In addition to our post on “The Inconvenient Truth Behind the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands” by Han-Yi Shaw, the article "Deconstructing Japan’s Claim of Sovereignty over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands" by Ivy Lee and Fang Ming in Japan Focus is also worth reading. The Shaw article focuses more on the political history surrouding the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands while the Lee-Ming article … [Read more...] about Deconstructing Japan’s Claim of Sovereignty over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands
politics
If China and the U.S.-led Hegemonic Block Ever Gets into a War, the War Started this Way … with a Lie…
The U.S. is know for lying about everything to start wars that destroy lives, peoples, nations... (see e.g. the book titled "War is a Lie"). That has been clearly the case for Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Syria... perhaps also Sudan. But is the U.S. also sowing the seeds, planting the lies, to justify it going to war with China? With all my heart, I certainly hope not. But … [Read more...] about If China and the U.S.-led Hegemonic Block Ever Gets into a War, the War Started this Way … with a Lie…
Chinese Government Tightens Constraints on Press Freedom
Oh no ... the Chinese government is at it again. The New York Times is running on its front page today an article with the ominous title "Chinese Government Tightens Constraints on Press Freedom." Here is the full text of the article. HONG KONG — China introduced new restrictions on what the government has called “critical” news articles and barred Chinese journalists from … [Read more...] about Chinese Government Tightens Constraints on Press Freedom
5 Popular Misconceptions about the Sino-Russian Gas Deal
The conclusion of a 30-year, 38 BCM/year Sino-Russian gas deal has gotten considerable attention in the media recently. Not surprisingly, much of the coverage - especially in the western media - was emotionally charged, given that Putin's visit to China & the deal signing coincided with the unfolding crisis in Ukraine. There was no shortage of rhetoric about Putin "making … [Read more...] about 5 Popular Misconceptions about the Sino-Russian Gas Deal
Tiananmen and Freedom of Speech
In the lead up to the "25th Anniversary" of the Tienanmen Square Incident of 1989, we are hearing everything again of how a great sad chapter of Chinese history has been - and continue - to be covered up. A politically activist museum even opened in Hong Kong earlier this month. Old, tired politically activists are freshly interviewed by the major Western media outlets again … [Read more...] about Tiananmen and Freedom of Speech