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China has been attempting to take over the South China Sea. In response, several countries including the Philippines have faught back. The international court has ruled that China has no right to take over this area, but China claims they will not accept this ruling.

I think its interesting that piracy is increasing throughout the world. Personally, I feel that its good that other countries are working to counter this threat.

I found it interesting that American-made American flags are lower quality than those made in China. It struck me as very similar to the situation faced by the speaker who came to talk to us about her bag business: how she had to outsource because she couldn't find a quality producer in the U.S. Something that bothered me is that many of the flags are synthetic; if the government is going to hand our hundreds of free flags that might just get thrown away, it seems as though it would be better to at least make them out of renewable materials like wood and cotton. However, I suppose that may be more expensive... Also, I visited the Jinteng factory website because I was curious if they specialized in a certain type of flag or not. It turns out that they make all different types of flags depending on the order, just as the jeans we saw in China Blue varied order by order. I suspect that although some workers feel frustrated making other countries' flags, their catalog indicates that they make flags for many countries, not just one, so any anger would perhaps be less likely to be directed toward a specific country due to constantly producing their flag.

I thought that it is sad (and ironic) that, as Matthew said, our symbols of freedom and patriotism are being paid for with people's rights (in China). I had never considered how 9/11 would have caused a drastic increase in demand for American flags, and though it shouldn't have, it surprised me that the low price of American flags from retailers such as Wal-Mart does not cover the production costs of the flags. Like Larkin, I found the juxtaposition of the symbols of the flag and where it is actually made notable. I also had the same question as Alison about whether any flags are actually made in the United States. I thought that Matthew did a nice job pointing out the odd juxtaposition and talking about the production cycle of the flag.

This is the first time shots have been fired during this most recent Taiwan-China conflict. Knowing the nature of both sides' militaries, who will know what happens after this.

I've always been reminded every now in then of the conflict between these two powers that are so close together, mostly on the internet and in school. I remember when I first learned about how Taiwan considers itself independent from China and how tension has been raising throughout the years. It's crazy to see that this tension could lead to fighting between the sides and how other world powers such as the US will respond. Especially with how big trading with China is for us.

Interesting observations, Subby, Will and Duncan! Let's also remember that Taiwan was the official stand-in for "China" in the United Nations for 26 years! (1950-1976), during which the US denied China's existence and Taiwan sat in the United Nations representing all of China). Getting Taiwan back in the communist fold would represent an important piece in President Xi's geopolitical ambitions, along with subjugating the Tibetans and the Uighurs, claiming territorial rights around the human-made islands in the South China Sea, and expanding the Belt and Road initiatives all over Asia. It's a LOT.

"The New York Times'" China Times Topics page has a series of articles categorized as "Uneasy Engagement." This article casts an interesting light on Chinese culture and pride. A delegation of "Chinese cultural experts" is currently traveling across the world (specifically to American museums and institutions) to find art that they believe was once part of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. This palace was destroyed by French and British troops in 1860, and the Chinese are now attempting to reclaim their art pieces (though it is extremely difficult to prove that pieces originate from the Old Summer Palace). There are a few interesting quotes that challenge how we think about China and how China portrays itself on the international stage: " 'China is like an adolescent who took too many steroids,' said Liu Kang, a professor of Chinese studies at Duke University. 'It has suddenly become big, but it finds it hard to coordinate and control its body. To the West, it can look like a monster.' " " 'Chinese history did not start with the Qing Dynasty,' [said Wu Zuolai, a professor at the China Academy of Art.] 'This treasure hunting trip is just a political show. The media portray it as patriotic, but it's just spreading hate.' "

It's interesting how the article argues different reasons for China's "treasure hunt." If they really do want artifacts back, why aren't they looking in the right places? Do they just want to intimidate other countries? I like how this article focuses on one action/aspect of China that I would have never thought about, and how this seemingly small thing (at least to me) just adds to China's overall demeanor.

BEIJING - White House officials have lauded President Xi Jinping's anticipated promise of a national market for China in greenhouse gas quotas as a breakthrough in environmental cooperation and reform. But to work well, Mr. Xi's plan, expected to be announced in Washington on Friday, will demand big changes from a government accustomed to heavy-handed intervention and skewed statistics.

I really like the cap and trade idea because it ensures that the every firm is paying the maximum amount each is willing to spend to pollute the air. Firms that don't value being able to pollute as much can sell their permits and use the money to become more environmentally friendly. The cap and trade method encourages technological change that reduces the harm from each unit of a firm's product. As the article says, "The intended result is a competitive market that induces companies to devise ways to reduce emissions." The cap and trade method will hopefully relieve China of some of its pollution.

The national environmental quota set by the cap and trade announced by President Xi shows that there is some possibility of environmental cooperation from China, one of the world's most heavy polluters. The article voices the well founded skepticism of critics, who doubt that this new system will work well when it hasn't exactly taken off among the nations of the European Union; however, China's state is very different from its western counterparts. Comparatively, it can exact more control over its countries' businesses and factories, so this system just may be successful.

"The Story of Catherine's iPod"

The disconnect here is so weird. It begins with people digging in the mountainside with sticks, and ends with a tiny, sleek, lightweight computer that makes images flick past at the swipe of your finger and makes music. It's like magic, except instead of the instead of using "toe of newt and eye of frog" the world is making these products by allowing people to be greatly mistreated. Beyond educating people, as Arshia and Alison said, it seems we must either: find other materials to make electronics out of (although that doesn't strike me as very likely?) or pressure companies (who have the money and the leverage) to enforce better regulation. To follow up on Catherine's video, I put three t's into google and got an article about an investigation into the mining in the Congo (maybe Catherine has already seen this): http://africarising2010.blogspot.com/2009/11/tracing-3-ts-from-congo.html. It says: "Even though they found that it is relatively easy to determine the source of minerals based on different coloration and texture based on the source mine, there is insufficient regulation to make this work....Export companies are required to register with the government, but their method of determining the source of minerals they buy is to merely ask the seller whether their goods are from conflict mines. There is no system of confirming what the seller says."

This presentation kept shocking me. I was surprised to hear that basic parts of the iPod (the Three Ts) originate in the Congo rather than China. I was then shocked (and horrified) by the rape statistics. I had heard the statistics before, but not in relation to the acquisition of the Three Ts and production of products that we use. The story about the woman whose brother was ordered to rape her and then stabbed to death when he refused was particularly awful. I was also In summary, I was appalled at all the crimes that took place in the Congo- before the Three Ts even got to the factories in China that Catherine talked about. When Catherine started talking about the factories in China, I was again shocked at the working conditions- 100 workers sleeping to a room and clothes locked in a bucket with no visitors allowed (to protect the secrecy of Apple's product plans) while workers worked 15 hour days. The suicide reports from the FoxCon (spelling) factories were also shocking, as was the revelation that workers make just half of what they did in the 1800s. It was sad that the factory earns only $4 per iPod sold- while Apple earns $80. This presentation was very thought provoking- I had never assumed that Apple would be one of the "bad" companies with very questionable labor and humanitarian practices (a la Wal-Mart). Thanks for bringing it up, Catherine. I'm now thinking about it in a whole new light.

Hong Kong's government is not Hong Kong's own, its chief executive has been appointed by the central Chinese government since China regained sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. However, residents of Hong Kong have enjoyed more civil liberty than the residents of mainland China, for example the freedom of speech and it's own separate judiciary system. With residents of Hong Kong fed up with current pro-Beijing chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, and mainland China's current president, Xi Jiping, who are limiting the democratic liberties of the territory. Though mainland China has sovereignty over the domain of offshore Hong Kong, the levels of democracy in mainland China and Hong Kong are very dissimilar. In China, the internet, education systems, communities, and society as a whole are controlled by the central government, allowing the residents few civil liberties. For a while, Hong Kong, has utilized its own judiciary system and maintained its own chief executive to deal with governance, allowing Hong Kong to keep some of its Western democratic roots, from Hong Kong's time as a British colony; more recently the central government has appointed pro-Beijing (mainland) chief executives who have slowly taken more and more democratic liberties from the people. The people have taken to the streets of Hong Kong in protest asking for more democratic power in the appointment of their chief executive, but the iron-fisted Xi Jiping refuses to allow for any compromises. Xi Jiping is a strongly believes previous communist regimes fell apart because they were lax; as a result, Xi Jiping refuses to let these protests flourish or compromise with protestors because he doesn't want this to spark any freedom protests in the mainland. Yet, Xi Jiping can't use the force he would like to, because the level of force necessary to take down protests with such fervor at this scale who be reminiscent to the force used in the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. Any significant bloodshed would j

Countries are allowed to sell weapons to Sudan, but only if they receive confirmation that these weapons won't end up in Darfur. Chinese bullets were found in Darfur, which may not be China's fault, but the fact that they were trying to suppress the information is suspicious.

I think that is weird; however, it reminds me of our country. We distribute weapons to so many places around the word and i highly doubt that we know where all the weapons end up. And because China's economy is driven by exports I would like to assume the best and say that China may have given weapons to someone that second hand distributed them to allow this to happen. I don't know. It just seems possible that way.

I'm guessing that the bullet wound up in Darfur because China wasn't careful enough about where they sold them to. This isn't a problem that only China has- I think that very many countries, probably including ours, need to be more careful about where they sell weapons to. It indicates a big problem if countries are willing to sell weapons into the wrong hands to get money.

China has poured $900 billion toward revamping Serbia's infrastructure. Serbia will be along the New Silk Road: a transport corridor running from China to Western Europe. The Chinese initiative is an example of their growing sphere of influence. The EU is concerned since its relations with the West Balkan countries is already weak. 

China mocked the protests at the US Capitol yesterday, comparing them to the Hong Kong protests in 2019 which the US supported. They considered this an example of failing democracy and even equated twitter blocking Donald Trump to "having no freedom of speech."

I also agree with Maya as Twitter is a private company and no one is banning Trump from speaking to the press or any other form of public media.

This seems like such a poor argument by the CCP I'm not sure why they would even make it, seeing as Twitter is literally banned in China.

The US Secretary of Health visited Taiwan a couple of weeks ago and praised their coronavirus response, where despite being so close to China, only had around 480 cases and 7 deaths, in contrast with the US's over 5 million cases and over 180,000 deaths. China was not pleased with this visit, as it considers Taiwan as part of China, even though Taiwan is a completely democratically-run country. This visit from a top US official represents the growing tension between the US and China, which has become especially prominent during the Trump Administration.

I find it really interesting how the Trump administration is using their trip to Taiwan as a distraction so people don't focus on how poorly they dealt with coronavirus, and instead focus on how good Taiwan is doing now that America has ties with them again. It is also amazing how Taiwan was able to handle coronavirus with such a large population and many high density cities.

As many take to the streets in China to protest covid restrictions, the people's dissatisfaction with freedom of expression and democracy resurface. While the effort is valiant and Chinese politicians have made certain promises to satisfy protesters, it remains unclear whether these protest will have any long-term difference. Protests in Hong Kong in 2019 were seemingly larger and had a large impact in the moment, but after the movement was suppressed, the communist party silenced those behind them. Given this past, will these protests create any real change?

I don't any change will come. The government has all the resources needed to prevent the protests and could simply slowly deploy vaccines and lessen the restrictions to stop the protests. The protests haven't been advocating for much change in the structure of Chinese society, so the government still maintains all the power.

And now the Chinese government has softened a bit to accommodate the protestors' demands for vaccines--maybe even fewer lockdowns; but not for free speech. Let's see how that goes with the protestors; will they be appeased? See https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/01/world/asia/china-covid-protests-restrictions.html

The program China adopts coming out of COP27 is probably the most important possible change to global emissions. It's good to see that the Chinese delegation is vocal about the need to adopt sustainable practices, but it's to be seen if a mass export economy like China can afford them.

China is stepping up as a world leader on climate change, damages Western standing among developing countries and the rest of the world since they have lost the initiative in terms of global climate issues.

Really cool representation of India's rise, but also the inequality when the article mentions the "unconnected billion"

It will be interesting to see what type of role India plays diplomatically as the United States begins to favor the Indian economy.

Interesting to see how globalization has affected indian society. From what we learned about their protective economy to their shift to a more liberalized one.

This article is related to one that Curtis posted. Basically, China has a monopoly over "rare earth metals" which are vital for " wind turbines, advanced batteries, disc drives, flat-screen TVs, smart bombs," etc. The point being: it would be very bad if the rest of the world was cut off from these materials, especially for green-energy. Currently there is worry that China will become the new Saudi Arabia, except with rare earth metals instead of oil. However, we should carefully examine the facts before we brand China as the big bad materials-hog. There are some very interesting points on multiple sides of this debate in the article.

So apparently my post on Jack's article about the new 5-year plans was a little wrong. China plans to boost consumerism as well as seriously up their green industries. Which is good for them, but bad for the rest of the world. It is a little bit sobering to think about how green technologies do rely on mining - even green things still have negative environmental impacts. I guess almost everything does; maybe the least environmental impact would come from switching back to pre-industrial era technology, but that's awfully inconvenient. People have developed these technologies because they work really well and/or make our lives so much easier and more comfortable.

I find it very interesting that specialists view this decrease in an increase of GDP as a good thing. A less rapidly growing China is a more stable China.

A follow-up to the article I posted earlier about the dispute with China over maritime territory. It is interesting to watch as tensions between two of the world's greatest superpowers, one economic and one political, are resolved; neither country could thrive without the other, whereas the two governmental systems are so incompatible. The way in which the United States resolves the maritime conflict with China could very well be an indicator for the continued relationship, and future relationship, between the two countries.

When I normally think of China's vast economic growth, I have a negative image ingrained in the back of my mind. This image surrounds the ideas of the environmental degradation, the unsafe working conditions, and the fact that they are by far surpassing the United States. However, China's economic prowess has lifted 500,000,000 people out of poverty. But, it is still not perfect: China's economy depends heavily on exports to global economies thus, when these markets experience recessions China is affected. The 2008 United States Recession had a significant impact on China's fiscal success. It is suggested that China is not yet stable. Because the Communist Party is largely in-control of the government, the nation is experiencing political, social and strain. The workers are also beginning to speak out. It is interesting to watch as China rapids morphs more and more of itself into a massive economic and industrial powerhouse.

Tensions high between China and "Chinese Taipei."