Aussies Contemplate F-35

A 28 April 2008 story from The Australian reports a confidential report to Australian Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is expected to suggest the F-35 multi-role aircraft to replace a mix of F-18 Hornets and the aging F-111 attack bombers after 2010.

China is likely to become the predominant air power in Asia in the next 30 years.

U.S. Troops in Taiwan?

A 23 April 2008 Taipei Times article reports at least the suggestion that U.S. Marines might be stationed at the American Institute in Taiwan headquarters in Neihu, Taipei City.

U.S. military forces have been absent from Taiwan since 1979.

Chinese Electric Cars

Electric and hybrid cars are difficult to sell in China, according to a 21 April 2008 Wall Street Journal story. The problem is the high prices of the environmentally friendly cars. The Toyota Prius, which sells for about $21,000 in the U.S., sells for almost double that amount in China.

Vietnamese Satellite Launched

A Lockheed-Martin built communications satellite, Vinasat-1, was launched 18 April according to a 19 April 2008 story from Bloomberg. The satellite was launched from French Guiana on a rocket built by the French company Arianespace. It is intended to remove dependence on ground stations for television and wireless communications for rural communities.

U.S. Shipped Nuclear Fuses to Taiwan

The Pentagon announced today that it had accidentally shipped four electrical fuses for MK-12 nuclear warheads to Taiwan, according to a 26 March 2008 NY Times story.
The U.S. claimed that the shipment should have contained helicopter batteries, and that the fuses have been returned unopened.

Singapore Opposes Taiwan Independence

A 25 December 2007 article from the Straits Times reports that Singapore officially opposes Taiwan's attempt to gain UN recognition as an independent country. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has used the United States' stance as proof that the international community does not support recognizing Taiwan as an independent country.

US, China Energy Dispute

The United States and China are each seeking concessions from the other for reduction of greenhouse-causing emissions, according to a 4 December 2007 story from Bloomberg. Delegates from 187 countries have met in Bali for a two-week conference to create a timeline for replacing the 1997 Kyoto Accord.

China claims that its developing industrial status should preclude acceptance of any mandated limit, while the U.S. says emissions limits will handicap its competitiveness.

The United States uses more energy than any other country, followed by China. The Kyoto Accord set no goals for China, and was not ratified by the U.S.