11th Vietnamese National Party Congress To Consider Supplements to 1991 Platform

At the time the 1991 party platform was issued, our party declared 'The platform will be continuously supplemented as new issues arise.' In a recent article, Political Bureau member and National Assembly chairman Nguyen Phu Trong wrote: 'While carrying out the cause of reform and the 1991 party platform, the awareness of the party has grown, and it has developed in many basic and important respects which help to clarify and perfect the path of reform and the construction of the country during the transitional period to socialism.' 'This is also an important base for the coming 11th National Party Congress to consider and determine the supplements to the 1991 platform,' Trong said.

The 7th National Party Congress in June 1991 approved the platform, that is, the '1991 platform,' for the construction of the country during the transition to socialism. The platform, with its strategic orientation and ideological basis, determined the direction for Vietnam's transition to socialism.

Trong, who is also chairman of Party Central Committee Theoretical Council said 'After nearly 20 years of implementing the platform, our country has gained great historically significant achievements that have changed the face and status of the country.'

At the time the 1991 platform was issued, however, our party declared 'At present we do not have the basis on which to picture the shape of the society in the future. Nevertheless we can draw the principles and direction for the period of transition to socialism of our country. The platform will be continuously supplemented as new issues arise,' according to a speech by General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh at the ninth Plenum of the sixth Central Committee in August 1990.

In fact the country and the world have undergone significant changes since the 1991 platform. Many emerging issues were understood and resolved effectively by our party, and the content of the 1991 platform was supplemented, reflecting a deeper understanding.

The platform reflects the current situation, our country's revolutionary period and its lessons, the characteristics of the transitional period, and specifics of socialism in Vietnam, the goals, tasks, and directions for the gradual transition to socialism. It includes the economy, politics, culture, society, national defense and security, foreign affairs, and party and political system development. All these elements, at different levels, help to supplement the platform and develop consciousness.

Summarizing the content and reasoning of the platform, Trong emphasized that 'the transition to socialism is a long, difficult, and complicated course.'

Difficulties and Challenges
Socialism is the target and the ideal. Achieving socialism is inevitable, and the irreversible path of Vietnam's revolution. The 1991 platform said 'Socialism is facing many difficulties and challenges. The world is experiencing uncertain conditions. But mankind will definitely progress to socialism because this is the evolutionary law of history.' But what is socialism and how to progress to socialism? This is what the party always thinks about and studies, how to follow the rules of the world while adjusting them to the specific conditions and characteristics of our country.

In the years of following the path of reform, the party has gradually surmounted simple and immature concerns such as reconciling the ultimate goal of socialism with the tasks of the immediate period, incorrectly equating the market-oriented economy with capitalism, making light of the achievements and values of mankind in the period of development of capitalism, quickly abolishing the private economy, and equating a law-governed state with a capitalist state.

Leadership Factor
'Although some issues require further study, we can generalize that a socialist society is a society with wealthy people, a powerful country, with democracy, justice, and civilization, owned by the people, with a highly-developed economy based on a modern production force and public ownership of the means of production, with a law-governed socialist state of the people, by the people, and for people under the leadership of the communist party,' Trong wrote.

The chairman also affirmed that the concept of the socialist-oriented market economy 'was a creative breakthrough in the reasoning of the Party and is an important theoretical argument after 20 years of carrying out the 1991 platform. It arose from Vietnam's reality and lessons from the experiences of the world.'

The 8th National Party Congress in June 1996 introduced an important new concept of productive economy and socialism: 'Productivity is not opposed to socialism, but it is an achievement of human civilization. It is necessary for the cause of socialist construction, even when socialism is already built.'

However, at that time, we said only that: 'Applying different forms of economy as well as management methods of the market economy are to use its positive side to serve the purpose of building socialism without following the capitalist road. Some aspects of the market-oriented economy are contrary to the nature of socialism. Employing the market economy, we need to overcome and limit as much as possible those negative aspects.'

Starting with the 9th National Party Congress in April 2001, the concept of 'socialist-oriented market economy' was entered officially into the documents of the party, and has been considered to be the economic model for the transitional period to socialism in Vietnam.

Promoting Strength of National Unity
According to Trong, the basis characteristic of the socialist-oriented market economy is uniting economic and social policies, and economic growth goes along with social progress and justice.

The chairman mentioned maintaining a peaceful environment, independence, self-reliance, and integration into the world. He emphasized the task of building a modern people's army and police and improving their fighting strength. He also emphasized democracy, the construction of a socialist law-governed state, and promoting the strength of national unity. Trong affirmed: 'Building socialist democracy and ensuring that the power really belongs to the people are important long-term goals of Vietnam's revolution.'

The policy to build a law-governed socialist state was a new awareness of our party in the 1990's, and was not in the 1991 platform.

A law-governed socialist state is different in nature from a capitalist state in that the laws in a capitalist state are a tool to protect and serve the interest of the capitalist class, while the laws in a socialist state express and carry out the rights of the people and protect the interest of the majority.

After emphasizing the role of the party as team leader of the working class, the people, and the nation, and as the ruling party with a party-building mission, Trong affirmed that our party considers party building to be the key and vital task of the revolutionary movement.

Need of the Hour
This sets out the requirement for the party to evolve, to reform itself, to promote the ideological mission, to train in moral qualities, and to fight against regression, degeneration, and corruption. It must reform and consolidate the party organization and the political system, raise the quality of officials and party members, improve job performance, enhance inspection and supervision, improve and streamline leadership and work practices, maintain a strong link with the people, and rely on the people to build the party. Especially beware of the risk of deviations from policy, degeneration, bureaucracy, and aloofness from the common people.

The chairman concluded that while carrying out the cause of reform and the 1991 party platform, the awareness of the party has grown, and it has developed in many basic and important respects which help to clarify and perfect the path of reform and the construction of the country during the transitional period to socialism. This is the basis for the 11th National Party Congress to consider and determine the supplements to the 1991 platform.

Malaysia Can Develop Muslim Market in China

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa said that Malaysia's halal [not forbidden]Muslim products were well positioned in the huge Muslim market in China. He said Muslim products produced by Malaysia were widely accepted and welcomed by the Muslims in China. He added that if Malaysia and China could enhance bi-lateral cooperation in the various Halal product fields, Malaysia's Halal products should stand a good change to open up the huge and massive Muslim product market in China.

Datuk Seri Mustapa said this in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of the Malaysian-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) when he accepted a video interview with the MCCC Economic Bureau Director Kong Ling Loong.

Business and Investment Opportunities
In this interview, the International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa said the Malaysian Government was prepared to host a number of business and investment forum to promote bilateral business and investment opportunities between Chinese and Malaysian businesses to boost business interaction. He also hoped Malaysian private sector could play an active role to attract more Chinese businesses to invest in Malaysia.

'Malaysia looks forward to more Chinese buyers to participate in the 2010 International Trade Exhibition (INTRADE 2010) held in Kuala Lumpur from 9 to 11 November this year.'

Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa said: 'Malaysia and China must build a more far-reaching relationship and cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, infrastructure development, transportation and logistics management, tourism and investment, as well as the rapid development in biotechnology and environmental services in recent years.'

Bilateral Economic and Trade Relations With China
When asked about how Malaysia and China could strengthen trade and economic ties, Minister Mustapa said that as early as in 1974, Malaysia and China had already established diplomatic relations. He said that following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib's visit to China in June 2009 and the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Malaysia on11 November during the same year, the bilateral relationship between the two countries have already reached a new height.
'In 1988, Malaysia has also signed trade agreement with China to strengthen bilateral economic and trade relations.'

'Under this trade agreement, in 1988 Malaysia and China formed the Joint Economic and Commercial Council (JETC). Since then, JETC has served as the platform for both governments and commercial organizations from both countries to carry out interaction and. It has also become a platform to resolve trade and investment problems and issues. The JETC has held eight meetings since then.
Minister Mustapa said he hoped Malaysia could hold more similar meetings with China.

Malaysia Issued Over 20,000 Country of Origin Certificates To China For Chinese Enterprises To Enjoy Tax Exception Benefit
In conjunction with the launch of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area in 2010, Malaysia has issued 23, 434 country of origin certificates (Form Es) with a total worth of US$2.8 billion dollars to China in 2009.

Minister Mustapa said that in addition to bilateral trade and economic ties, Malaysia also enhanced its tie with China within the region through the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA). Under this agreement, as long as the importing countries could produce the country of origin certificates of their products at the customs office, their good imported to that country within ASEAN or China would get tax relief or total tax exemption.

'The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area has become effective as of 1 January 2010. Ninety percent of the internal products circulated within the region, including electronic and electrical products, have already enjoyed zero tariffs.'

China Becomes Malaysia's Largest Trading Partner
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa said the trade impact of China to the region was increasingly important as days went by.

'China has always been Malaysia's major trading partners. In 2009, for the first time, China has become Malaysia's largest trading partner with a total trade volume amounted to 127.9 billion ringgit.'

'In 2009, when China's Ministry of Commerce released its trade report, Malaysia was China's fifth largest trading partner in the world after Japan, Korea, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.

'As for Malaysia's trade volume with China among Association of South East Asian (ASEAN) countries, Malaysia is indeed the most important trading partner for China within the ASEAN region. It is clear that the bi-lateral trade relationship between Malaysia and China is interdependent of each other. Such a trade partnership can be expected to improve in the coming years.'

China's Rapid Development To Benefit Malaysia
'China's rapid development is not so much of a challenge to Malaysia but rather an opportunity for Malaysia.' Mustapa said the Chinese Government has set its own economic transformation goals. China's development in various fields has given Malaysian businesses ample trade opportunities.

'Furthermore, Malaysia is also moving towards it own 'New Economic Model' reform. Both countries have a lot of opportunities to cooperate. Malaysia can also learn from China.'

'From regional perspective, the establishment of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area has reflected the obvious intimate relationship between China and ASEAN. ASEAN's total trade with China reached $192 billion dollars in 2008. From 2003 to 2008, the ASEAN-China bilateral trade volume grew on an average of 26.41 percent annually.'

In conclusion, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa said that China would need to position itself in ASEAN when the East Asian Community was formed. China would also need to taking up the leadership responsibility to cooperate with partners with similar trade ideology such as Malaysia to maintain peace and harmony in the East Asian Community.

Pakistan, China Sign Defense Agreement To Enhance Military Cooperation

The first defense agreement between Pakistan and China was signed in the 1950s and the cooperation between the two countries has risen sharply ever since. A new bilateral defense agreement to enhance cooperation has been signed between Pakistan and China recently, which has taken the cooperation between the two countries to new heights.

Chinese President Hu Jintao had rightly said that Pakistan-China friendship is loftier than Himalaya and deeper than seas. Pakistan's former President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar further added, 'and sweater than honey'. In the current tough situation, when the cowboy US government is using a new tactic to put pressure on Pakistan to 'do more,' the visit by an 11-member delegation from China led by Defense Minister General Liang Guangile and signing of the bilateral defense cooperation agreement comes as a relief to Pakistan amid the US growing pressure on Pakistan after Faisal Shehzad's failed attempt to blow up the Times Square.

Under this agreement, the three armed forces of Pakistan and China will hold joint military exercises. Not only will China provide four trainer aircrafts and 60 Million Yuan to Pakistan but it has also agreed to support Pakistan's stance on all the international forums. In addition, China has assured to continue to provide military and economic aid to Pakistan. The Chinese delegation said that not only are Pakistan and China good friends and neighbors but also dependable allies; the relations between the two countries are based on trust. China hailed Pakistan's role, sacrifices and practical efforts in the war against terror.

It must be remembered that a delegation from China had also visited Pakistan at the time when General Deepak Kapoor, Indian chief of Army staff, had threatened that the Indian military is capable of confronting both China and Pakistan at the same time. India tried to curb the significance of this statement, but since he has been made the head of a strategic planning division, it can be said that this statement was issued on the behest of the Indian officials. The purpose of this visit was to convey this message that Pakistan is not alone in the region; China and Pakistan are two hearts, one beat. After this, India and its masters calmed down. US Foreign Minister Hilary Clinton sat down with Shah Mehmud Qureshi for talks.

Cooperation on Military Projects
At present, Pakistan and China are cooperating with each other on various military projects. They are jointly working on a project to manufacture F-17 planes, which are said to be much better than F-16s. However, France has stopped providing some vital components of late. France has always stabbed us in the back and it didn't let go this opportunity as well. Australia also didn't stay behind, but the Australian military delegation is now on a visit to Pakistan. In addition to manufacturing F-17s, Pakistan and China are also working on a F-22-P frigate project and the first frigate, which is called PNS Shamsheer, has been included in the Pakistan Navy. The inclusion has further strengthened Pakistan's naval strength.

Prior to the Chinese delegation's visit, China had announced to provide two atomic plants to Pakistan, which will be installed in Chashma Barrage's second and third section. America didn't like the idea, however, it remained quiet considering its state in Afghanistan. Hilary Clinton didn't raise this issue during her visit to China; however, she wanted China to agree to sanctions against Iran in exchange.

Pakistan's Atomic Program
Atomic experts have objections over the decision to provide atomic plants to Pakistan, calling it a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT). However, they also say that America too violated the NPT by signing civil atomic agreement with India. This is the reason why China provided atomic plants to Pakistan to make it clear that if the United States can do something, why cannot China?

The history of atomic cooperation between Pakistan and China is very old. According to reports, when the United States had imposed sanctions against Pakistan's atomic program, China provided Pakistan with 50 kilograms of weapon grade uranium and several tonnes of uranium hexafluoried, which is used in centrifuge. It is also claimed that Pakistan conducted its first nuclear test on the Chinese soil and that it was China that provided atomic design to Pakistan. However, in my opinion it is mere propaganda as the design is purely Pakistani and there is a huge difference between the two designs, i.e., Pakistani and Chinese designs.

US Presence and Growing Pressure
The military cooperation between Pakistan and China is expanding and hence America's attempts to contain China are intensifying. America has established five military bases in India, including one is the Ladakh Region of Occupied Kashmir (Indian-administered Kashmir). Likewise, there are seven US bases in the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan from where all kinds of activities are carried out against China, ranging from spying to terrorism. In addition, the United States is using Japan, Australia, South Korea and Taiwan against China.

Now the only area where the United States doesn't have a base to surround China is Pakistan's Khanjrab Area. The US desires to establish a military base here. However, Pakistan will not allow the United States to do so. Over a year ago, a conference was held in China with regard to this matter. Ahsan-ul-Haque, former head of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), foreign secretary and former joint chief of the Army staff, was also preset on the occasion and the Chinese had openly asked him how sovereign is Pakistan under the US presence and growing pressure in the light of the present apprehensive circumstances.

Pakistan had assured the Chinese officials that Pakistan is sovereign to the extent that it won't become a part of any conspiracy against China. The Chinese accepted this assurance and the relations continued to strengthen. The Chinese Interior Ministry's recent visit to Pakistan confirms this fact.

US Unveils New National Security Doctrine

The United States has unveiled a new national security doctrine that would join diplomatic engagement and economic discipline with military power to bolster America's standing in the world. Striking a contrast to the George W. Bush-era emphasis on going it alone, US President Barack Obama's strategy called for expanding partnerships beyond traditional US allies to rising powers like China and India in order to share the international burden.

Economy and Record Deficits
Faced with a struggling economy and record deficits, the administration also acknowledged that boosting economic growth and getting the US fiscal house in order must be core national security priorities. 'At the center of our efforts is a commitment to renew our economy, which serves as the wellspring of the US power,' the wide-ranging policy statement said.

Obama's first official declaration of national security goals, because of be released in full, pointedly omitted predecessor Bush's policy of pre-emptive war that alienated some US allies.

Laying out a vision for keeping the United States safe as it fights wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the document formalized Obama's intent to emphasize multilateral diplomacy over military might as he tries to reshape the world order. The administration even reiterated Obama's determination to try to engage with 'hostile nations,' but warned Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) it possessed 'multiple means' to isolate them if they ignored international norms.

The National Security Strategy, required by law of every president, is often a dry reaffirmation of existing positions but is considered important because it can influence budgets and legislation and is closely watched internationally.

Obama, who took office faced with the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, took a clearer stand than any of his predecessors in drawing the link between the US economic health at home and its stature overseas. 'We must renew the foundation of the US strength,' the document said, asserting that the sustained economic growth hinges on putting the country on a 'fiscally sustainable path' and also urging reduced dependence on foreign oil sources.

Lacking UN Authorization
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States' fiscal problems presented a long-term threat to its diplomatic clout. She said: 'We cannot sustain this level of deficit financing and debt without losing our influence, without being constrained about the tough decisions we have to make,' she said in a speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington.'

Bush used his first policy statement in 2002 to stake out the right to unilateral and pre-emptive military action against countries and terrorist groups deemed threats to the United States in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Obama's plan implicitly distanced his administration from what became known as the Bush Doctrine and underpinned the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which lacked UN authorization.

While renewing previous presidents' commitment to preserve US conventional military superiority, the doctrine laid out put an official stamp on Obama's break from what Bush's critics called 'cowboy diplomacy.' 'We need to be clear-eyed about the strengths and shortcomings of international institutions,' the document said. But it said Washington did not have the option to 'walk away.'

'Instead, we must focus the US engagement on strengthening international institutions and galvanizing the collective action that can serve common interests such as combating violent extremism, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials, achieving balanced and sustainable economic growth, and forging cooperative solutions to the threat of climate change.'

Nuclear Standoffs
Obama's insistence the United States cannot act alone in the world was also a message to cur rent and emerging powers. Obama already has been widely credited with improving the tone of US foreign policy but still is struggling with two unfinished wars, nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and sluggish Middle East peace efforts.

Critics say some of his efforts at diplomatic outreach show US weakness, and they question whether he jeopardizes the US interests by relying too heavily on 'soft power.'

Curbing Home-Grown Terrorism
Obama's strategy repeated his goal to 'disrupt, dismantle, and defeat' Al-Qa'ida but insisted that in the process the United States must uphold and promote human rights. It also rejected torture as a tool of US national security.

Obama has reached out to the Muslim world, where the US image under Bush was hurt by the Iraq war, the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal and his use of phrases like 'war on terror' and 'Islamo-fascism.'

Curbing the threat of 'home-grown' terrorism was also listed as a top priority. This comes in the aftermath of the failed Christmas Day bombing of a US airliner and the botched Times Square car bombing attempt earlier this month.

US Unnecessary Concerns Over Iranian Nuclear Program

In his telephone conversation with Turkish Prime Minister Ragheb Tayyip Erdogan, US President Barack Obama has said that Iran's recent steps would not help in improving mutual trust. Efforts will be continued for imposing new sanctions against Iran.

During his talk with Erdogan, Obama acknowledged Turkey and Brazil's efforts for reaching an agreement under which Iran agreed to send half of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey for conversion into nuclear fuel. However, the US president maintained that the international community does have concerns over Iran's overall nuclear program.

Proposed UN Sanctions

Meanwhile, Iran while rejecting the proposed UN sanctions against it stated that they would not make any effect on it, but would further strain its relations with the United States. Iran's agreement with Turkey and Brazil regarding conversion of uranium into nuclear fuel has also been presented to the UN Security Council.

President Obama's statements suggest that the United States is not willing to show any flexibility in spite of Teheran's soft attitude on its nuclear material, and Washington continues the practice of making demands to Teheran. Thus, it is apprehended that Iran too can withdraw from its flexible attitude after issuance of such statements by the US president, which will again make the issue more critical.

The US Administration should now realize that the way it wants to change the world always created problems in the past, and it is again now becoming a cause of creating new problems. Particularly, its attitude towards Iran is beyond one's ken.

The United States describes Iran's program as a threat to the region as well as the entire world, However, it is not noticing the aggressive activities and expansionist designs of Israel in the same region. Until today, Iran has not occupied any other country's areas. However, the entire world knows about Israel that it occupied Palestinian areas, is making a continuous expansion, while the Palestinian areas are becoming limited.

Israel's Violent Activities
Israel's violent activities continue. On 20 May also, Israeli Army assaulted Palestinian women and children in Janine city of the occupied West Bank. Such activities continue for the last 60 years. But, perhaps the United States, its allies and the supporter countries do not see it as they always keep the direction of the cannons of their statements toward Iran.

Since Iran's agreement with Turkey and Brazil regarding nuclear fuel has been presented to the UN Security Council, it is needed that this institute, which is a guarantor of world peace, should be let free to take an independent decision. The United States and its allied countries should avoid influencing it, as it can mar any improving situation.

China Reiterates Decision To Retain Autonomy in Currency Policy

Four days before US and China high level officials meet for the highest level China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, China once again reiterated its decision to retain autonomy in making own decision on currency policy. China also hinted that China and the United States have reached a 'quiet communication' consensus over the RMB issue.

China's Assistant Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao sent out a clear message about the direction of the Chinese currency Renminbi (RMB) reform direction and time frame. He also reduced observers and outsiders' expectation about the discussion of RMB exchange rate in the coming week's second round of Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue to be held in Beijing. Zhu Guangyao has provided a realistic market view about the possibility of the appreciation of RMB situation in the days to come.

Currency Reform Measure
Citing Chinese national leaders' earlier remarks of upgrading China's currency exchange mechanism to 'acts of national sovereignty level', China's Assistant Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told the press that 'China's specific reform measure has to be based on the change and development in the overall world economic situation. The Chinese Government will take independent coordination to consider and to push forward currency reform measure.'

'What I want to specifically emphasize is that China will not advance its currency reform in particularly when China is under external pressure. External pressure and noise will do nothing but slow our currency reform process.' Minister Zhu's statements echoed China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's warning two months ago when the latter said that putting pressure on China and forcing China to revaluate and appreciate RMB would be counter-productive.

The second round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue will be held in Bejing beginning 24 May. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the US Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner will lead the US delegation to this year's high level bilateral dialogue with China. China will be represented by China's Vice Prime Minister Wang Qishan and China's State Councilor Dai Bingguo.

From the beginning of this year until today, a series of trade and strategic issues exacerbated tensions between China and the United States. The coming Dialogue should provide an opportunity for both nations to address these tension issues.

Based on China's Assistant Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao 's introduction, this Second China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, co-chaired by Wang Qishan and Timothy Geithner, will discuss the European sovereign debt crisis and its impact on the world economy in order to promote sustainable international fiscal policy; to build an open investment environment; to promote open trade in order to further deepen the reform of international financial institutions; among other related issues.

There are indications to show that at this Second China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, in the light of both countries' concern about the present European sovereign debt crisis and the worsening investment climate for Chinese enterprises in Europe, China's RMB issue will not be considered by both countries as a major issue as focus of attention at the Dialogue. At this moment, what we understand is that as far as China's currency exchange rate is concerned, the consensus between China and the US is to deal with this delicate issue in a low profile manner.

China-US Sensitive Issues To Adopt 'Quiet Communication' Strategy
Minister Zhu Guangyao also confirmed that although the RMB exchange rate would be one of the agenda in the Second China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, he also said that 'as the overall Sino-US economic relationship, the RMB exchange rate issue is only one of the issues. He said: 'This (exchange rate) is only one of the issues among the many issues in China-US bilateral economic issues. On sensitive bi-lateral economic issues, China and the United States should maintain 'quiet' communication.'

He also said: 'For sensitive issue such as the currency exchange rate, we hope both countries can keep the agreed upon spirit of 'quiet' strategy to engage in communication and dialogue. This should allow the views from both sides to be able to express fully so as to allow both countries to have deeper understanding on the same issue. This should help to push forward and promote the bilateral cooperation in macroeconomic policies between the two countries.'

All along, on resistance of foreign intervention on China's RMB exchange rate, the Chinese Government's policy has adopted the policy to deal with the issue in accordance with the 'autonomy, gradual and controllable' principle. However, from the US perspective, after the US Treasury suffered political pressure coming from the Congress to pressure China on appreciation of RMB, the US Treasury has delayed in submitting its semi-annual currency report to the US Congress since last month. As such, to the United States, the RMB exchange issue is still an outstanding issue for the US Government. However, market analysts have predicted that even without pressure coming from foreign countries, China's RMB will have a minor adjustment to appreciate from between 3 percent to 5 percent this year.

In Europe, the recent Euro crisis caused by the national debt crisis in Greece has led to many observers to opine that China may delay the measure to allow its RMB decoupling with US dollar. Substantial depreciation of the euro this year has led to the RMB exchange rate against the euro to appreciate more than 15 percent. To the Chinese enterprises that rely heavily on the current RMB exchange rate to maintain their market competitiveness, such development in Europe has resulted in significant export costing pressure to China's enterprises. As such since Europe is China's largest export market, the economic growth prospect of the European Union has also caused grave concern to the Chinese government officials.

European Sovereign Debt Crisis
Zhu Guangyao said: 'I hope that the main currency used as major monetary reserve can maintain a basic stability.' Zhu's remarks further implied that the dollar peg of the RMB exchange rate is unlikely to change.

As for the measure to cope with the European sovereign debt crisis, Zhu Guangyao pointed out that: 'Countries including China and the United States should strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies. Both nations should make the G20 mechanism to become the main platform to play the actual role of governance on world economy. This can strengthen the international community's capacity to respond to this kind of economic crisis and challenge.'

Fiscal Deficit-GDP Ratio
Under the larger backdrop of possible expansion of sovereign debt crisis, Zhu Guangyao acknowledged that China is concerned about the growing US federal budget deficit.

He said: 'We hope that the US fiscal deficit-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio can gradually be reduced in its economic recovery process to attain a sustainable level.'

China is now the largest holder of the US Treasury bonds. According to the US Treasury Department's international capital flows report released on 17 May, for the month of March the China's holdings of US Treasury bonds has increased US$17.7 billion dollars (approximately $24.5 billion), making the total China's holding of US Treasury bonds reaching $895.2 billion dollars. This was the first time China purchased US Treasury bonds since September 2009.

Vietnam Invests in Non-Urgent, Grandiose Projects

Ninety billion US dollars for infrastructure projects in the 'Expanding Hanoi' scheme; and more than 55 billion dollars for the construction of the high speed North -- South railways. This massive amount of capital investment is planned for these grand projects in the next few years, in comparison to Vietnam's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is currently only at approximately $100 billion.

Strong and Aggressive Campaign
There are many other projects and schemes, some very urgent with apparent outcomes, that are in need of capital investment and have yet found a funding source. Some of these projects are the metro system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; the North-South high speed road; Long Thanh international airport, and Van Phong international container transshipment port. For some unknown reasons, there seems to be a strong and aggressive campaign from relating departments and industries for those two grand projects to pass. Aiming for this purpose, people are putting forward all kinds of reasoning, such as let's just agree on the urgent necessity of the project first, then other factors such as the project efficiency, implementation and where the funding source come from can be discussed later. While in practice, an investment process should have been the reverse.

It is because whether these grandiose projects are implemented or not, it is not the same as when one buys a bunch of vegetables or a kilogram of fish. It requires a thorough study of the feasibility in terms of economic efficiency, repayment ability as well as the owner of the technology, and above all, affordability is the security of national finance.

Necessary To Prioritize Investments
Every body knows that to implement grand projects such as those mentioned above, foreign debts cannot be considered because of the limited capacity of the current national financial situation. Moreover, current government's debts have almost exceeded the safety threshold, while the budget deficit is still growing strongly. In the circumstances of very limited national finance capacity, everyone understands that it is necessary to prioritize investments for projects that can bring the fastest economic efficiency as well as rapid returns, otherwise the burden of national debts would be too overbearing for future generations.

Considering these criteria, those grandiose projects pose immediate problems on their effectiveness and feasibility. Many delegates from the National Assembly have frankly expressed their concerns about the economic burden and the financial security of the nation, should these two super projects be implemented.

Corporations for Investments
The question is: Why is it that those projects are still being interpreted as urgent projects for the economy? The answer does not lie anywhere else, but in the thirst for capital investment and local benefits of economic corporations, of the State's mother company and possibly for the benefit of certain groups. Corporations always crave for investments to feed themselves, and most of the time without any consideration for the overall interests of national economy.

However, the fact that projects such as these are put forward to Congress for discussion, people have the right to hope that delegates would actually consider for the common interests of the economy as a whole, and for the benefits of people at the present and also in the future, therefore, would refuse the thirst of benefit groups and corporations for investments. Otherwise, the loss will be bear by the economy as a whole, while the benefit would go to a minority of corporations regardless of the risk on the security of the national finance.

Sri Lanka Should Pay Attention to International Conventions

The newly appointed Sri Lankan foreign minister said recently that our foreign policy should be amended while placing the economic development of the country in its place of primacy. The objective of this interview is to discuss what changes should be made to instill a positive outlook about our country in the minds of the international community. Following are the views presented by Kalyananda Godage, former additional secretary of the Foreign Ministry.

Senanayake: It is the foreign policy of a country that conveys to the global community the thinking of the government in power. Has our foreign policy succeeded in creating a positive picture of the country in the global community?

Godage: The foreign policy of a country is nothing but a signal emitted by a country to the world to remind it of its presence in the global community. There are various other signals of a similar nature. But the world community forms an opinion of a country only upon a certain set of factors such as its respect for human rights, its compliance with international conventions etc. A foreign policy with regard to its imports and exports is also essential for a country in its development objectives. Presently, the attention of the world community is focused on how a country reacts to the concept of honoring human rights, especially in connection with its minorities. The World War II was ignited because Hitler began the annihilation of a minority.

Our country too is a signatory to various international conventions on human rights and is committed to safeguarding those rights. In effect, we proclaim to the world that we will forge an alliance with foreign nations committed to these precepts. Of course, they too will constantly monitor us to ascertain our bona fides. However, it cannot be honestly said that our foreign policies have succeeded in creating a positive image of Sri Lanka among the comity of nations.

There was a huge wave of discontent in foreign governments about the direction in which Sri Lanka was headed ever since the incumbent government came into power. They were unhappy that the rights of the ethnic groups were seriously negated, especially during the prosecution of the war. We could not change their mindset because a systematic and well organized propaganda campaign had been launched worldwide, that irrespective of what the government claimed, it an egocentric Sinhalese country and that no one would ever get any rights here except the Sinhalese.

However, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) never dreamed that Mahinda Rajapaksa's government would be able to defeat them. That is why, during the previous presidential election, they blocked the votes intended for Ranil and let Mahinda win the election. But Mahinda formed a good team and with ample aid from China, Russia and Pakistan, ultimately won the war. But our foreign policies have not succeeded in creating a positive attitude towards Sri Lanka among the global community.

Senanayake: It is currently being widely debated that our foreign policy should be subjected to some kind of change especially since we need the cooperation of other countries to develop our country. What sorts of changes should be made in our foreign policy to meet this need.

Godage: Our foreign policy is a guide to how we will conduct relations with the international community and through it we articulate our own perceptions of the rest of the world. The world at large expects to hear us clearly spelling out our intentions of how we will deal with ethnic minorities in the country. We have to make it transparent to our foreign friends that we mean business when we say that we intend safeguarding the rights of our minority communities. We should also prove to the world that we will honor the accords that we have subscribed to. There is no point in changing foreign policies without showing substantive proof of our intentions to abide by those international conventions. It is true that the war is over. But the Tamil organizations operating in foreign countries are now preparing to proclaim a phantom Tamil state. As long as there is an unfinished issue of the Tamils to deal with, they will have something to complain about. Therefore, what we have to do now is to solve this problem.

Senanayake: Our country has lost the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) Plus exports tax concession. Evidently, the EU opinion about Sri Lanka is far from positive. What kind of diplomatic strategy should be launched to win back their confidence?

Godage: I served as ambassador for Europe from 1984 to 1987 and then again from 1991 to 1994. During that period, various European parliaments passed resolutions condemning actions in Colombo on not less than 18 times! All of those resolutions were related to allegations against Sri Lanka that we were ignoring the rights of the minorities. A British ambassador said to me that they did not have any kind of economic interest in Sri Lanka from the day the estates in the island were nationalized. He said the Britain does not care for Sri Lanka and it is not interested in advocating for the island on any of its issues. But he said that the Britain was attentive to the claims made by various organizations that the ethnic communities were being oppressed here. We enjoyed the GSP Plus all the while that these allegations were being made.

But then five youths were murdered in Trincomalee and 15 activists of an aid agency were killed and the government did not do anything to bring the culprits to face justice. Appointing commissions will not solve this kind of problem. These two incidents too could have heavily weighed in the EU's decision to withdraw the GSP Plus from us.

Not only that. When UN representative John Holmes visited Sri Lanka, he was harshly criticized. It accused him of talking in return for LTTE money. This is not how a country should nurture and maintain diplomatic relations and this was not how Kadirgamar acted. He always resorted to dialog to solve problems. Most of our agricultural products are exported to these countries. Can we expect any economic growth by antagonizing these counties?

The biggest challenge our foreign office has is to work out how to secure the support of the nations which are currently disenchanted with us. They do not simply listen to what we tell them. The foreign embassies in our country too report to their respective governments about what really goes on here. Those countries also talk with Tamil people living here. And they listen to other political parties of our country. Therefore, it is difficult to win the goodwill of the global community without solving the issues of the minorities living here and without abiding by international accords to which we are signatories.

Senanayake: The new Foreign Minister G.L. Pieris said recently that Sri Lanka will not agree to conditions unfavorable to the country just for the sake of securing the tax facility or to retain the goodwill of the global community. Will we not be able win them over and solve this issue while preserving our independence?

Godage: When the economy of Greece collapses, we are affected by it. Then how can we be independent? In the present context of the word, it is not possible to hang on to archaic presumptions of what is denoted by the terms "independence", "sovereignty" etc. The Chernobyl nuclear incident in Russia affected various countries around the globe. When a nuclear reactor in the Indian sub-continent melts down, we cannot be indifferent to it, claiming that we are an independent state. The world today has shrunken into a small village. Therefore, the concept of independence is not fully applicable as an exclusive concept in the present global context. In the meantime, as far as I know, no unfair conditions have been stipulated by the European Union as prerequisites to restore the GSP Plus. What the EU insists on is that we should implement the human rights commitment to which we have been signatories.

Meanwhile, we cannot say that other countries look upon the killing of the persons who came to surrender with white flags in their hands, as a grave issue. International laws have yet to clarify what nature of response is to be extended to potential suicide killers. The suicide attack strategy introduced by the LTTE has now become very popular among militants all over the world. Any suicide killer can approach you waving a white flag at you.

Can killing such a person be considered a human rights violation in its truest sense? Therefore, the world too would need to look afresh at this issue and come to a logical conclusion about how this phenomenon needs to be dealt with by international law. Today a computer buff can cripple the world by playing havoc with a crucial computer program and without firing a single shot. New international laws have to be created to fight other potential menaces as well.

One Year of UPA Government's Second Term

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, led by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, celebrated first anniversary of its second term on 24 May. Looking back on its first anniversary, UPA second term can draw some satisfaction from the fact that it has survived in a turbulent political environment and has added a few feathers to its cap.

Clearly, a major trump card for it has been the image of Dr Singh. The Opposition indeed has no one who is even remotely a match for Dr Singh's reputation for integrity and efficiency.

This is not to say that expectations have not been belied and everything is hunky dory for the UPA government. During UPA first term, the intelligentsia in particular painted the Left as the ultimate villain that stood in the way of economic reforms. Now, with the Left out of the way, there are nagging questions being asked as to why the stagnation in reforms continues.

The UPA government's achilles heel is, however, food inflation which is running uncomfortably high and is eroding the government's support base.
Review of Performance
It is, in fact, occasioning a frenzied review of its performance. The following is a brief look at its report card of some major areas of common people's concern.

Rate of Inflation: Inflation known as price hike, is one monster which the Manmohan Singh government is unable to tame. And this is despite the fact it is being grappled with by men having proven track records in farming, finance and economics and Congress President Sonia Gandhi whose commitment to the 'Aam Admi' is the pride of the ruling UPA second term.

Be it arhar dal, sugar, potatoes, onions, and to a lesser extent rice and wheat, the prices are spiralling out of control. In 2008, it was estimated that India loses Rs 58,000 crore worth of agricultural food items due to lack of post-harvesting infrastructure such as cold chains, transportation, and storage facilities. If the Government had ensured proper storage facility, food inventory would have been plentiful, leading to prices remaining under control.

Singh is a renowned economist, who has headed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and held top level posts at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and above all is hailed as the father of India’s globalization and liberalization that pulled the country out of an impending financial collapse in 1991.

For Agriculture and Food Supplies Minister Sharad Pawar, farming and farmers are close to his heart, while his portfolio has thrust on him the onerous task of making farm produce available to the people easily and at affordable prices and at the same time ensuring remunerative returns to cultivators.

Above all, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is known for his politico-economic skills and, while holding the same portfolio decades ago, was credited with choosing Manmohan Singh to head the RBI.

Then what is holding them back from reining in the galloping prices of essential commodities? While the overall inflation is ruling around 10 per cent, the rise in the prices of food articles is much higher, adding to the woes of the poor and much to the embarrassment of the government.
The commitment to maintaining the economic growth rate (GDP) around the double digit figure had taken away the government’s liberty to curtail money supply as high growth means more disposable income in the hands of the people.

State of Economy: With the Indian economy's growth rate at an impressive 8-9 per cent and the economic slowdown hitting the economy much less severely than in most countries, there is something to gloat about. Industrial production and exports are both on the upswing, the latter after a long period of deceleration. With the worldwide slowdown, the job market had been severely hit but there are clear signs that it is picking up.

As we move on however, much more needs to be done to shake off the inertia that has plagued economic reforms for the last several years.

With a normal monsoon forecast, a booming economy growing at 8.5 per cent and foreign capital flowing in despite the economy opening up any further and an unexpected Rs 68,000 crore windfall from the G3 spectrum auction, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee sits pretty.

Few finance ministers in the world are that comfortable with their job these days. Most are rattled by the European debt crisis as the economic recovery lands in the danger zone. Pranab is not doing much except talking, giving interviews lauding his own government’s fiscal prudence. There are no demands on him to push economic reforms.

Agriculture: Nothing could be worse than the fact that growth in the agriculture and allied sector Gross Domestic Product (GDP) vis-à-vis total GDP has been continuously declining.

The Food Security-Act is also unlikely to be implemented for another year. The legislation is now lost because of political considerations, differences over poverty numbers and logistical hurdles. But what kept the NCP boss and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and his Ministry in the dock was the government’s inability to control spiralling prices of essential commodities.

Pawar blamed bad monsoon, states’ and international conditions. The late decision to import sugar, Pawar attributes to 'noble intentions' of protecting the interests of farmers besides consumers.
The contention for his statement also comes in the form of continuing farmers’ suicide with most prosperous agrarian state Punjab registering more than 50 farmers’ suicide in 2009.

It can be said without doubt that in the first year of the UPA's second term the agriculture and allied sector GDP has shown a negative growth.

Domestic Affairs: With the setbacks of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, in the past one year, has come under fire from his own party colleagues and the opposition. However, it would be unfair to judge his work in the light of Naxal violence alone.
The Minister also announced the setting up of a national counter terrorism centre and this will be in place by the year end.

Among the path breaking projects is the Rs 2,000 crore crime and criminal tracking network and systems (CCTNS), a national databank of crime and criminals with their biometric profiles. In addition to the enforcing agencies, the courts, jails, immigration and passport authorities will have access to it. The second project is the Natgrid. Eleven designated intelligence agencies will have online inter-connected access to details of phone calls, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records, property records and driving licences of all citizens in the country.

International Relations: Indian foreign policy has been undergoing subtle transmutation since 1991, with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Narasimha Rao began the repositioning of India; the National Democratic Alliance government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee consolidated it. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s task was complicated as UPA's first term was dependent on the Communist Party of India-Marxist, for whom United States was anathema. During UPA's first term it was the Indo-US nuclear deal and now Pakistan. And after repeatedly telling Islamabad that it could not be business as usual between the two countries until the Mumbai attackers faced the law, New Delhi agreed to revive bilateral talks at the Thimphu meeting between the two Prime Ministers in April 2010.

The United States today desperately need Pakistan more than India, given the troubles they are facing in Afghanistan, where the security situation is deteriorating at a frightening pace. India, the largest donor to Afghanistan, has almost been reduced to a mere spectator as Hamid Karzai vigorously pursues a Pakistani-propagated proposal to reintegrate the Taliban into the mainstream of the Afghan society, with the blessings of the US and its Western allies.

There has been success with Bangladesh; stalemate in Nepal; and new policy dilemmas over post-Prabhakaran Sri Lanka (as elections loom in Tamil Nadu). With China, trade expanded, rhetoric fluctuated and distrust was concealed. The public perception, however, of the success or failure of Indian diplomacy hinges on the two dominant themes.

The former Soviet Union played the role of a balancing factor in world affairs. It was Russia’s eclipse in the 1990s which made New Delhi turn to the US for strategic support. Perhaps it’s time for the Indian establishment to reinvent the time-tested Indo-Russia friendship and not put all its eggs in the American basket.

Education and Employment: When Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal promised to draft nine education reform legislations in the first 100 days of assuming office, he was mocked for being in tearing hurry. In June 2009, Sibal unveiled his 100-day agenda, promising to de-traumatise and de-regulate education. The radical measures Sibal proposed ran the risk of falling by the wayside, given the system’s inherent ability to resist change.

While one of the major achievements is the Foreign Education Providers’ Bill 2010, which saw the Left’s opposition at the time of introduction, the others sailed through with ease. These include the law to accredit higher educational institutes through the National Accreditation Authority Bill 2010; a law to establish national and state educational tribunals to adjudicate disputes related to the sector and a law to prohibit malpractices in education by penalising charging capitation fee, made a cognizable offence for the first time in history. Sibal he has delivered on his promise to de-stress the school system by making Class X boards optional and replacing marks with grades at school.

Also in force is the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Elementary Education Act, which rolled across India from 1 April. However, the action is awaited on the law on innovation universities and dematting of educational degrees on the lines of share certificates.
Defense: Undoubtedly, it is difficult to say which of Defense Minister AK Antony’s pursuits will secure India’s long-term strategic interests. Will it be his quest of seeing the 'made in India' tag to high value defense equipment or his near fanatic trait of enforcing honesty and probity?

The languid pace of reforms and delay in the induction of key equipment has its fair share of detractors. Antony, has however, set some sort of a pace. The intention is to reduce the import bill for procuring defense equipment. About 70 per cent of the nearly Rs 50,000 crore of the annual procurement budget is spent on imports. Thus, the stress on indigenously equipment, including the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant, a stealth warship and the Arjun tank.

Health: More than anything else, Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad’s first year in office will be remembered for his move to wind up the scam-hit Medical Council of India. Azad dissolved the MCI within a month of the CBI arresting MCI chief Ketan Desai on corruption charges.

How the government goes about regulating medical education will determine how it is perceived in the future.

In June 2009, the Health Ministry received the report of the taskforce to create an overarching regulator for human resources in health. It was called the National Council on Human Resources in Health and was meant to subsume the existing regulators —MCI, Dental and Pharmacy Council of India.

Ironically, Azad and Desai worked closely together when the government allowed private companies to open new medical colleges. They also relaxed norms for creation of more postgraduate doctors. Teaching experience requirements for professors and associate professors were relaxed by one year to 'increase the availability of faculty.'

To encourage doctors for rural stints, Azad announced several incentives including 50 per cent reservation in PG diploma courses for those who serve three years or more in villages. The Minister gave the MCI permission to start a controversial three and a half year Bachelor in Rural Medicine Course. Despite stiff opposition from the Indian Medical Association, which said the course would legalise quackery, Ketan Desai and Azad sealed the deal.

National Rural Health Mission has managed to achieve some heartening goals — Maternal Mortality Rate fell to 254 per 1000 as against 301 in 2003.

Fertility rate remains a challenge at 2.7; the goal is 2.1 by 2012, with Himachal, Delhi, Punjab, Andhra, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal reaching the target.

Another major development of the past year has been the revival of vaccine PSUs, which former Health Minister had closed down. Crackdown on spurious drug makers is also on even as India this year produced its first indigenous influenza vaccine following the H1N1 outbreak.

Environment: Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh announced the setting up of the National Institute of Himalayan Glaciology at Dehradun (Uttarakhand). Another step was the Indian Network on Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), a network of scientists to publish peer-reviewed findings on climate change in India.

The ministry can also be credited for setting up of specialised 'green benches'. The Parliament recently approved the long-pending National Green Tribunal (NGT) Bill to quickly dispose environmental protection cases. Recently, the Ministry and the Survey of India also launched an initiative to map the hazard line along India’s coast.

Railways: Indian Railway has been as usual a success for the UPA government. It achieved higher growth targets and implemented policies, which would attract train travel. It also suffered a few accidents that showed lack of emphasis on safety.

The earnings of Indian Railway have been on the rise. Progress has also been made in the implementation of various projects.

Assessment
To conclude it can be said that, the undercurrents are positive but there are lessons to be learned from UPA's experience in the six years that it has been in office in two innings. The major challenges of inflation, of internal and external security, of raising the levels of manpower productivity and of speedier justice need to be addressed more strongly and effectively. The coming next four years will be more tough testing time for the UPA government's second innings.

Treatment in Guantanamo Detention Camp

A former US captain by the name of Imam Ma Yee came for the first time to Malaysia. He gave a talk detailing to the Muslims in Malaysia about his personal experience and treatment when he was arrested by the US authority. He was kept at the Guantanamo Detention Camp. He said he has witnessed with his own eyes the inhumane treatment of Muslim prisoners of war by the US soldiers inside the Guantanamo Detention Camp.

Nevertheless he said he was confident that US President Barack Obama would fulfill his promise and commitment to close the Guantanamo Detention Camp eventually. He added that the Muslims in the United States, the local US human rights organizations as well as some supporters of President Obama were in high anticipation for President Obama to close the Guantanamo Detention Camp. This was because this detention camp has seriously damaged the US world status and reputation.

Inhumane Treatment Prisoners of War by US Soldiers
At the Al-Khaadem fund raising dinner (held on 16 May in Petaling Jaya), Imam Ma Yee, also known as James J. Yee, has given a speech titled 'Guantanamo: Exploitation of Human Rights' to the Muslims in Malaysia. At this fund raising dinner, former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad and his wife were guests of honor for this function. Also presented at this fund raising function was Al-Khaadem President Syed Hussain Yee.

In his speech, this ex-US captain said by now he was disappointed with President Obama because on 11 January 2010, President Obama has promised to close the Guantanamo Detention Camp. However, as of today, the US Government has not taken any action to fulfill President Obama's promise.

He said that there were still more than 180 detainees being kept inside the Guantanamo camp. He said that at the height of it, there were as many as over 700 detainees kept there. He also added that the condition at the Guantanamo Detention Camp at present stage has been improved a lot. He said that incidents leading to the abuse of power, corruption and ill treatment of prisoners of war by the US soldiers were not as serious and as rampant is it used to be in the past.

Aim To Obtain Intelligence From Muslim Captives
Imam Ma Yee pointed out that what made Muslims angry was that the Guantanamo Detention Camp has made use of religion as the main weapon to force the Muslim detainees to provide intelligence on terrorist activities.

'Very often, in order to force the Muslim detainees to come out with intelligence on terrorists, the US soldiers would make all kinds of profanity to desecrate Islamic faith, including trampling on the Koran and prohibit the Muslim detainees from performing their prayer rituals.

'The way the US military treated the Guantanamo Muslim captives was like treating dogs or animals without observing any basic human rights.'

Imam Ma Yee said he himself had also been innocently investigated by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents. He was arrested and kept in the Camp for as long as 76 days under the order of US military tribunal court. Moreover, he was put in an isolated cell, handcuffed in both hands and legs. In addition, his eyes were blindfolded and his ears were covered. When he was detained, not only had he lost his total freedom, he has also lost the rights to see and to hear. He said he was simply cut off from the entire world.

Counseling Prisoners of War in Guantanamo Detention Camp
Imam Ma Yee believed that he has suffered such an unfair treatment by the US military because he is an ethnic Chinese and also a Muslim.

In November 2002, the then US Captain Imam Ma Yee was sent to the Guantanamo Detention Camp by the US forces with the assignment to provide religious counseling to the more than 600 Taliban prisoners of war the US soldiers had captured in the Afghanistan battlefield. His other duty was to persuade these Taliban prisoners of war to surrender.

However, in August 2003, when he made use of his vacation to go home to visit his relatives, when he was half way through Florida, he was abducted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was charged with 'instigating revolt during the period when he worked in the Guantanamo Detention Camp.' He was also charged with 'fornication foreign enemies' and 'does not obey orders', among others offences.

After his release in 2005 Imam Ma Yee resigned from the US military forces. Currently, he engages in writing and in giving talks about his personal experience at the Guantanamo Detention Camp. He has been to a number of countries telling other nations about what he has gone through at the Guantanamo Detention Camp. He said the countries he had giving talks included Germany, India and Turkey among others.

Obama Puts an End To Bush's Cowboy Diplomacy in West Point Address

When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flew to Beijing from Shanghai on 24 May and held the Second Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, US President Barack Obama had also presented an important speech day before 22 May at the famous West Point Military Academy. In this speech, President Obama has revealed even more of the new diplomatic thought of Washington --that the United States will still want to maintain its world leadership position; but this will be done through international cooperation and domestic technological innovation, rather than achieving its world leadership status through brute unilateral military force.

In his West Point Academy speech, President Obama said clearly: 'The burdens of this century cannot fall on our soldiers alone. It also cannot fall on US shoulders alone. Our adversaries would like to see America sap its strength by overextending our power. And in the past, we've always had the foresight to avoid acting alone.'

National Security Strategy
We understand that next week, the White House will announce a new 'National Security Strategy'. President Obama's remarks at the US Military Academy at West Point has set the tone not only for its contents, President Obama has also publicly denied former US President George W. Bush's 'cowboy diplomacy.' Since taking office, President Obama has tried to change the course of US foreign policy. President Obama's intention in wanting to burn bridges with the previous government's unpopular foreign policy was most obvious and exhaustive in this speech.

Eight years ago, on the same occasion at the US Military Academy at West Point Commencement ceremony, the then US President George W. Bush announced his 'Bush Doctrine' -- a preemptive unilateral militaristic policy. A year after the former President Bush announced the 'Bush Doctrine', the United States launched the second Gulf war to overthrow Iraq's Saddam Hussein regime without adequate evidence that Saddam processed weapons of mass destruction and without the authorization from the United Nations. However, this war has trapped the US troops to the muddy battlefield with no ability to turn back until today.

The war has led the United States into a passive and isolated circumstance in international arena. The war has further stimulated the anti-US sentiment in the Muslim World. Yet, coincidentally, using the same platform to address the West Point Academy graduates, President Obama announced that the United States would withdraw US troops from Iraq this summer.

China and Other Emerging Powers
Although the United States is still the world's one and only superpower; however the protracted war in Iraq has weakened the US military strength badly. A Columbia University professor and a Harvard University professor have in 2008 co-published a book titled 'The Three Trillion Dollar War.' In this book the writers pointed out that within a period of five years, the military expenditure used in the Iraq War has reached US $670 billion dollars, which was higher than the total 12 years of military expenditure used in the Vietnam War.

Moreover, in 2010 the US military budget has also reached $535 billion. This US military expenditure is more than the rest of the world's total military spending combined. This US military budget has not even included the military allocation of $ 136 billion for use in the present Iraq and Afghanistan War. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates admitted earlier in May that the United States was unable to afford another war in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Bush's 'cowboy diplomacy' has squandered international community's empathy and august toward the United States when the country suffered massive 9/11 terrorist attacks. This 'cowboy diplomacy' also weakened the United States' international influence and its moral legitimacy basis. It made US foreign policy getting out of focus.

Moreover, within a short period of just few years, the US anti terrorist war has distracted this great power's attention to focus on other major issues thus allowing those countries with potential to challenge the US world leadership to quietly emerge and force the United States to accept such new situation in international arena. These newly emerged countries have included countries such as China, India, and Brazil. This new international order has allowed China and other emerging powers to share the speaking voice of the United States, the leading world power in international affairs.

Human and Financial Resources
The present US Government's decision to abandon unilateralism will mean that the United States must rely on the cooperation of international partners to carry out its foreign affairs. The United States must respect international law and order. It is just like what President Obama said in his West Point Academy speech: 'The United States has not succeeded by stepping out of the currents of cooperation.'

The recent round of global financial crisis has led to the decline in US economy and allowed the economic emergence of many developing countries. With the US military operations overseas continue to consume huge amount of its human and financial resources; and under the combined effect of other important factors, it is indeed to the advantage of US national interest for the United States to opt of multilateral cooperation with other countries. In the process, of course the United States will also have to face some harsh reality.

In dealing with Iranian nuclear weapon issue, the United States is now obliged with the new foreign affairs spirit of President Obama. The United States is now actively working through the United Nations platform to deal with Iran. The United States is trying to include China as it's world partner and seek its cooperation in dealing with Iran. In US Defense Secretary Gates' earlier address, Gates also hinted that if there was a diplomatic option, he would not support the use of force to resolve the Iranian nuclear weapon issue.

Wide Breadth of Subject Contents
The Second China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in Beijing is a high-level, large scale bilateral dialogue with wide breadth of subject contents. This dialogue has reflected the degree of attention the United States has put into the same.

If we put this Dialogue under the backdrop of President Obama's new foreign policy and new diplomatic thinking, we can observe that whether we view the Dialogue from the objective reality of international power dynamics, or from the subjective Washington flow of new diplomatic thought, this dialogue has clearly reflected the hard work of the US Government in trying to create a new international cooperation environment.

Maintaining Global Economic Growth
As the world superpower, such effort taken by the United States should be a welcome to the international community. Regardless of whether the inter community has to deal and prevent nuclear proliferation, or has to address global climate change, in maintaining global economic growth, overcoming world poverty, fighting against the threat of extremism, and many other issues that need international cooperation to handle, the world community cannot do without the leadership coming from the United States.

An end to the US 'cowboy diplomacy' is conducive to give birth to a more harmonious international environment.

Experts Predict Inflation Higher Than Vietnamese Government's Target

Many experts believe that external factors and the fiscal policy will have a significant affect on the ability to successfully implement the objectives of a stable macro economy for Vietnam this year.

to the government's Resolution number 23 that was published a few days ago, it was affirmed that the target growth rate will be 6.5 percent while inflation is to be maintained at 8 percent in 2010. This indication is 1 percent higher compared the previous target adopted by Congress at the 6th meeting held in late 2009.

Increase in Consumer Price Index
Analysts think that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased up to 4.27 percent within the first 4 months of the year is one of the main reasons that led to the government's recent rate adjustment.

Dr Nguyen Duc Kien, member of the Economic Committee in Congress, evaluated the adjustment as a timely and necessary decision. He said that if the government was determined to maintain inflation rate at 7 percent and would do so at all costs, then Vietnam's economy will find it difficult to achieve the set out growth target. Dr Kien explained: 'This event should be seen as part of the big picture, along with many other macro variables. To maintain the inflation rate at 7 percent would mean to tighten the monetary policy, it will make it harder for businesses to approach capitals and consequently economic growth will be very difficult to achieve.'

Even though Dr Kien supports the rate adjustment, however according to this economic expert, to set targets is one thing, but whether or not the targets can be implemented is an entirely different matter. This view is also shared by Dr Vu Thanh Tu Anh, deputy director of the Fullbright Research Program and Economic Teaching in Vietnam, who shared that: 'A set target does not mean that it will definitely be implemented. The CPI itself, just like any other macro variables, is being affected by many factors, both internally and externally.'

Maintaining Fiscal Policy
Dr Tu Anh believes that an imports dependent country like Vietnam will find it difficult to monitor and control impacts due to increased raw materials input prices during the recovery of the world market. Meanwhile, if the government continues to maintain the fiscal policy and the monetary with high investment rates, while continuously increase credit to meet investment needs, then it will be very difficult to control inflation.

Dr Vu Thanh Tu Anh said: 'What concerns me most is the compatibility among these macro economic objectives, in particular growth target and inflation. Between these two goals there are always tradeoffs. It is very difficult to implement both in parallel, maintaining high growth as well as controlling inflation in an economy that is yet effective. In my opinion, we should not set out too many goals and then try to chase after them. Such policies are voluntarism and very difficult to implement.'

Pham Lan Huong, head of the macro economic policy committee at the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), also suggests that setting a fixed target is not appropriate in the current economic conditions. She said: 'I think that the government's inflation adjustment is reasonable, but this decision is one with a directional characteristic rather than a fixed target. Inflation in 2010 may not be at exactly 8 percent.'

Rate of Inflation
On 12 May 2010, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) published the economic and social survey results for 2010 in the region. In this report, UNESCAP forecasted that Vietnam's inflation rate would reach 10.3 percent in 2010, while GDP is only at 5.8 percent (compared to the government target rate of 6.5 percent).

UNESCAP representative and economic expert Eugene Gherman affirmed that: 'Forecasted figures and target rates can be different, but what is important is that we recognize that inflation is the main problem that needs to be addressed in 2010 for economies in Asia, including Vietnam.'

Sri Lankan New Constitution Needs To Unify All Communities

Intent on pushing through its planned constitutional reforms, the government is putting the final touches to the proposed legislative amendments. The amendments are said to be planned in three stages.

Several reforms, including the eligibility of a person to seek a third term presidency, expunging constitutional obstacles to the implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and some radical electoral reforms, are being considered by the government to be incorporated in the new constitution.

Intended Reforms
The government needs a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament to put into effect any constitutional reforms of this nature. Although it is only five votes to command that two-thirds majority, as things stand now it looks like it will be a light matter to harness those five vital votes from opposition benches. But if the government could push through the intended reforms with some help from various parties in the opposition it will have some positive effects in the area of national economic development.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which are the major parties representing the minority communities have already flashed a green light for the proposed constitutional reforms.

Both parties have decided to back the constitutional reforms provided however that the government treats the urgency of a solution to long outstanding Tamil ethnic grievances on a top priority rating.

Ambitions and Agendas
The government would do well at this point in time to acknowledge the conditions stipulated by these two political parties, mend fences with them and then move on smoothly to the business of pushing through the planned constitutional reforms.

When new constitutions were introduced in the past they reflected the policies of the parties and personal agendas of the leaders of those parties who introduced those reforms. Those were the very reasons why the country could not sustain any meaningful long-term development strategy.

The first constitution of the country drawn up by Sir Ivor Jennings did not reflect the expectations and aspirations of the people of this country. He framed the entire thing without consulting as much as one other person.

The 1972 constitution which was introduced by former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike was also drawn up in a manner that secured her personal ambitions and agendas.

So, also was it with former President J.R. Jayewardene when he introduced the 1977 constitution to promote his personal ambitions.

Recurrence of Tragedies
All these constitutions failed to address the aspirations and grievances of minority communities in the country with the cumulative effect of disastrous repercussions on the entire nation. The disasters and scale of destruction let loose in the wake of these constitutional changes put back the country's development clock by several decades. Preempting the recurrence of the tragedies of the past now rests wholly in the hands of today's political leaders.

Different communities namely the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers are domiciled in Sri Lanka. They speak the Sinhala, Tamil and English languages and following different religions.

In the circumstances, the constitution of the country should be such that its provisions proactively foster the welfare and wellbeing of all communities in the country.

There is no need for hasty constitutional reforms. A general consensus approval of all sections of the people would be essential before such reforms are implemented. In order to fully exploit the potential of the opportunity now at hand, President Mahinda Rajapaksa would do well to first of all introduce constitutional changes, which will promote national harmony.

This will need an in-depth study of the constitutions of neighboring countries. For example, the Indian constitution was prepared only after multi-ethnic and multi-religious factors had been exhaustively studied. This is the basic reason why there has been a vast improvement in race relations in that country.

Extensive Deliberations
Today, the South African constitution is hailed as the best in the world. The Constitution of South Africa was also prepared after having extensive deliberations with different religious as well as ethnic communities in the country.

If Sri Lanka follows in their footsteps there will be nothing to prevent us seeing a new constitution that will unify all communities in this country.

Necessary Civil War in Thailand

The bargain between the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core leaders and government over the timing for the dissolution of parliament, reconciliation plan, and conditions for the UDD core leaders to enter into the process of judicial justice should have not caused the civil war.

Avoiding Civil War
However, if we take into consideration the reality of the conflicts involved with the said bargain, we will be able to see that it was extremely difficult to avoid the civil war this time for the following reasons:

1. For more than four years, the Thai society has been plunged into tense conflicts between two groups -- the first group trying to pull the society forward and the second trying to pull it backward. However, it appears that the second group has now turned to trying to pull the society forward.

The red-shirted leaders, who are mostly members of the lower middle class and the grassroot people, are now the ones trying to push the society toward the representative democracy, free it from the domination by the elite bureaucratic polity, and adhere to the fair electoral system of 'one man one vote.'

2. A further complexity is that the progressive democratic side consists of new capitalist groups and interest-oriented political parties sharing the same ideology, while the other side comprises conservative power groups, political parties, and capitalist groups who are defending the obsolete power structure and their immediate political power and interests.

3. The group that pulls the society backward does not believe in and has been trying to discredit the representative democracy. They often mock the said electoral system as the 'four-second democracy' and accuse the red-shirted leaders of selling their votes and being used as tools of corrupt politicians.

4. The aforementioned accusations are based on the assumption that the poor and uneducated do not have any political ideology. They assume that the red-shirted leaders from rural areas came to participate in the antigovernment in Bangkok because: 1. they love Thaksin, 2. they are paid, 3. they want the government to tackle their poverty-related problems, and none of them came with any ideology (except a few whose number was probably less than that of the armed terrorists who mingled with the protesters.)

If ideology is an important ingredient that makes life valuable, people's life that has come out to fight for democracy is also valuable. Their struggle is therefore meaningful and respectable. It is because the educated members of the lower middle class, the poor and uneducated, and rural people have been stereotyped as being unable to profess any ideology. So, they are viewed as persons who are unqualified to fight for democracy and can only serve as 'tools' of corrupt politicians. The losses of their lives (during the dispersal of the red-shirted protesters on 19 May) were, therefore, acceptable because they are not regarded free people with ideology (as there were voices urging the government not to dissolve the parliament, calling on the military to use the martial law against the red shirt people or take quick actions to get rid of the 'social garbage' so as to protect the country, religion, and highly revered monarchy.)

5. The stereotyping of the red-shirted people (the majority of them) as no-ideology, democracy-illiterate, stupid, uneducated, purchasable person has become the repeated discourse during the past over four years.

On one hand, it enables the side who evaluates the red-shirted leaders' value lower than that of its people [who are ideologically imbued with the loyalty to the country, religion, and monarch] to testify that the 'deaths' of the red-shirted people were necessary and justifiable, and on the other, such long-practiced oppression (e.g., calling them 'reckless' and so forth and so on) has created a time bomb of resentment among the red-shirted leaders that could explode at any moment!

Eventually, the explosion took place when the red shirts' media were shut down (after the long closure of their area in the mainstream media which has allowed their stories to be 'told' by 'other people' who are biased against them). The crackdown operation, which resulted in losses of lives and injuries, made the red-shirted leaders dare to challenge death, and, subsequently, violence was necessarily chosen in order to tell the society that they came with ideology and were willing to die for democracy and justice. Of course, natural instinct does not allow them to be bullied all the time.

6. Violence does not solve problems. The use of violence by the red-shirted was wrong (regardless of the fact that they had to put up resistance against the state's soldiers who were equipped with all sorts of dangerous weapons). However, the society should understand them because they always have to bear with verbal insults and the stereotyping that they lack ideology and have little human value. They have been under the pressure of unfair political and economic structures for a long period of time.

Nevertheless, the civil war should not have taken place if the Aphisit Vijjajiva government and the power behind it had not underestimated the red-shirt leaders, abused their power, been excessively frightened by the fear of Thaksin, and disregarded human rights.

Spirit of Democracy
It is regrettable that the Aphisit government had failed to demonstrate its superior maturity and spirit of democracy by allowing the (red-shirted) media to remain open, providing an area in the state-owned media for its opponents, and by dissolving parliament, which can be done at any moment. On contrary, it has been using the military power to solve political problems.

This is the price of the leadership-lacking decision made by the Aphisit government. The behind power and its cruel hearted supporters have caused the civil war, disaster to the country, and dark future of the Thai society!

Japan Unveils Base Move Within Okinawa

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on 23 May unveiled for the first time his government's plan to relocate a US Marine base within Okinawa and apologized for his failure to make good on his earlier vow to move the military facility outside the prefecture.

He said the relocation within the prefecture was a ''heartbreaking'' decision to achieve the return of land occupied by the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to locals and extended his ''heartfelt apology for causing much confusion'' among Okinawans in the process of reaching that conclusion.

Lack of Leadership
Public support for Hatoyama's government has nosedived due to his perceived lack of leadership on Futenma and other issues, making ruling coalition parties jittery ahead of a House of Councillors election expected in July.Nakaima expressed his ''extreme regret'' over the government's decision and said he considers it ''extremely difficult'' to go ahead with the plan, because expectations had mounted among local residents that Hatoyama would try to transfer functions of Futenma out of the southwesternmost prefecture.''

The gap between people's expectations (and the latest government decision) is huge. I expect the premier to take time to offer further explanations and work out a solution that would satisfy us,'' the governor told Hatoyama.Nakaima also told reporters later he feels the premier has ''betrayed'' Okinawa residents.

In the meeting, Hatoyama also said he will ask other Japanese prefectures at a meeting of governors on 20 May to accept some of the U.S. military drills currently conducted in Okinawa.

The prime minister said the government has given up on the plan to transfer Futenma's heliport functions out of Okinawa due to ''remaining uncertainties in East Asia,'' especially on the Korean Peninsula.'' As a prime minister, I have to say we cannot allow the situation in which deterrence provided by the US forces in Japan will diminish,'' he said.

Aim of Japan-US Accord
Hatoyama later told reporters the government will try to continue negotiations with the United States to implement measures to ease base-hosting burdens on Okinawa beyond his self-imposed deadline of May 31 for settling the issue.

Japan and the United States broadly agreed on 22 May on a fresh accord expected to be announced on 21 May, which effectively states the Futenma facility in the populous city of Ginowan will be moved to land to be created through filling in the sea near the Marines' Camp Schwab at Cape Henoko in Nago, sources close to the matter said.

The fresh agreement is effectively on par with an existing relocation plan under a 2006 Japan-US accord aimed at transferring the Futenma functions within Okinawa, while relocating around 8,000 Marines to Guam from there, both by 2014. Nakaima told of his displeasure at the government's attitude in offering explanations to Okinawa after reaching a framework agreement with Washington.

Facing Strong Backlash
Approximately 1,000 local protesters staged a rally outside of the prefectural government office, calling on Hatoyama to abandon the plan to relocate the base within the prefecture. Many of them held up a card bearing a Chinese character for ''anger.'' During his one-day trip, the prime minister also met with Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine and 11 other local municipality heads in Nago and faced a strong backlash from the mayor, who was elected in January on his opposition to the Futenma relocation plan.

Okinawa hosts about 75 percent of the land area used for the US military facilities in Japan and half of the roughly 50,000 US service personnel in the country.The premier repeated his apology before leaving Okinawa in the evening, telling reporters that he ''sincerely regrets'' his failure to meet growing expectations for the base removal among Okinawans.