At least four people have died and thousands more have been displaced across Australia’s east coast by the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Oswald.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Deadly Rainstorms Ravage Eastern Australia
Deadly Rainstorms Ravage Eastern Australia:
At least four people have died and thousands more have been displaced across Australia’s east coast by the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Oswald.
At least four people have died and thousands more have been displaced across Australia’s east coast by the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Oswald.
Young Men Struggle Most in Pursuit of Stable Jobs
Young Men Struggle Most in Pursuit of Stable Jobs:
More men over 60 now have jobs than men in their 20s, a first for Korea since statistics started in 1963.
Statistics Korea on Monday said 1.8 million men aged 60 or older were in employment last year, up 100,000 from a year ago, compared to only 1.72 men in their 20s.
The number of...
More men over 60 now have jobs than men in their 20s, a first for Korea since statistics started in 1963.
Statistics Korea on Monday said 1.8 million men aged 60 or older were in employment last year, up 100,000 from a year ago, compared to only 1.72 men in their 20s.
The number of...
City running out of water
City running out of water:
In a cruel twist of fate, the flood has left Brisbane facing the real risk of running out of drinking water.
In a cruel twist of fate, the flood has left Brisbane facing the real risk of running out of drinking water.
S.Korea, U.S., Japan Must Help China Hold N.Korea in Check
S.Korea, U.S., Japan Must Help China Hold N.Korea in Check:
China is mulling a variety of measures to prevent North Korea from conducting another nuclear test, including dispatching a delegation of officials to Pyongyang.
Beijing made no great attempt to stop the North's first and second nuclear tests, suggesting that leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping'...
China is mulling a variety of measures to prevent North Korea from conducting another nuclear test, including dispatching a delegation of officials to Pyongyang.
Beijing made no great attempt to stop the North's first and second nuclear tests, suggesting that leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping'...
Google in N Korea mapping push
Google in N Korea mapping push:
Google publishes mapping information on North Korea, a country that has so far been mostly blank on the popular website Google Maps.
Google publishes mapping information on North Korea, a country that has so far been mostly blank on the popular website Google Maps.
Rescuers battle Australia floods
Rescuers battle Australia floods:
Australia is battling flooding in two states, with the inundated Queensland city of Bundaberg at the heart of the crisis.
Australia is battling flooding in two states, with the inundated Queensland city of Bundaberg at the heart of the crisis.
Several Australian Towns Flooded, 4 People Killed
Several Australian Towns Flooded, 4 People Killed:
(BRISBANE, Australia) — Thousands of Australians huddled in shelters Tuesday as torrential rains flooded cities and towns in the northeast, killing four people and prompting around 1,000 helicopter evacuations. With floodwaters expected to peak in most of the worst-hit areas later Tuesday, officials were rushing to move those in the highest-risk areas to safety. (MORE: Welsh Tourist Wrestles Shark To Save Children In Australia) In the hard-hit city of Bundaberg, 385 kilometers (240 miles) north of Brisbane, rescue crews plucked 1,000 people to safety after the river that runs through town broke its banks, sending fast-moving, muddy water pouring into streets and homes. Around 1,500 residents fled to evacuation centers, while patients at the local hospital were being airlifted to Brisbane as a precaution. “Listen to the roar of the water — that’s not helicopters,” Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said. “You see a lot of locations where there are literally sort of rapids. There’s white water out there, so it is very dangerous.” Queensland residents and officials were being particularly cautious, after floodwaters from heavy rain in late 2010 and early 2011 left much of the state under water in the worst flooding Australia had seen in decades. The 2010-2011 floods killed 35 people, damaged or destroyed 30,000 homes and businesses and left Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, under water for days. The current flood crisis was not as severe, though some areas in northern New South Wales were hit by more than half a meter (about 20 inches) of rain, State Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Steve Pearce said. Four people have died, including a 3-year-old boy who was hit by a falling tree in Brisbane. “We’re expecting flash flooding, we’re expecting trees to be brought down, wires to be brought down by these winds,” Pearce said. “We’re expecting a very challenging 24 hours in front of us.” (PHOTOS: Wildfires Scorch Australia As Temperatures Reach Record Highs) In the New South Wales city of Grafton, 600 kilometers (370 miles) north of Sydney, 2,500 people were ordered to leave their homes as the Clarence
(BRISBANE, Australia) — Thousands of Australians huddled in shelters Tuesday as torrential rains flooded cities and towns in the northeast, killing four people and prompting around 1,000 helicopter evacuations. With floodwaters expected to peak in most of the worst-hit areas later Tuesday, officials were rushing to move those in the highest-risk areas to safety. (MORE: Welsh Tourist Wrestles Shark To Save Children In Australia) In the hard-hit city of Bundaberg, 385 kilometers (240 miles) north of Brisbane, rescue crews plucked 1,000 people to safety after the river that runs through town broke its banks, sending fast-moving, muddy water pouring into streets and homes. Around 1,500 residents fled to evacuation centers, while patients at the local hospital were being airlifted to Brisbane as a precaution. “Listen to the roar of the water — that’s not helicopters,” Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said. “You see a lot of locations where there are literally sort of rapids. There’s white water out there, so it is very dangerous.” Queensland residents and officials were being particularly cautious, after floodwaters from heavy rain in late 2010 and early 2011 left much of the state under water in the worst flooding Australia had seen in decades. The 2010-2011 floods killed 35 people, damaged or destroyed 30,000 homes and businesses and left Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, under water for days. The current flood crisis was not as severe, though some areas in northern New South Wales were hit by more than half a meter (about 20 inches) of rain, State Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Steve Pearce said. Four people have died, including a 3-year-old boy who was hit by a falling tree in Brisbane. “We’re expecting flash flooding, we’re expecting trees to be brought down, wires to be brought down by these winds,” Pearce said. “We’re expecting a very challenging 24 hours in front of us.” (PHOTOS: Wildfires Scorch Australia As Temperatures Reach Record Highs) In the New South Wales city of Grafton, 600 kilometers (370 miles) north of Sydney, 2,500 people were ordered to leave their homes as the Clarence
Population could reach 6.9m by 2030: White Paper
Population could reach 6.9m by 2030: White Paper: January 29, 2013 12:00 PM
THE Singapore government is planning and investing in infrastructure ahead of time to support a population that could reach as high as 6.9 million by 2030.
THE Singapore government is planning and investing in infrastructure ahead of time to support a population that could reach as high as 6.9 million by 2030.
China 'May Send Envoy to Stop N.Korean Nuclear Test'
China 'May Send Envoy to Stop N.Korean Nuclear Test':
China is apparently minded to send officials to North Korean to dissuade the renegade country from conducting another nuclear test.
"China is looking into a wide range of measures to stop North Korea from conducting a nuclear test," said a diplomatic source in Beijing. "Those measures incl...
China is apparently minded to send officials to North Korean to dissuade the renegade country from conducting another nuclear test.
"China is looking into a wide range of measures to stop North Korea from conducting a nuclear test," said a diplomatic source in Beijing. "Those measures incl...
Sino-Japanese lexical exchange: Loanwords melting into new Chinese characters
Sino-Japanese lexical exchange: Loanwords melting into new Chinese characters:
Loanwords are well known in the field of linguistics, referring to a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language.
Loanwords are well known in the field of linguistics, referring to a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language.
China, Japan scholars seek way out in Diaoyu islands row
China, Japan scholars seek way out in Diaoyu islands row:
As fears grow over a simmering island dispute between China and Japan, scholars from both nations are hoping to lower the temperature with expansive talks in Washington in search of common ground.
The academics acknowledged that Tokyo and Beijing have major differences over the territories in the East China Sea but they saw one fundamental point in common – neither side wanted the conflict to escalate into war.
The academics acknowledged that Tokyo and Beijing have major differences over the territories in the East China Sea but they saw one fundamental point in common – neither side wanted the conflict to escalate into war.
North Korea's Rhetoric And Nuclear Capabilities
North Korea's Rhetoric And Nuclear Capabilities:
Responding to tightened sanctions and a new United Nations Security Council resolution condemning their December rocket launch, North Korea has threatened a new nuclear test, explicitly warning that the North Korean weapons program will target the United States.
Responding to tightened sanctions and a new United Nations Security Council resolution condemning their December rocket launch, North Korea has threatened a new nuclear test, explicitly warning that the North Korean weapons program will target the United States.
'Anything That Moves': Civilians And The Vietnam War
'Anything That Moves': Civilians And The Vietnam War:
In a new book, Nick Turse says the pressure on U.S. forces to produce a body count during the Vietnam War led to mass civilian deaths. "The idea," he says, "was that the Vietnamese, they weren't really people."
In a new book, Nick Turse says the pressure on U.S. forces to produce a body count during the Vietnam War led to mass civilian deaths. "The idea," he says, "was that the Vietnamese, they weren't really people."
Bo Trial 'After Parliament'
Bo Trial 'After Parliament':
China's state-run media moved to end "speculation" on Monday about the imminent trial of disgraced politician Bo Xilai, with a paper linked to the ruling Chinese Communist Party indicating it won't happen until after parliamentary meetings in early March.
The Global Times tabloid, which has ties to Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, quoted official sources as saying that Bo's trial would begin only after the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) in early March.
Next-generation Party chief Xi Jinping, who was appointed at a Party Congress last November, will formally take over from outgoing president Hu Jintao at that time.
"The information in terms of the date and location for the trial will certainly be made public in advance, and it's unnecessary to make speculations," the paper quoted the official as saying.
According to the official, the trial might be very complicated and last up to 10 days.
"Due to the complexity, the case is likely to be heard after the annual two sessions," the official was quoted as saying.
The report follows claims made by the Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao newspaper, which also has links to the Party, that Bo's trial would open at the southwestern city of Guiyang's Intermediate People's Court on Monday, sending reporters flocking to the city.
Factional fighting?
Beijing may need more time to prepare the cases against Bo although the authorities want to move quickly on the issue despite talk of factional fighting within the Party, analysts said.
Yao Jianfu, a former researcher at a State Council think-tank, said it had taken some time to prepare corruption cases against former Beijing mayor Chen Xitong and Shanghai mayor Chen Liangyu.
"It wouldn't be surprising if it took a while to come to trial," Yao said. "Both Chen Xitong and Chen Liangyu were also Politburo members, and it took more than a year for their trials to begin."
But he said the new leadership may also wish to move more quickly than that.
"If they resolve this sooner rather than later, Hu Jintao will bear responsibility for it, and the burden of sorting out the Bo Xilai issue won't fall to Xi Jinping," he said.
Political affairs commentator Gao Xin said that the delay in Bo's criminal trial suggested continuing factional strife behind the scenes at the highest levels of the Communist Party between the second generation heirs of Party elders, known as princelings, liberal reformers and the Maoist left wing.
"If these charges had been leveled against another Party member who wasn't also a member of the princelings faction, then Bo Xilai, given that his crimes have already been announced, would have been sacrificed on the altar of Xi Jinping's...anti-graft campaign by now," Gao said in a commentary broadcast on RFA's Mandarin service.
"Bo's rap sheet is enough...to get him several death sentences with immediate execution...Are the old guard putting pressure on Xi Jinping not to act? We will have to see!"
Meanwhile, writer and historian Zhang Lifan said the Ta Kung Pao report suggested that there had been a swift change of plan at the highest levels, rather than an error in the paper's journalism.
He said the trial may have been delayed because the feisty Bo was refusing to co-operate.
"There are probably factors to do with the highest levels of leadership, but probably also to do with Bo himself," Zhang said. "If he's not being cooperative, they won't be able to go ahead with a trial."
"If there was a messy situation of the kind seen at the trial of [Mao's wife] Jiang Qing, this would be embarrasing, and wouldn't reflect well on the fairness or authority of the trial," he said.
Rule of law
The speculation over the timing of Bo's trial comes after his successor in Chongqing, Huang Qifan, vowed that the city would shake off the impact of the Bo scandal and uphold the rule of law.
Bo's case was formally transferred to the judiciary earlier this month, marking the beginning of criminal proceedings.
The Party expelled Bo from its ranks in October, following accusations of corruption and sexual misconduct, later also removing his parliamentary privilege and paving the way for a criminal trial.
Bo was judged to bear "major responsibility" in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, for which his wife Gu Kailai was handed a suspended death sentence on Aug. 20, official media reports said at the time.
His former right-hand man and Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun was jailed for 15 years in September for "bending the law for selfish ends," "abuse of power," and "defection," after his Feb. 6 visit to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu brought the murder scandal to public attention.
Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
China's state-run media moved to end "speculation" on Monday about the imminent trial of disgraced politician Bo Xilai, with a paper linked to the ruling Chinese Communist Party indicating it won't happen until after parliamentary meetings in early March.
The Global Times tabloid, which has ties to Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, quoted official sources as saying that Bo's trial would begin only after the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) in early March.
Next-generation Party chief Xi Jinping, who was appointed at a Party Congress last November, will formally take over from outgoing president Hu Jintao at that time.
"The information in terms of the date and location for the trial will certainly be made public in advance, and it's unnecessary to make speculations," the paper quoted the official as saying.
According to the official, the trial might be very complicated and last up to 10 days.
"Due to the complexity, the case is likely to be heard after the annual two sessions," the official was quoted as saying.
The report follows claims made by the Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao newspaper, which also has links to the Party, that Bo's trial would open at the southwestern city of Guiyang's Intermediate People's Court on Monday, sending reporters flocking to the city.
Factional fighting?
Beijing may need more time to prepare the cases against Bo although the authorities want to move quickly on the issue despite talk of factional fighting within the Party, analysts said.
Yao Jianfu, a former researcher at a State Council think-tank, said it had taken some time to prepare corruption cases against former Beijing mayor Chen Xitong and Shanghai mayor Chen Liangyu.
"It wouldn't be surprising if it took a while to come to trial," Yao said. "Both Chen Xitong and Chen Liangyu were also Politburo members, and it took more than a year for their trials to begin."
But he said the new leadership may also wish to move more quickly than that.
"If they resolve this sooner rather than later, Hu Jintao will bear responsibility for it, and the burden of sorting out the Bo Xilai issue won't fall to Xi Jinping," he said.
Political affairs commentator Gao Xin said that the delay in Bo's criminal trial suggested continuing factional strife behind the scenes at the highest levels of the Communist Party between the second generation heirs of Party elders, known as princelings, liberal reformers and the Maoist left wing.
"If these charges had been leveled against another Party member who wasn't also a member of the princelings faction, then Bo Xilai, given that his crimes have already been announced, would have been sacrificed on the altar of Xi Jinping's...anti-graft campaign by now," Gao said in a commentary broadcast on RFA's Mandarin service.
"Bo's rap sheet is enough...to get him several death sentences with immediate execution...Are the old guard putting pressure on Xi Jinping not to act? We will have to see!"
Meanwhile, writer and historian Zhang Lifan said the Ta Kung Pao report suggested that there had been a swift change of plan at the highest levels, rather than an error in the paper's journalism.
He said the trial may have been delayed because the feisty Bo was refusing to co-operate.
"There are probably factors to do with the highest levels of leadership, but probably also to do with Bo himself," Zhang said. "If he's not being cooperative, they won't be able to go ahead with a trial."
"If there was a messy situation of the kind seen at the trial of [Mao's wife] Jiang Qing, this would be embarrasing, and wouldn't reflect well on the fairness or authority of the trial," he said.
Rule of law
The speculation over the timing of Bo's trial comes after his successor in Chongqing, Huang Qifan, vowed that the city would shake off the impact of the Bo scandal and uphold the rule of law.
Bo's case was formally transferred to the judiciary earlier this month, marking the beginning of criminal proceedings.
The Party expelled Bo from its ranks in October, following accusations of corruption and sexual misconduct, later also removing his parliamentary privilege and paving the way for a criminal trial.
Bo was judged to bear "major responsibility" in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, for which his wife Gu Kailai was handed a suspended death sentence on Aug. 20, official media reports said at the time.
His former right-hand man and Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun was jailed for 15 years in September for "bending the law for selfish ends," "abuse of power," and "defection," after his Feb. 6 visit to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu brought the murder scandal to public attention.
Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
Mapping China and the Question of a China-Centered Tributary Trade System
Mapping China and the Question of a China-Centered Tributary Trade System:
Does it make sense to refer to a Chinese “tributary system?” A number of influential Western scholars, including John Wills Jr., James Hevia and Laura Hostetler, have argued that it does not—largely on the grounds that previous China scholars, John K. Fairbank “and his followers” in particular, have over-generalized its historical significance. The result, however, has been that much of Fairbank’s painstaking and valuable research on the structure and function of the tributary system has been ignored. Although Fairbank may well have overestimated the degree to which Chinese assumptions about tribute shaped Qing policy toward foreigners, it seems absurd to suggest that they were of no consequence whatsoever.
Takeshi Hamashita provides a valuable perspective on tribute (gong) that avoids the extremes of both Fairbank and his critics. His China: East Asia and the Global Economy: Regional and Historical Perspectives (2008), makes a powerful case for the existence of a long-standing, vibrant, multifaceted and organically evolved “network of [tributary] relations linking the center and its peripheries, including the provinces and dependencies of the [Chinese] Empire, rulers of native tribes and districts, tributary states and even trading partners.” In other words, the tributary system provided a framework—both land-based and maritime—for economic and other interactions in which multiple actors played multiple roles. It may have been a “Sinocentric” system, as Hamashita avers, but it was certainly not a static or a monolithic one. As Song Nianshen emphasizes in a recent online article (see “Bibliographical Note” below), the tributary system “was an institutional mechanism mutually constructed by both the central and peripheral [East Asian] regimes.”
A balanced analysis of the so-called tributary system requires, then, a historically sensitive appreciation of its assumptions and its institutions, its theories and its practices, its goals and its actual outcomes. This kind of understanding compels us to consider, among other things, exactly how the offering and acceptance of “tribute” were conceived (by all parties; not simply the Chinese), and how much flexibility the system allowed. Clearly any conception of the tributary system that suggests a stagnant, “unchanging China” is hopelessly wrong-headed. Yet to ignore or downplay the importance of the tributary system as an important historical and cultural frame of reference for Chinese emperors and officials would be equally misguided.
Indonesia's Sexual Education Revolution
Indonesia's Sexual Education Revolution:
A movement is under way to teach students about AIDS and contraception.
A movement is under way to teach students about AIDS and contraception.
Abe Talks Tough to Bank of Japan
Abe Talks Tough to Bank of Japan:
In his first policy speech to the parliament, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reminded the Bank of Japan that it's now responsible for achieving 2% inflation.
In his first policy speech to the parliament, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reminded the Bank of Japan that it's now responsible for achieving 2% inflation.
China media: Anti-corruption drive
China media: Anti-corruption drive:
Newspaper round-up: High-profile anti-corruption campaign continues, as official channels quash speculation over Bo Xilai trial.
Newspaper round-up: High-profile anti-corruption campaign continues, as official channels quash speculation over Bo Xilai trial.
Shanghai licence plates 'precious as gold,' says vice mayor
Shanghai licence plates 'precious as gold,' says vice mayor:
If scoring a licence plate for your car in Shanghai means winning an auction, getting one for your car in the future will be akin to winning the lottery.
Li Na Finishes Second in Australian Open
Li Na Finishes Second in Australian Open:
“She's battered, she's bruised and she's quite possibly buggered," the MC announced in Li Na’s introduction to a packed Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne as she accepted the runners-up prize at the 2013 Australian Open.
Li may not have taken a second major title, but she won the hearts of Australian fans with her skill, humor and fighting spirit.
Pam Shriver, a former American tennis player and present day commentator, said on ESPN: “I’ve never seen anything like this in a major final in my 35 years. This is one of the most dramatic finals we have ever witnessed.''
The Chinese star gave everything on Saturday in the final against the world’s number one ranked Victoria Azarenka. Despite taking the first set 6-4, Li lost the last two sets to the Belarusian and for the second time in three years finished second in the tournament Down Under.
But that was not the full story. Li injured her ankle and also fell and banged her head during the match, calling a medical time out.
"I was worried when my head hit the floor because for two seconds I couldn't see anything,” said Li afterwards.
ESPN commentator and legendary former number one ranked American tennis player Chris Evert said that she couldn’t remember seeing anyone bang their head on a tennis court like Li did in the final.
Cheered on by the Aussie crowd, the 30 year-old battled on, but was unable to prevent her opponent from successfully defending her title.
Until the end, Li received the support of the local fans who cheered her every move, partly due to Azarenka’s choice to take a controversial medical timeout in her semi-final win over Sloane Stephens. Many felt she used the rule to gain an unfair advantage when she was struggling. Azarenka herself said she had a locked rib and was struggling to breathe.
"It was necessary thing for me to do,'' she said. "I just regret that I didn't take it earlier. … It got to the point that it was pretty much impossible for me to breathe and to play.
She continued, "The timing, yeah, it was my bad. The game before that, when I lost my service game, it kept getting worse. I thought I would have to play through it and keep calm. But it just got worse. You know, I had to do it."
One positive for Li to take away from this year’s Australian Open is the reminder that when she lost the 2011 Australian Open final to Kim Clijsters, she went on to win the next major tournament on the international circuit that year–the French Open.
After an indifferent 2012, Li certainly looks as if she means business in 2013. And it looks as if she enjoyed the Australian Open and the Australian Open enjoyed having her.
“She's battered, she's bruised and she's quite possibly buggered," the MC announced in Li Na’s introduction to a packed Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne as she accepted the runners-up prize at the 2013 Australian Open.
Li may not have taken a second major title, but she won the hearts of Australian fans with her skill, humor and fighting spirit.
Pam Shriver, a former American tennis player and present day commentator, said on ESPN: “I’ve never seen anything like this in a major final in my 35 years. This is one of the most dramatic finals we have ever witnessed.''
The Chinese star gave everything on Saturday in the final against the world’s number one ranked Victoria Azarenka. Despite taking the first set 6-4, Li lost the last two sets to the Belarusian and for the second time in three years finished second in the tournament Down Under.
But that was not the full story. Li injured her ankle and also fell and banged her head during the match, calling a medical time out.
"I was worried when my head hit the floor because for two seconds I couldn't see anything,” said Li afterwards.
ESPN commentator and legendary former number one ranked American tennis player Chris Evert said that she couldn’t remember seeing anyone bang their head on a tennis court like Li did in the final.
Cheered on by the Aussie crowd, the 30 year-old battled on, but was unable to prevent her opponent from successfully defending her title.
Until the end, Li received the support of the local fans who cheered her every move, partly due to Azarenka’s choice to take a controversial medical timeout in her semi-final win over Sloane Stephens. Many felt she used the rule to gain an unfair advantage when she was struggling. Azarenka herself said she had a locked rib and was struggling to breathe.
"It was necessary thing for me to do,'' she said. "I just regret that I didn't take it earlier. … It got to the point that it was pretty much impossible for me to breathe and to play.
She continued, "The timing, yeah, it was my bad. The game before that, when I lost my service game, it kept getting worse. I thought I would have to play through it and keep calm. But it just got worse. You know, I had to do it."
One positive for Li to take away from this year’s Australian Open is the reminder that when she lost the 2011 Australian Open final to Kim Clijsters, she went on to win the next major tournament on the international circuit that year–the French Open.
After an indifferent 2012, Li certainly looks as if she means business in 2013. And it looks as if she enjoyed the Australian Open and the Australian Open enjoyed having her.
Japan Ex-China Envoy: Tokyo Erred on Islands Row
Japan Ex-China Envoy: Tokyo Erred on Islands Row:
(TOKYO) — Japan’s former envoy to China says his country erred in choosing to buy islands claimed by both Japan and China last fall, infuriating Beijing, and now both sides have no choice but to allow the issue to cool. Uichiro Niwa, a former trading house executive who served as ambassador to Beijing from mid-2010 until late last year, told reporters on Monday that the purchase of the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea by Japan’s central government was poorly timed and seemed driven by factors he could not explain. (MORE: Ready or Not, Japan to Ease Rules on Foreign Intervention) “They may have had access to information that I didn’t know,” Niwa said at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “But from my personal point of view the timing was bad.” Niwa, the first private sector figure to be chosen as ambassador to China, found himself at odds with the Japanese government, especially after then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pushed ahead with a plan to buy several of the islands from their private owner. The purchase was apparently aimed at pre-empting a plan by outspoken Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara to not only buy the islands but develop them, but Beijing was outraged. The islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkakus in Japan, have been under Japanese control for decades, but Beijing says they have been Chinese territory for centuries. Taiwan also claims them. The purchase prompted sometimes violent anti-Japanese protests in China and hammered exports to Japan’s biggest overseas market. “The Japanese government should have taken into account the possibility that this may have been a point of contention,” Niwa said. At the very least, he said, Japan needed to provide “a better explanation to China and to the international community.” Niwa, whose former company Itochu Corp. has extensive interests in China, faced criticism from some in Japan for not being tough enough toward China regarding the disputed islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and a potential wealth of gas, oil and other undersea resources.
(TOKYO) — Japan’s former envoy to China says his country erred in choosing to buy islands claimed by both Japan and China last fall, infuriating Beijing, and now both sides have no choice but to allow the issue to cool. Uichiro Niwa, a former trading house executive who served as ambassador to Beijing from mid-2010 until late last year, told reporters on Monday that the purchase of the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea by Japan’s central government was poorly timed and seemed driven by factors he could not explain. (MORE: Ready or Not, Japan to Ease Rules on Foreign Intervention) “They may have had access to information that I didn’t know,” Niwa said at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “But from my personal point of view the timing was bad.” Niwa, the first private sector figure to be chosen as ambassador to China, found himself at odds with the Japanese government, especially after then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pushed ahead with a plan to buy several of the islands from their private owner. The purchase was apparently aimed at pre-empting a plan by outspoken Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara to not only buy the islands but develop them, but Beijing was outraged. The islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkakus in Japan, have been under Japanese control for decades, but Beijing says they have been Chinese territory for centuries. Taiwan also claims them. The purchase prompted sometimes violent anti-Japanese protests in China and hammered exports to Japan’s biggest overseas market. “The Japanese government should have taken into account the possibility that this may have been a point of contention,” Niwa said. At the very least, he said, Japan needed to provide “a better explanation to China and to the international community.” Niwa, whose former company Itochu Corp. has extensive interests in China, faced criticism from some in Japan for not being tough enough toward China regarding the disputed islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and a potential wealth of gas, oil and other undersea resources.
Japan erred on Diaoyus, says former China envoy
Japan erred on Diaoyus, says former China envoy:
Japan’s former envoy to China said on Monday that the purchase of the Diaoyu Islands by Japan’s central government was poorly timed.
Teenager survives ordeal in bush
Teenager survives ordeal in bush:
An Australian teenager missing for two months is found emaciated but alive in bush land on Sydney's outskirts.
An Australian teenager missing for two months is found emaciated but alive in bush land on Sydney's outskirts.
Okinawans petition Tokyo to remove all Ospreys and close Futenma
Okinawans petition Tokyo to remove all Ospreys and close Futenma:
Okinawans petitioned the Japanese government Monday to kick Osprey aircraft off the island and hurry the closure of a controversial U.S. air base there.
Okinawans petitioned the Japanese government Monday to kick Osprey aircraft off the island and hurry the closure of a controversial U.S. air base there.
Las Vegas Sands Gets Macau Boost
Las Vegas Sands Gets Macau Boost:
Las Vegas Sands won approval from the Macau government to add 200 more gambling tables to its properties, people familiar with the matter said, ahead of the biggest holiday of the year for Asia's high rollers.
Las Vegas Sands won approval from the Macau government to add 200 more gambling tables to its properties, people familiar with the matter said, ahead of the biggest holiday of the year for Asia's high rollers.
Taiwan launches 'Asian Nobels'
Taiwan launches 'Asian Nobels':
A Taiwanese businessmen puts up more than 3bn Taiwanese dollars ($103m; £65m) to establish what are being dubbed the "Asian Nobel prizes".
A Taiwanese businessmen puts up more than 3bn Taiwanese dollars ($103m; £65m) to establish what are being dubbed the "Asian Nobel prizes".
Broken Tooth and New Macau - By Benjamin Carlson
Broken Tooth and New Macau - By Benjamin Carlson:
How China crushed the triad gangs and created the world's new gambling Mecca.
How China crushed the triad gangs and created the world's new gambling Mecca.
Vietnam’s Economy: Sabotaged From Within
Vietnam’s Economy: Sabotaged From Within:
Last year saw a number of Vietnamese state-owned enterprise officials being arrested for economic crimes or “irregularities” at the companies under their care. As covered previously on Pacific Money, one of the most shocking such arrests was that of Nguyen Duc Kien, a famous tycoon and founder of one of Vietnam’s largest banks.
Less headline grabbing were the arrests of executives from the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development – also known as “Agribank”. Agribank had been suffering from a dangerously high non-performing loan (NPL) ratio which stood above 6% through the first half of 2012, as general financial distress continued to emerge across the slowing ASEAN country. Agribank, along with fellow state lender the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB), had both undergone inspections which ended in the autumn of 2012. Agribank is one of the country’s largest lenders, and as with other such state-controlled institutions had seen its business diverted for policy, rather than purely profit-oriented purposes.
Another Agribank related arrest was announced last week. This one involved former bank Chief Pham Thanh Tan, who had already (back in 2011) been removed from his post running the bank. The announcement stated that his arrest was related to his irresponsible actions which caused negative consequences during his time as Agribank chief. Indeed, the bank’s new management has been struggling to cut down the NPL ratio, and had apparently taken more than 4 percent of the ratio by the end of 2012.
The arrest is just one more shock as the government tries desperately to revive investor confidence and show that it is seriously tackling the problems of corruption and irregularities that have dogged its state-run sector – not just at the financial institutions.
China finance expert Michael Pettis wrote in a recent note on that country that financial scandals in a closed state run financial system are especially significant, because normally bad lending decisions are suppressed and sorted out behind closed doors. His observations for China are also coming true in Vietnam, which like China also recently underwent a massive credit expansion. Professor Pettis goes on to make the very interesting (for both Vietnam and China) point that:
“The late stages of a debt bubble are almost always characterized by the sudden emergence of financial fraud, and the huge extent of the frauds lead many to assume that fraud was the source of the credit problems, when in fact widespread financial fraud is more typically a symptom of a financial system that has already gone to excess.”
As previously noted, Vietnam and China share many similarities economically, and in particular in the functioning of their financial systems. Whether Vietnam is behind China (going through the struggles which affected China in the 1990s) or roughly in step (like China suffering from the problems of an imbalanced economy and an addiction to over-investment and credit) remains to be seen.
Also on January 23rd Vietnam’s central bank, the State Bank of Vietnam, announced that it was stepping up safety measures in the country’s financial system by requiring lenders to set aside larger provisions against non-performing assets. The overall NPL ratio for the country is still officially over 8 percent, and there remain many who believe the true figure to be much higher. The financial distress was exacerbated in 2012 by growth slowly to just 5%, the slowest rate of expansion in 13 years. Meanwhile annual inflation hit more than 7% in December, and is expected to continue picking up throughout 2013.
One bright spot for 2012 was net exports, which provided a modest boost to growth over the year. To keep the momentum going in 2013, the government has announced a more than 1% cut in the dong loan rate charged to exporters. It is hoped that this will help the country meet the trade ministry’s’ target of a 10 percent growth in trade this year. However the external environment will probably be as, if not more, important in determining if country is able to achieve this goal.
Last year saw a number of Vietnamese state-owned enterprise officials being arrested for economic crimes or “irregularities” at the companies under their care. As covered previously on Pacific Money, one of the most shocking such arrests was that of Nguyen Duc Kien, a famous tycoon and founder of one of Vietnam’s largest banks.
Less headline grabbing were the arrests of executives from the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development – also known as “Agribank”. Agribank had been suffering from a dangerously high non-performing loan (NPL) ratio which stood above 6% through the first half of 2012, as general financial distress continued to emerge across the slowing ASEAN country. Agribank, along with fellow state lender the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB), had both undergone inspections which ended in the autumn of 2012. Agribank is one of the country’s largest lenders, and as with other such state-controlled institutions had seen its business diverted for policy, rather than purely profit-oriented purposes.
Another Agribank related arrest was announced last week. This one involved former bank Chief Pham Thanh Tan, who had already (back in 2011) been removed from his post running the bank. The announcement stated that his arrest was related to his irresponsible actions which caused negative consequences during his time as Agribank chief. Indeed, the bank’s new management has been struggling to cut down the NPL ratio, and had apparently taken more than 4 percent of the ratio by the end of 2012.
The arrest is just one more shock as the government tries desperately to revive investor confidence and show that it is seriously tackling the problems of corruption and irregularities that have dogged its state-run sector – not just at the financial institutions.
China finance expert Michael Pettis wrote in a recent note on that country that financial scandals in a closed state run financial system are especially significant, because normally bad lending decisions are suppressed and sorted out behind closed doors. His observations for China are also coming true in Vietnam, which like China also recently underwent a massive credit expansion. Professor Pettis goes on to make the very interesting (for both Vietnam and China) point that:
“The late stages of a debt bubble are almost always characterized by the sudden emergence of financial fraud, and the huge extent of the frauds lead many to assume that fraud was the source of the credit problems, when in fact widespread financial fraud is more typically a symptom of a financial system that has already gone to excess.”
As previously noted, Vietnam and China share many similarities economically, and in particular in the functioning of their financial systems. Whether Vietnam is behind China (going through the struggles which affected China in the 1990s) or roughly in step (like China suffering from the problems of an imbalanced economy and an addiction to over-investment and credit) remains to be seen.
Also on January 23rd Vietnam’s central bank, the State Bank of Vietnam, announced that it was stepping up safety measures in the country’s financial system by requiring lenders to set aside larger provisions against non-performing assets. The overall NPL ratio for the country is still officially over 8 percent, and there remain many who believe the true figure to be much higher. The financial distress was exacerbated in 2012 by growth slowly to just 5%, the slowest rate of expansion in 13 years. Meanwhile annual inflation hit more than 7% in December, and is expected to continue picking up throughout 2013.
One bright spot for 2012 was net exports, which provided a modest boost to growth over the year. To keep the momentum going in 2013, the government has announced a more than 1% cut in the dong loan rate charged to exporters. It is hoped that this will help the country meet the trade ministry’s’ target of a 10 percent growth in trade this year. However the external environment will probably be as, if not more, important in determining if country is able to achieve this goal.
Why China Hands Think What They Think
Why China Hands Think What They Think:
These days, China books are a dime a dozen and so, too, are China analysts. Journalists, scholars, businesspeople, general foreign policy analysts, and random people living in Beijing all have something to say. To stand out, you have to bring something unique to the table—a new finding, a new framing, or, unfortunately, too often, just a willingness to say something controversial.
A new book, My First Trip to China, edited by Hong Kong-based journalist Kin-ming Liu, manages to be exceptional in a few respects. At one level, it is a great coffee table book—no pictures, but some truly fascinating reminiscences of first trips to China by a range of great scholars, as well as officials, businesspeople, activists, and journalists. The time span covering the authors’ first visits is vast—with the first trip recorded in 1942 and the last in 1986. Through the eyes of people such as Andrew Nathan, Jonathan Mirsky, Lois Snow, Sidney Rittenberg, Jerome Cohen, Steven Mosher, and others, the small details of modern—but not too modern—China come alive. The vast majority of stories are quite engaging and, since many of the authors write for a living, quite well-written as well.
At a deeper level, however, what makes this book so valuable is the entry it provides into understanding how some of the most important thinkers and actors in U.S.-China relations have had their perspectives shaped by their first trip to China. To a one, the authors approached their first trip to China with openness and excitement. Almost immediately, however, differences in outlook emerged. Ed Friedman and Jonathan Mirsky, who traveled as members of delegations and were shown a Potemkin world of China, became skeptics; their writings today reflect a continued skepticism of official Chinese proclamations. (No doubt the fact that Chinese officials locked Mirsky in his hotel room did little to endear official China to him.)
There is a special section devoted to first visits to China by Chinese expatriates, such as businessman David Tang, scholar Steve Tsang, and journalist Frank Ching that is quite moving. Each felt a sense of “going home,” although by the end of their first visits, their perspectives were radically different: Steve Tsang, for example, developed a stronger “Hong Kong” identity, while David Tang embraced the mainland as his motherland.
Still others, such as Steven Mosher and Lois Snow, had their views of China upended by a singular experience: for Mosher, it was bearing eyewitness to a forced abortion campaign; for Snow, it was Tiananmen and the heartbreaking case of Ding Zilin, a Tiananmen mother who lost her son. And of course, no “first visit to China” book could be complete without the story of Sidney Rittenberg, whose chance meeting with a group of children changed his life and made his story one of the great personal dramas of U.S.-China relations.
One of my favorite stories is that of my friend and colleague Jerome Cohen, who despite encountering numerous annoyances during his trip—such as having his hotel room bugged—manages to weave together the beauty, darkness, and absurdity of the country and its politics in one thoughtful and humorous account.
If I have one bone to pick with Kin-ming’s story selection, it is that there are so few stories written by women—only two-and-a-half (since one is a husband and wife recounting) out of thirty. I would, for example, have loved to hear from Jan Berris, who was involved in the 1972 ping-pong diplomacy and has been engaged in U.S.-China diplomacy through her work as the vice president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations ever since. However, this really is my one criticism of an otherwise wonderful book that manages to be a great read for the China novice, the China expert, and everyone in between.
A new book, My First Trip to China, edited by Hong Kong-based journalist Kin-ming Liu, manages to be exceptional in a few respects. At one level, it is a great coffee table book—no pictures, but some truly fascinating reminiscences of first trips to China by a range of great scholars, as well as officials, businesspeople, activists, and journalists. The time span covering the authors’ first visits is vast—with the first trip recorded in 1942 and the last in 1986. Through the eyes of people such as Andrew Nathan, Jonathan Mirsky, Lois Snow, Sidney Rittenberg, Jerome Cohen, Steven Mosher, and others, the small details of modern—but not too modern—China come alive. The vast majority of stories are quite engaging and, since many of the authors write for a living, quite well-written as well.
At a deeper level, however, what makes this book so valuable is the entry it provides into understanding how some of the most important thinkers and actors in U.S.-China relations have had their perspectives shaped by their first trip to China. To a one, the authors approached their first trip to China with openness and excitement. Almost immediately, however, differences in outlook emerged. Ed Friedman and Jonathan Mirsky, who traveled as members of delegations and were shown a Potemkin world of China, became skeptics; their writings today reflect a continued skepticism of official Chinese proclamations. (No doubt the fact that Chinese officials locked Mirsky in his hotel room did little to endear official China to him.)
There is a special section devoted to first visits to China by Chinese expatriates, such as businessman David Tang, scholar Steve Tsang, and journalist Frank Ching that is quite moving. Each felt a sense of “going home,” although by the end of their first visits, their perspectives were radically different: Steve Tsang, for example, developed a stronger “Hong Kong” identity, while David Tang embraced the mainland as his motherland.
Still others, such as Steven Mosher and Lois Snow, had their views of China upended by a singular experience: for Mosher, it was bearing eyewitness to a forced abortion campaign; for Snow, it was Tiananmen and the heartbreaking case of Ding Zilin, a Tiananmen mother who lost her son. And of course, no “first visit to China” book could be complete without the story of Sidney Rittenberg, whose chance meeting with a group of children changed his life and made his story one of the great personal dramas of U.S.-China relations.
One of my favorite stories is that of my friend and colleague Jerome Cohen, who despite encountering numerous annoyances during his trip—such as having his hotel room bugged—manages to weave together the beauty, darkness, and absurdity of the country and its politics in one thoughtful and humorous account.
If I have one bone to pick with Kin-ming’s story selection, it is that there are so few stories written by women—only two-and-a-half (since one is a husband and wife recounting) out of thirty. I would, for example, have loved to hear from Jan Berris, who was involved in the 1972 ping-pong diplomacy and has been engaged in U.S.-China diplomacy through her work as the vice president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations ever since. However, this really is my one criticism of an otherwise wonderful book that manages to be a great read for the China novice, the China expert, and everyone in between.
VIDEO: Australian town covered in foam
VIDEO: Australian town covered in foam:
Wild weather in the Australian state of Queensland has led to a small town becoming covered in foam whipped up by rough seas.
Wild weather in the Australian state of Queensland has led to a small town becoming covered in foam whipped up by rough seas.
The Abe Cabinet - An Ideological Breakdown
The Abe Cabinet - An Ideological Breakdown:
A breakdown of the different neo-nationalist Diet member groups to which members of Abe's cabinet belong.
A breakdown of the different neo-nationalist Diet member groups to which members of Abe's cabinet belong.
Hong Kong Journalists Protest Proposal to Restrict Information
Hong Kong Journalists Protest Proposal to Restrict Information:
Journalists in Hong Kong have issued a petition urging the government to scrap a proposed law limiting the personal data corporate directors must make publicly available. Critics argue the amendment will restrict press freedom and protect potentially corrupt directors from public scrutiny of their business holdings.
The proposed amendment would end the obligation for business directors to publish home addresses and full identity card numbers on a publicly accessible corporate register. The ...
Journalists in Hong Kong have issued a petition urging the government to scrap a proposed law limiting the personal data corporate directors must make publicly available. Critics argue the amendment will restrict press freedom and protect potentially corrupt directors from public scrutiny of their business holdings.
The proposed amendment would end the obligation for business directors to publish home addresses and full identity card numbers on a publicly accessible corporate register. The ...
Rumours swirl around Bo Xilai trial
Rumours swirl around Bo Xilai trial:
The confusing rumours over the trial of former official Bo Xilai are a sign of how little confidence many have in China's authorities, reports Damian Grammaticas.
The confusing rumours over the trial of former official Bo Xilai are a sign of how little confidence many have in China's authorities, reports Damian Grammaticas.
Royal hoax radio show cancelled
Royal hoax radio show cancelled:
The Australian radio show that made the hoax call to the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated in December is cancelled.
The Australian radio show that made the hoax call to the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated in December is cancelled.
Along Korea's DMZ, Lone Forward-Deployed US Division Stays Prepared
Along Korea's DMZ, Lone Forward-Deployed US Division Stays Prepared:
At a time of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, a quartet of U.S. Army “Abrams” M1-A2SEP tanks rolls onto the frozen ground of the Rodriguez Live Fire Range near the DMZ during one of the coldest days of the winter.
The tanks and their crews, from Dragon Company of the 1st Battalion’s 72nd Armor Regiment (1-72 AR), are a small but lethal component of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division stationed close to the tense border separating North and South Korea.
The ...
At a time of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, a quartet of U.S. Army “Abrams” M1-A2SEP tanks rolls onto the frozen ground of the Rodriguez Live Fire Range near the DMZ during one of the coldest days of the winter.
The tanks and their crews, from Dragon Company of the 1st Battalion’s 72nd Armor Regiment (1-72 AR), are a small but lethal component of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division stationed close to the tense border separating North and South Korea.
The ...
Bo Xilai trial not until March, says Chinese state media
Bo Xilai trial not until March, says Chinese state media:
Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai will not stand trial until March, state media said on Monday, as journalists descended on a court rumoured to be hearing his case this week.
New Bird Flu Case Raises Fears in Cambodia
New Bird Flu Case Raises Fears in Cambodia:
Two Cambodians have already died from bird flu in 2013, making a worrying start to the year.
Now a two-year-old Cambodian girl is in a serious condition in Phnom Penh after being hospitalized with the H5N1 virus, also known as avian, or bird, flu.
Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan, the communications officer for the World Health Organization in Phnom Penh, says the development has health professionals concerned.
“This is the fourth case this month of human influenza H5N1," Krishnan ...
Two Cambodians have already died from bird flu in 2013, making a worrying start to the year.
Now a two-year-old Cambodian girl is in a serious condition in Phnom Penh after being hospitalized with the H5N1 virus, also known as avian, or bird, flu.
Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan, the communications officer for the World Health Organization in Phnom Penh, says the development has health professionals concerned.
“This is the fourth case this month of human influenza H5N1," Krishnan ...
Seven still missing after 'freak wave' capsizes Russian fishing boat off Japan
Seven still missing after 'freak wave' capsizes Russian fishing boat off Japan:
Fifteen fishermen have been saved after a Russian vessel with 30 on board sank in the Sea of Japan Sunday afternoon. Survivors say eight fellow crew-members died of hypothermia and their bodies were eventually dumped to...
Read Full Article at RT.com
Fifteen fishermen have been saved after a Russian vessel with 30 on board sank in the Sea of Japan Sunday afternoon. Survivors say eight fellow crew-members died of hypothermia and their bodies were eventually dumped to...
Read Full Article at RT.com
It's Time To End Japan's Defense Dependence On The United States
It's Time To End Japan's Defense Dependence On The United States:
America’s war in Afghanistan is winding down, but the U.S. must worry about conflict elsewhere. Once viewed as inconceivable, war between China and Japan now looks possible, though thankfully still unlikely. Tokyo should get serious about its own defense.
America’s war in Afghanistan is winding down, but the U.S. must worry about conflict elsewhere. Once viewed as inconceivable, war between China and Japan now looks possible, though thankfully still unlikely. Tokyo should get serious about its own defense.
Eight Dead as Rescuers Search for Boat Crash Survivors
Eight Dead as Rescuers Search for Boat Crash Survivors:
At least eight sailors are presumed dead after a Russian fishing vessel sank in the Sea of Japan on Sunday, possibly because of safety violations, Russian officials said Monday.
At least eight sailors are presumed dead after a Russian fishing vessel sank in the Sea of Japan on Sunday, possibly because of safety violations, Russian officials said Monday.
Subversion trial opens in Vietnam
Subversion trial opens in Vietnam:
The trial of 22 people charged with attempting to overthrow the government has begun in the central Vietnamese province of Phu Yen, officials say.
The trial of 22 people charged with attempting to overthrow the government has begun in the central Vietnamese province of Phu Yen, officials say.
Miss Wu Trademark Gets Second Look in Taiwan
Miss Wu Trademark Gets Second Look in Taiwan:
Despite his popularity, Taiwanese-Canadian fashion designer Jason Wu had his trademark application for his Miss Wu women’s label shot down recently in his native Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese Intellectual Property Court in Taipei, the brand name doesn’t stand out enough in Taiwan, where Wu is the rough equivalent of Jones or Smith.
News of the rejection came just as Michelle Obama strutted across the stage for the inaugural ball wearing an eye-catching red dress, made of chiffon and velvet, created by Wu. The First Lady has also selected a Wu creation for the 2009 inauguration.
“#Inshock!!!” he tweeted when the First Lady stepped out, adorned in his red gown.
“When I saw it, I was just floored,” he told CBS. “I just couldn’t believe that she chose me for the second time.”
After designing Obama’s presidential inaugural ball dresses in 2009 and 2013, it would seem safe to assume that Wu, now 30, has proven himself to the patent overseers of Taipei. These gowns, after all, will be displayed in the Smithsonian’s hallowed halls and in the Presidential Library.
But he’ll have to try harder. When he applied for trademarks for haute couture and accessory lines in 2011, alongside Miss Wu, the first two were approved. Miss Wu, however, was not.
Making his case after the rejection, Wu claimed the name “Miss Wu” resembles the hoot of an owl, which is the icon featured on the label. Approved in the United States and in many European countries, the label’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection is now on sale at Nordstrom. Items in the line are priced from U.S. $195 to U.S. $795.
Taiwanese patent officials have explained that Wu is a very common surname in Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior’s Department of Population, Taiwan has 1,989 surnames, of which Wu ranks seventh, accounting for 4.04 percent of the population. For perspective, the top ten surnames on the island account for 53 percent of its population.
What would it take to change the verdict in Taiwan?
According to Wang Mei-hua, director-general of the Intellectual Property Office in Taipei, Wu has not yet provided enough evidence in terms of sales volume, market share, retail foothold and advertising figures to make a definitive case.
“Since both Taiwan’s First Lady Chow Mei-ching and Michelle Obama have worn Miss Wu-branded dresses over the past couple of years, Wu may be granted a trademark registration for the label if he applies again this year,” Wang told Focus Taiwan, adding that he must prove that “Miss Wu” is a fashion label uniquely linked to him.
It remains to be seen whether Wu can win over Taiwan’s patent authorities this year. And while the preferences of America's First Lady may help his case, even in matters of style, data prevails.
Jonathan DeHart is assistant editor for The Diplomat.
Despite his popularity, Taiwanese-Canadian fashion designer Jason Wu had his trademark application for his Miss Wu women’s label shot down recently in his native Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese Intellectual Property Court in Taipei, the brand name doesn’t stand out enough in Taiwan, where Wu is the rough equivalent of Jones or Smith.
News of the rejection came just as Michelle Obama strutted across the stage for the inaugural ball wearing an eye-catching red dress, made of chiffon and velvet, created by Wu. The First Lady has also selected a Wu creation for the 2009 inauguration.
“#Inshock!!!” he tweeted when the First Lady stepped out, adorned in his red gown.
“When I saw it, I was just floored,” he told CBS. “I just couldn’t believe that she chose me for the second time.”
After designing Obama’s presidential inaugural ball dresses in 2009 and 2013, it would seem safe to assume that Wu, now 30, has proven himself to the patent overseers of Taipei. These gowns, after all, will be displayed in the Smithsonian’s hallowed halls and in the Presidential Library.
But he’ll have to try harder. When he applied for trademarks for haute couture and accessory lines in 2011, alongside Miss Wu, the first two were approved. Miss Wu, however, was not.
Making his case after the rejection, Wu claimed the name “Miss Wu” resembles the hoot of an owl, which is the icon featured on the label. Approved in the United States and in many European countries, the label’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection is now on sale at Nordstrom. Items in the line are priced from U.S. $195 to U.S. $795.
Taiwanese patent officials have explained that Wu is a very common surname in Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior’s Department of Population, Taiwan has 1,989 surnames, of which Wu ranks seventh, accounting for 4.04 percent of the population. For perspective, the top ten surnames on the island account for 53 percent of its population.
What would it take to change the verdict in Taiwan?
According to Wang Mei-hua, director-general of the Intellectual Property Office in Taipei, Wu has not yet provided enough evidence in terms of sales volume, market share, retail foothold and advertising figures to make a definitive case.
“Since both Taiwan’s First Lady Chow Mei-ching and Michelle Obama have worn Miss Wu-branded dresses over the past couple of years, Wu may be granted a trademark registration for the label if he applies again this year,” Wang told Focus Taiwan, adding that he must prove that “Miss Wu” is a fashion label uniquely linked to him.
It remains to be seen whether Wu can win over Taiwan’s patent authorities this year. And while the preferences of America's First Lady may help his case, even in matters of style, data prevails.
Jonathan DeHart is assistant editor for The Diplomat.
Abe tones down his China rhetoric
Abe tones down his China rhetoric:
JAPAN'S hawkish new Prime Minister has avoided any mention of China in his first major policy speech.
JAPAN'S hawkish new Prime Minister has avoided any mention of China in his first major policy speech.
Latitude: Is Moscow Setting the Russian Opposition's Agenda?
Latitude: Is Moscow Setting the Russian Opposition's Agenda?:
Has Putin's regime hijacked the Russian opposition's agenda by provoking it to protest increasingly absurd and aggressive laws?
Has Putin's regime hijacked the Russian opposition's agenda by provoking it to protest increasingly absurd and aggressive laws?
North Korea in the Dark
North Korea in the Dark: 
Pyongyang’s horrific human rights record must be placed on the world’s agenda.
Pyongyang’s horrific human rights record must be placed on the world’s agenda.
Russia set to start posthumous trial of whistleblower Magnitsky
Russia set to start posthumous trial of whistleblower Magnitsky:
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia prepared to put whistleblowing lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial more than three years after his death, with a preliminary hearing set for Monday in a move relatives and rights groups called politically motivated and a travesty of justice.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia prepared to put whistleblowing lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial more than three years after his death, with a preliminary hearing set for Monday in a move relatives and rights groups called politically motivated and a travesty of justice.
Japan voters split on revising pacifist constitution: poll
Japan voters split on revising pacifist constitution: poll:
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese voters are divided over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's goal of revising the post-World War Two pacifist constitution to ease limits on the military, although nearly 90 percent of lower house lawmakers back the change, an opinion poll showed.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese voters are divided over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's goal of revising the post-World War Two pacifist constitution to ease limits on the military, although nearly 90 percent of lower house lawmakers back the change, an opinion poll showed.
Dead end trail to Bo trial in China's south
Dead end trail to Bo trial in China's south:
GUIYANG, China (Reuters) - China scotched reports that disgraced politician Bo Xilai's much anticipated trial would open on Monday, amid chaotic scenes at a courthouse packed with expectant journalists in the south of the country.
GUIYANG, China (Reuters) - China scotched reports that disgraced politician Bo Xilai's much anticipated trial would open on Monday, amid chaotic scenes at a courthouse packed with expectant journalists in the south of the country.
China says concerned by Japan's move to boost military
China says concerned by Japan's move to boost military:
BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed concern on Monday after Japan unveiled plans to boost the number of its military personnel, as a bitter territorial dispute between the two countries drags on.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed concern on Monday after Japan unveiled plans to boost the number of its military personnel, as a bitter territorial dispute between the two countries drags on.
In Beijing, No Tears Over Clinton's Departure
In Beijing, No Tears Over Clinton's Departure:
It's no surprise to hear that China is looking forward to the end of Hillary Rodham Clinton's tenure as U.S. secretary of state, as a number of academics within Beijing's foreign policy establishment have suggested.
It's no surprise to hear that China is looking forward to the end of Hillary Rodham Clinton's tenure as U.S. secretary of state, as a number of academics within Beijing's foreign policy establishment have suggested.
Toyota Back in Top Spot
Toyota Back in Top Spot:
Toyota Motor retook the title of world's largest auto maker, beating out General Motors and Volkswagen. Toyota's 2012 global sales rose 23% to 9.75 million vehicles.
Toyota Motor retook the title of world's largest auto maker, beating out General Motors and Volkswagen. Toyota's 2012 global sales rose 23% to 9.75 million vehicles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
