Do Good Competition In Yemen

Propaganda by Countries is nothing new. It is part of domestic and international politics. However, I love to see 'positive' propaganda based on facts, such as world leaders taking real actions to do good and make peace rather than going to war.

I have watched some news videos in Youtube regarding the current situation in Yemen.Two videos stand out, which show the different response of the Chinese and U.S. Governments:

One video shows that China helped evacuate hundreds of nationals of 10 different countries from Yemen, mostly Pakistanis and other nationals, including those of the U.K., Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Germany and Canada. 

On the other hand, the other video shows that the U.S.Government was being sued for failing to save Americans in Yemen during Saudi airstrikes.Would you be mad if you or your loved ones were American citizens and got stuck in Yemen, and that your own U.S. Government, which was able to help, but failed to bring you or your loved ones out from a war zone to safety?  

In the Do Good Competition, the U.S. lost to China on this one, because it didn't even care about its own citizens, while China helped its own citizens as well as citizens of other countries. I feel a bit sad, because I want to see BOTH China and U.S.A. become great leaders of the world, in healthy competition and peaceful cooperation, but not to screw each other. 

This evacuation comparison in Yemen confirms that China is indeed rising as a world leader, while the U.S. is in decline. China's rise is a certainty, but the U.S. decline is not. Instead of setting road blocks and preventing China from rising, I think Uncle Sam should make real efforts to overcome his own problems and recapture its past greatness. There is nothing wrong for the world to grant a Do Good gold medal to 2 champions, even 3, 4, 5 or more. At this time, it appears that China is winning

U.S. Bridges Falling Down

Are U.S. bridges falling down? In the news, 61,000 bridges across the U.S.A. are dangerous and unsafe if left unrepaired. In Washington D.C. alone, 14 bridges have been labelled 'decrepit' and in 'poor condition.'

As the news came from RT (Russia Today) in Youtube, it would be taken by some Americans as nothing but Russian propaganda. But this has very little to do with politics. It is a serious concern, whether you want to politicize it or not. Nor can you just laugh it off, because the problem will not go away until you have it fixed.
 
The spokesperson on the RT news video appeared to be then U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. He sounded rather stupid in saying that he didn't want to say that the bridges were 'unsafe' but they were 'dangerous'. What does it mean that they are not unsafe but dangerous?  Why does Uncle Sam always have so much money to go to war in foreign lands, but have no money domestically to help his own people and to ensure homeland safety?

From Canada With Garbage

Canadian garbage angers Filipinos!

In the news, Filipino environmentalists protested that some 50 container vans of Canadian garbage were sitting at the port of Manila, and insisted that they should be sent back to Canada. Protesters complained that their country Philippines is not Canada's garbage dump.

Both the Governments of Philippines and Canada seemed to avoid responsibility, since it was a commercial shipment, a private business matter. What a stupid excuse !!! Canada refused to take back the garbage, which was relocated somewhere else locally. 

This kind of cross-border garbage business really stinks. It may be a profitable business, but is it moral and ethical ? Shouldn't our environmental concerns cover the whole world, the entire Planet Earth, and not just our own country?

Diaoyu Islands: China and Japan Conflict

The dispute regarding the Diaoyu Islands between China and Japan is a very sensitive issue. Right now, both South Korea and China are pissed off, because Japan has made its school books and maps to include some dispute islands in the China Sea, including the Diaoyu Islands, as parts of Japan.

I have done some studies about the Diaoyu Islands, which are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan. In Youtube, you can find and watch a good number of videos about the Diaoyu Islands dispute, some of which are pro-China, and some are pro-Japan. Certainly, China took one position, and Japan took another position, otherwise there would be no conflict. I am a pacifist. I believe in peaceful solutions to all conflicts. I am pro-peace and anti-war. That said, I think these islands should be returned by Japan to China.

There is a Youtube video titled 'Diaoyu Islands The Truth' made by Chris D. Nebe, a German film director from Hollywood. I am inviting all my friends (whether you are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Filipino, Singaporean, Australian, American, Canadian, or of any nationality) to watch this well-made documentary video (42 minutes long), to learn a little bit about the modern history of China, Asia and the world.

I have many things to say about the Diaoyu Islands, Asia and the World, but I just want to touch on a few major points here:

After Japan's defeat and surrender in World War Two, it was clear that it must return all territories to their previous owners, and be allowed to keep its 4 major islands only.

The Diaoyu (meaning Fishing) Islands have been used by Chinese fishermen as a station, base, or platform for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Upon the end of WW2, the U.S. gave the Diaoyu Islands to Japan for administration without the agreement of China. To allow Japan to administer the islands could not mean the transfer of ownership or sovereignty of those lands to Japan. Administration is NOT ownership. Temporary control and usage of the Diaoyu Islands by Japan should have been made agreeable to China, not by unilateral action of the U.S. who gave them to Japan.

Was there any explicit U.S. signed statement, which was legal and recognized by the UN, that the Diaoyu Islands were given to Japan for ownership, not administration? Besides, the U.S. was not the owner of the Diaoyu Islands (not being part of the U.S.), so did the U.S. even have the legal authority to let Japan administer them? Again, as part of  the conditions of Japan's surrender in WW2 , it must return all territories to their previous owners. Were the Diaoyu Islands made an exception, that Japan could keep them ?

How could it be fair for the U.S. to sign a treaty with Japan, without the inclusion of China, when the subject matter was historically Chinese and stolen by Japan ? Apparently, the dispute of the Diaoyu Islands was swept under the rug, which later resurfaced. Kicking the can down the road can never be a solution. Sooner or later, the conflict will fire up again.    

Japan's war crime is not fiction. It is a historical fact. The Nanjing Massacre claimed the lives of 300,000 Chinese civilians. Japanese soldiers raped Chinese women and played games by throwing Chinese babies in the air, then stuck their guns or machetes to the butts of the babies to kill them. Comfort women made of Chinese, Koreans and other nationalities were forced to be sex slaves of the Japanese soldiers. People were buried alive.  

If Japan has the moral courage to apologize to China and the Chinese people, (and to the Korean people, actually also to other Asians and people of other nationalities), then I believe China will forgive Japan on its war crimes and atrocities. The problem is that Japan would not apologize. Instead, it's been creating tension with China. This is the major problem in the relationship between China and Japan today. Regarding the Diaoyu Islands, the U.S. has no official position, but it looks like Uncle Sam is taking side with Japan. The U.S. military alliance is with Japan, not with China.

Based on historical, legal and moral grounds, or just on moral ground, it would be better off for Japan to return the Diaoyu Islands to China. Just based on the terrible war crimes committed by Japan against China, Japan owes to China much more than just these few small islands. 

What is your opinion ? To let China take leadership in building Asia (such as through the newly formed Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank), or let Japan be the leader? Don't you know Japan is in economic deep shit, and the U.S., too ? Just using a nice-sounding terminology of Quantitative Easing cannot hide the real meaning of the action, which is printing money or creating fiat money out of thin air by the U.S. and Japanese Governments. My humble opinion is that Quantitative Easing is a problem, not a solution. It is like keep kicking a bomb down the road. Sooner or later, it will explore.

Can you see China is a hardworking builder and rising leader, and the U.S. is in heavy debt and has become a tired warrior and destroyer? Whether you like it or not (probably Uncle Sam doesn't), China is rising. My humble opinion is this: Japan has 2 choices: (1)  return the Diaoyu Islands and apologize to China, co-operate with China to develop Asia and the world, and become prosperous and peaceful together with China, Asia and the world, or (2) refuse to have the moral courage to apologize to China, and continue to create tension and the illusion that the U.S. will always come to your military protection.

I don't think the U.S. will go to war directly with China or Russia. That could mean World War Three and the end of the world. The U.S. may provide some military assistance to Japan, yes, but in the end if a war broke out between China and Japan, the dead soldiers and civilians would be largely Japanese and Chinese, not Americans. Dear Japan, please remember this: you invaded China and committed some undeniably terrible war crimes. China did not drop the two atomic bombs on you. The U.S. did. Do you want Peace or do you want War?       

I am not against Japan, the U.S. or any country. I am pro-peace and anti-war. Forgive all past mistakes. Forgive yourself and forgive all others. Start new. Be friends. Co-operate and build together, instead of fighting, killing, and causing death and destruction

I welcome any comments or ideas. If you are an international law expert, please speak up. How are we going to solve the problem PEACEFULLY regarding the Diaoyu Islands ? Would it work if Japan acknowledged the sovereignty and ownership belongs to China, and China allowed Japan to jointly administer the Diaoyu Islands for mutual benefits? Is there any Win-Win solution? PEACE TO ALL !!!

Racism in America

In the news, South Carolina police officer Michael Slager is charged with murder, for shooting dead of an unarmed black man Walter Scott.

White American policeman shot unarmed black man dead. It is nothing new really, but so bad and so sad !!! Yes, black life does matter. Actually all human lives matter. Does racism exist in U.S.A.? Yes, it does. It still does.

Martin Luther King's beautiful dream has not been fully realized. Even Obama, the first U.S. black president, has to face this ugly truth of racism in America. You have very poor eyesight if you don't see it !