US has made a blunder in its reaction to air defense zone

US has made a blunder in its reaction to air defense zone

Global Times | 2013-12-2 19:08:01 By Clifford A. Kiracofe

Illustration: Peter C.Espina/GT

Washington's maladroit handling of China's newly announced Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) unnecessarily muddies the waters and raises tensions over the East China Sea. Rather than reacting calmly in a diplomatic manner, the US immediately militarized the situation by sending B-52 bombers into China's zone.

No doubt Asians will draw conclusions from Washington's latest "bull in the China shop" approach to regional security issues. Some conclusions may not be favorable to the US and its long-term interests, given this latest example of US cowboy behavior.

Aviation around the globe is governed under international law by the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, and is coordinated and regulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a part of the UN system.

An ADIZ is defined by legal experts to be an area in airspace over water or land which may not necessarily be over the sovereign territory of a state in which identification, locations, and control of all aircraft must be provided in the interest of national security.

Washington's berating China over its new ADIZ gives the appearance of double standards. The US in fact maintains four ADIZ zones: the Contiguous US ADIZ, Alaska ADIZ, Guam ADIZ and the Hawaii ADIZ.

There are over 20 countries in the world which have ADIZs including the UK, Pakistan, and India. South Korea established its ADIZ in 1951, and Japan established its ADIZ in the 1960s and extended it in 2010.

ADIZ areas are not directly under the Chicago Convention, but can lend support to the convention's objectives of promoting peace and security, legal scholars say. ADIZ areas operate under the procedures given by the countries which establish them.

The US has its own unique procedures for its four ADIZ areas, and it has its own unique procedures for the US military to deal with foreign ADIZ areas, such as the procedures found in the US navy's Commander's Handbook on the Law of Naval Operations.

The Obama administration's heated reaction to China's ADIZ announcement was directed not only against the Chinese ADIZ generally, but also against China's inclusion of the Diaoyu Islands in it.

Washington's accusation that the zone is a destabilizing move implies that China does not have the right to establish such a zone while Japan does.

But how is it that over 20 countries around the world established such zones and have been within their rights to do so while Washington berates China?

In fact, the US action is unprecedented as no such formal protest against the establishment of an ADIZ has been lodged before against any country, experts say.

Japan includes the Diaoyu Islands within its ADIZ. Why should China not do the same? Given that the islands are a well-known matter of international legal dispute, both sides would seem to have the right to include them in their respective ADIZ areas.

For over four decades, there has been disagreement in US policy circles over the issue of the Diaoyu Islands with respect to their inclusion in the US-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty.

Some US officials, such as Walter Mondale when he was vice president of the US, maintained that the islands do not fall under the treaty obligations of the US. Other officials leaning toward the Japanese side, such as Kurt Campbell, alleged that they do fall under the treaty. The Obama administration follows the Campbell line.

Washington says it is neutral in the territorial dispute, but its actions clearly do not match its words.

By including these disputed islands within the mutual defense treaty, Washington binds itself unnecessarily to the Japanese side, and thus is not neutral. Irresponsible actions concerning these islands by an increasingly extremist Japan could quite unnecessarily plunge the US into a war in a worst-case scenario.

China is well within its rights under international law and practice to establish an ADIZ in order to enhance its national security. It is certainly time for Washington to drop its Cold War thinking and cowboy behavior in the Asia-Pacific region.

The author is an educator and former senior professional staff member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

From Swiss Standard to Indian Dream

Our relations with India cannot be better. Thanks to Chok Tong for spear heading this drive into India and the signing of CECA. There are so many Indian businesses operating here, the biggest among the foreign countries. And they are 200,000 India professionals working here, helping to shore up the property prices. And there must be at least half a million Indian workers helping up in the construction industry and building HDB flats for Sinkies and keeping the construction cost low. This must be a win win formula for both countries.
 
Chok Tong is there in India again probably discussing for more social and economic cooperation. There will be a one year long celebration in both countries in 2015 to commemorate the growing relations and cooperation between the two countries. This social economic and political copulation could lead to more big things to come. GIC and Temasek would now be able to invest more of their treasure chests in India. Many Sinkies can also look forward to working in India. Our jobless PMEs can discard their taxis and security guard uniforms and move to India for more lucrative jobs as professions and managers once again.
 
India is a big country and full of opportunities. Sinkies must not always think of working here. Think overseas, and India is where they could find their fortunes in rupees. The next super power will have more than a billion people and a subcontinent to offer. Look at the opportunities and possibilities to help rebuild India.
 
Our students can also study in Indian universities. India is well recognised for IT and finance expertise. We can train more finance professionals in India and let them follow the Indians to conquer all the financial centres in the world, from New York to Singapore.
 
Chok Tong has made a big difference by venturing into India. Forget about the old Swiss Standard of yore. That is passé, obsolete, no longer attractive. Dream India, think India. That is the future.

Naughty Singapore escapes punishment

The Johore Mentri Besar, Mohammed Khaled Nordin, has commented on the spying allegation during a mass circumcision ceremony last Sunday. He is awaiting the decision of the Federal govt before taking actions against Singapore/Singaporean investments in Johore, particularly in the Iskandar Economic Zone. He mentioned punishment, and looks like it is only a matter of degree. Some investments would be circumcised.
 
The Mentri Besar was also cautious as to what or who would be affected. He recognized that some of the investments were by Singaporeans and not by the Singapore govt. So those buying properties for investment may be spared should he wield the cane.
 
Would two strokes be enough?
 
Singapore can heave a sigh of relief after what Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday. The spying case is closed. The good relations between the two countries remained intact, life goes on as before. One caveat, the Malaysian govt may still investigate the allegations.
 
It is really good to have a lawyer as the Foreign Minister. And better still, a very good one. Shanmugam has done a good job.

Foreigners improving their taste

They used to congregate in the ‘sua teng’ or rural area. After being here long enough, they are beginning to appreciate what is good taste. And they are moving into the Orchard Road area, the prime district of the rich and famous. They are now going for the branded stuff and getting close to the rich and famous.
 
The latest report said their favourite hangouts are Devonshire Road, Leonie Hill, Cairnhill Circle, and Cavenagh Road. Oh, not to forget, the famous Oxley Road. They are not only rubbing shoulders and feasting with the rich and famous but also the powerful.
 
Actually not all the foreigners have developed such exquisite taste and pangs for the who’s who of Singapore. This fad is solely limited to the Dengue type. They have infested Orchard Road, moving away from Bedok Reservoir when the water is too rich with human flavor, a wise choice, and from HDB and industrial estates and construction sites.
 
Oh there is another type, the Chikungunya, has also moved from the industrial site of Sungei Kadut to the Holland and Bukit Timah area. They are also developing a taste for the wealthy Sinkies. They must be tired of the tasteless and smelly foreign workers in the ‘sua teng’..
 
We must celebrate their newly acquired exquisite taste. They have arrived.

When it comes full circle

How many of your friends are downgrading? How many have sold their landed properties or condominium and gone back to stay in a HDB flat? How many have gone on to stay in a HDB studio apartment, the one room cum all type?
 
It was not too long ago when Sinkies were buying into HDB flats as their first property. Then the prosperity crept in and everyone was upgrading to private and landed properties. Now it has come full circle, many are downgrading to where they started. Your life is getting better.
 
As they said, come naked, go naked. The thought of going naked is going to be a stark reality that many Sinkies will have to reckon with when everything is gone. The prosperity of Sinkies cannot last more than one generation or 99 years. Everything is reset at 99 with many resetting now. The million dollar HDB flat or private condo will also be reset to zero.
 
The race is who gets reset first and who last.

EDB wants companies to develop local talents

Normally I would have dropped on the floor and laugh myself crazy at such a statement. It is like waking up in the morning and remembering that it is important to brush your teeth. It is like realizing that we need to have our own soldiers and not hiring foreign mercenaries to guard our homes and country. But it is still good to remember and try to undo the damage, to do the necessary that have been long forgotten. It is a pathetic piece of news. Below is a part of an Editorial posted in TRE.
 
‘In a recent interview with the media, EDB Chairman Leo Yip said that EDB will work with MNCs to help get more locals into top posts.
 
“More companies are increasingly conducting global decision-making activities, such as procurement and brand management, out of Asia,” said Mr Yip.
 
“The market pull of Asia is increasingly attracting multinational companies… (and) companies are responding and organising themselves to have both regional and global functions here, and that is translating into new and exciting jobs for Singaporeans.”
He acknowledged that a pipeline of local managerial talent is needed to support the international and regional headquarters of MNCs being set up here.
 
“For a Singaporean to develop his or her career in a (multinational) on a managerial pathway, he or she will have to build up exposure to regional, or even global, markets,” said Mr Yip.
 
The EDB is working with companies to develop programmes that will identify locals for top positions in multinationals…’
 
And where should the EDB start, in foreign owned MNCs or in local companies or in the GLCs or ministries and stats board. I read recently that a foreigner is now a deputy Chairman of a stats board. I remember under the first generation of leaders, one of the key objectives was to quickly develop local talents, and local then meant Singaporeans, to assume key appointments both in private and public offices. When was this forgotten and the need to bring in foreigners became a fad all because we have forgotten to develop our own talents? When the mission then was to remove the colonial yoke quickly, today it seems that we are happily and quickly putting on the foreign yoke back on our neck and walking around as a statement of pride that we have arrived…back to the colonial days.
 
Our parent’s generation transformed this island in one generation to a modern and prosperous city, like planting a big tree. Now who is claiming credit and enjoying the fruits of this tree? Maybe like they said, it would not last through the third generation. Somehow some asses will lose it or give it away. It would be lost.

Singapore students top PISA test

Is this another joke? Did they misspelt Pizza as PISA? There is still scintillating report in the media about how smart our students were, coming in second in mathematics and third in reading and science among 65 cities around the world.
 
Singapore is also reported to have one of the top education system. And we have students that scored straight As like no body’s business. And our universities are ranked among the best in the world.
 
Here is the truth. We don’t have good locals to be lecturers and professors and must import them wholesale from the rest of the world, including Third World countries. We don’t have the talents for middle and top management jobs and the island is importing millions of foreigners from the Third World countries to help the daft Sinkies.
 
And the govt just realize that they have to train the locals for middle and top management jobs and are hoping that the MNCs can help to train them. The foreigners are recruited to shore up both the private and public companies and increasingly into govt linked companies and statutory boards. Maybe it is only a matter of time before they take over the govt too.
 
Now, what was being reported in the media? Our students are among the best in the world? What is the joke? What happens when these Sinkie children grow up? Become duds and dafts? Which is the truth?
 
Many graduates and professionals are no longer fit to be employed and can only find solace in becoming taxi drivers. And the good talents from neighbouring countries are taking over the PME’s jobs from the top to the bottom. Presumably their students must be better than our students and their schools and universities must also be better as well. The only reason that they did not fare well in those tests and rankings is that they did not waste time participating. They rather spend their time and effort doing the real stuff, teaching them to be good, to be better than the Sinkies and take over their jobs and country.