10 years after Nepal’s worst earthquake in decades, Himalayan region still unequipped for such disasters
From a study view, scientists ‘ reality is that financing rarely arrives unless a significant earthquake strikes to derail it, which is both locally and abroad. Hetényi points out that the Gorkha collapse in 2015 was an excellent illustration of this.  ,
You can recall how anxious the inhabitants was for a while before it was simple to obtain financing for studies in Nepal. Then, abruptly, attention turned abroad, and people were forgetting everything, especially in foreign countries. That’s a problem, he said, so that’s.
According to Karplus, the recent earthquake in Myanmar, which occurred on the Region problem and connects the Himalayan region geologically, may open up new avenues for research. It could at least elicit some interest from residents of regions with a risk.  ,
” Having regional disasters serves as a reminder and perhaps a wake-up call or alert to neighborhoods.” Because it prompts people to make decisions, particularly officials, Karplus said.
Growing knowledge and research capacity in a nation with GDP less than 10 % of Singapore’s and quite significant tectonic risks is not an easy task in Nepal.
” Scientific development is very similar to the country’s political framework and business. In India and Nepal, for instance, there is no such thing as an MIT, Banerjee said, referring to the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
These are real problems, the author writes. The real problem is to put a solution into practice, but we are aware of it.
Researchers concurred that collecting information should be a top priority for the nations in the area. From that, it could be made available outside to experts who can help unravel some of the treasures of tectonic activity, of which there are still some.
It’s crucial to understand the shape of those failings. The more information we have, the better we may realize the structures that are influencing how large the fissures are, and that can aid in understanding and preparation,” said Karplus.
A brand-new online resource created by Wales ‘ Aberystwyth University may help spread the word about Nepal’s potential effects from various hazards, including earthquakes.
The multi-hazard mapping tool, known as MiMapper, is open to the public and uses geographic data to depict healthy hazard risk across the nation.  ,
According to Neil Glasser, the master vice-chancellor of the school’s Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, the earthquake visualization builds in social and vulnerability factors like the types of housing available and the population density.
It should be noted that it doesn’t foretell when these events will occur. Because, if we could, isn’t that the Holy Grail, isn’t it? he continued.  ,
It serves as a resource for those who are considering growth and planning. And in nations like Nepal, they are only constantly trying to find ways to build the nation in times of natural disasters.
Commentary: In US-China rivalry, Southeast Asia is no one’s prize. Why do we insist otherwise?
BUILD ON THE POTENTIAL OF REGION
Beijing clearly reminded the place that” China is a great country and other countries are smaller countries, and that’s just a point” at an ASEAN-led conference, no less. Additionally, South China Sea claimants are well aware of what a geographically extreme China is capable of.  ,
Given Southeast Asia’s significance in the world technological value chain, Beijing’s most recent caution against any deals between the United States and other nations “at the cost of Taiwanese interests” is timely.
Trump, however, has also made it clear that it will revert to its royal instincts, declaring in his second inaugural address that” the United States will once again regard itself as a growing country… one that raises our expectations, raises our expectations, and carries our symbol into new and beautiful perspectives.”
Trump’s America First policy is merely an unfiltered reflection of the long-standing utilitarian US policy toward Southeast Asia, which has seen a number of revisions over the years, starting with the intellectual conflict that divided the continent from the intense Global War on Terror, which declared much of maritime Southeast Asia the” next front” of its campaign.  ,
Beijing and Washington battle it out in the race for scientific supremacy, bringing the region’s significance back into focus once more.
On the political, financial, and socio-cultural fronts, Southeast Asia has undoubtedly benefited from competing major power statecraft. Plan leaders instead of rehashing old arguments about why the area matters to the self-interested stare of metropoles near and far may be better served in the 21st century by utilizing Southeast Asia’s shared ability in novel and inventive ways.  ,
After all, if the earth is to be rearranged, but really its stories.
Elina Noor is a senior colleague in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. The Interpreter, the Lowy Institute’s blogging, originally contained this remark.
World Bank 2d try at ranking economies for investors also lacking – Asia Times
The World Bank discontinued one of its key initiatives in 2021: the Doing Business Index, a world rating system that evaluated the ease of starting and operating a business in 190 nations.
That came after an impartial investigation revealed that World Bank authorities had manipulated the rankings to favour wealthy nations like Saudi Arabia and China. Concerns were raised over the use of international benchmarks to influence growth policy following the scandal.
The lender is then retrying. It released its most recent premier record, Business Ready, in October 2024. The World Bank’s and its sister organisation, the International Monetary Fund, will hold their annual meeting in spring 2025, marking the first time the statement will be officially presented to delegates as part of the institution’s high-level plan.
The document, which is referred to as B-READY, aims to analyze business surroundings through more accurate data. The monthly examination aims to assess social addition, environmental conservation, and public service delivery in a wider sense this time.
We have taken a closer look at B-READY because we are experts on global organizations, laws, and growth. We appreciate that a comprehensive analysis of the economic health of nations can be done through the participation of secret stakeholders, but we worry that the most recent work from the World Bank could turn around many of the issues that plagued its father.
From conducting firm to carrying out what?
It’s worthwhile to recall what the Doing Business score measured in order to know what’s at stake. The premier report was used by administrations, investors, and World Bank officials to determine any given nation’s organization atmosphere between 2003 and 2021. It ranked nations based on how simple it was to launch and operate a company in each of the 190 nations.
In order to prioritize those measures, the index frequently praised reforms that eliminated business taxes, environmental protections, and work protections in order to improve the “efficiency” of common laws versus civil law jurisdictions.
According to scholar Joseph E. Stiglitz in 2021, the Doing Business score embodied the values of the so-called Washington Consensus, a growth model rooted in restructuring, liberalization, and market reform.
Critics have long argued that the Doing Business score promoted a worldwide “race to the bottom.” Countries competed to rise in the ranks, frequently by adopting implausible constitutional changes.
In some cases, the World Bank’s domestic data manipulation penalized governments that didn’t appear to be properly business-friendly. In the end, these structural imperfections and the political forces that drove them eventually led to the site’s fate in 2021.
Describe B-READY.
The World Bank’s strategy is to restore its standing following the Doing Business incident. In recent years, there has been both internal and external pressure to develop a son, and B-READY answers to that desire while working to address the scientific shortcomings.
B-READY attempts to understand how regulations engage with facilities, services, and equity considerations, while maintaining a focus on the business environment in theory.
B-READY, which initially includes a number of 50 nations, does not assign a solitary report to the countries it ranks. Instead, it provides more reliable information on 10 topics divided into three columns: the regulatory framework, the public services, and administrative efficiency. Additionally, the report includes fresh themes like gender equity, environmental conservation, and modern access.
B-READY publishes its entire technique and makes its statistics publicly accessible, unlike the Doing Business score.
This appears to be improvement at first glance. However, B-READY is criticized for providing only a more disjointed ranking system, one that is more difficult to interpret and also influenced by the same investor-driven economic assumptions.
The platform, in our opinion, continues to represent a narrow definition of what constitutes a prosperous legal and economic system, not just for investors but also for society as a whole.
Flexibility in terms of manpower right
How B-READY covers labour standards is a major issue. Expert sessions and firm-level surveys are the key main data sources for the report.
The World Bank consults attorneys with national skills to evaluate labor and social security laws. However, the report relies on research that ask businesses whether labour costs, departure privileges, and public services are “burdens” when it comes to how these rules actually work.
This approach captures the employer’s view, but it disregards the actual effects labour rights have on the workers ‘ lives. The grading system occasionally also rewards weaker safeguards. For instance, nations are encouraged to include a minimum-wage rules on the books but penalized if the salary is” to great” in relation to the gross domestic product per person. This causes people to feel pressure to keep income low in order to appear more aggressive. And while that may be beneficial for international businesses looking to lower their labor costs, it won’t actually benefit a nation’s monetary well-being or the local workforce.
This technique, according to the International Trade Union Confederation, runs the risk of promoting metaphorical changes without significantly enhancing worker protection. Georgia, for instance, comes close to the top of the B-READY workers assessment despite having no updated its minimum wage since 1999 and placing it below the poverty level.
Judges that function for whom?
Another disturbing place for us as quantitative law specialists is how B-READY analyzes legal issues. It measures how fast business courts resolve issues, but it disregards the rule of law’s freedom. In consequence, nations like Hungary and Georgia, which have received a lot of negative feedback for their political underperformance and their disregard for the rule of law, come out remarkably higher. Not coincidentally, both administrations have already used these values for political gain and advertising.
This reflects a bigger issue, in our opinion. B-READY does not use the legal system as a platform for common responsibilities, but rather as a means of attracting investment. It assumes that everyone will benefit from making things easier for companies. However, that notion runs the risk of discrediting the people who are most impacted by these laws and institutions: staff, communities, and civil society organizations.
Become… more effective?
B-READY brings more accountability and public data, which is undoubtedly a step away from its father. However, in our opinion, it also fits the description of a “good” legitimate system: one that might bring efficiency to businesses but not necessarily justice or collateral to society.
B-Ready will determine whether it becomes a tool for effective reform or just another restructuring scorecard, depending on the World Bank’s capacity to fight its persistent biases and hear its critics.
Both Dhaisy Paredes Guzman and Fernanda G. Nicola are American University’s laws professors.
The Conversation has republished this essay under a Creative Commons license. Learn the article’s introduction.
Seeing AI’s bright side through Reid Hoffman’s eyes: book review – Asia Times
Anxiety over synthetic knowledge is great. Employers are afraid of their employment. Some researchers are concerned about the individual race.
According to some, businesses are speeding up the development of smart equipment without having however made sure they can hold them firmly rooted in human values. A health researcher lately left a leading AI development company, OpenAI, declaring that he was “pretty terrified” by the pace of development.
Artificial general intelligence ( AI ) that can think and learn the way people do, carry out tasks unprogrammed, and compete with or even surpass humans in terms of creativity, flexibility, and abstract reasoning is a top priority for the AI industry. It’s a theory that is the subject of more than one discussion.
Researchers are divided on whether AGI will ever be reached. Those who predict it will have a different opinion of how quickly. And there is a lot of disagreement regarding whether achieving it would be beneficial. When I consider where I’ll raise a future family or how much to save for retirement, the scholar who just left OpenAI said,” I can’t help but wonder: Will society also make it to that stage”?
Author Reid Hoffman asks us to take a break from watching the Terminator shows and look at the positive aspects while speaking in support of AGI. Hoffman is a heavy in Silicon Valley and a venture capitalist. He co-founded LinkedIn and sits on the boards of more than one Artificial company.
In a recently released text, Hoffman and co-author Greg Beato argue that the potential risks are far greater than the potential benefits, which can be attained through “iterative growth” and democratization. By that, they mean releasing AI advances slowly to a wide range of consumers, enabling understanding, and allowing defects to be discovered and fixed.
Hoffman describes himself as a “techno-humanist.” He disagrees with the Silicon Valley” solutionists,” who view AI as the solution to all problems and favor gung-ho, no-holds-barred development, nor with the “problemists,” who only support technology when it is proven to pose zero risks and favors stringent regulation or even bans.
Hoffman is more concerned with the problemists than the two. His criticism of the “precautionary rule” will appeal to British farmers who have gone through the GMO wars. In his discourse of attitudes toward technology in general, he uses example from a range of fields, including agriculture.
Hoffman doesn’t repeat,” no regulation, always.” He does, however, request that we be aware that development is itself a form of rules, while strict adherence to the precautionary principle you suppress innovations that may increase a technology’s safety.
He cites the first, illegal days of the car to illustrate the idea of innovation as regulation, when automakers introduced several safety features that we take for granted for economical reasons. Up until 1911, when Charles Kettering developed the electric start, many wrists, hands, and jaws were broken by individuals trying to crank-start vehicles.
It was made accessible on Cadillacs the following year, helping to establish the pleasure label’s image. It gradually developed into common products.
Even as the authors respond to AG I’s critics, they continue to make references to all the great things that technology will allow. They observe progress in people’s lives in occupations ranging from agriculture to manufacturing, health care to schooling.
What if every infant on earth had access to a professor who was as intelligent as Big Bird and as wise as Leonardo da Vinci?
Superagency is a well-informed, thought-provoking guide. The authors ‘ idea that gaining the technology into the hands of a sizable amount and of different people is particularly intriguing to me.
Using AI, which I’ve only just begun, has undoubtedly altered my outlook on things. In my research of Italian, AI devices like Gemini and Perplexity are incredibly helpful. My view of AI has changed from being entirely negative to fairly optimistic.
The problem Hoffman and Beato fail to address,” How critical is the risk of a Terminator situation,” is the reason I’m not even more optimistic. What’s the best way to take the risk if it isn’t minor? You have to know if creativity alone could maintain this risk at bay if you accept the innovation-is-regulation premise.
Hoffman does have a compelling response, I believe. I would have liked to know how he had shared it.
In one of the many marketing tidbits for the book, Yuval Noah Harari, the author of the book” Sapiens,” spoke for some.
The book” Superagency” offers society a interesting and insightful perspective on the era of AI. Despite my disagreement with some of its key points, I apologise for my inconsequential opinions. Learn it, and then make your own judgment.
Urban Lehner, a former long-time Asia journalist and director for the Wall Street Journal, is DTN/The Progressive Farmer’s editor emeritus.
This post, which was originally published on April 22 by the latter news business and is now being republished by Asia Times with authority, is entitled” Copyright 2025 DTN/The Progressive Farmer.” All trademarks are reserved. Follow , Urban Lehner , on , X @urbanize ,
GE2025: WP has been ‘stress tested’ when Singapore is in crisis, says Pritam Singh
The WP is not here to “tear down what works,” but rather the group will “build on it,” according to Mr. Harpreet Singh, who likewise addressed the crowd in Teochew.
He therefore made a number of recommendations, including advocating for better , Central Provident Fund profits, smaller class size in schools, and for families to choose a through-train program to help their children skip the primary school Leaving Examinations.  ,
A nation is more than just its GDP ( Gross Domestic Product ) or its horizon. A nation is its people and how they live, he said, noting that a ballot for the WP will give it a chance for a more just, equitable, and sensible Singapore.
Andre Low, a candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC, brought up the idea of smaller class sizes to attract more interest from the school.
Additionally, Mr. Low advocated for education measures to reduce exam anxiety, allowing one people to access accommodation choices at a younger years, and reducing the waiting period for housing “back to what they were a decade ago.”
In addition to the items he advocated for in his talk, he also mentioned the exemption from the goods and services tax for essential items, tiered pricing for resources for lower-income organizations, and free public transportation for seniors during off-peak hrs.
Mr. Low, who is up against PAP candidate and NTUC director general Ng Chee Meng, even brought up the NTUC-Allianz story and demanded more accountability.
European employer Allianz had made an effort to acquire a majority interest in Income Insurance, but the Singapore government earlier last October blocked the deal.
The NTUC officially supported the offer just two months prior, saying,” The position was so severe that we had to pass emergency legislation to stop the deal.” And he claimed that despite their adjacent ties to the PAP,.
” We need powerful opposition voices in Parliament because of this.” Because these kinds of decisions are made behind closed doors without appropriate checks and balances, without appropriate supervision, and without those who are willing to issue those in power.
We were so fortunate that the NTUC offer was blocked. We might not be so fortunate once more.
The soon-to-be-father said that as he was transitioning from the WP to the prospect, he was considering how he could still be the best father to his infant while giving everything to Singapore.
Low Thia Khiang and JB , Jeyaretnam, two former WP officials and opposition MPs who influenced him, he added.  ,
They “had the metal in them,” they claimed. I have the metal in me. They gave me the confidence to move up, and that is why I’m here now, “replied Mr. Low.
GE2025: SDP leaders urge voters to ‘send a message’ to PM Wong about GST hikes, cost of living pressures
On Thursday evening, five celebration rallies took place all over Singapore for the first time in about ten years.
Despite the “financial pain that Singaporeans had to undergo during the COVID-19 time,” Doc “insisted” on increasing the GST.
Alternatively of ensuring that Singaporeans emerge stronger and healthier in 2021 and 2022, the state piled on new forces for the people, he said.  ,
He described how, among others, the government went forward and raised the GST. He also explained how the prices of utilities, public transportation, and gasoline have increased.
The Founders ‘ Memorial, which is estimated to cost S$ 335 million ( US$ 256 million ), was also cited as “one of those nice things, but one that benefits the people very little,” according to the SDP chief.
He questioned the cost of such an initiative by holding up a timeline that was “beautifully produced” with pages filled with” snazzy photos of your favorite Doc MPs.”
After there was uproar over the change to the SimplyGo payment system, he questioned the government’s request for an additional$ 40 million to support the continued usage of EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay accounts.
Because we’ll be here until tomorrow night and then we’ll have to get everyone breakfast, he said,” I can’t list all the cases of useless investing.”  ,
GE2025: 4G PAP ‘has lost its way’, say PSP’s top leaders Leong Mun Wai and Tan Cheng Bock
RULING PARTY’S DOMINANCE
The “enduring dominance” of the PAP has compromised fair political competition, Ms Poa said at the rally.
While the PAP only clinched 61.24 per cent of the votes in GE2020, it took 83 seats in parliament out of an available 93, she noted, adding that the dominance is likely to continue for some time to come.
“On a positive side, it ensures continuity in our policies and fosters stability,” she added. “On a negative side, it allows the ruling party to put and keep in place rules that create an unlevel playing field and hinder fair political competition.”
While meritocracy has been central to Singapore’s social compact, Ms Poa said it “can only exist where there is fair competition”.
She added: “Only when competition is fair can the best person win, rather than the person who has the best connections or the person who has the most money or any other advantage not related to ability.”
She highlighted recent changes to Singapore’s electoral boundaries, noting that some opposition politicians who have laboured for years in an SMC have seen their efforts gone to waste when the ward is absorbed into a GRC.
All 13 PSP candidates, who will stand in West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, as well as Bukit Gombak, Pioneer, Kebun Baru and Marymount SMCs, spoke on Thursday.
Echoing Mr Leong, Dr Tan reminded supporters that he started the PSP “because I honestly feel the PAP has lost its way”.
“It sounds strange that I should leave a party that I helped for 26 years. But I feel that the PAP has definitely lost its way,” said Dr Tan, the last to speak at the rally.
The PAP is not the same as when he was an MP, said Dr Tan, who will turn 85 in a few days.
Dr Tan entered politics during the 1980 election under the PAP’s banner, becoming the MP for Ayer Rajah SMC. He held that seat until 2006, when he stepped down from politics and his ward was absorbed into the former West Coast GRC. He later resigned from the party in 2011 to run for president.
“We challenged the government of the day then, although we were in the PAP,” said Dr Tan, recalling how he voted against the Nominated MP scheme and argued with Singapore’s first Education Minister Goh Keng Swee about the education system.
“That is what I always believe that Members of Parliament who go into Parliament must do that, and not just toe the line.”
PAP representatives used to come from all walks of life, including “ordinary men”, he said. Now, they come from the civil service and the army, he added.
“This is dangerous. There will be groupthinking. To me, it is inbreeding. And when there’s inbreeding, there is no way you can change policies within that system,” said Dr Tan.
Throughout their time debating in Parliament, Mr Leong and Ms Poa contributed their NCMP salaries to party funds and “didn’t take a cent”, said PSP’s chairman.
“One of the reasons why I left the PAP is when I find that everything we talk about is money. I think that is not correct,” said Dr Tan.
If PSP members win seats in this election, parliament will be different, he stressed, adding that his party will join forces with WP and others who are elected to ensure issues that concern Singaporeans “will get the attention” of the government.
“Why? Because we hear you. I don’t know whether they hear you or not.”
GE2025: Goh Meng Seng tells Pritam Singh to ‘be humble’, accuses Workers’ Party of ‘abandoning’ voters
.jpg?itok=LAwyv0k8)
Heng Zheng Dao, 24, the group’s youngest candidate, discussed how artificial intelligence and immigration policy could have an impact on work and livelihoods.
In the next five years, he said,” We are looking at AI, self-driving cars, which may take out the rice bowl of Grab vehicles and food supply vehicles in the next five years.”
” Samuel can make you laugh all the way.” That’s how he expresses the anguish he feels in his heart.
Samuel Lee, a other PPP member, was the subject of a conversation that became well-known on Tuesday when he sang about job security issues at a party press conference.
The opposition party, according to Mr. Vere Nathan, who is a member of PPP’s Tampines GRC stone, has shown that talking” about concerns no one else is willing to do” is a sign that the group is here to serve.  ,
” We are willing to put our lives in danger,” the statement read. People said,” We might lose our loan, but it was because we are fighting for truth,” the 26-year-old said.
Mr. Goh and his rivals in the Tampines GRC had a conversation at the conclusion of the almost three-hour-long protest.
” It is only appropriate for all citizens in Tampines to hear what we stand for,” he said.  ,
“I’ll make a payment for this,” I’ll ask Mr. Masagos, Mr. Faisal Manap, and Mr. Reno Fong to join me for a discussion about our laws with the other three party leaders, who are also called “leaders.”
Will Xi Jinping start a war over Trump’s China tariffs? – Asia Times
What does China, and specifically the Chinese Communist Party, do now that Donald Trump has imposed a 145 % tariff on them? The majority of commentators appear to believe they will negotiate tariffs with the United States, whine violently, and then slowly release feelers to end a bargain. And Trump has suggested, suggested, and now is doing that.
Possibly. If we were Xi Jinping, that is what we would perform. But don’t anticipate Xi’s response to be as American-style.  ,
Any pain that Xi Jinping may cause will be subsided by his own people. And he has been urging them to “eat sorrow” for decades. He has also spent years putting a stop to the Chinese market. He’s never vulnerable either, despite not being there at the moment.
Narrative war and economic reprisal
China has banned exports of certain rare earth, unusual earth, and mineral products, has ordered Chinese companies not to buy andnbsp, Boeing and other aircraft, and has imposed 125 % tariffs on American goods.
Additionally, it has enlisted US proxies, of whom there are no lack, to support the claim that the American state may crumble if Walmart’s daily low prices rise.  ,  ,
Beijing will also use the force from US business to entice the masses.
Xi is not seen caving in to immigrants. His numerous private rivals could actually take him out if he does, in his own words.  ,  ,
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP ) is in a battle to the death with the free world, which is even more fundamental. Only one of the two may survive, according to the CCP’s definition of survival: flexibility poses a threat to communism.
A tactical analysis
But Xi and his successors have spent years getting ready for war. State-linked media has reported on China’s “people’s battle” against the US since at least 2019.
Additionally, at his direction, Xi’s military, the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ), is now competent enough to spread its wings both inside and outside the first-island chain. If done correctly, the PLA may yet sneeze at Americans.  ,  ,  ,
Maybe Xi Jinping considers starting a shooting war to be a viable choice? He may be surprised, of course. The Americans don’t believe he did ( or don’t want to think that’s possible ).  ,
With all that involved, it shouldn’t be against the US, but it might be against Taiwan, the Philippines, or both. This may cause a significant shock for the US and everyone else. Trade conflict and a possible nuclear conflict are two distinct items. People will continue to blame President Trump, particularly as Xi claims that “you Americans pushed me into it”…
President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan ( seated right ) and US Senator Pete Ricketts ( standing ) have a meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei on April 18th. Central News Agency picture
Out come the wolf.
First and foremost, every Democrat on Capitol Hill and many Republican Nationals ( Republicans in Name Only ) will blame Trump. As well as Wall Street’s entire business group and the majority of its counterparts. Remember how many people were upset that Osama bin Laden had been attacked by the US in some way after 9/11?
With Donald Trump and China involved, things will be even simpler. Trump disorder syndrome is similar.
Are the taxes on the PRC, as high as they are, enough to produce waging war seem like a wise choice for Xi?  ,  ,
It may not be as restrictive as the crude and economic restrictions placed on Japanese imperialism in 1941. But, it’s bad enough in its own method for the CCP. Particularly if major or even smaller nations resolve their differences with the US or refuse to accept China’s rising export, which may overtake their own home business.
Want for hard money
Although the Chinese may resist punishment, the Ponzi scheme’s market depends on exports to generate hard currency. Additionally, are imports of British and European systems.  ,  ,
The CCP must match its US dollar-denominated responsibilities even though it doesn’t have half the international exchange . Or to purchase what it requires, such as Australian iron iron to produce material for PLAN boats. It lacks US systems like the detective balloon that flew over America in 2023, for instance.
And Xi favors keeping citizens employed. In China, 600 million people still live on$ 5 per day, while many others continue to live on less.  ,  ,
It is a tense location. And perhaps Trump is considering rebalancing the deal imbalance and more than tariffs. This could be causing significant decoupling between the Chinese market and the free- and “unfree world” investing alliances.
The Trump administration’s America First Investment Policy, or AFI, was worrying China with its tightened restrictions on inner Chinese investment even before the levies. And just as poor, limiting National investment and technology transfers to the PRC.
dynamic fight
In the 53 decades since Richard Nixon’s visit, the US has not put pressure on China in this way. There has been a lot of talk but not many real pressure, aside from during Trump 1.0, which was only for a few years and never attempted the jugular.
Xi may now anticipate that Americans will lose attention, be placated, strung along, and start to ease up, and all of that.
What if, however, the Americans realized that China and the United States are already at conflict with one another? Although the US didn’t start this conflict, it appears for the first time that it is getting ready to battle.
Even Xi will decide that this is the right time to shoot, or “go dynamic” in modern jargon. A firing conflict might not be how we would listen to taxes. However, we are never Xi Jinping.
Grant Newsham is a former US minister and former US Marine agent. When China Attacks: A Warning to America is his book, which he is the creator of.
This article was previously published by Japan Forward, and it is now republished with authority.
GE2025: Singapore needs good team to stay ahead, tackling living cost and job concerns ‘most urgent priority’, says PM Wong
SINGAPORE: The “first and most urgent priority” for the People’s Action Party (PAP) is to address cost of living and job concerns, and Singapore needs a good team to stay ahead, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (Apr 24) at his first rally in this General Election.
Stressing that he has worked hard to bring in new blood, Mr Wong, who is also secretary-general of the PAP, called on voters not to give the opposition a free pass and to apply the same standard when assessing their candidates.
Mr Wong named Tampines GRC candidate David Neo and East Coast GRC candidate Dinesh Vasu as those with “potential” to be more than backbenchers.
The PAP secretary-general was speaking to supporters and residents at Woodlands Stadium. Four other rallies by opposition parties – People’s Power Party, Progress Singapore Party, Workers’ Party and Singapore Democratic Party – were held concurrently in various parts of Singapore.
They are Singapore’s first physical General Election rallies since 2015.
At Woodlands Stadium, Mr Wong was joined by his team-mates from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC: Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh.
Also speaking at the rally were anchor minister for Sembawang GRC Ong Ye Kung, and Sembawang SMC candidate Poh Li San.
“We are all the PAP team from the north, and we are here to ask for your support,” said Mr Wong.
Ms Soh was the first of the candidates to speak, followed by Ms Poh, Mr Yam, Mr Zaqy and Mr Ong. Mr Wong delivered the final speech for the night.
“The SDP (Singapore Democratic Party) may have a northern strategy, but the PAP is ready to challenge them and take them on,” said Mr Wong, acknowledging the challenge from the opposition party in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Sembawang GRC and the Sembawang West single-seat ward.
PLANNING AHEAD, AND NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRES
In his speech on Thursday, Mr Wong said that tackling economic uncertainties, especially cost of living and jobs concerns, is the first and most urgent priority for his party.
He noted that cost-of-living pressures started earlier due to wars in Europe and the Middle East, but have been made worse recently due to tariffs and trade wars.
Recognising these challenges earlier this year, Mr Wong said this was why the government has announced comprehensive support measures in this year’s Budget, citing CDC and SG60 vouchers and utility rebates as examples.
He added that his team is monitoring the situation closely and will enhance and continue providing support for as long as it is needed.
“So don’t worry, this is not just a one-year budget. We will do whatever we need to make sure you are well supported,” said Mr Wong.
Mr Wong also noted that Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong is leading a task force looking into jobs, with labour chief Ng Chee Meng being part of the team and coordinating efforts.
They are studying additional measures that will be needed if conditions worsen, such as how to help businesses retain workers and support job seekers.
While doing this, the PAP will continue planning for Singapore’s future, he said.
“This is the PAP way. We don’t just fight fires. We plan ahead and we never stop building a better Singapore with you,” he said.
As the party keeps watch on current concerns, it is also looking at how to continually review and update policies to serve Singaporeans better.
Mr Wong highlighted two key areas from his party’s general election manifesto: housing and long-term care.
On housing, he noted how the supply for public housing has been ramped up to make up for COVID-19 disruptions.
Once the market stabilises, he said, his team will be able to review policies including income ceiling and access for singles.
For long-term care, Mr Wong cited Community Care Apartments as an example of an initiative that allows seniors to age in place.
However, his team will also work on new models that allow seniors to continue living where they still have easy access to the support they need.
“We will not stand still,” said Mr Wong. “We will keep on doing better. We will engage, listen to your suggestions, and we will continually strive to do better for you and to build a brighter future for you.”
INDIVIDUALS IN CABINET MATTER
Mr Wong said that the PAP government will continue to manage Singapore’s economy well and harness its resources effectively to stay ahead of changes.
“To do all that, I need a good team in government,” he noted. “I have a good team in my Cabinet today. They say that government is about teamwork. And it is. But the individuals in the team do matter greatly.”
He named four key members of the current Cabinet and their contributions.
Mr Gan, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, was his co-chair in the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force, and they worked closely together at the height of the pandemic, said Mr Wong.
“He was experienced, he was steady, and I could always depend on him for advice and good counsel,” said Mr Wong.
He said he now depends on Mr Gan for many things, including chairing Singapore’s Economic Resilience Taskforce and helming the PAP’s campaign in the new Punggol GRC.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing is someone who is “reliable and gets things done” and also “very good with large-scale operations”, said the prime minister.
He noted that Mr Chan oversaw Singapore’s effort to focus its supply chains, ensuring access to essential items, like toilet paper, masks and medical supplies.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, whom Mr Wong called a “good friend” and also a former colleague in the civil service, had to help Singapore stay connected to the world amid the evolution of new strains, as transport minister during the pandemic.
Mr Ong came up with the air travel bubble concept, noted Mr Wong.
Lastly, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng joined the team after the last General Election, but “went straight to work”, bringing his “private sector expertise and hands-on mindset” to the pandemic battle.
He is now taking the same can-do spirit to serve residents in Chua Chu Kang GRC, said Mr Wong.
“Without individuals like them, my team would not be what it is today,” said Mr Wong of the quartet.
Mr Wong also acknowledged in his speech several political veterans who are stepping down: Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
“I will miss all of them,” he said.
Mr Wong reiterated his focus on renewing Singapore’s political leadership.
He said he had worked with some of the 32 new candidates closely during the pandemic, including East Coast GRC candidate Dinesh Vasu Dash and Tampines GRC candidate David Neo.
Mr Neo oversaw the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) operations in the foreign workers’ dormitories, ensuring close coordination with other government agencies, said Mr Wong.
Mr Dinesh was in charge of the country’s vaccination drive, developing the plans, briefing the Cabinet, and then implementing them effectively on the ground, said the prime minister.
“Many other countries also had vaccines but they couldn’t get the vaccinations done on time. In Singapore, we could, and it’s because of his leadership,” he said.
Calling the duo very good men “who have the potential to be more than backbenchers”, Mr Wong said they will add significantly to the team that will take Singapore forward.
“With these new additions, we will have … a more effective team to weather the storm ahead,” he said.
“We will have a fresh team, combining experience with new perspectives, and we will have a stronger team united by a new resolve to serve you, support you, stand by you.”
SIZEABLE OPPOSITION TODAY
Mr Wong also acknowledged that while some Singaporeans want the PAP to continue to govern, they also want to see more alternative voices in Parliament.
“I understand this sentiment. In fact, we already have a sizeable opposition in Parliament today,” he said.
He noted that the number of opposition MPs has been increasing steadily with each election. “In the last GE, the number almost doubled.”
“The opposition is here to stay, they are determined and they really want to grow,” said Mr Wong.
He said that most of the Workers’ Party’s (WP) elected MPs are staying put in their wards this GE to secure their seats in Parliament. “As one of their candidates said, these are their ‘safe seats’,” said Mr Wong.
“Their new candidates are fielded elsewhere so that they can break new ground hopefully and increase their seats in parliament,” he added.
Meanwhile, new opposition party Red Dot United is mounting a strong fight with 15 candidates – the second highest after WP.
Other parties, like the Progress Singapore Party, Singapore Democratic Party and National Solidarity Party, are all pressing hard and contesting at least 10 seats each, noted Mr Wong.
“That’s why from the beginning I’ve said it will be a tough contest, and I don’t assume the PAP will automatically win,” said Mr Wong.
Mr Wong noted the opposition’s call not to give “a blank cheque” to the ruling party.
“But I would also say, don’t give the opposition a free pass. Apply the same standards to them as you do to the PAP, in terms of integrity, competence and readiness to serve,” he said.
Once the election is over, it is not the PAP versus the opposition, but Singapore versus a dangerous and troubled world, said Mr Wong.
Mr Wong also cautioned against divisive politics and called upon all political parties not to stir up or inflame sensitive issues.
“So I say to all political parties in this election, let’s make sure that in everything we do, we always uphold multi-racial politics. Do not inflame sensitive issues,” he said.
“Make sure that politics stops at the water’s edge, meaning when it comes to our national interest, our sovereignty, our security, our place in the world. Don’t use domestic politics to divide Singaporeans.”