2007年8月12日星期日

Trading with China

The current pre-election campaign of leading Democratic and
Republican politicians has it that Republicans tend to accept
China as an ally, while Democrats are warning that China might
turn out the most dangerous adversary to U.S. economy. $400
billion in U.S. debt, held by the Chinese, are surely a fact to
support the Democratic pre-election position of, both, Clinton
and Obama. Seen in the frame of standard foreign politics, no-
toriously demanding further steps towards democracy in China,
this could make an issue in U.S.-Chinese relationships of any
possible Democratic President.
But the Chinese are striking back. In an article, recently published
in the Chinese online-edition of People's Daily, they state that the
U.S. exportation volume towards China has risen about 240% in
the last seven years to the benefit of U.S. economy, - another fact
not easily to be discussed away. Thus, all that verbal fighting bet-
ween high-ranking Democratic and Republican politicians might
finally lead to a kind of status quo towards China to the benefit of
both countries and remain a mere expression of U.S. pre-election
entertainment.

Sources:
1) CNNMoney.com - "The China conflict" - August 9, 2007.
2) www.people.com.cn - [U.S. statistics: U.S. exportation to
China increased 240% within seven years] - August 10, 2007.

2007年2月1日星期四

Castro soon back in office ?古巴的 Castro 近再来 ?

Update:
"Live" from Caracas and Havana on October 15, 2007.
Castro now even better in shape than before.
When will he resume power ?





Update:
Now, even CNN took notice of the fact that Cuba's leader Fidel Castro
is far from dying. In a "round table interview", transmitted by Cuba's
National CUBAVISION TV, he appeared healthy enough to stand the
questions of his counterpart (June 5, 2007).



The neighbouring pictures
have been extracted from a
video, transmitted on Jan.
31, 2007, by Cuba's TV.


Another visit by Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, and Fidel Castro
on his feet again and even smiling. Could it be that his return to power
is merely a question of time ?