EAST ASIA: China and South Korea

Posted on May 7, 2008 by elmvic88

Issues in China:

·                    Snowstorm in China

·                    Inflation in China

·                    China increasing military spending

·                    Taiwan independence and its new policy

·                    Tibetan independence

Snowstorm in China:

On the end of the January it was snowstorm in China where 28 million people were affected. It is the issue because it tolerated economic loose approximately 2,5 billion dollars. Moreover, snowstorm affected half of China, exactly 31 provinces and regions. On January 25th January, approximately, 13,500 base stations did not have the power, which affected 21 million users. Furthermore, this environmental accident costs China 4,5 billion dollars.1

From my point of view snowstorm in China is the Global Issue because there were huge economic loose, moreover serious economic consequences has followed after this issue (“Inflation”), which affects economy of its country.

Inflation in China:

The next issue, which emerged after snowstorm, is Inflation in China. In January inflation in China raised to 7,1%, on February it increased to 8,7 %. Prices on foods sharply raised. Price on pork increased to 63,45, fresh vegetables 46%, cooking oil was up 41% (With comparison to February 2007, according to the Bureau of Statistics). In 2007 China achieved the record in trade. It is asserted that high inflation makes pressure on Chinese Yuan, may increase exchange value, can decrease export of the country. Raise in exchange value would decrease the trade, which achieved peak in 2007, and China achieved record

.2

 

China increasing military spending

 

The next issue, which concerns China, is that they are going to increase its military spending. According to Minister of defense of China Tsan Enchu, it’s military spending will increase to the 417,769 billion Yuan, or 58,76 billion US dollars.

According to Pentagon and Izvestia Russia is major supply of arms for China.  Russia’s export increased to 7 billion in 2007. Moreover, Russia sales its arms into China and India.

According to the Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanonov Russian military spending is 821 billion Rubles for 2008, in 2007: 860 billion $.

According to the representatives of US, their military spending for 2007 was 436, 6 Billion $ including the 70 billion $ for military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan

According to the National Representative of China Tsan Enchu: China’s military spending was 350,92 billion Yuan (44,94 billion$) in 2006.

According to the Pentagon repost Chinese military spending in 2007 was between 97 billion$ and 139 billion$.

However, according to China, they claim that Chinese military spending in 2007 was 45 billion $.

According to Russian sources USA’s military spending is 6 times more than Russia and China.3

Taiwan independence and its new policy

The another issue which occurred in China was the “Taiwan independence and its new policy.”

They wanted its independence and to join UN under the name Taiwan, not China

China threatened Taiwan to use force of its military spending.

Taiwan and China split in 1949, however, for China Taiwan is its mainland.

For the answer to China Taiwan increased it’s military spending to 3% (399,5billion Taiwan Dollars, 27 billion US dollars.)(According to Taiwan President Chen Shui Byan)

According to Taiwan their military spending in 2007 was 2,85%, in 2006 it was 2,6%.

In 22 march 2008, it was election in Taiwan, there were two main candidates. Mr. Ma and Mr. Hsieh.  Mr. Ma won the elections. He carries out new policy, claiming that he prefers good relations with China. Moreover, he has established the agreement, which asserts the formal peace with China.4

Tibetan independence

Tibet wants its independence toward China.  According to China Tibet is part of China since middle 13th century, and now, they should be under control of China. According to BBC report Tibetans are angry to China, because Chinese migrants that enter to Tibet, and occupy high position in jobs. Moreover, Tibetans claim that they suffer from Chinese inflation.

Tibet was independent until 1951. In 1950 China sent troops there. Moreover, according to BBC Tibet is well known for Western people because of Dalai Lama. He received Nobel Prize in 1989.

Furthermore, China shows force to Tibetan Protest. According to BBC report there is military force in Lhasa.5

According to BBC, (27 March 2008), journalists were allowed to enter Tibet. Associated Press says that one of the monk was shouting, “Tibet is not free, Tibet is not free”, before he started crying.

On 10th March the protests were started. According to China, 19 people were killed by demonstrators. Tibetan government says that 140 people were killed by Chinese force.6

In conclusion, we can observe that there are different issues in China. And still, just one issue was solved, Taiwan, with its new policy, which prefer good ties with China.

Issues in South Korea:

 

·        North and South Korean relations

·        US troops in South Korea

 

North and South Relations

Kaesong is a city of North Korea, which during the Korean Dynasty was the capital of Korea. Nowadays, Kaesong is an industrial region. On 25th March 2008, from the Kaesong company 11 employees of South Korea were discharged.

On the different media appeared such information, “On 28th March at 10.30 North Korea fired missiles to the West Sea”.

According to Experts, there are more than 1000 missiles in North Korea; at least 800 of these missiles are ballistic, which can attack the whole South Korea and its neighbor country, Japan.

Moreover, to this event with firing missiles there is different point of views:

According to spokesman of South Korea Lee Dong Kwan:

“We believe that North Korea does not want a deterioration between South and North”.

While, the President of South Korea Lee Myuing Bak, South Korea will cooperate in the economic sphere with Peong Yang, in the case if North Korea fully disables nuclear facilities.

The USA also, has its own point of view. According to the US: “US wants NK fully to declare nuclear weapons stockpile and answer US suspicion of nuclear proliferation of a secret uranium enrichment

”.7

North Korea’s  point of view:

 

 “If US continues to delay resolution of the nuclear problem by insistency on something which does not exist, it gave impact on the disablement of nuclear facility that has been sought so far”

a foreign ministry spokesman said.8

 

US troops in South Korea.

American troops came into South Korea in 1945, after the Second World War. In 2004, in South Korea were, approximately, 37500 US troops.  In 2008 there were 25000 US troops. There are different conflicts concerning the US troops in South Korea such as:

·        Damaging Environment

·        Raping

 

 

Conflict is given by K. Heldman, December 19, 1996:

According to this author, US soldiers 18 to 25 years old, were involved in drinking and raping. Moreover, for the question about the involvement in the raping in the last twelve-month (1995) 5 percent of US soldiers answered “yes”. For example, in 1993, Korean woman, Kum E.Yoon was raped and murdered by American Soldier Kenneth Markle.9

On February 2000, South Korean citizens accused the US troops in dumping the harmful chemical into the South Korean Han River. Population of South Korea uses this river for drinking, and fishing. This chemical can cause the cancer. That’s why it was big issue for South Korean people.

Nowadays, The American forces in South Korea asking to allow live with their families.10

In conclusion, North and South Korean relations are in controversial situation. In the future, we can be witnessed on what position their relations will be: negative or position.

Issue concerning with US troops has been solving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


4 Taiwan military spending 4-6 March 2008 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Taiwan_boosts_military_spending_amid_China_increase_999.html

http://www.fxstreet.com/news/forex-news/article.aspx?StoryId=6137cf6d-19b5-4b05-825d-

e48532eb78de

 

Taiwan’s elections 22 March 2008

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7309113.stm

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2008/03/23/2196844.htm

 

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One Response

  1. World Business Directory, on May 7th, 2008 at 3:33 pm Said:

    Excellent! Thanks for doing this…it’s really nice to know that I’m not alone on a lot of these things.

    Reply

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