....Trump


TRIGGERED.

Can we talk about Duterte? I feel like any other year, he would be *the* story, but it seems like a lot of people don't even know who he is?

Deuterium, isn't that 'heavy water' or am i thinking about tritium?

People don't know about the phillipine president..?

China's Nine Line and island building on the reefs. Is it a grab for to-be-exploited oil? Or is it about shipping lanes?

Not nearly enough people pay attention to the anti-drug, pro-murder president of the Philippines.

At least it's not Assad... it COULD be worse

http://m.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/1988596/whats-chinas-nine-dash-line-and-why-has-it-created-so
Here's a decent article about the 9-dash-line Jason brought up.

Here is a good picture of the zone
http://thediplomat.com/2016/06/what-does-the-nine-dash-line-actually-mean/

I suspect it is a future oil rush....

As for the Philippines, I think the "no trial" drug lord executions are the thing to watch. What will the people do? Embrace the policy, or reject it?

What will trump's proposal of a 35% tariff on Chinese imports do to Chinese and the US Economy, I think is a very important question

Duterte is a real struggle for me. I find his actions horrifying. However, who are we to we to grouse about a democratically elected (and popular) leader acting against drug profiteers in an extra-judicial manner? The US uses covert actions in a similar manner.

No fan of Trump, but acknowledging Taiwan as an independent state is wrong how? It has been independent for decades but can't get a seat at any international organization for fear of upsetting China.

the division of wealth in China has become one of the least equal in the world. How long before this results in social upheaval in China? A government that defines itself using communist ideals may struggle maintain power as inequality continues.

Yes but the powers that be have no issue massacring their own population

Hapapop. Do you think this unequal division of wealth in china could result in the Saudi Arabia crisis 2.0

It's independent as much as China let's it be. Taiwan depends on China. Many of Taiwan's leaders have felt the need to continue recognizing ROC as the rightful government of China. Both PRC and ROC recognize One China. President Tsai hadn't for quite a while, but has been moving to be more ambiguous on whether or not to recognize One China. Taiwan's economy depends on relations with PRC, so Xi's idea of extending one country two systems to Taiwan makes the most sense logistically and theoretically. What should and likely does terrify Taipei is how that's been going for Hong Kong.

A plus one for you sir

Duterte is the President the Philippines needs. The drug epidemic is keeping the country as a third-world shithole, and the people have spoken: enough is enough. Unusual times call for unusual measures, and if those measures be extra-judiciary executions, then so be it. Drug dealers are the scum of Earth, next only to rapists and murderers.

"the division of wealth in China has become one of the least equal in the world. How long before this results in social upheaval in China? A government that defines itself using communist ideals may struggle maintain power as inequality continues."

China is Communist in name only at this point. I've lived in China, and the people are much more capitalist-minded than in the United States. Despite what you see as a large wealth gap, it's still an improvement from the collective poverty era, and even the poorest are better off than when Mao was around.

ROC and PRC both formally claim all of China (ROC even claims outer Mongolia), and informally admit that PRC owns the mainland and ROC gets to play state on its island while the US is around to back it.

Quite how the West got itself into the position where we can't have a conversation with the President of a democracy out of fear of upsetting a one party state I'll never know. Well done, Trump!

Duterte is an interesting chap, isn't he? It's really quite useful to see this kind of policy in action, just as a gauge to how useful a good old fashioned hang'em, flog'em style of law enforcement works in a modern context. If it fails abysmally it'll be a good argument in favour of our gentler systems. If it works... it will lead to some interesting debates.

Whether or not there's execution is one argument. "Extra judiciary execution" is a fancy term for murder by the state. Should something be done about the drug problem? Absolutely. Murdering everyone near drugs isn't a solution though.

It absolutely is a solution, and I would argue the most effective solution.

Well Leon... would you say this "solution" would be so great if I was in a succesful, developed country such as UK or the Us?

The problem in the US is that drug traffickers are getting released after serving a very short time in prison because of being a so-called "nonviolent crime". Drug trafficking destroys the social fabric of a country. The solution in the US is to change the attitude of those at the top towards the drug epidemic rather than giving them "leniency".

@TrPrado. Taiwan has its own government and international agreements. It is democratic. It is independent in action. Saying that it is only so because PRC tolerates it is akin to saying Canada is independent because the US allows it. An action by China against Taiwan should draw international scorn and action, and shame on us for not acknowledging this.

@leon and @wyatt
I understand that China is capitalist in nature, but the government's claim to authority (real and moral) is as a government of the people.

I don't dispute the improvement of people's lives over the last few decades, but that improvement is slowing. But economics tends to be a what have you done for me lately thing. I have no idea how it plays out in a China, but a 1/2 billion angry People is a thought to be considered in policy making in China and abroad.

China practices what it calls "democratic dictatorship".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_democratic_dictatorship

Basically, it recognizes the need to keep people content to stay in power, so it's somewhat a symbiotic relationship. The party appeases the people, and the people don't overthrow the government. It also keeps destabilizing social forces like LGBT and feminism off the streets while still ensuring their human rights. In fact, a major TV host is transgender, but she doesn't make a big deal out of it and try to mainstream it like activists in the US.