While the Trump administration is embroiled with Russiagate last week, China quietly took over the international stage. China hosted a summit on its $900 billion Belt and Road Initiative. This creates a trade and infrastructure network that pass through south and central Asia to Africa and Europe. Part of it traces through the old Silk Road trade route. Third world countries such as from Pakistan to Kenya may benefit from this. Of course, China is not doing this for pure benevolent reasons. This will help China become the top trade partner with a number of countries. It is also a way of building soft power that will make it eventually a super power opposing the U.S.
Of course, this may not work the way China wants it to. Already there are grumbling about Chinese workers getting the jobs the locals need and want. It is not clear that the railroads and ports that China is building will be profitable. And when one ethnic or national group become a dominant force in a county, there is bound to be resentment toward the group. So instead of the term ugly Americans, there will be a term of ugly Chinese soon enough. But as a Trump administration looks inward, a Chinese push outward is going to help China in this attempt to catch up to the U.S. in the world stage.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
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I didn't hear about this Belt and Road Initiative until now. It's an interesting concept, but shows China's willingness to expand trade and be a more capitalistic country. Money talks and I wonder what the U.S. position will be on this. Do you ever see a future that China becomes a democracy? I never thought the Soviet Union would break up and Russia would become a democracy (even though that is in question).
ReplyDeleteI caught DWTS last night. This is going to be a close finish but I predict that Rashad will win tonight.
-LBOAYM
The U.S. doesn't like this initiative and only sent a low level diplomatic team to it. Originally it was translated into English as the Belt and Road Forum. The U.S. was only to0 gleeful to call it BARF! China quickly changed the translation! You know, changes take time. The progress China made from Mao's Cultural Revolution to now is amazing. It will probably beyond our life time for China to become a democracy. But I think eventually will happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Rashard is on a roll and based on the scores he should win. I still think Kordei is a better dancer for the whole season. But she had a hiccup last week and most people probably think that she has the advantage of having Val as the pro. So I would think that Rashard may pull it out.
Well you obviously can't go by the scores, since the baseball player made it to the final 2. I still blame the judges for his high scores. The 9's he received the last 3 weeks have been too high. You judge his routines with others who scored the same and his don't stack up. So if he received 8's on his routine last night, he might not be in the top 2.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see that Trump's budget plan came out while he was out of the country. I haven't heard anything good about it unless you are rich. I don't see how this plan will get passed without some changes.
-LBOAYM
Ross actually got some 8s in the past week, which is very low for a finalist. He was not going to win unless people split the votes between the other two down the middle. I don't think that is likely but could have happened. I think the right person won because it was mentioned that Rashad practiced 100 hours more than the next person. That kind of work ethic should be rewarded. By the way, on Monday each couple had to redo the dance they did the worse during the season. Both men had to redo the Viennese Waltz. I find that to be the most challenging dance. So I am glad that even professional athletes have problems with that one.
ReplyDeleteThe only good thing about the budget plan is that it will not be passed as is. Just like their healthcare plan, the GOP is not living in the real world.
Did you see the Montana congressional candidate attacked a reporter? I wonder if it would cause him the election. There are a lot of early ballots cast already and I wonder if the people would actually believe what happened or are they going to call it fake news. Supposedly 3 Fox reporters witnessed it and agreed with the journalist's story so I don't think it was made up by the liberal press. Someone with that temperament should not be elected but I guess it can happen!
I heard about the Montana candidate. He claims to say that he didn't even touch the reporter. I actually think it might help him, since Trump supporters will come out to support him now. They love it when a politician or public figure does something nasty to a member of the press.
ReplyDelete-LBOAYM