In May 2023, the former prime minister of Cambodia – Hun Sen – led a cabinet meeting that gave the green light to the “Funan Techo Canal”, the first waterway system in Cambodia, which will connect Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to Kep Province of Cambodia. The canal is 180 kilometers long, stretching from Prek Takeo of the Mekong River to Prek Ta Ek and Prek Ta Hing of the Bassac River, and connects to Kep province. The project will cut through four provinces in Cambodia including Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep province of Cambodia.
The plan is to build a waterway that is 100 meters wide, with a navigation depth of 4.7 meters. The project also includes the construction of three water gate systems, eleven bridges, and 208-kilometer sidewalks, which will be constructed by China Bridge and Road Corporation (CRBC) using the Build-Operate-Transfer model.
Current Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet strongly supports the project, promising that it won’t produce harmful environmental impacts, particularly on the Mekong River – a river shared by several ASEAN countries. In December last year, Hun flew to Vietnam to assure his Vietnamese counterparts that the project would not affect the water flow in the country’s part of the Mekong River. But some say it just may, and as a result, will undermine the 1995 Mekong Agreement – an agreement signed by Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos who promised to cooperate together in managing the river.
fredag 12. april 2024
How Cambodia’s Chinese-backed Funan Techo Canal Risks Destabilizing the Lower Mekong Delta
China gives monks a list of things they can’t do after the Dalai Lama's death
In the event of the Dalai Lama’s death, Buddhist monks are banned from displaying photos of the Tibetan spiritual leader and other “illegal religious activities and rituals,” according to a training manual Chinese authorities have distributed to monasteries in Gansu province in China’s northwest, a source inside Tibet and exiled former political prisoner Golok Jigme said.
The manual, which lists 10 rules that Buddhist clergy should follow, also forbids disrupting the process of recognizing the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, said the source from inside Tibet who requested anonymity for safety reasons. Tibetans believe they should determine his successor in accordance with their Buddhist belief in reincarnation, while the Chinese government seeks to control the centuries-old selection method.
The 14th Dalai Lama, 88, fled Tibet amid a failed 1959 national uprising against China’s rule and has lived in exile in Dharamsala, India, ever since. He is the longest-serving Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader in Tibet’s history.
The manual, which lists 10 rules that Buddhist clergy should follow, also forbids disrupting the process of recognizing the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, said the source from inside Tibet who requested anonymity for safety reasons. Tibetans believe they should determine his successor in accordance with their Buddhist belief in reincarnation, while the Chinese government seeks to control the centuries-old selection method.
The 14th Dalai Lama, 88, fled Tibet amid a failed 1959 national uprising against China’s rule and has lived in exile in Dharamsala, India, ever since. He is the longest-serving Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader in Tibet’s history.
Canada asylum-seeker recalls 'all kinds of torture' in Chinese jail
A Chinese rights activist who recently arrived in Canada as a political asylum-seeker has said she and others who complain against the ruling Chinese Communist Party are subjected to "all kinds of torture" at the hands of the authorities.
"Only people who have committed a crime should be sent to prison," Wei Yani told RFA in an interview shortly after arriving in Vancouver. "We weren't being detained and imprisoned because we had committed any crime, but because we fought for our rights and endangered the government's vested interests," Wei said. "And once people like us are locked up, we have it worst of all, and are subjected to all kinds of torture," she said, describing fainting after being forced to stand with her hands handcuffed far above her head on one occasion. "They said they were going to leave me there for a week, but I only lasted just over an hour ... so they had to take me down again," Wei said, adding: "They have so many kinds of physical punishment."
From China's Past: Fifty years of China-US relations [Part 1]
When US President Bill Clinton went to China in 1998, he visited an internet cafe in Shanghai, where he witnessed how the new generation of Chinese youth was using emerging internet technologies to gain new knowledge, establish domestic and international connections, and perhaps even taste the pleasures of online games.
Shanghai was the most advanced city in China at the time, and yet there were only around 30 internet cafes. It was still worth a trip by the US president to see how China was slowly entering the modern world of internet technology.
Back then, the globally recognised Chinese tech giants of today such as Huawei, WeChat, Tencent, Alibaba and TikTok had not yet emerged, while US companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Apple had already penetrated offices globally, and Silicon Valley was attracting many ambitious young tech entrepreneurs who detested the confines of the old ways and were unafraid of failure, and who worked hard to create tech industries in manufacturing, communications and logistics.
Shanghai was the most advanced city in China at the time, and yet there were only around 30 internet cafes. It was still worth a trip by the US president to see how China was slowly entering the modern world of internet technology.
Back then, the globally recognised Chinese tech giants of today such as Huawei, WeChat, Tencent, Alibaba and TikTok had not yet emerged, while US companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Apple had already penetrated offices globally, and Silicon Valley was attracting many ambitious young tech entrepreneurs who detested the confines of the old ways and were unafraid of failure, and who worked hard to create tech industries in manufacturing, communications and logistics.
torsdag 11. april 2024
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses Congress amid skepticism about US role abroad
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol on Thursday, urging them to consider the importance of global commitments at a time of tension in the Asia-Pacific and deep skepticism in Congress about U.S. involvement abroad.
Kishida is in Washington this week visiting President Joe Biden as the White House completes hosting each leader of the Quad — an informal partnership between the U.S. Japan, Australia and India that is seen as important to countering China’s growing military strength in the region. Kishida highlighted the value of the U.S. commitment to global security and offered reassurances that Japan is a strong partner.
On Capitol Hill, his audience included many Republicans who have pushed for the U.S. to take a less active role in global affairs as they follow the “America First” ethos of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The Republican-controlled House has sat for months on a $95 billion package that would send wartime funding to Ukraine and Israel, as well as aid to allies in the Indo-Pacific like Taiwan and humanitarian help to civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.
Do China’s ‘Left-Behind’ Children Have a Delinquency Problem?
The tragic murder of a 13-year-old boy by his classmates in the northern province of Hebei earlier last month has once again raised public fears of rising delinquency among China’s 9 million “left-behind” children.
Left-behind children are minors whose parent or parents have migrated for work and left them in the care of family in their home communities. Due to a mix of underdeveloped social and economic conditions in rural areas, combined with inadequate supervision and support from adults, scholars like Rachel Murphy have found left-behind kids fare worse than those who live with both parents in a wide range of metrics, from school performance to physical development and mental health. Their vulnerable situation has drawn significant public attention and garnered extensive media coverage. The media, in particular, has portrayed their lives in intricate detail, highlighting their feelings of exclusion and isolation, and at times, their delinquent behavior, while calling attention to the need for care resources in the countryside.
Left-behind children are minors whose parent or parents have migrated for work and left them in the care of family in their home communities. Due to a mix of underdeveloped social and economic conditions in rural areas, combined with inadequate supervision and support from adults, scholars like Rachel Murphy have found left-behind kids fare worse than those who live with both parents in a wide range of metrics, from school performance to physical development and mental health. Their vulnerable situation has drawn significant public attention and garnered extensive media coverage. The media, in particular, has portrayed their lives in intricate detail, highlighting their feelings of exclusion and isolation, and at times, their delinquent behavior, while calling attention to the need for care resources in the countryside.
Why the U.S. Is Building Out Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific—and How It Could Backfire
“Our alliances are America’s greatest asset,” President Joe Biden said in a joint press conference with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on Wednesday, a day before hosting a historic first trilateral summit between the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines on Thursday. Indeed, the U.S. has ramped up its partnership-building, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, as it seems to seek to establish a countervailing force to China’s growing influence and assertiveness in the region.
In just the last three years, the U.S. has solidified individual ties with Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore, among others, as well as fostered new collective relationships between nations such as Japan and South Korea, Australia and the U.K., and now Japan and the Philippines.
In just the last three years, the U.S. has solidified individual ties with Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore, among others, as well as fostered new collective relationships between nations such as Japan and South Korea, Australia and the U.K., and now Japan and the Philippines.
From China's Past: The historical aftermath of Japan’s colonisation of Taiwan
From 1895 to 1945, Japan exerted 50 years of colonial rule over Taiwan. After World War II, colonialism was thoroughly rejected, and colonies in the East and West either became independent or returned to their original motherland. Most former colonies settled their status 50 years ago, but while Taiwan was returned to China in 1945, both sides of the Taiwan Strait remain divided today, and there is a psychological shadow of Japan’s colonisation of Taiwan.
In 1895, China was defeated by Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War, and was forced in the Treaty of Shimonoseki to cede Taiwan. However, the Taiwanese did not accept this decision and took up arms to resist the Japanese as they arrived to take over. At the same time, it declared the Republic of Formosa — dubbed the “Yongqing” era — and sought the support of the Western powers, declaring that it would return to China following independence.
In 1895, China was defeated by Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War, and was forced in the Treaty of Shimonoseki to cede Taiwan. However, the Taiwanese did not accept this decision and took up arms to resist the Japanese as they arrived to take over. At the same time, it declared the Republic of Formosa — dubbed the “Yongqing” era — and sought the support of the Western powers, declaring that it would return to China following independence.
tirsdag 9. april 2024
Ray Dalio: How China Will Be Challenged By a 100-Year Storm
A few years ago, President Xi Jinping started warning that a 100-year big storm is coming. As is typical of the early days of a hurricane, one can now feel it. The circumstances and the mood in China have indisputably changed to become more threatening. These changes are mostly due to big cycle forces.
The most joyous and productive environments are ones that have freedom, civility, and creativity, and ones in which people can make their dreams into great realities with prosperity that is shared by most people. This happened in China from around 1980 until around five years ago. I
The most joyous and productive environments are ones that have freedom, civility, and creativity, and ones in which people can make their dreams into great realities with prosperity that is shared by most people. This happened in China from around 1980 until around five years ago. I
t is quite typical for such booms to produce debt bubbles and big wealth gaps that lead the booms to turn into bubbles that turn into busts. That happened in China at the same time as the global great power conflict intensified, so China is now in the post-bubble and great power conflict part of the Big Cycle that is driven by the five big forces that have changed the mood and the environment.
In this piece, I will first describe in brief how the Big Cycle has transpired over roughly the past century, and then I will explain the current picture of what is happening today, with a focus on the challenges that China is facing. This history and these dynamics are complex and important to world history and the global order—everything I write here is how I see it based on my own experience, relationships, and research.
From overcapacity to TikTok, the issues covered during Janet Yellen's trip to China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her team are leaving China and returning to Washington after trying to tackle the major questions of the day between the countries. Here's a look at what she tried to accomplish, what was achieved, and where things stand for the world's two largest economies:
Yellen said she wanted to go into the U.S.-China talks to address a major Biden administration complaint that Beijing’s economic model and trade practices put American companies and workers at an unfair competitive disadvantage by producing highly subsidized solar products, electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries at a loss, dominating the global market. Chinese government subsidies and other policy support have encouraged solar panel and EV makers in China to invest in factories, building far more production capacity than the domestic market can absorb. She calls this overcapacity.
Throughout the week of meetings, she talked about the risks that come from one nation maintaining nearly all production capacity in these industries, the threat it poses to other nations' industries and how a massive rapid increase in exports from one country can have big impacts on the global economy.
Yellen said she wanted to go into the U.S.-China talks to address a major Biden administration complaint that Beijing’s economic model and trade practices put American companies and workers at an unfair competitive disadvantage by producing highly subsidized solar products, electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries at a loss, dominating the global market. Chinese government subsidies and other policy support have encouraged solar panel and EV makers in China to invest in factories, building far more production capacity than the domestic market can absorb. She calls this overcapacity.
Throughout the week of meetings, she talked about the risks that come from one nation maintaining nearly all production capacity in these industries, the threat it poses to other nations' industries and how a massive rapid increase in exports from one country can have big impacts on the global economy.
The Angst Behind China’s ‘Lying Flat’ Youth
In halloween in 2022, outside a party the police had just disbanded in Beijing’s warehouse district, I saw a 20-something woman in a sparkly spandex suit and bunny ears run into the road. “Freedom, not testing!” she shouted. “Reform, not revolution! Votes, not dictators! Citizens, not slaves!”
Those were familiar words at Tsinghua University, where I was studying for a master’s degree. From a bridge near campus, someone had hung a banner emblazoned with the slogans. The banner’s maker, who became known as “Bridgeman,” had disappeared a few days before Halloween. Now the girl in the spandex suit struggled with her boyfriend in the street as he tried to cover her mouth. The other young people streamed out of the warehouse party in silence. But, moments later, muted voices rose from the crowd: “I agree,” “I support you,” and even, “Xi Jinping has a small penis!”
Those were familiar words at Tsinghua University, where I was studying for a master’s degree. From a bridge near campus, someone had hung a banner emblazoned with the slogans. The banner’s maker, who became known as “Bridgeman,” had disappeared a few days before Halloween. Now the girl in the spandex suit struggled with her boyfriend in the street as he tried to cover her mouth. The other young people streamed out of the warehouse party in silence. But, moments later, muted voices rose from the crowd: “I agree,” “I support you,” and even, “Xi Jinping has a small penis!”
From China's Past: Robert Hart and the Chinese Maritime Customs Service
For almost a century, the Chinese Maritime Customs Service played a central role in the relationship between China and the global economy. The Customs Service was part of the Chinese Government, but it was led by foreigners. Technically, its role was limited to ensuring the accurate assessment of Customs duties (taxes on imports and exports). However, over time, it became involved in many activities including the maintenance of harbors and lighthouses, the payment of foreign loans, the preparation of a very wide range of published reports, and the provision of technical assistance to the Chinese Government. Customs officials were often involved in diplomatic discussions and served as informal intermediaries between Chinese officials and foreign representatives.
Sir Robert Hart was perfect for the role as Inspector General when he took the job in 1863. He had been in Beijing for extended periods the preceding three years, and had developed good relationships with the officials in the Zongli Yamen. Within two years of his appointment, the Yamen ministers asked him to establish his headquarters in the capital permanently, one of the privileges that Lay demanded. Hart built an efficient organization that was respected by both Chinese and foreigners. However, he understood, first and foremost, that he was an employee of the government of China.
Sir Robert Hart was perfect for the role as Inspector General when he took the job in 1863. He had been in Beijing for extended periods the preceding three years, and had developed good relationships with the officials in the Zongli Yamen. Within two years of his appointment, the Yamen ministers asked him to establish his headquarters in the capital permanently, one of the privileges that Lay demanded. Hart built an efficient organization that was respected by both Chinese and foreigners. However, he understood, first and foremost, that he was an employee of the government of China.
søndag 7. april 2024
Tomb Readers: Epitaphs Tell the Tales of Tang Women
Tombstones from the Tang dynasty offer insights into the era’s highs and lows, and the dramatic shift in attitudes toward the characteristics and behaviors of “good women.” Epitaphs etched into ancient tombstones can sometimes tell stories overlooked by historians. This is especially true of epitaphs for women. A prime example are memorials from the Tang dynasty (618-907), a period that brought enlightenment, prosperity, and great tumult, as well as saw the rise of China’s first and only female emperor.
More people had epitaphs in this era than any other dynasty, with texts often stretching well beyond simply recording the dates of birth and death or marital status. Some carried details of extraordinary lives.
In her book, “Women’s Lives in Tang China,” historian Yao Ping writes about her research into 1,560 epitaphs for women, the vast majority of which were written for married women, with the rest largely commemorating singletons, nuns, and palace maids.
More people had epitaphs in this era than any other dynasty, with texts often stretching well beyond simply recording the dates of birth and death or marital status. Some carried details of extraordinary lives.
In her book, “Women’s Lives in Tang China,” historian Yao Ping writes about her research into 1,560 epitaphs for women, the vast majority of which were written for married women, with the rest largely commemorating singletons, nuns, and palace maids.
China’s Third Plenum Is Long Overdue. That’s a Red Flag.
For observers of Chinese politics, the most significant development in the second half of 2023 was not what occurred, but rather what failed to happen: The 20th Central Committee’s Third Plenum, which typically takes place in late October or early November the year after the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was notably absent.
The CCP is a party of rhythm, adhering to routines and cycles in its organizational processes. It usually follows a five-year cycle for National Party Congresses. Since the Cultural Revolution, the CCP has hosted Party Congresses in years ending with 7 and 2.
These congresses represent the most prominent gatherings for the CCP, where representatives of all party members convene in Beijing. The general secretary – currently Xi Jinping – initiates the proceedings with a Party Work Report, summarizing the achievements of the past five years. Subsequently, party representatives participate in the election of the new Central Committee and Central Committee of Discipline Inspection, even though the list is likely predetermined. Following this, party representatives vote on amendments to the Party Constitution.
The CCP is a party of rhythm, adhering to routines and cycles in its organizational processes. It usually follows a five-year cycle for National Party Congresses. Since the Cultural Revolution, the CCP has hosted Party Congresses in years ending with 7 and 2.
These congresses represent the most prominent gatherings for the CCP, where representatives of all party members convene in Beijing. The general secretary – currently Xi Jinping – initiates the proceedings with a Party Work Report, summarizing the achievements of the past five years. Subsequently, party representatives participate in the election of the new Central Committee and Central Committee of Discipline Inspection, even though the list is likely predetermined. Following this, party representatives vote on amendments to the Party Constitution.
From China's Past: The Long Road to Justice against Japanese War Criminals and Collaborators
After Japan announced its acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, the Far East Allied Command held a surrender ceremony on 3 September 1945 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Shortly on 9 September, the acceptance ceremony of Japan’s surrender by China was held in Nanjing. Subsequently, the Allied headquarters issued orders to arrest war criminals. The Far East Allied Command in Tokyo arrested and prosecuted Class A war criminals, while other regions arrested and prosecuted Class B and Class C war criminals.
In the context of the Chinese theatre of war, this involved the trials of Japanese war criminals responsible for the Nanjing Massacre and collaborators from the Japanese puppet regime under President Wang Jingwei. These trials were aimed not only at bringing justice to bear, but were also a major effort in clarifying the truths of the war.
In the context of the Chinese theatre of war, this involved the trials of Japanese war criminals responsible for the Nanjing Massacre and collaborators from the Japanese puppet regime under President Wang Jingwei. These trials were aimed not only at bringing justice to bear, but were also a major effort in clarifying the truths of the war.
Time up for TikTok? A ChinaFile Conversation
On March 13, in a rare moment of bipartisanship, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that could result in TikTok’s being unable to do business in the U.S.
The bill is called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Its proponents say that it’s not a ban, it just requires divestiture by ByteDance and the sale of TikTok within six months to a company that isn’t subject to the control of the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. But if the Senate passes the bill and it becomes law, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance will be in a very uncomfortable situation. Beijing may not allow ByteDance to sell China’s most successful international Internet service, and six months may not be enough time for a sale.
Although President Joe Biden has said he plans to sign the bill, it could very well get bogged down at the Senate, and Donald Trump this week said he would not support a TikTok ban (shortly after meeting with one of the major American investors in ByteDance).
The bill is called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Its proponents say that it’s not a ban, it just requires divestiture by ByteDance and the sale of TikTok within six months to a company that isn’t subject to the control of the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. But if the Senate passes the bill and it becomes law, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance will be in a very uncomfortable situation. Beijing may not allow ByteDance to sell China’s most successful international Internet service, and six months may not be enough time for a sale.
Although President Joe Biden has said he plans to sign the bill, it could very well get bogged down at the Senate, and Donald Trump this week said he would not support a TikTok ban (shortly after meeting with one of the major American investors in ByteDance).
fredag 5. april 2024
In Retrospect: Deng Xiaoping - Setting Things Right In Education 1977
"Over the next eight to ten years we should bend all our efforts to educational work. For my part, I intend to pay close attention to it, keeping an eye on the leading comrades in the educational departments and seeing that the right principles are followed. I am also going to concern myself with the significant specific policies and measures, because they are related to the general principles. The many problems in the field of education can all be reduced to this: How can we train qualified personnel and bring about the other desired results?
In a word, the Ministry of Education should emancipate its thinking and take the initiative into its own hands. If anything you said in the past was wrong, you can issue a new statement correcting it. To set things to rights, the language must be clear-cut. We can’t afford to be ambiguous — that doesn’t solve problems. You must act quickly on these matters and not let things drag on."
In a word, the Ministry of Education should emancipate its thinking and take the initiative into its own hands. If anything you said in the past was wrong, you can issue a new statement correcting it. To set things to rights, the language must be clear-cut. We can’t afford to be ambiguous — that doesn’t solve problems. You must act quickly on these matters and not let things drag on."
China’s maritime power cause for action and alarm
The People’s Liberation Army Navy is now, and has been for several years, larger than the US Navy with over 370 ships currently in commission. What’s more, in a few years, if it continues its current building rate, it will reach around 450 ships, making it larger than the US Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force combined.
However, Western commentators, especially those who don’t want to support larger defense and shipbuilding budgets, consistently argue that the navies of the United States and Japan are more technologically advanced and hence more lethal.
However, Western commentators, especially those who don’t want to support larger defense and shipbuilding budgets, consistently argue that the navies of the United States and Japan are more technologically advanced and hence more lethal.
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