Monthly Archives: October 2022

China

China, Endangered Cultures, and Biodiversity

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An endangered culture is a culture or indigenous group that is threatened with extinction. Chinese majority ethnic group, the Han, dominates over 90% of the population. There are 55 ethnic minority groups in China, but specifically one is being targeted right now. TheUyghurs, who I discussed last week, are an ethnic group of about 12 million people who live in Xinjiang. Several countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada and the Netherlands, have accused China of committing genocide, which is the attempt to destroy, in whole or in party, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. The claims come amid reports that, in addition to imprisoning Uyghurs in campsites, China is using mass forced sterilization of Uyghur women in an attempt to suppress the population, separate children from their families and destroy cultural traditions of the group. This is a very critically endangered culture in China. Furthermore, a new study in 2021 found 25 languages or dialects in China are under threat of extinction, including one that has only an estimated 10 native speakers left. China is in a rush against time to save these endangered languages which are a huge part of culture. 

Along with this, current reports show that the rapid urbanization in China is a major factor in the growing ecological footprint. A study from 2010 showed that although China’s per capita is lower than the global average, the nation is already consuming more than double its biocapacity, causing significant impact on the environment, including, forest degradation, drought, soil erosion, water shortages, increasing carbon dioxide and biodiversity loss. Li Lin, program executive director of World Wide Fund (which works to protect biodiversity) said “Economic growth in China, beyond its environmental capacity and ecological biocapacity, is unsustainable.” The world wide fund believes china should use its “natural resources more efficiently, consuming energy more sustainably and responsibly growing its footprint in rural and urban areas.”

http://www.china.org.cn/english/2001/Jun/15169.htm https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-languages/chinas-minority-languages-face-threat-of-extinction-idUSTRE62B0EW20100312

https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?256230/Chinas%2Dbiodiversity%2Ddeclines%2Das%2Dhuman%2Dfootprint%2Dgrows

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3121562/chinese-minority-languages-among-those-risk-dying-out-no-one

Japan

Sustainability in Japan

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New World Natural Heritage Site Shows Unique Biodiversity | The Government of Japan - JapanGov -

Japan is one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots identified by Conservation International. This indicates Japan’s incredibly rich biodiversity and high percentages of endemic species. About one-third of Japan’s plants, half of its mammals, nearly half of its reptiles, and almost all of its amphibians are endemic to the islands. Much of this has to do with the isolation that comes with being an island, allowing plants and animals to evolve without contact with outside species. Another reason for the high levels of endemic species are the wide variety of climates within Japan, from the snowy mountains in Hokkaido to the beaches of Okinawa. Furthermore, only about 18% of land in Japan is inhabited with 11.7% considered farmland and 5.2% considered developed land. That means that nearly 70% of land in Japan is made up of forests and fields, which is yet another reason for their incredible biodiversity.

Biodiversity decline needs to become a top priority beyond governments | The Japan Times

Despite the incredible biodiversity that Japan fosters, human activity is threatening to endanger that. For example, after World War II, clear-cutting of high-elevation conifer forests was promoted by the Forestry Agency of Japan to replace them with Japanese timber species. However, Japanese timber production has significantly declined due to its high cost compared to cheaper imported timber. Tourism has also put a significant strain on biodiversity as many forests are being cleared in order to build resorts and other tourist destinations. The increase in tourism has also led to the further development of public transportation, which allows easier to access previously remote destinations, putting wildlife at risk of destruction due to human activity. Furthermore, the introduction of invasive plant and animals species have significantly disrupted Japan’s natural biodiversity. For example, the Indian grey mongoose, Javan mongoose and Siberian weasel were introduced in order to control the snake population, but have instead caused a significant decline in native bird and mammal populations.

 

Sources:

Statistical Handbook of Japan 2022

Japan – Critical Ecosystem

National Geographic

Japan Biodiversity Outlook 2

 

Taiwan

Taiwan and Generational Wealth Inequality

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With the crime rate in Taiwan dropping from 1,140 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2019 to 1,101 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020, a narrowing gender wage gap, as well as women participating in politics higher than the world average, Taiwan is increasingly progressing towards a more equitable society however, as there is with many countries when it comes to equity and equality, there is still room for improvement. This is where the issue of wealth inequality comes to take the stage, an issue that Taiwanese youth have brought attention to as there is the sentiment that wealth has been concentrated in the hands of the older generation. 

 

“Real estate is the driver behind Taiwan’s wealth growth. Senior citizens amass wealth because they own real estate, whereas young people do not have a lot of assets…the problem is generational disparity.” (Academia Sinica researcher Yang Tzu-ting)

With Taiwan’s Gini index in 2021 at 34.1 points, economic inequality is average when speaking of countries with relative equality, clarifying any confusion there may be between the similar but separate issues of economic inequality and wealth gaps. In Taiwan wealth is also unequally distributed between the “old” and “young” but also between the different age groups as well, indicating that while yes the general wealth gap has not increased, the generational wealth gap has been worsening, hence the younger generation’s dissatisfaction.

Between 2004 to 2014, the average per capita wealth growth was 29% for those who fell in the 20-29 year old age group, with part of their assets having come from their parent generation. As for the 30-39 age bracket, average per capita wealth growth was only 6% while 40-49 year old age group had a 17% growth rate, 50-59 year old age group had a 26% growth rate, 60-69 age group had 37%, all the while those 70 years old or more had a soaring growth rate of 60%.

In applying this data Economics Professor Lien Hsien-ming says: “When people live longer, they amass more and do not divide their wealth…As a result, the widespread disenchantment among the younger generations stems from stagnating salaries that make it difficult to build wealth, so that many rely on financial support from their parents or an inheritance for a stable future.

 

Sources:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/922574/taiwan-gini-index/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20the%20Gini%20index,scores%20of%2020%20and%2035. 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/319861/taiwan-crime-rate/  

https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=2637  

Japan

Nationalism In Japan

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In Japan, nationalism has played a significant part in shaping cultural and political ideologies.  However, before we dive into the specific effects, it is important to define nationalism and ideology. Ideology is defined as a system of ideas, beliefs, or values, usually focused on political and economic theories. Ideology is inescapable in essence because it is intrinsically connected to every single aspect of our lives whether the intention was there or not.  Nationalism is defined as the support of your nation, which manifests through the adoption of your nation’s ideologies. Although these ideas aren’t harmful in moderation, the adoption of extreme nationalistic ideologies can have serious impacts on a country’s society and how it interacts with other countries on the international stage.

A Child's Guide to Japanese Empire – Frog in a Well

Being an island nation, for much of its early history, Japan was isolated from the outside world, especially the Western world which can explain Japan’s reaction to the first American in Japan. The arrival of Matthew Perry in 1853 led to an increase in early cultural nationalistic ideologies as the Japanese felt threatened by foreign encroachment. These ideologies manifested in the Russo-Japanese War where Japan’s mission was to conquer new land to expand the Empire of Japan.  These same ideologies manifested in Japan’s actions in World War II, as propaganda and nationalistic pride were essential to Japanese society at the time. Nationalism in Japan declined after their defeat which led to the occupation of Japan by US military forces. However, recent political shifts in Japan have shifted political and cultural nationalism in a dangerous direction.

Japan honours Shinzo Abe with controversial state funeral | News | Al Jazeera

Firstly, during his time in office, Abe and his party were committed to returning to the prewar order which consist of the worship of the emperor, militarism, and the eradication of Western values and individualistic human rights. His nationalistic agenda was very domestically focused, and he attempted to reinforce Japanese historical traditions and bolster national identity. Of course, the abdication of Emperor Akihito served to revitalize discussions about the role of the Emperor in modern Japan, fueling both royalist sentiments as well as more progressive ideologies about Japan’s need to modernize. Furthermore, the assassination of Abe has yet again refueled discussions of Japanese nationalism as the assailant blamed the Unification of the Church, a political move that was rooted in promoting nationalistic ideologies, for the hardships his mother faced, and assassinated Abe in response to his support of the religious group.

3 Ways Japan Is Naturally Alt Right – Return Of Kings

Furthermore, cultural nationalism has played a huge role in Japan’s incredibly high levels of homogeneity caused by their very strict immigration laws. 98.1% of the Japanese population is ethnically Japanese, and, despite its declining population, Japan is still fairly aversed to immigration. These regulations are rooted in nationalistic ideologies and Japan’s incredibly strong sense of national identity, leading to high levels of xenophobia within the Japanese population.

 

Sources:

Diversity Abroad

Politics Today

History Channel

Reuters

US Office of the Historian

BBC

China

China and nationalism

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Patriotism, nationalism, and christian nationalism are three ideologies we see in the world. Firstly, patriotism is the most respectful out of these. Patriotism is a feeling of love and pride for your country. Patriotism could also be toward your homeland or ethnic group. Nationalism is identification with a specific nation and support for its interest, especially to the exclusion or detriment to other nations. Nationalism can become dangerous because many times it includes excluding people like those of a different race or ethnic group. Similarly, Christian nationalism encompasses many of the ideologies of nationalism but also includes the formation of a Christian state. Christian nationalism is most prominent in the US and believes since we were formed as a Christian country there should be Christian values and beliefs influencing the government. Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream” originally advocated the establishment of socio-cultural ties and respectful relations with the country’s neighboring states; this was pushed aside in favor of loyalty and devotion to the Chinese state. Now he has developed a becomingly ugly form of nationalism in China. With foreign ministers cutting ties with other countries and focusing on building China to become a more powerful state. There is also an ethnic cleansing going on within the country. The ethnic majority of China is the Han. The Uyghurs are an ethnic group of about 12 million people who live in Xinjiang. The group is mostly muslim and see themselves ethnically closest with other central asian groups. In recent decades, there has been a massive migration of Han Chinese (Chinese ethnic majority) to Xinjiang, allegedly organized by the state to dilute the minority there. China has also been accused of persecuting Muslim clerics and banning religious practices in the region, as well as destroying mosques and tombs. The government has also allegedly set up concentration style camps to imprison and torture the Uyghur peoples. Uyghur activists fear the group’s culture is in danger of being destroyed.

 

 

 

Additionally, economic inequality can be measured in several ways. A commonly used approach is the “Gini” coefficient, which estimates the income distribution in a country where 0 is equal and 1 is the worst possible result. The latest official data from China is from 2020, when the country had a Gini of 0.47, which is considered a highly unequal economy. However, experts say China’s official figures underestimate the problem. Using additional survey data, economists from Cornell University and Peking University released another Gini estimate for 2018, which found China’s inequality rate to be slightly above 0.52. China has an upper class that holds a significant amount of power and many lower class laborers who lack representation.

https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/how-chinese-nationalism-is-changing/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037

https://www.grid.news/story/global/2022/07/26/chinas-economic-inequality-is-worse-than-americas-and-the-pandemic-hasnt-helped/

Taiwan

Taiwan and the War in Ukraine

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The Lessons Taiwan Is Learning From Ukraine - The Atlantic

 

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the parallel between Taiwan and China is becoming increasingly apparent. While Russia has far surpassed the stage of threats against the independent nation of Ukraine, in pressing for unification with Taiwan, China has yet to invade the country; however passive aggressive threats are indeed present. With China sending nearly 150 military jets into Taiwan’s air defense  zone, as well as remarks from President Xi JinPing such as “No one should underestimate the Chinese people’s staunch determination, firm will, and strong ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity” and saying that China has a “glorious tradition” of opposing separatism, at this point the potential of Beijing invading China can not not be overlooked.  

In light of the war in Ukraine and the parallels between the two countries as they are both currently under threat of an Eurasian great power, Taiwan is taking steps of their own. In April of 2022, Taiwan’s All-out Defense Mobilization Agency distributed “war survival guides” that explained the responses to various crises should they occur. Examples of such include how to prepare first aid kits, and how to find bomb shelters, as well as other resources such as food and water, via smartphone. 

However while these two countries are both fighting for independence and are indeed either currently at war or potentially on the verge of war with a global power, an important distinction between their fight is a little closer to home; while the United States supports an independent Ukraine, the waters become murky when considering America’s support of Taiwan. With America’s “One China” policy, a policy that is contradictory to Taiwan’s independence, it remains to be seen whether Washington would in fact defend Taiwan should Beijing attack.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58794094 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-58854081 

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/586949-eerie-similarities-link-the-ukraine-and-taiwan-situations/  

https://www.rand.org/blog/2022/05/ukraine-war-is-motivating-taiwan-to-better-secure-its.html 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/world/europe/china-russia-taiwan-ukraine-analysis.html  

https://www.google.com/search?q=taiwan+supporting+ukraine&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1024&sxsrf=ALiCzsbb0T4eUETikpqUiIpZDuuXxWF_pg:1665390436149&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjfn-_qntX6AhUKAzQIHb1NAUoQ_AUoAnoECAMQBA&biw=1356&bih=723&dpr=2#imgrc=FngjnzGpDBMJXM

China

China and the Ukrainian War

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China is put in between a rock and a hard place with the war on Ukraine. China does not want to take too big of a stance either way. On one side, China wants to support Russia. The Russians defeat could lead to a more western idea of democracy in Russia. China and Russia have long been known as the world’s oppressive communist countries and China does not want to see an ally like that fall. On the other hand, China does not want to straight out make a statement supporting Russia either. China would immediately get heavy sanctions harming their economy. The Chinese President Xi Jinping sees “Russia’s value as an ally against the U.S. and NATO, he does not want to alienate Washington or the EU to the extent that he could face sanctions or other economic problems for being seen to aid the Russian war effort”(Lau). China is practicing something called “distance diplomacy”. They are avoiding getting directly involved and instead advocating for a ceasefire on both sides. The war has in an odd way been beneficial for China. They are using the war to take notes. China has long wanted to reclaim Taiwan and is learning that forceful invasion may not be the most effective way to overtake them. China is realizing a gradual take over of the Taiwanese is

lands, including the mainland, would fit perfectly into the gray area tactics that China has applied for decades in the Taiwan Strait dispute. Instead of breaking out in a full fledged war, in the coming years we may see China begin to put political and economic pressure on Taiwan.

Stuart Lau – https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-admits-china-has-questions-and-concerns-about-ukraine-war/

https://thediplomat.com/2022/10/chinas-real-takeaway-from-the-war-in-ukraine-grey-zone-conflict-is-best/

Japan

Japan & The War in Ukraine

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Like practically every country, the war in Ukraine has affected the economy and politics of Japan.  However, before exploring the specifics of these effects, it is important to note Japan’s history with Russia. Since the 19th century, Russia and Japan have had disagreements about the Northern Territories – 4 northern islands of Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri and Etorofu. Although Japan was the first to discover these islands, establishing control, the 1855 Treaty of Commerce concluded an amicable alliance between Russia and Japan within these territories. However, during the end of WWII, Soviet forces expelled all Japanese residents from the Northern Islands. As time has gone on, negotiations have continued between the two countries both have agreed to friendly terms once again. However, Russia’s attack on Ukraine has made Japan very cautious about how to proceed, fearing Russian forces will once again attempt to regain control of the islands. The war in Ukraine is a clear violation of their previous bilateral relationship, causing Japan to stand with fellow G7 members in publicly  denouncing the aggressive actions of the Russian government and implementing sanctions.

The implementation of Russian sanctions has also had a significant effect on the Japanese economy. The ban on Russian lumber exports has affected construction work in Japan, as many companies are struggling to secure supplies inducing a “wood shock”. Subsequently, the cost of wood construction has increased as access is increasingly limited.  Furthermore, other sectors, such as agriculture, have also experienced rises in prices.  Many Japanese companies have also been forced to change their manufacturing processes to compensate for supply chain vulnerabilities. The overall harmful effect of the Ukraine war on the Japanese has led to a sharp fall in the Japanese Yen, which subsequently minimizes the value of Japanese labor. This could have serious economic and security consequences for Japan as it hits to the collapse of a system of the international division of labor that has benefitted the Japanese economy for years.

In conclusion, despite being geographically disconnected from Europe, the Russia-Ukraine war has had a tremendous effect on Japanese politics and economy.

Sources:

Japanese Perspectives on the Ukraine Wawr by Katsumi Ishizuka and Ashild Kolas

Ukraine War: The Impact on Japan-Russia Relations by Mercy Kuo

Half of Japanese Companies Report Impact on Supply Chain from Ukraine War

Northern Territories Issue by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

By Danna Rubesh

South Korea

South Korea and Cosmopolitanism

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Hi! My name is Orion Bouillion and I’m a first year student at UO. My major is currently undecided, but I have interests in art, history, music, travel, nature, culture, photography, and potentially journalism. I’m from Portland, Oregon and I’ve lived there my whole life until now. The reason I wanted to come to UO was because I wanted to stay in state and I loved the beauty and greenery of the campus. My passions outside of school include listening to all sorts of music, hanging out with friends, watching shows, movies or youtube, occasionally rock climbing and sometimes reading and playing video games.

Today I’m writing about South Korea, and the reason why I wanted to write about this country is because my mom’s side of the family is Korean, and I love Korean food and would love to learn Korean and travel there in the future. 

South Korea is the southern half of a peninsula in East Asia and it is bordered by the northern half of the peninsula, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea. South Korea is also bordered by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the East. South Korea has a population of around 51.7 million as of 2020. This makes it the 28th most populated country in the world. In 2020 South Korea’s capital Seoul had over 9.5 million inhabitants, making it the 16th largest city by population in the word. South Korea also includes 3,358 islands, among the largest is Jeju with a population of 670,858 as of 2020. Jeju is the only province in South Korea with an autonomous government, and its current status went into effect on July 1, 2006. 

Due to the fact that Jeju is autonomous it can choose to disagree with mainland South Korea, which can make for an interesting case with ideas such as globalization, nationalization, and cosmopolitanism. On April 3, 1948 what started is known as the Jeju uprising. This started due to the people in Jeju having a disagreement with mainland South Korea’s new government, and it led to the South Korean government killing people in Jeju in an attempt to settle the uprising. This incident continued until it ended on May 14, 1949. 

What was once animosity and not embracing other people’s viewpoints and opinions is now in modern times positive relations with Jeju and mainland South Korea. Now cosmopolitanism is a goal of South Korea’s education system, and the foreign population is growing and the largest makeup of it is people from Japan, China, and the US.

Sources:

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1024605

https://www.investkorea.org/jj-en/cntnts/i-1489/web.do

https://www.history.com/topics/korea/south-korea

https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Korea

https://earth.esa.int/web/earth-watching/image-of-the-week/content/-/article/seoul-south-korea/index.html

https://www.citypopulation.de/en/southkorea/cities/?cityid=7709

 

 

 

Taiwan

Taiwan and Cosmopolitanism

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Hi, I’m Kamalei!

I am from Portland, OR, and this is my first year at the UO! I have been learning Mandarin for almost 15 years and am majoring in both Chinese and Journalism! In my free time I love to draw, read (“The Mirror Visitor” is my favorite series at the moment, 10/10 would recommend), work on a short story, or watch Korean dramas! Although I have a bit of commitment issues with tv shows, I do prefer shows over movies so if you need a show to watch, feel free to ask!

Taiwan and the Issue with Cosmopolitanism

When speaking on the topic of cosmopolitanism, an issue that can not be disregarded is the obligatory aspect of it. At first glance the idea that the world is inhabited by individuals with fundamentally equal rights and obligations towards each other is charming. “We’re all in this together”, as the ensemble cast of High School Musical 3 would say. Or rather, sing. Let’s use climate change as an example. When considering the gravity and importance of this issue, a collective effort to work towards solving it is a comfort. “You’re not alone in this”, “We’re all on the same team”, “We make each other strong” “Together, we’re there for each other every time”, “Together together come on let’s do this right”, is an undertone when working on these global issues. These are positive echoes as a result of cosmopolitanism; there is a moral obligation to solve an issue that impacts each and every person on this earth. However this obligation we owe to each other is questionable when applied on a smaller scale. This is where Taiwan takes the stage. 

An island with a total area of 13,892 square miles, Taiwan is the home of over 23.6 million people and has been circulating throughout the news as China pushes for reunification and tensions rise between the two countries. Similar to Hong Kong, China wants to incorporate Taiwan into the mainland under their “one country, two systems” formula where they would be guaranteed the right to preserve their economic and political systems, as well as be granted a “high degree of autonomy”. In light of Beijing’s recent crackdowns on Hong Kong’s freedoms and the national security law in 2020 that gave Beijing power to punish and silence dissenters, this formula is very unpopular in Taiwan. A survey also found that 63% of people in Taiwan had a negative view of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), 66% rated the PRC’s impact on Taiwan as either somewhat or very negative, and when asked to rate the PRC government’s friendliness, 24% chose most unfriendly and 72% rated the government as somewhat friendly. When considering this matter from the perspective of cosmopolitanism, and the potentially negative impact on Taiwan, should they unify with China given the precedent Hong Kong has set, “what is Taiwan obligated to do for China?” must be raised. Yes, on a larger scale and working in an effort to solve a global issue, cosmopolitanism can be seen as positive, as the right ideology to apply. However on a much smaller scale, and in regard to a more subjective issue considering China obviously supports reunification while Taiwan does not, and with the potential negative impact being known, cosmopolitanism  is not the fair ideology to apply. On smaller scales, it is a rather audacious ideology to take, and the potential that more harm than good could be coming out of this obligation must be considered. 

 

Sources

https://www.countryreports.org/country/Taiwan.htm

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/hong-kong-freedoms-democracy-protests-china-crackdown

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations-tension-us-policy-biden

https://genius.com/High-school-musical-cast-were-all-in-this-together-graduation-mix-lyrics

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/02/07/why-is-unification-so-unpopular-in-taiwan-its-the-prc-political-system-not-just-culture/