Saturday, January 25, 2020

Chinas Relationship with North Korea

Chinas Relationship with North Korea Table of Contents: Introduction Hypothesis statement Research Questions Literature Review Theoretical framework (Defensive Realism-Kenneth Waltz) Sino-Korean alliance Mutual gain between China and North Korea Beijing’s influence Conclusion Introduction: North Korea is the state that is being considered as the most isolated state in the world. China is the only state that is supporting North Korea since Korean War. At the period of Korean War USSR and China backed North Korea. South Korea and North Korea are on the same peninsula whereas; North Korea shares its borders with China, Russia, Japan and Mongolia but does not have good relations with any state except China. Trade impediments have been put on North Korea but China supported them throughout and acknowledged as the biggest trade partner of North Korea. During the Korean War, Soviet Union provided military assistance to North Korea but circumstances are quite different now. As we are living in unipolar world and US is the super power, China is threat to US because of its emerging economic and military power. US supported South Korea in Korean War and they still have ample relations with each other. The reason of fragmentation of Korea is shift in ideology, North Korea was a Co mmunist state and that is again a threat to US because US didn’t want several states that follow Communism. On the other hand China was and still is a Communist state and a cause of having a soft corner for North Korea. South Korea is the Democratic state and has been backed by US. [1] China is aiding Pyongyang in terms of both soft power and hard power but does not want them to have their own military weapon. Proliferation of Nuclear weapon may lead towards unhealthy relations between China and North Korea and off course US silently supporting this particular act of China against North Korea. From 2006-2013 Pyongyang’s tried Nuclear Tests for the three times but it turned relations in tensed situation and settled afterwards when North Korea agreed on denuclearization at Six Table Talks. For now North Korea does not afford disturbed relations with China because it’s the only state that is providing economic and military trade to them. When Korea split North Korea had better economy and GDP than South Korea but now South Korea is more developed and flourished because of Democracy and support of US whereas North Korea being the follower of Communism and have Dictatorship has poor economy plus have non friendly relations with its neighbors. [2] Hypothesis: North Koreas alliance is important to Beijing as an important tool of balancing power in the region with the US its allies, especially South Korea rising Japan. Research Questions: The purpose of the study is to find out the answers of these questions: Why North Korea is important for China in the regional context of Asia Pacific? Will Sino-Korean alliance be able to balance power with the United States its allies in the region? What is the Western Perception of Sino-Korean alliance? Literature review: As China and North Korea’s relationship is one of the ongoing debates for the world since Korean War so scholars like to write about it and by giving different analysis on the particular issue makes the topic more interesting. The Congressional Report has been published on December 2010 by Dick. K. Nanto and Mark. E. Manyin. The main crux of the report was that US being the opponent of China still highlighted the mutual interests of China’s foreign policy towards North Korea. The reason behind that is China wants to see North Korea as a stabilized state in terms of strong economy but does not want North Korea to become a Nuclear power and this is the point where US is with China. The Book â€Å"North Korea and North East Asia† edited by Samuel. S Kim and Tai Hwan Lee talks about Beijing’s continuous support to Pyongyang is its own interest because if it will stop the economic assistance to North Korea, then the complete dependence on China would affect the economy of China as well. Weak economy of North Korea means less job opportunities and facilities of life. As North Koreans are not in good terms with their neighbors except China they will start moving towards it, this fear is making China to provide soft power to North Korea so they stay in their own state and not become the refuges of China. There is a report from Washington named as China’s North Korean Policy by Gates Bill published in 2011 and another report â€Å"Balancing Chinese interests on North Korea and Iran† by Lora Saalman (April 21013). In this report author has discussed that US, South Korea and Japan are allies but somehow they are agreeing on China’s foreign policy towards North Korea as it discussed about: To stable the regime and political system of North Korea Development of their economy A book called â€Å"China and North Korea† by Andrew Scobell has discussed what terror PRC and DPRK faced after 9/11. In China’s point of view after Iraq it was North Korea’s turn to be attacked by US so in that case it was imperative for both states to come together on one table and maintain their National Security, the article China’s North Korean Pivot published in 2013 by Yoon Young-Kwan added that China’s perception was that Pyongyang’s would agree on the issue of denuclearization when Prime Minister Wen Jibao visited North Korea in October 2009 and made sure the continuity of economic services. Theory: Defensive Realism-Kenneth Waltz In this study, I have applied the defensive realism school of thought. Defensive realist basically believes that power is the most important element in the international relations. Also, defensive realists argue that states are genuinely obsessed with security because they feel insecure and thus always seek to maximize its security capabilities. This is how China is developing and maintaining its relations with other states including North Korea in the region. China is insecure and doesn’t trust US and its allies, and with the growing US presence in the Asia Pacific region in return has increased China’s concerns, thus China is seeking to find a way to balance the power by supporting US rival North Korea. Sino-Korean alliance As it is observed that China is of the strongest allied state of North-Korea, few things are being come under consideration in last few years. Some tensions have been occurred between China and North Korea relationship due to continuous nuclear development by North Korea, China and US are on the same platform to stop North Korea to become a Nuclear power. It is thought that US partnership towards North East Asia is a gateway to bring stability in Korea peninsula. Since Obama’s pivot to Asia the previous policy (regional partnership) has been confronted, and the changing policy of US is creating suspicion among Chinese Government. North Korea’s approach is aggressive towards China and US, now North Korea is applying realistic approach as according to North Korea US is the only actor with maximum nuclear power and Pyongyang is trying to balance the power by developing their own Nuclear weapons. U.S-China policies are divergent in key areas such as anti-terror and anti WMD institutes, democracy and human rights. The U.S alliance system and the U.N system contribute on stable patterns of power balancing in Asia-Pacific. I conclude that Sino-U.S policies on the regional order result in patterns of power balancing not undermined by co-existence and order that may be called â€Å"Stable Instability†, because it is likely to remain in place as the regional order of the Asia-Pacific for the foreseeable future. Western perception of Sino-Korean alliance Since China is the biggest trade partner of North Korea but its policy towards denuclearization of North Korea is very clear and supports US on this particular issue. Though US consider China as a threat but also realize that China is only providing soft power to North Korea and has a very firm stance on the issue of denuclearization of North Korea. At the start of the Obama’s administration first term in 2009, there were many expectations that the United States must pursue direct talks with North Korea in order to break a two decade long standoff over its nuclear program. President Obama promised in his inaugural address that he would offer an outstretched hand to those who will unclench their fists. Making a public offer to dictatorial states of willingness to abandon adversarial relations.[3] However North Korea responded to this offer with a multi-stage rocket launch and a nuclear test in April and May 2009.These actions meant that president Obama’s first North Korea related policy decisions would be defined by the need to uphold the international non-proliferation regime against North Korea’s challenge and would involve winning international support for sanctions against North Korea at United Nations security council. The resulting UNSC resolution 1874 condemned North Korea’s nuclear and multi stage rocket tests and subjected suspected North Korea related shipments to international inspections. [4] By the time Obama’s administration had the political space to pursue direct dialogue with North Korea; it had decided on an approach that secretory of United State Clinton described as strategic pastime in close consultants with our six party allies. The emphasis alliances coordination has been the first principle of any Obama administration discussion policy towards North Korea and it was greatly aided by the fact that Obama and Lee Myung-bak (former ruler of South Asia) administrations largely saw eye to eye on the priority and importance of North Korea’s denuclearization.[5] The policy of â€Å"strategic patience†, a policy that suggested that the U.S could offend to wait for North Korea to make its decision to denuclearize, aligned well with political reality in light of North Korea’s alleged sinky of a Korean warship and shelling of South Korea’s Yeonpyeons Island in March and November 2010. The Obama administration held three rounds of direct talks with North Korean counterparts from July 2011 to February 2012. The U.S intended these statements to bind North Korea from provocative actions such as nuclear and missile tests and to secure Pyongyang’s commitment to return to the path of denuclearization, but they were upended less than three weeks after they were announced by North Korea’s March 16, 2012 announcement of its failed 12 April 2012 satellite launch. Thus, the Obama’s first term policy toward North Korea involved a mix of elements, including a strong commitment to coordination among some South Korean and Japanese allies, continued adherence to the objective of North Korea’s denuclearization. The Obama administration also involved a â€Å"rebalancing† policy towards Asia, popularly known as pivot to Asia. This policy strengthens U.S political, economic and military participation in and commitment to Asia, both through a host of bilateral dialogues with China that cover a wide range of economic and strategic issues and through a variety of hedging me asures designed to shape China’s rise, limit the affects of assertive Chinese policies and assure that China’s rise will not result in regional instability. This debate provides a backdrop to consider prospects for Sino-U.S cooperation on policy toward North Korea and highlights Chinese wariness and strategic mistrust of U.S policy intentions.[6] Mutual Gain North Korea is economically dependent on China. China is its major food source and the North Korea’s dependency on china is increasing day by day as its export is less than its import. It is not only North Korea that is benefitting from China but it’s a game of mutual gain North Korea is providing buffer zone between China and South Korea. More and more Chinese companies are investing in North Korea and gaining favorable interests. Importance of North Korea in Asia Pacific (China): Conclusion: China doesn’t believe in making alliances or allies. China only seeks mutual interests and cooperation amongst states. Also, China perceives a threat from US and its Allies and so in order to balance out, China has been supporting North Korea since the Korean War in early 1950s. Moreover, there has been a mutual gain relation between North Korea and China. North Korea’s economy is entirely dependent on China as China provided it with aid and energy supplies. Also, China is protecting and calming down its border against the Korean immigrants in China. However, China is surrounded by many challengers and so China sees North Korea as a buffer state against South Korea where 1000’s of US military troops are settled. Also, there has been a great number of investments and infra-structure building in North Korea by Chinese firms and companies. And in return China is extracting mineral resources from North Korea’s region. This way China is protecting and serving its own national interests while also helping out the North Korean interests and raising many of its people out of poverty. Bibliography A.Snyder, Scott. U.S. Policy Toward North Korea. Council on Foreign Affairs, January 2013. Armenian, Red. Soviet-Empire.com. 26 January, 2011. http://www.soviet-empire.com/ussr/viewtopic.php?t=49753start=100 (accessed April 15, 2914). Dingli, Shen. Scribd. 2006. http://www.scribd.com/doc/85548815/Coping-With-a-Nuclear-North-Korea-and-North-Koreas-Strategic-Significance-to-China (accessed April 8, 2014). G.Sutter, Robert. Scribed. 2012. http://www.scribd.com/doc/101616305/Chinese-Foreign-Relations-Power-and-Policy-since-the-Cold-War (accessed April 16, 2014). Henderson, Barney. Sreaves32. March 29, 2013. https://sreaves32.wordpress.com/category/asiapacific/south-korea/page/6/ (accessed April 6, 2014). Meredith, Charlotte. Sreaves32. April 9, 2013. http://sreaves32.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/north-korea-to-launch-missile-april-10-2013-after-warning-foreigners-to-evacuate-south/ (accessed April 5, 2014). Newsreview.com. March 15, 2014. http://www.newsreview.com/reno/newsview/blogs?date=2013-09-01?utm_source=luvcelebs.com (accessed April 10, 2014). NORTH KOREA SAYS IT WILL LAUNCH A NUCLEAR ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES. March 11, 2013. http://sreaves32.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/north-korea-says-it-will-launch-a-nuclear-attack-on-the-united-states/ (accessed April 9, 2014). Odgard, Liselotte. The Balance of Power in Asia-Pacific Security. Routledge, January 2007. shree Bajoria, Beina Xu. Council on Foreign Relations. Febuary 18, 2014. http://www.cfr.org/china/china-north-korea-relationship/p11097 (accessed April 10, 2014). Xu, Jayshree Bajoria and Beina. Indias Strategic Studies. Febuary 21, 2013. http://strategicstudyindia.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-china-north-korea-relationship_26.html (accessed April 16, 2014). [1] Dingli, Shen. Scribd. 2006. http://www.scribd.com/doc/85548815/Coping-With-a-Nuclear-North-Korea-and-North-Koreas-Strategic-Significance-to-China (accessed April 8, 2014). [2] Armenian, Red. Soviet-Empire.com. 26 January, 2011. http://www.soviet-empire.com/ussr/viewtopic.php?t=49753start=100 (accessed April 15, 2914). [3] A.Snyder, Scott. U.S. Policy Toward North Korea. Council on Foreign Affairs, January 2013. [4] Henderson, Barney. Sreaves32. March 29, 2013. https://sreaves32.wordpress.com/category/asiapacific/south-korea/page/6/ (accessed April 6, 2014). [5] Newsreview.com. March 15, 2014. http://www.newsreview.com/reno/newsview/blogs?date=2013-09-01?utm_source=luvcelebs.com (accessed April 10, 2014). [6] A.Snyder, Scott. U.S. Policy Toward North Korea. Council on Foreign Affairs, January 2013.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Is mankind responsible for global warming? Essay

Chanmok. (2007). Global Warming and Human Pollution. AuthorHouse. This book particularly identifies the issue of global warming, and how it has been allegedly related to the human activities that affect the environment. The said activities result to primarily pollution that affects the nature’s capability of balancing the elements of environment that actually generates the living system of humans on Earth. It also features different cases about the situation that makes it certain that humans do have a part on the greater development of global warming today and towards the future as well. For the research to be handled, this literature would be much helpful as it would introduce the different issues that bind the situation in connection with human activities affecting the environment. H. Liu. (2005). Human activities and global warming: a co-integration analysis [An article from: Environmental Modeling and Software]. Elseiver Publishing. This article extends the identification of human involvement in the sense of existing global warming today. The endangered systems in the environment today results to a less alleviating system of life that could host human activities and this issue is what is featured through this material. This analytical material would increase the validation of the information presented through the research as it would present several cases that are in relation to the issue being tackled in the research. Bruce Barcott. (2008). Our broken home: global warming and habitat loss–caused by us–are driving a mass extinction. (Critical essay): An article from: On Earth [HTML]. Thompson Gale Publishing. This reading has made a certain thought on the part of Barcott’s belief with regards global warming and the relationship of human activities towards the system of natural balancing that later own results to devastating effect for the environment. The particular claims of the author in this reading mainly concerns the presentation of the actual situation in a researchable approach that would most increase the research’s practicality for discussion. Nancy Kress. (2003). Nothing Human. Golden Gryphon Press; 1 edition. Unlike all other literature within the context, this book raises the thought that humans have had nothing to do with the issues of global warming. Most likely, through the arguments hosted in this reading, the ideas of human involvement in the situation have been lifted for clarity. For the sake of argument, this reading would help the researcher in presenting the other side of the issue thus balancing the approach of the discussion to be used by the researcher in the context of the study. Michael E. Schlesinger. (2007). Human-Induced Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Assessment. Cambrsidge University Press; 1 edition. This reading introduces the different ways by which the situation could be dealt with. It also provides response to the different issues of the situation that are related to human involvement in the said environmental phenomena. This reading material shall be a huge help in proving that humans have a great involvement to the situation being dealt with. Likely, the matter is then served in a more case-based explanation. Bill W. Tillery. (2006). Physical Science. McGraw Hill Higher Education; 7th edition. This book introduces the system of environmental balances that are needed to keep the systems of living on earth much possible for existence. This book then shall help in researcher with regards the connection of human activities with certain natural phenomena occurring today.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Poem Summary(Seafarer) - 1454 Words

Poem Summary(seafarer) Lines 1-5 The elegiac, personal tone is established from the beginning. The speaker pleads to his audience about his honesty and his personal self-revelation to come. He tells of the limitless suffering, sorrow, and pain and his long experience in various ships and ports. The speaker never explains exactly why he is driven to take to the ocean. Lines 6-11 Here, the speaker conveys intense, concrete images of cold, anxiety, stormy seas, and rugged shorelines. The comparisons relating to imprisonment are many, combining to drag the speaker into his prolonged state of anguish. The adverse conditions affect both his physical body (his feet) and his spiritual sense of worth (his heart). Lines 12-16 The loneliness and†¦show more content†¦The cuckoo, a bird of happiness and summer, contrasts with the earlier lists of winter ocean birds. The point is that these pleasant summer thoughts also bring the seafarer’s wanderlust back again. The comfortable person mourns but does not understand the reason why he is called to abandon city life and search the frozen, stormy seas. Suffering and exile are not lessons well learned in good weather with city comforts; thus, the speaker implies that everyone must experience deprivation at sea to learn life’s most important lesson — reliance on God. Lines 58-64 In this conclusion of the first major section, the seafarer says that his mind and heart constantly seek to roam the sea because that is acceptance of life itself. The paradox of the seafarer’s excitement at beginning the journey shows his acceptance of suffering to come. Despite knowing of the isolation and deprivation, the speaker still is driven to resume his life at sea. Breaking his ties with humanity, the speaker expresses his thrill at returning to his tortuous wandering. Lines 65-68 The speaker announces the theme of the second section: that the joys of accepting God’s will far exceed any form of wealth or earthly pleasure. Earthly wealth cannot reach heaven, nor can it transcend life. This section grows less personal and becomes mostly theological and didactic in nature. Lines 69-72 Describing three ways of death, the speaker says that no manShow MoreRelatedThe Seafarer, The Wanderer, And The Wifes Lament896 Words   |  4 Pagesthe construction of the English language. Stories or poems told by the community were typically elegies. ‘An elegy is a poem of reflection that’s most commonly used to honor the dead.’ Considering the Anglo-Saxon traits of loneliness,sadness, and tragedy, â€Å"The Seafarer,† â€Å"The Wanderer,† and â€Å"The Wife’s Lament† all exhibit typical characteristics of this influential time period through the How to Read Poetry notes. To begin with, â€Å"The Seafarer,† â€Å"The Wanderer,† and â€Å"The Wife’s Lament† all exhibit

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Soft Determinism Explained

Soft determinism is the view that determinism and free will are compatible. It is thus a form of compatibilism. The term was coined by the American philosopher William James (1842-1910) in his essay â€Å"The Dilemma of Determinism.† Soft determinism consists of two main claims: 1.  Determinism is true.  Every event, including every human action, is causally determined. If you selected vanilla rather than chocolate ice cream last night, you could not have chosen otherwise given your exact circumstances and condition. Someone with enough knowledge of your circumstances and condition would have been able, in principle, to predict what you would choose. 2.  We act freely when we are not constrained or coerced. If my legs are tied, I am not free to run. If I hand over my wallet to a robber who is pointing a gun at my head, I am not acting freely. Another way of putting this is to say that we act freely when we act on our desires. Soft determinism contrasts with both hard determinism and with what is sometimes called metaphysical libertarianism. Hard determinism asserts that determinism is true and denies that we have free will.  Metaphysical libertarianism (not to be confused with the political doctrine of libertarianism) says that determinism is false since when we act freely some part of the process leading up to the action (e.g. our desire, our decision, or our act of will) is not predetermined. The problem soft determinists face is that of explaining how our actions can be both predetermined but free. Most of them do this by insisting that the notion of freedom, or free will, be understood in a particular way.  They reject the idea that free will must involve some strange metaphysical capacity that each of us has–namely, the ability to initiate an event (e.g. our act of will, or our action) which is not itself causally determined. This libertarian concept of freedom is unintelligible, they argue, and at odds with the prevailing scientific picture. What matters to us, they argue, is that we enjoy some degree of control over and responsibility for our actions. And this requirement is met if our actions flow from (are determined by) our decisions, deliberations, desires, and character.   The Main Objection to Soft Determinism The most common objection to soft determinism is that the notion of freedom it holds onto falls short of what most people mean by free will. Suppose I hypnotize you, and while you are under hypnosis I plant certain desires in your mind: e.g. a desire to get yourself a drink when the clock strikes ten. On the stroke of ten, you get up and pour yourself some water. Have you acted freely? If acting freely simply means doing what you want, acting on your desires, then the answer is yes, you acted freely. But most people would see your action as unfree since, in effect, you are being controlled by someone else.   One could make the example still more dramatic by imagining a mad scientist implanting electrodes in your brain and then triggering in you all sorts of desires and decisions which lead you to perform certain actions. In this case, you would be little more than a puppet in someone else’s hands; yet according to the soft determinist notion of freedom, you would be acting freely. A soft determinist might reply that in such a case we would say you are unfree because you are controlled by someone else. But if the desires, decisions, and volitions (acts of will) that govern your actions are really yours, then it is reasonable to say that you are in control, and hence acting freely.  The critic will point out, though, that according to the soft determinist, your desires, decisions, and volitions–in fact, your entire character–are ultimately determined by other factors that are equally outside your control: e.g. your genetic make up, your upbringing, and your environment.  The upshot is still that you do not, ultimately, have any control over or responsibility for your actions. This line of criticism of soft determinism is sometimes referred to as the â€Å"consequence argument.† Soft Determinism in Contemporary Times Many major philosophers including Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, and Voltaire have defended some form of soft determinism. Some version of it is still probably the most popular view of the free will problem among professional philosophers. Leading contemporary soft determinists include P. F. Strawson, Daniel Dennett, and Harry Frankfurt. Although their positions typically fall within the broad lines described above, they offer sophisticated new versions and defenses. Dennett, for instance, in his book Elbow Room, argues that what we call free will is a highly developed ability, that we have refined in the course of evolution, to envisage future possibilities and to avoid those we don’t like. This concept of freedom (being able to avoid undesirable futures) is compatible with determinism, and it’s all we need. Traditional metaphysical notions of free will that are incompatible with determinism, he argues, are not worth saving.