US needs to show it's still top dog

[Schmackos]

Like it or not, US will always be the world leader.

US will always be the world leader - until the new more powerful Nation emerges.

As were the Ottermans, Tang Dynasty, Roman Empire, Japanese Empire, Rashidun Caliphate, and the largest in terms of area, the British Empire.

Who knows, maybe it won't be a Nation per se, but a different affiliation, maybe even a Religion or a Trading Bloc.

[F430murci]

Like it or not, US will always be the world leader.

US will always be the world leader - until the new more powerful Nation emerges.

As were the Ottermans, Tang Dynasty, Roman Empire, Japanese Empire, Rashidun Caliphate, and the largest in terms of area, the British Empire.

Who knows, maybe it won't be a Nation per se, but a different affiliation, maybe even a Religion or a Trading Bloc.

There is no benefit to being a world leader. It just costs too much dam money.

[LawrenceChee]

Like it or not, US will always be the world leader.

US will always be the world leader - until the new more powerful Nation emerges.

As were the Ottermans, Tang Dynasty, Roman Empire, Japanese Empire, Rashidun Caliphate, and the largest in terms of area, the British Empire.

Who knows, maybe it won't be a Nation per se, but a different affiliation, maybe even a Religion or a Trading Bloc.

There is no benefit to being a world leader. It just costs too much dam money.

Probably the best reason within CCP why they are not keen at all ! It's a worthless title and not everyone agrees on who is the world leader at all so it's a pointless egotistical pursuit for some

It was a classic interesting twist and I am sure the State Dept were in fits when they saw Putin and Modi signing a deal ....just when one thinks you have the Russians behind the tails ...they do a roundabout and found a little cheese in the corner

I don't think isolation or the sanctions were smart as it is forcing Russia into an economic corner where they have only one reliable export if you cut off their oil sales and that is their weaponry technology and that is danger to many regional stability if we go into an arms race again

The CCP have internal issues to deal with internally that will keep them busy for a long while

[LawrenceChee]

Wow the headlines this morning ....made me ponder ...really another dynasty president ?

Jeb Bush seeking a possible presidential bid according to BBC

OMG - God help us all ...another gun tottering president wannabe ! If he wins , the world is in for another free spin

Edited December 17, 2014 by LawrenceChee

[Asiantravel]

I do understand there are some Chinese haters who really want to see the CCP fail

I don't think it's going to happen ...they are not perfect but they are learning fast from the mistakes and best practices the western governments made

Eg ...they do not use human rights as reasons for trade ...opening up markets for themselves with ease in Africa ...critics would say the Mugabe was an idiot but the west have not made Africa any better in their trade ties there with their conditions ...

They don't believe in fighting useless wars over feeble reasons and wasting money $$$ and have steadfastly refused to get drawn to middle eastern conflicts that are costly and not effective

They believe in the Scandinavian methods of engaging the communities and protecting the environment and already there are a few experiments in Qingdao...I am waiting to see the fruits of that in 2017

The CCP have made great strides and made some errors along the way ...they have not repeated them while the west keeps berating them for past incidents as some posters here like to do like a broken record

The CCP will not develop China at a pace dictated by the west or reform at a pace dictated by the west.

They are their own governance and if they fail well isn't that what the west would say it's time for a reform and change

For that to happen they need to fail first and they don't intend to do that.

Unlike some who are just keyboard haters here , I'm Chinese and proudly want China to succeed at the world stage and make a better living for the people there ...it won't be fair for all and won't be a win for all ..such a reality is not possible and anyone who thinks that must have read Marxist too much and China have developed a more reasonable and sub stainable model of communism or does te world really want another Putin and prefer him ?

it won't happen overnight and anyone that think a President can make a difference in 4 years while fighting bi partisan politics is also as disillusioned as past track records have supported nothing

Lawrence I am interested in your views on China's claim to the South China Sea and in particular a number of islands including the area which the Philippines is also claiming.

China has just this week firmly rejected any suggestion of international arbitration, although it did say it could be willing to enter talks with countries like the Philippines and Vietnam directly but it is totally against the idea of " internationalising " the negotiations.

No doubt you are aware of the huge artificial island that is being constructed by China and aerial views now clearly reveal there will be a massive runway. It's clear China means business regarding this issue.

I have read several articles which claim that this will all end in China and USA (on behalf of the Philippines) going to war over this matter. Do you concur?

While I am never the decision maker on this ...every discussion on this at the CCP local level in the south indicates a war is never on the table and certainly not with the USA

They will resolutely defend their claims based on their historical records and also know in the international playing field, it's political suicide to press their claims in any forcible manner and they won't

" it's political suicide to press their claims in any forcible manner and they won't "

hmmmm…… The Chinese official I saw interviewed a few days ago was pretty emphatic about asserting the complete sovereignty concerning foreign warships and military aircraft in the entirety of the two hundred mile zone under dispute.

Under the Chinese interpretation of the law, all countries would have to obtain Chinese permission to sail its naval vessels through or fly its military aircraft over most of the South China, but the commentator said the US cannot afford to lose such freedom of movement through a vital transit point between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Then another interviewee said the free movement of American warships and military aircraft through the South China Sea is of sufficient strategic importance that the US would be prepared to fight for it.

[LawrenceChee]

Well what can I say ....the CCP have learnt from western countries talking to the media is better than saying no comment and letting them make it up

Did you see who made that claim ? Have a look at his title and then go back to the CCP website and see where he is on the totem pole

Gives you a better perspective of things said

[Asiantravel]

Well what can I say ....the CCP have learnt from western countries talking to the media is better than saying no comment and letting them make it up

Did you see who made that claim ? Have a look at his title and then go back to the CCP website and see where he is on the totem pole

Gives you a better perspective of things said

This is the lady who said “China asserts indisputable sovereignty “in the documentary. Deputy Director of Foreign Ministry Information Department of the People's Republic of China

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

And I mean, surely China is not spending all this money on constructing a runway on a reef just for the fun of it?

Edited December 17, 2014 by Asiantravel

[LawrenceChee]

Have a look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and see the various sub committees there and see if you can figure out where she stands

If you can't ...you won't be the first

Unless it's Wang Yi saying something ...you can almost safely assume it's like your senators making rhetoric statements in congress

Frustrating but true when you represent 1.3 billion people

Edited December 17, 2014 by LawrenceChee

[Asiantravel]

Have a look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and see the various sub committees there and see if you can figure out where she stands

If you can't ...you won't be the first

Unless it's Wang Yi saying something ...you can almost safely assume it's like your senators making rhetoric statements in congress

Frustrating but true when you represent 1.3 billion people

I just looked at the foreign ministry site and saw even Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said essentially the same thing that that lady said.( Resolve and Will of Chinese Government to Safeguard Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests Can Never Be Shaken by the Philippines Forcing International Arbitration 2014/03/31 )

The documentary said the real flashpoint will come when China and the Philippines eventually come head-to-head. At the moment all that the Philippines has to protect its claim is an old World War 2-vintage US tank-landing ship, which is a real rustbucket manned by about 15 Filipino sailors who are not even sent regular supplies. It's quite surreal

“ The Mutual Defense Treaty “ ´between the Philippines and USA is a far reaching , because it says both countries would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party.

http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=14506

[LawrenceChee]

Have a look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and see the various sub committees there and see if you can figure out where she stands

If you can't ...you won't be the first

Unless it's Wang Yi saying something ...you can almost safely assume it's like your senators making rhetoric statements in congress

Frustrating but true when you represent 1.3 billion people

I just looked at the foreign ministry site and saw even Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said essentially the same thing that that lady said.( Resolve and Will of Chinese Government to Safeguard Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests Can Never Be Shaken by the Philippines Forcing International Arbitration 2014/03/31 )

The documentary said the real flashpoint will come when China and the Philippines eventually come head-to-head. At the moment all that the Philippines has to protect its claim is an old World War 2-vintage US tank-landing ship, which is a real rustbucket manned by about 15 Filipino sailors who are not even sent regular supplies. It's quite surreal

“ The Mutual Defense Treaty “ ´between the Philippines and USA is a far reaching , because it says both countries would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party.

http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=14506

I think within all that text you quoted ...you already know the answer right ?

Philippines is too weak to defend itself ...USA has no funds for a pacific war and Chinese don't want to spend a cent getting back what's theirs in historical records.

So within all of that ...it's politics and waiting and the Chinese are patient and rather good at waiting.

[LawrenceChee]

China will not start an attack and have learnt it well looking at the recent conflicts

Never looks good when a bigger boy pushes another in the yard irregardless of who's at fault ...so they have learnt

Btw they have also moved out more missiles and there are less pointing at Taiwan right now than 5 years ago ...just saying.

[Publicus]

The Phils are contesting the territorial claims of the CCP in the South China Sea before the UN High Tribunal on the International Law of the Sea but the Boyz in Beijing are not participating in the proceedings because the Boyz don't recognize the tribunal or the law. This is the case despite the fact Beijing signed on with the UN convention establishing the ILOS to include the tribunal. Under the ILOS the South China Sea is an international commons. The CCP Boyz would turn it into a Chinese lake patrolled by its warships and warplanes.

Oil passes through the SCS to Taiwan, South Korea, Japan who are greatly concerned over the territorial revanchism of Beijing, not to mention Beijing's irredentism.

The CCP national school curriculum teaches that Japan is the enemy of the People's Republic of China as it also teaches the United States is the enemy of the Chinese people.

Beijing has prevented Asean from taking a united position advocating a negotiated peaceful resolution of the SCS disputes. Beijing uses Cambodia as its agent inside Asean to prevent adoption of the resolution. There finally is a unified statement by Asean which amounts to a nothing statement that all could agree to. Beijing won't agree to negotiate via Asean because Beijing wants to negotiate with each country singularly, one by one to shake 'em down.

Beijing is displeased the new Asean secretary general is from Vietnam where Beijing had put an oil rig in Vietnamese waters until the US Congress passed a rather hawkish resolution that was followed by Beijing withdrawing the rig because...a rain storm was coming.

All of this and more is not good.

[DaffyDuck]

The USA has no hope of being top dog again until Obama is out of office, The man is a disgrace and his limp-wristed foreign policies are going to be a very difficult to recover from.

Blah Blah Blah

Right, because the floundering economic foundation your hero Bush left after his 8 years was so glorious - oh, wait, that one was white, so it's all good.

[DaffyDuck]

Glad to see all the Jesus loving hillbillies chiming in with their hatred of the black president.

[LawrenceChee]

China believes in 1-1 talks with the countries involved and Philippines going to court egged on by the USA is reminisce of the recent student protests in HK where the glare and glamor of the western media have made them abandon useful Asian problem solving discussions.

Eventually countries like Philippines would know that western allies may talk but in times of real support ...the Chinese has a saying <<<< Chinese Language removed >>>>.....which is translated as "relatives by blood afar is not better than a caring neighbor next door"

The chinese will have something in exchange for the islands eventually and eventually the Asian pragmatic mindset will also close in and trade and concessions will be made just like ancient times

UN is a lame duck and a tool used when convenient and while not everyone would agree in this forum , I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were all started in the UN under the guise of false information and millions in the region have now suffered the decisions made by some foolish voting egged on by a forceful USA that was acting out of self interest

Probably the same reasons why USA and Australia still refuse to sign the Kyoto climate agreement ...because they are among the worst polluters.

China has the right to pursue solutions they believe is better in the long term and in their interests and if they are wrong, history will judge them as such

Edited December 18, 2014 by metisdead
English is the only acceptable language anywhere on ThaiVisa including Classifieds, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed.

[VegasVic]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Guys, its hardly fair to criticize Obama for things he would never be allowed to change: the ever-present and inevitable ills of capitalism! The servile classes have always been, and ever shall be fodder to be consumed by those who own them. I was just pointing out that within the context of our miserable and iniquitous system, Obama's done a 'good job'.

I guess that we will just have to agree to disagree on Obama, given that I feel (and BTW most Americans feel) that he is no more than an empty suit and partisan political hack that can read the hell out of a telepromter This has been the slowest economic recovery in U.S. history and most Americans will tell you that they don't feel like it has been a recovery at all! The U.S. government can spew out all these numbers on how the unemployment rate has come down and all the jobs (part time) that they created, but as the old accounting saying goes liars can figure but figures don't lie and the real figure is that the labor participation rate is lower now than when Obama took office 6 years ago, and real wages are lower for those who are working The one business sector that has exploded is the petroleum business due to the fracking in the Marcellus and Bakken shale oil fields primarily, but this is in spite of Obama not because of him, he and his liberal cronies have done everything they can to tie the hands of the petroleum industry in the U.S. It has been classic case of American ingenuity, risk taking and the entrepreneurial spirit that has moved this sector ahead in spite of all the regulatory hurdles and head winds that the administration has put up. Obamacare is an abject failure and will die a painful death once the Supreme court rules this spring on the subsidy and state exchanges cases, with the death of Obamacare and Harry Reid out of control of the U.S. Senate perhaps the U.S. can really make some real improvement on the jobs and economic front

[VegasVic]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The odds is USA will crash faster than China is more real

China has the correct leadership to firmly deal with the shadow loans etc and have the time and the reserves to correct this and the markets will adjust slowly to a slower China. I have been talking about this since last year because they realized they have to take firm action lest they follow USA into auto destruction of their own economy

USA on the other hand while still attempting to correct themselves doesn't have any firm leadership in place and a bi partisan government that is never going to work together ever unless there is camera kiss ass time

The only time they agree is to approve budgets to keep the government afloat as they cannot bring themselves to the realities of a Greece bailout or government revamp as the politics is difficult to steer through on whose agendas is more important

Either one crashing will bring devastating results to all the pensioners here on this forum depending on that social security check

I doubt there are many here depending on the CCP handout. I being ever Chinese have gold bars as my own backup

Larry, I'm glad to hear that you have gold bars and not mainland Chinese real estate as your "backup", because the latter is in the early stages of a very large bubble bursting, and this will eventually uncover the shadow banking system in China Over the next 10-20 years the Chinese government will have their hands full dealing with massive air and water pollution as well as internal strife

Cambodia still paying 7% fixed deposit interest if you can stomach the risk ...I posted that info on the forum cambodia banking thread

Lots of great opportunity everywhere to park cash at mate ...USA is also another location with value priced properties

Diversity is the key ...good luck !

Hey Lar it looks like Vlad jumped the Russian bond rates up to 17% overnight to try and save the floundering ruble, why don't you give those Russian bonds a taste

[seedy]

It has been classic case of American ingenuity, risk taking and the entrepreneurial spirit that has moved this sector ahead in spite of all the regulatory hurdles and head winds that the administration has put up.

At what price ? Drinking water ? Human, animal and plant health ?

So big oil, big pharma can make more money ?

But no change will happen without a reform of the election process.

And this will never happen. To much $$$ to be made.