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| Operations abode in the South China Sea |
In the South China Sea, a bit off the coast from the mainland, a U.S. Navy warship passed through the waters which are claimed by China, yet also close enough to disputed islands in the area. This act drew a hefty bit of condemnation from China. According to officials on the U.S. side, the destroyer went through all the official rules and regulations before making the journey through the waters.
However, the Chinese defense ministry stated that the ships journey was “a gravely illegal act,” and that the action was provocative. Because of this belief, the Chinese navy was ordered to send a guided missile as well as an escort vessel. The Chinese navy stated that there were multiple vessels, and that after the vessels were sought out, they were warned to leave. The commander of the navy, however, stated that there was only a single vessel in the area.
The Parcels, the group of islands that China alleges many ships passed through, are a group of reefs and islands occupied by China, but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross stated that the ship passed by territorial waters which China has taken an “excessive” claim to; although, that is not the case. The ship did not veer within 12 nautical miles of the landforms; he did not announce where, exactly, the ship went.
China has taken claim to numerous islands in the area to try to dominate the claims on the islands. Because of this, the country has viewed U.S. operations very dimly and believes it is meddling in waters where it does not belong. This U.S. operation took place mere days after the Philippine president’s dastardly announcement of the country’s separation from the United States and alignment with China. Ross has stated that this operation has absolutely no correlation with the event.
In China, the U.S. is being accused of being a “troublemaker.” They believe that, under the current circumstances, “for the U.S. to deploy ships to violate Chinese territorial waters is to wish for the whole world to be in chaos,” and in turn, allowing the U.S. to profit the most.
Ross denied the assumptions and stated that the vessel was making a routine trip and that the country conducts these operations on a regular basis around the world.
A) Match the words to the correct definitions
1) hefty a) to change direction, position or course
2) condemn b) of or relating to sailors, ships or navigation
3) provoke c) a mean, sneaking coward; (adj. cowardly, sneaky)
4) allege d) heavy; big and strong; impressively large
5) veer e) to involve oneself without invitation/unwantedly
6) nautical f) to anger, enrage, vex; to stir up (desires, activity)
7) dim g) to assert without proof; to declare with positiveness
8) meddle h) to express an unfavorable judgment on; blame
9) dastard i) mutual relation of two or more things, parts, etc.
10) correlation j) to not see clearly (idiom: “to take a dim view
of”: to
regard with skepticism)
B) Fill in the blanks
1) I hate when my mom _____________ in my life. Just give me some space!
2) You should not look gorillas in the eye, because it ____________ them to attack.
3) It’s only the first week of the semester and I already have a ___________ amount of
homework.
4) My nephew loves the beach, so he had a ____________ themed birthday.
5) My classmate ____________ that I copied on the test in order to get a high score, but I
have proof that shows how much I studied.
6) My girlfriend _______________ me for getting her new Prada purse dirty, and now she
won’t talk to me.
7) The researcher tried to find a ______________ between the two test subjects, but none
could be found.
8) The candidate _______________ spread lies about his opponent in order to get people
to think they were not trustworthy.
9) I don’t know what I want to major in, and therefore, my future is a bit ____________.
10) Some people drink coffee or energy drinks when taking long road trips so that they
don’t ____________ off into a ditch, hit a pole, crash their car, or things of that nature.
C) Discussion
1) The U.S. Navy commander stated that everything was in accordance with the regulations
and that no rules were broken. If that is true, why do you think China made such a fuss
about the U.S. ship’s voyage?
2) It was stated that the U.S. commander believes that China has “excessive” claims over
the islands in the area. Why do you think that is?
3) The president of the Philippines made the announcement, while in China, that the country
would be separating from the U.S. and allying with China. Why do you think this happened?
4) In what way(s) could the Philippine’s separation from the U.S. be detrimental to either
country? How could it be beneficial? How about for the rest of the world?
Answer Sheet
Matching
1= d, 2= h, 3= f, 4= g, 5= a, 6= b, 7= j, 8= e, 9= c, 10= i
Fill in the blanks
1) meddles 6) condemned
2) provokes 7) correlation
3) hefty 8) dastardly
4) nautical 9) dim
5) alleged 10) veer
Discussion
1) The article also stated that China is keeping a close eye on the United States. It could
have been possible that China was prepared to react in this way, and that they may be
looking for an excuse to take more control over the area. If America stepped, even a toe, out
of line, China would have the upper hand.
2) It seems that China is, or has always been, power hungry. They want to control more land
and have more authority over a wider area. I imagine it is similar to going shopping while on
sale. Two people grab the same item; one grabs the item, and then the other grabs the item.
Both people want it, but it is not a matter of first come first serve, it is a matter of who can
cause more commotion. The more dominant authority will come out victorious. By claiming
the islands, China is asserting itself as the more dominant force.
3) It is possible that the Philippines no longer felt an obligation to be aligned with America.
They may feel that China can provide more for the better of their country, or that their views
are more in conjunction with China than they are with America. I imagine this was a very big
decision and a lot of things had to be considered. In the process, many citizens, in both
countries, will be disappointed or even furious at the decision.
4) As for the Americans, it could be detrimental in the aspect that the country would no
longer have a strategic position in the Pacific Ocean. Not being able to station troops in the
Philippines leaves the majority of the area open and possibly vulnerable. As for the
Philippines, the state of the economy could suffer. America could have been helping, but
they have now refused to accept that help. It could be beneficial in the aspect that America
does not need to waste money on another country, and for the Philippines, there is no need
to follow what America demands. As for the rest of the world, having more countries in the
Russia/China alliance could be a bad thing and send things down the drain. |
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At a meeting which was held recently between Russia and Japan, discussing the topic of the peace treaty was rehashed. However, despite that fact that incessant attempts are being made to resolve the issue regarding the quarrel of the Kuril Islands, President Putin said, verbatim, “This is a case where it is impossible and even harmful, in my opinion, to determine any time limits.”
These comments were made after an inquiry about whether the peace treaty could be signed within the next two, three or four years. Judging from his response, it would appear that Putin has no plan in the near future to endorse the treaty.
The Northern Territories (Southern Kurils in Russia) consist of four islands: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai. Dispute over these islands has prevented the two countries from consummating a postwar treaty.
Abe is not one for giving up easily, and he remains headstrong in coming to an agreement over the decades-long resentment. He has proposed to Putin an eight-point economic cooperation plan, of which includes providing assistance to the Russia Far East in terms of industrialization and energy development.
Putin, however, is not as enthusiastic about things. He continued to voice that he “cannot” say when or how the territorial dispute will be resolved. He did state that things are going well between Russia and China, and that they are enjoying a high level of trust, but, “Unfortunately, the relationship with Japan has not reached such quality.”
Although there was an umbrage tone in his statement, he spoke rather blithesomely of possibly developing ties to solve bilateral issues “once and for all” and that it was in the two countries’ national interests. He said, “We need to jointly address the issue in the view of the future,” referring to bilateral agreements.
In the meantime, “Japan will continue negotiations under the relationship of trust,” and will continue to base decisions on past discussions as well, said Hagiuda, a Japanese politician. He stated that differences between Russia and Japan are “unavoidable” until a treaty is made.
A) Match the words to the correct definitions
1) rehash a) a question; to seek/request truth or information
2) incessant b) a vague feeling of doubt or suspicion
3) verbatim c) continuing without interruption; unending
4) inquiry d) to complete (an agreement, arrangement, etc.)
5) endorse e) to discuss again; repeat; to review
6) consummate f) to feel or show displeasure due to injury or insult
7) headstrong g) to approve, support or sustain
8) resent h) In exactly the same words; word for word
9) umbrage i) lighthearted; merry; cheerful
10) blithesome j) proceeding from or exhibiting willfulness
B) Fill in the blanks
1) After my group let me down for our presentation, I couldn’t help but ___________ them.
2) Based on his _______________ about the recently divorced celebrity,
the reporter seemed to fancy getting to know her better.
3) The pig’s ______________ crying was beginning to drive the farmer crazy
and he was starting to crave bacon.
4) The newlywed king and the queen were to ________________ their arranged marriage by producing an heir to the throne.
5) It was nice to meet my old friends and share ________________ stories
and old jokes.
6) My children are really _______________ and I don’t know if that’s a
good thing or a bad thing yet.
7) I was impressed because my sister could repeat the one-hour-long comedy show back to me _____________!
8) Many sponsors chose to no longer ______________ the athlete because
she was involved in a huge scandal at the Olympics.
9) A sense of ________________ could be detected in my partner’s speech
and it made me worried that I had done something to upset her.
10) I hate it when my siblings ______________ embarrassing things I did
when I was young to my new girlfriends.
C) Discussion
1) Putin said that putting a time limit on the treaty would be “harmful.”
Why do you think he would say that? Do you agree with him?
2) It seems that Abe is really gung-ho about putting the issues to rest, while Putin does not seem to be as cooperative. Why do you think that is? Is there some underlying reason that there is still no treaty?
3) Putin boasts about the relationship with China, yet says that Japan is not there yet. Why do you think that relations between Russia and China have prospered and those between Japan and Russia have not?
4) Do you think the dispute could escalate in the near future? What do you think is the fairest decision regarding the four islands?
Answer Sheet
Matching
1= e, 2= c, 3= h, 4= a, 5= g, 6= d, 7= j, 8= f, 9= b, 10= i
Fill in the blanks
1) resent 6) headstrong
2) inquiries (inquiry = OK) 7) verbatim
3) incessant 8) endorse
4) consummate 9) umbrage
5) blithesome 10) rehash
Discussion
1) I think he said it would be harmful because it does not help the countries move forward in other areas. There is always the underlying dispute between the four islands and the two countries cannot solve other issues. I do not agree with him because I feel that he is trying to brush the issue under the rug and claim dominance over the area.
2) A treaty may still not be signed because Russia doesn’t recognize Japan’s demands as important and therefore will not accept negotiations. Because Russia does not believe the concerns are real or valuable, Putin may just be entertaining the idea that a treaty could be signed, but not actually plan to.
3) I feel that this is similar to schoolyard bullying. Russia is trying to show off a relationship with a strong (or popular) friend and wants to shape and mold Japan into something it can boss around. By taking control of the situation, Russia would have the upper hand and Japan would seem desperate for attention.
4) I think the issue could escalate severely on a moral ground. Russia may deny entry to families which were born on the islands or whose ancestors perished there. The countries may begin to hold other citizens accountable for the dispute by making visas more difficult to obtain or resources more expensive. The fairest decision would be to split the islands in half. The treaty may never be signed otherwise. By splitting them in half or even allowing both countries reign over the area, it would be left up to the islands and not the countries. |
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| Cost of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Leads to Closed-Door Discussion |
The Olympic Games are scheduled to be in Tokyo in 2020, and the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) is beginning to show worry over the gargantuan
cost of the Games. The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic
Games, as well as the Japanese government, have been discussing and fixating
their efforts on transportation and security.
Sources are divulging that the IOC is currently in the process of cost
estimations. With the current cost estimates for hosting the event skyrocketing
upwards of three trillion yen, the organization is timorous of the public’s
reaction if they disclosed the information. As of late, countries have
become increasingly hesitant to host the Games amid the inevitable financial
impediment demanded by the Games. Given that, the IOC and the Japanese
government have prioritized their objective of decreasing the expense of
the Tokyo Games as to avoid putting Tokyo in a rut. Tamayo Marukawa, the
Olympic minister, explicated that the central government plans to discuss
the matter in full context of the issue.
Part of the proposed plan involves a joint budget committee with duties shared between the metropolitan government, organization committee, and the central government. They intend to discuss how the appropriate amount of capital will be safely procured, with the goal of keeping Tokyo’s National funds out of a tumultuous situation. The council contrived the use of a joint chief financial officer (CFO) system to effectively manage the budget may be deemed necessary to collectively manage the task.
Should the games result in a deficit in Tokyo’s accounts, the city would
be responsible for the pulling their funds out of the red. To negate the
possibility of this outcome, several more proposals from headquarters have
been formulated. Reinstatement of “the coordination council” representing
related parties, disclosing budget spending and information as early as
possible, and plans for the maintenance of “legacy” facilities after the
games are all under consideration.
Responding to the budget concerns, Shinichi Ueyama of Keio University, a special adviser to the administrative reform headquarters, suggested the differences in demeanor between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government standpoint and the standpoint adopted by the IOC. He states that the privatization of the IOC may be affecting their judgment on budgeting in consideration to the publically funded Metropolitan Government on the issue of the bawdy sum required of the Olympic Games.
Clippings: A) Match the words to the correct definitions
1) gargantuan a) to disclose or reveal
2) divulge b) obstruction; obstacle; hinderance
3) timorous c) highly agitated; distraught; disorderly or noisy
4) impediment d) stuck in a difficult situation to get out of
5) reinstate e) gigantic; enormous; colossal
6) contrive f) indecent; lewd; obscene
7) bawdy g) get back into profitability
8) tumultuous h) fearful; indicating fear
9) in a rut i) to put back in a former position or state
10) out of the red j) to plan with ingenuity; devise; to plot
B) Fill in the blanks
1) I too much information to my sister and she promptly told my mother
about the party I had planned for this weekend.
2) My trust in my sister was when she helped me get our parents out of the house for the weekend so we could throw the party.
3) The sumo wrestler decimated his scrawny opponent.
4) Amy was as she hid in the shadows, awaiting the passing monster outside
her room.
5) The banter of the pirates left the air filled with swearing.
6) We traveled along the coast, but found that the weather was an to our
journey.
7) With the bank accounts the CEO was happy again.
8) The clattering of pans and scurrying of feet made for a very situation.
9) A cunning plan was to rescue the princess from the castle.
10) I found my current position left me stuck , and I needed to get help
out.
C) Discussion
1) One of the main purposes of the Olympic Games is to bring together the
world in friendly competition. Do you think that the cost of the Olympic
Games may begin to outweigh this goal? If so, how could it be remedied?
2) What do you think about the responsibility of the host country to sponsor
their own Games? Do you think it is fair for countries to have to pay large
sums of money to upkeep the tradition of the Games?
3) How do you think the Games should be funded? Should they be privately
funded or funded using public and government funds? What are some advantages
and disadvantages of both options?
4) Several countries have abandoning Olympic facilities after the games are finished and left them to the elements. Since these buildings cost an extremely large amount of money, and are often times spectacular feats of architecture, what do you think should happen to them after the games end? How could they be used or repurposed after the games?
Answer Sheet
Matching
1= e, 2= a, 3= h, 4= d, 5= i, 6= j, 7= f, 8= c, 9= d, 10= g
Fill in the blanks
1) divulged 6) impediment
2) reinstated 7) out of the red
3) gargantuan 8) tumultuous
4) timorous 9) contrived
5) bowdy 10) in a rut
Discussion
1) The Olympic Games I think will continue to bring the world together as it was designed to do. The cost of the games has always been paid mostly by the host country. While the cost is daunting, it won’t outweigh the goal of the Olympics. It could be helped with the sharing of cost between countries or entities.
2) The cost of the Olympic Games is extremely large, but I think that the burden of cost should be shared slightly more equally. Not all locations are the same, some countries allocate more money to the events and have better financial situations than others, but I believe all the competing countries should have a larger share in the cost. The tradition is for the host country to pay most of the costs, but a shared cost would be just as effective.
3) The games should be funded both privately and publically. Government entities should be able to work with private funds as well. This would help alleviate such a large financial burden on host countries. If they were just privately funded, then there would not be enough support to fund the games, I don’t think. Public funding might be viable option, but they money has to come from public funds that may be paid with taxes. How the public reacts to this is relative to whatever country hosts the events.
4) It would be excellent to see these facilities used for a decent purpose. Since they are often times beautiful pieces of architecture, they could be repurposed for Olympic training in the future, used for other competition, modified to be public facilities, concert venues, event centers, or even turned into museums. |
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