It is official, Kim Jong Un visited Beijing and had a photograph taken
with Xi Jinping and their respective first ladies. All the foolish talks
about China and North Korea breaking up and relations at a low would
now sound so hollow. Trump and his scheming idiots thought they got
China by the balls to do their biddings, above all, to betray and
abandon North Korea. They were congratulating themselves that they were
so successful in creating a rift between the two neighbours with
historical ties in fighting the Americans, and probably sniggering at
how easy to drive them apart. Many stupid western analysts still cling
to this farce and trying to explain that Kim is making a last minute
effort to gain China’s support when the support was and is there all the
time, and that the superficial rift was just that, to play along with
the Americans.
This visit by Kim, his first visit overseas and to meet a leader of
another nation, speaks clearly where his confidence lies and who he
regards as his most reliable and important friend. Since the Korean War
against the USA, China had withdrawn every single soldier fighting in
that war from Korean soil. On the other hand the Americans refused to
leave and had made South Korea a semi colony with the Americans
commanding the South Korean soldiers.
On the other hand North Korea is a full fledged independent state in
charge of its own destiny and sovereignty. China did not behave like the
devious and treacherous Americans, to sit tight and refuse to leave.
China could easily use the same excuse, American troops are still in
South Korea, as justification to remain in North Korea. But the Chinese
honoured their obligations and respect the independence of the North
Koreans, and completely withdrew from North Korea.
For a while, the ugly and treacherous Americans have the world believing
in their sneaky tricks of driving a wedge between China and its closest
ally, North Korea. China even went along to agree to the American led
sanctions against the North Koreans. Many fools really believed that
China has become the enemy of North Korea and the North Koreans are
depending on the Russians to protect and defend them. Should this be the
case, Kim would be in Moscow to visit Putin.
The truth is out. The devious Americans really believed that China is
weak and could be pushed around, conduct provocations in the South China
Sea islands and waging a trade war with China thinking that China has
no card to play. China has now thrown an ace at the Americans with this
Kim visit. China would do more if the Americans did not desist from
their provocation and aggression. Next China could withdraw support for
the American sanctions against the North Koreans, and more to come.
As the Americans foolishly step up the pressure on China, China will
respond accordingly and with more vigour and force. Let there be no
mistake that China would not walk away when its core interests are
challenged. China would not abandon its close allies and let them be
bullied by the Americans. China cannot afford to do so or it would lose
credibility in the eyes of big and small nations of the world that China
is a reliable and dependable friend in times of need.
The game has just begun. China has stood up to the Americans for the
world to see. Anyone still believes that China could be pushed around by
the Americans and betray its friends? Anyone still believe that there
was a big rift between China and North Korea and this visit was a
desperate move by Kim to mend fences with China, or China and North
Korea telling the bullies that they have been duped all this while? Are
the Chinese and North Koreans so naïve to believe that the Americans
could drive them apart by provocative acts, threats and sanctions?
3/28/2018
Shanmugam the real PM?
In an article in thestatestimesreview titled ‘Singapore’s real PM is K
Shanmugam, not Lee Hsien Loong’, Alex Tan has an interesting read on the
political development in Singapore. Of course this is just his opinion.
I would take a different view on this, but here are some paragraphs
from the article.
‘Like the Chinese dynasty history where rouge Prime Ministers controlled their puppet emperors, Singapore’s Law Minister K Shanmugam has a similar rein over the weak Prime Minister. It certainly doesn’t help with Lee Hsien Loong being ...fickle-minded, but a blanket silence on the furious debates raging in the recent headlines only goes to show the extent of his impotence….
Spend money? Lee Hsien Loong and Ho Ching is there. Raise taxes? Heng Swee Keat will take care of it. Day-to-day government affairs? Leave it to the Law Minister.
This begs the question: Who is then the real Prime Minister?....
Welding two heavyweight ministerial profiles, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam wrote his own green paper, sat in his own Select Committee and now he is going to enact new his own censorship laws. He went to Parliament calling Sylvia Lim “dishonest” and slithered away when facts proved him wrong. The same snake of a minister wrote new laws allowing policemen to lethally shoot protesters, strip search women, and give himself extra-judiciary powers to ban media and communication.
K Shanmugam is no longer only a Law Minister, his new lawless powers made him the new dictator of Singapore – surpassing the PM and his two deputy PMs. Lee Hsien Loong is only as relevant as Halimah Yacob, his premiership is just ceremonial while the one in full power is the Law Minister.
Lee Hsien Loong may be stepping down, but everyone is asking the wrong question who is the actual one in power. The likely PM successor, Minister Chan Chun Sing, will be just another puppet to K Shanmugam.’
My point that differs from Alex Tan is that what Hsien Loong is doing is about delegation of duties. With all the ministers being paid millions, how can they not be expected to assume full duties and responsibilities in their ministries? And these are not your normal average people, they are super super talents and not allowing them to do their jobs would be a disservice and injustice to their super super talents.
Hsien Loong is doing the right thing by making them work and not sitting on their butts. Shanmugam is seen as doing a lot of work simply because he has two ministries under him. So he has to work harder and the unquestionable talent to go with it.
Of course there would be people who would question the danger of too much power given to one man, in Shanmugam, and the risk that he could usurp his power to be the real or de facto PM. The possibility is there, but Hsien Loong is in full control and would not allow it to happen. The two DPMs knew, and the 4th generation leaders also knew that Hsien Loong is the one calling the shot.
Shanmugam would not be the next PM even if Alex Tan thinks he is wielding too much power as a minister versus his other colleagues, even the DPMs. It looks that way but this is only an impression. What is the real politikings behind the scene only Hsien Loong knows. He is the PM and he is in charge.
OK both views are just opinions. Please don’t label them as fake news. Everyone is entitled to his view and opinion. You guys reading can have yours as well, and very different from the two of us.
I am not sure what those fake news control freaks would be thinking. They all look so innocent and holy. You know a devil when you see one.
‘Like the Chinese dynasty history where rouge Prime Ministers controlled their puppet emperors, Singapore’s Law Minister K Shanmugam has a similar rein over the weak Prime Minister. It certainly doesn’t help with Lee Hsien Loong being ...fickle-minded, but a blanket silence on the furious debates raging in the recent headlines only goes to show the extent of his impotence….
Spend money? Lee Hsien Loong and Ho Ching is there. Raise taxes? Heng Swee Keat will take care of it. Day-to-day government affairs? Leave it to the Law Minister.
This begs the question: Who is then the real Prime Minister?....
Welding two heavyweight ministerial profiles, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam wrote his own green paper, sat in his own Select Committee and now he is going to enact new his own censorship laws. He went to Parliament calling Sylvia Lim “dishonest” and slithered away when facts proved him wrong. The same snake of a minister wrote new laws allowing policemen to lethally shoot protesters, strip search women, and give himself extra-judiciary powers to ban media and communication.
K Shanmugam is no longer only a Law Minister, his new lawless powers made him the new dictator of Singapore – surpassing the PM and his two deputy PMs. Lee Hsien Loong is only as relevant as Halimah Yacob, his premiership is just ceremonial while the one in full power is the Law Minister.
Lee Hsien Loong may be stepping down, but everyone is asking the wrong question who is the actual one in power. The likely PM successor, Minister Chan Chun Sing, will be just another puppet to K Shanmugam.’
My point that differs from Alex Tan is that what Hsien Loong is doing is about delegation of duties. With all the ministers being paid millions, how can they not be expected to assume full duties and responsibilities in their ministries? And these are not your normal average people, they are super super talents and not allowing them to do their jobs would be a disservice and injustice to their super super talents.
Hsien Loong is doing the right thing by making them work and not sitting on their butts. Shanmugam is seen as doing a lot of work simply because he has two ministries under him. So he has to work harder and the unquestionable talent to go with it.
Of course there would be people who would question the danger of too much power given to one man, in Shanmugam, and the risk that he could usurp his power to be the real or de facto PM. The possibility is there, but Hsien Loong is in full control and would not allow it to happen. The two DPMs knew, and the 4th generation leaders also knew that Hsien Loong is the one calling the shot.
Shanmugam would not be the next PM even if Alex Tan thinks he is wielding too much power as a minister versus his other colleagues, even the DPMs. It looks that way but this is only an impression. What is the real politikings behind the scene only Hsien Loong knows. He is the PM and he is in charge.
OK both views are just opinions. Please don’t label them as fake news. Everyone is entitled to his view and opinion. You guys reading can have yours as well, and very different from the two of us.
I am not sure what those fake news control freaks would be thinking. They all look so innocent and holy. You know a devil when you see one.
3/27/2018
China needs to change its appeasement policy towards the USA
China has been operating under the policy of appeasement in the face of
American and western provocation and aggression since the opening of its
economy. Under Deng Xiaoping’s era, he advocated that China should
avoid trouble, even ‘eat bitter pill’, stay out of trouble and dispute
to concentrate on economic growth and development. This policy of non
involvement and avoiding confrontation and conflict with the USA is
still in place and is proving to be outdated and detrimental to the
continue growth and rise of China as a sovereign state.
China must learn its bitter lesson of the past, when it was weak and invited hostile western countries and Japan to invade and to colonise China with wars and intimidation. The western countries, led by the USA, are still viewing China’s non interference and non aggression and non retaliation policies as a sign of weakness and are pressuring and challenging China in all areas, including trade wars, the Taiwan independence and the South China Sea. Even little countries would happily align with the Americans to take pot shots at China whenever a contentious issue is presented, thinking and believing that a weak China would not react or hit back. It is very safe to slam China in support of the Americans. A weak China as perceived by the hostile and unfriendly countries would invite provocations, challenges and intimidation just like the weak China of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Can China afford to continue with its policies of appeasement and walking away from provocations and confrontations? Is it good for China to appear weak and hapless in the face of American and western pressure and aggressive challenges?
China today is no longer hapless and weak like the past Qing Dynasty. China is now the second most powerful country in the world and would be wise to make the world understand and acknowledge this fact to keep provocations and unfriendly acts at bay. Appearing weak and appeasing the aggressors are exactly the reasons that brought about the continuous provocative challenges to China in the South China Sea, the inciting of Taiwan’s independence and the looming trade war.
China must take a stand, change its non aggressive and appeasement policy to suit its stature as a big power if it wants to deter adventurism and hostile intention. Unfriendly and hostile countries with ill intent and agenda must know that China is not a weak state but would hit back with as much force and power as it deems fit to aggressive intents and acts from unfriendly countries, particularly the little pretentious powers. China must mean business if it is to have a respectable standing in the international community, to be respected as a big power and not to be trifled with.
The day has come for China to stand up as a big power and not to be pushed around, to be challenged and not to push back the aggressive and hostile forces. A policy of weakness, of inaction and appeasement would do more harm to China than one of strength. The whole world is also looking for a China that can stand up to the aggression of the USA and western powers, to protect the small countries from being threatened by these powers. Small countries need another super power to balance the equation in international relations for peace and stability.
China has a big and critical role to balance the military and belligerent might of the USA and its equally bellicose western allies. Not facing up to these hostile countries is being irresponsible as the hapless little countries would have no one to turn, no one to defend their rights and independence except to submit to the threats of USA and western powers.
The world needs a new balance of power for peace and stability and to protect and defend the interest of the smaller and weaker states. The USA, the world’s most belligerent evil Empire, has been conducting wars every day for the last 7 decades, wars of aggression, invasion, covert wars, cyber wars, media wars and now trade wars. The Americans are not afraid of wars. They lived by wars and love wars. To stop them from their warmongering, the only way is to hit back with more wars. That is the only language they understand.
China must learn its bitter lesson of the past, when it was weak and invited hostile western countries and Japan to invade and to colonise China with wars and intimidation. The western countries, led by the USA, are still viewing China’s non interference and non aggression and non retaliation policies as a sign of weakness and are pressuring and challenging China in all areas, including trade wars, the Taiwan independence and the South China Sea. Even little countries would happily align with the Americans to take pot shots at China whenever a contentious issue is presented, thinking and believing that a weak China would not react or hit back. It is very safe to slam China in support of the Americans. A weak China as perceived by the hostile and unfriendly countries would invite provocations, challenges and intimidation just like the weak China of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Can China afford to continue with its policies of appeasement and walking away from provocations and confrontations? Is it good for China to appear weak and hapless in the face of American and western pressure and aggressive challenges?
China today is no longer hapless and weak like the past Qing Dynasty. China is now the second most powerful country in the world and would be wise to make the world understand and acknowledge this fact to keep provocations and unfriendly acts at bay. Appearing weak and appeasing the aggressors are exactly the reasons that brought about the continuous provocative challenges to China in the South China Sea, the inciting of Taiwan’s independence and the looming trade war.
China must take a stand, change its non aggressive and appeasement policy to suit its stature as a big power if it wants to deter adventurism and hostile intention. Unfriendly and hostile countries with ill intent and agenda must know that China is not a weak state but would hit back with as much force and power as it deems fit to aggressive intents and acts from unfriendly countries, particularly the little pretentious powers. China must mean business if it is to have a respectable standing in the international community, to be respected as a big power and not to be trifled with.
The day has come for China to stand up as a big power and not to be pushed around, to be challenged and not to push back the aggressive and hostile forces. A policy of weakness, of inaction and appeasement would do more harm to China than one of strength. The whole world is also looking for a China that can stand up to the aggression of the USA and western powers, to protect the small countries from being threatened by these powers. Small countries need another super power to balance the equation in international relations for peace and stability.
China has a big and critical role to balance the military and belligerent might of the USA and its equally bellicose western allies. Not facing up to these hostile countries is being irresponsible as the hapless little countries would have no one to turn, no one to defend their rights and independence except to submit to the threats of USA and western powers.
The world needs a new balance of power for peace and stability and to protect and defend the interest of the smaller and weaker states. The USA, the world’s most belligerent evil Empire, has been conducting wars every day for the last 7 decades, wars of aggression, invasion, covert wars, cyber wars, media wars and now trade wars. The Americans are not afraid of wars. They lived by wars and love wars. To stop them from their warmongering, the only way is to hit back with more wars. That is the only language they understand.
3/26/2018
Trump – You are fired
Trump is reprising his role in the Apprentice with a new vigour and
vitality. This time he is real. He is proving to be the no nonsense
boss. Anyone that falls below his expectation will be fired. Trump as a
leader of a nation has no excuse or tolerance for sub par performance or
non performance. Anyone in his cabinet must perform or be sacked.
In a way Trump is showing the world of incompetent leaders what leadership is all about. It is all about putting good men and women in position of power, authority and responsibility. He cannot accept mediocrity. This speaks very well of Trump and leaders of nation state have a lot to learn from him. Leaders that tolerate incompetence and nincompoohs or surrounded themselves with clowns are doing a disservice to their countries and people.
Trump may be harsh but very decisive. He is still in the process of finding good men and women to make America great again. He would find them sooner or later and America would be great again. Never in the history of the USA and the democratic world where so many pretentious men and women, cronies, were put into positions of power and responsibility but doing nothing useful or failing in their jobs.
Trump is changing everything to do the right thing. Do your job and do it right or be fired. There is no excuse for incompetence. Many in the establishment have been dead wood for too long and pretending to be working and pretending to be doing a good job. No one can bluff Trump. He kicked asses.
Trump is proving himself to be one of the rare leaders that popped up in time of great crisis. There is a crisis of leadership in the USA and the democratic world. Great leaders, real leaders, are needed to lead, not to mislead.
In a way Trump is showing the world of incompetent leaders what leadership is all about. It is all about putting good men and women in position of power, authority and responsibility. He cannot accept mediocrity. This speaks very well of Trump and leaders of nation state have a lot to learn from him. Leaders that tolerate incompetence and nincompoohs or surrounded themselves with clowns are doing a disservice to their countries and people.
Trump may be harsh but very decisive. He is still in the process of finding good men and women to make America great again. He would find them sooner or later and America would be great again. Never in the history of the USA and the democratic world where so many pretentious men and women, cronies, were put into positions of power and responsibility but doing nothing useful or failing in their jobs.
Trump is changing everything to do the right thing. Do your job and do it right or be fired. There is no excuse for incompetence. Many in the establishment have been dead wood for too long and pretending to be working and pretending to be doing a good job. No one can bluff Trump. He kicked asses.
Trump is proving himself to be one of the rare leaders that popped up in time of great crisis. There is a crisis of leadership in the USA and the democratic world. Great leaders, real leaders, are needed to lead, not to mislead.
3/25/2018
The media - Truth is stranger than fiction
Below are a few paragraphs from the statestimesreview ridiculing the top officials of The Straits Times for lying in an open hearing. I as usual disagree with thestatestimes for their criticisms of the most respectable and serious and always reporting the truth newspaper in Singapore. I also disagree with their low ranking for credibility at 151st in the world. Of course you are free to disagree with me and my biased opinion. I would not be offended as I also have very thick skin. I would not demand an apology, I swear.
'Openly lying at the Select Committee’s hearing, Singapore’s state media claimed that they are “serious journalism” and independent from the ruling party’s influence.
Singapore’s state media, comprising of Mediacorp and Singapore’s Press Holdings, are collectively ranked 151st in the world for credibility. The shameful ranking puts Singapore media among the third world nations like Iraq and North Korea, but the editors representing the two propaganda state media, senior editors of Mediacorp and editor of Straits Times, protested insisting they are not biased:
“Over the last five, 10 years we’ve tried extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective because we see our role as not trying to play up one party or the other, but to give our readers as much information as they can to make decisions for themselves. If we were biased, we would be clearly called out on social media. It would backfire and affect our credibility, so we wouldn’t be inclined to do that. I don’t think it does anybody any service if we tried to … it would be a disservice to our readers, a disservice to our journalists, and ultimately I think a disservice to Singapore.”
The propagandists also said that the internet is the reason why trust in the mainstream media has fallen, and called for the government to impose more censorship on the internet “to level the playing field with the mainstream media”:'
I know that it is very difficult to dispute the poor rankings of international bodies on anything but only to agree with them when the rankings are good. It is only human to hear the good stuff, read the good stuff. I just dunno how an international body could give The Straits Times such a low ranking when it is as reputable as the New York Times, the Washington Post etc as it always carried their unbiased, objective and well researched political western propaganda to attack, ridicule and rubbish any country that is being demonished by the American Empire. See how many pages were given to western journalists to write and condemn Asian countries from the western perspectives. Somehoe Singapore could not produce any good journalist to write news from our own perspective and interest of Asians. But these are foreign news and not the fault of the paper. They never write them, maybe even have to pay to have the right to publish these western fake news. Oops, they are alternative news from the West, not fake.
A good point to note is that for the last 5 or 10 years The Straits Times have been trying extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective in reporting local news. Never mind what they were doing before the last 5 or 10 years. Maybe then it was easier to report fair, balanced and objective news or they were reporting something else. They could not be reporting unfair, unbalanced and unobjective news right? Come to think of it, should it not be a natural thing, a moral thing, a thing of honour, to be reporting fair, balanced and objective news? Is this not the responsibility and purpose of a news media?
Anyway, if they have to try extremely hard, they must have good reasons to work extremely hard just to be fair, balanced and objective. Not sure what or who is making them working so hard when it should be second nature, the right thing to do. Telling the truth is so easy. Every child can do that without any effort. On this ground I think we should be very appreciative of them for telling us their problem without having to say it. This is the best honourable journalists could say or do under the circumstances.
Let's believe in the honour and fairness of our journalists for giving us so respectable unbiased news, not fake news, all these 5 or 10 years under extremely difficult conditions. Let's not believe in their lowly 151st world ranking. And thestatestimesreview should not criticise them so unfairly.
As they said, wait till you are wearing the shoes or be in their position, only then would you understand their hardship and difficulties. Whatever they are saying or not saying, and confessing or not confessing, I like.
'Openly lying at the Select Committee’s hearing, Singapore’s state media claimed that they are “serious journalism” and independent from the ruling party’s influence.
Singapore’s state media, comprising of Mediacorp and Singapore’s Press Holdings, are collectively ranked 151st in the world for credibility. The shameful ranking puts Singapore media among the third world nations like Iraq and North Korea, but the editors representing the two propaganda state media, senior editors of Mediacorp and editor of Straits Times, protested insisting they are not biased:
“Over the last five, 10 years we’ve tried extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective because we see our role as not trying to play up one party or the other, but to give our readers as much information as they can to make decisions for themselves. If we were biased, we would be clearly called out on social media. It would backfire and affect our credibility, so we wouldn’t be inclined to do that. I don’t think it does anybody any service if we tried to … it would be a disservice to our readers, a disservice to our journalists, and ultimately I think a disservice to Singapore.”
The propagandists also said that the internet is the reason why trust in the mainstream media has fallen, and called for the government to impose more censorship on the internet “to level the playing field with the mainstream media”:'
I know that it is very difficult to dispute the poor rankings of international bodies on anything but only to agree with them when the rankings are good. It is only human to hear the good stuff, read the good stuff. I just dunno how an international body could give The Straits Times such a low ranking when it is as reputable as the New York Times, the Washington Post etc as it always carried their unbiased, objective and well researched political western propaganda to attack, ridicule and rubbish any country that is being demonished by the American Empire. See how many pages were given to western journalists to write and condemn Asian countries from the western perspectives. Somehoe Singapore could not produce any good journalist to write news from our own perspective and interest of Asians. But these are foreign news and not the fault of the paper. They never write them, maybe even have to pay to have the right to publish these western fake news. Oops, they are alternative news from the West, not fake.
A good point to note is that for the last 5 or 10 years The Straits Times have been trying extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective in reporting local news. Never mind what they were doing before the last 5 or 10 years. Maybe then it was easier to report fair, balanced and objective news or they were reporting something else. They could not be reporting unfair, unbalanced and unobjective news right? Come to think of it, should it not be a natural thing, a moral thing, a thing of honour, to be reporting fair, balanced and objective news? Is this not the responsibility and purpose of a news media?
Anyway, if they have to try extremely hard, they must have good reasons to work extremely hard just to be fair, balanced and objective. Not sure what or who is making them working so hard when it should be second nature, the right thing to do. Telling the truth is so easy. Every child can do that without any effort. On this ground I think we should be very appreciative of them for telling us their problem without having to say it. This is the best honourable journalists could say or do under the circumstances.
Let's believe in the honour and fairness of our journalists for giving us so respectable unbiased news, not fake news, all these 5 or 10 years under extremely difficult conditions. Let's not believe in their lowly 151st world ranking. And thestatestimesreview should not criticise them so unfairly.
As they said, wait till you are wearing the shoes or be in their position, only then would you understand their hardship and difficulties. Whatever they are saying or not saying, and confessing or not confessing, I like.
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