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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
COMING SHIFTS IN PACIFIC POWER BALANCE
f the outcome of the Cold War has shown one thing, it's that economic power begets military power -- and not vice versa.
Today American power is unrivaled, the product of three centuries of unbroken industrial and territorial expansion. A half century ago its sole Pacific rival was Japan, a nation that had begun building an industrial base a mere seven decades earlier. Today Japan is wealthy but stagnant and adrift, its spiritual and political back never having mended after having been shattered by World War II and subsequent occupation.
While not entirely writing off Japan's potential to pose new challenges, the U.S. has begun eyeing China as the next strategic rival.
Barely three decades after China began ditching its centralized command economy for the glories of capitalist wealth, most of its 1.25 billion citizens remain mired in an agrarian subsistence economy. But the 125 million Chinese participating in the industrial economy of the coastal regions have fueled China's drive for superpower status. By 2015 it will match the U.S. in GDP -- then double it by 2025. Militarily China has been a formidable land power since the Corean War. Now the Red Army is acquiring state-of-the-art warplanes, missiles and submarines. It has announced plans to send a man into space by 2005. China's overriding aim is to keep the Pacific from becoming an American pond.
Any shift in the Pacific power balance must also take into account the two Coreas, Taiwan and Russia. At any given time each of these nations are triangulating a course of maximum advantage with reference to the U.S., China and Japan. The precise posture these nations ultimately adopt may well tip the balance.
How will the Pacific power balance shift in the coming decades? What developments will pose the greatest threats to American power?
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Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:10:10 PM)
To T. H. Lien:
It is too early to say that atheism will never get a big following worldwide as it has in China. The Abrahamic faiths are taking a huge blow to the groin these days, and people all over the world are shaking their heads in disgust. The innocent victims of the Abrahamic faiths, (namely the WTC employees, the Palestinian refugees, and now young children of the Catholic Church) are all crying out for justice. In all of these cases, the problems have been compounded by poor decisions made by some Americans. Our support of bin Laden’s radicals in the 1980’s, our blind support of Israel, and our hushing of the young sexual abuse victims with money, are all coming back to haunt us. There is a term for that: blowback. Ultimately, we lose credibility and more importantly, the moral righteousness of our cause. If America’s interest in Israel stems from a religious belief that the reestablishment of a nation on somebody else’s land will bring us closer to Armageddon and His Second Coming, then we need to examine the heads of those running our country and of those whoever started the Abrahamic faiths. Nor should we Americans do what is tantamount to historical (or prehistorical) revision by continuing to argue against the laws of nature and insist on believing in creationism.
I am no fan of communism (whoever is the idiot for inventing this ideology), and never mind the fact that we practice a form of communism in California, in which even the non-working spouse is entitled to half of everything the other working spouse earns since the marriage (community property law). But China is in practice no longer a communist state; it is now a member of the WTO and its communes and state enterprises are shutting down. China has been rated by a German NGO to be less corrupt than the democracies of India, Russia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and certainly more prosperous, too. It is hard to say whether China will ever democratize. But if Huntington is correct in his book “Clash of Civilizations,” it will be on China’s own terms on how to democratize, as she will be the dominant player in East Asia by 2010.
Blowback of Biblical proportions. Amen!
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 23:15:29 (PST)
AC Dropout,
One – What other philosophy or religion had bigger impact or influence on the Eastern ideologies over Confucian philosophy? I still say that Confusion philosophy is an appropriate counterpart to Judeo-Christian religion in forming ideologies of East and West respectably. I do agree that specific analogies are lacking in understanding, or may not work at all, but that doesn’t necessarily crumble the overall idea. However, I do understand what you mean in some respects. They are what they are, just ideas backup by more ideas. They are all open to arguments.
Two – What industry do you have your head buried in? Immigrants of all types are in virtually all industries in the United States. Yes, there is a large population of educated Indians in the technology sector. However, they are in many industries, from carpet sales to medical fields. I see people from France, England, Cuba, Russia, Germany, China, Korea, and a lot more, in the technical field that I am in. I see as many different national origins in the patent law industry that my wife is in. The economic and national “types” of immigrants may differ from industry to industry. I would imagine if you were in the garment industry, you would see less educated, and less economically successful immigrants. However, there are many different reasons why immigrants come to this country. It is “Good” living in the US, and financial incentives alone do not explain this.
Three – Wrong! My parents and I came to the US in 1976. That makes me an American who immigrated to the United States. I don't understand the plight of immigration? Phuh! All I am saying is that when someone used the immigration rate for deciphering the utility measurement (good to be there/bad to be there) of living in China or US, you cannot dismiss it as mere difference in low rate labor requirements.
AA with too much time
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 08:54:17 (PST)
To: "Is the U.S. on the wrong side of history? Amen!",
“the overwhelming majority of Americans rejects the theory of evolution and irrationally choose to believe in creationism.”
“Americans overwhelmingly, nine in ten Americans, subscribe to the Abrahamic faiths”
Where did you get a supporting data for those statements? There are many in US who reject creationism. Many, like myself, usually do not voice our belief in evolution in public because we are tired of “faithfuls” bombarding us with the scripture. Furthermore, there are increasing numbers of people who believe in both creationism and evolution. Remember, the Catholic Church in Vatican announced that the there is too much evidence for evolution. They just get around it by asserting that “God” gave humans souls, therefore, “Creationism” still applies in that sense.
Many Christians are indeed what I call “Christian-lights”. The “Christian-lights” have been taught Christian teachings and therefore have been influenced to believe what “God” might be like. However, they reject the notion that the Bible is always right, and they have their own views of “God”. Many “Christian-lights” do believe that different religions can be saviors of their “souls” and are not necessarily prejudiced against other religions. In fact, a recent NPR reported that over a half of Americans do not believe that Christianity is the only “savior of souls”.
Remember, religions, especially the Christianity, are based on faith. Ultimately, no one can argue logically about the existence of God. The theologians and clerics tried for centuries and they know their logic is lacking. Instead, they know their religions are really based on faith. That is why faith in God and “relationship” with Jesus is the most important things in Christianity – not logically arguing about existence of God. Yes, I know, some Christians still TRIES to argue for existence of God….
Alternatively, atheists cannot logically prove that God does not exist. Just as you cannot prove there is no invisible and imperceptible monster right behind your head (trust me you cannot!). Ultimately, the atheists’ best argument is that simple logic is more beautiful (or right) than more complex logic, if everything else is the same. For example, it is simpler to argue that the Universe is special and does not require an external creator, than saying that the God that created the Universe is special and God does not require an external creator. Both of them result in one “special” existence, but one is less complex.
Now, why am I saying these things?
First, I really don't think most Christians are as fundamental as you seem to paint them. (Yes, I know some are annoyingly hard-core).
Second, the United States constitution allows freedom of religion. At least for me, it is much better to freely analyze and argue about religion, God, nature of this Universe, etc., than my Government telling me what to believe. Remember some of the best scientists believed in God. Albert Einstein believed in his own definition of God, and no Government told him not to believe in it.
AA with too much time
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 08:00:59 (PST)
Amen:
Lots of things cause people to lose their rationality, objectivity, and whatnot in pursuit of what they believe to be a better world. For example, Communism. Just look at the fanaticism of some early overseas Communist agents.
It is a cop-out to call majority viewpoints "politically incorrect" because they insist that somewhere out there, someone else is wrong or possibly even evil. The basic idea of a "point of view" is precisely that someone is right and someone is wrong. Besides, last time I checked tolerance of outsiders with funny ways of doing things wasn't part of the prevailing culture in China.
BTW the two fastest-growing segments of the world in terms of population are sub-Saharan Africa, which possesses a mix of animistic religions and Christianity, and the Islamic middle east. Also Islam is gaining more and more converts and reconverts overseas. Atheism simply doesn't appeal to the masses.
T.H. Lien.
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 02:24:34 (PST)
AA with too much time,
I don't doubt Confucian philosophy has had a significant impact in the Eastern society. But I was contending a point that if you read some literature from USA asian studies they make the comparitive analogy of Christianity to Confucianism for idealogy, morality and ethics. I find those comparisions to the elementary and unenlightening; perhaps even down right incorrect, depending on the angle of the arguement used.
If you read the reports and look in high tech industries. I too see a bunch of university educated Indian nationals. However, if I look in the garment district or the back of any resturant I see a whole other demographic of immigrants.
Agian another play on good & evil. It is obvious that you are not an immigrant nor have to been in a situation abroad that would enlighten you to the plight of immigrants.
AC Dropout
Wednesday, March 20, 2002 at 09:43:39 (PST)
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