Thursday, August 16, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
China Ramps Up Anti-US Economic Rhetoric, threatening Economic Nuclear Reaction
The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.
Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.
China Threatens to Topple US Dollar
Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.
China Threatens to Topple US Dollar
Monday, July 23, 2007
A Moving Scroll called "The River of Ching Ming Dynasty"
The River of Ching Ming Dynasty
A beautiful piece of Calligraphy done in a side-scrolling flash, submitted to us by a friend in Hong Kong. Sit back, have a cup of coffee, and enjoy. (Don't forget to turn on your speakers)
A beautiful piece of Calligraphy done in a side-scrolling flash, submitted to us by a friend in Hong Kong. Sit back, have a cup of coffee, and enjoy. (Don't forget to turn on your speakers)
Huge Dust Plumes From China Cause Changes in Climate
Wall Street Journal: July 20, 2007
Huge Dust Plumes From China Cause Changes in Climate
One tainted export from China can't be avoided in North America -- air.
An outpouring of dust layered with man-made sulfates, smog, industrial fumes, carbon grit and nitrates is crossing the Pacific Ocean on prevailing winds from booming Asian economies in plumes so vast they alter the climate. These rivers of polluted air can be wider than the Amazon and deeper than the Grand Canyon.
"There are times when it covers the entire Pacific Ocean basin like a ribbon bent back and forth," said atmospheric physicist V. Ramanathan at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif.
Huge Dust Plumes From China Cause Changes in Climate
One tainted export from China can't be avoided in North America -- air.
An outpouring of dust layered with man-made sulfates, smog, industrial fumes, carbon grit and nitrates is crossing the Pacific Ocean on prevailing winds from booming Asian economies in plumes so vast they alter the climate. These rivers of polluted air can be wider than the Amazon and deeper than the Grand Canyon.
"There are times when it covers the entire Pacific Ocean basin like a ribbon bent back and forth," said atmospheric physicist V. Ramanathan at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Final Thoughts Immediately After the 21st Century China Symposium
First, I want to say mahalo to all of you who came and participated in the Symposium and what turned out to be dinner in the Campus Plaza area. I apologize about the concert part, but it seemed to me most people wanted to talk about the issues so we ordered pizza and talked.
A big mahalo nui loa to everyone who hung around and brought food and/or chipped in for pizza and the extra charges the university levied because we stayed past 7:30 PM. My experience with the university on events like this has been they are NOT USER FRIENDLY AND I HOPE WE CAN HELP THEM TO CORRECT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
Hoku posted links to all of the topics we discussed and there are also comments from a couple of our friends, Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie that you might want to take a look at.
The ability to participate in the future of China-US Relations is an amazing thing. I hope each one of you will help us to make a difference as the future unfolds. Like it or not China and the US are inextricably linked and the future depends on our actions.
Please sign in to the blog and help us to change the world for the better. My belief is that increasing trust between the US and China is the only real option we have if we want to exhibit the values our great nation is founded on. Otherwise, we may find ourselves a has-been nation somewhat like England is today. I think the vast majority of Americans are fed up with our government's inability to solve our own challenges. We need government officials who are more like Harry Kim. We also need to take the responsibility for turning things around into our own hands. After all we are a democracy, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Aloha and a hui hou,
Don and Hoku
Asian Pacific Trade Group
Please contact us if you need anything. We can help you to travel in China, do business there, teach there, or just hang out, drink coffee and talk story with you.
A big mahalo nui loa to everyone who hung around and brought food and/or chipped in for pizza and the extra charges the university levied because we stayed past 7:30 PM. My experience with the university on events like this has been they are NOT USER FRIENDLY AND I HOPE WE CAN HELP THEM TO CORRECT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
Hoku posted links to all of the topics we discussed and there are also comments from a couple of our friends, Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie that you might want to take a look at.
The ability to participate in the future of China-US Relations is an amazing thing. I hope each one of you will help us to make a difference as the future unfolds. Like it or not China and the US are inextricably linked and the future depends on our actions.
Please sign in to the blog and help us to change the world for the better. My belief is that increasing trust between the US and China is the only real option we have if we want to exhibit the values our great nation is founded on. Otherwise, we may find ourselves a has-been nation somewhat like England is today. I think the vast majority of Americans are fed up with our government's inability to solve our own challenges. We need government officials who are more like Harry Kim. We also need to take the responsibility for turning things around into our own hands. After all we are a democracy, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Aloha and a hui hou,
Don and Hoku
Asian Pacific Trade Group
Please contact us if you need anything. We can help you to travel in China, do business there, teach there, or just hang out, drink coffee and talk story with you.
Mahalo for Attending the 21st Century China Symposium
Cuurent Events in China
750,000 People Die From Pollution Each Year in China
China Executes Ex-Head of Drug Agency
China Bans Food Products From Tyson, Other U.S. Cos.
Starbucks Closes Forbidden City Outlet
Tianwan Nuclear Plant
Ready, Aim, Fire, and Rain
Military Modernization:
Fighter Jet Signals China's Aerial Advances
China Boosts Military Spending
Washington Post: Annual Report to Congress on Chinese Military
Teaching In China:
Dave's ESL Cafe
ESL China
ESL Teacher's Board
Doing Business in China:
Doing Business in China - China Window Article
Business Tips of the British Embassy
Go East, Young Executive
China and the Internet:
The New Gang of Four
The Great Firewall of China
How China Controls the Internet
Comments:
Thanks, Don. Readers should know that UH Hilo has done a great job of international study and interaction at the student level through Prof Eads and others. I believe that our country's relationship with China will have more to do with whether our world's at relative peace over the next generation than any other. I could give you a long answer, but what it amounts to is that we can never afford to disengage form our interaction with China at the highest levels of our government and to encourage China's involvement in the world, no matter how difficult that might sometimes be. –Ed Case
U.S.-China policy is schizophrenic. China has always been defensive in nature, authority in China always takes the position that it is at the center of the universe and that the entire world, outside of China, is exactly that - out there. China is the middle KingDom. As such, it regards itself as the center of the universe. I don't say this in a pejorative way, but in a cultural and historic fact of China's life. China is a civilization, not a nation. China regards that whereever Chinese are, China is there also. The official was killed not because of the food scare, but because the food scare caused China to be put in a negative position. The Chinese regime in Beijing is indifferent to the issue of whether or not products coming from China are substandard. That becomes an issue only if it affects China in an adverse way. Execution of those who disconcert authority in China is ubiqitous from the time of the Confucion lords to the Communist lords. Same attitude, different names. As for China's military buildup, it is perfectly understandable that being the middle kingdom subject to invasion and imperial assault from the West, that they would wish to make sure such a thing never happens again. It is less a question I believe of imposing their will than it is of ensuring that China its proper role as the middle kingdom in the 21st century. Our reaction to this phenomenon, if it only assumes a military role, will be useless. The U.S. is in no position, and will be in no position to threaten China militarily, else risking the obliteration of the planet. China needs to be engaged diplomatically and culturally with respect and the sheer knowledge that it will never be dominated again. –Neil Abercrombie
Thank you for reading,
Don and Hoku
750,000 People Die From Pollution Each Year in China
China Executes Ex-Head of Drug Agency
China Bans Food Products From Tyson, Other U.S. Cos.
Starbucks Closes Forbidden City Outlet
Tianwan Nuclear Plant
Ready, Aim, Fire, and Rain
Military Modernization:
Fighter Jet Signals China's Aerial Advances
China Boosts Military Spending
Washington Post: Annual Report to Congress on Chinese Military
Teaching In China:
Dave's ESL Cafe
ESL China
ESL Teacher's Board
Doing Business in China:
Doing Business in China - China Window Article
Business Tips of the British Embassy
Go East, Young Executive
China and the Internet:
The New Gang of Four
The Great Firewall of China
How China Controls the Internet
Comments:
Thanks, Don. Readers should know that UH Hilo has done a great job of international study and interaction at the student level through Prof Eads and others. I believe that our country's relationship with China will have more to do with whether our world's at relative peace over the next generation than any other. I could give you a long answer, but what it amounts to is that we can never afford to disengage form our interaction with China at the highest levels of our government and to encourage China's involvement in the world, no matter how difficult that might sometimes be. –Ed Case
U.S.-China policy is schizophrenic. China has always been defensive in nature, authority in China always takes the position that it is at the center of the universe and that the entire world, outside of China, is exactly that - out there. China is the middle KingDom. As such, it regards itself as the center of the universe. I don't say this in a pejorative way, but in a cultural and historic fact of China's life. China is a civilization, not a nation. China regards that whereever Chinese are, China is there also. The official was killed not because of the food scare, but because the food scare caused China to be put in a negative position. The Chinese regime in Beijing is indifferent to the issue of whether or not products coming from China are substandard. That becomes an issue only if it affects China in an adverse way. Execution of those who disconcert authority in China is ubiqitous from the time of the Confucion lords to the Communist lords. Same attitude, different names. As for China's military buildup, it is perfectly understandable that being the middle kingdom subject to invasion and imperial assault from the West, that they would wish to make sure such a thing never happens again. It is less a question I believe of imposing their will than it is of ensuring that China its proper role as the middle kingdom in the 21st century. Our reaction to this phenomenon, if it only assumes a military role, will be useless. The U.S. is in no position, and will be in no position to threaten China militarily, else risking the obliteration of the planet. China needs to be engaged diplomatically and culturally with respect and the sheer knowledge that it will never be dominated again. –Neil Abercrombie
Thank you for reading,
Don and Hoku
Friday, July 6, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Some Initial Resources
My hope is that you will add to this list your favorite sites, whether they are Western or Eastern, and give some feedback on what you like and dislike about the various sites. Here are some of the many places I go every day to try and understand China and its rapid transformation into a super power in the 21st century.
Many of these sites are available in Chinese as well as English. This is just a small initial list to get us started towards a much more comprehensive look at China today, a moving target. Whatever you thought you knew about China yesterday, may not hold true for China tomorrow.
As onoe example, China announced a couple of days ago that tap water is SAFE to drink in Beijing. Well, my tap water in Beijing comes out brown, so I am not so sure, but that is an amazing statement in and of itself. What the West sees as contradiction abounds in China.
China Daily: to get the Party line so to speak
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
China Digital Times: China Digital Times (CDT) is a collaborative news website covering China's social and political transition and its emerging role in the world. CDT aims to use the new generation of participatory media technology to create a fully interactive network that will track and report news, facilitate conversations and debate, and share resources and knowledge in a virtual China community.
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/
Asia Times:
http://www.atimes.com/
China Herald: Weblog with daily updates of the news on a harmonious, socialist society, from the perspective of internet entrepreneur, new media advisor and China-consultant Fons Tuinstra
http://www.chinaherald.net/
People's Daily:
Many of these sites are available in Chinese as well as English. This is just a small initial list to get us started towards a much more comprehensive look at China today, a moving target. Whatever you thought you knew about China yesterday, may not hold true for China tomorrow.
As onoe example, China announced a couple of days ago that tap water is SAFE to drink in Beijing. Well, my tap water in Beijing comes out brown, so I am not so sure, but that is an amazing statement in and of itself. What the West sees as contradiction abounds in China.
China Daily: to get the Party line so to speak
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
China Digital Times: China Digital Times (CDT) is a collaborative news website covering China's social and political transition and its emerging role in the world. CDT aims to use the new generation of participatory media technology to create a fully interactive network that will track and report news, facilitate conversations and debate, and share resources and knowledge in a virtual China community.
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/
Asia Times:
http://www.atimes.com/
China Herald: Weblog with daily updates of the news on a harmonious, socialist society, from the perspective of internet entrepreneur, new media advisor and China-consultant Fons Tuinstra
http://www.chinaherald.net/
People's Daily:
With publication started in June 1948 and a current circulation of 3 million, People's Daily is the most influential and authoritative newspaper in China. According to UNESCO, it takes its place among the world top 10.
People's Daily brings you the latest news dispatches of policy information and resolutions of the Chinese Government and major domestic news and international news releases from China. It reflects the views of the Chinese people, expounds on justice and lambasts various forms of malpractice.
Symposium: July 15, 2-5 PM
Aloha,
I created this blog so that i could familiarize everyone who uses it with some of the topics we will cover at the Symposium in advance. If you spend some time and post your reflections and insights, our short 3 hours together will be much more enlightening for all of us. In the coming days, I will post articles, web sites, etc. on the main topics we will cover. That way, you will become more informed about China and you can add your comments as well.
My ultimate hope is that this whole process will change your perceptions of the Land of the Dragon in a good way. So blog on, and be sure to check back often as I will get in gear now that I have this set up for all of us.
Sincerely,
Don
I created this blog so that i could familiarize everyone who uses it with some of the topics we will cover at the Symposium in advance. If you spend some time and post your reflections and insights, our short 3 hours together will be much more enlightening for all of us. In the coming days, I will post articles, web sites, etc. on the main topics we will cover. That way, you will become more informed about China and you can add your comments as well.
My ultimate hope is that this whole process will change your perceptions of the Land of the Dragon in a good way. So blog on, and be sure to check back often as I will get in gear now that I have this set up for all of us.
Sincerely,
Don
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