Happy Holidays from Shanghai

Happy Holidays!

The most wonderful time of the year has hit Shanghai like a storm and left in the aftermath are a myriad of Christmas decorations (angels, rheindeer, wreaths, and some new shapes). While some areas are clearly marked with santas, snowflakes, and holiday tunes, other areas appear as if the holidays never happened....


So where are some good places to enjoy the "western" aspects of the holidays?
- Xintiandi has been decorated to the nines, and despite the massive crowds of people on weekends, its quite cozy.
- To see the large-scale decor, the large angels, etc. Jiu Guang and Plaza 66 malls on Nanjing lu have the most impressive props. Also check out Best Brand Mall in Lujiazui.
- For the best holiday music, check out the Coffee Break coffee shop on Xin Hui Lu, a block from Yu Fu Temple. I made a holiday CD for them, and they haven't stopped playing it since (6 days and running, at this point).
(please submit more ideas for spending the holidays in Shanghai)

And if you're REALLY tired of xmas, just go to the Shanghai train station. Every day is the same there. Millions of people, many beggers, and the constant specter of a pickpocket following you around....

As an expat in Shanghai/China, spending the holidays far from the "western" style festivities is an exciting and sad prospect at the same time.

On one hand, the typical holiday routine of seeing ones family members, giving and receiving presents and (in Denmark) dancing around the Christmas tree is something that I miss much more out here.

On the other hand, the holiday season in western Europe and the US is often very chaotic and everyone so focused on fulfilling the inevitable holiday requirements, that the joy of Christmas is left behind at some department store across town.

So while I hope you all enjoy the Christmas season and have lots of fun with your family and friends wherever you might be. Shanghai is overall a great place to be, but sometimes I feel like I'm in a big department store, with 50424 floors..... shop till you drop!

Bangladaid.... Support UNICEF.

Bangladesh has been hit by one of the worst disasters in decades. Thousands are dead and many more will succumb to the devastating combination of existing poverty and the destruction from Cyclone Sidr.

You can help. Donate as little as $5, and you can tell all your friends that you've done your part in helping the poor souls of Bangladesh fight a very difficult time ahead. UNICEF, one of my favorite aid organizations, will definitely help thousands of Bangladeshis, but they need your help!

UNICEF's Website

The Energy Blog

I just found out about a very interesting blog. It's called The Energy Blog. If you are like me and find it fascinated to hear about new developments in the sector of energy, and particularly clean energy, check out this blog

The Energy Blog (http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/)

Now go reduce some carbon emissions!!!

Bloggin' 从 Shanghai

UPDATE - UPDATE: East Asia Blog is now blogging from Shanghai.

Why the change? I'm super busy so don't expect daily posts, but once in a while I'll send some funnies or updates from China.

What will that mean? No more news stories or debates about issues most people don't really care about anyway. Most visitors - by the way - were people looking for a map of East Asia.

So? Instead, I'll post pictures or events from the day-to-day life here in China.

And now??: To kick off this new twist to East Asia blog, here's a picture I took with my phone in the city of Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, where going to the dentist is as easy as going to 7-Eleven (or Lawson, in Shanghai)
.

(That's right - you can walk from the street right into the dental office).

... now say "aaaaaaaah"

North Korea Closes Yongbyon Reactor

Breaking News from the Hermit State

North Korea has allegedly closed down its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor. The move is a surprise to most analysts who remained skeptical of Pyongyang's previous hints at such a move. While the secluded country might still change their position on just about any issue at the drop of a hat, the decision is a new milestone in the negotiations towards denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Hopefully this could be an early step towards a long-term peace negotiation between North Korea and their historical enemies (i.e. South Korea, US, Japan).

Let's not hold our breath for a reopening of North Korea, but let's pray that the improved engagement with Kim Jong-il could help restore hope to millions of North Koreans who remain in abrupt poverty.

IHT/NYT article about the development

Where in East Asia....???

It's time to poll our visitors:

Where in East Asia have you been?

Who's been to the most countries?

What is your favorite place in East Asia?

Post your countries in the comments box...

Blue Ear Disease

Someone has found out what's been killing millions of poor pigs in southern China. It's a disease called Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), or Blue Ear Disease.

While doctors are betting their chips on the fact that the illness won't affect humans, I'm sure it will cause lots of agony among our four-hooved friends.

So what's the bottom line? A large number of diseases originate in China. Why? Well, because Chinese farmers still has lots to learn in terms of hygiene, but to give them the benefit (and why China is mentioned and not Indonesia, Cambodia, or many-many other developing countries), they have nearly 1.4 billion people with approx 60 percent living in rural areas - so the statistical propability of diseases coming from there is quite large.

Another good news: Shortly after the name of the disease was released, Beijing announced they would create stricter rules for slaughterhouses for the good of public health. So I guess they are learning from the mistakes....

Oil in the Bay

Here's the stock tip of the day. Well, it's actually a little too late. You should've bought this one yesterday.

The stock price of PetroChina (PTR) jumped a stunning 14 percent in Hong Kong trading on Friday, brining additional excitement about the recent surge at several East Asian Stock market.

Why did the stock rise so much? Primarily because the China National Petroleum Corp - the parent corporation - announced the discovery of a "big whoop" oil field in the Bohai Bay area.

Why do we care? Because many geopolitical, economic and political events in East Asia are connected to China's seemlingly endless thirst for oil. Just look at the Dafur issue and China's close relations with oil-rich Sudan; the drilling for oil in disputed territory in the South China Sea; and the building of bilateral relations with Kazahkstan on the issue of pipelines.

With additional oil in China's own frontyard - Bohai Bay being right next door to Beijing and Tianjin - some might fear that China might have less of an incentive to look for alternative, and perhaps greener, sources of energy. This is particularly apropos given the ongoing conference on climate change in the bustling city of Bangkok, Thailand.

Then again, there are also benefits of China having more oil in its reserves. It would definitely give the Middle Kingdom an opportunity to take a deep breath, by taking off a little pressure from the constant pursuit of energy sources across the globe. And you never know: the new oil discovery might just - if we're lucky - be enough for China to downgrade its imports of oil from Sudan, potentially opening a door for peacekeepers in Dafur. But probably not.... Who knows?

St. Lucia Forges Diplomatic Ties with Taiwan

Now it's China's turn to vent a dose of anger. On May 1, when China was celebrating labor day, the small caribbean island state of St. Lucia announced it had resumed diplomatic relations with Taiwan.China claims this move contradicts an agreement they had previously established with St. Lucia in 1997, supporting the "one-China" policy.

So what's next? Perhaps the Chinese diplomatic establishments in Castries will close down? There might be a lot less mainland Chinese tourists in the near future, and less business in the island's banking system from the PRC. Other than that? I'm sure St. Lucia will reap a generous reward from Taipai. A new bridge perhaps?

More information

China Post (Taiwan):

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/front/200751/108531.htm

Xinhua (PRC):

http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-05/01/content_6051444.htm

The Olympic Torch

Taiwanese Government officials are angry!

Why?
Because China just released the route for the carrying of the olympic torch ahead of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. And guess what? The Route will go through Taiwan (or should I be saying "Chinese Taipei"?) The government in Taiwan strongly rejected the idea.

What will it mean?
Probably nothing else than more harmless political rhetoric in the short term. But as the Olympics approaches, the "Taiwan Issue" might once again become a sensitive debate and it shall become very interesting to see whether this issue would affect the 2008 Summer Games in any way.

Future prospects
One has to keep in mind that the people in Taiwan are slated to elect their new President only months before the games begin. If another Chen-like hardliner is elected, it could mean new controversies during the games, as it is possible that Taiwan would blow the "independence horn" (by either hinting at, or less likely, announcing their independence) on the eve of the Olympics. If a candidate from the KMT or Pan-Blue coalition wins (such as Ma Ying-jeou), complications regarding the Taiwan issue will probably not have an impact on the Summer Games.

But then again, anything could happen in the next 6-12 months.
What do you think?

Super East Asia Map

Following tremendous popularity, I once again post this useful map of East Asia

Thanks to the University of Texas!

Shanghai World Financial Center

Here's a recent picture of the progress on the construction of the amazing Shanghai World Financial Center.

It may not become the tallest but definitely will be one of the coolest skyscrapers in the world.

It will be just under 500 meters tall, hold101 floors, and feature a gigantic aperture (big hole) at the top of the building.

The financial center will be Shanghai's tallest skyscraper upon its completion, slated for 2008.

If you have any cool pictures of this building, please post the URL in the comments box!

"The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilization.” - Frank Lloyd Wright

Today's East Asia Headlines

South Korea - US presidential hopeful John Edwards critical of US-ROK FTA
China - Government admits 10 percent of arable land contaminated
Japan - More yakusa shootings in Tokyo on Sunday
Taiwan - Activists condemn new highway plan
Hong Kong - Inflationary concerns for March
Thailand - Gov't to discuss new laws on foreign business ownership
Malaysia - F1 race in Kuala Lumpur safe at least through 2015
Indonesia - 2 separate train derailments on Java; over 70 injured
Philippines - US, Australia issues new terror warnings

Regional trends:
Things look peachy in East Asia. But the typhoon season is just around the corner, so don't hold your breath!

Japan Upgrades Defense Ministry

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to upgrade his defense ministry to a "full ministry" for the first time since WW2.

Great - this is just what we needed.

Although the world has not YET blown up with several hot crises and wars waging (Afghanistan, Iraq, coups in Thailand and Fiji, NK and Iran nuke crises) this defense ministry move will likely move the East Asian region a step closer to reallignment (a paradigm shift, if you will) and most likely farther from long-term peace. Not that Japan will want to start a war, but inch by inch, Abe's decision will evoke anger in several other countries in Asia, particularly North Korea and China. Yes, many hands will now be closer to the gun than the diplomatic quill and ink....

Good luck, Abe. You've done a helluva job promoting peace and coexistance in East Asia. And the requirements of promoting patriotism in Japanese school. Wonderful. Not that liking your country is a sin, but in the eyes of many Chinese, this is nothing but a move towards nationalism. And to raise the stakes in that game...that's dangerous, amigo!!!

DPRK (Dangerous Pouring Rain in Korea)

It appears that

... can't seem to digest

... but needs a whole lot more
..but less

* * *

Dealing with North Korea for the past 10 years has been like a

The Remedy: North Koreans need more F-U-N!!!

Empty North Korea

Let's empty North Korea of people. One by one. You may call it reverse abduction to freedom - or just a silly idea ... Let's think about it....

The CIA world fact book estimates there are: 23,113,019 people in North Korea.

Scenario 1: We help one person flee North Korea every hour.
>2643 years later, North Korea is empty. Tada!!
(assuming nobody has any children and no immigration).

Scenario 2: We help one person flee North Korea every minute.
>44 years later, North Korea is empty. Yahoo!!
(same assumptions as in Scenario 1).

Scenario 3: We help one person flee North Korea every second.
>Just under 9 months later, North Korea is empty. Yipeee!!
(same assumptions).

Scenario 4: The United States and Japan starts to positively engage North Korea every second.
Just 8-10 years later, North Korea looks more and more like China in 1981.
(plenty'o'assumptoins).

We don't have a choice!!!!

Sending Radios to North Korea

How about that?

Let's send thousands of transistor radios by balloons to North Korea (just as they did in Afghanistan) so they can listen to South Korean broadcasts.

It has been estimated that each radio would only coast USD 20. This could probably be brought down if supported by a Japanese hi-tech manufacturer.

Why? This could help bring "modernity" to North Korea.

To foster discussion (which this blog has been horrible at), how do you rate this method to helping develop a civil society in North Korea?

There are many complications involved, including opposition from the Chinese and ROK governments (who wish to keep the status quo), cost and logistics (who should carry this out?).

Tell me that I'm crazy (but don't forget to come up with a better solution).

BBC article on 2003 radio attempt

The Prince of Wales and the "appalling waxworks"

A British High Court ruled on March 18 that The Mail's (a British Newspaper) publication of remarks made by Prince Charles, were an invasion of his privacy.

The newspaper published the remarks, which including the of naming Chinese leaders "appalling old waxworks", in connection with the 1997 Hong Kong handover.

However, many people who follow Charles, probably wonder who really is an appalling old waxwork.


Link to UPI article
Link to daily telegraph article

Pandaplomacy - Robert Zoellick and the Chinese Pandas

Isn't it cute? US-China friendship symbolized by Robert Zoellick hugging a panda cub in Chengdu, Sichuan province (like to picture). Interestingly enough, according to the Washington Post, Zoellick was previously on the advisory council of the World Wildlife Fund -- you know, the organization with the Panda logo. So perhaps Zoellick is using this picture to reveal his peaceful intentions?

I don't want to put too much importance into this photo-op, but let's think about the development of Panda-diplomacy - or Pandaplomacy -- which started with Nixon's trip to China in 1972, and has seen ups and downs, most recently with the recent Chen-PRC spat. If China can continue to convince other countries that true economic (and animal) benefits are more important than the human-rights and judicial problems abound in China, we will probably see many more Panda-ops.

Overall, Zoellick is demonstrating a sincere US effort to negotiate terms of trade with China (despite all the saber-rattling), and this also underlines the fact that China currency/trade deficit issue the Bush administration cannot run away from (as in the Burma, North Korea, and Iran issues). American Business is on the line, and trading is something China is really, really good at…

Washington Post article

China and Taiwan Resume Spring Festival Flights

The first "Spring Festival" flight of the year betwixt Taiwan to Mainland China has just disembarked to help celebrate the continuation of last year's goodwill gesture between the two sides of the straits. The flight, a China Airlines jet, landed in Shanghai at 10:30am on Jan. 20, having arrived from Taipei. This year will only see a limited 72 flights cross the straits to save travelers from much hassle in connecting flights in Hong Kong--the usual method for traveling between Taiwan and China.

Putting this in the light of Chen Shui-bian's harsh rhetoric against the Mainland as of late, the flights of this year will likely cause less international attention than yesteryear's. It does, however, generate a continued sense of optimism among Taiwanese people and may help foster a peaceful status quo, which so far worked quite well for peace in the straits--albeit, with the US navy behind Taiwan's back. Following the theme of engagement and diplomatic resolution to our problems, these 'Flights of Peace' may be remembered in history as carriers of hope and harbingers of stability in what Michael Mandelbaum has dubbed "The Most Dangerous Place in the World"

The on-going impeachment process against President Chen is also likely to overshadow these stupendous flights that attempt to re-unite the Chinese people. If Chen is pushed in a corner to produce even more negative anti-PRC speeches, the flights may have helped the passengers of 72 flights, but to undermine an engagement process between Taiwan and the Middle Kingdom.

Links:
British Broadcasting Corp. Article
Voice of America