China Rethinking One Child Policy

According to vice minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commision, Zhao Baige, government officials are realizing the need to possibly change its one-child policy. She says that whatever decisions and changes would be made, would be made very gradually. There are a few reasons that a change is desired. Although not as common as in the 80's, forced abortions are still raising concern. Also, many families have selectively aborted in order to have a son, which has resulted in a male to female ratio imbalance. Lastly, the one-child policy has created a situation where the majority of the population is made up of the aging and elderly who need services and products that the labor market cannot meet. The policy has worked a little too well, and there is a shortage of labor. However, they fear that any change in the current policy will result in an unwanted population boom. So, hopefully China can find that happy medium.

Japanese Dinner Theater?

Apparently in Japan, it is completely socially acceptable for men to visit restaraunts where waitresses/actresses play roles in a sort of fettish dinner live performance combo. Now the trend is becoming popular among Japanese business women, as well. They visit restaraunts where waiters dress and act like underaged school boys. There is not necessarily anything sexual about the whole thing, but it does not seem like something that would catch on with mainstream America. Japanese social liberalism might greatly contrast what we see in the US. For more information, visit http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUST30561220080229.

China Finally Thinks About Pollution

A previous post mentioned China's top plastics producer shutting down because of environmental concerns. This is part of China's attempt to catalogue its polluters. The China Pollution Source Census attempts to determine where pollution is coming from and how much is being created. In exchange for accurate data, the government offers immunity from fines and prosecution. Companies reporting false data will be prosecuted. This is an important development in China's nascent environmental mindset.

Dissent Before The Olympics

A Chinese land rights activist, Yang Chunlin, went on trail recently for protesting the Beijing Olympics. Yang's charge (a laid off factory worker) includes that he collaborated with farmers --whose land was taken from them for development purposes. He gathered signatures via a letter in the attempt to gain land rights for farmers. That letter was later posted to the Internet. Yang argued in court that the land the farmers lost had been taken wrongly because it was taken without the Cabinet’s permission. The official charge against Yang is subversion of state power. No doubt Beijing is trying to stop any dissent before the world looks to China in the Summer Games.

Plastic Bags

China's largest producer of plastic shut down because of a government effort to decrease waste. Businesses will no longer be allowed to hand out free plastic bags for purchases. The law will begin on June 1st, two months before the olympics. 10,000 people were fired from the plastic bag factory. The factory produced around 250,000 tons of plastic bags each year. I think this is definitely something the United States should consider. I take my own bags when I buy groceries, and Kroger takes a whole 4 cents off your purchase for every bag you bring. I think it's really sad because grocery stores have the potential to eliminate alot of wasted plastic bags. I think if Kroger took 25 cents off your bill for every bag you brought, a huge amount of people would bring their own bags. Maybe the United States should learn from China on this law and force Americans to use their own reusable bags.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/26/china.plastic.bags.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch

Humans Rights Attorney Beaten in China

Over the past several days a prominent human rights attorney in Shanghai, China has been beaten by plain clothes police officers in front of his home. The attorney has been on house arrest for several months, for reasons not specified. The police refuse to comment about the beatings by their police officers. The human rights attorney has organized a campaign to prevent a railroad system from being built through middle class areas in Shanghai, China. He is also responsible for calling out city officials for corruption involving real estate as well as wrongfully influencing peddling. It has been speculated these are the reasons for the unprovoked beatings by several, up to five or six individuals, plain clothes police officers. It is sad that the police will not speak of such an event that is taken place to a human rights attorney, especially since China is allegedly bettering their human rights as they prepare for the 2008 Olympics to be hosted in Beijing.

A step toward closure

In recent developments, China has agreed to open their sealed military records concerning POWs from the Korean War and other cold-war conflicts. The United States Department of Defense figures that this opening of records can provide some closure to families of some 8,100 missing soldiers.

These open records may provide answers to questions that have been avoided for decades. I come from a family with a rich military tradition. No men should be left behind, and for those who were lost to Chinese control, there is now at least a hope that many with be honored, and at least their names will be able to come home.

Although the State Department and the DoD is viewing this a a positive step in international relations, I can only think of the wives and mothers of those lost so long ago. It may be a time of mutual cooperation, but it is also a time of healing and solidarity. Let us pray that the politics of the matter will resolve, and those lost will be able to be remembered, not only in the hearts of those who loved them, but by the nation they died for. And to a positive step being made between Washington and Beijing.

New Century

The 20th Century is widely considered to be the "American Century" and there are those who predict that the 21st century will become the "Asian Century." What merits are there to this argument and will this have a negative impact on the global economy as Asian goods are often inferior and dangerous to American consumers? What role will China play in the coming century?

China Resumes Human Rights Talks with the U.S.

This morning Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi announced that China will resume discussions with the United States about human rights violations. The talks had been suspended since the U.S. urged the United Nations to condemn China's record on human rights in 2004, which China believed was an act of interference in domestic affairs. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was present in Beijing for the inauguration of the new President of South Korea on Monday. Rice also participated in talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao in an attempt to elicit China's help in pressuring North Korea to disclose the details of its nuclear weapons program. China's response on that issue were not clear, but Rice later stated that the gesture from China was welcomed and she looked forward to future discussions on human rights with the Beijing government. She will spend Wednesday in Japan to discuss the issue of nuclear weapons in North Korea and Iran. I found this very interesting because it ties directly into the triangular relations between China, Japan, and the U.S. that we have been discussing in class. I think this may also be an important step for creating strong diplomatic relations between the 3 countries. To read more about this developing story go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/26/AR2008022600903.html?hpid=topnews

Famous Human Rights Lawyer Assaulted in China

Zheng Enchong, a famous human rights lawyer in China, according to his wife and associates, has been continually targeted, harrassed, and assaulted by the police and power structure in Shanghai. He is currently under house arrest, and his wife reported that recently on several different occassions, Mr. Zheng has been beaten by plain clothes police officers- once when he was leaving church. Associates, who have spoken with Mr. Zheng, said that the harrassment started after he began to advise residents who have organized against a high-tech railroad project that cuts into their neighborhood. They also believe that the harrassment stems from accusations that Mr. Zheng made of government corruption in Shanghai. This harrassment is supposedly done to quiet Mr. Zheng; however, I think it may have backfired. I am sure that it is giving Mr. Zheng and his cause more exposure than the Chinese government anticipated.

A New US-China Relationship

With the primaries heating up and our choices for the next president being narrowed down to three, people should start looking to see how the US-China Relationship might change. In a country where most foreign policy is determined by one man, we can get a glimpse of what might be in store for the future relationship. This article, written in December 2007 gives a brief of all of the presidential candidates who were still running then:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/14759/candidates_on_us_policy_toward_china.html

After reading these accounts, I can summarize what I believe will happen with McCain, Obama, and Clinton.

McCain, based on reading this article, might cause more tension between the US and China because of his suspicion toward the country and wishes to strengthen military presence in Asia.

Obama, based on reading this article, seems to want to strengthen the relationship with China, diplomatically, but also slow down the Chinese Economic Growth, by reevaluating the yen.

Clinton, based on reading this article, also might cause more tension with China, than what is current. While her plan of action seems to be the same as Obama’s (they are co-sponsoring a bill), her rhetoric focuses on how China’s Economy is hurting the US’s Economy. Another classic example of how a little charisma can go a long way.

Give it a read, and let me know if you agree.

The Art of War, Love and Benevolence Part 3

Benevolence- the desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness. Sounds pretty easy, doesn't it? Or maybe I'm wrong. As humans it is hard to deny the existence of good and evil whether you believe in God or not. How do we distinguish benevolence from love? The answer is benevolence is a part of love and vise versa. Love can be defined as many different things, but most of the time love entails affection, and benevolence entails a more broad, yet concrete understanding of "good, and pure actions". If one is spiritual, God's LOVE (v) for humans, can be described as BENEVOLENT(adj.). Benevolence is a core value of the Chinese society and Confucianism (Confucianism's affects in China, can be compared to Christianities affects in America) is deeply rooted in benevolence, and this traditional belief has affected, and is in the hearts of many people in China and in Asia.
With the emerging power of China's economy, in the near future we should expect to see a demand for greater values (Chinese values that is). Look at America, for the past two centuries, and more recently the past 60 years, America has been on top. We are considered as the global policeman. We hold other countries to our values, and sometimes go to war over them. This concept is not entirely impossible for us to be on the receiving end of this legislation. Whoever holds the power, holds the "correct value's" and is privileged for recording history.
When speaking of the future, we have to consider many different views, Sun Tzu is recorded speaking of future warfare: "The means by which enlightened rulers and sagacious generals moved and conquered others, that their achievements surpassed the masses, was advance knowledge, Advance knowledge cannot be gained from ghosts and spirits, inferred from phenomena, or projected from the measures of heaven, but must be gained from men for it is the knowledge of the enemy's true situation."

Bonuses in China's Financial Industry Climbing

Although many of China's securities and asset management companies were reporting large losses three years ago they are now beginning to surge. This has increased the amounts of bonuses that are now paid out. Million dollar bonuses have arrived in China's financial services industry as local firms compete to hire from the small pool of inexperienced staff. In China there is a small number of people who qualify to manage funds at local fund management companies, this is driving the payment of bonuses way up.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8ee746da-e176-11dc-a302-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

Friendship and cooperation between China and African countries

In 2007, China provided the African people with large amounts of assistance to meet their needs. China's assistance to Africa in 2007 doubled that of 2006.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was established in 2000 in order to form a joint initiative between China and Africa. At the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao announced eight policy measures to strengthen China-Africa practical cooperation and support Africa's development. Chinese leaders visited 13 African countries in 2007 to promote the implementation of these policy measures.

By developing assistance in the Sudan region, China appears to take a very humanitarian perspective towards the African people. Chinese leaders expect to maintain a long relationship with Africa. China also hopes to work with the western countries to promote the peace and development of Africa.

US athletes plan to boycott Olympic food

Apparently, the US Oympic atheletes and their trainers are concerned about the safety and/or quality of the local Chinese food, and plan to take their own. Even though there are rules prohibiting competitors from bringing outside food into the Olympic village, the plan is for the US atheletes to eat at their training facility, located elsewhere on a university campus. Some countries are doing the same thing, but others, including Great Britain, are relying on local food for their atheletes. I wonder if these fears are legitimate, or if they stem from the fear created by problems like the lead paint on Chinese toys and other consumer saftey issues that have been highly publicized in the US.
link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3412490.ece

Leak of Taiwan's Po Sheng System

The Po Sheng System, Taiwan's new air defense system, was recently damaged a little by an intelligence leak to China. Even though the leak happened, the the Taiwanese government claimed that the key technological components of the system were not compromised. The Po Sheng is a system of communications that Taiwan purchased from a U.S defense contractor for defense against a possible Chinese attack. Apparently, an analyst is accused of providing information to a Chinese agent. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry claims that the Po Sheng System is still intact because its communication technology remained in Taiwanese supervision. The Chinese government's response to this event is the accusation of the U.S of having“Cold War Thinking”. Clearly, the tensions between Taiwan and China are still strong –with the U.S being an integral part of the situation.

Wal-Mart to Toshiba: Thanks but No!

Wal-Mart announced today that it will no longer sell HD DVDs or HD DVD players. This move comes as blow to Japanese electronics maker Toshiba. Sony and Toshiba, both Japanese owned companies, have been battling one another for the developing high-definition DVD markets. Sony, the maker of the Blu-Ray, and Toshiba, with the HD DVD, are among several companies vying for supremacy with the high-definition formats that are incompatable with one another. Sony has been able to pursuade five of the seven major movie producing studios to exclusively release their high-definition films in the Blu-Ray format. With the addition of the Wal-Mart endorsement, Sony has all but locked up that portion of the industry. Many consumers avoided purchasing either format, afraid of buying a system that would soon be obsolete.

I find it ironic that even with five of seven major movie studios on board with Blu-Ray, Toshiba was able to keep their HD DVD alive. However, without the support of Wal-mart, they will be unable to maintain the format. Like HD DVD or not, Wal-Mart just did to Toshiba what it does to all other companies that do not go the Wal-mart way...they are gone, or at least the portion in competition with Wal-mart is gone.

Freezing of Japanese Interest Rates

I recently read an article on bbc.com examine the freezing of interest rate by the Japanese Banks. It is concerning to me because Japan has gone ahead and froze interest rates while going against their naturally growing and strong economy. This was done because they looked at American struggling economy, especially in the borrowed money market, and they wanted to advert the some of the US’s problems. I do not necessarily disagree with the forward thinking of Japan, but I fear this move could cause an unnatural weakening of the Japan economy, which in turn could affect the global economy. It will be interesting to fallow how this bold move works out for Japan.

Olympics

Any thoughts on Director Stephen Speilberg's pullot from his role in the 2008 Olympics? How will China react under criticism of their polices and actions during the Olympic season? I found this article on CNN.com:

BEIJING, China (AP) -- China defended its policies in Darfur Thursday and rejected attempts to link the humanitarian crisis to the Beijing Olympics, a day after Steven Spielberg said his conscience would not allow him to continue working as an adviser to the event.
The director's decision was part of growing criticism against China, targeting everything from its food safety to diplomatic policies abroad. Officials have repeatedly argued that the Olympics is a sporting event and should not be "politicized."
U.S. President Bush said Thursday that although he was concerned about the slow pace of international action in the Darfur region of Sudan, it wouldn't stop him from attending the Olympics.
He said Spielberg's decision to resign as an artistic adviser to the Olympics was personal.
"That's up to him. I'm going to the Olympics. I view the Olympics as a sporting event," Bush said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. television.
"On the other hand, I have a little different platform than Steven Spielberg, so I get to talk to President Hu Jintao," Bush said. "I do remind him that he can do more to relieve the suffering in Darfur."
Meanwhile, a top European Union official said athletes should resist raising human rights and other sensitive political issues during the Beijing Olympics.
"Sports is too important. It is too important to use it as a political instrument," said Milan Zver, the sports minister of Slovenia, which holds the EU presidency.
China is believed to have special influence with the Islamic regime because it buys two-thirds of Sudan's oil exports while selling it weapons and defending Khartoum in the U.N. Security Council. Fighting in Darfur has killed more than 200,000 people since 2003. Watch as pressure rises on China to act »
The Beijing Olympics organizing committee expressed regret over Spielberg's statement, in which the director said he felt China wasn't doing enough to pressure Sudan into ending the conflict.
"Linking the Darfur issue to the Olympic Games will not help to resolve this issue and is not in line with the Olympic Spirit that separates sports from politics," BOCOG said. Preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies were progressing smoothly, BOCOG added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said it was understandable if some people did not understand China's policy on Darfur, though, "some people may have ulterior motives, and this we cannot accept."
He did not elaborate on what the ulterior motives might be.
China has made significant changes to its policies in Sudan within the last year, appointing a special envoy to the region and sending 140 engineers to help prepare for the arrival of a planned hybrid peacekeeping force. The efforts have earned kudos from the United States.
Political statements by athletes have become a growing issue as the Beijing Games approach, with less than six months until the opening ceremony.
Under IOC rules, athletes cannot discuss political issues within Olympic zones, but should have freedom of speech outside them. The EU's Zver said that even though he understood the importance of human rights, the Beijing Games should be spared the controversy.
"The Olympics is not a good place for that," Zver said in an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels. "We, the politicians, have to do that."
Zver believes multinational companies that trade and invest in China have more of an obligation to speak up rather than athletes.
"All the great companies from Europe and the United States try to be integrated in the economic development of China," he said. "They should say something, more efficiently, not the athletes."

A New Taiwan/ Beijing Relationship?

The current president of Taiwan is about to end his 8 year term, and a presidential candidate from the same party is openly inviting the possibility for strengthened ties between the two governments, in light of the strong economic bonds they already share. The current president has been careful not to attempt such a relationship because of the dangers of confrontation should anything go wrong. More can be found here: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/2008/02/18/143450/Hsieh-says.htm

China's Inflation Rate Surges

China's rapidly growing economy has caused inflation rates to soar over the past year. It is reported that consumer prices have increased by 7 percent. Recent snowstorms and the decrease of exports to the United States have attributed to this inflation. The snowstorms earlier this month destroyed crops and disrupted food supplies causing the prices of vegetables to increase by 5.2 percent, while pork and beef prices soared. Food and fuel prices have seen the most dramatic increases over the past year. The Chinese government said that it will maintain its focus on growth, even in light of the recent inflation. The 11.2 percent of economic growth during this time was the highest in 13 years. The World Bank expects this number to decrease slightly in the upcoming year. For more information go to http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aS6G_z42drbk&refer=asia

The Art of War, Love and Benevolence Part 2

In the ancient Chinese text, "The Art of War" strategies of all different types of warfare are discussed. As stated before in my previous blog, one has to read between the lines to fully understand what Sun Tzu (the author) was trying to convey. Some would ask "how is love connected to warfare?" In ancient times war was more than politics, as it may seem today. When people went to war, it was usually for love of ones home, or land. People were convicted to fight for what they believed in, (and today our troops still do) but the whole aspect of war was more black and white, fight or loose ones way of life (death). In the art of war, and through the years of China's history we truly see the power of love in a military aspect. For example, when General Mao started his military campaign he was gravely disadvantaged. However Mao was able to win the hearts of the people, and thus gaining strength to fuel his revolution. Throughout the Art of War, Sun Tzu mainly talks about his troops and their well being. Just a small example: "When employing them in battle, a victory that is long in coming will blunt their weapons and dampen their ardor..." In terms we can understand, he is saying a long battle (political debate, argument, show down, skirmish, campaign) will make someone burn out and not want to participate anymore. The love of ones troops, and the troops love for the general go both ways. This is a very important concept to learn, and may be beneficial for our future.

shooting down spy satellite

Apparently within a few weeks the U.S. military plans to shoot down a damaged spy satellite before it hits the earth. The reasoning behind the tactic is the toxic fumes the satellite will emit upon contact, which could potentially kill people. China first expressed disagreement with our military's actions and now Russia is also protesting. China's reasoning is that the U.S. should not interfere with security systems in outer space. Russia, however, feels that U.S. military is hiding behind the fact that they simply wish to test their missile system.
Decide for yourself http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4303788

China and Social Welfare

I feel one important issue I have taken away from Dr. Minxin Pei lecture on the 13th was that China is lacking in social welfare. While the major cities like Beijing hide this very well, China still has many social problems that could be remedied, at least partially with social welfare. Healthcare, Social Security, and Education are some of these main areas that the Chinese Government could be better supporting, but will this ever happen? My thought process tells me that it will be very unlikely without a more democratic system.

Spielberg and Olympics

Spielberg and Olympics:

Steven Spielberg stated that he would not be participting in the 2008 opening and closing ceremonies in Beijing because He believed China was not doing enough to end the crisis in Darfur. Spielberg believes that China has special influence in Sudan because Sudan supplies China with two thirds of its oil exports. Several American groups and organizations praise Spielberg for his decision, believing that Beijing needs to improve its human rights before being allowed to host the olympics. CNN stated "Spielberg's announcement Tuesday could be a major blow to Beijing's promotion of the August 8-24 Olympics as a symbol of China's integration into mainstream global society." While bidding for the 2008 Olympics, China promised to improve human rights within the country. Many believe that China is doing little to live up to that promise. Jiang Yu, the Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, commented on the China-Darfur issue. "To link the Darfur issue to the Olympics is a move to politicize the Olympics and this is inconsistent with the Olympic spirit and will bear no fruit."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/02/13/oly.spielberg.ap/index.html

Points from February 13, 2008 Guest Lecturer

China’s New Challenge: Balancing Growth and Social Justice
Dr. Minxin Pei

Dr. Pei described how the economic growth in China has created problems in the following areas: pollution, health care, and crime. China has seen a double digit economic growth in the last 3 decades and an emergence of a middle class. China’s growth, however, has been achieved at a cost—healthiness, pollution, and crime. Because of the rise in the standard of living and the availability to the fast food industry, China is now worried about obesity, when just 30 years ago they were worried about malnutrition. Moreover, 66 percent of its river is polluted and 90 percent of its land water is polluted, meaning 300 million people in China are drinking polluted water. In addition, economic growth is traditionally followed by inequality, which fosters crime.

Dr. Pei did offer some remedies counter the negative effect of growth: (1) China’s government can invest in education and health care to benefit the poor. (2) China’s government needs to use physical or tax policies, such as progressive tax income, and levy inheritance tax to get additional revenue. China has no inheritance tax but does have capital gain tax. (3) China’s government should also allow labor to organize so wage can rise, but China does not allow collective bargaining.

Just something Interesting

I glance at several of the major American online newpapers, as well as Al Jazeera and the London Times on a regular basis. Since beginning this class, I try to rotate through Chinese newspapers and get news from the Eastern perspective.

In the United States, our media coverage of the presidential primaries consumes hours of air time and dialouge from many talking heads, regardless of which side of the isle someone may sit. Each candidate gets covered and evaluated. Some networks lobby for certain candidates, while other networks endlessly discuss the same talking points from week to week. Whether it be discussing Obama's Kennedyesque charisma or McCain's plea to conservatives; Clinton's "Ready to Lead on Day one" or Huckabee's ministerial platform, WE HAVE HEARD IT! No matter how it is packaged, Chris Matthews, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, or Keith Oberman are not going to change our minds with their packaging of the candidates. No matter the primary, we get every candidate all of the time.

One thing I have noticed in the international papers, only Barack Obama is getting any attention. And it is not the standard American press kit version. I found that interesting. Any thoughts?

Shanghai market gets off to bad start

From the China Daily News:

Two factors influenced the Chinese market in Shanghai: the Chinese blizzards and the United State's housing market. Worries and concerns about the US housing turmoil hit Shanghai in the wallet. More than the United State's economy rides on the effects of sub-prime mortgage lending. Investors in both the Chinese and US markets are weary of buying in the face of a potential American economic recession. Read the rest of the story:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-02/14/content_6453729.htm

WTO Defeat

China suffered its first defeat in the WTO today since its inception in 2001. Western countries routinely criticize China for its protectionist policies, especially China's requirement that Chinese cars must be comprised of 60% Chinese parts (or pay higher taxes). Today the WTO ordered China to halt this policy or lose its membership. U.S. officials expect future rulings on China's policies on foreign media and copyrighted U.S. goods. Will China honor its obligations? China has not yet provided a response.

China's Economic Growth

China has purchased 400 billion yuan (roughly $55.6 billion) of goods and services in 2007. This figure is a new high compared to the 368.1 billion in 2006. In the past five years the Chinese government has diversified its consumption from only commodities to more services. The Chinese procurement list now holds an estimated 4,770 items--with energy-saving products accounting for the majority of those products. The large amount of energy-saving products is a result of the Chinese government trying to reduce both energy consumption and emissions. The Chinese government will also start pushing for more innovation of technological products this year by giving good incentives to businesses in hopes of starting high-tech industries. Since China's economy is expanding so rapidly, it is apparent that the Chinese government (with saving energy and technological incentives) wants the country to be a competitor in the global economy.

U.S. seeks China's aid in Darfur

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote a letter to Chinese leader Hu Jintao today to seek his assistance in Darfur. They believe that he has a "significant influence" over the Sudan government, and that it is neccessary for keeping the peace that he use this influence. China is Sudan's most important ally in the United Nations, and many believe that only China has enough influence to peacefully end the conflict between Darfur and Sudan. I am not sure if China has yet to respond to this request. This could potentially be an important situation for U.S. China relations. If China helps the U.S. in this situation, it could pave the way for future alliances or cooperation between the two nations. To read more about this story go to http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4279016

Pharmaceuticals in China

An article was published today concerning a problem that is not frequently talked about in the US when it comes to China. We have all heard and read the stories of toys made in China containing a higher level of lead than accepted by the US, however, another deadly product produced in China, investigators say, is pharmaceuticals. An investigation into Artesunate, an antimalrial drug, resulted in finding fake versions of the medication traced back to China. This is very dangerous for several reasons. Malaria is known to kill more than one million people a year. With the counterfeit drug, a stronger tolerance can be built against the real form of Artesunate, making the real drug unable to fight malaria, leading to more deaths. The major concern, however, is the fact that the investigation revealed over a dozen unlicensed factories able to produce pharmaceutical drugs or run chemical plants in China. This is beyond dangerous, because in the case of the antimalarial drug, individuals were selling a counterfeit drug in order to make a profit, without considering the lives of others. This group of individuals were caught, but what happens when fake drugs are able to "pass the test" as an original drug? Because there are no requirements or enforcements on these chemical plants, many lives are at risk. People trust that the pharmaceutical drugs prescribed to them will heal them, not kill them, but yet we cannot be sure anymore.

Chinese Spies in America

The arrest of four Chinese spies recently in the United States has made me wonder how it will directly effect relations between the United States and China. The four spies have been charged with stealing secret that relate to the United States Defense Systems and NASA. They have been linked with trading several secret programs to China. If convicted they all would serve life in prison. This to me seems to not work in the favor Chinese relations and could cause some havoc in future negotiations between the United States and China. This might not necessarily be such a big deal considering the United State; more then likely have several spies infiltrated in China.

Proposal to ban weapons in space

Russia and China have proposed to ban the use of weapons in space. Concerns about this practice have been growing since China tested an anti-satellite missle. The fear is that once one country starts to use weapons in space then other countries will quickly follow.
To read more go to http://www.brietbart.com/article.php?id=080212152128.8rnfh1q4&show_article=1

Athletes being censored

Apparently Olympic athletes from Britain are not permitted to voice any opinions concerning China's political systems. The intention is to avoid offending Chinese citizens due to the cultural differences. Other Olympic teams are rumored to make similar agreements of silence. Australia, however, has decided to ban any negative talk concerning other athletes. The United States has not made any such committment toward either political issues or athletes.

read more...http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/485095.html or http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/athletes-may-bag-china--but-not-rivals/2008/02/11/1202578694204.html

China's Car Problems

Michelen held its annual eco-car competition in Shangai this years. An appropriate juxtaposition, given China's growing reliance on fossil fuels. In 2030 China will have seven times the cars it has today. Regardless, China will still have far fewer cars (140 per 1,000 people) than Europe (680 per 1,000). China must invest in alternative energy sources in order to provide clean, cheap energy to millions.

Spy

Two espionage cases involving China unfolding — Defense official, 2 Chinese nationals, ex-Boeing worker arrested.

Is this the beginning of war? Why is China syping on the United States!?!?! The news is just breaking. I will comment more later.

Unsafe Chinese Toys

In the wake of the recalls of millions of children's toys made in China, there are few things that concerned parents can do to protect their children. Although throughout the scandal, the fact that the toys were made in Chinese factories has been brought up regularly, in today's global society, most toys come from China, and even those that are "made in the USA" are often composed of Chinese parts. Although it is still possible to avoid Chinese toys and toy parts entirely, it is very expensive, and requires knowledge about the production of individual toys that most consumers do not have. More information on this topic is discussed here: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Consumer/story?id=3455597&page=1. This makes me wonder: if most toys are made in China, or from Chinese products, why even bother to mention where the toys came from? Describing the dangerous toys by their place of origin seems even more dangerous considering that non-Chinese toys still have such associations with Chinese products that make them no less dangerous.

Equal Marriage Rights in China

Although China is progressing very quickly in many matters of economic and societal change, there are still some current issues that do not recieve adequate attention due to their conflict with the traditional values still held by many in that country. One of these is gay marriage. Not only have proposed laws failed to gain even the very minimum attention required for them to be brought up for discussion, but in many cases discrimination laws do not exist to provide basic support on which to build a case for equal marriage rights. The economic welfare and insurance programs in China also fail to make the same case that has been brought for homosexual marriage in the United States. More on this discussion can be found at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/08/content_6155820.htm

The Art of War, Love, and Benevolence, Part 1

Most people in the world are aware of one of China's oldest texts, "The Art of War". This text has been analyzed, translated, and broken down to understand its meaning, after all it is one of the main texts studied at West Point. The name of the text is misleading, and the translated text is also misleading. Yes, this book deals with war and strategic formations of troops, but there is a more subtle, and hidden meaning in its words. Americans and people who think in a western nature cannot understand its true meaning at face value, one has to read between the lines. The words in the text hold so much more meaning, than what we initially preconceive them to mean. Sun Tzu (author of the Art of War) would state "attack your enemy from many different places..." In English this sounds pretty straight forward. What Sun Tzu was trying to convey, "attack your enemy, in their heart or their mind,or in there dreams or from the left, or from the forest behind them.(tactics include, troop formations, time of attack, peace talks, fright, politics, propaganda...)" Something so small like the word place, means many different things. One of the main points in the Art of War is that if you have to kill your enemy you have both lost. There are many ways to win a battle, and an Eastern way of winning, is not always on the battle field...

175 Japanese Sick = Tainted Dumplings From China

175 people in Japan have gotten sick from dumplings a la insecticide. All food from the company that produces these dumplings- the company is named Tianyang Food Processing (check your freezers)- has been pulled from supermarkets. However, since Japan imports more food from China than even the US does, there has been general hysteria over the issue. Some supermarkets have taken the drastic step to pull ALL processed food products from China off their shelves. This is very problematic for China because they are becoming infamous for their tainted products.

Fighting Illegal Publications in Beijing

A nationwide campaign to curb piracy, online pornography and illegal publications was launched last year. According to the National Office for Cleaning Up Pornography and Fighting Illegal Publications they have achieved positive results. Last year, China confiscated more than 149 million pornographic, pirated and unauthorized publications. These confiscated articles included the following: 3.72 million pornographic publications, 3.2 million illegal newspapers and magazines, 3.36 million smuggled discs and 136 million pirated publications. In addition, China’s law enforcement department investigated 31, 000 cases involving production, sale, and distribution of illegal publications; 667 criminal cases were tried.

For more details go to http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-02/08/content_6445533.htm

Chinese "threat"?

Something that I’ve noticed more since this class started is that there is a lot of fear of China in this country. You see it a lot in blogs and from political pundits, and I’ve also noticed a lot of candidates trying to make political hay from the fear. The funny thing is that most of the arguments sound a lot like the fear of Japan as they were making economic inroads during the 1980’s, but no one seems afraid of Japan now. There was even a movie with back in the 80’s with Michael Keaton called “Gung Ho” that was about the Japanese coming here to take over and put Americans out of work.
Given the historical lack of hostility between the US and China, the Chinese “threat” to America seems a little overblown. I just wondered what everyone else thinks about this because it seems pretty irrational to me.

Lets all Light Up!

That's the apparent theme in China these days, as it stands tall as the world leader in tobacco use. The Economist released the results of a WHO study this week which found that developing countries lead the world in smoking. This of course is no big secret or even a revealation but this could lead to an impact on the healthcare cost in China down the road. As the smoking population begins to suffer from illness brought on by smoking, the few could add up to the many and amount to a serious health and political problem.

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10654964

Image posted from the Economist.com 2/8/08

A CNN article says that 11 electrical workers were killed in China while trying to restore electricity to parts of the country after the snow storm. The article said the snow storm was the worst in fifty years, killing 63 people. 1.8 million have been relocated. 223,000 homes were crushed, with 862,000 damaged. The Chinese government estimated damage from the storm will cost around 7 billion. They are still trying to bring heat and food to those who have been without electricity for days. With such an enormous polulation, it seems the transportation system and electricians can't work fast enough. The snow storm is supposed to slow down within the next few days.

China's Media Control

Even though China seems to be moving away from a 'true' Communist government (especially economically), the ruling Communist Party still maintains tight control over many entities in China, especially the media. This was seen recently in the trial of Lu Gengsong. Lu Gengsong posted 19 essays on the Internet—this, however, is not what caused charges to be brought against him in court. In his essays, Lu wrote about local corruption cases, including one that accused city officials of acting in collusion with real estate developers. Lu's official charge is “inciting subversion of state power,”. For this offense, he could face years in prison. Clearly, the Chinese government still retains tight authority over all of its media and does not seem inclined to push for any kind of reform in the near future—even with the approaching Summer Olympics.

Censorship in China

I was reading through the New York Times today and noticed on the front page of their World section an article concerning the Chinese government and its censorship of the internet. The article primarily focussed on the government's over-censorship of sites such as flickr. I know there are laws in China that censor websites containing political content, but I could not understand the sudden blocking of many popular, far from political websites. We have discussed in class how the Chinese government is becoming more capitalistic, and not centered on the spread of Communism, but with the 2008 summer games bearing down, I figured there would be greater flexibility in certain areas. The world will not come to Beijing with an objective option of the country or its government if it is obvious the Chinese people are banned from even viewing a non-political photo sharing website. It is as if China wants to break the stereotype that has plagued the mainland for decades, yet they continue to perpetuate the image of such a restrictive government.

Here is the link if anyone wants to read it: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/world/asia/04china.html?ref=world

China's Big Snow Storm

Last week, China had the largest snow storm the country has seen in over 50 years. Over sixty deaths were blamed on this snow storm including a bus crash involing over 20 fatalities. Chinese bus stations were already packed and booked due to the coming of their New Year, and individuals wanting to go "home" and visit their families. For many, the Chinese New Year is the only time they get to make it home to visit family. Because of the large snow storm, many flights were cancelled or delayed along with many bus routes. Although the cancellations of flights affected the country, the bus cancellations seemed to have caused the largest and worse problems. At one busy bus station, a woman was trampled to death as individulas rushed to catch buses to free themselves from being snowed in at the bus station. China had to send military troops along with police presence to this bus station to assist in calming the mayhem. There is good news, however, the transportation problem seems to be coming to a hault. Many flights are back on schedule and bus stations are attempting to catch up as well.

China's Weather Problems Really Mean

China has recently been afflicted with an unusual amount of cold weather, which has brought snow. China has already admitted they were in no way prepared to handle these types of weather condition, but the real problem lies in the way the Chinese people will view the government. As most government they run on a system of keeping people happy and doing the best things for the nation, but as soon as that balance is broken people begin to speak up. Katrina in America is a wonderful example of this. The United States has a very strong federal government and situation such as Katrina; it has always shown to prevail. I am by no means predicting a revolution in China, but that people will loss some faith in the government, because the weather issue that seems so fixable has turned into a serious problem. The Chinese New Year, which is approaching is the busiest travel day in China, and it is a time for those working away from home to go back to see family. The holiday is considered the largest migration in the world, of people. This has already began to cause turmoil, but expect further issues to present itself if the weather does not let up or the travel problems are not fixed.

Inflation: China's Latest Export

This is from an article in the NY Times regarding a growing inflation issue between the United States and China. Due to various factors- increased energy and material costs, a falling dollar, new business rules, and new environmental requirements- the cost of Chinese exports are increasing for America. They estimate that prices could increase by 10% this year on consumer goods such as toys, clothing, and footwear, which constitues 80, 40, and 85% respectively of American spending for those categories. This is a bad time for this increase in prices since America may be facing a recession. This is especially a bad time for me since I need some new Uggs, and unfortunately they are made in China ;)

Snow Storms and Politics

In response to this article in the New York Times.
China Storms Cause $7.5B in Damages

China seems to be paying for the results of Climate Change. The a few earlier blogs, one which I wrote, commented on how China is making small steps to become more environmental. All I can think of after reading this article is that there is no better time (unless you can go back in time). China’s increased production along side of its huge population is most likely a large contributing factor of some climate change. While the US also still is a leading polluter, the current regulations are much tougher. China needs to follow in the foot steps of other industrialized nations and provide stricter more enforceable regulations. Hopefully, China will continue its trend toward becoming more environmental, and our environment will stop writing China bills for $7.5 billion.

Taiwan’s presidential election in March will shift Taiwan-China relations.

In less than two months voters will go to polls to choose a president to succeed the unpopular Chen Shui-bian, member of the Democratic Progressive party (DPP). Analysts anticipate a landslide defeat of the DPP, largely because of Chen’s attempts at independence, separating the island (with a population of 23 million people) from mainland China.

The election will consist of Nationalists’ Ma Ying-jeou and DPP’s Frank Hsieh. Opinion polls favor Ma; supporters expect Ma to take advantage of the lucrative market opportunities in China. However, the DPP hopes to win voters by having Hsieh distance himself from Chen and his policies. In so doing, Hsieh promises to restore Taiwan’s economy and vows to liberalize Chen’s policies regarding trade and investments with China.

Details can be found at http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/01/asia/AS-GEN-Taiwan-New-Legislature.php