The situation with China -- Is-sitwazzjoni maċ-Ċina

 

You know that a subject is a wide preoccupation when friends or family members start mentioning the same thing almost immediately upon meeting with you.

 

That’s what happened this week, when my friends mentioned the fragile relationship between Australia and China, and what might be its implications on our lives.

 

China is the country with the highest population globally, this year estimated at 1.4 billion, or 18.7% of the global population.1  It is the second highest economy in the world in nominal terms, which in 2019 was measured at $14 trillion, a bit more than half that of the United States ($21 trillion).  By another measure, an estimate of how much a country is able to purchase (Purchasing Power Parity - PPP), the Chinese economy ($23.4 trillion) is already larger than that of the United States ($21.3 trillion).2

 

What is extraordinary is how this country has managed to develop in this way and come out of the country status so-called ‘second world’ (a derogatory moniker by western countries), and a so-called ‘developing country’ (self-applied with the World Trade Organisation - WTO), without much fanfare, in a manner that can well be described as peaceful and without involvement in many bloody wars here and there after the Second World War, that the US and its allies entered into with gusto.

 

The mouse became the elephant in the room that everybody pretended did not exist, and all of a sudden everybody is in a panic running around not knowing what to do.  Everything seems to have been brought to a head when China in a blink of an eye build several artificial islands in the South China Sea, and established a military facility on them.3  Against international law?  Yes, that was established by an international tribunal in 2016.  Against what had been promised by China itself?  Without a doubt.

 

A hostile act?  Before answering that, consider that the United States has (or at least had by 2015) 800 military bases in more than 70 countries around the world.4

 

Are the latter necessary, for the United States?  If yes, why are the former not necessary, for China?

 

Are you scared of nuclear armaments under the control of Xi Jinping?  And what about those under the control of Donald Trump?

 

It is known that China has built huge centres of ‘re-education’ in Xinjiang province, where it is thought are being kept around a million Uighurs, a minority Muslim group in this region.  China has for years been accused by several countries with human rights abuses, including the forced sterilisation of women.  China does not like receiving these accusations, initially denying the camps’ very existence, later saying they were necessary because of separatist violence, and continued denying the forced sterilisation.5

 

Closer to us, Australia this week woke up to the news that a military investigation over a period of 4 years found that the Australian special forces were involved in the unnecessary killing of 39 civilians, including throat cutting, and the malicious planting of firearms next to bodies to justify the killings.  It was concluded that these actions had not been done in the heat of battle.6

 

To the country’s credit, the Australian authorities, both military and civil, did not hide the acts and seem to be considering what serious steps can be taken in these circumstances against those that perpetrated and/or failed to act.

 

Then China, uncommonly, made a declaration on Twitter that condemned the alleged acts and, furthermore, retweeted a modified photo showing an Australia soldier cutting the throat of a boy on his knee.

 

Was this photo unnecessary and inflammatory?  Of course, it was better if it didn’t happen.  Nevertheless what was interesting for me was the official Australian reaction, which was quick to come out.  Prime Minister Morrison asked the Chinese government for an apology, that the writing on Twitter be removed and saying that the Chinese government should be ashamed of the text.7

 

It seemed to me that the tone of the Australian official reaction to the Chinese criticism was stronger than the tone of the Australian official reaction to the alleged atrocities by the military special forces.

 

It is not enough to say you are transparently taking action.  From my viewpoint, we have lost an opportunity to show in practice that when ugly cases come about on our side, we are able to have a discussion with our international partners, even when these are critical in our regard.  Isn’t this what we expect from others?

 

We could keep on going.  China these days is considering ordering the limitation of export of advanced technology, like artificial intelligence and cryptography, on the basis of the country’s national security.8  This will naturally affect other countries that would like to use similar technologies in their industries, who will see this as a tough measure.

 

Is it bad that such a step is taken?  The United States has for many years been limiting the export of supercomputer technology to China, and this activity is still under way.9

 

Who will throw the first stone?  Or rather, who has already done so?

 

I’m sorry to say that when the Chinese accuse the West of hypocrisy, I have to say they are right.

 

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Tkun taf li suġġett qiegħed jippreokkupa l-imħuħ meta ħbieb jew familjari jibdew isemmu l-istess ħaġa miegħek kważi mallewwel li jkun ltaqgħu miegħek.

 

Hekk ġrali din il-ġimgħa, meta ħbieb tiegħi semmewli r-relazzjonijiet mwiegħra bejn l-Awstralja u ċ-Ċina, u x’jistgħu jkunu l-implikazzjonijiet fuq ħajjitna.

 

Iċ-Ċina hija l-pajjiż bl-ikbar popolazzjoni fid-dinja, f’din is-sena stmata li hi 1.4 biljun persuna, jew 18.7% tal-popolazzjoni dinjija.1  Hija t-tieni l-ikbar ekonomija fid-dinja f’termini nominali, li  fl-2019 kienet imkejla 14 triljun dollaru, ftit iktar minn nofs dak tal-Istati Uniti (21 triljun dollaru).  B’kejl ieħor, dak li jistma kemm il-pajjiż kapaċi jixtri (Purchasing Power Parity – PPP), l-ekonomija taċ-Ċina (b’$23.4 triljun) diġà hija ikbar minn dik tal-Istati Uniti ($21.3 triljun).2

 

Li huwa straordinarju huwa kemm il-pajjiż irnexxielu jiżviluppa b’dan il-mod u joħroġ mill-istat ta’ pajjiż hekk imsejjaħ (derogattivament mill-pajjiżi tal-punent) tat-tieni dinja (jiġifieri dik kommunista), u stat hekk imsejjaħ (minnu nnifsu mal-WTO – World Trade Organisation) li qiegħed jiżviluppa, bi ftit daqq ta’ trombi, b’mod tista’ tgħid paċifiku u mingħajr involviment f’ħafna gwerer ‘l hawn u ‘l hemm mdemmija sew wara t-tieni gwerra dinjija li l-Istati Uniti u l-allejati tagħha daħlu għalihom bi ħġarhom.

 

Il-ġurdien sar iljunfant li għal ħafna snin kulħadd għamel tabirruħu li ma jeżistix, u f’daqqa waħda kulħadd qiegħed f’paniku ma jafx x’se jaqbad jagħmel.  Kollox qisu beda meta ċ-Ċina f’ħakka t’għajn bniet diversi gżejjer artifiċjali fis-South China Sea, u stabbiliet faċilità militari fuqhom.3  Kontra l-liġi internazzjonali?  Iva, hekk stabbilixxa tribunal internazzjonali fl-2016.  Kontra dak li ġie mwiegħed miċ-Ċiniżi stess?  Iva dażgur.

 

Aġir ta’ pajjiż ostili?  Qabel ma twieġeb din, ikkunsidra li l-Istati Uniti għandha (jew talinqas kellha fl-2015) 800 bażi militari f’iktar minn 70 pajjiż madwar id-dinja.4

 

Dawn tal-aħħar neċessarji, għall-Istati Uniti?  Jekk iva, għaliex dawk tal-ewwel mhux neċessarji, għaċ-Ċina?

 

Ibeżżgħuk armi nukleari taħt il-kontroll ta’ Xi Jinping?  U xi tgħidli għal dawk taħt il-kontroll ta’ Donald Trump?

 

Huwa magħruf li ċ-Ċina bniet ċentri kbar ta’ ‘ri-edukazzjoni’ fil-provinċja ta’ Xinjiang, fejn huma maħsubin li jinżammu madwar miljun Ujgur, grupp Musulman ta’ minoranza f’dan ir-reġjun.  Iċ-Ċina ilha snin akkużata minn diversi pajjiżi b’abbuż tad-drittijiet umani, inkluż sterilizzazzjoni sfurzata tan-nisa.  Iċ-Ċina ma tieħux gost tirċievi dawn l-akkużi, fil-bidu caħdet li l-kampijiet jeżistu, imbagħad qalet li huma neċessarji minħabba l-vjolenza separatista, u kompliet tiċħad l-isterilizzazzjoni sfurzata.5

 

Iktar qrib tagħna, l-Awstralja din il-ġimgħa qamet għall-aħbar li investigazzjoni militari fuq medda ta’ erba’ snin sabet li l-forzi speċjali Awstraljani kienu nvoluti fil-qtil bla bżonn ta’ 39 persuna ċivili, inkluż allegatament il-qtugħ tal-gerżuma, u t-tqegħid makakk ta’ armi mal-iġsma biex jiġġustifika l-qtil.  Ġie konkluż li dawn l-azzjonijiet ma kinux saru fil-qilla tal-battalja.6

 

Għall-kreditu tal-pajjiż, l-awtoritajiet Awstraljani, kemm militari kif ukoll ċivili, ma ħbewx l-aġir u jidher li qegħdin jikkunsidraw x’passi serji għandhom jittieħdu f’dawn iċ-ċirkstanzi kontra minn wettaqu u/jew ma qediex dmiru.

 

Imbagħad iċ-Ċina, b’mod mhux komuni, ħarġet stqarrija fuq Twitter fejn ikkundannat dan l-allegat aġir u, iktar minn hekk, reġgħet ippubblikat ritratt modifikat li juri suldat Awstraljan jaqta’ l-gerżuma ta’ tifel fuq irkobbtejh.

 

Kien żejjed u inflammatorju dan ir-ritratt?  Dażgur, aħjar ma sarx.  Madankollu għalija l-interessanti għalija kienet ir-reazzjoni uffiċjali Awstraljana, li ma damitx biex toħroġ.  Il-Prim Ministru Morrison talab apoloġija mill-gvern Ċiniż, li l-kitba li timbuttak fuq Twitter tiġi mneħħija, u qal li l-gvern Ċiniż imissu jistħi bil-kitba.7

 

Jien deherli li t-ton tar-reazzjoni uffiċjali Awstraljana għall-kritika Ċiniża kienet iktar qawwija mit-ton tar-reazzjoni uffiċjali Awstraljana għall-allegat atroċitajiet infushom tal-forzi speċjali militari.  

 

Mhuwiex biżżejjed li tgħid li qed tieħu azzjoni b’trasparenza.  Għalija, tlifna opportunità biex nuru fil-prattika li meta jinqalgħu każijiet koroh min-naħa tagħna, aħna kapaċi jkollna diskussjoni mal-imsieħba internazzjonali tagħna, anke meta jkunu kritiċi fil-konfront tagħna.  Aħna mhux hekk nippretendu mingħand ħaddieħor?

 

Nistgħu nibgħu sejrin hekk.  Iċ-Ċina f’dawn il-ġranet qiegħda tikkunsidra ordni biex tillimita l-esportazzjoni ta’ teknoloġiji avvanzati bħall-intelliġenza artifiċjali u l-kriptografija, abbażi tas-sigurtà nazzjonali tal-pajjiż.8  Dan naturalment jaffettwa pajjiżi oħra li jkunu jridu jużaw teknoloġiji simili fl-oqsma industrijali tagħhom, li se jarawha bħala pass iebes.  

 

Ħażin li jittieħed pass bħal dan?  L-Istati Uniti ilhom għal snin kbar jillimitaw l-esportazzjoni ta’ teknoloġiji ta’ superkompjuters liċ-Ċina, u din l-attività għadha sejra.9

 

Min se jitfa l-ewwel ġebla?  Jew min tefagħha diġà?

 

Jiddispjaċini ngħid li meta ċ-Ċiniżi jgħajru lill-Pununt b’ipokrezija, ikolli nagħtihom raġun.

 

 

1https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/, retrieved 1/12/2020

2https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true, retrieved 1/12/2020

3https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/world/asia/south-china-sea-navy.html, retrieved 1/12/2020

4https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/06/us-military-bases-around-the-world-119321, retrieved 1/12/2020

5https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037, retrieved 1/12/2020

6https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/19/australian-special-forces-involved-in-of-39-afghan-civilians-war-crimes-report-alleges, retrieved 1/12/2020

7https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/30/australia-china-pm-scott-morrison-demands-apology-fake-chinese-tweet-adf-soldier, retrieved 1/12/2020

8https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-new-export-control-law-restrictions-imposed-23-items-technology/, retrieved 1/12/2020

9https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-21-us-export-restrictions-blocks-china-supercomputer.html, retrieved 1/12/2020

1https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/, retrieved 1/12/2020

2https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true, retrieved 1/12/2020

3https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/world/asia/south-china-sea-navy.html, retrieved 1/12/2020

4https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/06/us-military-bases-around-the-world-119321, retrieved 1/12/2020

5https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037, retrieved 1/12/2020

6https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/19/australian-special-forces-involved-in-of-39-afghan-civilians-war-crimes-report-alleges, retrieved 1/12/2020

7https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/30/australia-china-pm-scott-morrison-demands-apology-fake-chinese-tweet-adf-soldier, retrieved 1/12/2020

8https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-new-export-control-law-restrictions-imposed-23-items-technology/, retrieved 1/12/2020

9https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-21-us-export-restrictions-blocks-china-supercomputer.html, retrieved 1/12/2020

Between life and death -- Bejn ħajja u mewt

 

Death is primarily a tragic reality - ask anybody who has lost a loved one, probably we have all had this experience of loss that come in suddenly in our lives.

 

Apart from the tragedy, death and what comes after, is also fascinating, if not more, for several reasons.  The first that comes to mind is how man has tried to make sense of it all, and this depends upon on his or her beliefs and social attitudes.

 

The three great Abrahamic religions, that is Christianit, Judaism and Islam, all believe more or less in a spiritual place where the soul of man resides after death, and also in resurrection.  Hindus believe that all living things have a soul, not only man, and that after death, the soul reincarnates into another being, and therefore life and death form a continuous cycle.  Buddhists also have the same idea of a continuous cycle of life and death that however ends when man is in an enlightened state of nirvana, however this cycle relates to an energy, not a soul in which they do not believe.

 

In my life’s formation, as that of so many other Maltese and Christians, the resurrection or rising from the dead was always a subject at the forefront of religious and social life.  The feast of Easter is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus in the third day, with resurrection is considered as a great miracle, that that of Jesus considered to be the crux of faith, as with it he won over death and gave life to the dead.

 

The Jesus story is not the only one of resurrection in the New Testament, there are also those of Lazarus who had been buried for four days1, and that of the twelve year old daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader, whose length of time dead is not known,2 all with the intervention considered miraculous by Jesus himself.

 

In daily life, it is considered a curious fact when news is heard, not so common but then again not so rare, of someone starting to move again while being taken to burial or cremation, you can imagine the shock felt by those present, one minute becrying their lot in losing a loved one, and the next seeing what for them is a miracle occurring right before their eyes.  Naturally, it would quickly occur to one that perhaps the declaration of death itself hadn’t been made with due care.

 

Traditionally, a person was considered to have died when the pulse could not longer be felt (heartbeat) and no breathing is felt either.  These are not precise methods, especially if the person might have weakened functions, and therefore it is easy for a mistake to be made.  Apart from this, today with procedures of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) - chest compressions followed by forced ventilation of the lungs from the mouth, as well as defibrillation can restart these processes if carried out within a short time (a few minutes) after they would have stopped.

 

Today, death is considered to have occurred when there is no longer any activity in the brain permanently, which is taken to mean that the person is no longer conscious, and therefore it is said that the brain died (brain dead).  The permanence of this state is important, as a person may be in such a state during a coma which can be reversible, when under the temporary influence of some drugs and some other medical conditions.

 

A really interesting state related to this is hypothermia, where the body’s temperature is under 35C.  In severe cases, the heart starts beating more slowly, and can even stop, but this state is reversible, even after several hours.

One example was that of an Englishwoman who was caught in an ice storm in Spain in November 2019.  When they finally got to her, she was found with a temperture of 18C and unconscious.  When taken to hospital, the medical staff managed to resuscitate her even if her heart had stopped beating for six hours.3

 

Another extraordinary case was that of seven Danish kids in 2011 who fell in freezing water at 2C, and whose heart also stopped for around 6 hours, but they were all revived without there seeming to be any long term consequences.4

 

This is the result of a reflex that humans and some other animals have (although somewhat weaker) in common with aquatic mammals, such as dolphins and seals, where the veins narrow, heart rate decreases and oxygen becomes prioritised towards the brain and heart.  This happens when the body feels the cold and nostrils become wet, permitting diving for long durations.

 

Indeed the definition of death still has to evolve!

 

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Il-mewt hija realtà primarjament traġika – staqsi lil kull min tilef xi ħadd għażiż, probabbilment ilkoll kellna din l-esperjenza ta’ dan in-nuqqas li jidħol ħabta u sabta f’ħajjitna.

 

Apparti t-traġedja, il-mewt kif ukoll x’jiġri warajha, hija ukoll affaxxinanti, jekk mhux iktar, għal diversi raġunijiet.  L-ewwel ħaġa li tiġini f’rasi hi kif il-bniedem jipprova jagħmel sens minnha, u dan jiddependi fuq it-twemminijiet u attitudnijiet soċjali tiegħu.  

 

It-tliet reliġjonijiet il-kbar Abramiċi, jiġifieri l-Kristjaneżmu, il-Ġudaiżmu u l-Islam, it-tlieta jemmnu xi ftit jew wisq f’post spirtwali fejn ir-ruħ tal-bniedem tmur tgħammar wara l-mewt, u wkoll fir-resurrezzjoni.  Il-Ħindu jemmnu kull ħlejqa għandha ruħ, mhux biss il-bnedmin, u li wara l-mewt, ir-ruħ terġa’ tiġi rrinkarnata f’xi ħlejqa oħra, u allura l-ħajja u l-mewt jagħmlu parti minn ċiklu kontinwu.  Il-Buddisti wkoll għandhom l-istess idea taċ-ċiklu kontinwu tal-ħajja u l-mewt li tintemm meta l-bniedem ikun fi stat imdawwal ta’ nirvana, imma dan iċ-ċiklu jseħħ permezz ta’ enerġija u mhux ruħ li ma jemmnux fiha.

 

Fil-formazzjoni ta’ ħajti, bħal ta’ tant Maltin u Insara oħra, ir-resurrezzjoni jew il-qawmien mill-imwiet kienet suġġett dejjem fuq quddiem fil-ħajja reliġjuża u soċjali.  Il-festa tal-Għid hija bbażata fuq il-mewt u l-qawmien ta’ Ġesù fit-tielet jum, u r-resurrezzjoni hija kkunsidrata bħala miraklu kbir, u dak ta’ Ġesù kkunsidrat bħala l-qofol tal-fidi għax biha rebaħ il-mewt u ta l-ħajja lill-mejtin.

 

Ta’ Ġesù mhix l-unika storja ta’ resurrezzjoni li teżisti fit-testment il-ġdid, hemm ukoll dak ta’ Lazzru li kien ilu midfun erbat ijiem1, u tat-tifla ta’ tnax-il sena ta’ Jairus, mexxej ta’ sinagoga, li mhux magħruf kemm kienet ilha mejta2, kollha b’intervent meqjus mirakoluż ta’ Ġesù nnifsu.

 

Fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum, huwa meqjus fatt kurjuż meta tinstema aħbar, mhix komuni imma lanqas daqshekk rari, li xi ħadd reġa’ beda jferfer waqt li kien qed jittieħed lejn id-difna jew il-kremazzjoni, tista’ timmaġina x-xokk jinħass minn dawk li jkun preżenti, filli jibku xortihom li ntilef xi ħadd għażiż, u filli jaraw dak li għalihom huwa miraklu jseħħ quddiem għajnejhom.  Naturalment, wieħed malajr jista’ jiġih il-ħsieb li forsi d-dikjarazzjoni tal-mewt innifisha ma kinetx magħmula bil-galbu.

 

Tradizzjonalment, il-bniedem kien ikkunsidrat li jkun miet meta ma jinħasslux iktar il-polz (it-taħbit tal-qalb) u ma jinħassx in-nifs.  Dawn mhumiex metodi preċiżi, speċjalment jekk il-bniedem ikollu dawn il-funzjonijiet tiegħu dgħajfa, u għalhekk faċli li jsir żball.  Apparti dan, illum proċeduri ta’ CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) – kumpressjoni tas-sider flimkien ma’ ventilazzjoni sfurzata tal-pulmuni mill-ħalq, kif ukoll id-defibrillazzjoni jistgħu jerġgħu jqajmu dawn il-proċessi jekk magħmulin f’qasir żmien (ftit minuti) wara li jkunu waqfu.

 

Illum, il-mewt tkun meqjusa li seħħet meta ma jkunx hemm iktar attività fil-moħħ b’mod permanenti, li jitqies li jfisser li l-bniedem ma jibqax konxju, u allura jingħad li l-moħħ miet (brain dead).  Il-permanenza ta’ dan l-istat huwa importanti, għax bniedem jista’ jkun f’dan l-istat waqt koma li tista’ tkun reversibbli, meta jkun taħt l-influwenza temporanja ta’ xi drogi u xi kundizzjonijiet mediċi oħra.

 

Stat interessanti ħafna relatat ma’ dan huwa l-hypothermia, fejn it-temperatura tal-ġisem tkun taħt 35C.  F’każijiet severi, il-qalb tibda tħabbat iktar bil-mod, u tista’ wkoll tieqaf, imma dan l-istat huwa reversibbli, anke wara ħafna sigħat.

 

Eżempju wieħed kien dak ta’ mara Ingliża li inqabdet f’maltempata tas-silġ fi Spanja f’Novembru 2019.  Meta fl-aħħar waslu sa ħdejha, sabuha b’temperatura ta’ 18C u mitlufa minn sensiha.  Meta wassluha l-isptar, irnexxielhom li jirxuxtawha anke wara li qalbha kienet waqfet għal sitt sighat.3

 

Każ iktar straordinarju kien dak ta’ sebat itfal Daniżi li fl-2011 waqgħu f’ilma inġazzat ta’ 2C, u qalbhom waqfet ukoll għal madwar sitt sigħat, imma ġew kollha rxuxtati mingħajr ma jidher li kien hemm konsegwenzi fit-tul.4

 

Dan huwa r-riżultat ta’ rifless li l-bniedem u xi annimali oħra għandhom (għalkemm iktar dgħajjef) komuni mal-mammali akwatiċi, bħad-delfini u l-foki, fejn il-vini jidjiequ, ir-rata tal-qalb tonqos u l-ossiġenu jiġi pprioritizzat lejn il-moħħ u l-qalb.  Dan iseħħ meta l-ġisem iħoss il-kesħa u l-imnifsejn ikunu mxarrba, u jippermetti l-għadis għal ħinijiet twal.

 

Tassew li d-definizzjoni tal-mewt għad baqagħlha tevolvi!

 

 

1John 11:17

2Mark 5: 35-43

3https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50681489, retrieved 18/11/2020

4https://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-50630441, retrieved 18/11/2020

1John 11:17

2Mark 5: 35-43

3https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50681489, retrieved 18/11/2020

4https://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-50630441, retrieved 18/11/2020