China's "Me" Generation

I was paging through the latest Time magazine and found an article concerning Chinese youth and how they have really come to neglect any concept of democracy. The headline of the article reads, "China's Me Generation: The New middle class is young, rich and happy. Just don't mention politics." This goes to show how students and young people have become aware that any sort of resistance or revolts against the governmental system is fruitless. This sets them apart from the previous generation of Chinese elites, whose lives were defined by great events such as the Cultural Revolution and the student protest in Tiananmen Square. As China becomes more and more modernized, the biggest concern for these young people is to stay on top of the technology and socializing. I think this is a step in the right direction for the next generation of Chinese. Democracy is a futile and almost ignored concept, and the fact that kids are starting to accept it is a sign of great progress. My visit to China a couple summers ago helped me to see how students in China that are my age, live their lives. I think it's safe to say that teenagers will be teenagers, and even though there is a vast array of government systems, this doesn't stop these teens from doing what they feel is right.

Independence for Taiwan

In recent years, China has been declaring that if Taiwan should decide to declare its independence, China would use military force to bring it back under control to the main land.

My issue with the "Taiwanese Independence" is that Taiwan is basically independent. It has its own economy, its own government(which is democratic, not communist), and Taiwan countries that support its independence. China should let Taiwan be free, and stop being made about something they already lost.

Halloween in Japan

Well, after I wrote my blog on pirates, I was wondering if Japan celebrated Halloween. They do. It recently has been more of an adult celebration where they dress up and party in the streets. Some say that it is a social release. Halloween is still on the rise though; families have begun to coordinate with their neighbors in an effort to start the tradition of trick or treating. It is becoming a huge success, what kid doesnt want free candy.

Pirates!

A Japanese tanker was hijacked by pirates off the cost of Somalia. War torn Somalia is becoming known for their pirates. There have been 31 attacks this year and one death. This is far worse than the ten attacks and one death last year. The pirates are still in control of the ship, but the US is monitoring the ship like a watchdog, the pirates probably will not get away with this one. Due to this, Japan has withdrawn from current plans of helping the US war effort at sea. This isnt the end of the world, and after this fiasco is over, Japan will likely contnue to help us.

WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN FROM OUR STUDENTS

Looks like Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda is finding out the hard way that Japanese democracy actually has some semblance of legitimacy. The Guardian Unlimited reports (see story here) that Mr. Fukuda may be forced to call an early general election after having failed so miserably "to win opposition backing for the country's participation in the US-led war in Afghanistan."

Now, I'm not the kind of person to say "I told you so" but if you read my recent posts you'll see I told you so. If only we had the luxury of living in a legitimate democracy we might not still be so deeply embedded in the worst foreign policy decision in US history. But, alas, opposition is nothing if not a dirty word in US politics.

774 arrests over food safety

Over the past 2 months China has arrested 774 people over food safety issues. Which is a good start on the crackdown to the sale of tainted food, much of which is exported and can find its way to the dinner table of one us perhaps. The government has vowed to revamp its food and drug safety regulations and close down any violators. This all sounds nice but what astonished me is that 82% of food tested in medium and large cities in China meets minimum safety standards, that means 18 % does not, or one out of 5 meals every person in one of those cities eats is not deemed safe. Nearly 30 percent of restaurants failed inspections, also pretty bad. I think what astonished me most is that the Chinese seem to domestically sell food that they wouldn't export the article quoted that they believe that 99% of food exported is safe, while only 80% of food sold domestically meets minimum safety standards.

Western/Eastern Influence

The relationship between the East and the West has always interested me, particularly the relationship between the United States and East Asian countries. The Western world has long set the tone for the way people in East Asian countries dress, eat and conduct business. Western culture is evident through McDonald's, blue jeans and business suits. They listen to Western music, speak our language and have been "Americanized". But what is the influence of Eastern culture on the West?

Americans use endless kinds of electronics made by Samsung, drive Hyundai cars and wear clothes that are made in Asia. Asians own nail shops, dry cleaners and gas stations in this country. What's more impressive is that Asians are flocking to our country to take jobs in the engineering, medical and scientific fields. Their students are outperforming our students in math and science. We turn to them for answers to hard math problems.

It is evident that this relationship is going to continue. Westerners will continue to have a culture influence on Easterners, while people hailing from East Asia have an impact on our innovative world.

Divorce in China

The divorce rate in China is growing. In Beijing the divorce rate more than doubled from 1990 to 1994, it went from 12%, to 24.4%. It is a reflection of the new social and economic freedom. Women want to be happy in their marriages. They want love and affection, to go with a sense of security. They want their husbands to stop having affairs, and treat them with respect. One woman reported that she had been married for 10 years, and her husband had never kissed her. This seems odd to me, it seems like marriage means different things for different people. How can you live with your spouse and never show them any affection.

Widows Weep

I have just learned that some Asian countries do not allow the widow to inherit her Husbands wealth. She is left to rely on her children, and in most cases she is denied everything. She can no longer stay in the family home, and she is cast on the streets. They have to withdraw from society, and continue on in life as a beggar. She has to live out the rest of her life as a nonentity. This is wrong, how can a society that honors the family, throw their mother away!!!

A Greener China

In China, "Coal is King". The country relies on the fossil fuel, coal, for energy production. Using coal to provide energy for China's massive population presents one large problem. Burning coal is deleterious to the environment more so than any other fuel source.

Although China has pledged to fight to decrease global warming, the country's attempts thus far have been futile. Energy plants that use coal are cheaper to produce and maintain because coal has been the dominant energy source for some time.

China currently has a biomass production site under construction. The small facility will burn corn and cotton stalks for energy. The construction project is behind schedule because few companies produce the material necessary to build the biomass plant. This problem also plagues the U.S. If more companies made the material available, more green energy would be available and the environment would benefit.

Japan: Fingerprint your visitors!

Japan has recently announced a new policy aimed at reducing the threat of international terrorism. Starting November 20th, visitors to the island country will be fingerprinted. The policy includes very few exemptions for adults over 16 years. "Only some permanent residents, and diplomatic visitors" will be exempt. Besides that, everyone will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival. Even resident foreigners will have to obide by the policy each time they re-enter the country.

It is unclear whether this policy will have a positive or negative effect on Japanese tourism. Regardless, be sure to look camera-ready when you deboard in Japan!

Ashamed in America, but not in Japan

As I was looking for content I noticed some of the ads pertaining to Japanese goods had familiar faces on them. I looked harder and noticed that the people endorsing regular consumer level products were the "great theatrical stars"that we have here in America. Here is a list of our most dignified performers stooping to a level that they would be ashamed of, if people at home (Americans) found out. Here are our supposed progressive actors fighting against the "evils of capitalism" while reaping the benefits, a half a world away.
Catherine Zeta-Jones for Lux Super Rich Shampoo, Cameron Diaz for Aeon Language School, Nicholas Cage for Pachinko, Brad Pitt for both Roots canned coffee and jeans, George Clooney for Toyota, Naomi Campbell for Lipton Canned Tea.
Sometimes we may see an actor or two endorsing something small, but not on the overwhelming base that is in japan. Here the tale "out of site out of mind" reigns true. With the recent emergence of globalization and a more global knowledge nothing is really out of site anymore.

Iran-China Connection

Recently, President George Bush stated that Iraq's continuing efforts to obtain and refine uranium, would lead to World War III. China has every intention of supplying Iran with the uranium for "energy" resources. However, one should wonder what will result if the friendship between Iran and China continues to produce terroristic tension. China's government is in no way directly involved with terrorist activity. Yet, if China trades Uranium with Iran that would put the Far East into the terror spotlight. Iran wants Israel "wiped off of the map." Israel has been involved in and caused the United States to be involved in Middle East, religious tension.If an Iranian offensive on Israel occurred, due to Chinese uranium trade, what would be the repercussions? Would the United States, due to the U.S. alliance with Israel, have to declare war on both China and Iran? We can only hope that either China does not swap uranium with Iran for oil, or that Iran's motives for the obtaining of uranium is actually for energy prurposes and not for the beginning of World War II.

China's economic growth

China's economic growth for the past three months was reported at 11.5% which is slightly lower than the previous three and something the government has been aiming for with its recent actions to cool growth in the economy. These numbers are pretty amazing compared to the growth rate in the U.S. and should be commended for its consistency. China will soon pass Germany as the third largest economy in the world and will continue its climb as quite possibly being the new super power on the planet. Hopefully this added econmic diversity across the world will help to stymie the possibility of another Great Depression ever happening because one country's economy goes under.

Japan being urged to recognize two Chinas

The Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called on the Japanese government to correct the nation's description on its alien resident certificates and other related documents from "China" to either "Republic of China" or "Taiwan."

Tsai Ming-yao (蔡明耀), deputy secretary-general of the ministry-affiliated Association of East Asian Relations, made the appeal at a press conference in response to a media inquiry.

The ministry has been communicating with Japan on its long-standing practice that lists the nationality of people from both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) on its alien resident certificates, driving licenses and graduate certificates as "China."

"Although the definition `China' doesn't mean the PRC and Japan is not suggesting that Taiwan is a province of the PRC [in those documents], we are still trying hard to get [Japan's government] to make a distinction [between the PRC and the ROC]," Tsai said.

Taiwan's representative to Japan, Lo Fu-chuan (羅福全), has been urging Japanese officials for years to list PRC nationals "PRC" and Taiwanese as either "ROC" or "Taiwan," a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

"We have failed to make any progress on the matter as Japan has told us that its consistent policy is that the PRC is the sole representative of China," Tsai said yesterday.

When staying in Japan Tsai said he had complained to the Japanese government when the nationality column on his driving license was marked "China." But the Japanese vehicle office told Tsai he had to choose either PRC or China, saying that they were the only two options allowed in the country's rules and regulations.

"Of course, I didn't go for PRC," Tsai said, adding that the government would continue to negotiate with Japan in order to come up with a solution that was acceptable to both sides.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/26/2003384785

Japanese Women's Status

I was actually unable to attend the lecture today in Ford Hall and I was just curious as to what the guest speaker had to say about Japanese women's status in the country. After visiting South Korea and walking around aimlessly in downtown Seoul I was able to, even though I didn't speak a work of the language, see that women have really adapted to western fashion and styles. And might I add that some of these women are the most beuatiful in the world. I'm sure that Tokyo or Okinawa are at that same level, in terms of western progression. After reading the post here on Hilary Clinton's influence to eastern culture I began to wonder if it was possible to see Korean of Japanese government go in the same direction. I don't see it happening anytime in the near future but if Hilary is elected president there will be mimicking by some other nations, surely. Does anyone, people that attended the lecture, have anything to add here?

Hilary's Influence on the East

While the United States is on the verge of experiencing one of the most important changes of its society, the East stands to benefit as well. Our political system has been controlled by white males ever since its existence, and this contributed to the white male privilege that persists in our society. As the election for a new president comes closer, it looks promising that we will finally have a non-white male in charge of the most influential country that the world has witnessed. The United States helped write the constitution for Japan after World War II, and helped women gain rights that were nonexistent in the Japanese society for too long. Obviously, there is a lot of work left in Japan, along with the United States. However, Hilary Clinton becoming president will bring gender equality one step closer not only here, but in Japan as well. It will also force all other nations to have a new and profound respect for women that have been lacking.

China adds "religion" to constitution

I recently read a article on the website chinanews.cn, that the word religion has been added to there constitution during the recent 17th CPC National Congress.

I don't read the Chinese language that well, so understanding the full context of adding the word religion to the constitution is not in my knowledge. I do think that China is trying to allow more religious freedom, but as long as there are crackdowns on illegal churches, then China has a long way to go to "really" having freedom of religion.

The Evil Empire in Japan

What will the evil empire do next to take over the world? This and many other questions are being asked of people across the globe, as Wal-Mart Inc. sprawls out in communities often forcing the loss of business for local owners. Yet Wal-Mart Inc. may aid in the turnaround of the loss-making Japanese supermarket unit Seiyu Ltd., which Wal-Mart recently bought out for 100 billion yen ($878 million). Already Wal-Mart Inc. had invested more an one billion since 2002. The recent buyout decision was made after Seiyu was approaching its sixth consecutive annual loss this year. Therefore, Wal-Mart Inc. which already held nearly 51% of the shares, bought out the minority shareholders in Japan. Wal-Mart the "evil empire" is among many other foreign companies trying to decipher Japan's retail market, which is one tough cookie considering the mix of unreliable shoppers and stiff competition. Will this empire crack the code to Japan's retail market or not?France and Britain have both tried and with failed efforts have pulled out of the second largest retail market. I think Wal-Mart's success will depend on the Japanese' response to "everyday low prices" and the power of "rollback" advertising. A word of caution to the Japanese entrepreneurs Wal-Mart may just beat the underdog by shaving prices, but who is really paying the price?

Chinese Democracy

Juntao Hu recently began his second and what appears to likely be his final term as leader of the Chinese congress. In his speech to open the congress, Hu reiterated his commitment to maintaining a democracy in China. The word democracy raised quite a few eyebrows. The next 5 years should be interesting. I am looking forward to see how China continues its relationship with the United States and, how it will continue to handle the situation in North Korea.

Americans Cannot Resist Chinese Goods

Although recent revelations have shown that Chinese goods can be dangerous, Americans have not been deterred from purchasing Chinese products. Recently it has been discovered that toys covered in lead paint ans contaminated food have been imported from China to the U.S.

In a recent poll, about seventy percent of respondents said that they are aware of the country of origin of the products that they purchase. Forty percent of this group said that they think products imported from China are more dangerous than those imported from other countries.

Trade relations between the U.S. and China have suffered from the recent findings that Chinese imports may be unsafe. The U.S. is now being more critical of goods coming from the communist country. Has the desire to become a global trading power led China to neglect the quality of its products? Perhaps, stricter regulation on imports will correct the quality problem and ease tensions of the U.S.-China trading relationship.

READ THIS AND BE ENLIGHTENED!

The plot just thickened. If you have been reading my posts under the Chickenhawk soup label you'll know that Japan has been recently making some provocative moves towards China concerning the maritime boundary of the hydrocarbon rich East China Sea. I have speculated that the Bush administration was probably behind the sophomoric foreign policy approach as it has CHICKENHAWK written all over it. What I couldn't understand is what motivation Japan would have to go along with such a self-defeating policy but that has now been cleared up thanks to an article in Forbes.com (SEE STORY HERE) revealing Indonesia's plan to cut natural gas exports to Japan by 75% once their current contract runs out in 2011.
So desperate times call for desperate measures and if the Bush admin is good at anything it's creating an environment where desperation is the basis for every decision. That way when they promote a self-destructive policy that is destined to fail miserably the present desperation for a short term solution clouds any reasonable judgment (think the "surge"). Japan would be wise to realize that once a country begins its waltz around the dance floor with our incumbent devil not only will they have to wait for the song to stop but they also have to pay the band, just ask Pakistan.

What's in a name? Your whole life.

Naming is very important in Asia, more important than it is here in the states. Instead of families surnames coming last, they appear first. It is hard to determine gender in an Asian name, and women usually keep their name after marriage, sometimes adding their husbands name to their own, which is similar to the women of Central and South America. One's name in Asia will govern that individuals life. When a child is born, there has to be a "nickname", a more individual name that is specific to that child. The date and time are important, hence the zodiac. The child's parents will take into account all factors of the child's date of birth. The parents will assess the time of year and what events are happening at that time with society and more importantly, within the family. Naming individual children in a family is somewhat easy. There is a formality within the family structure that will help determine the child's surname and name of order. For instance, the first born sons of every family will have the same order name, and the same surname as the rest of the family (which comes first) and the last part of the name which is specific is the "nickname". Asian people are superstitious of their names and accept its meaning as a guide to their life.

Monks Silenced

I read an article in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago about a nation crackdown. The internet was shut off in Myanmar, and the Monks were being silenced. There was a lot of network coverage over the thousands of monks in red robes protesting in the streets of violence and chaos, against their government officials. And after seeing videos and pictures of their people rising up against them; the Generals in charge of Myanmar, were embarrassed by it and cut their nation off from the rest of the world. The generals considered the internet to be their biggest enemy, and Myanmar was unplugged from the rest of the world.

The Chinese Economic Flourish

My main concern this week is the issue concerning America feeling threatened of China's growth. In the next ten to fifteen years China "will" surpass the United States as the largest economy. This does not mean that China will run the world. This does not mean that China will be the strongest military power the world has ever seen; at least for the dominant portion of our lives. I am just tired of hearing that China is trying with all its might to outdo the United States economically and thereby take over the world. China is not a competitively capitalist nation. They are growing economically due to a massive population as well as large foreign investment. Chinese citizens are some of the worlds most disciplined savers. Due to this discipline China holds of one trillion U.S. dollars of foreign currency. From my perspective China is following a Confucian principle. They are trying to be as successful as possible and thus catapulting the country as a whole into the economic spotlight. Yes, the future possibility of military action towards Taiwan, as well as trade alliances with Iran poses questions for the years to come. However, today, tomorrow, and almost certainly for the next couple years, China and the United States are interdependent. If one would like to go into detail the United States relies much more on China than vice versa. China's growth is good for all.

Can China Warn the US?

Before the Dalai Lama's recent visit to Washington DC, China told the US that honoring the spiritual leader in any way would, according to the New York Times, "'an extremely serious impact' on relations between the countries." I understand that in this situation, China could not let such an event take place without displaying disapproval, and do not see this a statement as much more than that. This makes me wonder, however, can China, here and now, threaten to, or afford to damage relations between itself and the US? While that day may be approaching, it is not now. With it's expansion into regions and markets around the world, China is moving towards the point where they may be no longer dependent upon the American economy to buy their cheap goods. With that will come more breathing room for political threats like the one mentioned above. It may even allow for such a statement to command respect from the US. Until then, the Chinese will have to live with the Dali Lama being honored, and be happy the Bush administration appeased them by not taking any pictures of the event.

Dalai Lama Award

China'a anger at the U.S. bestowing the Congressional Medal of Honor on the Dalai Lama is unfair I believe. The Dalai Lama is a man that has advocated peace and his only true crime against the Chinese government was criticizing their treatment of the Tibet situation. China has the right to disagree with the Dalai Lama but to be angry at other countries for not sharing their feelings is disgraceful. If countries responded so angrily to every action that did not coincide with their own beliefs by other countries, there would never be a peaceful moment anywhere on this planet. Not everything can be or should be controlled by one country and I think that is what China is wanting in its dealings with the Dalai Lama. They must learn to accept that he is a respected man by people in other countries and he will be praised for his work regardless of what the Chinese government believes of him.

Japan: Ride a Donkey into the Afterlife

Looks like Bush and his new brown poodle (or is it his new poodle, Brown?) are none too happy with the temerity shown by the Japanese parliament (see my recent post, Cooling The Executive) in not rubber-stamping the new "anti-terrorism" bill that would have to be passed by Nov. 1 (see updated story here) in order for the Japanese refueling mission in support of Afghan operations to continue unabated. Imagine the nerve of the upper house of the Japanese parliament, or DIET, in actually delaying a policy they do not support. They need to take a lesson from the brave Democrats here in the US and realize that just because you have the ability to stall, modify, or even kill irresponsible, self-destructive, internationally illegal legislation proposed by your executive branch, that does not mean that you should ever do so. I mean come on, just because a majority of your population (the reason you are in power) opposes kowtowing, so to speak, to the whims of a US president that is bent on a course of self destructive foreign policy that could very well be encouraged because of visions of a destined apocalypse, the horrors of which he will be exempt from by way of a "Rapture" that will see the disappearance of him and his kind from the doomed earth so that they may witness the destruction by the side of the creator of the universe (whom he claims to converse with), doesn't give you the moral authority to display an interest in the preservation of the country you have sworn to protect by the powers vested in you by the people of that country. See in order to accomplish that you need qualities like integrity, courage, determination, trustworthiness, principle, sincerity; you need to actually follow through on the promises you made that got you into office, something that the opposition party in the US obviously considers absurd.

Cooling The Executive

It appears that yet another block is to be pulled out of the already rickety Jenga tower that is the Bush administration's "War on Terror". The International Herald Tribune reports that the Japanese Cabinet is unlikely to obtain legislative support for it's new anti-terrorism bill by November 1 (story here) . While the bill will certainly be passed eventually, the delay means that the refueling mission in support of NATO operations in Afghanistan being carried out by Japan in the Indian Ocean will have to be interrupted.

Reauthorization of the mission is necessitated by Nov. 1 in order for it to continue but because that permission is tied into the anti-terror bill, which is certain to be stalled in legislation well beyond that deadline, the Japanese ships are set to sail home Nov.2.

This is an interesting development considering the recent cooperation between Japan and the US in provoking China (see my recent posts). My guess is that the needling measures were undertaken unilaterally by the executive powers of both countries and this legislative impediment by the Japanese parliament is a way of reigning in its executive branch on cooperation with Bush administration lunacy.

Asian Americans: Model Minority Myth

Recently, I read an article The Model Minority: Asian American "Success" as a Race Relations Failure. It was fascinating in the sense it discussed the myth of Asian Americans being a model minority, and how this can actually have a negative affect on them, and other minorities. While you would generally think that it would be a good thing being perceived as a model minority, such as excelling in mathematics, possessing jobs with high incomes. It actually has a negative affect on many Asian Americans, and African Americans as well. Obviously, there are many Asian Americans in this country that do not fit the stereotype of all Asian Americans being successful, and this prevents them from being mentioned during civil rights campaigns. The author Frank Wu gives three strong reasons why the model minority myth should be rejected. "First, the myth is a gross simplification that is not accurate enough to be seriously used for understanding 10 million people. Second, it conceals within it an invidious statement about African Americans along the line of the inflammatory taunt: 'They made it; why can't you?' Third, the myth is abused both to deny that Asian Americans experience racial discrimination and to turn Asian Americans into a racial threat."

Japan to go Jed Clampett

Looks like the Japanese are getting in on the ol' hydrocarbon hustle. According to Bloomberg.com (story here) they're set to spend as much as 9 billion yen ($77 mil) to search for oil and natural gas on their continental shelf next year.

The move, along with Japan's purchase of a $213 million Norwegian exploratory vessel (set to be delivered in a few months), points to obvious concern about the commencement of Chinese drilling in the disputed East China Sea (story here) . The tenth and most recent round of talks on the matter yielded no progress on the disputed maritime boundary.

With the recent war game tiddlywinks (see my previous post "Lie Down With Dummies") conducted between Japan, Australia and the US in the region it's clear that, in true Bush administration fashion, a logical diplomatic approach has been set aside.

I can't imagine what Japan hopes to accomplish going it the cowboy way and I find it hard to believe that they could be so irrational in their moves against China. Maybe it has to do with a deep concern with N Korean nuclear capability, maybe they're tired of backing down to China, or maybe in cavorting with the Bush administration (to quote another venerated US dummy) "stupid is as stupid does".

Japanese Feudal Castle Architecture

When I think of historical Japan the first thing that comes to mind are the samurais and the castles they occupied. I came across an article highlighting three of Japan's most ornate castles. In my opinion they blow away anything they west has built in terms of beauty and functionality.

http://inventorspot.com/articles/japans_classic_castles_display_s_7541

Dolphin Eating in Japan

In a recent Time Magazine article, I read that one town in Japan has an annual massacre of Dolphins, turning their own water red. The townsmen slaughter the Dolphins for food supply - the local school feeds their students the meat frequently. However, the main problem with this is the large contamination of mercury. This practice has been going on for years, so don't expect this ritual to stop anytime soon.

Chinese Air Defense

China now has an air defense radar comparable to other developed nations . The Chinese air force says that the all-weather air defense radar covers all Chinese airspace. The radar is strong enough to be used for offensive purposes, reports claim.

Strengthening its air defense is another sign of the rapid modernization of the Chinese military. Taiwan sees the escalation of the Chinese military as a direct threat. Chinese officials are reportedly angry that Taiwan applied to the United Nations. This new development only serves to increase tension across the Taiwan Strait.

Watch Out For North Korea

For years Americans have feared the nuclear capabilities of the North Korea, from typical citizen misconception to the strained foreign relations between the US and the Koreans. Recently New York Times reported that South Korea has stated that North Korea still poses threat of nuclear power, even after recent efforts to dismantle it's nuclear program. The South Korean minister Kim Jang-soo has personally told American Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, that the assimilation of "asymmetrical weapons" or unconventional weapons. Although some reports show that dismantling of some major facilities have begun the final efforts have yet to be completed, as officials say "it is a process denuclearizing North Korea." Overall the presence of American troops in North Korea has diminished and will continue to diminish in the future. Less of a need to have a presence in North Korea, shows that maybe there is a greater trust relationship, in regards to foreign relations. This relationship is vital to the success of American foreign relations, as well as the future of America. In the future we all should just keep both our eyes and ears open to what our neighbors across the globe are doing.

I Ching and the End of Time

The year 2012 is approaching. If you have not heard anything about this year, read about it. Personally I have seen the date 12-21-2012 gradually grow throughout the American culture within the last few years. "What does this have to do with East Asia?" The I Ching is one of the oldest Chinese classic texts. It is a symbol system designed to identify order in what seem like chance events. The I Ching has predicted major world events for the past 4000 years. Some of the events being world wars, and climate shifts. It is almost like a world calender of events. This can be related to the calender of the Maya, other prophetic sources such as Nostradamus, Merlin, and many others. Half a world away from China, in South America, we have seen something so similar to the I Ching, the Mayan Calender, it makes one wonder. There are many similarities to the I Ching and the Mayan Calender. Both measure "global energy" within a time frame. Both record the modern emergence of civilization around the same time, and both predict the so called "end" (12-21-2012) at the same time. There is almost a cyclical nature of events that can be seen throughout history that are recognized through these ancient texts on a global base. If both of these ancient texts are not fabled and have not emerged in the hind sight of the world events they have "predicted" then they are worth studying. The overall belief that emerges from the I Ching lays a path toward a more global, communistic thought. Here is a set of beliefs and a way of thinking that is not biased toward one race or religion or gender, it brings everyone to the same level. With globalization occurring so rapidly, it would not be far fetched to see something like these prophetic texts, that have a communist nature, dominate the world seen in the near future.

Ethnicity or Religion?

In Chinese studies 341, I recently was assigned, as was the class, to research and give a presentation on a particular ethnicity in China. My particular ethnicity was that of the Hui. The Hui Chinese are an ethnic minority group located predominantly in the Ningxia Autonomous Region of north central China. I experienced, as did many students, difficulty finding research pertaining to my subject. Historical facts and statistical figures were easy to find, however Beijing’s connection to the Hui was nonexistent in research. After talking to the class as well as my teacher, we concluded that Beijing is very careful in what and what not to disclose to foreigners, as well as Chinese citizens. Information dealing with funds given to the Ningxia region, and government rules were nowhere to be found. The Hui, who are a Muslim practicing ethnicity, pose an interesting question. What does Beijing consider to be the defining ethnic components of the Hui, other than religion? There seems to exist a great deal of hypocrisy in Beijing’s dealings of the Hui. Beijing is okay with granting autonomy to the Hui because their Muslim religion has grown internally. However, Beijing does not recognize any other religions, such as Christianity. There has been little foreign intervention, by other Muslim nations till recently. However, Beijing does not like the fact that Communists, whom practice Atheism, have within their group Muslims. It is a confusing situation which leaves a vague and undefined trail of evidence, of how Beijing works bureaucratically with “ethnic” not “religious” regions. Even the the Hui differ religiously; Beijing sees the difference as being ethnic. This ethnic definition allows Beijing to grant the area autonomy, though the Hui have experienced persecution for years due to their religious practices.

Starvation in Japan

I was reading an article in the New York Times, and it was about a man who left a diary of his last days in Kitakyushu, Japan. He wrote about his life as a poor man on the verge of death, and about the hard time he was having after being turned down for welfare. All he dreamed of was eating a rice ball that cost only around a $1.00. This article also talked about two other Japanese men who also died from starvation, and who were also turned down for welfare. Toshihiko Misaki, defended their system by saying that "solitary" was the reason they died. "To them, those in need are not citizens. Only those who pay taxes are citizens."
I think it is a shame for people, or the government to allow this to happen. Who has the right to decided who lives and who dies when it comes to food. We should be helping people all over the world that are starving. Putting people down when they are having a hard time should be a sin. And who ever said that they did not pay any taxes during their life time!!!

Chinese Soldiers Trained For War with Taiwan

I recently read a news report saying that several Chinese military officers were promoted because of their training in preparing for a war with Taiwan.

This seems very strange to me. Taiwan poses no threat to the the Chinese, so why would they be preparing for a large scale war? Most likely it has to do with the fact that the United States would intervene if Taiwan was attacked. Attacking Taiwan will gain them nothing. They should just allow Taiwan's independence.

Silence in China

It was reported recently that China's government may have been taking some steps to silence criticism and protest as it prepares for it's 17th Congress to convene. Some human rights groups have reported that the government has been using intimidation tactics and arresting people who they believe could be a problem when the Congress meets. Two prominent democratic leaders have reportedly gone missing as well. This is a disconcerting sign to see and very unfortunate for the hopes of democracy in China. A government cannot continue to destroy the small factions that oppose it and expect no retaliation. The people that are fighting for their rights in China will have their voices heard one way or another regardless of how long the government continues to hold them back.

Multiculturalism

Over the weekend, I attended a conference that focused on teaching the Asian culture in Kentucky schools. This parallels to my sociology class, which has focused on the importance of promoting multiculturalism in schools. I was completely shocked to find out that the Chinese language and culture is being taught in the primary school system of Marion and Nelson Counties. There is also a push to teach the Japanese language and culture in the Kentucky school system as well. Being exposed to another language at such an early age is by far the best approach to learning the language fluently. It also allows people to form an understanding of other cultures, and ultimately helps alleviate racism. I personally would love for my son to be exposed to other languages and cultures in his primary education. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in establishing the study of Asian culture in the Kentucky school system, but we are moving in the right direction.

Japan Purchasing Carbon Credits

I don't agree with the principle behind carbon credits. Instead of trying to use cleaner technology nations are borrowing the pollution rights of developing countries that haven't developed enough to pollute to their full potential. This policy does nothing to help curb pollution and only allows the problem to get worse.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/11/business/sxcarbon.php

Lie Down With Dummies...

Japan, Australia, and the U.S. are set to conduct some war games in the East China Sea on 10/17 (SEE STORY HERE). The minuscule scale of the operation begs the question of whether or not it is a purely provocative measure directed towards China and concerning the recent round of talks with Japan concerning gas and oil field development in the region slated to have started Thursday morning (two days after the military exercise was announced[SEE STORY HERE]). If this is indeed the intention I cannot imagine a more sophomoric, self-defeating attempt at foreign policy hardball on the part of Japan. It leads me to believe that there must be some perceived method to this madness which goes beyond geographic interests in the East China Sea. Whatever these may be is anyone's guess but one thing that's certain, if this is indeed the case, is that the move has the Bush administration written all over it; that signature being that whatever the desired outcome, it seems destined to fail miserably.

Miss Universe

So, this blog may be a little weird, but nonetheless, related to Japan. As I was watching TV tonight, I came across the premiere episode of Pageant Place, a reality show that documents the lives on Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe. This year, the current Miss Universe titleholder is Riyo Mori, who hails from Japan. While watching the episode, all of these stereotypes about Asian females went flowing through my head. People always say that Asian females aren't outgoing enough to be social, are too passive, etc. However, watching Riyo Mori be a worldwide figure made me forget about all of those stereotypes. She is someone who all females, not just Asians should admire.

The Youth League and Chinese Politics

National Public Radio, reports that the CCP Central Committee have secretively met in Beijing to begin selection for the leaders 24 member paulite bureau. The future leaders of the CCP will be most likely allies of the Communist Youth League, where President Hu Jianto was a member. Many political analysts are stating that the Youth League is becoming a growing faction in the Chinese government. Numerous governmental members were once apart of the Youth League. Therefore, is the Youth League becoming a feeder for governmental officials? This question can only be asked by looking at the CCP selection of leaders and there, and their political backgrounds. Meanwhile, the next question is who will follow Hu Jintao, as he serves his final five year term. This is also a historic moment, because for the first time since the Communist Party has come to power it is not aware of it's successor. The 17th Party Congress, is responsible for the selection of the successor and officials have stated Hu Jintao has no say in the selection of the next President. Hu Jintao has been stated as saying that institutions that create proper checks and balances, are necessary in China, yet he has not mentioned institutionalizing the succession process. Yet as many Chinese political analysts have stated, Hu Jintao is not successful due to his innovations in politics. In the end the CCP is holds the power, and this ideal contradicts the notion that China is a true republic. All eyes are on the Party, and how it will handle the succession process.

Japanese Fingerprinting of Foreigners

Immigration has been a hot policy issue across the globe, and many countries are figuring out how to balance open borders and homeland security. According to JapanToday.com, beginning Nov. 20 Japan will implement a mandatory fingerprinting and photograph of foreign visitors 16 and older. The article stated that this was apart of the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition law, which was enacted May of last year to prevent entry of terrorist as deemed by the justice minister. This information would be stored in a computer system, which can then be accessed by Immigration and investigative authorities. Personally, I think this can be as effective but I still feel it is impossible to "keep out of harms way" completely, and trouble almost always finds a loophole. Although, the Japanese government excludes the fingerprinting of ethnic Koreans, diplomats and people under the age of 16. This policy has a hint of xenophobia or rather a tendency to create even more xenophobic tendencies in Japanese citizens. My issue with policies such as this one, is there discriminatory nature and the frequent tendency for immigration policies to be synonymous with controlling terrorism. I really have issues with terrorism and immigration being one and the same, and while I understand the correlation I am not finding how they are the same. Maybe I am missing a big piece of the political puzzle, but I feel as if politicians and policymakers need to reevaluate their approach to controlling terrorism.

Beijing 2008

The 2008 summer Olympic games will be held in Beijing, China. This is not surprising considering the Women's world cup was held there this year. When I visited China during the summer of 2006, I could already see massive amounts of construction in preparation for the massive crowd that will be in China for the next Olympic event. Many native Chinese really depend on tourism to keep themselves alive, random people on the street with imitation Rolex watches and fake Jade tried to barter with our tour group. I was quite amused by their tenacity. I think China is becoming one of the greatest, most industrious nations that the world has ever seen. We could even see hundreds and hundreds of years ago what the Chinese could accomplish in the Great Wall of China. I think that China will be an excellent host for the next set of games. I'm very much proud of my own heritage, and I think that China is making large strides in the right direction to welcoming the Olympic games.

Google.com is Censored in China

In American culture, we have a fascination with Google.com the search engine that provides everything from a satellite view of your home to a personalized email account. In academia, professors as well as students all use the phrase "Google It" in reference to independent research of hard to find topics. From a personal experience, Google.com was a life saver during my Senior Research project on Rwanda. Yet many Chinese students and citizens may not be able to enjoy this luxury, due to the restrictions placed upon the company to omit controversial news stories. This is apart of the PRC governmental censorship of the internet under a variety of laws and regulations. This censorship is very strict, as a few friends who visited China this summer stated that certain news events were not available for them to view while visiting. I find that to be so fascinating being Democratic born and bred,that people can not access certain avenues of information based on the internet being censored. The internet is the most liberal source of information that I can fathom, it is a place where people are able to freely express themselves. Yet I view censorship on the internet from my American viewpoint, I wonder do many Chinese citizens view censorship the same? At one point the Associated Press reported that seven of the top ten searches on Google.com were blocked, using "Taiwan,"and "revolution."

Nuke Facilities to Be Dismantled

Previously, North Korea vowed to dismantle its nuclear facilities by the end of the year. In return for dismantling its facilities, North Korea will receive fuel oil or economic aid.

Additionally, the U.S has agreed to gradually remove North Korea from the State Department's list of nations that sponsor terrorism. The Bush administration also advocates the agreement because they claim that it could be a model for building diplomacy and handling nuclear proliferation issues with Iran.

Critics argue that in order for the agreement to be upheld, North Korea should be required to divulge information regarding other countries that it has supplied with nuclear technology or material. Otherwise, North Korea would have gained from developing nuclear capabilities, spreading nuclear and material and finally dismantling its program.

Kim So Happy!

A great deal of attention has been directed at the recent meetings between the leaders of North and South Korean. There have even been several blog post thus far on the issue. Most spectators noticed a drastic turn-around in Kim Jong Il's personality from Tuesday to Wednesday. On Tuesday, the world watched what many perceived as being a very grumpy and cold Kim. However, Wednesday witnessed an ear-to-ear grinning Kim. Why the change of face? Was it to appease the international community?

According to "Foreign Policy", Kim was very impressed and pleased with a present from Roh Moo-hyun, President of South Korea. Roh reportedly gave Kim a "stack" of South Korean films. Kim, a well known movie fan, was very grateful, and this may have sparked the change in attitude. Ironically, South Korean movies are banned by the Northern government. To enforce the ban, it has been reported that the North will cut power in a particular neighborhood, and search citizens' DVD players with the DVD stuck inside. Maybe now the whole country can go watch South Korean movies on Kim's personal theater... who knows?

South meets North in Korea

Maybe it's just me but this meeting between the South and North Korea leaders seems a bit staged. I've already said how crazy I this Kim Jong-il is. It seems he stages these acts of good will so he can gain more aid from foreign countries. Could this be yet another ploy witch will lead to no change? And as far as the South Korean leader goes it seems he might be trying to cement some sort of legacy before he leaves office. I don't think anything bad can come from this meeting but it seems likely that nothing good will come either.

Globalization Forces Human Rights

Most countries of the world at one point or another have had a run in with human rights violations. Given that knowledge and wisdom were not up to par as they are today, the cruelty is hard to part from ones mind. With America it was slavery, Germany both of the the World Wars, corrupt gender rights in Islamic dominated nations, and religious persecution in the far east. But with the emergence of globaliztion on a rapid and broad level, countries that still violate human rights are being brought forth and being placed chopping block. In Europe we see the situation with Turkey and its hopeful admission to the EU. Since there has been a history of poor treatment toward women and religions that are not Islam, Turkeys admission into the EU was denied. This is very detrimental to Turkeys economy. In order for Turkey to compete it has to meet someone else's standards (which may or may not be more fair) in order to survive. This is an example of globalization at its finest. In essence what this example proved was countries can't get away with poor human rights anymore if they want to succeed. This is what is happening in China. China has had a poor history of religious, free speech, and gender violations (in the eyes of the west). With globalization occurring so rapidly China has to change, the leaders of the country acknowledge this and are doing something about it. In recent years, penalties for practicing a religion that is not controlled by the state, have dwindled and became less severe. People of the world are becoming more aware of their neighbors and their very different beliefs. The time of bigotry and hate in all aspects is coming to a close, because the people that hold the power in this world are beginning to use it for better and more "moral" reasons.

A Growing Military in Japan

The last few years have seen growth in the Japanese military. What is only to be, according to their constitution, a defensive force, has been developing more and more offensive capabilities. With the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conducting missile tests off their shores, and China's ever looming presence, a Japanese population generationaly removed from World War II are becoming more and more supportive of a strong standing military for their nation. Conservatives parties with arguments pointing out things like the fact that their pacifistic constitution was essentially written by an American general are winning over minds ever day.

I wonder how relations in the region will change if this trend continues. Does a Japan with the ability to defend its borders assert itself when it disagrees with the US? Does America lose legitimacy at negotiating tables in the region if it is no longer the de facto Japanese Army? Do hostilities rise when other Asian nations with long memories of Japanese war crimes see them re-arming? This is a situation I watch with great interest.

Colonialism of Oil Nations

China has risen to be one of the largest consumers of utilities. Due to a massive population, an increase in automobile consumption, and resulting fuel consumption, oil is of significant debate. As the world has witnessed, the United States has made nations with large oil deposits its first priority. One could debate the real reasons behind the invasion of Iraq, or the lack of intervention in Sudan. However, the two similarities in both situations is the presence of billions of dollars in oil. China has grown to be a large participant in Sudan. China was also the first country to sign new contracts with oil companies of Iraq in the so-called post Iraq War "victory." Mass investments and economic dependence on Sudan's oil is ever increasing. With this in mind it is left for all to question the real reasons behind the lack of first hand intervention by the United States. For the U.S. to say that they are helping out through their UN representation is a farce. The U.S. realizes that China is consuming more and more oil by the year. The U.S. further realizes that if China can get their oil from a place like Sudan, on top of the Iraq oil, then all is good. The U.S. view is tap all the oil resources available til every last drop is gone, of which will hopefully be after a new source of energy is created. New oil fields have been discovered in central Asia and the Tibetan region. Pipelines are being constructed throughout China and other Asian nations. Presently this may seem universally positive. However, if, as discussed in class, there arises a problem between China and Taiwan, the United States' first action will, in my opinion, be one of ironic consistency. No matter how the media portrays the engagement, military build-ups will not be seen in Taiwan or across coastal areas of China. The U.S. military will form strongholds around regions holding oil. This strategy secures the possibility that "the good of democracy," though lacking in China, is preserved. Whether it be through war or peace talks, the U.S. always has a master plan behind what the world sees and hears through the media.

North and South Korea Talks

A positive development happened yesterday between North and South Korea when they agreed to officially end the war that they fought over 50 years ago by having South Korea sign the treaty that was created that ended hostilities. They also agreed to reopen railways and other parts of the heavily fortified border to increase the interaction between the two countries. This is a very nice step toward a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula and will hopefully stymie any future possibilities of agression between the neighbors. More interaction between their cultures can only increase the peace and prosperity of both countries for years to come.

China in Space.

China often states that it is a developing country, but do developing countries make plans for missions to Mars? There was a recent article by James Reynolds of BBC News, Wuhan, titled "Space show draws in the Chinese", while it is common knowledge that China has recently in the past few years launched a manned mission into space they actively seek a great deal more than Earth orbits. Liu Jiyuan, China's former head of their space agency, was interviewed for the article an expressly stated his hopes for further missions to the Moon and later to Mars with Russian help. In the article national prestige is cited as the main reason for the development of a space program, and that is an outstanding reason in my own opinion, but why as soon as possible? Thus this leads to my first question do developing countries go into space and beyond? Angola doesn't have a space program, neither do the Bolivians. Only the most technologically advanced countries maintain the ability to reach space, but few even attempt it. The Japanese are certainly capable as are the French, and South Koreans, but only a handful have endeavored on the course of physical space exploration. Interestingly, it is doubtful that the US and Russia would have poured so many resources into such achievements if not for prestige during the Cold War. As such, space exploration cannot really be termed as a requirement for a developing or developed nation. What it does say is that such national actors feel secure in their own economic and social status to display their technological savvy on the world stage. The term "developing" refers to a second tier status of a nation, but at the same time can easily shield it from closure scrutiny and responsibility, such as the Kyoto Accords (Which some "developed" countries also refuse to adhere to thus shirking their responsibility). In response it seems that the term itself is groundless. Today both eastern and western cultures and societies understand the powerful role of the Chinese economy and the integrated status on the global economy. As such doesn't that make them developed? They have many if not all the characteristics of a developed nation (nuclear weapons, law and order, educational systems, military establishments, a leader on the world stage to be reckoned with) so why let China duck under its role as a world leader? There are only five permanent members on the UN security council and it is without a doubt that they are all developed and all carry responsibility for the world we live in.

China and Taiwan

The issue regarding China and Taiwan is very serious for the United States. I certainly hope they do not come to a degree of animosity that will result in military use. I personally believe that it is not plausible for us to truly understand the disagreements they have with one another. My understanding is that the hostility revolves around the independence of Taiwan. The Taiwanese feel as if they are a separate country, whereas the Chinese believe they are an island of China, and actually refer to them as Chinese, rather than Taiwanese. If China was to invade Taiwan, the United States would have to intervene. This is especially true, after our intervention of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait during the first Iraq war. Given the fact that we are currently in a war that is putting a heavy strain on our military, and might for some time. We could not afford a military effort that would need to take place in intervening an invasion of Taiwan by China.

Olympic shift in the balance of power

China+United States+Taiwan. The diplomatic relationship between these countries is interesting. Iraq may have reduced the chance for war between the three, but the olympics may be the real path for Taiwan's independence. The current balance of power on the issue hinges on China's veto power as a member of the security council over the Iraq war, North Korea, and Iran. The US needs China's support on these issues. While the US has been maintaing strong bonds with Taiwan through weapons deals. The olympics shifts the balance of power to Taiwan by creating an excellent opportunity for Taiwan to move forward with it's independence. The economic importance of the olympics to China may supersede the territorial importance of claiming Taiwan. War would be out of the question until after the olympics, giving Taiwan enough time to finalize its independence and solidify support for its democracy, or at the very least get a clear stance out of the United States before a war.

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/08/18/willy.column/index.html

Myanmar tries to cut Internet, cell access

"In a bid to keep news of its crackdown from the world, the military regime tries to block communications, but the images still flow." Protests in Myanmar have continued and the government violently cracked down on what were mostly peaceful protests against the current millitaristic government. In order to try and stop spreading the news to the outside world the government has tried to block internet and cell phone access, yet messages and pictures continue to flow out. Experts believe that an accurate number of casualties can not be given since it is believed that the government collects the bodies and drives them off, but they believe it to be somewhere between a 100 and 200 people, way above the governments official count of 8 people. During the protests against 45 year of brutal military rule a Japanese photojournalist was shot by a bullet from a soldier who aimed directly at him. The Japanese have demanded an explanation. In the last few days the protests have smalled down due to the monks being detained to their temples, the monks sparked the protests which went into the tens of thousands, they have calmed down to about 5000. The government apparently also is not using live bullets now but rubber bullets instead, probably due to the international outcry it . A UN special envoy has been sent, but at the time it is unclear if the Myanmar government genuinely accepts it or whether they just did so because they were pressured by China to do so. I don't understand how a country can survive when so much of it's populace seems so violently opposed but I think the government will stay in power as long as it has the support of the military. Once it looses the support of the military there will be nobody able to defend it from the masses, like it happened in Romania in the early 90's and other countries.

Is Healthcare Becoming an Issue of Homeland Security for China?

While China remains a leader in the arms race for power, and a booming economy this nation is dragging it's tail in national healthcare. ChinaToday.com reports that nearly 500,000 people die annually from Hepatitis A, and in the northern portion of China more cases of fatal cancers are being reported over the last 20 years. Not to mention the spread of AIDS although not rapid, still poses concern for a country with so many people in urban areas. The report along with many predictions in the Dreyer readings state that the recent "westernized" success of the bourgiese have created a tendency for bad western world habits such as "fast food" and "smoking." These new habits, may pose a threat to the well-being of Chinese society in the near future. Another concern is the inefficient health care system, which was ranked as 144 in overall performance by the World Health Organization (WHO). China has an immediate concern in creating a better system that will provide the necessary tools to control the spread of infectious diseases and keep its citizens in good health in order to prevent diseases. As Dreyer stated "unhealthy citizens lag in productivity, and threaten the strength of the overall nation." Personally, I feel that China along with the United States and other so-called developed countries lack the sense of urgency in health care as a matter of homeland security. It seems only logical that a failing health care system, is due to the government or governing body somehow failing the society as a whole. I think it is important that China establishes a better system that better serves the people's basic needs. Maslow hierarchy of needs states, without basic needs such as health and security being met, one will never reach self-actualization. I conclude with my personal opinion that for China and any other nation to continue forward, they must return to the basics and then forge ahead.

Syria and North Korea's "Friendly Talk"

Last week, members of the Syrian and North Korean governments met for a "friendly talk" in Pyongyang. The two countries have defended the meeting publicly by stating that it was held to strengthen the cooperative ties between the two.

Other countries surmise that the the meeting may have had a more sinister objective. The U.S. deputy secretary of state for nuclear nonproliferation policy, Andrew Semmel, said that Syria may be trying to obtain nuclear material from North Korea. Semmel did not accuse anyone, however, he mentioned that A.Q. Khan's black market may be involved.

Israel, a strong ally of the U.S., reportedly made an air strike against a Syrian nuclear installation on September 6th. The U.S. justified the strike by saying that it was aimed at weapons being shipped to Hezbollah. This report further damages U.S. relations with North Korea even though the Koreans have previously tried to improve the relationship by vowing the end their nuclear program.

Personal Freedom, or Cleaner Air?

In an effort to cut air pollution in Beijing in preparation for the Olympic Games, China’s Environmental Protection Bureau experimented with a traffic ban. From August 17 to 20, drivers were kept off the roads. Those with odd numbered plates did not drive on two of the days, and those with even numbered plates on the other two. Taxis, buses, and emergency vehicles were exempt from the ban. The result, according to China.org.cn, was 1/3 fewer vehicles on the roads and a significant drop in the pollution index. Pleased citizens urged further bans, a move understandably opposed by a majority of car owners. One month later, the government proclaimed a "green traffic week" urging car owners in 108 cities to walk, bike, or use public transportation. Sections of the cities were closed to vehicle traffic. The week was success in easing traffic congestion and lowering pollution levels, and will be an annual event. Given the results of the experiments, do you think the government should impose more bans, or should they focus on encouraging voluntary use of other transportation?