Share This

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Peeing Problems ?


Men, if you are having trouble with urination, it could be due to an enlarged prostate.


WHEN it comes to men’s health, the prostate is one of the organs that garners the most attention as it is a vital part of the male reproductive system.

The prostate is a small, squishy gland about the size of a walnut, located deep inside the groin, below the bladder, at the base of the penis and in front of the rectum.

The prostate is a walnut-shaped male gland situated deep inside the groin, below the bladder.- 123rf.com

 An enlarged prostate is, by far, the top reason men have trouble peeing. The prostate gland sits right below the bladder. Urine travels from the bladder through a channel that runs right through the prostate to the urethra, where it exits the body.

A sexual gland, its most important function is the production of a fluid that, together with sperm cells from the testicles and fluids from other glands, makes up semen.

“When a man reaches climax, the sperm is mixed with water from the prostatic fluid and propelled out through the urethra tube.

“So, he ejaculates two things – the prostatic fluid and the semen,” explains consultant urologist Dr Datesh Daneshwar.

“This whole mechanism is so intricate that at the time of climax, he needs to stop peeing.

“There is a muscle that stops you from peeing, yet allows the semen to come out through the urethra via the penis and out of the body.”

Men often think that prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) is a natural part of ageing, but this is not necessarily true.

Says Dr Datesh, “With ageing, the prostate can enlarge, and if it does, it usually enlarges in the outward direction and doesn’t cause a compression of the urethra.

“It does not cause symptoms all the time and needs no treatment because it doesn’t trouble a man.

“But when it enlarges in the inward direction, it causes a blockage of the urethra and can lead to men having problems passing urine or with ejaculation; it can also cause erectile dysfunction.

“Being told on a routine ultrasound that your prostate is enlarged is not a reason to run to your urologist, unless you have some bothersome urinary symptoms – even something as trivial as needing to constantly get up in the middle of the night to pee.”

Aside from those who sit most of the day, avid male cyclists may also be at risk of developing prostatitis due to the compression of their pelvic area


No one knows the actual cause of prostate enlargement, although ageing, changes in the testicular cells and testosterone levels are believed to play a role in the growth of the gland.

The urologist says, “All the nerves that allow an erection are located around the prostate, and if you have an enlargement, these nerves are compressed and go wonky, so you will not have a proper erection.

“The inner part of the prostate is mostly muscle, so it’s pliable or elastic.

“Due to the enlargement, it becomes stiff – similar to inflammation that can take place in other body parts, e.g. the neck, legs, arms, etc.

“All this while, we have assumed that this enlargement has got to do with the increased number of prostate cells.

“However, I found that a lot of men have an injury to the prostate that makes the individual cells enlarged.”

For clearer understanding, Dr Datesh presents the following scenarios to his patients.

Imagine you have been hit hard on the arm.

When you put on a shirt, your hidden swollen arm may look “muscular”, but in actual fact, it is injured.

Or you could have hit the gym, worked out really hard and built your arm muscles, making you truly muscular.

The net result is the same: enlargement.

“The majority of men who have an enlarged prostate have a component of inflammation, which is known as prostatitis.

“It could be caused by swollen cells, which can be the result of a bacterial infection or injury.

“The bacterium that has been implicated in this is Chlamydia trachomatis, which is sexually transmitted (and causes chlamydia).

“It can remain dormant inside your prostate for years before acting up.

“As for injury, the mode is unclear – it could be caused by a catheter that was put into the penis during surgery or a camera that was inserted into the penis to remove a kidney stone, etc.

“Yet, there are men who have none of these, but still have an injured prostate,” he says.

He adds that, “Some factors that may cause the injury are excessive sitting or cycling.

“Any pressure on the perineum can lead to inflammation of the prostate and pelvic floor muscles, and this then causes urinary problems.”

A recurring problem

Besides urinary problems (i.e. dribbling, pain or too frequent), other symptoms of prostatitis include blood in the urine, groin pain, rectal pain, abdominal pain, lower back pain, fever, chills, body aches, urethral discharge, painful/ premature ejaculation, poor erection, lack of morning erection and sexual dysfunction.

Depending on the cause, prostatitis can come on gradually or suddenly.

It might improve quickly, either on its own or with treatment.

Some types of prostatitis last for months or keep recurring, which can greatly affect a man’s quality of life and cause low self-esteem.

To treat prostatitis, doctors will prescribe antibiotics, alpha blockers (to relax the bladder neck and muscle fibres where the prostate joins the bladder) and anti-inflammatory agents.

They may also suggest a prostatic massage, which can be very unpleasant.

Unlike BPH, which affects men above 50, most prostatitis patients are in the 30-50-years age bracket.

Dr Datesh says, “I have seen patients as young as 17 and as old as 90 with prostatitis.

“The management of this is different from standard management of BPH.

“Until now, we have never had a proper curative management, so the problem can be treated, but will come back every few months or years.

“A prostatitis patient then becomes a permanent patient of the urologist because his condition recurs.”

He relates a case of a 42-year-old fit and healthy patient who was rushed to the emergency department because he couldn’t pee after returning from a long flight.

A catheter was inserted and almost one litre of urine was drained.

He shares, “We started him on medicines and hoped he could pee.

“A few days later, we removed the catheter, and once again, he couldn’t pee.

“So, the next option would have been to do a surgical transurethral resection of the prostate, but that would have left him with sexual dysfunction for the rest of his life, and that wasn’t fair to the young man!”

He explains: “The surgery involves going through the urinary tube and coring his prostate from within to cut off the inner part (like removing the core of an apple) so that he can pee easier, but in the process, we would have altered the anatomy in the region and destroyed a lot of things.

“The man might end up having incontinence or retrograde ejaculation as the semen goes back into his bladder … everything goes haywire.

“An old man who cannot pee might be thankful, but not a young person.”

Instead, Dr Datesh treated him using antibiotics, along with low intensity shockwave therapy – a method that applies shockwaves directly to the prostate to reduce the inflammatory response and heal the tissues.

“After one session, this man was able to pee, and now, two years later, he’s peeing like a horse!

“I used to do the coring surgery every week, but I haven’t done one in two years because the shockwave therapy provides an effective option,” says the extremely pleased Dr Datesh, who is among the handful of local urologists practising this non-invasive method.

A ‘shock-ing’ option

Shockwave therapy has been around for 40 years and was initially used to break kidney stones, but has since been modified.

Instead of breaking, it creates regeneration and is used in wound healing, arthritis and muscle spasms.

In urology, it is considered new and has been used in the last 12 years to open up blocked blood vessels (due to diabetes, hypertension or heart disease) and enhance circulation to the penis.

“It also wakes up your stem cells to create regeneration.

“As we get older, our stem cells become more dormant and that’s why we don’t heal so well.

“It feels like acupuncture. There are zero complications, no burning sensation and no reported side effects.

“It’s not mainstream treatment, but the science is good and patients have this non-invasive option.

“There’s no fixed duration for treatment, but I do it twice a week for a total of 10 sessions, each lasting 12 minutes.

“Once the therapy is completed, antibiotics and alpha blockers are given for a month,” shares Dr Datesh.

While medicines (which come with side effects) can sort out 90% of prostatitis cases, there will be recurrence for 50-60% of patients after a few months or years.

With shockwave therapy, there is a 90% cure rate, but the studies only go back to the past eight years.

So far, Dr Datesh says the majority of his patients remain well.

“Like any muscular problem, it does go away, but there is a chance for it to come back and we don’t know why this happens.

“I’m extrapolating that humans are not supposed to be on their butts the whole day, but we cannot tell people to stop sitting!

“This problem is not seen in people who stand or do manual labour.

“How much butt tissue you have is also a factor, because without much flesh, the area is compressed further when you’re seated,” he adds.

Unfortunately, there are no tests or scans you can do to diagnose prostatitis – it’s a clinical diagnosis, akin to endometriosis in women.

“It’s very difficult to prove prostatitis microscopically or conclusively because we would have to take out the prostate and send it to the lab for analysis – obviously, this is not possible.

“So we have to put a lot of things together before coming up with a diagnosis.

Dr.DATESH DANESHWAR:
According to Dr.Datech,aAround 80% of men walking around with urinary problem and sexual dysfunction actually have prostatitis and don’t know it.

“They all want the blue pill (sildenafil)!” he says, smiling.

“They need to sort out their prostatitis, then they can enjoy life.”

Men who don’t ejaculate enough may also experience some amount of prostatic inflammation at some point.

“Best to do it three times a week!” he says with a wink.

Good urine flow

Men, irrespective of age, are supposed to have good urination and morning erections their whole lives – it shows that their hormone levels and circulation are intact.

For the past decade, Billy (not his real name), 54, had been experiencing poor urine flow.

It started when he took antinausea pills before going fishing.

Once he returned to shore, he couldn’t pee.

“Apparently, these pills can make any underlying prostate issues surface.

“I sought treatment, and for a while it was okay with medicines, but the problem returned three years ago.

“Although I had no other symptoms, I knew it was a prostate issue as I’m a doctor myself,” says the anaesthesiologist.

He did a series of tests and scans to rule out cancer.

Besides an enlarged prostate and a slightly elevated prostate-specific antigen test level, the results came back negative.

He was prescribed drugs and hormone suppressants.

Billy shares, “The flow was improving, but it still wasn’t good and the side effects were unpleasant.

“It reduced my sexual satisfaction as it caused dry ejaculation.

“I was contemplating surgery because both my late father and grandfather had similar problems and underwent surgery in their 50s.”

For a year, he lived with the dysfunction until he found out about shockwave therapy.

Six sessions later, he noticed an improvement.

“Since the scans and tests showed nothing, the urologist decided to treat my symptoms as prostatitis.

“My pee is much better now than it was 10 years ago.

“I’m at the stage where I only take drugs once a week or when necessary.

“I believe I have an enlarged prostate and prostatitis as both can co-exist.

“I would probably need surgery at some point, but hopefully, I can delay it for another 10 years,” he says.

Dr Datesh concludes, “Men, be aware that urinary problems are not normal at any age, and if you have them, it is not necessarily related to cancer or BPH. You’re not doomed.

“It could be an inflammatory problem or as the Malays would say‘ masuk angin’. Get it checked.”

By REVATHI MURUGAPPAN starhealth@thestar.com.my

Related


What Help Is Available for Men Who Have Trouble Urinating ...

 

Urinary retention: Causes, treatment, and symptoms


Having trouble peeing? Your prostate is likely the culprit

China and the Decline of US Power

In a nutshell, it is not just the rise of China which is responsible for the decline of the US. - Filepic/REUTERS -

China and the decline of US power | Astro Awani


 Indecline | CollTales
Indecline :: Do You Know Where Your Thoughts Come From?

Constant attacks by some US elites on China will, according to some observers, diminish and disappear once the US presidential election is over in November 2020. This is unlikely to happen for at least two reasons. One, the issues that underscore the targeting of China are fundamental in nature and go beyond elections and personalities. Two, at the root of some of these issues are questions of power— of dominance and control— whose resolution will span decades if not centuries.

In examining the interface between the US and China, I shall begin with those areas of conflict where the latter has surpassed the former. This will be followed by reflections on manifestations of US power which are not as formidable as they are made out to be. Conclusions will be drawn from these two categories on the emerging pattern of global power.

Within specific sub-fields of science and technology, China appears to have moved ahead of the US. Maritime surveillance and lunar geography would be two such sub-fields. Chinese advances in electronics and telecommunications have also been breathtaking. It is because China is at the forefront of cutting edge technology that there is so much anxiety in the US and the West today about China’s ascendancy. Those who have dominated the world for so long know that it is mastery over science and technology that endows a nation or civilization with power and strength.

Its mastery over science and technology is one of the reasons why in a few decades China has become the factory of the world manufacturing a whole range of affordable, quality goods for people everywhere. China’s success in penetrating markets has made the nation indispensable to the global economy. Even in the entertainment industry, a video-sharing platform like Tiktok has become a sensation among the young prompting US authorities to impose curbs upon it .

More than its production of goods and services, it is China’s massive global infrastructure transformation through its Belt Road Initiative (BRI) that is destined to have a lasting impact upon humankind. An endeavor that spans 138 countries, the BRI connects Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. It not only seeks to build highways and ports but also attempts to initiate agrarian projects and accelerate industrial ventures which will raise incomes and increase productivity of many poor countries

Compared to the BRI there are other spheres where US power appears to be overwhelming. But if we probed each of these spheres carefully, we would discover that US power is only a veneer. Its so-called military prowess is a case in point. Though the US has a huge arsenal and some 800 military bases girding the globe, we forget that it has not won a single major war since the end of the Second World War. Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan testify to this. In fact, its involvement in wars in the last 50 or 60 years have been unmitigated disasters.

Another pillar of US power is the US dollar— the world’s reserve currency. The dollar is no longer as dominant as it once was. In 2015 for instance, approximately 90 % of bilateral transactions between China and Russia were conducted in dollars. By 2019 “the figure had dropped to 51%”

US imposed sanctions against Russia since 2014 following Crimea’s restoration to Russia contributed to this. The US also imposed “tariffs on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Chinese goods “ which forced China to de-dollarise.” Moscow and Beijing reinforced their financial relationship in June 2019 through a deal “ to replace the dollar with national currencies for international settlements between them.” Russia has also been accumulating yuan reserves at the expense of the dollar.

The US also perpetuates its global dominance through an extensive propaganda network which projects the US as the greatest nation on earth. It is a portrayal which has lost its lustre in the last couple of decades. The US led invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 which was unjust as it was immoral tarnished the US’s image in the eyes of the world. Increasingly, it has come to be perceived as a rapacious nation which has no scruples about slaughtering hundreds of thousands of innocent people in pursuit of its hegemonic agenda.

More than its role in wars and all the sufferings they cause, the US elite’s failure to govern effectively has shattered and battered its image The coronavirus pandemic and the economic miseries generated by it, have revealed that compared to some countries in Asia the US elite is incapable of protecting the well-being of its own citizenry. With 176 thousand fatalities and 5.68 million infections as of the 22ndt of August 2020,the elite stands condemned for betraying and sacrificing the people. If good governance is the hallmark of a ‘developed nation’ then the US can no longer lay claim to that status.

The coronavirus pandemic with all its dire consequences has also exposed how deeply flawed notions of ‘freedom’ and ‘the rights of the individual’ are in the US When freedom of the individual relegates the collective good of society to the margins, it breeds a self-centred obsession with freedom which in the ultimate analysis undermines freedom itself. If freedom and the celebration of the individual are the glorious attributes of societies like the US, the pandemic has shown us all how ugly their misconception and misapplication can be.

In a nutshell, it is not just the rise of China which is responsible for the decline of the US. Its own distorted perspective on power , its perverted sense of individual freedom and most of all its lust for global hegemony have all contributed to its fall. This is why as the American people approach yet another presidential election, they should for their own good reflect upon their own flaws and foibles as a nation. It is humility and honesty of this sort that is the need of the hour.


by Chandra Muzaffar.Dr Chandra Muzaffar is the president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST).

 Source link

 More articles by:

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Malaysia’s recovery movement control order (RMCO) extended until Dec 31,tourists still not allowed in







Coronavirus Update - Worldometer

KUALA LUMPUR: The recovery phase of Malaysia's COVID-19 movement control order (RMCO) will be extended to Dec 31 and tourists will remain barred from entering the country, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Speaking in a televised address on Friday (Aug 28), the prime minister said even though the number of new cases in the country has fallen, the virus is still raging globally. The RMCO phase was originally scheduled to end on Aug 31.

"I am aware that based on global developments, we will go through a lengthy period before the country can be completely free from the threat of COVID-19," he said.

"For now, the situation is controlled. However, if there is an increase in cases in certain locations, the government will take a targeted approach by implementing enhanced movement control order or targeted movement control order, as previously enforced in several locations."

He added: "This means that the government requires a legal mechanism to continue efforts to curb and control the spread of COVID-19. Hence, for the benefit of you all, the government has decided to extend the recovery movement control order until Dec 31, 2020."

He also emphasised that no individual will be excused from these laws and anyone who breaks the regulations will be punished.

Mr Muhyiddin expressed his support for the Ministry of Health (MOH) to increase the fines for those who break these laws, to twice or thrice the current amounts.

The prime minister also pointed out that the extension will ensure all parties adhere to the standard operating procedures and health protocols that have been outlined.

He added that foreign tourists are still barred from entering Malaysia during this period to prevent the spread of imported cases into the country.

READ: COVID-19 virus mutation that is '10 times' more infectious detected in Malaysia: Health director-general

Almost all sectors have been permitted to resume their operations, except for night clubs and entertainment outlets, the prime minister said.

All sporting activities are permitted, sans the presence of spectators or overseas participants, he added.

As of Friday, Malaysia reported a total of 9,306 COVID-19 cases and 125 deaths. Around 97 per cent of the patients have recovered.

A total of 10 new cases were detected on Friday, the MOH said.

READ: Commentary - With COVID-19 under control, the worst is over for the Malaysian economy


The MCO, first imposed on Mar 18 to control the spread of COVID-19, was previously extended three times until May 12.

It was initially enforced when the number of daily new cases saw an alarming three-figure spike. Under the MCO, domestic and international travel was barred, and people were encouraged to stay at home to break the infection chain.

After six weeks of economic inactivity, Malaysia eased into a “conditional MCO” beginning May 4,  allowing almost all economic sectors to reopen

Subsequently, controls continued to be lifted over time. Daycare centres, hair salons, beauty parlours, open markets and night markets were given the green light to reopen.

Malaysia later entered the RMCO phase from Jun 10, where almost all social, educational, religious and business activities, as well as economic sectors reopened in phases, with standard operating procedures to be adhered to. Interstate travel was also permitted while the country's borders remained closed. The current control order, which began on June 10, was due to expire on Monday.

Four months of efforts seemed to have paid off as Malaysia began to report mostly single-digit increase in daily new cases - and even zero local transmission on a few days - until new clusters emerged.

On the back of 13 new clusters detected during the RMCO phase, Mr Muhyiddin had earlier reminded Malaysians to comply with social distancing rules and warned the public not to be complacent.

On Aug 3, Malaysia's Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the wearing of face masks was compulsory in crowded public areas, including markets, supermarkets, tourist areas, cinemas and on public transport.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

 Source link

 

 Related:

 

Entry ban on countries with more than 150000 Covid-19 cases


Thursday, August 27, 2020

Penang Smart Parking Apps Simple Guidelines On How To Use; Cara Guna Penang Smart Parking



Penang Smart Parking Apps is now the latest method to pay your parking fees.

Here are a step by step guide on how to use it as it will be a mandatory starting from the year of 2021.

If you like this video, do give this video a thumbs-up, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE to this channel for more and be safe while driving!

 Majlis perbandaran/bandaraya di Pulau Pinang telah memperkenalkan aplikasi (app) Penang Smart Parking (PSP) yang membolehkan kita membayar caj kupon parking tempat letak kereta menggunakan smartphone secara online dengan mudah. 

Saya tunjukkan bagaimana cara untuk daftar (register), tambah nilai kredit (reload) dan membuat bayaran parking kereta (Park N Pay) menggunakan apps Penang Smart Parking (PSP).

 #PenangSmartParking
#AppsPenangSmartParking
#AplikasiPenangSmartParking



Cara Guna Penang Smart Parking



Dalam video ni saya menerangkan dengan ringkas cara guna apps Penang Smart Parking. saya harap sedikit sebanyak dapat membantu anda semua.

Jangan lupa SUBSCRIBE GUYS.

Terima Kasih


Related post:

 No smartphone = problems living in Penang

Please resolve the parking and soon-to-be marketing woes of constituents who do not own and do not wish to own smartphones.

 
Councils should tackle car parking woes
 Related:

Penang Smart Parking - Apps on Google Play




Penang Smart Parking is a platform to park and pay in Penang. It upgrades the conventional way of parking using parking coupon automatically eliminates the hassle of searching for parking coupon booth and scratch your coupon.

Penang Smart Parking on the App Store



Penang Smart Parking is a platform to park and pay in Penang. It upgrades the conventional way of parking using parking coupon automatically eliminates the ...
Rating: 2 - ‎294 reviews - ‎Free - ‎iOS - ‎Utilities/Tools

China deters US provocations: close-up recon on PLA drills with spy plane breaching no-fly zone

Wreckage of a US-made U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft is on display at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing. The military on the island of Taiwan used U-2s to conduct reconnaissance missions on the Chinese mainland since January 1962, and the PLA Air Force shot down the first U-2 on September 9, 1962 in the suburbs of Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province. Photo: Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution

China’s military exercise announcements send clear message: analysts

Armored vehicles mounted with Tor anti-aircraft missile systems attached to an air defense brigade under the PLA Eastern Theater Command fire at mock aerial targets during a whole-process live-fire test in northwestern China's Gobi desert on July 26, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wang






By sending an RC-135S ballistic missile-detection plane to spy on Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the US has deployed its spy aircraft to gather intelligence on two separate PLA exercises two days in a row, following another occasion on Tuesday that saw a U-2 high-altitude aircraft provocatively trespass into a no-fly zone of a live-fire drill by the PLA Northern Theater Command that risked a misfire accident.

China announced on Wednesday another navigation restriction zone for military exercises, a move providing transparency to the public and designed to send the US a clear message that the US would need to assume all responsibility if its reconnaissance aircraft got mistakenly shot down by the PLA should they conduct close-up reconnaissance on Chinese drills again, analysts said.

An RC-135S of the US Air Force, designed to gather data on ballistic missile launches, re-entry and electronic information, flew across the South China Sea on Wednesday morning, according to monitoring from the Beijing-based think tank the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) on the same day.

The aircraft crossed the Bashi Channel from the east, headed southwest into the South China Sea, and returned on the same route, according to a flight trajectory drawn by the SCSPI. It approached near an ongoing PLA exercise in waters off Hainan Island's southeast coast.

The PLA drills are being held in the waters from Monday to Saturday, according to a navigation restriction notice released on Friday by the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration, which did not provide further details regarding the drills.

It is possible that the US believes the PLA would launch anti-ship ballistic missiles like the DF-21D or the DF-26 in the drills, so it sent the RC-135S to gather intelligence, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The missiles are extremely threatening to US warships, particularly to its aircraft carriers, the expert said, noting that the US must be anxious and eager to find out how to counter them.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday that China is the only country in the world that has the technology to develop anti-ship ballistic missiles, and the US is eager to learn about China's methodology. China usually tests ballistic missiles inland to keep confidential intelligence away from the prying eyes of other countries, and the PLA also has many other types of exercise subjects that it conducts in the South China Sea, so the ongoing drills do not necessarily feature anti-ship ballistic missiles. If the PLA drills did not feature ballistic missiles, the RC-135S can still attempt to gather intelligence on other types of weapons and equipment with its wide selection of sensors, Fu said.

The RC-135S's close-up reconnaissance of the PLA drills in the South China Sea came only one day after a US U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft trespassed into a no-fly zone that was hosting a live-fire drill by the PLA Northern Theater Command on Tuesday.

The U-2 incursion is a blatant, provocative act that could have easily caused misunderstanding and misjudgment, and even triggered an air and maritime accident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a routine press conference on Wednesday.

When first making the announcement on Tuesday, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian also made similar statements to strongly denounce the dangerous move made by the US.

Chinese military experts said that the U-2 could have been mistakenly shot down by the PLA.

China has lodged solemn representations with the US, and demanded the US to stop such provocative acts immediately, Zhao said.

Amid the two provocative close-up reconnaissance operations from the US on PLA drills, China on Wednesday announced yet another set of live-fire military exercises.

The exercises will be held from Thursday to Sunday in the waters of the East China Sea, read a navigation restriction notice the Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration released on Wednesday.

Giving the exact coordinates of the military exercise zone, the notice, released in both Chinese and English, said that any act of trespassing would be prohibited.

China openly introduced restriction zones for its drills, as setting similar zones are a common practice for many militaries around the world, including the US. This would leave the US with no excuse to trespass, and if it continues to do so, it should be the one that should be held accountable if any accident were to occur, analysts said.

According to a report by the Beijing Daily on Wednesday, China has held at least 22 military exercises in all of its four sea regions, namely the South China Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, in the past month. All exercises were announced together with clearly formulated restriction zones.

Odds of misfire

While China did not announce many details regarding the exercises, Chinese military experts have predicted that many of them could feature anti-ship, air defense and anti-submarine drills.

In live-fire air defense exercises, anti-aircraft missiles and close-in weapon systems could be fired, and an aircraft suddenly appearing on radar could be mistaken for a training target, because in realistic drills, troops often do not know how the drills will transpire and can only rely on their own judgments to pass the tests, the above-mentioned expert said.

With an exercise zone being restricted, anything on radar that is not friendly is likely to be hostile, the expert said, noting that the PLA must have carefully identified the U-2 and exercised restraint not to let an accident happen, but US planes might not be so fortunate next time.

US aircraft could also accidentally stumble into the trajectory of target drones or PLA aircraft, which could risk collision and escalation, analysts said.

Unbearable consequences The US keeps playing the dangerous game of testing China's bottom line and stirring up provocations as it is pushing for a cold war against China. But at the same time, the US does not want the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis to repeat again since this time it could not bear the consequences, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

US provocations against China would do nothing to solve its domestic problems. But the more severe domestic turmoil it suffers, the tougher it wants to act with the hope to deter strategic competitors and maintain dominance with its allies especially in Asia to keep the order it wants, Lü noted.

Aside from sending reconnaissance planes, US politicians and military officials also voiced tough rhetoric against China. For example, on Monday, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper released an article in the Wall Street Journal headlined "the Pentagon Is Prepared for China." He also hyped up the PLA threat and said the US and its allies are ready to defend on every front.

Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that Esper is repeating US mainstream strategies against China - attacking the Communist Party of China and the PLA, which are the cornerstones of ensuring China's security and stability.

Esper expressed on July 21 his hope to visit China within the year, which was interpreted by some media as sending a friendly signal. However, Li said that both the remarks in July and in the Wall Street Journal show that "the US' long-term strategy of suffocating China and remodeling the global order by using military competition has never changed."

Source link

RELATED ARTICLES:

Related posts:

A People’s Liberation Army vessel firing cannons and torpedoes in a drill in the South China Sea earlier this month. Photo: Weibo :


 US a troublemaker

In four separate speeches, Secretary of State Pompeo (pic), Attorney General Barr, National Security Adviser O’Brien and FBI Director Wr

Related:

US provokes again with ballistic missile-detection plane near PLA drills in S.China Sea: think tank

A US RC-135S reconnaissance aircraft on Wednesday flew near ongoing Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills in the South China Sea, one day after another US spy plane, a U-2, trespassed into another PLA exercise restricted zone. The US is increasing the frequency of its close-up reconnaissance of PLA drills in order to pry about the PLA's capabilities, which is provocative, brings the risk of accidents, and could lead to escalation, Chinese experts warned.


US illegal sanctions over S. China Sea shows its hegemonic logic: FM

The imposition of illegal sanctions on two dozen Chinese firms over false accusations of China militarizing the South China Sea reflects the hegemonic logic and power politics of the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Thursday's media briefing.


Leaning on Washington leads to trouble on maritime affairs

Leaning toward the US leads to many uncertainties for regional countries, and they should avoid acting as US pawns to create shockwaves in the waters.


No need for ASEAN to take sides between China, US

Despite political tensions between the US and China that will likely continue for a while, there is no need for the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take ...


US sanctions won't deter China from seeking legal rights in S.China Sea, trade: experts

The US on Wednesday sought to further escalate tensions with China, as it moves to sanction two dozen Chinese companies that it claims help build artificial islands in the South China Sea, compounding several hot-button issues in the bilateral relationship, from the South China Sea to military to trade.

China’s military launches a drill on nuclear emergency rescue operations


习近平向中国人民警察队伍授旗并致训词强调 对党忠诚服务人民执法公正纪律严明 坚决完成党和人民赋予的使命任务


Monday, August 24, 2020

Who can win in South China Sea clashes?

A People’s Liberation Army vessel firing cannons and torpedoes in a drill in the South China Sea earlier this month. Photo: Weibo
A People’s Liberation Army vessel firing cannons and torpedoes in a drill in the South China Sea earlier this month. Photo: Weibo :

China meets with Asean diplomats to propose resuming South China Sea Talks


https://youtu.be/Abro8Y7e8pA>

Without a blink, most people are likely to say the US will reign over China as America is a more advanced military/defence power with vast combat experience in the many past and present wars it has provoked or created in various parts of the world.

“In terms of military strength, it must be the US,” said Global Times’ editor-in-chief Hu Xijin in an Aug 7 comment piece on South China Sea. As the official media outlet of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by President Xi Jinping, Global Times’ comments are closely monitored by China watchers.

However, the influential journalist remarked that if military clashes occur off China’s coastal waters, the outcome may be “uncertain” as China’s maritime strength combined with onshore combat power may pose challenges to the US navy. But if the showdown occurs in East China Sea and it involves Taiwan, then there will be “a contest of wills as well as a contest of strength”.

Taiwan, though permitted to self-rule after 1949, is jealously guarded as part of China’s territory.

“Whoever commands a upper hand (in clashes involving Taiwan) will be decided by a combination of military strength plus morality plus the will to fight,” said Hu in his comment.

In Chinese social media, the US and its allies are reminded that present-day China cannot be bullied. It is no longer the sick man of Asia, as perceived in the 19th century. Chinese commentators often end their YouTube clips stating that a modern and powerful China will win against aggressors at all cost, with the support of 1.4 billion strong-willed and patriotic Chinese.

The will to drive the aggressor off is an important element in warfare. The withdrawal of the US from the Vietnam War (1955-1975) has shown that its military might was not enough to defeat and kill the fighting spirit of the Vietnamese people.

It is clear to many people that intensifying military exercises in South China Sea is part of the US global strategy to contain a rising China, seen by Washington as the most serious threat to its economic, technological and military superiority. With Donald Trump gearing up for a presidential election in November that many polls have indicated he is likely to lose, nobody dares rule out that this unpredictable leader may start a war outside America as a ploy to win more domestic support within the US.

Former Australian premier Kevin Rudd has warned in an article in the Foreign Affairs journal of an “especially high” risk of armed conflict between the two powers as Trump seems hell-bent to win at all cost.

“The once unthinkable outcome – actual armed conflict between the US and China – now appears possible for the first time... We are confronting the prospect of not just a new Cold War, but a hot one as well,” he wrote early this month.

There has been a greater frequency of the deployment of US warships conducting military exercises in the South China and East Seas. In response, China has also increased its drills.

Indeed, tension in the South China Sea has escalated after Washington announced on July 13 that Beijing’s claims to most parts of South China Sea are “unlawful”.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had declared in a statement: “The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire. America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources.”

The harsh tone of the US on the South China Sea has drawn support from its Western allies – particularly Australia and the United Kingdom. But within Asean – the biggest trading bloc of China since early this year, most nations have taken a neutral and cautious stance.

These states, some of which have overlapping claims with China over certain parts of South China Sea, are concerned they will become pawns and suffer when the two superpowers actually fight.

On Aug 8, Asean foreign ministers issued a joint statement calling on “all countries to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, to refrain from the threat or the use of force, and to resolve differences and disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law”.

The statement reiterates the grouping’s commitment to maintaining South-East Asia as a region of peace, security, neutrality and stability.

Many analysts believe that Pompeo’s tough talk is a ploy to help Trump’s re-election and partly an effort to divert attention from Trump’s bungled response to the Covid-19 pandemic and his falling poll numbers.

Pompeo’s tough stance on China, though not openly supported by Asean, is quietly welcomed by some anti-China quarters within the blog. It is to be noted that China’s construction of islands and reefs in the South China Sea in recent years has caused discomfort among Asean members.

Though China has often said the construction is carried out on their waters and mainly for civil purposes, it has also built and placed defence facilities on them.

Regardless of the reaction from China and Asean, Washington has not lessened its military manoeuvres.

According to the mainland’s think tank, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, the US military has significantly increased large reconnaissance aircraft activities to 67 in July, compared to 35 in May and 49 in June.

For the first half of this year, the US has conducted more than 2,000 military exercises and drills in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Straits and the East Sea.

US spy aircraft reportedly made intensive flights when the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was conducting operations.

In July, US reconnaissance aircraft entered areas within 70 nautical miles of China’s territorial sea baseline nine times, six times within 60 nautical miles, and in the closest event, about 40 nautical miles away from China’s sea baseline.

The close-up spying is seen by China as a demonstration of military muscle and a provocation by the US, which reportedly has all-round, advanced spying technologies and high frequency aerial reconnaissance.

Hence, based on military strength alone, a Forbes magazine writer shares the view of most military analysts that the US has an upper hand.

On Aug 9, Forbes’ aerospace and defence writer David Axe wrote: “The US military probably has enough warplanes to win a war with China in the western Pacific.”

But he cautioned a caveat. He noted the US doesn’t have enough bases in that faraway part of the world as a battleground.

“The amount of air power China and the US can bring to bear in a war over the South China Sea depends in large part on how many bases each country can set up, supply and protect within 500 miles of the major battle zones.

“Distance is the greatest destroyer of tactical airpower. Most modern fighters can fly no farther than 500 miles from their bases. Refueling tankers realistically can add a few hundred miles to a fighter’s combat radius.”

The writer suggested that the US army could create bases by “dropping paratroopers or landing marines” on some of China’s islands and reefs.

However, in the same breath, he conceded that this strategy may not succeed as China has since 2013 built unmoving aircraft carriers in the form of outposts in the Spratly and Paracel island chains.

The island bases, plus the airfields along the coast in southeast China, allow Beijing to disperse its warplanes. This dispersal can help to protect planes from US missile and bomber raids, he wrote.

But if the US military really occupies China’s islands and reefs, it will spark the start of a full scale war with China, Global Times’ editor warned.

“The US troops will have to face an all-out counterattack from the PLA and will certainly pay a heavy price for their reckless decisions,” warned Hu in his comment in Global Times.

According to a South China Morning Post report dated Aug 9, America is looking to outgun PLA in the Indo-Pacific and its military chiefs are reviewing their deployments to ensure they have sufficient firepower and troops.

However, Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie believes the PLA has sufficient firepower to take on American fleets in the event of an offshore battle.

“China’s Type PCL191 multiple launch rocket systems, which have a range up to 400km, and other rocket launchers are the most efficient low-cost option for dealing with head-to-head conflicts,” the Post quoted Li as saying.

Despite facing all kinds of insults from the US, political interference in Hong Kong and military incitement in the South China Sea, China has exercised restraint.

It may not fire the first shot, most reports indicate.

China has told its service personnel “not to fire the first shot” in the increasingly frequent stand-offs with US planes and warships, South China Morning Post reported on Aug 12 citing sources familiar with Chinese thinking.

But still, the combat-ready PLA armed with its advanced equipment is always on its highest alert, said military experts last week on China’s CCTV Mandarin channel.

Due to the tense situation, countries in the region are worried that there may be “accidental clashes” that could lead to full-scale war that will hurt regional and global trade.

As a vital artery of trade for many of the world’s largest economies, about US$4-5 trillion (RM16.7-RM20.9 trillion) worth of goods transits through the waterway annually. Hence, if a war erupts in South China Sea, all will be losers – including the US and China.

It certainly will not boost Trump’s electoral chances if the war drags on to become another “Vietnam War” for the US and Americans.

By HO WAH FOON

Source link

Related posts:

 US a troublemaker


In four separate speeches, Secretary of State Pompeo (pic), Attorney General Barr, National Security Adviser O’Brien and FBI Director Wr


Read more:

China says U.S. undermines stable situation in South China Sea

China reiterates its sovereignty and rights in South China Sea

 

Admiral Zheng He (aka Cheng Ho, c. 1371-1433 CE) was a Chinese Muslim eunuch explorer who was sent by the Ming dynasty emperor Yongle (r. 1403-1424 CE) on seven diplomatic missions to increase trade and secure tribute from foreign powers.Feb 7, 2019


The Seven Voyages of Zheng He - Ancient History Encyclopedia


世界各国难以置信,中国从今开始不再隐藏,突然亮出大杀器专克美战机,F22彻底沦为笑柄