Random thoughts on the world today

Today, instead of one topic, I want to share a few random thoughts with my readers.

- REBECCA SUN

In two weeks' time, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will be the two most powerful men on Planet Earth. Xi has unilaterally claimed that the entire South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea are territories of China and is backing his claim with military and naval forces. This claim violates international law and the territorial sovereignty of several countries, including the Philippines.

Xi has also publicly said that he intends to use military force to claim the island of Taiwan, even though the overwhelming majority of the Taiwanese people have elected national leaders who have openly said that they will oppose this violation of Taiwan's independence.

Donald Trump, the American president-elect, has already said that he wants to annex Greenland, a territory of Denmark, and the Panama Canal, which belongs to the Republic of Panama. In a recent interview, Trump was asked if he was willing to take the military option of acquiring these territories "off the table." This means that he is not willing to renounce the use of military force in the acquisition of these territories as an option.

Trump has also declared interest, whether seriously or not, in making Canada the 51st state of the United States. He has also said that he intends to rename the Gulf of Mexico into the Gulf of America because, according to him, "We own it."

Both Xi and Trump have clearly shown that their objective is territorial expansion, using force if necessary. I repeat that these two will be the most powerful leaders in the world.