Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (left) in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on May 18 has reiterated: “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan”.
Geography is the reason he explains why the Philippines could be drawn into a potential war with China.
Geography didn’t sign the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Geography didn’t host US bases.
Geography didn’t invite Typhon missiles.
Be honest lah! The only thing dragging you into war isn’t proximity – it’s your American sugar daddy!
In fact, Bongbong first explicitly warned that the Philippines would inevitably be drawn into a potential war over Taiwan due to its geographic proximity on August 06, 2025 – refer my post "Philippines Plays with Fire", published August 13, 2025.
And, not forgeting, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in late 2025 also made comments about being pulled into a conflict over Taiwan, causing a deep diplomatic rupture with China. [Read my post "Japan's Sanae Takaichi Hints War with China Over Taiwan", published November 16, 2025].
Defiant Taiwan, China's rebellious province spent $15,000 to bring former Polish president Lech Walesa (right) to speak at an event – and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said into the microphone: “Chinese nations have to unite”! 😮😮😮
This caused apoplexy among the ultra-Sinophobic Donald Trump-worshipping DPP crowd in Taipei – but it was too late. They had spent the money, handed him the mic, and summore had to smile and clap.
Taiwan’s media tried to put a positive spin on it, saying Walesa advocated that Taiwan could lead the unification of the Chinese people (whatever that meant) when they reported his speech at the symposium in Taipei on March 16.
But it’s fun to enjoy the fury of people like the self-proclaimed “China expert” Sasha Chhabra, who wrote a fuming report on his substack titled: “Lech Walesa Betrays Taiwan” and saying: “Taiwanese taxpayers pay handsomely to be insulted!”
Chhabra wrote: “It was absolutely shocking when he stood before a crowd of Taipei’s foreign policy elite at the annual Yushan Forum, following a public audience with the President of Taiwan, and declared his support for ‘the unification of the Chinese people’, or subsuming Taiwan into China, which it has never been part of’”.
Go and look at the map lah! Taiwan is legally part of China, as almost every nation on earth recognizes, including the United States and the United Nations. It’s even specified in Taiwan’s own constitution.
But the DPP’s unpopular leader, Netanyahu-fanboi Lai Ching-te (right), is all about guns, guns, guns. He quoted Trump-Hegseth's creepily Nazi-like “Peace Through Strength” motto. Lai announced that Taiwan must follow Donald Trump’s ludicrous demand to NATO that weapons-spending must be raised to 5 percent of public money – which is insane, given the island’s other problems, and the fact that IT ISN'T IN NATO.
He doesn't know that Taiwan is on the other side of the planet.
Fortunately, most Taiwanese people are too smart to follow Lai in thinking that Trump and Netanyahu are model leaders to follow.
Lai only sneaked into power (with support from less than 30% of registered voters) at the last election because the other parties were in disarray.
He's not expected to last for ever, thank God.
Yesterday, strong favourites Celtic clashed with Dundee United and shockingly lost 2-0.
I had expected Jambos to tumble and Gers to stumble – but the truth of the matter is, Celtic are the ones who crashed and burned; Martin O'Neill's men buckling under the weight of their own ambition.
Celtic are third in the table and there is now a five-point gap between them and the table leaders. There may not be enough time to salvage their dire predicament as the final seven-game stretch begins.
The loss is a fatal blow to the team's prospects
But O'Neill does not think Celtic are out of the title race, but admits they must win all of their remaining Scottish Premiership fixtures to retain the league championship.
China informed Japan yesterday that it will ban all imports of Japanese seafood, media outlets reported – a decision which comes amid an escalating diplomatic dispute between Asia's top two economies.
Tensions between the two countries ignited after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response.
The latest pain point for Japan comes after Beijing, just months ago, partially eased restrictions on Japanese seafood that had been imposed due to Tokyo's decision to release treated wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2023.
China has told Japan that the re-imposition of the ban was due to the need for further monitoring of the water release, Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources.
That's not the end of it. Even the release of two popular Japanese films, "Cells at Work" and "Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers" has been postponed in China! Cinema tickets are still available for the hit Japanese animation "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle", but CCTV said sales in China had fallen recently as the row deepened.
And according to CNA on Wednesday, Tokyo maintained that Takaichi's remarks in parliament are in line with the government's position, suggesting no breakthrough is imminent. 😡😡😡
China on Friday warned its citizens against traveling to Japan as it escalates a backlash over comments by the country’s prime minister about the island of Taiwan.
Following the announcement, a number of Chinese airlines including Air China, China Eastern and China Southern published notices on their websites the following day, offering customers refunds or free changes on certain tickets to Japan, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
On Sunday, China’s Ministry of Education also advised citizens to exercise caution when making plans to study in Japan, citing a “worsening public security situation” in the country and claiming there had been a “surge in crimes targeting Chinese nationals”.
The moves by Beijing represent its latest flaunting of anger after Sanae Takaichi, in response to a question in Japan’s parliament on November 07, said if a Taiwan emergency entailed "battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan)". Meaning, it could trigger a military response from Tokyo. [Refer my post "Japan's Sanae Takaichi Hints War with China Over Taiwan" published November 16].
Beijing views the rebellious province of Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary. For Beijing, Taiwan’s sovereignty is the most sensitive issue in its relations with other nations – a “red line” not to be crossed.
China’s Ministry of Defense on Friday separately warned that Japan would “suffer a crushing defeat” if it dared to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait.
Beijing’s travel warning was mirrored on Saturday by authorities in the financial hub Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, with residents there urged to exercise caution in visiting Japan.
Nearly 7.5 million travelers from China visited Japan between January and September this year, by far the highest count of any country or region, according to official data cited by Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
And according to South China Morning Post yesterday, Chinese airlines have recorded about 491,000 cancellations of tickets to Japan since Saturday – roughly 32 percent of their total bookings to the typically popular destination.
Malaysian women's doubles Pearly Tan–Thinaah Murlitharan have withdrawn from the Australia Open which begins today. The national women's doubles head coach Rosman Razak (centre) had revealed that they were physically not at their best.
During the Kumamoto final on Sunday, Pearly had clutched her back in pain after diving to retrieve a shot while trailing 9-8 in the second game. Pearly was also seen holding her back after a similar incident during the semi-final victory over Japan's world No. 6 Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto the day before.
The withdrawal is apparently a precautionary measure as Pearly, who suffered a serious back injury in 2022, has been getting chiropractor treatment on a regular basis since then to avoid a recurrence.
On November 07, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) declared that the Chinese use of force on Taiwan could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan and hinted that it would invite retaliation.
The brash statement, made with little regard for the catastrophic consequences of a potential war, reveals a disturbing willingness to drag Japan – and by extension, the entire Asia-Pacific region – into a conflict that serves no legitimate national interest.
The Taiwan question is not a simple matter of "democracy" versus "authoritarianism"; it is about sovereignty versus secession. By framing the situation as a binary moral struggle, Takaichi ignores the reality that the one-China principle is an international consensus and a basic norm governing international relations.
The international community, including the United Nations, acknowledges the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China. Japan, as a responsible member of the global community, should not recklessly undermine this consensus.
Moreover, the idea that Japan has a moral "obligation" to "defend" Taiwan is a piece of dangerous fiction. Japan's own history is stained by imperialist aggression, including its brutal occupation of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945. To now position itself as a defender of Taiwan's "democracy" is not only hypocritical but deeply offensive to the people of Taiwan, who do not need Tokyo to speak for them.
Already, Japan is undertaking its most significant military expansion since World War II, a dramatic shift from its post-war pacifist stance. In a major break from its long-standing policy of keeping defense spending under 1% of GDP, Japan announced in December 2022 a new national security strategy that will increase its military budget by 65% by 2027, making it the world's third-largest defense spender.
By openly threatening military intervention, Japan is escalating tensions in a region already fraught with geopolitical instability. A conflict between Japan and China would not be a limited skirmish; it would likely draw in other powers, including the United States, and could quickly spiral into a large-scale conflict with unimaginable consequences.
The risks are not just geopolitical. Japan's economy is deeply intertwined with China's. A military conflict would devastate both countries, leading to massive economic disruption and long-term instability. The people of Japan, who have lived through the horrors of war, should not be subject to the whims of leaders who seem more interested in grandstanding than in protecting their citizens.
Takaichi's remarks were made against the backdrop of rising right-wing sentiments in Japan where certain right-wing politicians, in recent years, have been attempting to openly deny the history of aggression in wartime and actively pushing to revise its pacifist constitution.
And to make matters worse, Frank Hsieh, a known Taiwan separatist was awarded Japan’s highest honor, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on November 11, 2025. The award was presented by Emperor Naruhito during the Autumn Conferment of Decorations, as reported by Taiwan News.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (right) claimed on Monday that Beijing "misinterpreted" his comments saying Manila will be inevitably drawn into any conflict between China and the United States over Taiwan, should one erupt.
China on Friday had accused Marcos of "playing with fire" after the Philippine leader said during a visit to India (August 04-08) that "there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it" due to its nearness to China's renegade province. The Chinese foreign ministry stated that "geographical proximity and large overseas populations are not excuses for a country to interfere in the internal affairs of others".
Marcos explained post-haste that Filipinos working and living in Taiwan will have to be evacuated if a conflict does arise but maintained that he wishes to avoid confrontation and war. Over a hundred thousand Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, according to Philippine government data.
"War over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say", Marcos said.
His comments come at a time of heightened tensions brought about by the Philippines cozying up to the US and at the same time, actively challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, particularly through resupply missions to a grounded Philippine ship near Ren'ai Jiao (仁爱礁).
I'm sure Donald Trump is smirking and grimacing. I'm sure he has declared victory in this global tariff war. I'm sure he believes the US will reap the benefits of new revenue, rekindle domestic manufacturing, and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investment and purchases.
And so, while the short term result might be – as Trump sees it – a triumph, the impact on his overarching goals is far less certain. As are the long-term repercussions, which could well pan out rather differently for Trump – or the America he leaves behind after his current term.
Methinks, nobody benefits from a tariff war. And right now, it is too soon to come to any conclusions yet because there will always be a lag before impact is fully seen. For now, the potential economic fallout (for the US and elsewhere) has not been realised.
These are the major deals supposedly in the bag:
United Kingdom agreed to a 10 percent tariff rate on its exports to the US. It also received a 25 percent sectoral tariff on steel and aluminium – half the 50 percent being imposed on other countries.
The European Union have agreed to a 15 percent tariff on most of their exports to the US, including cars and pharmaceuticals, in exchange for zero tariffs on select US exports and commitments to buy US gas and increase investments. Initially, Trump had threatened a 30 percent rate.
Japan has secured a 15 percent reciprocal tariff on its goods exported to the US, reduced from a threatened 25 percent, with Japan promising to invest $550 billion in the US economy.
Philippines has agreed to a 19 percent tariff on its exports to the US, with zero tariffs on US exports to the Philippines, alongside commitments for enhanced military cooperation. A poor deal for the country as I had alluded to in my July 28 post.
Vietnam has agreed to a 20 percent tariff on most exports to the US, with an additional 40 percent levy to be applied to “transshipped” goods – those entering the US via another location – while also agreeing to zero tariffs on US imports like large-engine automobiles.
Indonesia has negotiated a 19 percent tariff on its exports to the US, down from a threatened 32 percent, by making a commitment to buy US Boeing aircraft and to remove or reduce trade barriers.
Malaysia enjoys a reduced tariff of 19 percent on its exports and which is lower than the initially scheduled 25 percent. And I'm pretty sure the country, like Indonesia, made similar-type commitments too.
South Korean exports to the US will enjoy a lower 15 percent tariff, in return for a $350 billion investment pledge and zero tariffs on US imports like cars and agricultural products.
Pakistan struck a deal to jointly develop oil reserves with the US, but specific tariff rates on goods still remain unclear.
You may think there is a method to his madness. But no, actually, it boils down to his arbitrariness, his capriciousness, his volatility. And I have this nagging feeling that these tariffs are not cast in stone. With Trump, he has a propensity to amend, change and revise according to his whim and fancy, and the world should brace for it.
We should recall that, originally, Trump has justified these tariffs as being necessary to redress US trade imbalances as well as to boost US manufacturing and jobs. Even though economists point out that deficits are not direct evidence of unfair trade practices.
But now, it has gone beyond trade. In fact, Trump is weaponizing tariffs to blanket broader agendas, e.g., curbing immigration, combating the opioid and fentanyl crisis, and pressing allies and partners on geopolitical issues, including India’s energy ties with Russia or Brazil’s legal action against Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro.
And lest we forget, many of the deals that have been struck have been verbal, as yet unsigned. Moreover it is uncertain if and how the strings attached to Trump's agreements – more money to be spent purchasing American energy or invested in America – will actually be delivered on.
Not to mention that the colossal issue of China, subject to a different deadline, remains unresolved. And Mexico, on Thursday, secured a negotiating extension. And I read that Canada and Taiwan supposedly still have an opportunity to hammer out a deal. [At this point, I also can't help thinking about the penguins. 😜😜😜].
Putting aside all of the above, I reckon Trump's own voters will still have to pick up the tab – through higher prices, less choice and slower growth.
Donald Trump told a private gathering of donors at New York’s Pierre Hotel on May 14, 2024 that he once sought to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine and to deter Chinese President Xi Jinping from attacking Taiwan by threatening to “bomb the shit” out of Moscow and Beijing in retaliation, according to a leaked audio obtained by CNN and detailed in a new book published on Tuesday.
The said book, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America" chronicles how US President Trump secured his victory in the November 2024 election, and how former President Joe Biden's team dismissed concerns about his age in the US campaign cycle.
It is authored by Josh Dawsey of the Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of the New York Times and Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post. And it is based on over 300 interviews conducted over 18 months.
Nvidia beat Apple and Microsoft to the $4 trillion mark.
Apple entered this year as the world’s most valuable company at just about $3.9 trillion before tumbling in recent months amid Trump’s tariff turmoil.
Nvidia and Microsoft traded places as the world’s most valuable company in recent months, before the former surged ahead to reach the $4 trillion mark first. The US chipmaker have had a remarkable march to record highs and have soared around 21% this year, thanks to their leading role powering the artificial intelligence boom. Nvidia’s chips power the data centers that companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Google need to fuel their AI models and cloud services – and AI investments are only expected to grow.
Global spending on AI infrastructure is expected to surpass $200 billion by 2028, according to market research firm The International Data Corporation.
Two weeks ago, large protests engulfed Taipei in the rebel province of Taiwan against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and treacherous President William Lai Ching-te.
This news got surprisingly little coverage in western media, which usually are so keen on showing all kinds of “people’s power” movements when they occur against governments the West doesn’t like.
The protests come amid escalating political tensions, as opposition parties – despite controlling Taiwan’s legislature – now face organized recall election campaigns initiated by DPP, in power since 2016.
A recall election allows voters to remove an elected official before the end of their term. Under Taiwan’s rules, recall campaigners must first collect signatures from 1% of eligible voters to start the process, then 10% to force a vote.
While government supporters insist that the recall efforts represent legitimate democratic processes, opposition leaders denounce them as politically motivated vendettas aimed at undermining legitimate election outcomes.
Tariff shocks pose a major threat to Malaysia’s sovereign credit rating, given the potential disruption to economic growth and fiscal consolidation, according to Moody’s Investors Service on Monday.
The ratings firm see downside risks to their initial projection of 5% growth for Malaysia this year due to exposure to global trade tensions. There’s also a possibility that the government increase spending to counter headwinds from US-imposed levies, said Christian De Guzman, senior vice-president at Moody’s.
Malaysia has since 2004 enjoyed an A3 rating at Moody’s – the highest among peers in developing Southeast Asia. While its credit score has withstood the fallout from the 2008 global financial crisis and the Covid pandemic, the double blow from US tariffs clouds the country’s prospects.
Ignore the disinformation. There is no threat to Taiwan. The only possible threat, if at all, is Taiwan becoming another Ukraine.
On April 01, the Chinese military launched joint exercises involving their army, navy, air force and rocket force around Taiwan as a “stern warning” to Taiwanese separatists (i.e., DPP), days after US defense chief Pete Hegseth vowed to counter “China’s aggression”.
It's a timely prompt to the Americans that Taiwan is a province of China.
In fact, Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister on March 07, 2025 had roundly and robustly sent out this stark reminder:
On Sunday, world No. 11 Sivasangari Subramaniam was upset 9-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-8 by Egypt's world No. 13 Salma Hany in the second round of the $217,500 El Gouna International Squash Open in Egypt.
The Malaysian won the first two games, but could not maintain her consistency and lost the next three. The match lasted 51 minutes.
It was Sivasangari's second defeat in three meetings to Salma. The Asian champion has not been performing well since winning the Cincinnati Cup in February.
💀💀💀💀 The Philippines has a death wish. I say this because there are Pinoys in power who are itching to fight China!
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines General Romeo Brawner Jr told troops of Northern Luzon Command on April 01 to prepare for a Taiwan invasion contingency, citing the repatriation of citizens and the “inevitability” of Manila’s involvement in a cross-strait conflict.
Of course, behind this supposed bravado, you'll find the US unendingly whispering into Filipino ears: "Don't worry, we'll support you!"
Already, Manila has sold its soul to the US, thereby securing a mutual defence pact with Washington. It then turns to wilfully provoking China in the South China Sea. And if that's not enough, it now plans to show up in Taiwan.
Additionally, without giving details, Brawner even alleged that “communist China is already conducting united front works in our country. They are already infiltrating our institutions, our schools, our businesses, our churches, even our ranks in the military”.
Yesterday, Donald Trump announced plans for sweeping new import taxes on all goods entering the US, in a watershed moment for global trade.
Declaring a national emergency, the US president said the US had for more than five decades been "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike".
The plan sets a baseline tariff on all imports of at least 10%, with Trump claiming that this will create a hard reset on the country’s industry, eventually leading to a stronger economy and lower prices for US consumers. Items from countries that the White House described as the "worst offenders", including the European Union and China would face higher rates for what Trump said was payback for unfair trade policies.
Trump's move breaks with decades of American policy embracing free trade, and analysts said it was likely to lead to higher prices in the US and slower growth in the US and around the world.
The 10% tariffs start on April 05, with the higher duties beginning April 09.
The White House affirmed the latest changes would not change anything for Mexico and Canada, two of America's closest trading partners. Other allies will also face tariffs, including 10% for the UK and 20% for the European Union. And tariffs on goods from China will jump a further 34%, adding to an existing 20% levy, while it will be 24% for Japan, and 26% on India. [Note: Malaysia's tariff rate is 24%].
Some of the highest rates will be levied on smaller countries, with goods from the southern African nation of Lesotho facing 50%, while Vietnam and Cambodia will be hit with 46% and 49% respectively. The latter two have both seen a rush of investment in recent years, as firms shifted supply chains away from China following Trump's first term.
The baseline tariffs will apply to more than 100 countries, according to a White House fact sheet, of which some 60 will face a higher "reciprocal" rate.
Gustavo Flores-Macias, professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, called it a "dramatic transformation" of the international trade order, which the US had helped to create after World War Two. "We're seeing that system unravelling", he said.
The stock market was closed for trading when Trump made his announcement. But in after-market trading shares in major American companies sank sharply.
Apple, which rely heavily on China and on Taiwan, which is facing tariffs of 32%, sank more than 7%. Amazon was down more than 6%, while shares in Walmart dropped more than 4%.
P.S. It's worth pointing out that Trump's tariffs used a simplistic formula to calculate the rate for each of them. The formula’s central value is the trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports between each country and the United States, for the year 2024. Trump has said these tariffs will reduce trade imbalances and level the international playing field. But his one-size-fits-all formula is blunt: It applies the exact same (arbitrary) math to countries whether they have hefty trade barriers or wide-open markets. It considers only the size of a trade deficit, not why the deficit exists. Moreover, the Trump administration calculated the trade deficit using only goods − physical items that can be shipped − and not services, such as technology, media, banking and tourism. (E.g., A DVD counts; a Netflix subscription doesn’t).
President Donald Trump said on March 31 the tariffs he plans to impose in the coming days would include “all countries”, not just those with the largest trade imbalances with the United States.
Trump has promised a “Liberation Day” on April 02, when he is set to unveil reciprocal levies to aggressively address trade practices that his government deem unfair.
But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had highlighted that the upcoming tariff salvo is to target the 15 percent of partners – he labeled them the “Dirty 15” – that have persistent trade imbalances with the United States.
While the official list remains unpublished, the targeted nations are likely to align with those mentioned in last month's Federal Register notice from the US trade representative, the Wall Street Journal suggested.
The largest goods trade deficits with the United States in the previous year, ranked from highest to lowest, were China, EU, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Canada, India, Thailand, Switzerland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and South Africa.
Whatever the case may be, Trump is insisting that “the tariffs will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades”.
He defends the levies as a way to raise government revenue and revitalize US industry. "We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking jobs, taking our wealth, taking so much out of our country", he had declared.
And, on March 26, he announced 25% tariffs on all cars shipped to the United States, a significant escalation in a global trade war. According to USA Today, it would go into effect on Wednesday, April 02 and begin to be collected on Thursday, April 03.
As Trump’s top trade aide Peter Navarro said the tax on auto imports could raise $100 billion a year.
“And in addition, the other tariffs are going to raise about $600 billion a year, about $6 trillion over a 10-year period”, Navarro told Fox News on Sunday.
On Monday, Asian shares followed US futures in falling because of the riskiness over what the upcoming tariffs could be. Stock markets in Japan and South Korea, whose carmakers are likely to be disproportionately affected by the US measures, were hit especially hard.
Sad to say, Trump is only deluding himself. The tariffs will boomerang back at him, for sure. You wait and see!
Most Chinese associate the Monkey King (or Qi Tian Da Sheng) with the monkey-turned-demon-slayer in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) epic novel.
But in Fuzhou in east China's Fujian Province, he is worshiped as a tutelary deity.
According to China Daily, the origin of the Monkey King belief has many versions: ape worship, a monkey Buddha, a monkey demon converted by a goddess into the heavenly cause – there are a thousand Monkey Kings in a thousand priests' eyes due to a lack of historical records.
One thing is certain: people in Fuzhou were worshiping the Monkey King long before the classic literary work "Journey to the West" made the dramatis personae a household name. Historical records suggest the city had a temple for the monkey in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Some academics say the belief can be traced to the ancient worship of apes.
"Prehistoric Chinese in the mountains worshiped monkeys. The powerful Monkey King figure in the novel met the believers' expectation for an almighty god and made the belief more popular", according to Gan Mantang, a sociology professor at Fuzhou University.
Vague as his identity might be, the monkey god never lacks followers.
Belief in the Monkey King is prominent in Fujian Province, and in Fuzhou, he is worshiped in about 700 to 800 temples, it is claimed.
In the 1990s, Qitian Temple the temple regarded as the Monkey King's "ancestral temple" on Fuzhou's Pingshan Mountain registered 243 offshoot temples, including in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore.
The Sungai Dusun Wildlife Conservation Center in Hulu Selangor, Selangor is leading the charge to safeguard the endangered species through breeding and rehabilitation programs.
Located in the 4,330ha Sungai Dusun wildlife reserve, it is the only semi-wild sanctuary for Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) in Malaysia. It houses eight tapirs, many of which were rescued after reports of disturbances from the public.
According to Muhd Adli Ahmad (right), who heads its operations, the center aims to care for and treat tapirs to encourage reproduction, with the goal of releasing some back into the wild.
“Since 2004, 14 tapirs have been released, comprising both captive-bred and rescued animals”, he said.
The center’s veterinarian Dr Donny Yawah (left) is optimistic about the prospects of tapirs bred in captivity at the center surviving in the wild.
“Tapirs are a prehistoric animal known for their high adaptability. There is a reason they have survived till now”, he said.
The center’s efforts are much needed as tapir numbers are falling in the country. In Malaysia, tapirs are considered an endangered species and protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2020 (Act 716).
The species is also listed in Appendix I under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
They largely exist within the peninsula’s Central Forest Spine and may live in primary and secondary tropical rainforests. Tapirs are also found in certain parts of Indonesia and Thailand but have gone extinct in Sabah and Sarawak.
These mammals are known to travel up to 4km a day and in the process, spread the seeds of the plants they consume, which helps sustain the ecosystem. However, forest fragmentation due to development and human activities, such as farming, has significantly threatened their habitat and population.
Estimates by Perhilitan in 2020 suggest the tapir population has dwindled to between 700 and 800, down from 1,100 to 1,500 in 2013. Recent years have also seen an increase in roadkill incidents, further endangering the species, along with a rise in human-tapir conflicts, from 29 cases in 2018 to 67 in 2021.
The dedicated efforts of the center and Perhilitan personnel highlight the crucial need to do what's necessary to preserve the Malayan tapir, ensuring its survival for future generations.
Note: Though the center is not open to walk-in visitors, those keen on visiting may submit a request to Perhilitan (wildlife.gov.my) for a special permit.
My July 28 post "Pearly-Thinaah Stun World No. 6 Pair in Paris" had referred to the supercomputer prediction made on the Olympic Games Paris 2024. I betted on China to do better than the 68 medals it is anticipated to win. And that I wished for at least 100 medals.
Well, China produced mixed results. It did beat the forecasted 68-medal haul but it could only manage 91 medals in total. At least China equaled the US gold medal tally of 40.
Point to note: If Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei (i.e. Taiwan) were to be included, then China's collection of medals would have added up to 44 gold, 27 silver and 31 bronze.
Anyway, that aside, this has been Team China's best performance in the Olympic Games held overseas since it began participating in the Summer Olympics in 1984.
BTW, Malaysia only got 2 bronze medals. Gold remains elusive.
Never mind. There's always the next Olympics. LA 2028.
Boxing at Paris 2024 has been overshadowed by a row about the eligibility of two fighters in the women’s competition. What's more, Algeria’s Imane Khelif (top left) and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting (top right) are guaranteed at least bronze medals.
It has been claimed that the two boxers had failed gender tests and were disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s Women’s World Championships.
[Note: The disqualification was based on two tests performed during the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul 2022 and the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi 2023 on both athletes.
For clarification: The Algerian initially appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but withdrew the appeal during the process, making the IBA decision legally binding. And the Taiwanese did not appeal the IBA’s decision to the CAS, thus also rendering the decision legally binding].
At the Paris Olympics, Italy’s Angela Carini had faced off against Imani Khelif on Thursday, in the welterweight (66kg) category, but lasted just 46 seconds. After taking two big punches to the face, Carini threw down her helmet and forfeited the bout, crying “this is unjust!”
Lin, meanwhile, won an unanimous decision Friday against Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in the featherweight (57kg) category, winning 5-0 in the three-round match – and advanced to the women’s boxing quarterfinals.
On Saturday, the Algerian boxer triumphed in a dominant 5-0 victory over Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori.
UK's Daily Mail reported that ahead of the bout, Hamori stated she was not fazed by the prospect of facing Khelif.
"I'm not scared", Hamori said. "I don't care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win".
BBC too reported that Hamori had asserted that she did not "think it is fair". Post-match, she was again asked if she thought the fight was unfair, Hamori, who was booed into the arena, said: "I don't care about it".
And yesterday, Lin defeated Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva on an unanimous points decision to reach the semi-finals of the women’s 57kg category.
In fact, following the latter's loss, Staneva (right) had pointed to herself and twice made an "X" with her fingers, indicating that she has XX chromosomes and so, signifying she's a woman.
It is obvious that all those matches have been easy wins for two boxers having XY chromosomes against fighters with XX chromosomes. Meaning, the former have an unfair advantage.
