| Ethical | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Reporting is interpretation- Making sense out of the numbers, e.g. comparison, trend analyzing | BEIJING: China on Wednesday announced the biggest increase in defence spending in three years at 12.2% putting $130 billion in the hands of its military commanders. This is more than three times the defence allocation of $37.7 billion made by India’s finance minister P Chidambaram for 2014-15.In effect, China’s defence budget has gone up by an $18 billion rise from the previous year. This is the highest defence outlay since 2011 when the government hiked it by 12.7%.
The defence spending is particularly high compared to the relatively-modest growth target at 7.5% of gross domestic product. Some observers believe that China’s actual military expenditure is around $200 billion because a lot of expenditure is shown as civilian expenses. |
| Journalist’s Horizon- People think in the way in which they have grown accustomed to think. – India and China = Sino-Indian Border Dispute |
The high spending, which will translate in sophisticated weaponry, is bound to cause jitters among China’s neighbors. Senior officials from Japan and Taiwan have already reacted saying that actual expenditure will be a lot more because Chinese military spending is not transparent.China is expected to invest heavily on its navy to fortify its border with India, and establish claims over islands disputed by Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei in 2014. It is also expected to seek greater access to the Indian Ocean with the help of Sri Lanka. |
| Golden Mean- To strike a balance in reporting – Having both the interpretation of the reporter and a Chinese researcher as well as the Xinhua News Agency are quoted |
Chen Zhou, a researcher with the People’s Liberation Army’s Academy of Military Sciences and a member of the NPC, said. He said China was facing “increasing strategic pressure” with some countries in Asia “speeding up strategic adjustments and strengthening military alliances”, in a reference to the US “pivot”.”The comparatively low level of input into national defence, coupled with a high-risk security environment, dictates that we must raise our defence budget on a moderate scale,” the official Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying. |
| Deontology – Weigh a report with its intentions and motives • To warn its readers the possible ambitions of the PLA • Hiking the spending = means something |
The high spending, which will translate in sophisticated weaponry, is bound to cause jitters among China’s neighbors. Senior officials from Japan and Taiwan have already reacted saying that actual expenditure will be a lot more because Chinese military spending is not transparent. |
| Teleology – Judging from the consequences • Military spending is sensitive to the region • Check and balance to the Chinese government |
Chinese government experts were busy defending the high spending. “In order to protect the country and safeguard regional peace and stability, China has to enhance its national defence,” Chen Zhou, a researcher with the People’s Liberation Army’s Academy of Military Sciences and a member of the NPC, said. He said China was facing “increasing strategic pressure” with some countries in Asia “speeding up strategic adjustments and strengthening military alliances”, in a reference to the US “pivot”. |
| Fairness – To be fair – Quote and quote from Li’s speech |
Presenting his first budget to the National People’s Congress, the Chinese parliament, premier Li Keqiang said that his government would “strengthen research on national defence and the development of new- and high-technology weapons and equipment”. |
Unethical
1. The Golden Mean (中庸之道)
– avoid extremity and always choose a path in between.
– make sound ethical decisions for the right reasons
a. Subjective words“ Chinese government experts were busy defending the high spending. “In order to protect the country and safeguard regional peace and stability…” Chen Zhou (a member of the NPC) ”
b. Bias on the views of “citing regional threats”
“ This is more than three times the defence …made by india’s..”
“China is expected to invest heavily on its navy to fortify its border(鞏固邊境) with India, and establish claims over islands disputed by Japan, Vietnam,”
c. Subjective Opinion : severity of increasing spending
“ The high spending, which will translate in sophisticated weaponry …” V.S. “(Other countries’ reacted)…expenditure will be a lot more because Chinese military spending is not transparent. ”
2. Deontology (義務論理學)
– to be rational
– consider the motives and intention
a. Depicting a horror image of rising China
“China ..announced the biggest increase in defence spending in three years at 12.2% putting $130 billion…”
“Some observers believe that China’s actual military expenditure is around $200 billion because a lot of expenditure is shown as civilian expenses. ”
b. Possibility of consensus politics in the report
c. making warning over giving out information / out of proportion
Three fourths of article : China’s act of severity
“The high spending…is bound to cause jitters(緊張) among China’s neighbors”
“The defence spending is particularly high compared to the relatively-modest growth target at 7.5% of ..(GDP)”
One fourths of article : China’s explanation
“ In order to protect the country and safeguard regional peace and stability, China had to…” (said Chen Zhou)
“The comparatively low level of input into national defence, coupled with a high-risk security environment…..”(quoted XinHua News)
3. Teleology (負責任的自我主義)
– judged by the relative goodness/badness of its consequences.
– the greatest good for the greatest number of people
a. Striking public with scare of China’s unknown spending
“Some observers believe that China’s actual military expenditure is around $200 billion because a lot of expenditure is shown as civilian expenses. ”
b. Making an impact / discussion on foreign relations
4. Unfairness
– Selective/ ill-defined quote from “China’s neighbor” countries“The high spending, which will translate in sophisticated weaponry, is bound to cause jitters(緊張) among China’s neighbors……Senior officials from Japan and Taiwan have already reacted saying that actual expenditure will be a lot more because Chinese military spending is not transparent. ”
5. Impartiality (objectivity or neutrality)
– news and comment are not kept separate
“Chinese government experts were busy defending the high spending..”
“The high spending, which will translate in sophisticated weaponry, is bound to cause jitters(緊張) among China’s neighbors.”
Background
印度
斯德哥爾摩國際和平研究所：2012年軍費達378.6億美元，GDP2.6%
2011 至 2012年：增11%
2012 至 2013年：增17%
2013 至 2014年：增5%
(中新社、中通社)
地區軍備競賽
英國智庫組織，國際戰略研究所(IISS)：過去一年最大防務開支增長都是在東亞
中日韓三國佔比重超過一半。中國現在的防務開支大約是印度的三倍
報告指，這些軍費支出令這個地區充滿矛盾
(BBC)
《印度時報》
創辦於1838年
印度工業家Sahu Jain家族擁有
印度最老、發行量最大英文報紙
主要讀者群中產，在國內聲譽較高
Conclusion
中印有邊界爭拗、政經領域多競爭，視中國為假想敵
1998年印度發展核武器以「中國威脅」為理由
中國威脅論深入民心，有利閱讀美語的中產接受及消化
/ Liu Ching Man, Ho Shui Man, Sum Pak Wai, Leung Wing Cheung, Zhu Jiawei, Chan Kam Yan Julia
