Asia P.8. Asia's History Hasn't Ended It Has Returned

The Asian “supercomplex” has taken shape: this is evident within the cross-membership model to Asian intergovernmental organizations and through the appearance of political counterweights to China, particularly in India. The United States’ engagements in East and South Asia are also part of this supercomplex. The hardening of Beijing since 2008 has helped maintain US influence in Asia, despite Washington’s decline on the international stage.

Barry Buzan Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics

There are copious books, white papers, government reports which have been written bestowing the virtues of doing business in Asia. What they seem to miss is the loss that companies will incur for not being represented in Asia. 

Asia consists of 5 billion people.

All to often we in the west are concerned by China and view Asia as China centric.  This is wrong. China is 1.5 billion people less than one third of Asia. Asia throughout history has influenced the west, their business practices, economies, and behaviours.  It's important to understand Asia stretches from Turkey in its West to China in the East with middle East termed middle Asia. It consists of many diverse civilizations which at times have engaged in conflict, but have always traded. 

When you consider America's period and the colonial period then you see just how short a window it was. History can be compartmentalized. 19C belonged to Europe as they colonized many parts of the globe, with the British leading the way, the British Empire. Following which, came the US era of dominance. But, as the US begins to wain we now look to Asia to emerge, and it’s not disappointing.

• It's important to understand Asia had a history of dominance. For almost two millennia they have established with one and another commercial ties which have stretched from the Caspian sea, Mediterranean to the Indus valley. From the fifteenth century Asia had diplomatic ties, economic infrastructure and an advanced cultural sensitivity in dealing with each other. 

A great example; the Buddhist Shwedagon temple situated in Myanmar (Burma) is just one testament of the cultural advance those regions have made, whilst we have languished in the ‘dark ages'. This temple has existed for more than two millennia. Its structure is immense standing 105M tall dominating the skyline of Yangon. This is just one example.

• China has a museum in Xian which portrays to the development of paper as a Chinese success. Some would argue it came from Egypt. For me I don't know which, but the silk road connected both. 

Asia growth has been re-born

Swedagon Temple over 2000 years

My point here is simple. Whilst the last two centuries played out Asia has been fragmented, too poor to participate or protect against the western dominance. They emerged fractured and to some extent cowed. All that has changed, Asia has again risen and will only gain strength throughout this century.  As Professor Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean academic and diplomat published a provocative collection of essays titled Can Asians Think? Understanding East and Western thinking and the disparities it produces. As I can attest to, as an advisor to some of the largest companies in Indonesia.  Meetings with Western equity partners were always interesting the west had few shades of gray with Americans operating primarily in black and white. Whereby Asians have so many shades of gray. I'll leave you to ponder the significance of that.

It's important to see China for what it is: The west is deeply suspicious of China, and they should be. The west through George W Bush’s incompetence and Barack Obama couldn't care attitude they have allowed China to dominate the narrative. However, China has spent in Asia some $50billion on infrastructure but it has still bought them little in the way of traction in the region.
  

China's, overheating economy, protectionist policies, aggressive crowding to push competitors out. They are pushing other regions to the front. None less than the young of Indonesia they have with others become a priority for Asia's economic well-being.   China represents to just one-third of Asia’s population, half of Asia’s GDP, half of its outward investment, and less than half of its inbound investment. Asia is much more than just China. 

The Belt and Road scheme has many participants, it is the most significant diplomatic project of the twenty-first century. It is equivalent to the founding of the United Nations, World Bank add the Marshall Plan, it is that big! The crucial difference to these, BRI was conceived in Asia, launched in Asia and will be led by Asians.  More on the BRI click here  More on BRI click here

Asia, in my opinion Indonesia is the growth area.more on Indonesia click here

The Asian “supercomplex” has taken shape: this is evident within the cross-membership model to Asian intergovernmental organizations and through the appearance of political counterweights to China, particularly in India. The United States’ engagements in East and South Asia are also part of this supercomplex. The hardening of Beijing since 2008 has helped maintain US influence in Asia, despite Washington’s decline on the international stage.

Barry Buzan Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics

There are copious books, white papers, government reports which have been written bestowing the virtues of doing business in Asia. What they seem to miss is the loss that companies will incur for not being represented in Asia. 

Asia consists of 5 billion people.

All to often we in the west are concerned by China and view Asia as China centric.  This is wrong. China is 1.5 billion people less than one third of Asia. Asia throughout history has influenced the west, their business practices, economies, and behaviours.  It's important to understand Asia stretches from Turkey in its West to China in the East with middle East termed middle Asia. It consists of many diverse civilizations which at times have engaged in conflict, but have always traded. 

When you consider America's period and the colonial period then you see just how short a window it was. History can be compartmentalized. 19C belonged to Europe as they colonized many parts of the globe, with the British leading the way, the British Empire. Following which, came the US era of dominance. But, as the US begins to wain we now look to Asia to emerge, and it’s not disappointing.

• It's important to understand Asia had a history of dominance. For almost two millennia they have established with one and another commercial ties which have stretched from the Caspian sea, Mediterranean to the Indus valley. From the fifteenth century Asia had diplomatic ties, economic infrastructure and an advanced cultural sensitivity in dealing with each other. 

A great example; the Buddhist Shwedagon temple situated in Myanmar (Burma) is just one testament of the cultural advance those regions have made, whilst we have languished in the ‘dark ages'. This temple has existed for more than two millennia. Its structure is immense standing 105M tall dominating the skyline of Yangon. This is just one example.

• China has a museum in Xian which portrays to the development of paper as a Chinese success. Some would argue it came from Egypt. For me I don't know which, but the silk road connected both. 

Asia growth has been re-born

Swedagon Temple over 2000 years

My point here is simple. Whilst the last two centuries played out Asia has been fragmented, too poor to participate or protect against the western dominance. They emerged fractured and to some extent cowed. All that has changed, Asia has again risen and will only gain strength throughout this century.  As Professor Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean academic and diplomat published a provocative collection of essays titled Can Asians Think? Understanding East and Western thinking and the disparities it produces. As I can attest to, as an advisor to some of the largest companies in Indonesia.  Meetings with Western equity partners were always interesting the west had few shades of gray with Americans operating primarily in black and white. Whereby Asians have so many shades of gray. I'll leave you to ponder the significance of that.

It's important to see China for what it is: The west is deeply suspicious of China, and they should be. The west through George W Bush’s incompetence and Barack Obama couldn't care attitude they have allowed China to dominate the narrative. However, China has spent in Asia some $50billion on infrastructure but it has still bought them little in the way of traction in the region.
  

China's, overheating economy, protectionist policies, aggressive crowding to push competitors out. They are pushing other regions to the front. None less than the young of Indonesia they have with others become a priority for Asia's economic well-being.   China represents to just one-third of Asia’s population, half of Asia’s GDP, half of its outward investment, and less than half of its inbound investment. Asia is much more than just China. 

The Belt and Road scheme has many participants, it is the most significant diplomatic project of the twenty-first century. It is equivalent to the founding of the United Nations, World Bank add the Marshall Plan, it is that big! The crucial difference to these, BRI was conceived in Asia, launched in Asia and will be led by Asians.  More on the BRI click here  More on BRI click here

Asia, in my opinion Indonesia is the growth area.more on Indonesia click here

Should We Fear China's Belt And Road - Possibly

Imagine a world where 1.5 billion people are forced to live in a desert of their own making, China is just that.

Beijing is a dangerously polluted city surrounded by agricultural lands which have turned to dust. In 2012 the World Health Organization reported on 1M Chinese deaths due to air pollution. At times the air pollution has been so bad that it was termed an airpocalypse. The PM (Particle Matter) levels are frequently recorded as reaching all time highs affecting 800M people. PM relates to the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye others equally harmful can not be seen.

The Gobi desert once the protector of the Chinese empire revered and fortified. It now has turned from protector to invader. 500,000 Miles of Northern China and Southern Mongolia is now a Barren wasteland, consisting of just sand. Once fertile land is now arid dust bowls blanketing entire areas of China. The Gobi desert is the fastest growing desert on earth each year transforming 2250 miles (ca. 3,621 km) of grassland in a sandy desert. 

These sands are whipped up by winds polluting over 1M square miles, are then combined with Industrial pollution. Beijing air quality index recently reached a peak of 620, a rating classified as ‘beyond index’. To put into perspective the US government label above 200 as very unhealthy, above 301 to 500 it is ranked hazardous. 

Desertification is a type of land degradation whereby previously fertile soil is transformed into arid land. Effectively, it is the process of areas turning into deserts, and the causes are both man-made and climate-induced. China’s frenzied developmental campaigns in the 20th-century ravaged the country’s timber resources and this deforestation along with overgrazing, wind erosion, and depletion of water resources accelerated desertification in the latter half of the century.

I won't dwell on this point but China's military aspirations which are rapidly coming to fruition. The South China sea is a casing point. Add all this together and consider the use of China's Belt and Road Scheme then wonder starts to be suspicion.

Let's cover the Chinese government guidelines which as we all know are set in stone. China’s State Council set out three rules or categories for overseas investment, what can and can't be purchased by Chinese companies: “prohibited”, “restricted” and “encouraged”. Prohibited are casinos and military technology, while restricted includes hotel and property development. But agriculture and infrastructure investment is encouraged. Then consider the usage for the new silk road.

Headline 1. China to become the biggest foreign owner of Australian farmland. 

In 1850 Chinese arrived in droves searching for wealth from the new gold rush. Afterwards they stayed on, employed to assist in creating some of the most fertile farms anywhere in the world. They are now back in a form of another gold rush: They are buying farms such as Cubbie Station in Queensland, the Van Diemen’s Land Company dairy operation in Tasmania, Nicoletti Farms in Western Australia and a share in the vast S Kidman & Co cattle empire are just some well-known farming businesses now wholly or partially in Chinese hands. Over recent years Chinese investors have been on an unprecedented buying spree of Australian farmland. According to the latest Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land, Chinese ownership of Australian farmland has increased tenfold in the past year alone. They now control 14.4 million hectares. China is set to overtake the United Kingdom as the biggest foreign owner of Australian farmland, a mantle dating back at least to the last gold rush. The buying spree comes with the blessing of the Chinese Government even at a time when Chinese government is worried about the flow of capital out of China.

Headline 2. China Belt And Road Scheme Owns Ports Across The World China's Seaport Shopping Spree: 

What China Is Winning By Buying Up The World's Ports, China through its state owned shipping and maritime companies have historically quietly purchased ports around the world. Now under their 21st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), the seafaring part of their Belt and Road initiative has significance, their ambitions are taking shape. News emerges almost daily of a new port acquisition. Ports from Greece, Brazil, Sri Lanka, across Africa and Australia have already been acquired. 

Headline 3. Control of the West infrastructure, power, telecoms etc.

Huawei have the ability to eavesdrop and access the most sensitive information flowing freely over networks worldwide. Maybe all of this is innocent but given their size, given the abject destruction of lands. They clearly are concerned for the welfare of their citizens.

A good friend once said to me the belt scheme in theory is good but in practise it is way for China to leave China. Think on that!  I for one am suspicious as to their intentions.

Imagine a world where 1.5 billion people are forced to live in a desert of their own making, China is just that.

Beijing is a dangerously polluted city surrounded by agricultural lands which have turned to dust. In 2012 the World Health Organization reported on 1M Chinese deaths due to air pollution. At times the air pollution has been so bad that it was termed an airpocalypse. The PM (Particle Matter) levels are frequently recorded as reaching all time highs affecting 800M people. PM relates to the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye others equally harmful can not be seen.

The Gobi desert once the protector of the Chinese empire revered and fortified. It now has turned from protector to invader. 500,000 Miles of Northern China and Southern Mongolia is now a Barren wasteland, consisting of just sand. Once fertile land is now arid dust bowls blanketing entire areas of China. The Gobi desert is the fastest growing desert on earth each year transforming 2250 miles (ca. 3,621 km) of grassland in a sandy desert. 

These sands are whipped up by winds polluting over 1M square miles, are then combined with Industrial pollution. Beijing air quality index recently reached a peak of 620, a rating classified as ‘beyond index’. To put into perspective the US government label above 200 as very unhealthy, above 301 to 500 it is ranked hazardous. 

Desertification is a type of land degradation whereby previously fertile soil is transformed into arid land. Effectively, it is the process of areas turning into deserts, and the causes are both man-made and climate-induced. China’s frenzied developmental campaigns in the 20th-century ravaged the country’s timber resources and this deforestation along with overgrazing, wind erosion, and depletion of water resources accelerated desertification in the latter half of the century.

I won't dwell on this point but China's military aspirations which are rapidly coming to fruition. The South China sea is a casing point. Add all this together and consider the use of China's Belt and Road Scheme then wonder starts to be suspicion.

Let's cover the Chinese government guidelines which as we all know are set in stone. China’s State Council set out three rules or categories for overseas investment, what can and can't be purchased by Chinese companies: “prohibited”, “restricted” and “encouraged”. Prohibited are casinos and military technology, while restricted includes hotel and property development. But agriculture and infrastructure investment is encouraged. Then consider the usage for the new silk road.

Headline 1. China to become the biggest foreign owner of Australian farmland. 

In 1850 Chinese arrived in droves searching for wealth from the new gold rush. Afterwards they stayed on, employed to assist in creating some of the most fertile farms anywhere in the world. They are now back in a form of another gold rush: They are buying farms such as Cubbie Station in Queensland, the Van Diemen’s Land Company dairy operation in Tasmania, Nicoletti Farms in Western Australia and a share in the vast S Kidman & Co cattle empire are just some well-known farming businesses now wholly or partially in Chinese hands. Over recent years Chinese investors have been on an unprecedented buying spree of Australian farmland. According to the latest Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land, Chinese ownership of Australian farmland has increased tenfold in the past year alone. They now control 14.4 million hectares. China is set to overtake the United Kingdom as the biggest foreign owner of Australian farmland, a mantle dating back at least to the last gold rush. The buying spree comes with the blessing of the Chinese Government even at a time when Chinese government is worried about the flow of capital out of China.

Headline 2. China Belt And Road Scheme Owns Ports Across The World China's Seaport Shopping Spree: 

What China Is Winning By Buying Up The World's Ports, China through its state owned shipping and maritime companies have historically quietly purchased ports around the world. Now under their 21st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), the seafaring part of their Belt and Road initiative has significance, their ambitions are taking shape. News emerges almost daily of a new port acquisition. Ports from Greece, Brazil, Sri Lanka, across Africa and Australia have already been acquired. 

Headline 3. Control of the West infrastructure, power, telecoms etc.

Huawei have the ability to eavesdrop and access the most sensitive information flowing freely over networks worldwide. Maybe all of this is innocent but given their size, given the abject destruction of lands. They clearly are concerned for the welfare of their citizens.

A good friend once said to me the belt scheme in theory is good but in practise it is way for China to leave China. Think on that!  I for one am suspicious as to their intentions.