Asian Waters—The Astounding Pearl River Delta

Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong PRC (Photo: topwalls)

                              by David Parmer

Southern China’s Pearl River is 2400 kilometers long, making it the country’s third longest waterway. A glance at the map shows not one river, but rather a river system that becomes the Pearl River. The Liuxi,  Xi (West) Bei (North) and Dong ( East) Rivers join at Guangzhou and flow into the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and the South China Sea.

Just 30 years ago the PRD would have been impressive, and yes historic as China’s gateway to the West. But now,…now the PRD is the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, and what was once green farmland with blue skies is now an urban megacity. Since 1980 there has been an astounding and amazing transformation that is far from over. Guangdong province has a population estimated at 83,000,000 and an area of 177,600 square kilometers; the area of the Pearl River Delta is estimated to be 55,000 square kilometers.

The Pearl River Delta is composed of 9 cities +2. They are:

  • Shenzhen
  • Dongguan
  • Huizhou
  • Zhuhai
  • Zongshan
  • Jiangmen
  • Guangzhou
  • Foshan
  • Zaoqing
  • Macau +Hong Kong

600px-Pearl_River_Delta_Area

Pearl River Delta (via wikimedia)

The area has been called the “world’s workshop” for good reason. Simply put, if you use some manufactured product today, whatever it  is, there is a good chance it has been produced in the PRD area. Clothing, electronics, watches, clocks garments, textiles and 60% of the world’s toys – all come from the PRD. And the industries mentioned above form industrial clusters where similar products are made with great efficiency. Couple all this with complete land, water and air transportation and excellent ports and you have today’s PRD.

China’s central government has big plans for this area. Big plans. By 2030 the area will be one big city of 40 million, any part of which can be reached by high speed train in one hour. ( Of note, the government is also planning a mega city in the North, combining Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. This area will contain the dynamic Bohai Sea economic zone as well). Mass urbanization is clearly the future of China. The land-tilling peasant of past centuries will be but a memory. Within the megacities citizens will be free to move and not be restricted to the city, town or village where they are registered.

Pearl River Night

Pearl River at Guangzhou ( R.Morbach via flickr) 

The Pearl River moves from west to east, gathers and flows into the South China Sea and forms its own amazing delta, and is witness to the ongoing creation of the greatest urban area ever created in China, or on the Earth for that matter.

 

「京大発・わたしたちの平和宣言」

「京大発・わたしたちの平和宣言」実行委員会　"Our Peace Declaration from Kyoto University" Executive Committee

「京大発・わたしたちの平和宣言」実行委員会　”Our Peace Declaration from Kyoto University” Executive Committee

 
キャンペーン
 

 

70 Years Ago – Deng Xiaoping’s War

Deng Xiao Ping with the Eighth Route Army (Photo: eng.people.cn) 

                     by David Parmer                                                

“Deng was a military leader for twelve years and even later described himself as a soldier.”Ezra Vogel, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China (Pg. 7)

 When we consider the life and works of Deng Xiaoping, it is easy to focus on the second half of his life, on his great achievements in promoting Reform and Opening Up. The “harvest” period of his life is inspiring. To observe him making policy decisions that solved seemingly unsolvable problems, repairing damage and innovating is indeed instructive. But this period was almost a “second life” for Deng. In his “first life” Deng Xiaoping was a soldier of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

 Deng Xiaoping went to France in the early 20th century and there became a life-long communist. In France he worked with Zhou Enlai and others who would lead the revolution, and  whose careers would follow a parallel track to Deng’s.

During his military career he worked as a staff officer and political commissar. The Red Army, later the PLA, placed heavy emphasis on the political education of its soldiers. In his 1940 book, The Chinese Army  It’s Organization and Military Efficiency, Evans Fordyce Carlson wrote about the Eighth Route Army and the important role of the political commissar:

 “In order that the rank and file of the army may attain political knowledge and a high ethical standard, the system of political commissars is employed. Each unit of the army has a political commissar whose authority is equal to that of the military commander.  The commander and the commissar keep themselves informed of each other’s professional activities, and they consult with each other before major decisions are made. Training for the troops are divided in the ratio of sixty percent military instruction to forty percent political indoctrination.”  (Pg. 36)

After leaving France Deng stopped in Russia for several months. When he returned to China he began his military career. The timeline* looks like this:

1927-Involved in forming a peasant army in Kiangsi

1927- Member of the Seventh Red Army, Lungchow

1930 – Member Eighth Route Army, Changsha

1932-1934 – Member Political Department of the Red Army

1934-1935 – Deputy of 12th Division, Long March

1936 – Political Commissar of First Army Corps

1937 – Political Commissar of 129th Division

1943 – Head of the People’s Revolutionary Military Council

1942-1949 Member Second Field Army

1949 – Political Commissar of Liu Bocheng’s Army of Victory

 As the timeline shows, Deng Xiaoping was in military leadership for 12 years during WWII, but his greater military career actually spanned 20+ years.

During the second half of his life, Deng’s career had its ups and downs, and he experienced his share of disappointment, setbacks and personal tragedy. Yet he went on do work that forever changed the trajectory and shape of the People’s Republic of China. What sustained Deng in his dark days? Certainly his life-long communist beliefs, but also the discipline and fortitude forged by his 20 years as a soldier.

 Ezra Vogel, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

http://www.amazon.com/Deng-Xiaoping-Transformation-China-Vogel/dp/0674725867

*Edgar Snow, Red Star Over China (Timeline)

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Star-over-China-Communism/dp/0802150934/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436331452&sr=1-1&keywords=Red+Star+Over+China

 

ASEAN Outlook: Vietnam’s Coffee Culture

           Vietnam coffee bush  (Photo: Hugh Derr flickr )   

 What country in the world produces the second largest amount of coffee beans? You might think the number one and two spots would be countries in South America, but you would be wrong.The world’s number one coffee producer is Brazil and number two is…Vietnam.That’s right.The former French colony has been producing coffee since the late 1850s.Vietnam’s highland climate is ideal for producing the delicious and profitable bean. And over the past hundred or so years, Vietnam has created its own coffee-producing and drinking culture.

 The two stars of the coffee bean world are the more-expensive Arabica bean and the humble Robusta bean.Vietnam produces mostly Robusta beans: high in caffeine, bitter tasting and ideal for use in instant coffee and espresso. Ninety-seven percent of all Vietnam beans are Robusta. According to the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2014 the country produced 1.5 million tons of coffee worth an estimated $3 billion. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that while the coffee yield in 2015 will be slightly below record levels in 2013-2014, output for the next two years should be pretty good. And to keep things rolling along in a positive direction, Reuters reported on May 13, 2015, that the Vietnam Agribank will provide soft loans to coffee growers until 2020 to replace old trees and boost output.

 

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  Vietnamese food and phin filter coffee (Photo: Christina Andrada flickr )

As for coffee drinking, Vietnamese coffee is made using a metallic filter device called a phin. (No paper filters are involved.) Traditionally, condensed milk is added to the coffee cup, then coffee and hot water are added to the filter. The coffee drips through, and the coffee can be stirred and drunk once the filter is removed, or the coffee and milk mixture can be poured over ice for delicious iced coffee. Either way, the coffee is an excellent compliment to Vietnamese foods and snacks. To slow down, relax and enjoy a good cup of coffee is important for those experiencing stressful modern life, and the Vietnamese way to do that is one of the best.

About coffee/Trung-Nguyen Co. (Vietnam)

http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com/about-vietnamese-coffee.php

US Deptment of Agriculture/ Coffee World Markets and Trade  2015-2016 Forecast

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/coffee.pdf

 

Person of Interest : Alibaba’s Lucy Peng

Lucy Peng, (Peng Lei) has been with Alibaba since the beginning. She is one of the original 19 co-founders of the game-changing Hangzhou startup that went on to become one of the most talked about IPOs ever launched on the New York Stock Exchange.

Peng, who was not even sure which way the company would go when she signed on in the late 1990s is now listed as # 33 on Forbes Magazine list of the world’s most powerful women. After graduating in 1994 from the Hangzhou Institute of Commerce she taught college briefly before joining Jack Ma’s improbable venture. Peng has held various positions within Alibaba to include:

  • CEO of Alipay
  • Chief People Officer (HR)
  • CEO of Small and Micro Financial Services

Small and Micro Financial Services has been re-named Ant Financial Services. Ant Financial Services, which Peng heads up, processes Ali Pay transactions, handles the Yu’E Bao fund and manages a new internet bank. Ali Pay, which is like PayPal, has 100 million users. There are rumors that Ant Financial Services might go public in 2017. So far Jack Ma has no comment on this.

Last month, in May 2015, Jack Ma reshuffled his management team. CEO Jonathan Lu was replaced by accountant Daniel Zhang. Analysts said Ma did this to counter Alibaba’s falling share price and adverse publicity.

At the same time Ma sent a letter to his staff explaining that there must be a change of management to the 1970s generation. Previously, he himself had said that he was getting too old for the business. 

So where does this leave Lucy Peng? Her name does not appear in the announcement of the re-shuffle, so it seems that she is secure, at least temporarily, in her position as CEO of one of the most promising of the Alibaba entities, which some day may have an IPO to rival Alibaba’s own.

Comments? Thoughts? Please log in and let us know.

Peng Lei Interview: The DNA Code of Alibaba 

http://www.daonong.com/g/2009en/specialreport/20090914/10769.html

Alibaba Management

http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/about/leadership

Jack Ma’s Memo: Born in the 70’s

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/05/07/born-in-the-70s-jack-mas-memo-to-alibaba-employees-on-management-shuffle/

 

Singapore Armed Forces – Small but With a Lethal Sting

Singapore Soldier.jpg                          Singapore Soldier (Photo: tumblr)

                                         by David Parmer

“Singapore’s defence policy is based on the twin pillars of deterence and diplomacy.” (MOD, Singapore)

 In 2015 Singapore celebraties the 50th anniversary of its Independence, and on July 1 it will celebrate Armed Forces Day. In this anniversary year the people of Singapore can take pride in  the fact that they have substantial and professional armed forces protecting their freedom. The history of these forces starts under the British, where various volunteer forces made up the local contingent that fought in WWII, and finally morphed into  the present Singapore Armed Forces. These armed forces are made up of:

  • The Singapore Army
  • The Republic of Singapore Air Force
  • The Republic of Singapore Navy

The SAF has an estimated strength of 70,000 active duty personnel and about 90,000 reservists. What are called “National Servicemen” make up 80% of the forces. All males over 18 are required to serve two years’ active duty and are obligated for another 10-year reservist cycle. Women are not conscripted but may volunteer for duty.

 The deterence and diplomacy of the country’s defence policy has two pillars:

  • A strong and capable SAF
  • Strong and friendly ties with defence establishments around the world

To carry out the first objective, the SAF is continually modernizing. It is now in what it calls its third generation of development. The first generation was simply basic defense, the second generation was the process of upgrading and modernizing equipment, (some of which is produced locally to local specifications) and the third generation is to adapt to conditions in a post-9/11 world where it must be able to deal with both piracy and terrorism as well as conventional missions.

14093278678_51438b14b0_z.jpg    SAF Apache Helicopter (MOD via flickr)                                               

 As for “strong and friendly ties” with other countries, first Singapore is a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements which includes Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. Singapore also has close ties with the United States and since 1990 there has been an arrangement where US naval forces can use Singapore facilities. Singapore also works with ASEAN, and is active in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting. Since 2002 Singapore has hosted the Shangri La Dialogue, a meeting of defence ministers and defence officials. To round out its international activities, the SAF has participated in numerous Peace Keeping Operations (PKO) and relief missions worldwide.

The SAF maintains a high level of operational readiness to defend Singapore against threats from the land, sea, or air. In order to defend Singapore against a widened spectrum of threats, including non-state threats such as terrorism and piracy, the SAF’s task forces bring together capabilities across the SAF, and work together with other national agencies, to respond swiftly and effectively to potential threats. (SAF Website)

  In just 50 years the Republic of Singapore has made remarkable progress, leveraging its location and human capital to become one of the leading economic powerhouses in Asia and a model for what a city-state with multi-racial population can achieve. Remarkable progress and achievement is also the hallmark of the Republic’s armed forces, who in just 50 years have made themselves into a modern, regional force to be reckoned with.

 Ministry of Defence Republic of Singapore

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/home.html

Ministry of Defence Republic of Singapore All Websites

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/content/imindef/allwebsites/webdir.html#tab-1

Singapore Armed Forces

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Armed_Forces

 

Koreas Low Key on 70th Anniversary of WWII End

Kim Il Sung 1945.jpg       Kim Il Sung 1945 (Photo: Rodong Shinmun)

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule and the end of WWII. In the North, August 15th is celebrated as National Liberation Day. So far there seems to be no great attention to this year’s 70th anniversary. Neither the Korean Central News Agency’s English website or the Rodong Shinmun’s online English edition mentions any special celebrations to mark the anniversary. Moreover, the DPRK leader Kim Jong-un sent his regrets in being unable to attend the ceremony in Moscow this past May 9th to mark the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Why does Korea (both North and South) see this year’s anniversary as not worthy of a grand celebration?  In an article in New Eastern Outlook, Konstantin Asmolov offers some reasons why the South Korean President, Park Geun-hye did not attend the May 9th celebrations either. As the same time he suggests that both Koreas feel that they were not active participants in their own liberation; Japan having surrendered, Soviet troops invaded from the north, and a few weeks later US troops occupied the south.   

Coming up is the annual August 15th celebrations in both countries to commemorate their liberation from colonial rule. Will these ceremonies be bigger in any way, or special in any way? Will representatives from both Koreas, or the leaders themselves attend China’s special holiday this coming September 3 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war?  What are your thoughts on this matter? Please log in and let us know.

 Near Eastern Outlook 

http://journal-neo.org/2015/05/03/rus-k-otmene-vizita-pak-ky-n-he-na-prazdnovanie-70-letiya-pobedy-nad-fashizmom/

 

Asian Waters—The Beautiful Amur River

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      Amur/ Heilongjiang River  (Photo: GointoChina.com)

                                                by David Parmer

It would not be surprising to mention the Amur River and draw a blank from most people. Seems like just about everyone has heard of the Yangtze, the Mississippi, the Don, the Volga the Rhine and the Nile and the Amazon. But the Amur River?

That’s strange because it is one of the world’s 10 longest rivers. The Amur (know in China as the Heilongjiang, or Black Dragon River) starts in western Manchuria at the confluence of the Shilka and Ergune Rivers. It flows eastward, from Mongolia and for 3,000 km, forms the border between Russia and China arriving at the Russian city of Khabarovsk before turning north and finally emptying into the Strait of Tartary near the island of Sakhalin. The Amur is approximately 4,000 km long with a drainage area of just under 2 million square km. It is one of the world’s largest remaining free flowing rivers.

609px-Amurrivermap.png

                            Amur River Map (Wikipedia)

 Historically the Amur was the backdrop for several successful and unsuccessful Russian expansions to the East. Russian dreams of riches and new land remind one of the movement westward in 19th century America. The Amur River region made headlines in 1969, when the Sino-Soviet conflict broke out along the Ussuri River which flows into the Amur at Khabarovsk. Russian and Chinese forces battled over an island known to the Chinese as Zhenbao Island and to the Russians as Damansky Island. There was small unit fighting supported by artillery and both sides suffered loss of life. In the years following the incident China began secret negotiations with the US culminating in Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. Both the US and China were concerned how to counter Soviet power, and this probably was one of the chief causes for the thaw in relations between the US and China.

solkin_tiger3.JPG                        Amur Tiger (Photo: V. Solkin WWF Rusia)

The river’s relative obscurity is probably a good thing for the wildlife of the Amur River. Mass tourism would surely damage what is an amazing ecosystem filled with biodiversity. Wildlife found along the Amur include the Amur Tiger, the Far Eastern Leopard, the Mongolian Gazelle, the Red Crowned Crane and the Amur Sturgeon. The Amur can also boast of an amazing diversity of landscapes. And while mass tourism doe not threaten the river, in its lower reaches there is water pollution, and industrial damage from the Soviet Era. In some areas along the river the Russian side is fairly pristine, while the Chinese side is heavily populated.

So for its own sake, is it better that the Amur River is unknown, or should there be greater awareness of one of Asia’s most beautiful waterways?

WWF-Russia Excellent Presentation on Amur River

http://www.wwf.ru/resources/publ/book/eng/299

 

Tokyo Olympics Update – City Hall vs Downtown

150222-01-01.jpg         Tokyo Gov. Masuzoe starts Tokyo Marathon 2015 (Photo: Tokyo Gov.)

Regarding the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, euphoria appears to have evaporated and reality has set in. It looks like Japan is moving to “Plan B.”  This has taken two forms, first wrangling about the cost and design of the Olympic Stadium on which construction is scheduled to start this October, and cost-cutting changes in venues for several events.

 This week ( 9 June 2015) the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its approval for a change of venue for seven sports as a cost-cutting measure. This, of course, changes the proposals put forward in Tokyo’s bid for the games which entailed keeping the venues close to the Olympic Village.

 The debate over the new stadium first started with criticism by Japanese architects over the design and cost of the stadium. Modifications in size and design have been discussed, and the retractable roof has been scrapped to save money.

 Last month, (May 18)  Tokyo mayor Yoichi Masuzoe met with sports minister Hakubun Shimomura and sparks flew. Organizers want Tokyo to pay ¥50 billion of the ¥150 billion cost of the stadium. Masuzoe gave no concrete answer to the request, but blasted the organizers for their opaque decision making process which he compared to the WWII Japanese military’s style of managing information.

 As for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the games will go on, and venues will be ready. Japan is a country that can be counted on to get things done, and this is probably one big reason that the IOC chose Tokyo. However, the road to 2020 does not look like a smooth one. Please log in and give us your opinion on this matter.

 Japan Times Report

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/19/national/politics-diplomacy/tokyo-governor-deeply-worried-about-olympic-prep-after-learning-of-stadium-change/#.VXZQOWAdL8s

 

 

 

 

Person of Interest: President Benigno Aquino III

14241490982_7ea01893cd_z.jpg  Phillipines President Benigno Aquino III (Photo: WEF)

Benigno Aquino III was inaugurated on June 30th, 2010 as President of The Philippines. 2015 marks the fifth year is his single, six year term. This past week saw the President in Tokyo, meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and discussing closer military ties with Japan aimed at thwarting Chinese ambitions in the South China Sea. They reportedly discussed a Visiting Forces Agreement with Japan, similar to the one in place with the U.S., where foreign forces could refuel at Philippine ports, thus extending their range of operations. During his visit the President also compared China to Nazi Germany during WWII.

 Mr. Aquino is the son of former President Corazon Aquino, and Senator Benigno Aquino. He was born on February 8, 1960. He earned a BA in Economics in 1981 and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1998, and then to the Philippine Senate. After the death of his mother he was asked to run for President, accepted, and was elected in 2010.

 An article in the Philippine Star last year ( June 18, 2014) gave a report card for the first part of Mr. Aquino’s presidency.

                          Improved

  • Economy in better shape
  • Country upgraded for investment
  • Corruption addressed
  • Responsible Parenthood law passed

                        Still Need attention

  • High food prices
  • High cost of energy
  • Infrastructure improvement poorly handled

 In the short term, The Philippines also has to give attention to its tourism industry and minerals industry as well as to deal with a domestic insurrection in the south of the country. Mr. Aquino’s final year and a half in office looks like it will be as challenging as ever, in particular, the country’s ongoing territorial dispute with China which does not look like it will be settled any time soon.