Respectfully reposting. It seems the previous comment didn't get through the thread.
Respectfully thank you for the invitation to comment Bill. US actions towards China, and the latter’s responses to it. Your points of view were most informative and interesting. So were the views of those who commented here.
Respectfully reposting. It seems the previous comment didn't get through the thread.
Respectfully thank you for the invitation to comment Bill. US actions towards China, and the latter’s responses to it. Your points of view were most informative and interesting. So were the views of those who commented here.
English is not my native language, so sincere apologies in advance for inevitable errors in grammar and syntax, especially if those errors come across as culturally impolite. Cultural protocols having been dispensed with, allow me to define the “promontory” from which I will base my thoughts re your request for a comment about US and China relations today.
Economic, cultural, political growth is an invisible but powerful undercurrent similar to the main undercurrents underneath our oceans. For lack of a better term, the outward nature of this undercurrent is political and economic but its main force is religious and ideological. And it dynamically alive. One cannot physically see it on the economic radar, but its location and destination can be tracked by the sound and heat waves it radiates in its wake. Like a slow stealthy vehicle.
This invisible undercurrent started way back, about 2,500-3,000 years ago. The direction it took followed the path of the moon- from the west to the east. Originating from India, it flowed towards China, then Korea, until it reached Japan. On its path disasters and calamities preceded order and prosperity that came afterwards. Approximately 60 years ago, this current started to move to the opposite direction. From the Asian east, starting in Japan, it is moving back to the western side towards India.
This east-to-west shift and its path is characterized initially by economic and political turmoils but followed by prosperity. It seems political and economic forces cannot stopped this undercurrent but can only benefit from it. This undercurrent acts like an economic magnet that attracts benevolent forces from without or a plow that brings up to the surface benevolent economic forces.
From Japan and moving towards India, major economic shifts sprouted unsuppressed. Western economic entities gravitate towards it or native economic forces become strengthened by it. The times pan, though measured in decades, is apparent.
I can only surmise, the foundational force that propels this invisible current is very primal and humanistic in nature. This is my promontory. Having defined it, here is my brief view of your request.
The four countries - Japan, Korea, China, India, and beyond say Africa will benefit economically from this irreversible undercurrent. There will be inevitable hiccups along the way like this covid19 virus. But the benefits will occur, regardless of what the US will do. Perhaps, regardless also of what the internal power structures of China or even India will do as well.
But there is a catch. Suffering and misery awakens this dragon. However, for this “living, benevolent and humanistic dragon” to march on and benefit all, it must be fed, or must feed on “inclusive” and “compassionate” actions. Otherwise, it buries itself back and the suffering, and the prevailing sense of powerlessness stays.
Of course that is just a hunch. But there is a basis for that hunch.
Imagine if the Roman Empire, did the opposite in their governance. Instead of insisting on being “exclusive” and aggregating all the resources of their client states to themselves, what if they pursued equal prosperity and inclusiveness towards everyone including the barbarian states? What if?
Would the Germanic tribes invade and destroy them if these tribes are just as prosperous or even more prosperous than Rome? Would South Americans migrate up North, if they are more prosperous than the those up North? Water seeks its own level. But what if, by humanistic and collective choice, one make the water stop seeking other levels? What if we can make “water” be content at the level where it is now? This is inclusive economic growth.
If Japan, Korea, China, and India, learned from the Romans and does the opposite, like making their neighbors just as prosperous, or even slightly more prosperous than them, what would the world look like, 50 years from now? Instead of constructing expensive border walls, one can utilize that same money for more beneficial ventures.
Perhaps this is the direction that China is going with its infrastructure expansion. Ambitious but so far sighted. An improved variation of the European Union.
Moreover, the traditional model of export growth is exporting goods. But nobody ever tried exporting “utilities” on a massive scale. Natural gas yes, but how about energy? Energy industries, even if regulated in their profits are profitable ventures, done well.
What if one can create an enormous power grid spanning an area as big as Asia? The new Silk Road is already in place reaching up to Africa. The maritime silk road will soon be for Asia pacific islands. That is for transport. Imagine if High-Tension energy follows the same route.
It’s like expanding Rome’s walls, making it so wide and inclusive, it includes the Gauls, Germania, Asia Major and Minor, the Asian Steepes, and even Britannia. The only purpose of that wall is to protect the people inside it against the fierce northern icy winds.
If this is where China and possibly India is going, wow! If the four - Japan, Korea, China, India can only work together peacefully like long lost brothers, wow! That invisible undercurrent will expand beyond the Asian shelf to benefit the entire humankind. Peacefully.
That’s it! Thank you Bill for the invite. Apologies if my comment was too long and have abused your hospitality.
Respectfully reposting. It seems the previous comment didn't get through the thread.
Respectfully thank you for the invitation to comment Bill. US actions towards China, and the latter’s responses to it. Your points of view were most informative and interesting. So were the views of those who commented here.
English is not my native language, so sincere apologies in advance for inevitable errors in grammar and syntax, especially if those errors come across as culturally impolite. Cultural protocols having been dispensed with, allow me to define the “promontory” from which I will base my thoughts re your request for a comment about US and China relations today.
Economic, cultural, political growth is an invisible but powerful undercurrent similar to the main undercurrents underneath our oceans. For lack of a better term, the outward nature of this undercurrent is political and economic but its main force is religious and ideological. And it dynamically alive. One cannot physically see it on the economic radar, but its location and destination can be tracked by the sound and heat waves it radiates in its wake. Like a slow stealthy vehicle.
This invisible undercurrent started way back, about 2,500-3,000 years ago. The direction it took followed the path of the moon- from the west to the east. Originating from India, it flowed towards China, then Korea, until it reached Japan. On its path disasters and calamities preceded order and prosperity that came afterwards. Approximately 60 years ago, this current started to move to the opposite direction. From the Asian east, starting in Japan, it is moving back to the western side towards India.
This east-to-west shift and its path is characterized initially by economic and political turmoils but followed by prosperity. It seems political and economic forces cannot stopped this undercurrent but can only benefit from it. This undercurrent acts like an economic magnet that attracts benevolent forces from without or a plow that brings up to the surface benevolent economic forces.
From Japan and moving towards India, major economic shifts sprouted unsuppressed. Western economic entities gravitate towards it or native economic forces become strengthened by it. The times pan, though measured in decades, is apparent.
I can only surmise, the foundational force that propels this invisible current is very primal and humanistic in nature. This is my promontory. Having defined it, here is my brief view of your request.
The four countries - Japan, Korea, China, India, and beyond say Africa will benefit economically from this irreversible undercurrent. There will be inevitable hiccups along the way like this covid19 virus. But the benefits will occur, regardless of what the US will do. Perhaps, regardless also of what the internal power structures of China or even India will do as well.
But there is a catch. Suffering and misery awakens this dragon. However, for this “living, benevolent and humanistic dragon” to march on and benefit all, it must be fed, or must feed on “inclusive” and “compassionate” actions. Otherwise, it buries itself back and the suffering, and the prevailing sense of powerlessness stays.
Of course that is just a hunch. But there is a basis for that hunch.
Imagine if the Roman Empire, did the opposite in their governance. Instead of insisting on being “exclusive” and aggregating all the resources of their client states to themselves, what if they pursued equal prosperity and inclusiveness towards everyone including the barbarian states? What if?
Would the Germanic tribes invade and destroy them if these tribes are just as prosperous or even more prosperous than Rome? Would South Americans migrate up North, if they are more prosperous than the those up North? Water seeks its own level. But what if, by humanistic and collective choice, one make the water stop seeking other levels? What if we can make “water” be content at the level where it is now? This is inclusive economic growth.
If Japan, Korea, China, and India, learned from the Romans and does the opposite, like making their neighbors just as prosperous, or even slightly more prosperous than them, what would the world look like, 50 years from now? Instead of constructing expensive border walls, one can utilize that same money for more beneficial ventures.
Perhaps this is the direction that China is going with its infrastructure expansion. Ambitious but so far sighted. An improved variation of the European Union.
Moreover, the traditional model of export growth is exporting goods. But nobody ever tried exporting “utilities” on a massive scale. Natural gas yes, but how about energy? Energy industries, even if regulated in their profits are profitable ventures, done well.
What if one can create an enormous power grid spanning an area as big as Asia? The new Silk Road is already in place reaching up to Africa. The maritime silk road will soon be for Asia pacific islands. That is for transport. Imagine if High-Tension energy follows the same route.
It’s like expanding Rome’s walls, making it so wide and inclusive, it includes the Gauls, Germania, Asia Major and Minor, the Asian Steepes, and even Britannia. The only purpose of that wall is to protect the people inside it against the fierce northern icy winds.
If this is where China and possibly India is going, wow! If the four - Japan, Korea, China, India can only work together peacefully like long lost brothers, wow! That invisible undercurrent will expand beyond the Asian shelf to benefit the entire humankind. Peacefully.
That’s it! Thank you Bill for the invite. Apologies if my comment was too long and have abused your hospitality.