Economic Reality for Alaska’s Asian Neighbors

Alaska(><)Philippines Connections 8

Asia is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, the Red Sea (as well as the inland seas of the Atlantic Ocean—the Mediterranean and the Black) to the southwest, and Europe to the west. Asia is separated from North America to the northeast by the Bering Strait and from Australia to the southeast by the seas and straits connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Isthmus of Suez unites Asia with Africa, and it is generally agreed that the Suez Canal forms the border between them. Two narrow straits, the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, separate Anatolia from the Balkan Peninsula.

Over the last six months in Philippines this writer has become interested in the Balance of Power between Asian countries as it relates to the economic interface between USA and China. This interest began with recognizing the enormity of Asia--as the the world’s largest and most ethnically diverse continent--upon which the Philippine Archipelago is just a pimple on its butt. Asia occupies the eastern four-fifths of the giant Eurasian landmass. Asia has both the highest and lowest points on the surface of Earth, the longest coastline of any continent, and is subject overall to the world’s wildest climate extremes.

[1]Asia, Encyclopedia Britannica

The population of Asia is 4,760,834,134 representing 59.76% of the world population. The current population of South-Eastern Asia, which includes Philippines, is 688,331,266 as of Saturday, July 1, 2023, based on the latest United Nations estimates. (Google)

And, while we in the West have fought a civil war for equality of the races during the mid-1800s, diversity is an inadequate word to describe the variety range of people residing throughout Asia. Viewed from a tall location in Manila, people can be seen moving around like the abundant ants that also crowd anyplace food is available here.

Map of the political boundaries of Asia.

Encyclopedia Britannica describes Asia’s influence on the world thus: Asia is the birthplace of all the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism—and of many minor ones. Of those, only Christianity developed primarily outside of Asia. Christianity exerts little influence on the Asian continent, though many Asian countries have Christian minorities. Of course, Philippines is a Christian dominant country after being part of the Spanish Empire some 333 years, and has enjoyed a special relationship with USA since we bought it for $20 million from Spain as spoils of the Spanish-American war.

[2]Treaty of Paris concluded the Spanish-American War on December 1, 1898.

No outside force will likely ever again take ownership of Philippines, but China’s bully behavior is starting to piss off not only Philippines, but most of it’s Asian neighbors as well. China was once the preeminent power in the world. Chinese leadership takes the long view that it will return to that position of world supremacy again now that it has caught on to how Capitalism works—as the greatest force for good in history—feeding millions of people who previously perished under other economic systems.

Communist China knows Capitalism has been good for Alaska, too.

Asian Political Cauldron

I do not pretend to know everything about the nature of Asian politics, but after reading a couple of books and following some other writers who provide verifiable references for their postings, I am developing some general ideas about things Alaskans might not know about the neighborhood to our west. As part of my investigation into Alaska(><)Philippine Connections I will continue to outline in general terms some of my observations with fact-based sources.

Some 49 countries make up Asia.

In 2007, the USA’s gross domestic product was almost four times bigger than China’s. Within four years, the USA’s (nominal) GDP was only twice as big, with China poised to become the world’s biggest economy in purchasing power parity terms in late 2014. The resulting trade deficit is pictured below:

Aftermath of WWII

While Washington emerged as the undisputed global hegemon after the utter devastation of European powers and Japan in the Second World War, China’s purported bid for hegemony is anchored by an unprecedented period of prosperity in East Asia and the emergence of Beijing (China) as an indisputable economic partner for the West as well as powerhouse for the developing world.

[3]Asia’s New Battlefield; the USA, China and the struggle for the Western Pacific, p-4

China’s thirst for supremacy and willingness to use unscrupulous practices to get whatever it wants, has made it a sometimes malevolent political force willing to buy politicians if necessary.

New Pre-Pandemic Communist pals met in Anchorage, Alaska, on a refueling stop after Chinese President Xi Jinping had met with American President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Largo in Florida. Also meeting between Gov. Bill Walker with Xi were Lt Gov Byron Mallott and Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. Xi was likely amused at the bumpkins Alaskans elect to public office after just having a meeting with Pres. Trump.

[4]Asia Matters for America, May 3, 2017

Mercifully, Gov. Walker was not re-elected and the Liquefied Natural Gas Proposal political football continues to be kicked around by public officials even after previous Gov. Sarah Palin and the Alaska Legislature had GIVEN $500 million to the Trans-Canada Corporation (Now known as TC Energy) for pre-construction studies and other work efforts that never resulted in a single spade of dirt being lifted. Palin quit as governor to run in a chaotic campaign for Vice-President with John McCain against Barack Obama in his re-election bid as USA President.

Some Alaska Politicians are shameless, with Palin even running for the U.S. House of Representatives from Alaska assuring that a liberal Democrat Mary Peltola would win in 2022 under a voting scheme worthy of a 3^rd World Country.

[5]Shame of Alaska: Jungle Primary>Ranked Choice Voting