Fact of the Day: Vietnam's Last Emperor

Bao Dai (b. 1914), was the last emperor (1926-1945) of the Nguyen dynasty in Vietnam. After 1932 he was permitted to exercise limited powers under the French colonial regime, but in August 1945 he was compelled to abdicate by representatives of the new Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
The Encyclopedia of Asian History. Asia Society and Charles Scribner's Sons.

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Is the study of past and present Asian monarchies relevant to today's geopolitical situation in East Asia?

Kim Jong-il portraits reportedly disappear

November 17, 2004 ㅡ MOSCOW ― Portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il have been removed from public display in the North, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency said yesterday from Beijing.

JoongAng Il-Bo (South Korea)

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What does this mean? Is he alive? Has he been usurped?

or is this just silly media speculation/wishful thinking?

What do you think?

Guangzhou to build world's tallest TV tower

(Xinhua)

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Southern China's city of Guangzhou plans to build the world's tallest TV tower by 2007, reported China Radio International on Thursday.
Measuring between 580-600 meters, the tower's final design has been selected and will soon be given to the city government for final approval. If all goes well, construction work will begin in December this year.

By Xinhua
(Xinhua. November 15, 2004)

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Will East Asia soon hold all architectual records (tallest building, biggest dam, tallest basketball player -- Yao Ming does look like a machine, longest wall, and soon tallest tower)??

What would Freud say about all these edifices in China?

What is Toronto going to do now?

Powell, the US and their one-China policy

US Secretary of State Colin Powell astonished observers in both East Asia and the US last month with extraordinarily candid comments on the Taiwan issue. His statements moved US policy closer than ever to Beijing's position that Taiwan must reunify with China -- an especially surprising step coming from a conservative Republican administration.

By Ted G. Carpenter (Cato Inst.)
Nov. 5. 2004.

Link to article

Will the US benefit from a unified China?
Is the US kowtowing to China - hoping to keep the trade flowing?

Nuclear Crisis Looms in Bush's Second Term

President George W. Bush will be facing several difficult issues in East Asia during his second term. The rise of China and possible conflict in the Taiwan Straight will certainly be important, but the administration’s management of the North Korean nuclear problem will also have serious implications for the region. The United States is critical for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, and failure could trigger a nuclear arms race or even war.

The Korea Times.
Nov. 4. 2004.
By Daniel A. Pinkston

Will GW Bush be able to solve the North Korean nuclear crisis?

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