議論の場 | RG21

The PRC at 65-What next?

October 1, 2013 was the 64th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. So now the countdown begins to her 65th year. Certainly celebrations will be held next year to mark the occasion, and much will be made of the country’s amazing economic progress. Economists will look to a movement to domestic consumption to fuel growth. Politically China will have to deal with ongoing disputes with her neighbors over various border regions. China’s military will surely get stronger. Domestic unrest in her western regions are likely to flare up again. And in the seas from Vladivostok to the Strait of Malacca naval forces will shadow each other at close proximity. So what will this century bring for China and her neighbors? Where will she be at 85? and at 100? Post your comments below.

Photo: Dimitry B. via flickr

RSVP: Taiwan’s Ma Will Not Attend APEC Summit This Year

Taiwan’s president My Ying-jeou will not attend the upcoming APEC summit to be held on Bali, Indonesia from October 5-8 2013. Instead Ma will send former Vice President Vincent Siew. Taiwan’s Focus Taiwan News channel reported that Ma said the time was not right for such a trip. In 1991, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed dealing with APEC seats for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Taiwan was referred to as “Chinese Taipei” and must be represented by a dedicated APEC minister, and not the Foreign Minister or Vice Foreign Minister. This year’s delegation headed by former VP Siew also includes Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi. Wang’s stated purpose is to be an advisor for cross-straits matters. There is speculation, however, that Wang will work with Mainland representatives to set up a possible meeting between President Ma and Chinese President Xi Jinping at next year’s Shanghai-based APEC meeting.

So this week’s question: Will a Xi-Ma meeting take place any time soon? And should it? And could Ma stand the heat politically if such a meeting DID take place? Would this be Ma’s downfall, or would it be his Nixon-to-Beijing, Deng-to-Tokyo moment? What do you think? Please post below.

China FM Wang Weighs In On Syria

In his remarks before a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on September 19,2013 in Washington D.C., Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said:

“Ultimately the issue of Syria needs to be resolved through political means. The Chinese side will play its positive and constructive role in that direction.”

This week’s question: What positive effect can China have on the outcome of the Syria question? What’s is China’s interest in helping solve this pressing problem. Please post your comments below.

Photo: China Daily

Fukushima Redux

News reports of water leakage at the Fukushima nuclear plant have again brought the question of nuclear safety to the forefront. It appears that TEPCO continues to struggle with the clean-up and management of the disaster site. Finding a good, long-term outcome seems to be a real problem. Which brings up this week’s question: With the ever-increasing global demand for power, how will the industrialized world get its energy? Is nuclear energy a thing of the past? Will alternative energy sources such as solar and wind free the world from its reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear energy? What does the future look like energy-wise? Post your comments here.

China (PRC)-Japan Tourism Shows Continued Decline

The Japan Tourism Marketing Company records a steady decline of visitors from the People’s Republic of China to Japan. The June 2013 numbers show a 21.4% decrease compared with the same period in 2012. Meanwhile the number of visitors from Taiwan shows an increase of 80.4% while Singapore posts a 64.1% increase over the same one-year period. Tourism from Korea was also up a healthy 39%. This week’s question: Will PRC tourists return to Japan any time soon, or will the political climate have to improve significantly before the numbers start to go up? Post your comments below.

Japan Tourism Marketing Co. (Visitor Data April 2013) http://www.tourism.jp/en/statistics/

China Offers Subsidy For Purchase of Electric Cars

China’s CCTV reported on June 29, 2013 that the central government and the Beijing government would subsidize the purchase of 500 electric vehicles for qualified first-time buyers. The EV150, manufactured by BAIC Motor Vehicle Company Ltd., sells for 250,000 RMB. Subsidies would be 60,000 RMB from the central government, matched by another 60,000 RMB by Beijing, and another 20,000 RMB from the automaker. This week’s question : If you got what amounts to a 50% subsidy on the purchase price, would you buy an electric vehicle? Why or why not? Post your answer here.

China-Viet Nam Diplomacy. What’s up?

This summer has seen three rounds of high level talks between Chinese and Vietnamese leadership. Both countries have long- standing issues and interests to be solved diplomatically, for example the islands claimed by both countries (and others) in the South China Sea, and expanding cross border trade. So why the efforts to shore-up their relationship now? What is on the short and long term horizon that has created a sense of urgency? Or is this just normal diplomatic activity? Please post your thoughts below.

Is it time to learn Chinese?

There is an ongoing worldwide boom in Chinese language learning. The emergence of China an an economic and political superpower in the late 20th and early 21st century has pushed having a knowledge of Chinese language and culture to the forefront. This century will see the facing off of two linguistic giants, English and Chinese. How this will play out is anyone’s guess. Perhaps English will become the de-facto language of business and diplomacy while Chinese will become the international languge of the arts and culture. This is not so far fetched if one considers the dominance of Chinese modern art. But truly, anything is possible. So what do you think, do you have any need or desire to learn Chinese? Please post your thoughts below.

Photo: Joseph Pitz via flickr

Diayou/Senkaku Question: Older and Wiser?

During his historic 1978 trip to Japan, Deng Xiaoping was asked about the question of the Daiyou/Senkaku islands. Deng replied that the question should be put aside so that later and wiser generations could solve this problem. Essentially the same answer was given a few years earlier by Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka during Tanaka’s China visit. So, 35 years have passed, and the question seems to be: while this is certainly a later generation, is it a wiser generation? Is the islands question being handled by those of vision and wisdom taking the long view of history? Or is it something else? What do you think of the way this question is being handled by both sides? Post your comments below.

Will China and Taiwan Become One In This Century?

How will the China-Taiwan question be resolved? Will the Hong Kong/Macau model become attractive to the people of Taiwan? Will China become so economically similar to Taiwan that few differences remain? Will a new a younger generation find a new model and new solutions? Will China and Taiwan move so close that they are “de facto” once country? What do you think? Please post your comments below.

Photo: hji via flickr