They might have lost, but our women played their part in a glorious final

Letters to the editor

China’s silent surge: from panda to dragon

Sir,

China has embarked on a military build-up unprecedented in human history.

On land, it is deploying intercontinental ballistic missiles with multiple nuclear warheads capable of reaching every corner of the globe.

At sea, it has launched powerful new warships and nuclear submarines designed to ensure maritime supremacy.

In the air, stealth aircraft and hypersonic missiles are already redefining the boundaries of aerial warfare.

Beyond the skies, China’s growing space force is establishing dominance in the cosmos.

Its mastery of artificial intelligence is expected to make it the world’s most powerful nation by 2030. Napoleon once warned, “When the Chinese dragon awakens, the world will tremble.”

That moment has arrived. China is no longer the friendly panda – it is a strategic dragon spreading its wings across the world. Its economy, already a global colossus, is on track to surpass that of the United States by 2028 and to double it by 2050. Shanghai will eclipse New York and London as the world’s financial hub, and the yuan may soon replace the dollar as the global reserve currency.

In the realm of technology and warfare, China’s progress is breathtaking. Its space technology now rivals or surpasses that of the United States. Its advances in electronic and cyber warfare, stealth design, microwave weaponry, and artificial intelligence will revolutionise future battlefields.

China’s military scientists have developed “Assassin’s Mace” weapons capable of crippling satellites, radars, and communications systems, giving it the tools for asymmetric warfare against any adversary.

The world may soon witness a rebirth of the Chinese Dragon as a global imperial power, enforcing its influence across continents and oceans. Its growing fleet of aircraft carriers and space-based capabilities mark a fundamental shift in global power.

As China positions itself for world leadership, one thing is certain: a new world order is emerging – one shaped not by Western democracies, but by the rise of the East. | Farouk Araie Benoni

A glorious finale for women’s cricket

It was a great game of cricket, a wonderful sports spectacle and a great showpiece for women’s sports.

India beat South Africa by 52 runs and the cricket- mad nation finally lifted their first ever ICC Women’s World Cup trophy.

South Africa faced a juggernaut, a cricket-mad nation of 1.6 billion people. India had piled on a massive total of 299 and it wasn’t ever going to be easy to beat them on their home turf in Mumbai stadium in an electrifying atmosphere of 45 000 singing, screaming, drumming and dancing cricket crazy fans.

Despite the Herculean task, our women held their nerve and played well until it all went horribly wrong towards the end. The outstanding South African player was Laura Wolvaardt who had made a century both in the semi-finals and in the finals. But Laura’s efforts were not enough to see her team through and the Proteas were all out for 246.

Despite their loss we should be proud of their achievement. They lost in the final against a nation who breathe, sleep and live cricket.

It was tears for South Africa but jubilation for India. | Thyagaraj Markandan Kloof

End the violence, restore dignity

The occupation of Palestine by the Israeli regime is not a single or isolated manifestation of Zionist neo-­colonialism. It is inextricably linked to the displacement and mass atrocities tearing apart Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The genocide in Gaza is driven by Israeli occupation and settler colonialism and must be condemned unequivocally, without excuse. The wars in Sudan and the DRC, fuelled by imperialist powers and their Middle East acolytes that profit from chaos, civil war, and human suffering, demand the same emphatic condemnation.

At the heart of all these struggles are innocent civilians whose lives are stolen, whose dignity is crushed, and whose voices are silenced. The world cannot look away any longer. Silence is complicity. The international community must act decisively: End the violence, hold perpetrators accountable, deliver humanitarian aid, and build just and sustainable solutions that protect life, uphold human rights, and restore dignity.

From the anti-apartheid boycotts of the 1980s to today’s calls for justice in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo, I remain unbowed in the fight against oppression, occupation, systemic cleansing and neo-colonial power.

All forms of injustice, occupation, and violence must be confronted until all people are free from economic and social injustice. | MOHAMED SAEED Pietermaritzburg

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