Page 10 - Aruba Today

A10
WORLD NEWSTuesday 12 January 2016
China: Giant Mao Zedong statue demolished
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese
village has abruptly de-
molished a statue of com-
munist China’s founder,
Mao Zedong, after images
of the structure covered in
gold paint and looming 37
meters (120 feet) high over
farmland attracted heated
discussion on social media.
Although the official rea-
son for the demolition is
unknown, with even a
high-level Communist Party
newspaper struggling to
explain the episode, the
rise and fall of the Mao
monument in central Chi-
na’s rural Henan province
highlights the political sen-
Philippines, US to discuss new Chinese islands
JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines (AP) —
The Philippine foreign and
defense chiefs will discuss
with their American coun-
terparts ways to address
new security concerns aris-
ing from China’s comple-
tion of artificial islands in the
disputed South China Sea,
an official said Monday.
Department of Foreign Af-
fairs spokesman Charles
Jose said the Philippines
will ask the United States to
continue patrols to ensure
freedom of navigation in
the area, a strategic pas-
sageway for many com-
mercial and military ships,
during Tuesday’s talks in
Washington.
The possibility of joint patrols
by the U.S. and its Asian se-
curity allies may also be dis-
cussed, he said.
Recent Chinese flights to
Kim’s nuke test proves gift of sorts for S. Korean president
FOSTER KLUG
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) —
North Korea’s nuclear test
has provoked global out-
rage, a push for sanctions,
even fear. But Kim Jong
Un’s decision to conduct
it has also handed a gift of
sorts to his rival in the South.
In an instant, Wednesday’s
explosion shifted the focus
of debate about the presi-
dency of Park Geun-hye,
who has faced several
mass protests condemn-
ing her leadership in recent
sitivities in the country sur- from cultural management leader during the 1980s, swath of the population,
rounding a historical figure authorities, though it also openly rebuked the cult of particularly the dissatisfied,
alternatively revered and cited an official as saying personality that had been rural poor, drawing notice
criticized by both the pub- that did not appear to be built around Mao and of central authorities.
lic and the government. the reason. Local officials warned cadres about the Last month, the Global
The project, reportedly fi- could not be reached for risk of overly concentrated Times, a Communist Party
nanced by entrepreneurs, comment on Monday, and influence. tabloid, reported on the
cost $460,000 and was near some agencies’ publicly Even as China’s cur- latest Mao statue to rise in
completion last week when listed telephone numbers rent president, Xi Jinping, rural northwestern China,
it was nixed by local officials appeared to be discon- consolidates power to a where villagers sang revo-
after images of the statue nected. degree that has drawn lutionary songs in a quasi-
elicited mixed reactions on Since his death in 1976, comparisons to Mao, he religious ceremony that
Chinese social media, and Mao has been both re- warned in a 2013 speech featured “ecstatic dance”
the story was picked up by vered as a founding father against “worshipping” rev- and a shamanistic figure
domestic and international and blamed for political olutionary leaders without brandishing a sword.
media. turmoil and disastrous eco- pointing out their mistakes. “Building Mao temples is
The People’s Daily, the of- nomic policies that claimed Still, Mao, known as the not encouraged by the
ficial Communist Party millions of lives. Succes- “Great Helmsman,” has central government or lo-
newspaper, said the statue sors including Deng Xiaop- kept a firm grip on the cal authorities,” the article
may have lacked approval ing, China’sparamount imagination for a large noted.

A China Southern Airlines jetliner lands at the airfield on Fiery pines opposed the Chinese The U.S. sent a guided-mis-
Cross Reef, known as Yongshu Reef in Chinese, in the Spratly flights. sile destroyer close to one
Islands, known as Nansha Islands in Chinese, of the South China “They can declare it offi- of the Chinese-built islands,
Sea. An official says Philippine and U.S. foreign and defense cially or we may witness a called Subi Reef, in Oc-
chiefs will discuss new security concerns arising from China’s de facto ADIZ,” Jose said tober in one of its boldest
completion of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, by telephone. In 2013, Chi- challenges yet to Beijing’s
on Tuesday, Jan. 12 in Washington. na declared such an avia- territorial claims, sparking
tion security buffer zone warnings from China. U.S.
(Cha Chunming/Xinhua via AP) over the East China Sea, officials vowed to contin-
where Beijing and Tokyo ue maneuvers to protect
test a runway on one of the fense identification zone have been contesting freedom of navigation and
seven man-made islands, over the South China Sea, ownership of a chain of un- overflight.
Fiery Cross, have raised officially or otherwise, Jose inhabited islands. The U.S. China has said it built the
concerns that Beijing may said. and its allies led by Japan islands primarily to foster
plan to impose an air de- Vietnam and the Philip- protested the action and safe civilian sea travel and
announced they would not fishing but added they may
recognize the Chinese de- also be used militarily.
fense zone. Analysts say the new islands
In the South China Sea, will give Beijing a much
Beijing shooed away U.S. stronger security grip over
and Philippine planes even a vast stretch of the South-
while it was building the is- China Sea farthest from
lands from previously sub- the Chinese mainland, in
merged reefs and atolls in an area where Vietnam,
the Spratly Islands, indicat- the Philippines, Taiwan and
ing its intention to control Malaysia have stationed
access to the region, Philip- forces on islands and reefs
pine diplomats said. which China also claims.

weeks. ity by doing something she tentious complaints against border to begin cranking
Park’s swift, hard-line re- has proven herself adept Park, said Yoon Tae-Ry- out South Korean K-pop
sponse, including a return at: Standing tall in the face ong, a professor at Seoul’s songs and criticism of the
of cross-border propagan- of what Seoul sees as a Konkuk University. North’s leadership.
da broadcasts that Pyong- provocation from its north- “Some members of the rul- She could have done more
yang loathes, has, for the ern rival. A survey showed ing party must be grinning to punish the North, by
time being, overshadowed her approval rating rose inside.” Shortly after the slapping them with bilat-
criticism of her leadership slightly last week, for the first North’s test, Park put her eral punitive measures and
style, her alleged abuse of time in five weeks. front-line troops on their ending the South’s partici-
workers’ rights and her pur- While the boost is likely highest alert, reportedly pation in the factory park,
ported submission to Tokyo temporary, the timing of moved missiles, artillery and which is a rare cash cow for
in a deal meant to end a the nuclear test may help other weapons closer to the the impoverished, widely
dispute over Japan’s war- Park and her ruling party. border, partially banned shunned North. The park,
time sexual enslavement of Crucial parliamentary elec- South Koreans from a joint- however, is also the last
Korean women. tions loom in April. ly run factory park in the major inter-Korean project
Park has temporarily The test is “immediately qui- North and allowed huge from an earlier era of rap-
stopped a slide in popular- eting down” the most con- green speakers along the prochement.