China To Lead Technology Cooperation in Asia Pacific Region

The findings of science and technology in the 21st century is disseminated faster in a globalized world. However, competition arising from different countries and regions still exists. One good example is the setting up of research centers in Europe in 1960s in order to compete with the United States. Such centers in Europe consolidate resources and manpower from different countries to focus on research work together. One successful case is the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva (CERN).
Highest-Energy Particle Accelerator
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. The LHC was built with the intention of testing Higgs boson and the large family of new particles. It was built in collaboration with many scientists and engineers from various countries in the world. Their long term research had contributed to mankind.
Why are European countries willing to invest in millions of euros to conduct research on items which do not have commercial value? Apart from hoping to overtake the United States in their research, it also reflects that hereditary European culture of promoting science and technology. Science is one major component in human civilization and the Europe would not want to be left behind the United States.
Changing Economic Scenario
The United States and Europe are still leading Asia in scientific research. With the change of economic scenario in 21st century, China has become the second economic giant in the world while India is also rising. With Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore growing stronger by the day, one can't undermine the economic strength of Asia Pacific region. It is not impossible for it to overtake Europe and United States. The Asia Pacific should look into how to catch up in its research work in science in order to contribute to human civilizations.
First and foremost, whether Asia Pacific countries are able to contribute, to a large extend it will depend on the determination of political leaders. The setting up of CERN is the consensus reached among the political leaders in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and others. Such set up is impossible without the support of politicians. Chinese leaders are also supportive of scientific research and they are also aware of its significance. When Mao Zedong met up with Yang Zhenning and Li Zhengdao, he showed keen interest in science. Mao was discussing the structure of elementary particle with Yang. In a thick Hunan accent, he told Yang that in China, ancient philosophers also tried to explain the structure of substance. Mao also met with Nobel prize winner Abdus Salam and Japanese physics scientist Sakata Shoichi. In his antirightist movement, Zhou Enlai protected scientist first. He also had a name list of scientists to be protected. Many are experts of atomic, missiles and satellites. In 1979, when Li proposed setting up a high energy accelerator, Deng Xiaoping immediately agreed with the proposal. Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao also realize the importance of science. One can say that several generations of Chinese leaders support science.
More than 30 years after the reform and opening up policy, China has entered a phase where its economy is vibrant. Apart from upgrading its standard in science, technology and education level, it should also be contributing to science in the world. By becoming the leader of science and technology in Asia Pacific region, it should be assisting third world developing countries to speed up their leaps in science and education.
At this moment it is still premature for China or India to set a center like CERN. But China or India should take the cue from Prof Abdus Salam's experience and method to set up International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) 40 years ago. The main aim of the center is to assist scientists in third world countries for them to have a chance to interact with scientists from first world countries. They can also conduct research in the centre for several months to a year. Salam's center receive support from the Italian Government, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and UNESCO. It is pragmatic to set up similar research center in China.
Assisting Mankind to Progress
Scientists in developing countries lack funds and research facilities. To groom them one would have to start from areas in mathematics, theoretical physics, theoretical chemistry, theoretical biology and computer science to be effective.
For the past 40 over years, Salam's center groomed many world class scientists. It has also mobilized the science development in Asia, Africa and Latin America. China, India and other countries should also tell the world that they too, are concerned with assisting mankind to progress further to consolidate Asia Pacific for joint development and not only interested in domestic economy or benefits of technology.

Possibility of China-Vietnam War

In late 1970s, at the discretion of Deng Xiaoping, China decided to punish and wage a war of "self-defense and counter attack" against Vietnam. The close decades-long comradeship and brotherhood between the two countries were severed following the war.
The war that lasted for a decade had cast a gloom over the relations between China and Vietnam. The gloom has prevailed despite the steady development of the China-Vietnam ties. Tension has arisen recently between the two countries due to their divergent views and stands on the issue of the territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Moreover, some quarters with ulterior motives have tried to sow discord between them. We cannot help to worry that conflicts may erupt again between these two neighbors.
Safeguarding Territorial Integrity
A demonstration, something that is barely seen in Vietnam, was staged in the country's capital Hanoi recently. More than 300 took the streets to protest against Beijing on the issue of the South China Sea. In addition, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs proclaimed that the Vietnamese navy will take all necessary measures to safeguard the independence, autonomy, and territorial integrity of Vietnam. Not to be outdone, China responded through an editorial in the Huan Qiu Shi Bao [or Global Times], a paper under the government's mouthpiece The People's Daily: "It is impossible for China to practice limitless self-restraint. If Vietnam assumes that it can take China's tolerance for granted like the salt in the South China Sea, it is undoubtedly a strategic misjudgment... If Vietnam thinks it can take all necessary measures, feel free to try."
Such strong wording sounds similar with the statement of Deng Xiaoping before he announced the decision to "teach Vietnam a lesson". Commenting on Vietnam's "intrusion", Deng said then: "I am afraid all other methods are not effective, if we do not teach them a necessary lesson." His statement manifested China's determination to fight back even if it meant they had to go to war. And Deng had walked his talk then.
Declaration of Conduct of Parties
Beijing would strive to adhere to the "keeping low profile" policy advocated by Deng, which means it will continue to practice self-restraint and seek consensus through negotiation if any conflict arises, or to the least extent, it will seek to maintain the status quo. For instance, the signing of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries many years ago. Yet, at the same time, China will also ensure its territorial integrity and would not tolerate if any country tries to cross the line. No country should assume China is weak. Beijing could afford to deploy its troops to teach Vietnam a lesson even when the country was having a very hard time 32 years ago, let alone today, when the country is a lot stronger.
It is a test to the wisdom of leaders in Beijing and other relevant quarters as to how they could peacefully resolve the South China Sea dispute without a war. The only thing we are sure is, any provocative action such as sending vessels for oil and gas exploration will only pour oil on the flames and exacerbate this explosive issue of the South China Sea.

China's Joy for Becoming No 2 Nation with Highest Military Budget

The increment of China's defense budget for 2010 has dropped by 7.5 percent as compared with the 2009 defense budget increment of about 15 percent. Such budget increment has broken China's two-digit defense budget increment in the past 20 years. We trust this budget would be a great disappointment to Beijing's the hawkish group whose ambition is for Beijing to have an expanded modernized military.

Before China's NPC (National People's Congress) and CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) convened its joint session this year, a new book titled "China's Dream" written by Liu Mingfu, a senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army, came out with a view that says China's dream is to replace the United States to be the No. 1 militarily strong country."

As a matter of fact the new thought of the hawkish camp within the Chinese military is to use the modernized national defense as support for domestic need so that the national defense can lead China's economy to a new height and to allow the emergence of Chinese as a race. As such, the reduction of China's defense expenditure increment percentage this year as compared with in 2009 is definitely not in line with the new thought of the hawkish camp within the People's Liberation Army.

Message of Peaceful Emergence
Of interest is that in an article titled "China's New Military Budget Sends Message of Peaceful Emergence", that appeared in Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao recent, the article says: "According to many specialists, the new military budget as announced by China is a powerful message to show that China is moving toward peaceful emergence. The Chinese authorities have no intention to exert strong emphasis on building a strong military base and weaponries. In recent days, many people from Beijing also hold such a view."

However, as the writer of this article, I do not agree with such logic. When China reduces its increment percentage of defense budget, you say China is sending out the message of peaceful emergence. However when China begins to increase the percentage of its defense budget, people then come out with the "China Threat" theory. If even people in China say that the reduction of China's defense budget increment is an indication that China is moving toward peaceful emergence, then it will only prove to people who hold China Threat view that the reverse is also true.

In a report published by the Sweden Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in 2009, we learn that in 2008, the United States remained the largest military expenditure country and China has moved up as the second country with highest military expenditure. However, this report also mentioned that the annual military expenditure of China was only one-eighths of the US annual military expenditure. From 1988 to 1997, China's annual defense budget increment was about 14.5 percent. From 1998 to 2007, China's annual defense budget increment was 16.9 percent. It is only during this year that China's increment in defense budget has dropped from two digits to one digit.

Increase in Military Expenditure
In retrospect, when I wrote "The joy of China in becoming the No 2 highest military expenditure country," this article could make China sounds rather arrogant. But as I explained above, this was not the case. It was only when China was economically strong that it would consider increment in military expenditure. Since China does have increase in military expenditure every year, the military should make good use of what they were given then. The writer of this article absolute disagrees with the notion that the decrease in percentage of China's increment in defense budget as compared with last year is an indication that shows China is moving along the path of peaceful emergence.

As a matter of fact, China does not have to care about what other said about its defense budget, or how it is going to spend its defense budget. If the Chinese authority feels that it is time to increase the percentage of its defense budget, it will increase it. If China feels there is a need to decrease the percentage of its defense budget increment, it will decrease the same.

The way China handles its defense budget should not be viewed as once China reduces the increment of its defense budget percentage, China is moving toward the path of peaceful emergence. Likewise we should not think that when China increases its military budget, China will be a military threat to other countries. It is important for the propaganda officers in Beijing to understand such logic.

Defense Budget Issue

In my opinion, when China handles its defense budget issue, Beijing only needs to make clear the following two points. First, in the past, China has never claimed in wanting to become the world superpower. China has not invaded other countries using military power. When China becomes strong, China will not violate other countries' national interest too. However, no country should attempt to violate China's territory and China's core interest also. Second, China is a big country with vast land and huge population. China has a heavy responsibility to maintain its national defense and security. China must have a corresponding military budget to handle such a heavy defense responsibility. China's GNP (Gross National Product) will soon supersede Japan and become the world second largest economies. When Japan has the military protection coming from the United States, it is most natural and normal for China's military expenditure to become No. 2 in world rating after the United States.