US Govt Polls Asian Journalists about Obama

Are you a journalist in Asia? Obama wants to hear from you!

The US State Department has started looking for feedback from journalists in Asia about Obama’s speech tomorrow. (No pressure, Mr. Speechwriter!)

Here’s the email that has been sent to local media in Hong Kong.

What do you think?

Seeking your reaction to President Obama’s speech

U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: Mark Ndesandjo

President Oba Mao Heads to China

China is gearing up for Barack Obama’s upcoming visit.

As pictures from Wen Xue City show, the T-shirt vendors are already warmed up, Mr President!

(While in Ireland this summer, people referred to the US President as O’Bama, as in O’Brien.)

My question: Will Obama meet with his half-brother Mark Ndesandjo who lives in Shenzhen?

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: Mark Ndesandjo

Rumors: Obama’s China and Japan ambassadors

Chris Nelson of Samuels International has the latest rumors on Obama’s appointments for China and Japan ambassadorships:

Many Loyal Readers ask who we are hearing for Obama’s Ambassador to China, now that it does appear the candidates for Japan have been narrowed to Joe Nye and Joe Nye.

If Harvard Prof. Nye is formally offered, and accepts, no group on earth will be more relieved than Japanese journalists here, who have been reporting this as a “done deal” for weeks.

But to be serious, it DOES sound as though the deal is about to be done…so stay tuned.

Whether it comes before Secretary of State Clinton’s North Asia ramble next week (due in Tokyo Feb. 12, then the ROK, winding up in Beijing around Feb. 19) is anyone’s guess.

Sources say A/S EAP Chris Hill, to be succeeded at some point this Spring by Kurt Campbell, will accompany Clinton, something of a “farewell tour” for him, before he leaves for Baghdad.

Parenthetically, several Loyal Readers asked why we didn’t “report” Hill’s selection for Iraq, and the answer is…in the past, whenever we got a rumor of Hill’s job future, we always emailed it to him, and usually within the hour, got a cheerfully “colorful” denial.

This time…nothing either way. So upon reflection, we should have taken Sherlock Holmes’ advice on the dog who didn’t bark, and run with it. Anyhow…next time.

Oh…this started out about “names” for China…

Informed indications are that this posting is seen as VERY important by Obama personally, so don’t be surprised if the final selection is someone who fits several criteria, not the least being a Big Player close to the President himself.

This does not rule out in advance the names we DO hear…but it should put into perspective what the judgment criteria will likely be.

We’ve written in the past that there are two basic types of “lists”…the “this person MUST be given a job, where shall we place?”, and, “this is an important JOB, who can we send?”

In their new book, “Difficult Transitions”, two folks who just happen to be major State Department decision-makers, Deputy Secretary Jim Steinberg, and soon-to-be officially nominated Kurt Campbell A/S EAP, somewhat more cheekily talk about three criteria:

“The Worthies”, defined as recognized experts but not necessarily Big Names or Political Players; “The Allstars”, meaning Big Players who might also be “Must hire…somewhere”; and “The Usual Suspects”…folks who always manage to get their names on lists, but who may not have much more chance for a job than me or thee.

We have far more sense than to even THINK about characterizing the following by ANY possible category, but think it IS useful to see this list of unusually high-quality names, folks with real depth in China affairs, and the USG, going back many years:

Most frequently mentioned, NOT in order, are National Committee on US-China Relations president Steve Orlins, and major political/Obama donor John Thornton, he of the Thornton Center at Brookings…home of the newly-minted Senior Director for Asia, NSC, Jeff Bader;

And in the China specialist/academic cone, most frequently noted are former Clinton DAS Susan Shirk, former Clinton NSC Ken Lieberthal, and David Shambaugh, professor at George Washington U here, and recognized expert on PLA modernization, especially vis-a-vis Taiwan.

For discussion purposes, we asked an informed source “what about Robert Rubin?” and got back, “not confirmable…you know why…”

(Hint…think Citibank, think Daschle, think too much money, think “just too hot right now…”)

If any Loyal Readers think THEY should have been on this list, our lunch calendar is open….you know what to do…

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: David Shambaugh, John Thornton, Joseph Nye, Ken Lieberthal, Kurt Campbell, Mark Ndesandjo, Robert Rubin, Susan Shirk

Best Obama Front Pages in the Middle East

Or, more accurately, those that I could find. Send over images of others if you can find them! (Press “more” below to get the full posting.

(more…)

Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Mark Ndesandjo, Newpaper front pages

Best Obama Front Pages of Asia

I gathered a collection of the best Obama front pages from across Asia. Coverage was understated in many newspapers – including Indonesia, which I found a little surprising. (Malaysia’s Star marked the occasion with a call to fight Dengue.) Press the “more” button if you only see 4 front pages. (more…)

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Mark Ndesandjo

Make your own Obama icon

Funny website put up by Paste Magazine allows you to make your very own Obama icon.

I chose the Dude, of course.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Mark Ndesandjo

Video of Mark Ndesandjo playing piano

Below is a Chinese TV report on Mark Ndesandjo’s concert in Shenzhen to benefit a Chinese orphanage. By now, Mark should be on a flight to Washington for the inauguration.

Barack Obama’s half-brother who lives in China, running an Internet company, you can find out more information at the profile page I have compiled on Mark Ndesandjo.

Posted on the Chinese video sharing website Youku, the clip made the front page. This implies a wide awareness of Ndesandjo among the Chinese population. The anonymity that Ndesandjo has tried to maintain may well be over now. The reluctant celebrity has hit it big!

(h/t to Alex Bowman)

Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Mark Ndesandjo

Obama half-brother plays Jazz for Shenzhen fundraiser

SHENZHEN, CHINA: A fundraiser last night in Shenzhen featured a unique jazz pianist: Barack Obama’s half-brother.

As I have detailed in the past – and on this profile page about Mark Ndesandjo – Obama’s half-brother has lived in the south China boomtown city of Shenzhen for more than seven years.

The event was organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China to benefit Orphans in Shenzhen, South China and Sichuan via The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. The China Foundation is sanctioned by both the Chinese Central Government and the United Nations, according to the AmCham.

Ndesandjo is co-chair of the fundraising committee, along with the AmCham president, Harley Seyedin.

Entry was RMB99 (US$14) at the door for an evening of food, drink, great music and a chance to meet the US Consul General and community leaders. Attendees were urged to donate an additional 999 RMB (US$145).

Ndesandjo did not work to publicize his link with Obama in the email or poster publicity. He has worked to support an orphanage in Shenzhen for many years and has never pushed for recognition as Obama’s half-brother.

Ndesandjo started a chain of restaurants in southern China called Cabin BBQ and the publicity for the fundraiser referred to him as a strategic market consultant. This is a reference to his company, World Nexus, that helps Chinese companies set up websites for export.

At the concert, Ndesandjo had “a thin mustache, shaved head and a gold stud in his left earlobe,” the AP reported.

Any mention of Barack Obama?

He told the crowd that chamber president, Harley Seyedin, was fond of the president-elect. Ndesandjo added, “I like my president, too!” That was the closest he came to mentioning Barack Obama.

He also said that would be flying to Washington on Saturday, failing which he would “lose face”.

He played – at times hunched over the keyboard in passion – as his Chinese wife watched, the AP reported. The songs he played began with a Chinese tune called “Liuyang River” followed by what he said was “Chopin’s First Nocturne” and finally a jazz tune by Fats Waller called “Viper’s Drag.”

The event raised a grand total of RMB250,000 (US$36,558).

After the charity event, Ndesandjo chatted with friends and shook hands as he slowly walked out of the venue pursued by journalists hoping for a comment. He slipped into an elevator and continued to ignore questions as the door slowly closed, AP said.

UPDATE: Brent Deverman of Shenzhenparty.com attended the party and took some great photos (two of which appear above.)

Popularity: 6% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Cabin BBQ, China, Mark Ndesandjo, Shenzhen

Possible Obama Ambassadors to Japan and China

Chris Nelson of Samuels International offers the latest speculation in Washington about Obama’s Ambassadorships to Tokyo and Beijing.

He suggests Bob Rubin??!! who recently quit Citi.

Anyone have further thoughts?

On Monday, we inadvertently started a Japanese media feeding frenzy on who will be Obama’s Ambassador to Tokyo, with a one line comment, “think Joe Nye“.

Last night we noted that Nye himself was being equivocal on whether he was being asked, and whether he would say yes.

Today, there’s a report saying newly-retired Republican Sen. (and big Obama booster) Chuck Hagel, is on the list for Japan.

He isn’t. Tonite, we can supply the answer to some of the “facts”, and more importantly, how to assess the “ambassadorial” reports.

-0-

AMBASSADORS…there are lists, and there are lists. The only lists which really have been
discussed and vetted at the Obama level are of Major Players, in quotes, for whom a Big Job simply HAS to be found, Transition sources make very clear in private conversation.

So when someone tells you so-and-so is on the list for Tokyo, Beijing, London, et al, ask yourself whether they qualify on the basis of a “must hire” senior player…or because those are important postings, and someone important should be picked.

So…Chuck Hagel, Richard Danzig,  Susan Rice, maybe even Robert Rubin (who formally quit Citi today)…folks like that are talked about at the Obama Himself level.

These are people personally important to Obama, about whom the question is raised by Obama and his top decision-makers, “what do we offer them?”

What is NOT (yet) taking place at the Obama level is “who are we going to put in country-X”?

Of course there ARE conversations at the senior affected Transition level, sounding out potential candidates for key postings, and that of course includes Beijing, Tokyo, NATO and so forth.

What this means is that after the election, and through this week, conversations at the Obama level were held with folks like Hagel, to be specific, in terms of “what would you like?”

And the conversation included a possible list of jobs, including ambassadorships which Hagel might accept, along with other things.

Our sources say (and New America Foundation blogmeister Steve Clemons reports today) that Hagel politely declined the opportunity to serve in Beijing, Tokyo and London, because he didn’t want to uproot his family, and because he has just launched a new venture with former World Bank president James Wolfensohn.

-0-

JAPAN…Beijing…as noted, we inadvertently started a media feeding frenzy on who Obama will pick for Tokyo, and there’s starting to be one, now, for Beijing.

The “story” on professor and co-author with Rich Armitage of the Nye-Armitage Report of
2000…Harvard’s Joe Nye…has been on a roller coaster all week.

The informed consensus today is that with Hagel (above) clearly saying “thanks, but no thanks” to any ambassadorial slot, the path remains potentially open for Nye IF the Obama folks (with Hillary Clinton’s team playing a role) chose.

It seems clear that informal discussions have been held with Nye, at some level, and that the situation today is that Nye hasn’t said yes, and he hasn’t said no.

However, a cautionary note when you get into discussing “who’s on The List”, and you are not at the Danzig/Rice/Hagel level…the discussion will be more focused on the posting, and the utility of the candidate TO the posting, than on the candidate, and where can he/she be placed?

So, purely for the sake of discussion, while to us Asia/Japan hands, Joe Nye clearly is a nifty choice to send to Japan, for reasons we need not bother to enumerate…ask yourself what happens if Obama and his top people have been asking themselves, “what do we do for Robert Rubin?”

Rubin, who played a major “confidence building” role for Obama’s economic and financial positioning, during the Campaign, formally resigned from Citi today…and there are those who closely monitor the Transiton who say you need to put Rubin on any list for both Tokyo and Beijing.

Our point: make sure you can balance the candidate with the job, and can calculate which is the critical decision-factor, when weighing all the delicious gossip now flowing freely.

And always remember, shocking as it may seem, some folks are, gasp, actually ambitious enough to float rumors about themselves. So always ask yourself why you are hearing what you are hearing, when you hear it.

Still my beating heart…

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: Ambassadors, Barack Obama, beijing, China, Chris Nelson, Chuck Hagel, Japan, Joseph Nye, Mark Ndesandjo, Richard Danzig, Robert Rubin, Samuels International, Susan Rice, Tokyo

Early Assessment of Obama’s Asia team UPDATED

From Chris Nelson at Samuels International

Anyone know more about these people or possible other picks?

UPDATE ON NAMES AT BOTTOM OF POSTING.

Summary:

The Asia-focused summary is: Amb. Jeff Bader to replace Dennis Wilder as the NSC’s Senior Director, Asia; Kurt Campbell to replace Chris Hill as Asst. Sec. State EAP…barring some currently unforeseen event.

It seems likely Obama will take a major Asia trip early in his presidency, with best bet being Indonesia. Question in the air…China but not Japan, or Japan but not China? Best bet…Japan first.

Nothing solid yet on Amb. to Japan, but sources today say think Joe Nye. Deputy Sec. State will be Jim Steinberg, long experienced in China and E. Asia issues. Dep. Sec DOD will be Bill Lynn, a proven adult supervisor of finance and management.

Sec St-designee Hillary Clinton current plans are to have the major existing crises the direct responsibility of a plethora of Special Envoys. The following seem nearly certain, with the usual caveats:

Middle East (Israel/Palestine) Richard Haass; Iran, Dennis Ross; South Asia (Pakistan/India) Dick Holbrooke; N. Korea, Wendy Sherman likely but other names remain in play, including Mitchell Reiss.

With the security “triumvirate” of National Security Advisor Gen. Allen, reinforced by Panetta and Blair, and backed-up by Vice President Biden and his staff…you have to think that the Obama White House will be the center of decision-making on foreign and defense policy issues.

Deeper Assessment:

NAMES…to the extent that discussion is possible, given that few of these “will be nominated” folks HAVE actually been officially announced…

The selection of former Clinton DOD DAS Kurt Campbell to take over as A/S EAP from Chris Hill came as a surprise to many of the political players who had assumed that he would go back to DOD…but others point out that his co-founder at the Center for National Security, Michelle Flournoy, already had been picked by Secretary Gates as Undersecretary for Policy.

Back in Clinton times, Campbell helped raise DOD’s foreign policy profile, and was deeply involved in the initial stages of re-defining the US-Japan strategic relationship, and in particular the Okinawa/Futenma relocation problem.

(DOD postings remain a tad more nebulous that we’d like, especially as sources tend to forget that the “Lawless DAS” position was upgraded not just by Richard’s performance, but also in law to an A/S slot for Jim Shinn. With that caveat, it sounds clear that CSIS’s Derek Mitchell will be a high-level Asia policy appointment at DOD…stay tuned.)

More than a decade later, Futenma remains on the front-burner as a “difficult issue” in the relationship. Then and in the interim, Campbell has been deeply involved in all major US-N. Asia issues, and lately in developing better coordination of energy/environmental policy by the US and its friends and allies in Asia.

Campbell’s selection (offered and accepted, but not announced) helps explain why the chief of the Obama Asia Advisors, Amb. Jeff Bader, of Brookings, is the pick to replace Dennis Wilder at the NSC as Senior Director for Asia.

Bader’s selection has been widely reported in Asia, but not officially announced by Obama. Bader started life at State under Jimmy Carter, helping then-A/S Holbrooke navigate Congressional waters. His long Asia experience includes postings at USTR and the NSC.

The NSC funding situation…always perilous at best…is currently something of a crisis, and may delay announcements of staff under Bader, and the other Senior Directors…so we’ll forbear possible names pending developments.

As is frequently the case with the NSC, staff with “portable salaries” from State, DOD, CIA et al may end up with jobs which might otherwise have been open to more “political” appointments from academe or Capitol Hill.

Funding is not likely to be a problem for Hillary Clinton, as she reportedly intends to turn over management of many (if not all) current crises to Special Envoys.

As noted in the Summary, picked for the Iran portfolio is long-time Middle East expert, and former State official Dennis Ross, despite reported opposition from “liberal” critics who feel he has from time to time been more critical of Israel than they would like.

As Special Envoy for the Israel/Palestine tragedy, the pick is Richard Haass, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a frequent contributor of Op Eds, interviews and position papers with a special focus on Middle East issues…see the most recent on the outbreak of fighting in Gaza.

Richard Holbrooke, chairman of the Asia Society, author of the Dayton Peace Accords, former A/S EAP under Carter, et al, will be Special Envoy for India/Pakistan, now that issues have been settled regarding how he reports directly to Clinton, and not also to the President.

A final Special Envoy of great interest to Asia is for N. Korea, and we understand that the decision is leaning toward former Albright counselor Wendy Sherman, who will return in the Counselor role, but possibly “dual hat” on the DPRK.

For that perhaps thankless portfolio, other names may yet be in play, including former Colin Powell Policy Planning chief, and non-proliferation expert Mitchell Reiss, now at The College of William & Mary.

Asian press speculation that Chris Hill would remain on the DPRK job is wrong, sources here agree, despite Hill’s close ties to Clinton via Holbrooke.

The non-proliferation crisis…and that’s what it is, given Pakistan, N. Korea, Iran et al…has attracted a number of folks with deep experience, but for now, it looks like former Clinton NSC official Ivo Daalder will be returning to the NSC, while former Clinton DPRK negotiator Bob Einhorn will be Undersecretary of State for “T”, the non-proliferation shop.

Obviously important for Asia will be UnderSec State Econ, and the pick reportedly is Lael Brainard, who had been in play for USTR, and who coincidentally is married to Kurt Campbell.

(The couple have two small children, so if both appointments come as expected, perhaps they can persuade State to establish a day care center as excellent as that out at the CIA?)

Clinton’s pick to head Policy Planning is said to be Princeton professor Anne Marie Slaughter, the esteemed dean of the Woodrow Wilson School.

Undersecretary for P, political affairs, will remain the very respected Bill Burns…a great relief to everyone in the building, it must be noted.

UPDATE:
NAMES…feedback from Monday’s Report was, as usual, swift and useful, and so far the only major “correction” required seems to be our assertion that the Council on Foreign Relations’ Richard Haass will be the Special Envoy for Israel/Palestine.

In meetings today with colleagues, and in other venues, Haas has firmly claimed “no conversation” by phone or other methods, with the Obama folks on this job.

So if that proves to be the eventual outcome, the question of “who” for this vital slot remains…any Loyal Readers who think they know, know what to do!

Reliable blog information on the A/S Middle East at State lists former Amb. to Egypt and Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, as the likely nominee…if so a very well-received posting.

It’s also necessary to clarify the situation on Special Envoy for North Korea,  to report that former State Dept councilor Wendy Sherman has been offered that job, but NOT a return to her old job, in combination, as we incorrectly reported.

The net is that the Special Envoy for NK may therefore remain open, and as we noted last night, possible “names” include former State Dept Policy Planning chief Mitchell Reiss, and today we are reminded that former negotiator Dan Poneman, at the Scowcroft Group, should be included…IF it turns out that Sherman does not accept the posting.

Other gossip…and we stress no solid foundation (yet) for this…has former Marine Gen. Chip Gregson as highly thought-of for the DOD A/S Asia slot held by Jim Shinn, succeeding Richard Lawless.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, China, Chris Nelson, Mark Ndesandjo

Video: Barack Obama’s half-brother in China

Below video report shows Mark Ndesandjo, half-brother of Barack Obama who lives in Shenzhen, China. Ndesandjo runs an Internet company that helps Chinese companies develop better websites to export and volunteers his time teaching music at an orphanage. His Mandarin sounds pretty good in the video and he appears to be practicing his Chinese calligraphy.

For more information, I have been compiling a profile of Mark Ndesandjo from Internet sources.

I have also been trying to get in touch with Ndesandjo. I share his interest in using music to help children at an orphanage. (His interest in the orphanage seems fully sincere and not at all political. Chinese-language media reports on him playing piano in the orphanage long precede Obama’s rise to global prominence.) For my part, I have been working a range of programs at the Po Leung Kuk orphanage in Hong Kong for seven years that are supported by the super fun Foreign Correspondents Club Charity Ball. If anyone knows Mark, please ask him to get in touch!

Enjoy the video.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, China, Mark Ndesandjo, Obama

Mark Ndesandjo

Mark Ndesandjo is president Barack Obama’s half-brother who lives in Shenzhen, teaches piano at an orphanage and runs an Internet company, World Nexus, that helps Chinese companies export to the US.

The company website says they assist Chinese companies set up websites for foreign customers. Their motto: “Good Communication is Good Business”.

Boilerplate says Worldnexus is registered with the Shenzhen city government and under the Chinese name 天下(TIAN XIA).

I did an earlier blog posting about the World Nexus.

Above photo is from Shenzhen Daily article published Nov 6 that had an amusing “only in China” anecdote:

After Ndesandjo’s identity was revealed, the wine producers of Shenyang Dragon Medical Co. Ltd., Liaoning Province, invited Ndesandjo to be their product spokesman. Ndesandjo turned down the offer, saying that he would think about it after the election.

If anyone knows him, please let me know. I’d like to request a video interview for my blog. Sounds like he has carved out a very interesting life in Shenzhen.

- From Chinese-language sources in Chination Report:

Mark teaches piano in an orphanage, according to a March 2004 article in the Nanfangnet Daily:

Mark doesn’t have much money. His goal is to bring the art of music to the orphans. He believed an orphan’s life needs not only the essentials. The arts are needed, too. Mark began teaching piano lessons at the orphanage every week – at least until events of this year overtook him. Since 2002, Mark has taught several dozen piano students. Two of his students studied with him for more than two years, one is Xing Yun, who went on to college in Guangzhou. The other is Long Ben.

From a CD cover that Mark produced:

Mark is a writer, painter and composer who spends most of his time in Asia and USA. He was born in Kenya. He studied at Brown and Stanford Universities. He published 3 CDs and one book. The book’s title is Observations in Africa and others. This (semi-autobiographical) book is about a young Kenyan man who immigrated to the US and lived in a metropolitan city there. He studied Communications and worked at Lucent Technologies and Notel Networks in high positions. His hobbies included sky diving, skiing and surfing.

Mark’s business ventures:
While dining, Sui came up with a plan: Instead of just consulting, why not also open a barbeque stand? This idea excited Mark a lot. He said he wanted to open such stands in Kenya to introduce grilled tofu and potato chips to his countrymen. While enjoying their beer and chips, they drew up a business plan on a piece of scrap paper. They even designed a menu. Mark insists that it has to be natural. He wanted a very simple, unpretentious hut instead of a fancy restaurant. They named the hut-restaurant Cabin BBQ. At the end of 2003, the first Cabin BBQ was opened in Shenzhen, adjacent to their existing information consulting office.

As of today, Cabin BBQ has seven branches, including one in Yingchuan in the northwest of China, far away from Shenzhen. They are also planning on entering the Kenyan market with their next Cabin BBQ. Sui said, “From a simple joke out of desperation to a viable business, we feel like we’re in a dream!” Thanks to the opening of their first Cabin BBQ, which became a very successful, profitable business, they were able to pay themselves a salary while covering the overhead of the consulting firm, which is still not profitable.

- According to a 2004 article in News Guangdong

MARK NDESANDJO has been teaching children at the Shenzhen Social Welfare Center how to play piano since June 2002. A successful businessman in telecommunications, Ndesandjo is also a self-taught musician.

“When I first came to Shenzhen from Florida (in the United States) two years ago, I started collecting VCRs, DVDs and pianos from my classmates in the executive MBA program in Atlanta, Georgia and donated them to the welfare center,” said Ndesandjo.

But soon Ndesandjo found that every time he went there, it seemed like a big party. “Children were dressed up and organized to meet us,”he said.

“The children here don’t need food, but there is no art, or music to appreciate. Music connects human beings on the spiritual level and can have a lasting impression on the children, so I thought of setting up a program in arts education in the center,” said Ndesandjo.

- According to Roger Cohen in the NY Times

Obama’s half brother, Mark, the one in China, he’s described as studying physics at Stanford in the 1980s. “The things Mark studies are so complicated only a handful of people really understand it at all,” Ruth enthuses.

But Mark, “a black man of my height and complexion,” tells Obama his work’s a breeze. He expresses limited interest in their shared father who died in 1982 at 46: “Life’s hard enough without all the excess baggage,” he muses.

- Here is Mark’s Linked In profile. He has three connections as of Nov 6.

- While at Emory in 2000, Mark co-wrote a paper on New Applications for Global Positioning Systems.

A video report from Chinese TV Mark:

Appreciate details on how to get in touch.

Popularity: 82% [?]

Technorati Tags: Mark Ndesandjo, World Nexus