Bruce and Jimmy

Bruce Lee and Jimmy Hendrix were both born on November 27. They would be 75 and 73 years old today.

Chinese Handshake

Breaking news indeed ! Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's leader Ma Ying-jeou met in Singapore on Saturday November 7, 2015. They shook hands for one minute and twenty seconds. That was a very long handshake. Would you do it with a friend and see how it feels, to shake hands for that long ? Though Xi and Ma's handshake was only a symbolic handshake for peace, it was a very important handshake. As I said in the past, and now again, that shaking hands is always better than shooting bullets and dropping bombs. 

This meeting of Xi and Ma, the top leaders from both sides of the strait, was the first since 1949. During the historic meeting, the two sides exchanged views on promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. Zhang Zhijun, the head of China's Taiwan affairs, said the meeting was a milestone event achieved through the constant efforts from people across the strait.

My thoughts and comments:

China (People's Republic of China) and Taiwan (Republic of China) are made of the same Chinese people with the same language, culture, ethnicity, race, heritage, history and commonality. They are separate only because of a civil war in the 1940s and the political difference in their forms of government. They are sort of like being separated, but not legally divorced. There is no divorce, but there is no reconciliation either. So Taiwan currently is not an independent country (although it operates just like one), but it is not part of Chinese sovereignty either (although China continues to claim the sovereignty and treat Taiwan as a renegade province). 

Not that I think China and Taiwan will be unified soon, but I can say with confidence that those Taiwanese who think they are not Chinese, and want Taiwan to become fully independent are out of their mind. Taiwanese are Chinese, but Chinese are not necessarily Taiwanese. This simple fact would not be easy for the independence-seeking Taiwanese to refute. Besides, China is many times stronger than Taiwan economically, politically and militarily. Taiwan would be really stupid and self-defeating to fight with China. 

Who wants to bet on my belief that Taiwan cannot and will not become a fully independent country? Let's face it: there is only one China. Nobody can change the One-China Policy, not even the UN. The only 2 options left is either for Taiwan to remain status quo, or become a highly autonomous region of China, based on the 1 country 2 systems model, sort of like Hong Kong and Macao. It would be very interesting to keep watching what will happen in the next 30 years or so.

Made in China

In the news (AJ+YouTube), China just revealed its first large passenger plane, the C919, and had a giant party to celebrate. It is targeted as a competitor to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The first C919 is due to take off in 2016. A celebration in China, and a great opportunity for China Bashers to thumbs-down everything and anything made in China !

Talking about China Bashers, it is ironical that many of them purchase and use things made in China themselves. They purchased the Chinese goods at very affordable prices, but always complain that they are of poor quality. Some negative exaggeration and knee-jerk reaction of the China Bashers ! It is like some common folks who purchased a cheap economy car but complain that it is not good like a luxury car. Or like an economy class passenger complains about not receiving the same good services given to the first class passengers.

Of course it is only a joke that God created the world, and everything else was made in China. But it is true that if you go to Wal-Mart, Dollar Shops, or other such economy stores, you'll find many products made in China at reasonably affordable prices. Want to buy high-quality luxury Chinese goods? Yes, they are available, too, but don't complain that the prices are too expensive.

While there are many China Bashers, there are also some China Worshipers who accept everything and anything Chinese is good. Neither is reasonable and tells the truth. The truth is that you can find both good and bad things in any country. I don't know any perfect country on earth, do you? 

New Government In Canada

Just finished watching the swearing-in ceremony of Canada's 23rd Prime Minister.

The cabinet chosen by Justin Trudeau, our new Prime Minister, consists of ministers with different backgrounds and attributes: 50 / 50 of men and women, young and old, natives  and minorities, able bodied and physically challenged, experienced and new parliamentarians, Canadians and Canadians. No more Stephen Harper's one-man band ! 

Go Canada Go !  

Is Saudi Arabia Going Bankrupt?

Just finished watching a YouTube video of TestTube News titled ' Is Saudi Arabia Going Bankrupt ' ? It says 80% of Saudi Arabia's economy relies on oil revenue. At the current price of less than $50 a barrel, economists have predicted that Saudi Arabia could run out of cash in 5 years. Would that come true? I don't know, but it is not impossible.

I said it in the past, and now again, that if not for its oil, Saudi Arabia would be reduced to a backward and poor country. Burning fossil fuel for energy is ' primitive ', not advanced. The whole world should reduce the use of fossil fuel and switch to renewable and clean energy. It is not only good for the environment, but also good for human health and the world economy in the long run.

Yes, eventually, the world economy will rely more and more on renewable and clean energy, although it is not that obvious to people whose mind just got stuck in the past. One day, oil as the main source of energy will become something of the past.

I don't want to see Saudi Arabia or any country become poor and bankrupt. I only wish that all countries, including Saud Arabia, would live in peace.