24 April 2006

Too Successful for Their Own Good? Chinese are Target in SI Riots

Above: Chinese refugees in the Solomon Islands.


Once again, ethnic Chinese are the target of looting and burning, this time in the South Pacific country of Soloman Islands. In previous years, the Chinese were targets of similar attacks in Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Are the Chinese too successful for their own good? Overseas Chinese in Asia tend to be successful merchants who often control signifcant wealth in the countries they live. They also tend to keep to themselves and not socially mingle with the native populations. These factors often lead to ill-feeling among the natives who, in times of economic crises, resort to looting and burning Chinese properties.

The key is communication. The Chinese minority needs to integrate more closely into local life. They cannot be aloof vis-a-vis the locals. And the local populations need to forgo discriminatory practices and laws against the Chinese who contribute significantly to their national economic and intellectual lives.

Examples of highly successful Chinese-local integration can be found in the United States, Canada and Australia. In these instances, the pre-conditions noted above have helped to strengthen and energize collaborations between the two groups.

20 April 2006

Blink and China is Now the Second Largest Economy in the World















China's Gross Dosmetic Product, in purchasing parity terms, is US$8.1 trillion.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html#Econ

The United States's Gross Domestic Product, in purchasing parity terms, is US$12.4 trillion.

Ceteris paribus, the People's Republic of China will overtake the United States of America as the largest economy in the world by 2010...

Right-Wingers Plant Protester on White House Lawn to Embarrass Hu Jintao


Declasse. I understand that relations between the United States and China (see post below) are, at present, not excellent. But for Bush operatives to plant a heckler to embarrass the visiting head of state of the People's Republic of China is declasse at best and highly problematic.

We call for the resignation of the President's chief of staff.

19 April 2006

Holy Matrimony or Economic Imperialism?

Art Bell and his new bride


By Monroe Chang

I am a fan of Art Bell and his highly rated radio program. I am also in favor of free love and such. But for a rich white man in his sixties to marry a poor 21-year old Filipina girl smacks of control and imperialism. Yes, Art is a very nice bloke, and the recent loss of his wife, Ramona, is very sad and tragic indeed.

Yet, it does not change the fact that a rich, older white man is arbitraging the marriage/sex market in a Third World country. Indeed, it is quite an "in" thing to do. The Mayor of Los Angeles County married a Chinese girl young enough to be his grand-daughter, as did the Sheriff of Los Angeles County. (What's going on with LA County politicians and young Chinese girls?!)

I am, by no means, objecting to such "transactions." I am just raising (moral) questions that ought not be ignored under the guise of "free love."

Communist Chief Meets the World's Richest Man



It is telling that the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, started his tour of the United States by visiting Bill Gates and not George W. Bush. Sure, this is not billed as an official state visit (and thus Hu won't get the traditional 21-gun salute). But we can still read much into this visit. Political relations between the US and the PRC have not been good. And, for the foreseeable future, the business of China is BUSINESS.

11 April 2006

It Looks and Feels So Fake...



Photo Source: Inland Daily Bulletin

As illegal aliens throughout the country rallied yesterday--the day of the "million marches"--one common image is seen over and over again: illegal aliens awkwardly waving Old Glory. This time, the illegal aliens have hired a savvy PR firm, which has advised them to wave and wear the American flags and to forgo the Mexican flags. But as one can readily see from the photo above, it looks and feels so fake. That's because these people have no concept of, and therefore no allegiance, to America and Americanism.

These are transnational aliens whose hearts are in Mexico and whose pocket books are enriched in the United States. They are in fact "welfare-arbitraging" most states and counties to the point of bankruptcy.