asia, will take a top job for President-elect Joe Biden, signaling renewed efforts to rally with allies in the face of a rising China....
Trump "strained virtually every element of the region's operating system," Campbell wrote in an essay this week in Foreign Affairs co-authored with Rush Doshi, a China expert at the Brookings Institution.
The two wrote that the United States "needs to make a conscious effort to deter Chinese adventurism" but advocated a more nuanced approach than the Trump team, which has spoken of a global Cold War-like struggle against Beijing.
Asian nations do not want to have to choose between the United States and China, Campbell and Doshi wrote.
"A better solution would be for the United States and its partners to persuade China that there are benefits to a competitive but peaceful region," they wrote, saying Beijing should be offered a place in a regional order if it abides by agreed-upon rules.
On defense, they called for the United States to "start by moving away from its singular focus on primacy and the expensive and vulnerable platforms such as aircraft carriers" and instead pursue "asymmetric capabilities" such as long-range missiles and submarines. AFP
The above is a typical American narrative that China is aggressive and indulges in adventurism. They forgot to look into the mirror to see who is the world's number one trouble maker, fighting wars, inciting wars, conveniently brandling countries as threat to their security. The world's number one threat to peace and security is the USA, the evil Empire. Finally they admitted that their President is the biggest threat not only to the rest of the world, a very dangerous man, an unhinged or deranged thug, but also a threat to Americans. They have to clip his wing, put a stop to his authority to ignite a nuclear war.
American aggression and adventurism have been continuous, non stop since WW2, starting wars unilaterally, fabricated lies and fake information to start wars, and killing millions of people all over the world, and destroying many countries and their people. And the Americans got the cheek to accuse China of adventurism when China has not fought a war other than chasing the Americans out of North Korea and the Indians and Vietnamese back to their countries. 3 wars after WW2 were all that China fought, all defensive wars, to protect its own territories from foreign invaders.
What did the Americans do? Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghan War, Middle East invasions etc etc These are not aggression, not adventurism, peace loving, wars for peace. Stop the lies, stop the white lies. The rest of the world is not going to believe in your lies anymore or let or threaten by the evil Americans into fighting wars for the American Empire and sending their soldiers to die for the Americans. The Americans can continue to agitate and incite wars for all they like, but do it on your own and let the American boys and girls die for your own adventurism and aggression.
The rest of the world has enough of American lies and wars. No more wars, peace is what the world wants.
China's third aircraft carrier will be launched any time now. Work on the fourth carrier has started.
ReplyDeleteWhen the fourth carrier is operational, China would have 7 aircraft carriers in the South China Sea, 3 unsinkable carriers in the newly built islands.
See how many aircraft carriers can the American sent to the region. Not forgetting that getting anything nearer than 4000km would be sitting ducks to the DF26 and DF41.
Reckless plan to move Davos 2021 to Singapore must be abandoned - Nikkei Asia
ReplyDeleteHere is a sincere suggestion concerning the World Economic Forum's plan to transport its annual jamboree of self-regard from Davos to Singapore: do not do it.
Not in 2021. Not with the pandemic raging again, at least a couple of new COVID-19 variants that epidemiologists are still trying to pin down -- that we know of so far -- panicking governments and economies only just picking up the pieces from 2020. Zoom call, anyone?
The reason Davos Man wants to fly swarms of private jets into Southeast Asia in May to clink Champagne glasses, hobnob and do deals is because parts of the region outmatched the West battling the coronavirus. Why, then, put that success at risk by jetting in, having a series of face-to-face encounters and then heading back to the four corners of the globe?
In its news release, WEF said: "This in-person meeting will bring together leaders to focus on shaping solutions to the world's most pressing challenges." Well, no challenge is more pressing than stopping the human transmission of a deadly pathogen. As for "shaping solutions," WEF may just be shaping the opposite: a fancy superspreader event 2021 does not need.
Davos leader Klaus Schwab's rationale for risking Asia's progress? "A global leadership summit is of crucial importance to address how we can recover together," he argues, presumably with a straight face. "The special annual meeting 2021 will be a place for leaders from business, government and civil society to meet in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic."
Davos's Singapore sling could end up starting a new way to make COVID-19 transmission great again.
Singapore should say thanks, but no thanks. But this, let us face it, is about money. WEF wants those massive attendance fees and corporate sponsorship cash. Singapore wants the gross domestic product jolt. It wants to get back to business and pump life into its hospitality industry. It also may worry that rivals like Hong Kong would grab the event if Singapore does not.
Why, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's government may be calculating, shouldn't we showcase our COVID-19 success? Singapore's in-person conference and casino industries, thriving pre-COVID, are keen to welcome throngs of six-star travelers.
This makes for quite the paradox. Singapore did the hard work of reducing community spread at great cost to the economy. It contracted nearly 6% in 2020, its worst-ever performance amid COVID-19 lockdowns.
Yet all this is short money. The risks, and likely costs later, may leave Singapore with buyer's remorse for hosting a giant global event now -- and WEF with some explaining to do.
Let us get real here. It is not like the United Nations is meeting to achieve world peace or save lives somewhere. It is not like the World Health Organization is getting top virologists into a room together to protect humanity. The corporate glitterati can easily use technology, like the rest of us, to connect without risking physical contact five months from now.
Gathering in Singapore is more a matter of craven convenience -- and of resting on the city-state's laurels battling a pandemic that is thriving anew.
A word to the wise at WEF headquarters: start working on a Plan C, a virtual one. Odds are that Plan B in Singapore will go awry.
Yes, the USA ought to look into the mirror to see what kind of democracy they are teaching the world. Look into the mirror to see who is starting all the wars. Look into the mirror to see who is killing innocent civilians and calling that collateral damage. If China does that, the poodles, lead by the top dog would be barking day and night about human rights, cruelty and immorality. And they will invent all kinds of fake news to carry their evil agenda.
ReplyDeleteWhen elections in other countries failed to put into office leaders that are beholden to the USA, they have to be changed, just like Venezuela. And they called that regime changes. And the USA will lobby, together with their allies, to make such changes, if not undemocratically, then by subterfuge, using the CIA's discreet covet operations, like in Hong Kong.
That Biden will carry on with putting China down is to be expected. Do not hope for a change in approach as far as China is concerned, because it is the agenda of both the Democrats and Republicans to prevent China's rise. And this is the one issue that any ruling party, either one, are acutely aware and can instigate the USA people to support their cause. Both political parties cannot act differently if they are to win the White House.
As reported, the vaccination program in the USA is already fraught with problems. Firstly is the shortage of vaccines. Secondly is the slow pace of vaccination. Thirdly is the escalating infections and death toll.
Biden is talking about vaccinating 100 million by his first 100 days, which means the most optimistic scenario would be it would take almost a whole year to vaccinate the whole USA population. By then, God knows what the situation would be, looking at the people not following safe distancing and use of masks during the holidays. And Biden's pledge is only a projection, not a sure bet.
Can Biden, at his age, tackle all the problems, damage and time bombs left behind by Trump? Trump taking over from Obama was like a walk in the park, Biden is inheriting a country under siege internally and isolated externally. Even the EU wants the USA to keep it's distance.
Democrats, Reoublicans, same old same old, same species of fish. All they care is no country should supercede their place of power, military or economic. Right now China is about to kick them off the porch on the latter and America is framing China as hostile. Make no mistake, the Biden adminstration will be the same on as Trump's on China, only different scale intensity and madness. Already Biden has called Xi a thug.
ReplyDeleteBrazil has approved the emergency use of Coronavav, produced by China's Sinovac company.
ReplyDeleteIt has started vaccinating its frontline medical staff with the Coronavac yesterday.
Brazil has no choice despite the anti China, pro Trump Bolsonaro trying to smear China, now knowing that the American would not share their vaccine with Brazil.
ReplyDeleteBrazil's economy is bankrupt and has no money to buy expensive western vaccines. So now has to bow its head to use Chinese vaccines.
[SAO PAULO] With state subsidies to fight poverty now ended, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday said his country is "broke" and he is unable to do anything about it, attributing the crisis to "the press-fueled" coronavirus. 6 Jan Business Times
ReplyDeleteBrazil is just like Indonesia, with unlimited untapped natural resources all over the whole country, yet still very poor! Why?
ReplyDeleteMismanagement and rampant corruption. Same as Argentina,
Chile, Venezuela, India and some African countries.
Poor leadership leads to mismanagement.
Greedy, heartless and showmanship leadership lead to rampant or legalised corruptions.
Corruption can come about only with corrupted leaders at the very top. Corrupted leaders are crude as well as refined. The crude type of corrupt leaders do not care about violating the laws. The refined type of corrupt leaders navigate through the laws and create new laws in order to protect themselves from future prosecutions once they fall or are retired from politics, or when they lose their power.
The people can bring the crude type of corrupt leaders to court. However, it is very difficult for the people to bring the refined type of corrupt leaders to court because they know how to cover themselves.
That's why the refined type of corrupt leaders are the worst type of leaders.
Brazil, Argentina and Indonesia, big countries, have rich resources, but corruption has undermined these countries. Brazil wants and pretends to be the lesser USA, but they forgot they cannot print money from thin air at will like the USA. They will bankrupt themselves and it happened sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteBolsonaro desires to be the sheriff of the USA in South America, but lacks the resources to carry his plan through. And that brings me to India, in the same position, with the same 'small arms trying to encircle a big tree'. Both think that with the USA behind them, prosperity lies ahead if they stick with the evil one long enough.
Have they seen what is left of most of those countries in Africa and South Asia under the British Empire? Many are left with less desirable situations economically, with resources having been plundered and stolen for good, and are left to fester in extreme poverty.
That is also happening in the Middle East now, with the USA doing the same thing. When oil ceased to be the most important driver of economic growth, and clean energy like electric vehicles proliferate, the USA will eventually leave the Middle East in ruins. They are there now only to defend their control of the oil. They want to control the world by controlling oil, which they themselves already have plenty of at home, using the US$ hegemony as a weapon.
Corruption always comes from the very top. The Chinese saying - 'When the top is not straight, the bottom will be crooked'. It is very difficult to be incorruptible when others are enjoying the fruits of their corrupt practices and so they are pressured to follow. Then it is rotten from top to bottom and down to the next generation and thereafter. How to bring it straight again when the mentality is ingrained with crookedness?
ReplyDeleteOnly the top can erase corruption. They have power in their hands.
ReplyDeleteWhat can the bottom do if the top is corrupt. They can do nothing without power. So, sama sama bersatu.
Hi Virgo, not so easy lah.
ReplyDeleteHalf of the National Guards, armed forces, police, FBI, CIA, High Court Judges and many many more are Trump's men and white extremists. Trump intentionally removed those heads not loyal to him and replaced them with his yes men.
Biden and all the democrats are fearing for their lives as the one they thought can be trusted could be the one to kill them, just like the Sikh body guards assassinating Indira Gandhi.
In the USA, it is more treacherous as 50% or so all over are Trump's supporters.
Why sour-grapes UK media does not want readers to see true life in China
ReplyDeleteThe Times on January 9 devoted a full page of its print edition to an article titled "British Youtubers funded by China," written by Ben Ellery and Tom Knowles, two reporters of that media outlet. It said "the Chinese government is funding British YouTube stars," including Lee Barrett and his son Oli Barrett, "to produce pro-China propaganda videos." It mentioned "an investigation by the Times can reveal," but did not say what kinds of "investigation."
The Barretts said their opinions are merely based on their own experience. Their videos are about topics like, "Do NOT judge China if you have NEVER BEEN," "Why China has the best train network in the world," or "China is the most diverse country in the WORLD." From the perspective of a native Chinese, their rhetoric is objective and just an introduction about their life and personal view on China, nothing too fancy.
In the article by the Times, the first example to prove their accusation was that in a YouTube video by Lee, he praised the "camps" in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The article used the narrative toward the "camps" by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) to prove Lee Barrett's narratives were part of "Communist Party propaganda."
What on earth is the ASPI? It was reported the institute has long received financial support from the US government and arms dealers. The institute has been keen on fabricating and hyping various anti-China topics and spreading rumors to stigmatize and demonize China. It has been notorious for throwing out fallacies on Xinjiang-related issues that are unfounded and full of illusions and groundless suppositions. The article sounds not convincing by referring to the ASPI's rhetoric as a benchmark to prove the allegation toward Lee Barrett.
Another piece of evidence mentioned was that the Times has found that some of Barrett's videos were funded by state-run Chinese Radio International (CRI). Lee Barrett on Friday clarified that such organizations invited a number of influencers to some events, then used their comments on these events for Chinese media reports. These organizations paid for transportation, accommodations and meals. Influencers can make their own content, but there is "no contract" saying they "must make content on any particular kind."
From the perspective of Western media, what Barrett did wrong was to display that the Chinese people live a happy life and Chinese governance works in their videos. In boundaries of "political correctness" in the West, China can only be described as an "evil country," where people are living a miserable life.
On several of China's video-sharing apps, some Chinese vloggers living or studying in Western countries also make videos to share their experiences. Many of them praise Western lifestyles and manners, which deserve our learning. However, I have not heard any Chinese media outlet label them as "funded by Western countries" to "produce pro-West propaganda videos."
Western elites are reluctant to see China's progress as they cannot accept a country whose political system and path it follows are completely different from the West to receive such a remarkable achievement. When the Western governance encounters challenges, these elites do not want ordinary people in their countries to see what China really is, in case it triggers ordinary people's suspicion of their governance and undermine their rule.
Media outlets often represent the mentality of the elites in a country. But it is doubtful how many people in the West can still be brainwashed by their media outlets. At least judging from the views made under Barrett's videos on YouTube, only a few people believe what the Western media outlet said in this article.
Who is funding pro USA anti-China propaganda on Youtube? The USA has a propaganda arm specifically devoted to funding such activities. It is well known. So, now the sword cuts both ways even if what they claimed in true. Of course, when lies are repeated often enough, it sticks.
ReplyDeleteSo, take that UK media article with a spoonful of salt.
Indonesiab ex-President Suharto's wife was well-known as Madame Ten Percent, not for nothing.
ReplyDeletePhilippino ex-President Marco's wife was well-known as Madame Expensive Gifts Queen.
Malaysian Najib's wife is well-known as Madame Exquisite Jewellery Queen.
What is Sinkieland's Empress Dowager well-known for?
The most important question is whether they have done anything to help the commoners in the street.
ReplyDeletePeople like Kweilo60 and Barrett have not even put on Youtube the low downs in the USA or UK in their videos. They only highlighted the things that they saw, the progress they have seen in China, an honest view that they think is interesting to viewers. What is so wrong with that? It could even be travel agencies that are paying them to generate interest on China. Why is the Chinese Government paying them for that?
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, if China were thought to be paying them to denigrate the USA or UK, why do they not make videos about the slaughter of the Red Indians, the killing of innocents in the Middle East, the slums in California, the crumbling infrastructures, the soup kitchens, the tent homes, the drug problems and a thousand and one bad things about the USA. Many other Youtubers are doing just that and obviously the truth hurts.