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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Council President Charles Michel walk together during an EU summit in Brussels on February 9. The EU and Nato should seek a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war, rather than Russia’s defeat. Photo: AP

Letters | Ukraine war: the ghost of Yamamoto is haunting the West

  • Readers discuss the lessons we should learn from Japan’s defeat in World War II, the wisdom in Hong Kong’s district council revamp, and the appeal of a Biden-Trump rematch in the 2024 presidential election
Ukraine war
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I’m a student at an international school in Beijing. This week we had an interesting lesson about the Imperial Japanese Navy commander Isoroku Yamamoto, whose plane was shot down 80 years ago by American pilots over the Pacific Ocean.

Yamamoto was a great gambler. But his strategy to defeat the Americans went terribly wrong in the early 1940s despite the early success in attacking Pearl Harbour. Yamamoto knew Japan had no hope of subduing the United States: the Japanese navy could not reach the American west coast, yet American bombers could attack Tokyo.

After the loss in the Battle of Midway, his days were numbered. He was killed in an air ambush in April 1943 and Japan was defeated in World War II two years later.

History seems to be repeating itself, with the ghost of Yamamoto apparently haunting some decision-makers in Washington and Brussels. For example, instead of finding a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict, some leaders at the European Union and Nato are dreaming about helping Ukraine to defeat a major nuclear power and capture the Russian naval base at Crimea. The US dollar is used as a weapon to execute economic sanctions.

Elon Musk has pointed out that dollar is already a victim, because when the greenback is used as a weapon over and over again, fewer countries will trust it.

Yamamoto was a brilliant tactician but a poor strategic thinker. Eighty years later, good strategic thinkers are equally hard to find. It seems being politically correct is more important than formulating a wise strategy to end the conflict and finding a way for Europe to live and let live with Russia.

Adam Zhu, Beijing

Efficient Legco shows wisdom of district council reform

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s proposed reform of district councils will certainly help to improve governance at the district level.
After the massive disruption in the wake of the 2019 protests, it’s time for district councils to get back to their role as a consultative body focusing on local affairs. Lee’s reform will enable this and effectively safeguard national security.

We have learned the painful lesson from 2019 that there must be an effective mechanism to properly screen candidates and implement the principle of patriots administering Hong Kong.

Under the proposed reform, district councillors will be composed of three groups of members – those directly appointed by the chief executive, those selected by three committees, and those directly elected. Such a mix would be conducive to good governance on the local level. It would prevent populism and allow the government to invite high-calibre patriots to join the district councils.

Take the Legislative Council as an example. Since the electoral revamp, relations between the government and legislature have greatly improved. We no longer see the animosity and incitement of hatred by lawmakers as in the past. The new members elected by Election Committee members perform their duty diligently and consider the overall interests of Hong Kong when dealing with issues. Under the new system, we get things done.

No political system is universally applicable. The one-person-one-vote electoral system touted by the West, with its dark underbelly of enabling populism, does not solve every problem.

Political systems must suit the actual circumstances of a place, and in Hong Kong, that means falling in line with the “one country, two systems” framework.

We trust that the reformed district council, as a genuine consultative body, will better serve the public.

Holden Chow, Legislative Council member and DAB vice-chairman

US presidential race needs an injection of youth

The rivalry between two contenders for the US presidency in the 2024 election, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, reminds me of a 1993 comedy film starring Jack Lemon and Walter Matthau, Grumpy Old Men. In the movie, the two friends turn rivals after they fall for the same woman.
The last US presidential election was a fierce competition between Trump and Biden. Now with Biden announcing he would run for re-election, the Republicans did not miss the chance to attack him via a video warning of a dystopian future if he were to remain in office for another term.
Yet what good candidates can we expect to show up on the Republican Party campaign trail? It is still the babbling Trump, grudge-filled and facing not a few court challenges.
Biden was dubbed “Sleepy Joe” by Trump for his lack of energy. His frequent gaffes, such as calling out for a deceased congresswoman at an event, are held up to make him a laughing stock. If he is re-elected, he will be 86 by the time he finishes his term.

Biden is the oldest president in American history. But then Trump is only four years younger and did not make any brilliant presidential accomplishments while in office.

I do not wish to discriminate against old men, but evidently younger presidents such as JF Kennedy and Bill Clinton were good examples of young and energetic presidents who accomplished a lot.

Though I am not American, I received a good education from this great nation, and wish to see it led by some younger and better political talent. I really would not like to see the sequel of Grumpy Old Men, the Grumpier Old Men, being played in a year or so. God bless America!

Randy Lee, Ma On Shan

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