Sunday, May 4, 2025

Close the US military bases in Asia !

Basic reciprocity among the major powers would save trillions of dollars of military outlays over the coming decade, the American economist writes.

Representational image.

President Donald Trump is complaining that US military bases in Asia are too costly for the country, and Japan and Korea should pay for them. Commenting on this on his Substack –Savage Minds – American economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey D Sachs writes, “Here’s a much better idea: close the bases and return the US servicemen to the US.”

According to Sachs, the US purpose of stationing 50,000 troops in Japan and nearly 30,000 in Korea are not for protecting these countries but for force projection in the region. The only times in the last 1,000 year of Chinese history that China invaded Japan was when the Mongols ruled China briefly, about 700-750 years back. Japan has a longer and a recent history of invading China.

He further writers that “In 1894-5, Japan invaded and defeated China in the Sino-Japanese war, taking Taiwan as a Japanese colony. In 1931, Japan invaded northeast China (Manchuria) and created the Japanese colony of Manchukuo. In 1937, Japan invaded China, starting World War II in the Pacific region.”

Today nobody believes Japan will invade China. The same is true of China and Korea. During the past 1,000 years, China never invaded Korea, except on one occasion: when the US threatened to attack China.

Sachs writes, “China entered the war in late 1950 on the side of North Korea to fight the US troops advancing northward towards the Chinese border. At the time, US General Douglas MacArthur recklessly recommended attacking China with atomic bombs. MacArthur also proposed to support Chinese nationalist forces, then based in Taiwan, to invade the Chinese mainland. President Harry Truman, thank God, rejected MacArthur’s recommendations.”

Sachs believes that any protection that South Korea needs against North Korea, to be sure, can be achieved far more effectively and credibly through a regional security system, including China, Japan, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, than through the presence of the US…” As he says, “In fact, the US military bases in East Asia are really for the US projection of power, not for the defence of Japan or Korea. This is even more reason why they should be removed.” …

He writes, “The best strategy for the superpowers is to stay out of each other’s lanes...Trump is looking for ways to save money—an excellent idea given that the US federal budget is haemorrhaging 2 trillion dollars a year, more than 6% of US GDP. Closing the US overseas military bases would be an excellent place to start.”

“….with America’s 750 or so overseas military bases in around 80 countries, it’s high time to close these bases, pocket the saving, and return to diplomacy…“You keep your military bases out of our neighbourhood, and we’ll keep our military bases out of yours. Basic reciprocity among the major powers would save trillions of dollars of military outlays over the coming decade and, more importantly, would push the Doomsday Clock back from 89 seconds to nuclear Armageddon,” writes Sachs.

Infographic: US military presence around the world

The US controls about 750 bases in at least 80 countries worldwide and spends more on its military than the next 10 countries combined.

By Mohamm
ed Hussein and Mohammed Haddad

In the early morning hours of August 31, the last American soldiers lifted off from Kabul airport, officially ending the 20-year war in Afghanistan, the longest in US history.

At its peak in 2011, the US had approximately 100,000 troops across at least 10 military bases from Bagram to Kandahar. In total, more than 800,000 US soldiers served in the war according to the Pentagon.

Upwards of 750 US bases around the world

According to David Vine, professor of political anthropology at the American University in Washington, DC, the US had around 750 bases in at least 80 countries as of July 2021.

The actual number may be even higher as not all data is published by the Pentagon.

With 120 active bases, Japan has the highest number of US bases in the world followed by Germany with 119 and South Korea with 73.

US military presence around the world — (Al Jazeera)

Saturday, May 3, 2025

US economy in Q1 shrinks amid new tariff policies; US reportedly actively engaging with China through multiple channels

A view of cargo ships at Port Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, on April 10, 2025. Photo: VCG

The US economy just had its worst quarter since 2022 as current US administration's significant policy changes unnerved consumers and businesses, the CNN reported.

The US is now actively engaging with China through multiple channels, expressing its hope to engage in negotiations over tariffs issues, according to Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with China Media Group, and Wechat account Niutanqin, on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The sources also revealed to Niutanqin that China believes it is acceptable to have contacts, as China's attitude is consistent and clear: We will fight, if fight we must. Our doors are open, if the US wants to talk.

Gross domestic product, which measures all the goods and services produced in the economy, registered at an annualized rate of -0.3 percent in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

That's a sharp slowdown from the fourth quarter's 2.4 percent rate, and much worse than the 0.8 percent rate economists projected.

Consumer spending, which powers about 70 percent of the US economy, slowed sharply in the first quarter to a 1.8 percent rate, down considerably from 4 percent in the prior three-month period. That slowdown was largely due to Americans cutting their spending on goods, and was the weakest rate since mid-2023.

Wednesday's report also showed that inflation took a sharper than expected upswing during the first quarter. The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index rose an estimated 3.6 percent for the quarter, up from 2.4 percent during the fourth quarter, according to the report. Excluding food and energy prices, the core PCE index increased 3.5 percent versus 2.6 percent the quarter before.

The Kobeissi Letter, a financial publication, noted that preliminary GDP growth in the first quarter came in at negative 0.3 percent, below expectations of 0.3 percent. "This marks the lowest and first negative GDP reading since Q2 2022. GDP contraction in the US has begun," according to the Xinhua News Agency,

Niutanqin said that any form of consultation and negotiation must be carried out in an equal manner based on mutual respect. China does not look for trouble, but neither are we afraid of it. Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China.

There is really no need for China to waste time until the US takes substantial actions. But if the US wishes to engage with China, at this stage, it is not necessarily a bad thing for China either. However, the US shouldn't expect China to make any impossible concessions. Moreover, judging from the current game, China remains calm and clear-headed, always firmly in control of the initiative in both dialogue and confrontation, the Niutanqin said.

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Donald Trump-the noisy duck

Xi Jinping - the silent dragon

US economy shrinks for the first time in three years

U.S. economy shrinks 0.3% in first quarter as Trump trade wars disrupt businesses

Friday, May 2, 2025

Covid-19 may have emerged in US first, China issues Covid-19 white paper

BEIJING, April 30 (Reuters) - China restated its case that COVID-19 may have originated in the United States in a white paper on its pandemic response released on Wednesday after President Donald Trump's administration blamed a lab leak in China.

The White House launched a COVID-19 website on April 18 in which it said the coronavirus came from a lab leak in China while criticising former President Joe Biden, former top U.S. health official Anthony Fauci and the World Health Organization.

In the white paper, released by the official Xinhua news agency, China accused the U.S. of politicising the matter of the origins of COVID-19. It cited a Missouri lawsuit which resulted in a $24 billion ruling against China for hoarding protective medical equipment and covering up the outbreak.

China shared relevant information with the WHO and the international community in a timely manner, the white paper said, emphasising that a joint study by the WHO and China had concluded that a lab leak was "extremely unlikely".

The U.S. should not continue to "pretend to be deaf and dumb", but should respond to the legitimate concerns of the international community, the white paper said. -

Reuters

THE State Council Information Office has issued a white paper titled Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China’s Actions and Stance.

Apart from the preface and conclusion, the document contains three chapters: ‘Contributing Chinese Wisdom to the Study of the Origins of SARS-CoV-2,’ ‘China’s Contribution to the Global Fight Against Covid-19,’ and ‘The Mismanaged Response of the US to the Covid-19 Pandemic.’

According to the white paper, since the outbreak of Covid-19, China has consistently dedicated substantial resources to collaborative studies into the origins of the virus, involving both Chinese and international scientists.

Upholding its international responsibilities, the country spearheaded research initiatives in critical fields such as clinical epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, environmental epidemiology and the identification of animal hosts.

China cooperated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the study of virus origins with a strong sense of global responsibility and transparency.

The white paper points out that ‘WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part-Joint WHO-China Study,’ as well as other studies, conducted systematic epidemiological investigations, molecular tracing, animal reservoir screening, and studies on cold-chain pathways, ruled out the possibility of Wuhan being the natural origin of SARS-CoV-2, and concluded that a Wuhan lab leak is extremely unlikely.

China shared the epidemic information with the WHO and the international community in a timely manner, and provided the genome sequence of the virus.

China also invited WHO international expert missions to conduct joint research into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, shared without reservation its effective measures for prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment and did all it could to provide massive supplies and extensive aid to the international community.

As pointed out in the white paper, the US government, instead of facing squarely its failure in response to Covid-19 and reflecting on its shortcomings, has tried to shift the blame and divert people’s attention by shamelessly politicising SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing.

Substantial evidence suggested the Covid-19 might have emerged in the United States earlier than its officially claimed timeline, and earlier than the outbreak in China.

The United States should respond to the reasonable concern of the international community, and give a responsible answer to the world.

China will continue to work with all nations in advancing global public health and good governance, and contribute more proactively to preventing new infectious diseases in the future. — Xinhua

China releases white paper on Covid-19 prevention, control and origins tracing

Full text: Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China's Actions and Stance

WHO-China joint report on virus origins:Wuhan Lab-leak is "extremely unlikely", ‘more states should be probed’...

FORT DETRICK, THE UNITED STATES BIOLOGICAL WARFARE LAB IS WHERE

CORONAVIRUS ORIGINATED

‘Use science, not politics': China asks WHO to investigate Fort Detrick, UNC bio labs through diplomatic channel

Workers day, May 1: Honoring Chinese and all workers in the name of global development

photo taken on November 6, 2022 shows a wall displaying photos of smiling people at an exhibition themed "Forging Ahead in the New Era," which showcases China's achievements and development over the last decade, at the Beijing Exhibition Center. Photo: VCG

As the International Workers' Day, which falls on May 1, approaches, a grand gathering was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and honor model workers and exemplary individuals.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered an important speech. He congratulated the honorees and extended his greetings to workers, farmers, intellectuals and other working people from all ethnic groups, as well as to trade unions and their staff at all levels.

Xi also expressed earnest expectations for the Chinese working class and the broad masses of workers as they forge ahead on a new journey and contribute to the new era. In this new era, Chinese workers, through their spirit of hard work, struggle, innovation and breakthrough, have not only laid a solid foundation for China's development and advancement, but also contributed Chinese wisdom and strength to the world.

The world is currently undergoing profound changes. However, Chinese workers are using their hands to write a new chapter of hard work and perseverance in the new era. Just looking at the industrial and agricultural sectors: China has maintained its position as the world's largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years, with its share of global manufacturing value added rising from 20 percent in 2010 to 34 percent in 2024. More importantly, China's manufacturing sector continues to show strong growth potential. In agriculture, China has achieved 21 consecutive years of good harvests, with grain output reaching a record high of 1.4 trillion jin (706.5 million tons) in 2024.

The per capita grain availability stands at 500 kilograms, far exceeding the internationally recognized food security line of 400 kilograms. All of this "was not a windfall, nor were it given in charity by others. It comes from the hard work, wisdom and courage of all members of the Party and the people of all ethnic groups in China."

In recent years, whether it is the expansion of the high-speed rail network, or leadership in 5G technology; whether it is the rise of the new energy industry, or breakthroughs in artificial intelligence - these impressive achievements that have captured global attention all stem from the relentless pursuit and exceptional talent of Chinese workers. With extraordinary perseverance and extraordinary craftsmanship, they shine in their respective roles, not only driving the upgrading and transformation of China's industries, but also making an irreplaceable contribution to global economic prosperity.

Especially in today's era of severe global economic turbulence, "Made in China" continues to demonstrate remarkable vitality. Behind this resilience lies the quiet dedication of hundreds of millions of Chinese workers, who ensure the stable output of Chinese products and make "Made in China" synonymous with credibility and quality - setting a global example of win-win cooperation in economic development.

From a global perspective, the spirit, strength, and sense of responsibility embodied by Chinese workers in the new era are providing the world with uplifting energy. Under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese workers have contributed not only to the construction of grand, iconic infrastructure projects such as bridges, railways, and ports, but also to "small but beautiful" livelihood projects in agriculture, water access, and skills training. From Chinese hybrid rice printed on Madagascar's banknotes, to more than 500 wells drilled in Egypt's desert, to children in remote Kenyan villages using solar panels made in China, Chinese workers have formed close connections with the world.

More importantly, they are increasingly offering the world valuable public goods - not just the spirit of hard work, unity, and perseverance, but also exemplary values such as openness, cooperation, mutual benefit, and shared development.

Today, while certain country wields tariffs and push for "decoupling," history will ultimately prove that no policy that goes against economic principles can outmatch the resilience forged by laborers' sweat. As shipping containers pile up in US ports, left untouched due to soaring transportation costs driven by "port fees," Chinese workers are striving to keep the global supply chain running with their tireless effort. While Western companies face shutdown crises from broken supply links, Chinese laborers, with their wisdom and efficiency, have made "Made in China" a stabilizing anchor that helps the ship of the global economy sail steadily forward under heavy load.

Amid the headwinds of economic globalization and intensifying geopolitical rivalry, Chinese workers are creating miracles with their own hands, bringing certainty to the turbulent process of economic globalization. In this sense, Chinese workers are not only creating material wealth, but also embodying a deeper civilizational value: one that respects the value of every pair of hands, cherishes every effort made, and believes that labor is the bridge between the past and the future.

While certain country still views labor value through the lens of tariffs, Chinese workers are building better lives through hard work and contributing to the well-being of humanity, demonstrating that the true value of labor lies in creation, not exploitation, and in sharing, not monopolizing.

Today, in the name of global development, we pay tribute to Chinese workers, honoring the most inspiring force of our time - a force that shows the world that nothing can stand in the way of humanity's pursuit of a better life, and nothing can shake the truth that the future is created by hard work.

This is the gift that Chinese workers offer to the world.

By Global Times