Remittance to China + S China Sea

choi

(1) Remittance corridors  | New Rivers of Gold; Remittances from unlikely places are helping poor countries in the downturn. Economist, Apr 28, 2012.
http://www.economist.com/node/21553458
("Saudi Arabia is now the world’s biggest sender of remittances after America, posting $27 billion in 2010, mostly to the families of South Asians and Africans who toil on its building sites and clean its homes. * * * worldwide, the [Gulf] region sends almost as many remittances to poor countries as western Europe does")

My comment: It is surprising that China receives so much remittance (from Hong Kong, US and Japan, in that order).

(2) The South China Sea | Shoal Mates; America’s navy riles China in its backyard. Economist, Apr 28, 2012.
http://www.economist.com/node/21553474

Quote:

"It [US] has a mutual-defence treaty with the Philippines, which an American general this month described as 'self-explanatory.' However, the treaty fails to spell out whether America would help defend Philippine-claimed territory if it was also claimed by China. In this way, America keeps China guessing as to where the tripwire for armed conflict is buried.

"The ambiguity of China’s behaviour [and claims over South China Sea] may be like the ambiguity of America’s defence treaty with the Philippines: it keeps antagonists guessing. But chicken can be a dangerous game.

Note:
(a) Regarding "plays chicken," see Chicken (game)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_(game)
(b) The article says, 'Tensions were high because a real mix-up between China and the Philippines was already taking place."

mix-up (n):
": a state or instance of confusion
* * *
3: CONFLICT, FIGHT"
www.m-w.com