AMERICA's PROPOSED BLUE DOT NETWORK
Posted on 11/22/2019 5:55:01 PM PST by SeekAndFind
BANGKOK (AP) — Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday the U.S. will invest and trade more in Asia as it rolls out an American plan to support "sustainable" projects in Asia as a counterpoint to China's multibillion-dollar "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative.
Ross is leading a high-powered trade mission in Asia and along with national security adviser Robert O'Brien attended meetings at a regional summit that wrapped up Monday on the outskirts of Thailand's capital.
Like O'Brien, he sought to dispel suspicions that President Donald Trump's administration is disengaging with the region, a sentiment that deepened when Trump sent his adviser to the annual summit, skipping it for a second straight year in order to campaign.
"We have no intention of vacating our military or geopolitical position," Ross told reporters in a conference call.
He said many people had misinterpreted Trump's 2017 U.S. decision to pull out of a regional trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as a sign of waning interest.
"We are here permanently, and we will be continuing to invest more here, and we will be continuing to have more bilateral trade, and I'm spending much more time in the region," Ross said.
To illustrate that commitment, U.S. officials launched the Trump administration's "Blue Dot Network" on Monday at a high-powered business conference attended by 1,000 people, including more than 200 American business executives.
The plan's name is a reference to the late scientist Carl Sagan's book "Pale Blue Dot" and the photo of Earth taken by Voyager 1 from more than 4 billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away.
Speaking on the same day the U.S. formally withdrew from the Paris climate agreement, Ross said the Blue Dot Network was in its early stages but that it will include countries committed to "sustainable infrastructure development."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
That Damn Nixon is to blame for this China crap!
The US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have unveiled on Monday the American-led Blue Dot Network, a global "sustainable infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world," read an OPIC press release.
"The development of critical infrastructure—when it is led by the private sector and supported on terms that are transparent, sustainable, and socially and environmentally responsible—is foundational to widespread economic empowerment," said OPIC's David Bohigian. "Through Blue Dot Network, the United States is proud to join key partners to fully unlock the power of quality infrastructure to foster unprecedented opportunity, progress, and stability."
"This endorsement of Blue Dot Network not only creates a solid foundation for infrastructure global trust standards but reinforces the need for the establishment of umbrella global trust standards in other sectors, including digital, mining, financial services, and research," said US Department of State Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach. "Such global trust standards, which are based on respect for transparency and accountability, sovereignty of property and resources, local labor and human rights, rule of law, the environment, and sound governance practices in procurement and financing, have been driven not just by private sector companies and civil society but also by governments around the world."
"Australia is committed to promoting high-quality infrastructure, inclusive approaches, and facilitating private sector investment in the Indo-Pacific region," said DFAT Deputy Secretary Richard Maude. "I'm pleased that this commitment is shared by East Asia Summit Leaders, and we look forward to working closely with our regional partners to develop Blue Dot Network to take action on this commitment."
"Blue Dot Network is an initiative that leads to the promotion of quality infrastructure investment committed by G20 countries," said Maeda. "As JBIC has a long history of infrastructure finance all over the world, JBIC is pleased to share such experience and contribute to further development of Blue Dot Network."
Wilbur Ross, the US commerce secretary, told the Financial Times ahead of the launch: "Each blue dot is meant to be a dot on the map that will be a safe place for companies to operate if they are interested in sustainable infrastructure projects...The point is to show seriousness about the sustainability of projects."
The Blue Dot Network is being developed by the Trump administration to be a direct competitor to China's BRI.
The Lowry Institute's Asia Power Index shows the US remains the top power in Asia. Still, there are troubling signs that China is quickly gaining ground, likely to displace the US in the coming decade.
Armies need roads on which to travel. Navies need ports for re-supply and repairs.
This is so good% for the world. Support it 100%
Like a map of how a cancer intends to feed itself.
They are all over the globe like ants swarming.
But...
China offers bribes!
Bribes: it’s what Leaders want.
It’s like Brawndo...
It’s rather effective for Africa. Giving African regimes a ton of money and not hectoring them about human rights like the West does is how they’ve managed to Re-colonize the continent.
But unlike China, the US doesn’t try to take over their country
“the U.S. will invest and trade more in Asia as it rolls out an American plan to support “sustainable” projects in Asia”
Hey, I gotta crazy idea. Howzabout we not invest in infrastructure for Asia, and spend that same money here?
Blue dot. Market based, Environmentally responsible.
Translation, America pays to build cool things for them, and everything has to pass the “carbon test”.
Very effective in Africa, but not just there.
“US Overseas Private Investment Corporation”
Funny name for a US government agency.
Personally, I don’t want anything to do with “Socially & Environmentally Responsible” or “Open & Inclusive” organizations. I guess having an index of everyone I wish to boycott could come in handy.
Blue Dot is a popular brand of gun powder. One spark is all it needs.
https://www.alliantpowder.com/products/powder/blue_dot.aspx
Keep our powder dry Mr. President.
Voyager 1 – the Pale Blue Dot
This image, captured by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft on February 14, 1990, is the one Sagan was talking about. It was taken when Voyager 1 was about 6.4 billion kilometres (4 billion miles) from Earth. In this image, the entirety of the planet takes up less than a single pixel; in fact, NASA calculated that we’re only 0.12 pixel in size. Sagan pushed the agency to capture images of all the planets in the Solar System, to create a family portrait seen from Voyager’s distant position.
Opportunity Rover – the Earth from the Surface of Mars
Here’s an image of Earth captured from the surface of another planet. In this case, we’re seeing Earth from Mars, as photographed by NASA’s Mars rover Opportunity on April 29, 2005. Normally operating only in the Martian day, Opportunity woke up a little after sunset, and captured this image of Earth as the stars were starting to come out. The image of Earth looks a little elongated because it was moving slightly during the 15-second exposures. Imagine what some future Martian might see, stepping out onto the surface of the Red Planet in the dusky twilight to see our bright planet in the sky.
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