Over the weekend, the KMT nullified Hung Hsiu-chu’s nomination and selected party chairman Eric Chu to lead the ticket in the Jan. 16 election. George Koo wrote a piece about it last week. I typically don't comment that much on populist politics since they are fleeting, shallow, and often end up, when on look back, just dust in the wind. Here are some of my takes: … [Read more...] about The Ouster of Hung Hsiu-chu
politics
New research dispels western myths about PRC aid to Africa
New research, based on China's aid track record from 2000-2013, shows that much of what the western media propagates about China's intentions & practices, when it comes to providing official development aid (ODA) to Africa, is simply NOT true. "Coincidentally", this latest research published by AidData has garnered little (if any) attention in US mainstream media … [Read more...] about New research dispels western myths about PRC aid to Africa
Turning a Nobel Prize to a Chinese for Artemisinin Into a Eulogy for Traditional Chinese Medicine?
A couple of weeks ago, Tu Youyou became the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine "for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria." (Tu had already won the Lasker Award a few years ago for the same work, and had described her work this way.) There were cheers and hopes that with the prize, more people would become aware of Traditional … [Read more...] about Turning a Nobel Prize to a Chinese for Artemisinin Into a Eulogy for Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Nations Agree on the Trans-Pacific Partnership … and My First Take of Its Significance
Yesterday, the U.S. and the eleven other nations announced that they had finally - after rounds and rounds of delays - an agreement. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have been controversial and widely criticized, with secret negotiations taking place behind closed doors. Even the ultra liberal and Western brain-washed readers of the New York Times see little to like … [Read more...] about Nations Agree on the Trans-Pacific Partnership … and My First Take of Its Significance
The “follies” of Russia’s pivot to China
Recently, there has been no shortage of highly pessimistic commentaries published & republished, pointing out the supposed "follies" of Russia's eastern pivot, by highlighting this year's decline in Sino-Russian trade, China's stock market volatility, and its supposed economic "weakness". The conclusion implied by these articles is clear: "Russia's economic pivot to China … [Read more...] about The “follies” of Russia’s pivot to China