People's Republic of China Nov 22, 2009

[abhik]

A strong military is not possible without a strong economy, but neither is possible without strong leadership.

[VinodTK]

Serious resentment brewing among Chinese as rich become richer: Survey

[harbans]

How perspectives change. This is President Hu in 2005:

President: China targets US$4 trillion GDP by 2020
(chinadaily.com.cn/Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-05-16 20:55

Chinese President Hu Jintao said that Asia's fastst growing country is planning to quadruple its GDP to US$4 trillion by 2020, with the per capita GDP reaching US$3,000.

Hu promised to continue pursuing the scientific approach in achieving economic and social progress of China, and always "put the people first" while striking economic attainments.


President Hu Jintao (R) waves as he enters the meeting hall of the 2005 Fortune Global Forum in Beijing, May 16, 2005. [Xinhua]

The Chinese president made the remark on Monday in an address delivered to more than 500 CEOs and officials at the opening ceremony of the 2005 Fortune Global Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The number of the poor has dwindled from some 250 million in 1978 to 26 million nowadays, which Hu said is a marked contribution to the world's progress.

China has undergone a profound transformation never seen in the country before. In a short span of 26 years from 1978 to 2004, China's GDP increased from 147.3 billion US dollars to 1.6494 trillion US dollars with an average annual growth rate of 9.4 percent. Its foreign trade rose from 20. 6 billion US dollars to 1.1548 trillion US dollars, averaging an annual growth rate of over 16 percent. China's foreign exchange reserve increased from 167 million US dollars to 609.9 billion US dollars.

The number of rural poor has dwindled from some 250 million to 26 million.

By 2020, we will quadruple China's GDP of 2000 to approximately 4 trillion US dollars with a per capita level of some 3,000 US dollars, and further develop the economy, improve democracy, advance science and education, enrich culture, foster greater social harmony and upgrade the texture of life for the people.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/do ... 442681.htm

Question is, they were in 2004 the same size economy as we are now. Yet they had only 26 million poor and we have 200 million plus? Pl;us they were 200 million more people than India then. The difference cannot be that skewed. Something appears too wrong. IMHO i don't buy India's poverty figures or i don't buy china's.

[RamaY]

Would Chandra Gupta Maurya or Vijaya Nagara Empire fit the bill? More recently the United States fit the bill?

United States was built on a vision first, it became world super power only after demonstrating its military proves in WWII.

You bring it out and explain and let the others decide.

This is a complex question, and my (or any) explanation may not satisfy all POVs. I will do my best to explain this from different angles and let’s see if it make sense –

Philosophical Perspective

The fundamental definition of wealth is “fruits of one’s hard work”. In case of a nation-state these fruits of hard work doesn’t come from outside but are acquired over time from within (unless it is in expansionist phase of its life). Without proper safekeeping and protecting of that wealth (as it is acquired) a nation cannot aspire to reinvest that and achieve even better ROIs. So at every stage a nation must have “required” military preparedness and willingness to use it, so that wealth creation process goes unhindered and its scope increases (during expansion).

Once the first level of critical mass is acquired, the nation can adapt better strategies to increase the rate of wealth creation. Better technology, trade strategies, efficient use of labor force etc are some examples.

In all this process, the economy (or growth rate) is just a bi-product of a nations being. Even without any military and strategy a nation state will have some economy (stagnant or inflating) and in some scenarios it can see some growth as well. But that doesn’t make the nation any stronger or smarter. On the other hand, a stronger and smarter nation will always evolve into a wealthy nation.

A simple analogy could be the way we build our lives/careers. We go to school every day during our childhood with/without knowing the purpose and willingly or unwillingly. It is a special case of military prowess, as you (or your parents) ensure that your school going experience is safe. Once you achieve that, you will try to “optimize” your learning experience by going to good schools and selecting best paying career. This is the strategy/leadership phase and finally you enjoy fruits of your hard work and strategy, which is your economic progress.

Another anology is that let us assume you have 1/2 acre land where you live. Irrespective of your wealth, you will put a small hut in that land, and you will upgrade your home as you acquire wealth. But you will protect your rights on the land and of course on your life irrespective of your financial status. How you protect your wealth (your strategies, forces, tools etc) may change but your willingness to fight will not change. If you do not have the "sense of entitlement" on your land, on your life, on your values, what is the point in your existense?


Historical evidence

Maurya Empire:

The seeds of Maurya empire were sown when Chandra Gupta demonstrated good military skills and won few battles. Then he made alliances with tribal armies which helped him.

Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power is shrouded in mystery and controversy. On the one hand, a number of ancient Indian accounts, such as the drama Mudrarakshasa (Poem of Rakshasa - Rakshasa was the prime minister of Magadha) by Visakhadatta, describe his royal ancestry and even link him with the Nanda family. A kshatriya tribe known as the Maurya's are referred to in the earliest Buddhist texts, Mahaparinibbana Sutta. However, any conclusions are hard to make without further historical evidence. Chandragupta first emerges in Greek accounts as "Sandrokottos". As a young man he is said to have met Alexander.[4] He is also said to have met the Nanda king, angered him, and made a narrow escape.[5] Chanakya's original intentions were to train a guerilla army under Chandragupta's command. The Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina work Parisishtaparvan talk of Chandragupta's alliance with the Himalayan king Parvatka, sometimes identified with Porus (Sir John Marshall "Taxila", p18, and al.) This Himalayan alliance gave Chandragupta a composite and powerful army made up of Yavanas (Greeks), Kambojas, Shakas (Scythians), Kiratas (Nepalese), Parasikas (Persians) and Bahlikas (Bactrians)[6][7][8].

With the help of these frontier martial tribes from Central Asia, Chandragupta was able to defeat the Nanda/Nandin rulers of Magadha and found the powerful Maurya empire in northern India.

While doing so he added the 2nd layer, that is strategy and leadership with the help of Vishnungupta and achieved great success in “expanding” his empire. The economic growth, third layer, is a bi-product of this “Safe” and “Powerful” empire, which propelled this empire into great power status.

Vijaya Nagara Empire:

We all studied about Vijayanagara empire in one form or other. Sri Vidyaranya needed the “military” of Harihararaya and Bukkaraya to setup Vijayanagara kingdom. This is expanded using the military force first. Mahamantri Timmarusu’s strategy helped it to make timely and necessary alliances to evolve it from Vijayanagara kingdom to Vijayanagara empire. Only that safe and secure empire grew into the wealthiest empire in contemporary India. Once this empire lost its military arm (in the battle of Tallikota), the “wealth/economy” of this empire crumbled within days/months.

USA:

USA was formed after the “Armed” rebellion against British rule. It got expanded using military and strategy. It became a super power only thru war and geography (WWII and atomic weapons). Then USA became the sole superpower due to its military strategy and technological advances and governance model, not for its economy. Every time its economy is weakened the successive US administrations use the other two tools (Military and Technology) to “Expand” the economy. (Read the reference to climate change laws and associated green technologies – USA is ~10-15 years ahead of the remaining world in these areas).

PRC:

I prepared below info-graphic that explains how PRC is built one layer at a time – culture (communism) as first, military as second, leadership as 2.5 layer, technology as third, and economy as fourth layer. PRC couldn’t have achieved the economic growth it saw in last two decades without the presence of the first three layers.




USSR/Russia

First of all USSR is not a different entity from Russia. It is Russian empire at its peak. After its defeat in cold war with USA, Russia lost its periphery not the core lands/resources/economy. For the next 20-30 years Russia is the only nation-state in the world that completely destroy USA, the sole super power. It also has the natural resources (wealth, if not economy) to sustain that military expenditure. It is a different point if its leadership is not able to hone its resources (natural, labor and scientific) to build a strong economy, but it is easily solvable once Russian society finds its rhythm.

Indian scenario

India as a nation state has some economy already. It also has the military strength proportional to its economy. What is lacking is the national-will to protect its soul and wealth. The primary reason behind this confusion is the systematic brainwashing of its population of its history and culture.

The whole purpose of Indian Military is to keep the heartlands secure and safe, while projecting power externally in the enemy lands. We do not see any willingness in IA’s part to do this job. They are “content” with what they have. It is really silly to read that PRC/TSP/BD forces frequently cross the border areas without any resistance from BSF. I expect BSF to fire first at anyone/anything that crosses into India from enemy lands. Nope, they do not do that, because they are content with the fact that “their camp” is not overrun at. This a little exaggeration but my intention is to show the philosophy of Indian Army.

The whole purpose of GOI to protect its citizens from internal and external trouble makers and ensure the implementation of law of the land. Nope they are busy with their “business interests” and are more interested in safekeeping their wealth than protecting the law of the land.

The intelligentsia of the nation is expected to set the philosophical and social direction of the state. Instead they behave like bonded labor to vested interests and do whatever their employer (internal or external) asks them to do. There is no sense “economic” contentment in this class and instead greed determines their affiliations.

The workforce is more interested in political boundaries, fighting in the lines of caste/religion instead of focusing their energies in improving the efficiencies in their work.

That is why I opined in “TSP” thread that our Army behaves like Brahmin, Rulers are Vysyas, Intelligentsia is Shudra, and Workforce is Kshatriya in nature. No wonder no one has the sense of direction and focus needed to achieve individual and collective prosperity.

{Added Later: IMHO this is what Sri Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamyji of Kanchi peetham has said last week in Telangana context - Let every one do thier job; people will vote for what government they want, politicians to implement the rule of law, students to build the intellectual capital for next generation etc.,}

[Rony]

Rama garu, excellent post. Thank You.

[AnimeshP]

The whole purpose of Indian Military is to keep the heartlands secure and safe, while projecting power externally in the enemy lands. We do not see any willingness in IA’s part to do this job. They are “content” with what they have. It is really silly to read that PRC/TSP/BD forces frequently cross the border areas without any resistance from BSF. I expect BSF to fire first at anyone/anything that crosses into India from enemy lands. Nope, they do not do that, because they are content with the fact that “their camp” is not overrun at. This a little exaggeration but my intention is to show the philosophy of Indian Army.

Really !!!! Wow this is the first time I've heard that the philosphy of the India Army is "to be content that their camp is not overrun" ... wonder how this philosophy brought about 1971 or has managed to keep insurgency in NE/Kashmir/Punjab et. al. in check for the past 5 decades ....

[RamaY]

The whole purpose of Indian Military is to keep the heartlands secure and safe, while projecting power externally in the enemy lands. We do not see any willingness in IA’s part to do this job. They are “content” with what they have. It is really silly to read that PRC/TSP/BD forces frequently cross the border areas without any resistance from BSF. I expect BSF to fire first at anyone/anything that crosses into India from enemy lands. Nope, they do not do that, because they are content with the fact that “their camp” is not overrun at. This a little exaggeration but my intention is to show the philosophy of Indian Army.

Really !!!! Wow this is the first time I've heard that the philosphy of the India Army is "to be content that their camp is not overrun" ... wonder how this philosophy brought about 1971 or has managed to keep insurgency in NE/Kashmir/Punjab et. al. in check for the past 5 decades ....

IMHO, IA's mindset has become that whether we agree or not. I cannot collect all the references to it in various threads, where people were presenting the evidence where IA is never ready for punitve action without the best of the best equipment and so on.

1971 is more of a leadership and strategic win than military win. It is juvanile if you think 1971 was a war between India and TSP. It is a strategic war played between Indira and USA, with USSR and PRC as secondary players and TSP is a mere third-rate power.

Finally, these are my thoughts. You don't have to agree with me. Please present an alternative fact/view and one of us will learn eventually.

Rony-ji: Thank you for the kind words.

[AnimeshP]

Really !!!! Wow this is the first time I've heard that the philosphy of the India Army is "to be content that their camp is not overrun" ... wonder how this philosophy brought about 1971 or has managed to keep insurgency in NE/Kashmir/Punjab et. al. in check for the past 5 decades ....

IMHO, IA's mindset has become that whether we agree or not. I cannot collect all the references to it in various threads, where people were presenting the evidence where IA is never ready for punitve action without the best of the best equipment and so on.

1971 is more of a leadership and strategic win than military win. It is juvanile if you think 1971 was a war between India and TSP. It is a strategic war played between Indira and USA, with USSR and PRC as secondary players and TSP is a mere third-rate power.

Finally, these are my thoughts. You don't have to agree with me. Please present an alternative fact/view and one of us will learn eventually.

Rony-ji: Thank you for the kind words.

RamaY ... IMHO you are mis-understanding Indian Armed Force's concerns about its constraints to be its operational mindset ... The Indian Armed Force's would like to do the job given to it by it by the political leadership of the country not only to its own satisfaction but to the satisfaction of the above mentioned leadership ... Now, if the leadership demands that Indian Armed Force's take punitive action against Pakistan or any other country without giving it adequate resources, it is the Indian Armed Force's job and duty to inform the leadership of the dangers of doing so ... Even after that if the leadership insists on doing so, then the Indian Armed Forces will go ahead and do the needful to the best of its capacity.
Now in independant India's history, I would like to highlight two examples of how Indian Armed Forces was given a directive by the political leadership of the country, the subsequent actions by the Indian Armed Forces and the outcome.

1962:
The political leadership of the country told IA to evict the Chinese from Indian land. The IA had serious resource constraints but ignored these and went into action. The results of that are for all to see.

1971:
The political leadership of the country told IA to do something about the East Pakistan situation. The IA again had resource constraints but this time they highlighted these to the leadership, asked for time to work out these constraints, got the time, took care of the constraints and then went into action. The results of that are also for all to see.

Cut to present day, the political leadership of the country again asks the Indian Armed Forces to take some action against an enemy. The Indian Armed Forces looks at its resource constraints, highlights them to the leadership and the leadership decides not to pursue the matter further. I am pretty sure that had the leadership still decided to go ahead, the Indian Armed Forces would have gone ahead and done its best. We don't know what would have been the outcome of this but IMHO the Indian Armed Forces did its job correctly.

Regarding your contention that "1971 is more of a leadership and strategic win than military win", I would rephrase it to say that "1971 is both a leadership and strategic win and a military win". In that case, both the leadership and the Indian Armed Forces complemented each other and did what the situation demanded of each of them. While the leadership did a great job in managing the strategic war, it was the Indian Armed Forces which made sure that the war on the ground was won and the Indian leadership was able to present the world with fait accompli. Have you wondered as to what would have happened to the leadership's strategy if the Indian Armed Forces had not been able to deliver a decisive outcome within 2 weeks ?

[RamaY]

^ AnimeshP garu,

Thank you for additional info. I have highest regard for Indian Armed forces and completely understand their contribution to India that is Bharat.

However my post is made at a higher plane of thought and required some abstraction. I am talking about the "philosophical consciousness" (for the lack of a better term).

[Masaru]

Going back to PRC economic miracle here the PRC president is hoping that PRC GDP will quadruple to $4 T by 2020 while PRC crossed that number in 3 years. The article is dated 2005 and the GDP data for that year is ~2.2 T. So is the PRC president deliberately understating the GDP or are there some other riddles missing?

Similarly PRC nominal GDP is rated at 1.19 T in 2000 and is rated at 4.37 T is 2008, The current stats are at ~4.9T.
This works out to roughly 15-16% annual compounded GDP growth while in any given year the highest nominal year on year growth was in 2007 at 13.2% with the widely quoted official avg. for the whole period is at around 10%. What exactly is missing in this story?

Added later: AFAIK PRC did a GDP base revision in ~2004. What would the current GDP look like without that revision? Still that revision doesn't explain the impressive ~1T jump between 07 and 08 on a base of 3.3 T.

[RamaY]

^^^ Just for clarification - My diagram shows GDP in Billion Yuan

[rohitvats]

......<SNIP>...

The whole purpose of Indian Military is to keep the heartlands secure and safe, while projecting power externally in the enemy lands. We do not see any willingness in IA’s part to do this job. They are “content” with what they have. It is really silly to read that PRC/TSP/BD forces frequently cross the border areas without any resistance from BSF. I expect BSF to fire first at anyone/anything that crosses into India from enemy lands. Nope, they do not do that, because they are content with the fact that “their camp” is not overrun at. This a little exaggeration but my intention is to show the philosophy of Indian Army....<SNIP>.....

IMHO, IA's mindset has become that whether we agree or not. I cannot collect all the references to it in various threads, where people were presenting the evidence where IA is never ready for punitve action without the best of the best equipment and so on.

1971 is more of a leadership and strategic win than military win. It is juvanile if you think 1971 was a war between India and TSP. It is a strategic war played between Indira and USA, with USSR and PRC as secondary players and TSP is a mere third-rate power.

So, you have gained in depth understanding of the philosophy of IA/Defence Forces on the basis of article here or there which themselves are suspect? How about writing one single para containing the details/instances of IA acting like Brahmins and the conclusion thereof? That should not be a problem considering the profound statement made by you, which ideally, could not have been made without some deep analysis and thinking?

As for the 1971 victory being a political one, let me share with you one small nugget of information: All military wins ought to be political victories. Because if they are not, you end up with situations like Iraq and tactical brilliance of PA in 1965 or 1999. Remember the dictum from the gentleman called Clausewitz - "War is an extension of policy by other means".

But to achieve the end results as envisaged by policy, you need a strong mailed fist. 1971 would not have been the great political/strategic victory but for the acumen and expertise of some senior gents in olive green. 1962 was similarly a great strategic debacle because these gents in OG failed (with due credits to the Indian Politicians). For all the shadow boxing between India and USA, it is the actual fighting on the ground that dictated the way forward. But I guess, such minor details get lost on the high level/philosophical analysis.

[RayC]

Rohitvats,

Well analysed.

India does not have a National Strategy, let alone a Grand Strategy. So, what is this political strategy and political victory that some are talking about?

We don't even have a national political strategy about CI in Kashmir. So, it is bumbling along like a river finding its own course!


The Armed Forces are not there to translate their opinions. They translate the Govt policies. So, a military win is political victory. Yet, a military defeat is not. 1962 heaped blame on so many of the military but very little on the political leadership or the other organs of govt like the Intelligence.

Guess why the Henderson Brooke Report was never made public and never will be?

[RamaY]

Rohitvilas ji

I understand the takleef regarding IA, but that is my opinion. They are content with what they got. To learn whether the rice is cooked or not one doesn't have to check each rice grain.

Like I said you are entitled to have your own opinion.

The alternative view points presented so far paint a picture of political leadership controls army at tactical level. Is it correct?

RayC ji, you prove my point further. Jk issue is an internal law and order issue and should be dealt as such.

Leadership failures cannot be an excuse for military shortfalls.

[Chinmayanand]

------
Guess why the Henderson Brooke Report was never made public and never will be?

Can it be asked for under Right to Information Act ?

[joshvajohn]

India should be transparent about intentions: Chinese media
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 603753.cms

Northeast India: Border disputes are about recognition not land
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.co ... -land.html

[Jarita]

Chors are colluding
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 604341.cms

China to avoid investing in PoK for success of Indo-Pak talks

[Jarita]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010 ... 481548.htm

China circled by chain of US anti-missile systems

[rohitvats]

Rohitvilas ji

I understand the takleef regarding IA, but that is my opinion. They are content with what they got. To learn whether the rice is cooked or not one doesn't have to check each rice grain. Like I said you are entitled to have your own opinion. The alternative view points presented so far paint a picture of political leadership controls army at tactical level. Is it correct? RayC ji, you prove my point further. Jk issue is an internal law and order issue and should be dealt as such. Leadership failures cannot be an excuse for military shortfalls.

Rama, you can do away with the "ji" part. Rohit is quite all right.

I'm not questioning your right to POV. But at the same time, I'm well within my rights to question the same and ask for explanation(s). You've made a very serious assertion which in my pov maligns the IA/Defence Forces and shows them in extremely bad light. All the examples that I'm aware of (recent events), starting from 1999 to Op. Prakaram are contrary to your assertion.

Such a serious allegation on the Armed Forces of this country cannot be allowed to be made without scrutiny of the same. Mind you, even though I come from IA background, I do not hold the Defence Forces as a holy cow. But having said that, I do not agree with one bit of what you've said. I consider the remark to have been made in a very cavalier manner where analysis was done to support a pov and not other way around.

I implore you to come clean with details/events/data points which drove you to reach this conclusion. Please take your time. I'll be available to answer your posts/reply in depth. And in case you're not inclined to engage in this task, it will be but appropriate to delete your post/part of your post with your analysis. In my opinion, such an assertion without supporting evidence cannot be allowed to hold ground on this forum.

[RamaY]

^

Rohit,

My intention is not to put anyone in bad light. I am just pointing, rather opining, that the fundamental consciousness of Bharatiya national body got mixed up. The eyes are trying to smell, nose is trying to taste, skin is trying to see. It is not only inefficient use of national dynamic, but also might result in incorrect understanding of the reality.

Once we understand this the moment has come for India to flex its muscles. Since the leadership is trying to "sense" something it is not built for, it will never realize the true potential of Bharatiya body of consciousness. This is what Ramanji attributes to "Hanuma syndrome", in my opinion.

I already presented my premises and thought process. If you think otherwise you can disprove my theory by presenting your logic. Perhaps we are going OT here, and can continue this discussion in "conceptual thread".

[Malayappan]

The Mystery of China’s Labor Shortage from WSJ
Explores the possible reasons for the reported labor shortage in China.
In conclusion

Putting all this into long-term perspective, the current problem offers a glimpse of the likely more massive labor shortage issue that China is set to face in the next few decades as its single-child policy keeps accelerating the aging of its still-enormous population. That indeed is one of China’s major dilemmas.

[Philip]

deleted - copyright

[abhishek_sharma]

Where China is investing

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201 ... _investing

[Avinash R]

China Launches Strict New Internet Controls

Anyone who wants to open a website in China now has to have a face-to-face meeting with regulators first.

A community website for webmasters reported the photo requirement and process with the following actual photo


Webmasters are criminals onlee

[RamaY]

Looks like the "Perspectives of Economic Meltdown" are turning correct, as time passes.

For now PRC appears to be using its $$$ reserves to run thier industry (along comes GDP growth) at full pace, as if there is no drop in world-wide consumption. They are betting on the world economy rebounding to a healthy level in 3-5 years (before they run out of their reserves).

This strategy will work if US economy rebounds before 2012 and EU economy 2013-14. If this bet pays off, then PRC will emerge as true economic super power after 2015. All the empty cities can be populated once PRC reserves are replenished.

Not a bad strategy overall IMO. US/EU must stabilize their economies for their own sake. PRC will be a winner eitherway.

[Sudip]

Why AirSea Battle

A report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
Chapter 2 (pg 23 to pg 35) discusses chinese military threats and strategies from a US perspective.

[Malayappan]

Did you know there is a Brazilian site specialising on India - China relationships? (BRIC related concern?)
An overview by a Portuguese scholar in John Hopkins. Icy winds from the Himalayas

[Rahul M]

if you know it is OT why post it here ? post in an appropriate thread and give a link here if needed.
please delete the above post yourself and post elsewhere. if mods get involved it may vanish without a trace with a warning thrown in for thread derailment. surely that's not what you want ?
Rahul.

[Malayappan]

China insider sees revolution brewing from Sydney Morning Herald. An academic, regarded as 'an insider' makes these observations. Not really earth shaking, but one more marker - worth a read.

[Philip]

CHina-"1000 Dubais",prediction.
The property market in China is "red hot" at the moment and usuaally such "booms" are followed by a mighty "bust"."Alpine architecture" ,faux English post boxes and plastic plants amidst rows of empty office blocks in grimy Beijing.This fake dream will turn into a nightmare say eco-clairvoyants.Read on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/chin ... month.html

China risks property bubble as prices rise 20pc a month
Property prices in Britain may be back on a downward trajectory, but there is one market where they are still white hot – China.
By Peter Foster in Huairou

The Asian superpower is in the midst of such a vast property boom, with prices leaping 20pc a month in some regions, that developments are taking on fairy-tale dimensions.

Literally. The sight of a "real" alpine village rising from the grimy industrial suburbs of Huairou outside Beijing provokes an increasingly common reaction when discussing China's property market: "You've got to be kidding me, right?"

Related issues.
Chinese shares suffer steepest drop since November on fears rally is overdone

its alpine clock tower soaring 200ft into the murk emitted by nearby chimneys, the "Spring Legend" development offers a Disney-style version of a lifestyle that the residents of Huairou and Beijing can realistically aspire to.

"The air is so fresh it penetrates your heart," waxes the sales brochure, a claim that requires a suspension of belief equally demanded by Spring Legend's ersatz palm trees, faux red English phone boxes and plant pots brimming with plastic alpine flowers.

Making sense of such developments, along with the forests of empty new office blocks in Beijing and the tripling of land prices in some Chinese cities over the last 12 months, is now leading some heavyweight investors to cry "bubble".

"Dubai times one thousand – or worse", was the verdict of Jim Chanos, the short-selling hedge fund manager who was among the first to predict the demise of Enron and says that the Chinese asset bubble will pop "sooner rather than later".

[VinodTK]

China all at sea over Japan island row

[Sudip]

China to Launch Space Station Module in 2011

THE GIST:

* China plans to launch its Tiangong-1 space module in 2011.
* The plan was delayed a year due to "technical reasons."
* After being placed in orbit, the Tiangong-1 would dock with the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft.

[Stan_Savljevic]

China insider sees revolution brewing ---- John Garnaut
http://www.claws.in/index.php?action=ma ... 1&u_id=114
http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-insid ... -p92d.html

Yea encore, what happened to the USSR will happen to PRC, and here is my middle finger to that event. Advanced wishes.

[VinodTK]

Chinese leader knocks off Tawang claim

[Omar]

Letters From New Delhi: Clash of the Tigers

Some Indian policymakers believe China's newfound assertiveness stems from its relative economic clout after the United States and Europe were hit especially hard by the global recession. "The Chinese have come out at the top of the heap," said India's former ambassador to the UN, Arundhati Ghosh, who was involved in negotiating the U.S.-India nuclear deal that was strongly opposed by China. "It is that sense of power that is leading them to prick India and flex muscles."

Sanjay Labroo, who heads the Confederation of Indian Industry's task force on economic relations with China, shocked many in the audience when he said, "We flatter ourselves by even using the terms 'Chindia' or 'China-India.' The hyphenation is not justified. China is way ahead of India, whether it is automobile or steel production or spending on health." He went on, "India is only ahead of China in its population growth and movie production."

The last is a lesson for the DDM:

. "Because the Chinese government and its state-controlled media speak in the same voice, the Chinese have created a narrative which refuses to describe India as a threat but presents it as somewhat paranoid," he explained. "The Chinese rarely talk about India, while the Indian press runs wild with stories about China, which makes India come across as insecure and aggressive." Although the Indian press has indeed adopted a shrill tone toward China, Singh's government has been more sober in its dealings with Chinese officials.

[VinodTK]

India bans free border trade with China

[A_Gupta]

Recently concluded NPC

With the National People’s Congress (NPC) meeting in Beijing winding down, I thought it might be interesting to take stock of what happened and what didn’t…

What didn’t happen: Any really new policy initiatives.
....

What did happen: Speaking of the fifth generation, the race is on. Who among the fifth generation leaders will sit in the Standing Committee of the Politburo and occupy the top spots?
....
What might have happened: Reform of the “hukou” system. Premier Wen suggested that China was on the brink of loosening the household registration process that controls where people can live. In practical terms, this would mean that the roughly 200 million migrant workers might have access to healthcare, housing, social security and be able to send their children to school legally in the cities where they are working. This would seem to be an important first step in ensuring that the urbanization process Beijing is pushing so aggressively actually brings about the necessary benefits in improved living standards for the Chinese people. Yet, when a set of fourteen newspapers publicly endorsed an editorial supporting the initiative, the hammer fell, with one journalist, Zhang Hong from the Economic Observer, losing his job......

[Varoon Shekhar]

"Quote:
Sanjay Labroo, who heads the Confederation of Indian Industry's task force on economic relations with China, shocked many in the audience when he said, "We flatter ourselves by even using the terms 'Chindia' or 'China-India.' The hyphenation is not justified. China is way ahead of India, whether it is automobile or steel production or spending on health." He went on, "India is only ahead of China in its population growth and movie production."

India is still ahead in IT, BPO, and a few other areas(eg., diamonds, auto parts exports?). India has been a pioneer in industry and services in Asia. There hasn't been a single industry or science, except bombs and missiles, where India followed China. And even here, India had the first functioning nuclear reactor and power station in Asia.

In IT, wind energy, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, railways etc., India takes the lead, but then China sees what India is doing, and tries to match or surpass India.

Does anyone know if there has been a single major industry or service where Indians looked at the example of China, and were inspired or prodded to follow in their footsteps?

[arun]

Excerpt dealing with PR China’s proliferation of nuclear weapon technology from the Economist’s review of “Peddling Peril: How the Secret Nuclear Trade Arms America’s Enemies” by David Albright.

David Albright terms PR China’s proliferation to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as the act that “did the most to undermine the global non-proliferation regime”:

The proliferation business : Unstoppable?

The illicit nuclear trade flourishes because governments let it

Mar 11th 2010 | From The Economist print edition

……………….. the book’s real value is in pulling two clear threads from the facts and speculation. One is that commerce almost always trumps proliferation concerns, and not just among Mr Khan’s band of merry smugglers. ………………..

The other thread is China. Despite a raft of laws and sporadic enforcement, its ports and companies are still key links in the illicit export/import chains of North Korea, Iran and others. What is more, in the early 1980s China gave Pakistan a pre-tested design of a missile-mountable warhead.

This single wanton act probably did the most to undermine the global non-proliferation regime. Mr Khan later sold the design (his network also had more sophisticated ones) to Libya, very likely Iran and North Korea, and possibly others. China’s leaders have also held out longest over tougher sanctions on Iran, whose nuclear programme has benefited from their past irresponsibility.

The Economist

[RayC]

I received an e mail that informed that one should not by rubber bands or slippers even if they are cheap since they are made made from used condoms being recycled.

BEIJING (AFP) - Used condoms are being recycled into hair bands in southern China threatening to spread sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent, state media reported Tuesday

In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province, China Daily newspaper said.

'These cheap and colorful rubber bands and hair ties sell well ..... threatening the health of local people,' it said..
Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain bacteria and viruses, it said.

'People could be infected with AIDS, (genital) warts or other diseases if they hold the rubber bands or strings in their mouths while waving their hair into plaits or buns,' the paper quoted a local dermatologist who gave only his surname, Dong, as saying. A bag of ten of the recycled bands sells for just Rs.5, much cheaper than others on the market, accounting for their popularity, the paper said.

A government official was quoted as saying recycling condoms was illegal. China 's manufacturing industry has been repeatedly tarnished this year by a string of scandals involving shoddy or dangerous goods made for both domestic and foreign markets.

In response, it launched a public relations blitz this summer aimed at playing up efforts to strengthen monitoring systems.

Check your kids hair bands and make sure they do not put them in their mouth while trying to plait or
tie their hair.

See below for Chinese Slippers now being sold in Walmart in the US .











REMEMBER THE PAINT ON KIDS TOYS?


This is very true as I heard it in news from one of our local radios here that our govt has to be
extra careful on these cheap imports from china. These includes clothes, food, toys, slippers and even
glasses because the Chinese are using some strong but cheap chemical in their manufacturing process.
Cheap is becoming expensive and at the same time fatal.