Events in Asia thread...

[RollingWave]

yeah, at this point I think they don't have any aircrafts on there yet, mostly just using it as an experimental platform to get a feel of how to actually sail and operate that thing I guess (they say that only the haul remains russian pretty much everything else inside was refited with their own stuff), they're building a couple themself that should be able to launch aircrafts though.

[MMC]

yeah, at this point I think they don't have any aircrafts on there yet, mostly just using it as an experimental platform to get a feel of how to actually sail and operate that thing I guess (they say that only the haul remains russian pretty much everything else inside was refited with their own stuff), they're building a couple themself that should be able to launch aircrafts though.

Yeah I heard the same on the refit as well as the other two they are working on. So do you think this matter is going to escalate over these Islands? Think it will lead to direct confrontation?

[RollingWave]

direct confrontation seems highly unlikely, then again, WW1 and 2 really started over some pretty small $#@! as well. but the more likely outcome is us and China forcing the Japanese to draw a neutural zone on the island area or something to that effect. amusingly, Japan is purposing the same thing for it's contested island against Korea.

[MMC]

So what have they been saying about all those Muslim Countires that Rioted and Protested Our Embassies, Overseas Schools, US Companies and our Military Installations? Any of those leaders want to hear what Obama has to say on such today? Do they have any concerns over the ME or Iran?

[RollingWave]

hmmm, at this point we really don't give a $#@! about the ME, the unfortunate reality is that we don't do much busniess overthere anyway other than oil, and our stereotype on the ME is that rioting is normal and happens all the time there (well that's not much of a stereotype to be honest heh.)

[MMC]

They didnt think it was a big deal that 23 Countries were expressing themselves at the US? Did any of it headline Asian Times? What about the Muslims in China. Do you know if they protested?

I thought the Agenda at the UN today was the Focus on the ME and a look at that Arab Spring til now?

[RollingWave]

They didnt think it was a big deal that 23 Countries were expressing themselves at the US? Did any of it headline Asian Times? What about the Muslims in China. Do you know if they protested?

I thought the Agenda at the UN today was the Focus on the ME and a look at that Arab Spring til now?

It's obviously in the news, but other than the day when Mr Stevenson was killed it was not the headline news.

Muslims in China are a very small minority, (like no more than 2-3% if your generous) . and religion in China historically have more or less existed peacefully together. anyway. there are seperatist movement in North Western China of predominantly muslim people, but that really has nothing to do with religion as much as ethnicity and culture (those people are mixed caucasians for the most part, very obviously distinct from other Chinese ethnicities)

Also, muslim protest will probably be shot down by the PRC government in China especially if it happens in North Western Xinjian as Beijing is pretty mindful of those folks acting up for any reason at all. not to meantion, Muslim concentration is in the remotes part of China, it's kind hard to find a embassy there to really protest at

Officially (and practically as well), the PRC is atheist. they pretty much see all religion equally.... (as an annoying problem that can cause problems). Chinese traditional religion is more tied up as part of the culture than a real religion per se. there is some movement towards reviving traditional culture in China nowadays that Marxist docrine are obviously dead and something needs to fill the idealogical void. but the effort have been somewhat clumsy more often than not.

One of the oddities of China even nowadays is that all religious figures have to be state approved. (including Buddhist monks, Muslim Imams and Catholic Priests) . which is why there have been an on going struggle between the Vatican and Beijing since it's founding even till now (the Vatican is one of the few countries left that have no official ties with the PRC, everyone else that doesn't are just small opportunist states who want to rig Taiwan and Beijing for as much money as possible for switching sides.)

[RollingWave]

Well, in an interesting twist, Abe Shinzō won the LDP chairmen election yesterday, making him a rather likely candidate as the next Prime minister of Japan.

Those with good memeory might rembmer Mr. Abe , he was the man who succeeded the rather popular Mr. Kouizumi (aka the last Japanese Prime minister that was actually relevant). back in 2006 as the Prime Minister of Japan, however he quit after just 1 year citing health reason and his short term was full of ugly scandals, the most glaring of which was that he had to nominate 3 Agricultural minister in this short span... and all 3 resigned due to corruption investigation (in a year!) and 1 even commited suicide . This ugly scandals and short term mostly overwhelmed whatever other achievments he made during that span.

Abe's not quite as far right as the infamous mayor of Tokyo as a whole, but he's shown streaks of going that way as well (though not as consistently). recently he said he like to build perment facilities on the disputed islands (IMHO, that's highly highly likely to spark military conflict. at the very least bombardment of those facilities). of course, he'd first have to convince voters to vote for someone who basically ran away from the same post 6 years ago to be elected again....

[RollingWave]

Bo Xi Lai have been officially dimissed from his position and also from the communist party, so it's official that he's politically toast, though what sort of crime charges he face will remain to be seen and probably will still take awhile.

meanwhile, there are some backlash amongst moderates in Japan on the whole recent events noting that the Japanese government's action were as much at fault for this whole mess as the PRC. given that non of them are political figure though, that seems unlikely to do much good.

[RollingWave]

The US announced that it's waiving Visa requirements for Taiwan tourist starting next month. which probably save everyone going there about 150 bucks and a long wait at the local embassy talking with grumpy Yankees

Tourism to the US has gone down in recent years here since it's quite expensive and since 911 the security and other requirements have become borderline draconian. this may be a step to help revive that.