China: one country, two economies, two strategies – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

The Taiwanese economy has two parts: one that is focused on domestic progress and the other on imports. The structure is purpose because its currency, the RMB, is not fully foldable and its market is not readily available.

Exports help exposure sources for the development of dual-use Chinese tech. However, if exports and their derived profit decline, the overall layout may experience a significant loss. It’s a race against time. If Chinese technology outpaces American technology, Beijing’s strategy does succeed while the US appears uncertain about its path ahead.

China has two markets that operate in horizontal. They influence each different, yet they live about independent life. One is the local market, which is currently suffering from sagging demand and debt. The other has a formidable import industry, and it is flourishing and booming.

The two have a special relationship with one another, as Michael Pettis&nbsp, lately pointed out. Regional development is stalling, driven by facilities investments with declining profits and reliability, while the development is led by online exports, which” contributed 30.3 % to GDP growth in 2024, their highest share since 1997″.

The effect is one of the fastest-rising debt-to-GDP ratio in world history. In 2025, it could be over 300 % of GDP, with a total budget deficit of 14 %, producing a mere 5 % growth.

Pettis underlines:” If China’s trade surplus were to deal in 2025, it means that a larger share of China’s 2025 GDP growth has come from non-productive investment and, with that, China’s debt ratios may increase more fast”.

From this analysis come many questions. The issue has been around for a long time. Rudi Dornbusch, Francesco Giavazzi, and I discussed it in 1999 in Beijing. The idea that China had to make up for its debt-laden infrastructure build-up and export-driven growth was expressed in a 2007 essay and many subsequent discussions in Beijing and at conferences in those years.

To do that, it had to boost private consumption. Yet the Chinese saved more than 50 % of their income because they had no social security, they paid directly for their health care, children’s education, retirement and unemployment. Consequently, they had little real disposable income.

Purchasing a home represented a future investment. The government needed to create a welfare state to free up available income quickly in order to encourage private spending.

However, to do so, it had to increase personal taxes. No one enjoys paying taxes, but when personal taxes rise, people will demand that the state clearly explains how their money is spent. It’s the old principle of” no taxation without representation”.

The slide toward democracy seemed inevitable, and I anticipated a crisis would arise around 2022 without a tax-driven welfare state. By then, the return on investment in developing infrastructure would have already decreased because the majority of the country’s most populated areas ‘ railways, metro systems, and roads had already been constructed.

Additionally, real estate-driven growth would cease because there would be no people without homes, whether in the cities or the countryside, and the trade surplus would grow too large to be sustainable globally.

Moreover, around 2020, based on projections from those years, China’s GDP could have been almost as large as that of the United States, which could trigger a significant rivalry if left unmanaged.

In 2022, China held a crucial party congress at which time the previous constitution only allowed two terms for Chinese President Xi Jinping to be confirmed for a third term. Historically, under such circumstances, a political crisis can occur. Xi pre-empted this threat by changing the constitution.

There were far too many risks for everything to go right. Something indeed went wrong besides Covid-19, which broke out in 2020.

China could help in urbanizing half of the population who is still residing in the countryside and further increase domestic demand by reversing the decline in real estate development and domestic demand. A plan calling for hundreds of new cities, which the central government supported, would allow residents of these cities to leave their agricultural land behind.

In the past 20 years, “migrant workers” have been a source of economic growth in China. They came to the cities for jobs and then moved back to the countryside if they were laid off.

The modest agricultural income served as a sort of social cushion. The state had access to a low social welfare system while the private sector had access to a free labor market. The shortcomings were low agricultural yields, low agricultural mechanization, and food safety concerns ( too many producers with too few checks ).

Increased urbanization would increase food production and safety, but it would also require a better safety net for farmers who permanently relocate to cities. The 2008 financial crisis and its consequences disrupted these plans and trajectories.

China suffered a significant psychological blow as a result of the financial crisis. It demonstrated to pragmatic Chinese leaders that China would benefit from continuing to pursue its development path if the American economic system were flawed. This, in turn, altered all Chinese priorities and choices in the following years.

Tech drive

Financing China’s technological advancement of American industrial technology was a crucial component. In 2009, the United States and China failed to agree on what China saw as strategic—transferring new technology, with potential dual-use capabilities, to China. A deal between the United States and China regarding green technology, which would have opened the door to technology transfer, was not reached.

In 2010, the United States made the announcement to launch its” Pivot to Asia,” which sounded ominous to China, causing Beijing to enter a technology race to eventually empower its army in the face of American military conflict.

To advance in this race, China needed better tech exports. To produce the best quality-price ratio on the market, it required a sizable trade surplus that would allow for homegrown research and development.

Consequently, it could not afford to fund a welfare state that might boost domestic demand. However, it would raise production costs and erode China’s export competitiveness, thereby reducing its surplus to be used to finance technological advancements.

Since 2010, the race has become increasingly strategic. Beijing has pushed for an expansion of trade surpluses and a technological lead rather than a balanced economic growth.

Meanwhile, even before Covid-19, the Chinese economy faced a slowdown due to the real estate crisis and diminishing returns on infrastructure projects. It has now turned into a race against time to create cutting-edge technology before the nation’s economy collapses.

For social and strategic reasons, welfare or democracy have become a risky. This account accounts for 40 % of China’s disposable income, compared to 80 % in developed nations. Increased direct or indirect payments would in fact increase domestic consumption, but they would also undermine the trade surplus and, consequently, China’s technological rivalry with the US.

Therefore, granting absolute legal protection to private property could enhance entrepreneurship and consumption but would, in effect, undermine the pervasive party control.

Tom Orlik, in a recent article, makes some interesting points. According to Zhongnanhai, he says, the Chinese economy is geared not on simple numbers but on tech and export goals. Export has its own life of its own. Not blazing new trails, but rather catching up is what it is about.

Olrik writes:

Development is more motivated by acquiring more of the same technologies as it is to create new ones. At China’s current level of development, a no-frills financial system can do the job of channeling funds to priority projects… Even as the slow-motion collapse in real estate dents short-term growth, and market sentiment remains near rock bottom, there are signs that Beijing’s strategy is starting to pay off…&nbsp,

The balance of China’s economy is shifting rapidly. In 2020 … property accounted for 24 % of GDP and high-tech sectors for 11 %. In 2024, property had fallen to 19 % while high-tech had grown to 15 %. By 2026, China’s economy will very likely be fueled more by silicon than cement— an important step forward.

The Wall Street Journal reported&nbsp, that “it isn’t just artificial intelligence—Chinese biotechs are now developing drugs faster and cheaper than their U. S. counterparts”, what about secretive military tech?

The complex pay-off is:” China has perfected the Japanese&nbsp, kaizen&nbsp, model of incremental, marginal improvements to existing technologies”. Therefore, the race is on. It will be important to see if Chinese high-tech exports can quickly cover the rising domestic debt this year and next.

A war of plans

It is an issue of technology and politics. Will Trump’s tariffs undercut Chinese direct exports without opening new markets for Chinese goods in third nations affected by new US affirmative actions, and will the Chinese surplus manage to not irritate too many people?

Many people in Beijing may bet on Trump’s ability to burn numerous American bridges and quicken the US crisis, allowing China to adjust, survive, and ultimately emerge victor.

Beijing may be correct, but Washington is mistaken. According to the Financial Times, “experts in Beijing said talks may have stalled because Trump was requesting American buyers for the short video platform TikTok or pressing Russia into action over its invasion of Ukraine.”

Russia and Iran are both linked to China’s support. Only Iran has room to step back and make concessions, as seen in the truce in Gaza, where Hamas ( Iran’s proxies ) caved, possibly because of Tehran’s pressure after many setbacks.

Putin has perhaps less space to maneuver, he’s under much more pressure.

Still, if everything fails, Beijing may already have a plan B. It could shut the economy, blame foreign envy and aggression, and veer toward a” North Korea” option. It would be painful and risky, but it’s an option.

According to John Sullivan, a seasoned US expert on Chinese strategy,” Military struggle is not just a battle of military forces between adversaries but also a battle of comprehensive national power ( CNP),” according to the&nbsp,” Science of Military Strategy” ( 2020 ). Therefore, CNP serves as the objective material foundation for formulating and implementing strategies”.

The idea derives from ancient Chinese classics, which state the ability to sustain a military-non-military conflict as well as the possibility of fielding soldiers in battle. The US, according to the Chinese, also employs a similar strategy with the Office of Net Assessment at the Pentagon.

So, what is the West thinking? Ten years ago, Michael Pillsbury, in his&nbsp,” The Hundred-Year Marathon”, rang the alarm about China’s long-term plan to challenge the US and urged a wide array of long-term reforms to deal with it.

To deal with the influx of millions of Chinese graduates, one suggestion was a radical education reform in America. This is not happening. It’s not clear whether the wave of ongoing US deregulation will impact some of America’s basic weaknesses.

Something in America may not be working. In the first Trump administration ( 2016-2020 ), the US announced a decoupling policy but backed away, thinking it was too costly and ineffective.

The following Biden administration ( 2020-2024 ) ushered in a delinking policy, forbidding US high-tech exports to China. However, America appears to be hesitant on it because it thinks it is ineffective and criticizes Chinese ingenuity.

With Covid-19, China was quick to market its vaccines, which eventually proved less effective than those marketed later by Western companies. Is the same happening with these latest Chinese technologies?

Perhaps it’s only a propaganda gimmick. China might believe that confusing technology presented quickly may be sown. But American tech could be the same—a game of smoke and mirrors.

One thing is still unanswered: China appears to have a clear strategy for dealing with China, but it’s not clear whether there is a plan A or B.

With kind permission, this article originally appeared on Appia Institute. Read the original here.

Continue Reading

Map wars in the Middle East – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

Maps are widespread – on devices, in-flight and car shows, and in books the world over. While some drawings outline and name lands and limitations, others show distinct election blocs in elections, and GPS devices help drivers navigate to their location.

But no matter the goal, all maps have something in common: They are social. Making drawings involves deciding what to leave out and what to include. They are content to variety, classification, ideas and simplifications. And as I do, studying the choices that go into creating maps may show various tales about the people who claim it as their own.

Nothing else is this more accurate than in the disputed areas, which include today’s Arab lands and modern-day Israel. Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, various political interest groups and political organizations have engaged in what can best be described as “map warfare.”

Maps of the area use the designation of locations, the borders, and the inclusion or omission of some territories to provide opposing political viewpoints. Depending on the political will of their creators, Israel or the Arab lands may still appear on some drawings today.

A lot has changed since the release of this 1750 image of Palestine. Map: Ken Welsh / Design Pics / Universal Images Group via Getty Images / The Talk

This extends to the Middle East as well; “map war” are occurring all over the world. Some of the more well-known example include problems between Ukraine and Russia, Taiwan and China, and India and China. All of the nation-states are engaged in regional integrity debates.

Usually, maps have been used to represent notions, cultures and perception systems. Charts that represented spatial relations within a given country were crucial to the formation of nation-states by the 17th centuries. These standard drawings were useful in annexing territories and establishing property rights. In fact, to chart a state that is supposed to possess control and understand it.

More just, the tools for making charts have become more widely available. Anyone can now create and share “alternative maps” that provide various viewpoints on a given area and make various geopolitical claims using a computer and access to the internet.

And maps created in a fight location, like those made in Israel and the Palestinian territories, provide a fascinating insight into the interaction between mapmaking and politics.

Mapping the Middle East

American surveyors mapped the lands to exercise their dominance over the area and its persons during the American Mission of Palestine, which lasted from 1917 to 1947. It attempted to replace the unofficial Ottoman land statements of the time.

Just about 20 % of the area of what is known as traditional Palestine had been mapped by the establishment of Israel in 1948, which has fueled land problems to this day. The newly established state of Israel was able to consider the majority of the territories as state property thanks to American mapping efforts and their omissions, delegitimizing Arab property claims.

A black and white map shows different shaded areas, some with 'Arab' superimposed.
The Arab condition recommendations made by the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine in 1947 are depicted on a chart. The places that have not been cleared are included in the proposed Israeli state. Barker Archives/Getty Images

Maps also played a role in the creation of the Jewish position. Geologists and designers mapped the property to allocate land freedom, and they helped create the country’s infrastructure, including roads and railroads.

But charts also helped build a sense of nationhood. “logo” charts are used to represent a country’s structure when they define its national boundaries. They may foster a sense of regional harmony and belonging.

Once established, the Jewish state remade the drawings of the area. Hebrew names were created by the Israeli Governmental Names Commission to exchange previously Muslim and Biblical names for various towns and villages on the standard map of Israel. Originally Israeli topographies and locations were also left out of the map at the same time.

Some Israeli mapmakers, however, continue to create maps that include Palestinian-named landmarks and depict pre-1948 Israeli history, which includes an area that extends from the Jordan River in the west to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. These charts are used to support Palestinians ‘ right to get and cultivate a sense of national unity.

A woman in a headscarf holds up a map
A Arab woman holds up a diagram of the British-occupied Palestine during a demonstration in Gaza City on February 27, 2020. Photo: Mohammed Abed / AFP via Getty Images / The Talk

Israeli cartographers who collaborate with the Palestinian Authority, the system that has limited civil authority over the Arab enclaves in the West Bank, create official maps of the West Bank and Gaza in the wish of creating a future state of Palestine.

By marking the West Bank and Gaza as distinct from and occupied by Israel, they align their drawings with UN efforts to chart the territories in accordance with international law.

After the 1967 conflict between Israel and its Muslim relatives, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza. As a result, image war intensified, particularly between various fractions within Israel. The left-wing “peace camp“, which was dedicated to territorial compromises with the Palestinians, was pitted against an Israeli right wing committed to reclaiming the” Promised Land” for ensuring Israeli security.

Such conflicting political viewpoints are still present in the drawings created. Peace station drawings agree to the territorial delimitation established by international law. They include, for instance, the globally renowned Green Line, which separates Israel from the West Bank. Standard maps produced by the Israeli government, by comparison, stopped delineating the Green Line after 1967.

Broader and boundary problems

Maps have also played a significant role in irregular efforts to establish peacefulness in the region because various interest groups and social actors have used them to make competing political claims.

The 1993 Oslo Accords, for instance, relied on drawings to provide the platform for Arab self-rule in return for protection for Israel. A permanent peace agreement would be reached based on the boundaries established in these charts after a five-year time period.

A map with certain areas highlighted in yellow.
A chart of the West Bank with proposed Palestinian-controlled areas in bright, as per the Oslo II Accords. Map: Wikimedia Commons

Therefore, Israeli planners and auditors mapped the country allocated to a future condition of Palestine. Israeli experts continue to map the territories in order to prepare for governing them despite the Oslo Accords ‘ promise of merely a future state and its uncertain borders and level of sovereignty.

The Oslo drawings serve to present political definitions of Israel and a future condition of Palestine that are based on international law. But for many Israelis, the Oslo perspective of a two-state remedy has died – the attack by Hamas, the Arab nationalist social organization that governs Gaza, on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, was its last blow.

The subsequent conflict between Israel and Hamas, now subject to a cease-fire, has from the outset included charts.

The Israeli government released a “evacuation image” online that showed the Gaza Strip divided into 623 zones in December 2023. In a region plagued by blackouts, Palestinians may go online to find out if their community was required to evacuate. Provided they had access to electricity and the internet in the area. This chart was used by Israeli military commanders to determine where to start airstrikes and carry out ground operations.

However, the image also served a political purpose: to persuade a skeptical world that Israel was taking steps to safeguard residents. Regardless, its entry caused confusion and fear among Palestinians.

Charting a approach forth

Charts are not just used to make sense of the past and present; they also aid in coming planning. Additionally, various maps you reveal contradictory political viewpoints.

In January 2024, for example, different Jewish right-wing and resident businesses organized the Conference for the Victory of Israel. The goal was to develop strategies for resettling Gaza and boosting Israeli towns in the West Bank. During a “voluntary immigration,” speakers advocated for the transfer of Palestinians from the Strip to the Sinai.

An enormous map showed the place of proposed Israeli settlements as Jewish settlers planned for the return to Gaza and speakers cited both the Bible and Jewish security as justifications.

A man with a cell phone stands in front of a big green map.
A man poses for a picture with a chart of the Gaza Strip and Jewish communities during an Israeli agreement calling for the resettlement of the area on January 28, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Photo: Amir Levy / Getty Images via The Talk

Similar to this, the Jewish Movement for Settlement in Southern Lebanon has produced maps of the planned Israeli settlements there.

Such charts reveal the want by some in Israel for a” Greater Israel” – an area described in 1904 by Theodor Herzl, considered the father of modern-day Zionism, as spanning from the river of Egypt to the River.

Unsurprisingly, Palestinians make various maps for imagining the prospect. Maps that connect Gaza to the West Bank and the surrounding area are used by Arab Emerging, a Israeli and foreign program that brings along various specialists, organizations, and funders.

They want to integrate Gaza into the global economy and make it a hub for trade, tourism, and innovation. Accordingly, maps of urban projects, airports and seaports overlay the cartographic contours of Gaza, and a Gaza-West Bank corridor, which would be sealed for Israeli security, could connect the two geographically separate Palestinian territories.

Since the Oslo Accords, Palestinians have been attempting to continue surveying the territories that will make up the upcoming state of Palestine. These maps are a result of Palestinian efforts.

A new era of expansionist geopolitics

Maps of Greater Israel may serve as a starting point for what Hagit Ofran from Peace Now calls the start of a new” Greater Israel” policy period as the current US administration is more in line with right-wing Israeli policies.

Donald Trump made a proposal for the US to “take over” Gaza, moving its current residents out and turning the enclave into” the Riviera of the Middle East,” seemingly upending the US government’s long-standing policy of supporting a two-state solution in which Gaza would be a part of a Palestinian state on February 4, 2025.

Such a move would be a second attempt to redraw borders across the Middle East. It would not, however, end the” map wars “in Israel/Palestine.

Christine Leuenberger is senior lecturer, Cornell University

This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Continue Reading

Pacific island nations worry Trump deportations may overwhelm them – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

In his first name, Donald Trump deported far fewer people from the United States than his three successors: Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Just days into his second term, but, Trump is making the imprisonment of refugees one of his top interests. Immigration searches have now begun for non-citizens with criminal histories and those who have overstayed their visa, with detention on the rise recently.

His presidency has made the announcement that it will construct a migrant detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba that may house up to 30 000 awaiting deportations. Trump has even threatened to use a little-known laws from 1798 to speed up the process, bypassing immigration authorities.

While much of the focus has been on the hundreds of thousands of workers who are at risk of being deported to Latin America, some Pacific islands are also likely to receive an order to leave, as effectively.

A checklist from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of persons with “final orders of treatment” includes some 350 refugees from Fiji, 150 from Tonga and 57 individuals from Samoa, among others.

Understandably, Trump’s challenges have invoked concern across the Pacific. Dorsami Naidu, a well-known Samoan lawyer, told the ABC:

Many people who have served jail words in America have been sent up to Fiji where they engage in various criminal acts that they are well-groomed in.

However, it should be noted that not all of the individuals who have been given orders to leave had been found guilty of a serious crime. Many people have just overstayed their visas, or they may have just committed minor offenses. The majority of people want to change their lives.

Lack of support

Criminal persecution from the US, Australia, and New Zealand have increased significantly over the past ten years, but there is still a major funding gap to pay for reconciliation providers.

One Tongan critic claimed that Trump’s action had “unleash a flood of emigrants that could kill Tonga and other Pacific nations in problems.”

Though some Tongan returnees are accepted up into people and cultures, some conflict. Many younger people who were previously unwell when they first arrived in the country have little knowledge of the local culture and language. As such, they experience problems reintegrating into community.

According to my study, some deported Pacific islands with criminal narratives may change “back to what they know” without any help, which at times means participating in the pharmaceutical industry if there are no other means of earning money.

This is rightly concerning in nations like Tonga where there is an increasing meth trouble and a lack of job opportunities.

Tonga struggles, like other Pacific nations, to raise money for organizations that are crucially involved in deported peoples ‘ reintegration needs in order to avoid the possibility of ( re )offending. The states deporting these people ( such as the US, New Zealand or Australia ) often provide any help, despite repeated requests from Pacific institutions and non-governmental companies.

May these countries negotiate otherwise?

Nations can push up against Trump’s decisions to arrest their people. Colombia was the first country to do so when President Gustavo Petro first forbade military aircraft carrying deported migrant detainees to get.

Petro’s rejection was met with indignation in Washington. Trump threatened a number of hostile business procedures, which later caused Petro to give up.

During the Covid pandemic, Pacific states have recently tried to retaliate against persecution. Samoa and Tonga, for example, used political programs to ask a “pause” on relocations while they grappled with the unfolding wellness problems.

The US did not comply with the request, but Australia and New Zealand did. Rather, it used disciplinary measures to force state to continue receiving persecution.

For example, the US blacklisted Samoan and Tongan immigrants from the list of states that are available for annual work visas, which had an impact on these nations ‘ markets. They were never returned to the roster until they” complied” with US removal.

Countries must recognize their own people if they are deported according to international law. Refusing to return, those who do so are deemed “deviant states,” which may trouble both the resettling state and those trapped in purgatory.

However, there are other methods of delaying imprisonment orders.

For instance, Samoa has requested more information from nations that are trying to deport Peoples and won’t issue travel papers ( for example, a passport ) until this demand is met. This data includes proof of a person’s familial relationships to Samoa and their relationship there.

Samoa’s specialists claim that this aids in the recovery of victims and assists in the finding and arranging appropriate housing for them.

Places like Colombia and Samoa are acting in the interests of their members. While many people have legitimate concerns about returning citizens to their home countries probably engaging in criminal activity, these says also want to refute the notion that all immigrants are criminals.

As Petro, the Brazilian president, was quick to point out:

They are Colombians. They are free and dignified, and they are in their homeland where they are loved ]… ] The migrant is not a criminal. He is a human being who wants to operate and growth, to survive life.

Henrietta McNeill works as a researcher at the Australian National University.

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original content.

Continue Reading

China could fill the gap 3 ways as West exits west Africa region – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

Will China fill the void left by France quickly losing its grip on the Sahel region of west Africa and an unanticipated US president in strength?

The Sahel area includes Nigeria, one of the nation’s largest economy, and nine different states: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.

Following military dictatorships, European soldiers were forced to leave three of these, Mali, Burkinabe, and Niger. Chad, Senegal and Ivory Coast have also expelled European forces. The troops were stationed because fundamentalist organizations like Boko Haram and the West Africa Province were concerned about security.

Niger even ended an agreement to retain about 1, 000 US forces involved in a counter-terrorism goal. Niger’s military government described the US as having a” judgmental attitude”.

Although it has been correctly argued that the European powers ‘ presence did not solve the security issues in the area, their departure leaves a hole.

Beijing could exploit the Sahel’s pump in at least three ways:

  • development of investments in essential minerals,
  • the end of the Economic Community of West African States issue, which Niger, Burkinabe, and Mali chose to leave, and
  • increased hands sales.

This is especially true given that China does not originate from the Sahel place. For example, China is constructing a US$ 32 million offices for ECOWAS in Abuja, Nigeria.

This look at these one by one.

First, China has a chance to grow its effect, and the next four years offer tremendous possibilities in this area.

Donald Trump’s good transactional and unexpected approach to international relations properly compel African nations to turn to China. For instance, they might need China to help them fill the void left by the US’s decision to freeze global development aid and to destroy USAID.

A few days before Trump’s opening, Nigeria joined the BRICS as a lover nation. Emerging economies are a group of emerging nations that are determined to counterbalance the western and reduce the influence of worldwide institutions. It was established in 2006, first composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

The Sahel’s largest economy chose to decide this as an expression of its commitment to China, with potential repercussions for additional Southeastern nations.

The pump offers Beijing the opportunity to improve its expenditure and place as a major beneficiary of the essential minerals, such as gold, copper, lithium and uranium, in the Sahel region.

In 2024, east African metal production was estimated to become 11.83 million grams. Ghana, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Guinea and Mali were the key participants.

Next, China is in a special position to demand that the ECOWAS issue be resolved.

The ECOWAS local monetary union approved Mali, Burkinabe, and Niger following military coups. Yet ECOWAS threatened Niger with an military war. The three nations then opted to shape the Alliance of Sahel States, which would be a departure from ECOWAS.

Before the last departure time of 29 July 2025, Beijing is able to engage in negotiations with ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States as a natural artist with a non-interference plan that accommodates both civil and military systems.

If it succeeds, China may seem more like a calm authority, an image that is contested by another.

Building on its soft power projects like the Confucius Institutes and scholarships, China would look like the” savior” of ECOWAS integration.

In the case of the Tazara rail initiative, where China supported Tanzania and Zambia in building a railroad line one another, it did this. When the US and Europe had failed, were afraid, or were not curious, it supported the American nations.

Third is Taiwanese hands income.

Chinese weapons are now present in the Sahel. To provide some of the weapons needed to defeat the Boko Haram terrorist group, Nigeria signed a$ 152 million contract with China North Industries Corporation Limited ( Norinco ) in 2019. Since then, Chinese drones and various products have become a function in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism answer.

With the departure of American nations from the Sahel, China’s hands business may experience a significant boost beyond Nigeria. European nations are likely to be afraid to trade arms to nations that have expelled the West’s military.

Russia’s restrictions have also made it more likely that China would possess hands in the Sahel.

For instance, some studies suggested that Russian soldiers in the Sahel region were using Taiwanese arms a few months after France and the US left the area. Nigeria and Senegal have been designated as the country’s best arms manufacturer and seventh-largest arms dealer in the world.

In June 2024, Burkina Faso received 100 tank from China. Mali and Norinco reached an agreement three months later to advance its fight against terrorism.

Bumpy route back

Due to its non-interference, China’s civil and military institutions can both be accommodated in the Sahel. In some ways, this is advantageous for Beijing. However, it might have other potential effects.

The Sahel’s growing involvement and Beijing’s growing involvement may be ( mis )interpreted as favoring one over the other because they have competing local interests.

This may make the crime a target for Chinese interests.

Additionally, it’s not clear whether China will or will be able to fill the void left by the expelled American power. However, it appears that China can quickly take advantage of the Sahel’s condition.

Abdul-Gafar Tobi Oshodi, a social science and international relations scientist who has been studying China-Africa relationships for over a century, is a faculty member of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University.

The Conversation has republished this post under a Creative Commons license. Read the original content.

Continue Reading

US-China: ‘Cold War 2’ or something worse – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

Most of Washington finally realizes – even if grudgingly– that the People’s Republic of China ( PRC ) is a threat. &nbsp, However, President Trump’s problem resembles that of Ronald Reagan taking over in 1981 from a foolish leadership that allowed America’s primary opponent to get the advantage.

It appears to be another Cold War, similar to the one that the US and the Soviet Union experienced between 1945 and 1991.

If we refer to it as” Cold War 2″?

Often speech matters, and sometimes it doesn’t matter. &nbsp, In this case, it doesn’t. &nbsp,

For example, a big part of the American population&nbsp, wasn’t also born when the Cold War ended in 1989. &nbsp, The manifestation didn’t appeal.

Even more, the Chinese don’t distinguish between” cold” war or any other type of war. To the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), war is war. The absence of shooting ( going “kinetic” ) doesn’t mean it’s not a life-or-death fight. Whatever goes.

The Soviets doesn’t had dared to use fentanyl to shoot well over half a million Americans during the Cold War, as the PRC has done for the past ten years.

When confronted with the proof of their “drug battle” against America, the Taiwanese hardly shrug.

Unlike the Cold War

The US and the USSR battled each other during the Cold War, but this time around, the PRC was at odds with them. &nbsp,

China, unlike Russia, had probably dominate and beat the United States. Probably never tomorrow, but wait a decade or two.

Given the nature of the regime that underlies it and the PRC’s economic clout, the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) poses a greater military threat than the Soviet military. &nbsp,

The US did small business with the Soviet Union because it was not a powerful financial strength in any way. &nbsp,

China, on the other hand, is a world power thanks to the US funding and development invested in over the past four decades and the poor PRC’s inclusion in the World Trade Organization.

And, worse, the United States is extremely if not dangerously dependent on Chinese production, proper nutrients, components, pharmaceuticals and much more. &nbsp,

Yet the supply chains of the US military are firmly anchored in the PRC. With the Russians, that would have been impossible, and there was a strict COCOM trade control system to prevent the Soviets from obtaining US and Western technology.

And the US record of the Chinese aristocracy is far worse than something the Russians have always accomplished. How effective? &nbsp, Regard the preceding Chinese-origin fentanyl.

What retribution has Beijing received from Congress or any other government for this widespread death? &nbsp, Nothing. &nbsp, Such is the strength of America’s “donor” group over Capitol Hill.

And then there are Russia’s and China’s regional targets. Russians never truly believed they could fight the US until around the 1970s. China considers it capable.

However, Xi Jinping regards America as the primary barrier to the Chinese’s ascendancy abroad, and as a barrier that needs to be eliminated.

Russia and its supporters are another distinguishing factor between the 1990s and the present. The Eastern Bloc was able to wreak havoc, especially through usurpation and by supporting extremist and rebel parties. However, as long as the US kept its muscle, it never really threatened America or its place in the world. &nbsp,

China, on the other hand, has ties with Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and several other states that taken together can cause significant problems for the US and its companions.

Their corporate goals then coexist, while the United States allowed its economic might and threats to fall after it “won” the second Cold War in 1991.

America’s lovers are in even worse condition.

Regarding the” plane of chaos,” Russia would not have been able to pursue its assault on Ukraine without the assistance of China, Iran, and North Korea as much or as successfully as it has.

And there is a legitimate worry that as North Korea and Russia support the United States ‘ exit from East Asia, they will seize Taiwan.

America’s answer

Trump is aware of the dangers the PRC poses to us, despite his frequent use of constrained language.

His major national security officers, Mike Waltz, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth and another, recognize the PRC risk. &nbsp, They believe in “peace through strength” .&nbsp, &nbsp,

Whether another officials – especially so-called “restrainers” and promoters of &nbsp,” cooperation spirals” with China who are strangely showing up in the administration – will gum up the works is vague and troubling.

The Cold War is now worse than what we currently face. &nbsp, One almost waxes nostalgic.

Instead of pondering the current struggle, it’s more crucial to comprehend and articulate the PRC’s threat and the need to vehemently defend the United States and its interests. &nbsp,

No one has done that, or at least no one has persuaded most Americans to do it well.

And don’t just talk about the problem. Find senior officers who can fight and win wars and strengthen the US military ( including eradicating DEI ). &nbsp,

Instead of spending like drunken sailors and debasing the US currency and global trust in it, restore America’s industrial and manufacturing base, and get America’s finances in order. &nbsp,

Pressure China where it is vulnerable. Xi tells us: &nbsp, Trade, technology, human rights, regime legitimacy, a currency that few people want and high-level corruption – Xi’s included.

Stop providing the technology and convertible currency that have developed the Chinese military and economy. &nbsp,

Wean ourselves away from the China market quickly and without delay. &nbsp,

” Decoupling” is essential. &nbsp, Let the world develop into a “free world” trading bloc alongside another bloc for the’ unfree’ countries.

China is the main enemy. &nbsp, Defang it, and then Russia, Iran and North Korea are relatively easier to handle. &nbsp, In the meantime, apply comprehensive pressure on all of them and don’t let up.

There is no tentative agreement to be reached with the Chinese Communist Party.

What matters is to triumph in the conflict we are currently in. &nbsp,

Lose it, and it will not matter what its name is.

Continue Reading

DeepSeek’s revelation was only a matter of time – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

Foreign start-up DeepSeek’s amazing AI software outcomes have shaken public areas, driving down the stocks of leading US tech companies, including Nvidia.

Some then wonder how a smaller team in China had, in such a short time, challenge the cutting-edge Artificial products of American companies with large resources, exceptional talent and organized market positions.

Little executive team that aren’t as well-known have made notable advancements in the past. Such activities are unstable, but we should not be surprised when they occur, as I noted in a new post. &nbsp,

This has been accurate in many areas. One excellent example of Alan Turing’s pioneer work in computer technology innovation in Britain in the 1940s is. So, China’s DeepSeek has become a prestigious and rare group of small, pioneering teams.

Because high-power processing power is widely available for commercial use and well-trained engineers are then employed worldwide, computer science is perfect for these advancements. Universities all over the world now offer top-notch architectural education. Nevertheless, open-source software has enabled broad access to complex programming.

Leading tech companies from the US, including business leaders like Google, are now able to use well-trained local engineers to create significant portions of their application in locations all over the world.

This results in private talent pools where innovative new businesses can emerge to compete globally. New technology companies are likely to be established when highly skilled engineers are available, sponsored by governments and private money.

Innovations may therefore come from unanticipated locations, because excellent people, with the right resources, can accomplish extraordinary things. And there are now numerous places in the world where advanced software development is possible.

The long-term impact of DeepSeek on the market for AI is also up for debate. However, it is safe to assume that as options become more affordable, the cost of education helpful AI systems will increase.

This has historically shaped commercial technology, resulting in the same winners and losers as usual. However, DeepSeek’s victory serves as a powerful endorsement of government policy regarding regulating technology transfer.

Government efforts to regulate AI markets will be impacted by the widespread growth of computer research skills, which will limit the types of goods available. There will be endless methods of avoiding restrictions as companies around the world become successful competitors as a result of innovative international competition. &nbsp,

No trustworthy barriers can long-term protect products in the field of computer science. Nvidia and Intel have demonstrated with oppose business value that the equipment and technical expertise know no long-term restrictions.

When it was a difficult decision, Nvidia took the initiative to insert the emerging Artificial market. Intel did no. Nvidia is a home business in the US, as it may be. Over time, fresh companies will come from different geographies. For success, incumbent must be more agile.

Continue Reading

Japan should start giving security aid to Pakistan – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

The Philippines will once again get Japan’s Official Security Assistance, marking the fourth consecutive year of for help. Under the government-to-government initiative, Tokyo pledged speedboats to Indonesia and southern radar systems to the Philippines in 2024. &nbsp,

But as Tokyo’s Indo-Pacific ambitions grow, a vital question emerges: You Control grow beyond Southeast Asia’s maritime states without getting caught too seriously in the crossfire of US-China rivalry?

Pakistan, a Taiwanese ally, is arguably the best place for China to rename OSA as a rational local security initiative, not as a tool to encircle Beijing.

Introduced in then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s National Security Strategy 2022, OSA marks Japan’s change from post-war peace to forging proper safety alliances.

In contrast to its official development assistance ( ODA ), which is focused on socioeconomic development, OSA provides assistance to armed forces and related “like-minded” states to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific.

With a modest estimated budget of 8 billion renminbi &nbsp, ( US$ 55 million ) in 2025, OSA cannot significantly issue or counter China’s military may but does improve Japan’s strategic relationships. Instead, it encourages Tokyo to increase its security support without provoking Beijing, establishes apparent military intentions, and lay the foundation for upcoming defense sales.

Divided response to Japan’s OSA in ASEAN reveals its boundaries. While some countries—such as the Philippines, then hotly engaged in maritime issues with Beijing—have hailed OSA as a deterrent, people, like Vietnam, remain meticulous, opting to wall rather than hazard antagonizing China.

Beijing has seized on this break, framing Japan’s OSA as a US-aligned” containment” system. According to Chinese experts, Japan uses South Asian proxies with implicit US support to consciously spark conflict.

For Japan, this description is untenable. If its OSA is seen only as a team for America’s allies, it runs the risk of alienating the nations Japan aims to cultivate, those who are afraid to be drawn into the US and China tremendous power rivalry.

Given these difficulties in Southeast Asia, Japan might want to diversify its alliances. At first glance, India appears to be a natural place to grow into the Indian Ocean and beyond.

But India’s Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, participation and Tibetan boundary disputes with China make it a bad fit. Granting OSA to India would authenticate Beijing’s “anti-China empire” tale and potentially hinder fence-sitters from accepting its OSA. Pakistan, by comparison, offers tactical price without political baggage.

Officially, Japan has already extended OSA beyond Southeast Asia. Mongolia, a coastal state, has received Japan’s air-defense simulations to minimize reliance on Russia and China.

Djibouti, house to Japan’s hapless international maritime base, has received anti-piracy equipment to protect Gulf of Aden shipping. Bangladesh, a Bay of Bengal statement, secured southern radars to track Chinese ships.

However, these grants are probably just examples of exceptions rather than proof of a wider strategy. Mongolia’s OSA is metaphorical, Djibouti’s protects Chinese goods, Bangladesh’s cameras South Asian support. No one changes OSA’s meaning or broadens its scope.

Pakistan, nevertheless, offers a strategic option to bridge areas and adjust perceptions. By turning the support from a quad-adjacent device into a neutral system for local security, OSA to Islamabad could possibly dampen China’s adversarial rhetoric.

Despite its “ironclad” relations with Beijing, Islamabad seeks corporate expansion amid intensifying US-China conflict. By engaging Pakistan in non-lethal OSA projects, Japan could job OSA as a local security initiative rather than an explicit adversary of Beijing. Beijing’s ability to present OSA as a primary concern becomes less clear when a significant Chinese partner discovers value in it.

Japan intends to increase the resources for the OSA program gradually and include “new companions, and eventually work with eight or nine countries next governmental time.” Pakistan is the ideal partner for addressing pressing security and humanitarian needs because it perfectly aligns with OSA’s three main pillars.

First, Pakistan qualifies for OSA assistance in securing the Arabian Sea and other crucial maritime routes in terms of security under the rule of law.

Second, it is well suited for humanitarian assistance due to its vulnerability to natural disasters, including for areas where Japan has historically provided aid, including for disaster response and medical care.

Third, Pakistan’s extensive participation in UN peacekeeping missions aligns with OSA’s international peace cooperation pillar, offering opportunities for capacity-building in peacekeeping and related logistics.

Japan’s OSA outreach to Mongolia—likely aimed at reducing Ulaanbaatar’s reliance on Russia and China —set a precedent. Like Mongolia, Pakistan is strategically overdependent: 82 % of its arms imports between 2019 and 2023 came from China.

Yet Japan already has a foothold, with Pakistan benefiting from its Official Development Assistance ( ODA ) totaling 364 billion yen ($ 2.4 billion ) up to 2021. In keeping with Japan’s desire to boost its defense exports, dual-use OSA projects could build on this foundation without alarming Beijing, which is a promising prospect.

While OSA’s limited scale precludes transformative strategic gains, its institutional benefits – enhanced technical cooperation, trust-building with Japan and diversification of strategic partnerships – offer a pragmatic, counterbalancing opportunity for Pakistan. &nbsp,

It could also potentially offset India’s edge from Japan’s Quad cooperation. After the US pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, military cooperation with an Asian power known for its soft power might also help restore Pakistan’s strategic significance.

China’s sensitivity to such an arrangement is inevitable but arguably manageable. Pakistan can mitigate risks to its China relations by framing OSA as a supplementary, transparency-driven initiative focused on technical and humanitarian areas such as disaster relief, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy capacity building.

Prioritizing projects funded by Japan that have a dual civilian-military use would allow for incremental gains while balancing Beijing-related relations. Pakistan has a low-cost option to deepen trust with Tokyo and demonstrate its role as a stabilizing actor in the Indo-Pacific’s security architecture as a result of Japan’s larger military budget growth, which indicates a continued commitment to OSA.

For Japan, Pakistan is more than just a potential security partner—it’s a litmus test. By succeeding in this case, OSA would demonstrate that it can transcend great-power rivalry and provide developing nations with a third option for satisfying security needs without taking sides. &nbsp,

For Islamabad, it’s a chance to redefine its role in Asia’s emerging order: not as a theater for US-China competition but rather as a sovereign actor bridging divides. In an era of increasingly polarized alliances, that’s a vision worth investing in.

Najam Ul Hassan Naqvi is a researcher at the Consortium for Asia-Pacific Studies.
National Defense University, Islamabad.

Continue Reading

Musk’s hostile takeover about efficiency or empire? – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

Elon Musk’s position as the head of the Department of Government Performance, also known as DOGE, appears to be a significant step in an effort to reduce the bureaucracy’s errors. However, a disturbing situation permeates the language of cost-cutting and governmental streamlining.

The White House office, which was formerly known as the US Digital Service and later renamed the US DOGE Service on the first day of President Donald Trump’s subsequent expression, has been given the name” unique government individual.” The Musk team claims to improve efficiency and reduce reliability, but their ultimate objectives are both.

That may sound like a striking proceed toward Silicon Valley-style development in leadership. Nevertheless, the deeper desires driving Musk’s engagement are unlikely to be strictly moral.

Musk has an enormous business empire, passions in artificial intelligence, need for financial strength and a long-standing hatred for state oversight.

His access to sensitive state systems and the thick decision-making that has guided Expand to day have enabled Musk to obtain extraordinary economic and strategic advantages for both himself and his businesses, which include Tesla, the leader of space transportation, and SpaceX.

One specific historic parallel is intriguing. The British East India Company, a shopkeeper shipping firm, established itself as a trading body in the Indian Ocean in 1600 with exclusive rights to do business in the region before gradually gaining quasi-governmental authority and establishing its rule with an iron fist over American territories in Asia, including the majority of what is now India. The business was granted the right to issue money on behalf of the British queen in 1677.

In my forthcoming guide,” Who Elected Big Tech” I‘ll explain how. Similar instances of private companies retaking over state functions are occurring in the US.

However, what took ages during the colonial period is now unfolding at a lightening speed in just a few days thanks to digital means. Real trading posts and personal armies have been replaced by digital financial systems and data access in the twenty-first century. Communications are the key to energy then, rather than brute power.

A man in a uniform and a badge holds out his arms, palms outstretched.
A security official prevents U. S. Sen. Ed Markey, straight, from entering the US Environmental Protection Agency office on February 6, 2025, in an effort to join with DOGE team. Image: Al Drago / Getty Images via The Talk

The information network

When examining his business empire, it becomes clearer to see Musk’s actions as a strength get. He is in charge of several businesses that are subject to government regulations and have national deals.

In industries where government oversight may make or break wealth, SpaceX and Tesla, as well as The Boring Company, The Boring Company, Neuralink, and the artificial intelligence business xAI, all operate in industries.

Musk is direct and possibly demolish the government organizations that have typically hampered his organizations in his new position. Tesla’s Autopilot program has been subject to numerous investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Musk has received punishment from the Securities and Exchange Commission for his market-moving tweets, and SpaceX has been hampered by environmental laws.

All of these monitoring mechanisms could be weakened or eliminated through DOGE, disguised as effectiveness, or both.

But Musk’s unparalleled access to government statistics makes up the most disastrous aspect of his position as CEO of DOGE. Expand employees reportedly have electronic authorization to view data in the US government’s transaction system, which includes bank account information, Social Security numbers and income tax documents. Apparently, they have even seized the ability to change the system’s application, data, transactions and records.

Many media reports suggest that Musk’s staff has already changed the rules governing the processing of payments for Social Security recipients and government contractors to make it simpler to halt payments and keep records of payments that have been blocked, made, or altered.

However, Expand people merely require the ability to create copies of the country’s most sensitive personal information.

A federal prosecutor has forewarned that from happening, at least for the time being. Even so, by transferring the data to Grok, Musk’s xAI-created artificial intelligence program, which is already connected to the Musk-owned X, previously known as Twitter, it would have an unmatched ability to predict economic changes, identify state vulnerabilities, and model vote behavior.

That’s a lot of information and strength for one person, which is disturbing.

A man in a business suit stands at a lectern and gestures.
Donald Trump addresses a significant crypto market conference in July 2024. Photo: AP / Mark Humphrey

Cryptocurrency revolution?

Like Trump himself and many of his closest experts, Musk is likewise deeply involved in bitcoin.

The horizontal development of Trump’s personal crypto and DOGE’s visible alignment with the bitcoin known as Dogecoin suggests more than just coincidence. I think it demonstrates a concerted plan to control American money and economic policy, essentially putting the country in entirely private hands.

The genius – and danger – of this technique lies in the fact that each action might seem justified in isolation: modernizing authorities systems, improving effectiveness, updating payment infrastructure. However, they also act as the framework for the transfer of even more financial power to the already rich.

How he might possess his new powers are reflected in Musk’s autocratic tendencies, which are visible in his violent management of X and his claim that it was against the law to publish the names of those who work for him.

Companies that favor Musk may face unanticipated audits, and governmental bodies that are looking into his businesses may find their budgets cut, and allies may have privileged access to government contracts.

This isn’t debate – it’s the natural expansion of DOGE’s expert combined with Musk’s demonstrated behavior.

Critics describe Musk’s activities at DOGE as a large commercial coup. People just refer to it as a revolution. The opposition movement is gaining momentum in Washington, DC, and around the state, but it’s unlikely that street protests only can prevent what Musk is doing.

Who can successfully look into a team that attempts to eliminate monitoring itself? Prior to the Musk operation’s start, the administration’s improper fire of at least ten inspector general hints at a deliberate attempt to obstruct accountability in the government.

The Republican-led Congress, strongly aligned with Trump, may not want to move in, but even if it did, Musk is moving much faster than Congress actually does.

Destroy the state, create a business nation?

Together, Musk and Trump’s actions form what cryptocurrency investor and entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan refers to as” the network state.”

A digital country does emerge online before establishing any physical appearance. Instead of declaring democracy and fighting for it, the channel state builds community and electronic systems like a technology startup company with its own bitcoin.

Alternatives would be impossible to come by by the time a Musk-aligned cryptocurrency became standard because of the main structure and relationships currently exist.

Converting more of the nation’s economic system to privately held cryptocurrencies do remove federal governments from their own citizens. Musk has now begun this endeavor, making use of his wealth and social media reach to run for office in Germany, as well as several other European nations.

A country that is run by those who could afford to purchase the electronic currency do no longer be run by the people who live in its place. In this situation, I’m concerned that Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, or Palantir, the AI-surveillance conglomerate, will make Congress’s control of government spending and actions useless. Along the way, it may end up removing the ability to keep presidents responsible from the judiciary, Congress, and citizens.

All of this certainly presents a slew of conflict-of-interest issues that are completely unheard of in terms of range and scope.

The question facing Americans, thus, isn’t whether federal needs development – it’s whether they’re willing to sacrifice politics in pursuit of Musk’s edition of effectiveness.

We’re necessarily altering the partnership between personal power and public governance when we give tech leaders immediate control over government functions. I believe we’re undermining American national security, as well as the strength of We, the Citizens.

The most hazardous inadequacy of all may be the Americans ‘ inaction in handling this crisis.

Allison Stanger is Middlebury’s Distinguished Endowed Professor.

The Conversation has republished this post under a Creative Commons license. Read the original post.

Continue Reading

Google quietly drops promise not to use AI for weapons – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia, Technology

Last week, Google quietly abandoned a long-standing commitment to not use artificial intelligence ( AI ) technology in weapons or surveillance. The software giant removed claims that promised not to do in an upgrade to its AI concepts, which were first published in 2018.

  • systems that damage the general public or are likely to cause harm to them.
  • arms or other solutions whose primary function or application is to directly or indirectly inflict harm on people
  • systems that gather or use details for monitoring are in violation of international standards.
  • solutions that conflict with internationally recognized human rights and international law principles.

The release came after former US President Joe Biden’s executive order was removed to promote the safe, secure, and reliable advancement and use of AI.

The decision by Google is in line with a new trend of big tech entering the regional security space and accommodating more AI-based government programs. Why is this occurring then, then? And what will the impact of increased AI use in the army be?

Militarized AI

In September, older representatives from the Trump government met with leaders of leading AI businesses, such as OpenAI, to examine AI development. The authorities finally established a task force to organize data center development while considering environmental, economic, and security objectives.

The Trump government released a note the following fortnight that, in part, addressed “harnessing AI to fulfill national safety objectives.”

Big tech companies heard the message right away.

Tech giant Meta made the announcement in November 2024 that it would offer government organizations and private organizations involved in security and national security access to its” Llama” AI models.

This was despite Meta’s own policy which prohibits the use of Llama for” ]m ] ilitary, warfare, nuclear industries or applications”.

Anthropic, an AI firm, also announced at the same time that it would collaborate with Palantir, a data analytics firm, and Amazon Web Services to give US knowledge and protection agencies access to its AI models.

The US Department of Defense received a statement from OpenAI the following month that it had partnered with security startup Anduril Industries to create AI.

The firms claim they will blend OpenAI’s GPT-4o and o1 designs with Anduril’s systems and technology to enhance the US government’s defenses against helicopter attacks.

Defending countrywide surveillance

The three businesses argued that the adjustments to their plans were necessary because of US national security concerns.

Get Google. The business cited world Artificial competition, complex political landscapes, and national security interests as factors in a blog post that was published earlier this month as justifications for changing its AI concepts.

China’s access to particular types of high-end system cards used for AI research was restricted by the US’s trade controls in October 2022. In response, China issued their own trade control measures on high-tech aluminum, which are essential for the AI device market.

Due to the recent release of very effective AI versions by Chinese tech corporation DeepSeek, the tensions from this business war grew. Prior to the US’s export controls, DeepSeek reportedly used 10, 000 Nvidia A100 chips to create their AI designs.

How the military of corporate AI would advance US national interests has not been made clear. However, there are abundant signs that tensions with China, the US’s biggest political rival, are influencing the decisions being made.

It is already well known that animal life has been impacted by AI’s use in military settings.

For instance, in the battle in Gaza, the Israeli government has been relying heavily on advanced AI resources. These devices call for a lot of information and more storage and processing companies, which are being provided by Microsoft and Google. These AI instruments are frequently false when identifying possible targets.

Officials in Gaza claim that these errors have increased the death toll in the conflict, which is now more than 61 000, as a result of Jewish military ‘ claims.

Google’s elimination of the “harm” provision in their AI guidelines is in violation of international human rights legislation. This identifies” surveillance of people” as a crucial measure.

Why would a business software company need to outlaw a provision relating to injury is concerning.

Facebook right challenges

Google does state that its products may also adhere to “widely accepted principles of international law and human rights” in its updated rules.

Human Rights Watch has objected to the inclusion of more explicit information about arms growth in the original principles despite this.

Additionally, the group points out that Google hasn’t fully explained how its products ‘ animal rights may be met.

Joe Biden’s revoked professional attempt on AI even addressed this issue.

Biden’s program wasn’t ideal, but it was a move towards establishing guardrails for accountable development and use of AI systems.

As big technology becomes more and more entangled with military organizations, and the risk that comes with AI-enabled war and the violation of human rights rises, like scaffolding are now more important than ever.

Zena Assaad is older teacher, School of Engineering, Australian National University

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original content.

Continue Reading

Leftists’ excesses are turning more South Koreans conservative – Asia Times

By:
On:
In: Asia

South Korea is mired in political unrest as US President Donald Trump continues to implement his” America First” plan. The senate of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is causing perilous social unrest and stifling the regional balance of power.

This issue resembles the shocking impeachment of Park Geun-hye in 2016 in an alarming way. In both instances, the ruling, traditionalist People’s Party acted unfairly toward its own leader, which led to the passage of the senate resolution in the National Assembly.

Legacy internet fabricated and manipulated news to deceive the public, which had a significant impact on shaping public view. The Constitutional Court, which has been widely criticized as a “kangaroo jury,” violated due process by holding two trial sessions per week for President Yoon and four per week for President Park.

Also, doubts have arisen that Foreign citizens, disguised as Koreans, participated in pro-impeachment gatherings. These worries were made even more acute when the Chinese consulate officially forbade its citizens from participating in Korean political demonstrations.

A change in social interactions

Despite connections, important variations exist between the 2016 and current anti-impeachment activities. In 2016, the anti-impeachment demonstrations were disorganized and fundamental. Activists, mostly in their 50s and 60s, wore hiking equipment and waved Korean and US flags to communicate their pro-democracy position.

At the time, pro-impeachment liberals, mostly in their 30s and 40s, ridiculed them as obsolete and capable of good judgment. At the age of 45, Rhyu Si-min, a dramatic communist and former minister of health and happiness, reportedly observed that Koreans ‘ mental powers begin to decline after 60.

Today, however, the political environment has shifted. A considerable majority of Koreans aged 18–30 and 60–70 muscular traditional, leaving liberals in their 40s and 50s extremely isolated. Unfortunately, past Minister Rhyu, then 65, just contradicted his earlier claim by dismissing young liberal men in their 20s and 30s as “garbage”.

Asian girls, usually left-leaning, have furthermore gravitated toward conservative. The traditional parents ‘ online group” Right Terrace” has grown to 8, 500 people. The organization has since expanded its efforts to support different liberal causes, starting with providing heated trucks for march participants during wintertime protests.

The enlightenment of South Korea’s liberal movement

What has changed? Meetings with conservatives disclose a number of important reasons why they engage in engagement:

  1. Media disdain – They were aware of the biases that the legacy media had when they were impeached in 2016 but not imagined they would actually create the news.
  2. New advertising platforms – In 2016, YouTube was never a major media source, and the majority of people relied on traditional advertising. Today, other media play a crucial role.
  3. Financial decline under Moon Jae-in – The prior administration’s policies greatly impacted the economy, leading some to reevaluate their social stance.
  4. A reluctance to change – They refuse to been deceived once after one prosecution based on false information. Some believe that if this prosecution succeeds, South Korea’s politics will be at risk.

In this way, South Koreans are taking real rights of their politics. South Korea has a liberal democracy-style exterior composition but lacks its heart since its independence in 1948.

Then, the people are actively shaping their country in line with their personal background, traditions, and values. They are battling for their liberty, which is a necessary battle because it cannot be just granted or required. South Koreans are living examples of how a thriving politics may be owned by its citizens.

International consequences

On the global front, today’s problems varies from that of 2016. The US also believed that China could be incorporated into the current world order for peaceful coexistence at the time. Yet, the US has since abandoned its proposal plan, then viewing China as a strong competitor.

What are the worldwide consequences? It was destroy the area and cause a “doomsday effect” if isolationism is practiced by America Firsters today in the same manner as their post-World War I predecessors.

The US created the Washington Treaty System in 1921 to halt Chinese development and stop China from entangling. The US omitted it, though, in 1931 when Japan seizes Manchuria because it feared intervening was against its wishes. Essentially, this passive attitude gave Japan free grip in Asia.

Currently, as the US prioritizes its own passions, China has rapidly expanded its control over South Korea – slowly, quietly and secretly.

Two significant occurrences best illustrate this pattern:

  1. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences ‘ ( 2002-2007 ) project aimed to rewrite history by claiming that the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo was a part of China.
  2. The establishment of Confucius Institutes ( 2004–present ) – South Korea was the first country to host a Confucius Institute, a Chinese government-backed institution used to exert soft power and ideological influence.

With US assistance, South Korea has become a regional superpower. However, it remains resilient. If the US fails to stand solidly behind South Korea’s politics, China will eventually fill the vacuum.

Given China’s regional proximity, financial power and military fall and the growing Chinese people in South Korea, the danger is evident and immediate.

The struggle for politics in East Asia

In 1950, the US formulated National Security Council Document 68 ( NSC-68 ), marking a radical shift in policy. It stated that the global conflict was “momentous, involving the realization or loss of both this Republic and of civilization itself” and established a goal of” to fight local Soviet moves with local actions.”

Now, South Korea stands as the front defence against tyranny.

In a 2017 post for Asia Times, I claimed that the highest rates of crime were a result of a larger subterfuge plot by authoritarian forces.

The current issue suggests that story may become repeating itself, but South Koreans are more knowledgeable, more engaged, and more determined to stand up for what is happening. The battle for the future of democracy in East Asia may be recognized by the global community as a whole.

The risk of allowing authoritarian pushes to advance more is that the free world’s actions could threaten the stability of the entire region. The time has come to show a strong commitment to the politics of South Korea.

Hanjin Lew&nbsp is a former South Korean liberal party foreign official and a social commentator with an emphasis on East Asian matters.

Continue Reading