4/10/2018

All the fake news – from official sources

The Trump Administration launched a trade war against China, raising tariffs after tariffs. China responded in kind with its own tariffs. The Americans then said it is not in a trade war and both sides are talking. Trump then said China would bring down its trade barriers, would open up. All this looked so real.
 

China has replied. China has not been talking to the Americans for months, and definitely not since trump started this trade war. And China is not going to talk to the Americans until the Americans back down from its wild allegations and threats of sanctions and tariffs.
 

See the fake news and the source of the fake news?
 

The Assad govt is using chemical weapons against the rebels and the Syrians. Russia used the most deadly gas against its ex spy, Skripal and daughter in England. The gas is 10 times more deadly than VX used on Kim Jong Nam. Kim died, but Skripal and daughter are alive and well.
 

The western govts are ganging up like a pack of wolves to accuse Russia and Syria for using chemical weapons. And all the western media, the MSM, are pointing the fingers at the Russians and the Syrians. Trump called Assad animal. But who is the biggest and most evil animal? No need to guess.
 

Who is spreading fake news? Who are the evil ones using chemicals and putting the blame of the Russians and the Assad govt? No need to guess. It is fake news galore in the western media. Who is going to punish the originator and spreader of fake news?

Singapore’s talent scouts should head to India

India is producing all the talents that Singapore needs to bring it to the future, from IT, banking, academia, medical, entrepreneurs, public speakers, journalists and politicians. Now there is another profession that Singapore could look forward to in India.
 

The Chinese table tennis players in the Singapore Team have lost to India in the finals in the Commonwealth Games. This is the first time that the Singapore Team lost. The last time they met in 2010, Singapore Team beat them by 3-0. This time it is 3-1 in favour of India. What the results said is that India is on the rise and China fading away, at least in table tennis.
 

The future of Singapore’s table tennis glory is in India. Those MPs that have nothing better to do must think of leading a team to visit the India villages to handpick future table tennis players for the Singapore Team. Yes, headhunt them when they are young and not yet star material. Singapore’s talent is in headhunting and spotting young talents, especially in table tennis. We have many experience MPs who are very good in this skill. If they don’t do it, there will be nothing more to cheer about in table tennis to galvanise the people together in nationhood. This is serious matter.
 

There is hope that our table tennis team will continue to shine with new talents from budding India table tennis players. Make haste while the sun shines. Don’t wait or other country’s talent scouts would beat us to it. This type of thing cannot wait or else next Commonwealth Games Singapore will have no gold medals for table tennis.
 

Now what else should they hunt while in India? More Indian chiefs. India is very good at producing Indian chiefs that Singapore is lacking.

4/09/2018

Dr. Mahatir Mohamed back in Malaysia's politics

Dr. Mahatir has returned from retirement to fight in politics again. His mission is to right the wrongs which he thinks PM Najib is committing  He has been accusing Najib for corruption . He conveniently forgets that Najib was his perfect loyal student who learns all the tricks from him .

In his twenty-two years rule Mahatir had played with the country and the people's welfare. Who benefitted from Mallaysia's fiasco in its lost of billions of dollars in Malaysia's investment in the sick British pound. Well, of course Soros the Jewish elite made billions from it. Other than Soros who else benefitted? That is a big question mark.

What happened to Malaysia Airways ? Who benefitted from its lost of billions of dollars?  What about the lack lustre development of Port Klang , another multi billion dollar project?  Where had all the money gone?  Who was the transport and communication minister there and then.

How do some of the scions of Malaysia's prominent politicians become multi millionaires or billionaires overnight?

Dr. Mahatir brought disharmony to the country by practising ill conceived religion and narrow racialistic politics to benefit his party's agenda. So don't be a hypocrite and accuse PM Najib just to suit his own agenda. 

His unbecoming or sour talk about Najib's China's capital and investment in Malaysia smacks a nuance of his being now an American mouthpiece . Since when has he decided to become an American poodle to speak ill of China. Under the Evil US Imperial Empire's influence he illicitly and shamefully claims some of the Chinese islands in the South China Sea. He seems to forget there was no country call Malaya or Malaysia until the British chose to leave in 1957 and 1965 when it found that British colonialism was untenable in the face of history. Even then England never claim the Chinese islands in the South China Sea. In fact England and all the West including US and Japan have always recognized the Paracels and the chain of Spratly Islands as Chinese territories. In fact all the islands in the South China Sea have since time immemorial been Chinese territories as far back as the Chin or Han Dynasty over two thousand years ago 

In  1986 the West and US floated the UNCLOS - United Nations Convention of the Laws of the Sea. China had asserted that UNCLOS should not and must not encroach or supercede China's historical ownership of her South China Sea's territories before it signed the agreement in later years. However USA itself refused to sign the agreement fearing a lot of legal suits would be filed against US unlawful occupation of other peoples or countries islands and territories. In short USA will not subject itself to international laws it helped to formulate.

Dr Mahatir by his action and stupid assertion that Malaysia has claims to some of the Chinese islands in the South China Sea is thus incongruent with Malaysia's history. Has Mahatir been smoking too much of  American pipe and has suddenly come under US's sinister influence. 

Those who sleep with the Evil Empire will always end up in big serious trouble and eventually lost their countries' sovereignty. There are too many cases to enumerate. But just to mention a few recent ones like Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Iran when it was under the Shah.

Southernglory1

Monday , 09th April. 2018

Would Singapore invite China into CPTPP?

The anti China TPP, conceived with one specific purpose, to isolate China, went ahead without the Americans and formed a half past six grouping under a modified name called CPTPP.  The non participation of America in such a trade grouping would have effectively rendered it a no go proposition. What is there left without the American market?

Under normal conditions, the remaining participants would go around hunting for an equivalent big economy to replace the Americans. The obvious choice was China. But the obvious choice was that China was the main enemy and should not be the choice. Grudgingly they went ahead, on a limb, to sign a trade pact that is as good as a non pact. The persistence of some members in the grouping not wanting to give up is understandable. Without China is the key agenda and going ahead without China is still like half a bird in the bush is better than none. China was excluded and they have achieved what they set out to do.

Hsien Loong is in China to attend the Boao Forum and would follow up with a working visit to China to meet Wang Yi and to discuss areas of cooperation. The test balloon floated, oops, oops, wrong choice of word, the main agenda is to invite China to join the lame duck CPTPP.  At least this what I perceived from the statements he made in the media. 

In Channel News Asia it was reported that "Mr Lee highlighted the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which was renamed after the withdrawal of the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is a proposed FTA spearheaded by the ten ASEAN member states and involving six major trading partners, including China....that these two agreements will boost economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region and promote a seamless flow of goods, services and business that will benefit all countries.

“The CPTPP, which was recently signed, is an open and inclusive agreement. We welcome China, and others, to join the CPTPP when they are ready,” Mr Lee said....

Singapore will continue to support China’s constructive participation in the regional architecture as well as the international system,” Mr Lee said."

The last two sentences are as good as Singapore taking an initiative to invite China into the CPTPP.  anyone reading it as otherwise? This trip to China could be ground breaking in Singapore China relationship. In a way the term test balloon could be quite appropriate in the sense that Japan would never agree to have China in the CPTPP. Did Hsien Loong speak to Abe and had his concurrence to brood this matter with China? If not, the suggestion is as good as cheap talk. Japan would definitely throw its weight down to oppose China's entry. China is not just a historical enemy of Japan, its admission into CPTPP would mean that Japan would no longer be the undisputed leader to call the shot and to drive the CPTPP against China's interests.

Not only that, there is the big bad wolf lurking in the dark corner, not in the CPTPP does not mean that the Americans have no say in China's entry into the CPTPP. The Americans would use their veto card to stop China and all the American cronies and little USAs would not be able to say no.

Would Singapore take a lead against the interests of Japan and the USA to invite China into the CPTPP? Does Singapore have the heft and influence to make this happen? Or would it be a case that Singapore has done its best but were blocked by other interested parties to keep China out of the grouping?

Let's see what comes out of this China trip.

In today's news, it was reported that Hsien Loong has inked a couple of MOUs with Li Keqiang on the BRI and to promote  cross cultural cooperation. There was some mention of the RCEP but nothing about the CPTPP. Perhaps my reservations on Japan not going to agree to China's entry and the USA, though no longer a party, would also not permit China to be admitted to the CPTPP. The vacuum cannot be filled by China. Any other country will do but not China. So looks like Singapore is not going to be able to do a thing on this.

The Real US Problem: Multilateral Trade Deficits - Part 2

Basically Donald Trump looks like an economics noop or perhaps simply trying to bluff his way through.

He acts as if there is no single able economist in the US to provide him any advice on how to solve the US trade deficit problem, beginning with going after China with all kinds of dubious excuses in an attempt to reduce bilateral trade deficit.

Any trained economist would surely see through the holes in such a stance. The Americans real problem is their multilateral trade deficits with the world and not the bilateral trade deficit with China. Even if China accepts Donald Trump's unreasonable demand and unilaterally import another US$100 billion of their oil or aircrafts, such measure hardly solves or improves US economy overall or in the long term. In fact it may even cause more harm in the long run by making such US industries even more inefficient and addicted to such measures to enable exports to foreign markets.

And for the 1,300 products worth US$60 billion slapped with 25% tariffs, how is it going to solve the US trade deficit problems when importers can turn to other sources to import such goods?

Under free trade agreement signed with trading partners, such protectionist measure is known as trade diversion and to so called divert trade revenues from other countries to trade partners within the FTA grouping. But in this case, probably the US could end up importing many of the 1,300 Chinese tariffs targeted products from many other non-FTA countries and create jobs in those countries instead of the US, meanwhile making cost of living worst off and higher for the average US consumers through paying more for similar products from elsewhere.

Faced with an unhinged bully, China's counter moves so far have been measured but firm, otherwise it would probably invite further unabated aggression from the antogoniser who smells blood in any weak response or weakness and further rain countless blows and inflict untold injuries on the hapless victim.

Many international experts find Donald Trump's trade arguments confused and befuddling and would ultumately worsen than solve the Americans domestic economic problems. Doubling down last Thur 5 Apr on intention of hitting another US$100 billion worth of Chinese products with tariffs may be more of a sign of an unravelled binged gambling addict at the casino table who has lost his head and mind and desperately trying to recoup his losses and in the process ends up eventually in an unsalvageable situation for himself. Unfortunately, at this moment, there seems no one able to rein in on the muddled protectionist trade war measures taken by Donald Trump thus far.

Leo81