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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 1, 2021

China was fooled again. They thought Biden would be the same pushover he was as vice president. Oops.

Human Rights groups are amassing. Now the Beijing 2022 Olympics are a candidate for boycott. As if that’s not enough, the USS Nimitz can’t stop making headlines as it is supposed to return home in a month. It’s currently in China’s back yard pool, so to speak. The Chinese aren’t happy. But, when are they ever?

Even with Presiden Biden, Trump restrictions on China are still going into effect. China responds by banning imports on Taiwanese pineapple. But, the pineapple ban came too late. Just think how much better the world would be if China had banned those evil pineapple in a more timely fashion.

But, since the evil Taiwanese pineapple ban came too late, China had to take more drastic action. They arrested 47 people in Hong Kong who like democracy. It is rumored that they might like democracy almost as much as they like pineapple. While this can’t be confirmed, it could be that liking pineapple proved how dangerous those democracy-lovers really were. But, that is pure conjecture.

In case banning evil Taiwanese pineapple wasn’t enough to guarantee domestic safety, China also requires that clergy worship Chairman Mao. The Holy See isn’t sanguine, neither are those evil Taiwanese pineapple farmers.

Trade & Tech

The sooner Huawei can go back to using Google OS the better: USA chief security officer // Yahoo News

China

China will host the 2022 Winter Olympics while accused of genocide. Should the world boycott? // Yahoo Sports

Joe Biden to maintain Trump administration rules to limit China tech purchases:  Reports // India Blooms

Flashback
China Issues New Rules to Block Extraterritorial Reach of Foreign Law // JD Supra

China denies requiring anal swabs from US diplomats // BBC News

Beijing’s 2008 Olympics was a soft power victory for China, but 2022 may be another story // CNN

China’s economy dented as American brands cancel Xinjiang’s cotton imports // Hindustan Times

China: Baseless Imprisonments Surge in Xinjiang // Human Rights Watch

Britain to challenge China at UN over access to Xinjiang // CNN

Japan

Vietnam

South China Sea: Vietnam builds up defences against Beijing in Spratly Islands, report says // SCMP

Military Faceoff

Secretary Of Defense Flies To USS Nimitz To Thank Crew For Lengthy Deployment // NBC San Diego

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 21, 2020

Taiwan has become the center of China’s conflict with the world. One economy at a time, one government at a time, China has managed to insult the world. The Chinese have done such a good job of losing friends and alienating voters of foreign countries, not even Russia can afford the political cost of siding with China, not even to manipulate China behind a mask of feigned friendship. Don’t expect Moscow to take center-stage at China’s aid quite yet.

While the world hates China more and more every day, that hatred finds a way to express itself in love for Taiwan. Taiwan is now the grand alternative! Taiwan is the adorable poster puppy everyone should have sided with from the beginning. Taiwan needs military help, but most of all sympathy, compassion, and understanding, perhaps even grandstanding. Nothing sends the message that a nation is fed up with China like siding with adorable, cuddly Taiwan, especially on the most trivial things like medical masks or forcing Taiwan to call its team “Chinese [what the heck] Taipei” at the Olympics. Trivial things, after all, are what China loves to claim as some of the greatest threats to Communist-controlled national security.

It’s almost to the level of being an election tactic in Western democracies. Do or say something that couldn’t even hurt a fly, then China squeaks and bellows and throws such a fuss, voters love whichever politician China hates. Nothing is as adorable and benign as kindness toward Taiwan. So, that’s the story of how Taiwan became the world’s new favorite.

Trade & Tech


China Says It Will Act If U.S. Persists on WeChat, TikTok Ban // Bloomberg


China’s ByteDance aims to keep majority stake in TikTok in Oracle deal // MarketWatch

China


US spy planes posing as airliners ‘serious threat’ in South China Sea // SCMP


This Solomon Islands province is so frustrated with China’s presence that it is considering independence // CNN


Exclusive: Anthony Klan shares details on China’s Wuhan lab operating ‘covert operations’ in Pakistan // India Today


US issues new travel warning on China, Hong Kong // Taipei Times

Taiwan


Taiwan has once-in-a-lifetime chance to forge new alliances // Taiwan News


China Sends Warning to U.S. and Taiwan With Aerial Drill // NY Times


US holds its second high-profile visit to Taiwan in two months as Beijing escalates military pressure // CNN


Trump Administration readies major arms sale to Taiwan // CNN


As Europe’s China scepticism grows, a glimmer of hope for Taiwan // Aljazeera


Chinese warship sails past Taiwan’s east coast // Taiwan News


Taiwan Aims to Help Foreign Air Forces Fix F-16 Fighter Jets, a Stab at China // VOA

Hong Kong


Hong Kong Is a Troubling Case Study in the Death of Democracy // Wired

India


Chinese navy escorts Indian oil tanker in dangerous waters amid strained ties // Global Times (China Govt)

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 3, 2020

If ever there were a time when two nations didn’t want to get along, it is now. If ever there were a time when a growing group of nations decided that a single other nation never wanted to get along, it is now.

China’s security law affecting Hong Kong, defining what is a crime in every sovereign, non-China territory of the world—in a word “pretentious”. No nation’s government should ever allow a foreign government to define what is a crime within its own borders, especially a single government acting unilaterally and without counsel.

Human Rights involve laws that China directly agreed to in joining the United Nations. Human Rights sanctions over forced sterilization among Uighurs in Xinjiang in no way compare to Beijing dictating it is a crime for someone in New Zealand to voice support for free elections in Hong Kong. The Confucian-Communist Chinese don’t see the difference. They view sterilizing Uighurs as fair and international sanctions for doing so as unfair. It’s not a lie or polite statement—they really see things that way.

So, banning TikTok won’t give the Chinese any second thoughts about their aspirations and actions. Taiwan’s first democratically elected president passed away this week at 97 and the US lauded his achievement. China won’t see any need to change so as to cooperate with our democratic world today; they will only see it as an insult to China’s entitlement to greatness.

The Taiwanese chip maker TSMC provides 20% of the worlds microchips at quality of which China cannot produce any. If China invaded Taiwan and TSMC had to cease operations, China would suppose that the ability to make these chips would instantly transfer to China, where China could pick up the slack, so there would be no threat to the global tech industry.

Now, the US introduces a bill with bipartisan support for military action already approved for the US to defend Taiwan against China specifically. It’s not hard to know how China will respond. With every step, China has the same response: China’s right; the rest of the world is wrong. It’s not hard to know how the rest of the world interprets that kind of response.

Great Pacific

Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui foresaw Hong Kong’s troubles // Taiwan News

“But China’s ambition is not only for Taiwan. It’s all of Asia—and the whole world.”
China Set Its Sights on Taiwan After Hong Kong Crackdown // Bloomberg

China

Hardline only grows…
Pompeo on US crackdown of Chinese government // YouTube @ Fox News

China’s response…
Official: Pompeo’s words cannot alter general course of Sino-U.S. ties // CGTN (China Govt)

Flashback: “The only way to truly change Communist China is to act not on the basis of what Chinese leaders say, but how they behave.”
Pompeo: We must distrust and verify. // YouTube @ Just The News

TikTok: Pompeo says Trump to crack down on Chinese software in coming days // BBC News

Chinese virologist claims coronavirus came from PLA lab // Taiwan News

UK and China relationship ‘seriously poisoned’, says Beijing’s ambassador // BBC News

Videos show Chongqing hit by biggest flood of year // Taiwan News

China’s Claims to the South China Sea Are Unlawful. Now What? // NY Times

Stanford researcher and others allegedly concealed Chinese military ties // paloaltoonline.comPpalo Alto Online

China is rewriting the facts about Covid-19 to suit its own narrative // Guardian

Is TikTok Spying On You For China? // Forbes

States are warning people about suspicious packages of seeds that appear to be from China // CNN

Taiwan

US congressman introduces Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act // Taiwan News

White House, Cornell University praise Lee Teng-hui // Taipei Times

TSMC walks tightrope between US and China as Intel falls behind // CNN

New Zealand should open up for Taiwanese travelers // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong ‘issues arrest warrants’ for exiled democracy activists // Aljazeera

Benny Tai: Hong Kong university fires professor who led protests // BBC News

Hong Kong mulling postponing LegCo’s September election // Taipei Times

Japan

Korean Peninsula

A North Korean coronavirus outbreak might be the biggest threat Kim Jong Un has ever faced // CNN

Kim Jong Un says there will be ‘no more war on this earth’ thanks to North Korea’s nuclear weapons // CNN

 

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 20, 2020

Hong Kong is seriously considering shutting itself down. Many may argue that Hong Kong is certainly shutting down, but a basic understanding of humanity says that people are resilient. China claims that doing whatever China wants inside Hong Kong is good, right, and fair, regardless of the promise not to do so until 2047. Democracies and countries with free speech have always risen up with with unstoppable strength to resist powers claiming their right to control them from outside, as China is doing.

France insulted King Henry V of England, according to legend with three tennis balls instead of promised tribute. Henry invaded and conquered. At that time, the French were spoiled and foolish; their military was no match for England because it was not disciplined.

Scotland revolted against King Edward I and won independence. At that time, the Scottish were selfless and willing to burn their own corn fields and even die; Scotland fought from desperation to not be oppressed while England’s disposition of entitlement was no match.

China claims that Hong Kongers are spoiled like the French were under Henry V. Hong Kongers claim they are desperate to escape oppression like the Scottish under Robert the Bruce. Who is right? The next few years will answer that question. But, it could go either way. Nothing is decided.

At this time, however, China is doing certain things, then Hong Kong is responding a certain way while other countries in the world respond in their ways. China believes everyone else is wrong.

Trade & Tech

Taiwan digital minister warns of China’s 5G ‘Trojan horse’ // Nikkei Asian Review

Hong Kong

Students, migrants heading to US worry about impact of Hong Kong Autonomy Act // SCMP

National security law: Beijing vows to retaliate after Donald Trump ends special treatment for Hong Kong and targets officials with sanctions // SCMP

Bankers Shocked by 45% China Tax Rate Mull Leaving Hong Kong // Bloomberg

 

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 25, 2020

Taiwan has a new Vice President: Former Premier William Lai, known for his pro-independence posture. China won’t be happy, but China is rarely happy these days.

The Chinese made two loud omissions in their rhetoric this week. When talking about reunification with Taiwan, they left out the word “peaceful”. The press noticed. A Taiwan official said it meant the same thing. But, everyone knew better because China also left out regard for Hong Kong’s Basic Law, something else that always got mentioned in the past.

Apparently, Beijing thinks peace and honoring treaties are too petty to be bothered with.

But, certain terms are in need of clarity. Xi Jinping isn’t merely trying to “reunify with Taiwan”; his actions are closest to that of a corporate hostile takeover—not just of Taiwan, but the entire world.

In Australia, Drew Pavlou faces expulsion from Queensland University for organizing student protests in support of Hong Kong opposition to recent law proposals, especially extradition to China and the recent “security” proposal. Follow the money. Australia’s government is looking into China’s influence. Many other governments are too.

According to the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, US Congress is required to review whether Hong Kong is autonomous enough to have its visas treated separately from the rest of China. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is already late in his report. He waited until China held its own congress meetings. What happened at those meetings didn’t help the case for Hong Kong’s autonomy.

Trade & Tech

Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou could be set free next week by extradition ruling // SCMP

U.S. regulators open door to possible tightening of Huawei chip curb // Yahoo News

US semiconductor giant shuts China factory hailed as ‘a miracle’, in blow to Beijing’s chip plans // SCMP

Huawei Loses Millions Of Users As Serious New Threat From China Gets Real // Forbes

China

Part Deux… blaming Russia…
Coronavirus: 2nd Wave Hits China // YouTube @ China Uncensored

Wuhan lab admits to having three live strains of bat coronavirus on site // DNyuz

China has new US$1.4 trillion plan to seize the world’s tech crown from the US // SCMP

As Trump threatens to pull funding from World Health Organization, China pledges billions // YouTube @ CBS This Morning

This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! @realdonaldtrump // Instagram

China’s Xi Jinping to give opening speech at WHA // Taiwan News

Taiwan

Taiwan united in condemning HK law // Taipei Times

China drops word ‘peaceful’ in latest push for Taiwan ‘reunification’ // Yahoo News

What Taiwan Told the WHO at the Start of the Virus Outbreak // TIME

Taiwan says it is ‘disappointed and angry’ being excluded from WHO meeting // CNBC

Construction of Chinese airport in close proximity to Taiwan’s Kinmen outrages netizens // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Independence May Not Survive the Pandemic // NY Magazine

Outrage in HK over security law // Taipei Times

What you need to know about the national security law for Hong Kong // SCMP

Two Sessions 2020: Beijing sets sights on Hong Kong legal system as part of national security move // SCMP

Why Chinese luxury shoppers won’t return to Hong Kong soon – protests, prices and death of the city’s ‘experience’ // SCMP

Hong Kong lawmakers scuffle as pro-Beijing politicians clear path for controversial national anthem bill // CNN

Korean Peninsula

North Korea state TV curiously scrubs Kim Jong Un emblem // NY Post

India

China-India border tension flares up in Galwan Valley, won’t lead to another ‘Doklam standoff’: experts // Global Times (China Govt)

India building defence facilities in Galwan Valley region of Aksai Chin: Chinese media // Hindustan Times

And now India too…
Indian Troops Being Reinforced In Ladakh After Face-Off With China // New Delhi TV

Military Faceoff

F-35 stealth fighter jet crashes at Eglin Air Force Base // Fox News

 

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 28, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blxtRT-MRyM

China is playing a dark game with Taiwan over the murder suspect in the case that sparked the spark of the Hong Kong liberation protests. A young man from Hong Kong traveled to Taiwan with his girlfriend where he murdered her, then returned to Hong Kong. Because China plays politics with Taiwan, Beijing refused every channel of cooperation with Taipei to bring the suspect to justice. The only way Beijing would allow the arrested suspect to be transferred to Taiwan for prosecution is with a sweeping extradition bill that would allow any Chinese court to demand the extradition of anyone in Hong Kong to China.

Now, Hong Kong has released the suspect, arguing that a criminal is on the loose in Hong Kong because Taiwan won't accept Chinese dictated rule.

We are witnessing the faceoff of Chinese Confucianism vs Western Christendom, a conflict which has been brewing for two thousand years. This is happening in our day. Many in the West said that Confucian Shame cannot be overcome, even with the Christian message of forgiveness and reconciliation. Others have said that nothing can ever stop China because big countries always win. All of these claims are about to be tested and proven wrong. Hard times lie ahead, but not all hardship ends badly.

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Encore of Revival: America, October 28, 2019

People must rise up for freedom on their own. Protestors in Hong Kong have stood up for their own freedom; the same should be expected of the Kurds in Syria. If they face persecution, offer asylum or refugee status. There could be a political solution or a referendum that must be honored, like the referendum in Crimea. But, don't fight someone else's freedom war for them. Freedom cannot be bestowed, only fought for and defended by the freed folk themselves.

Democrats seeking impeachment without a vote first sets a precedent for Republicans to more easily oust a Democratic president in the future. Many Democrat-driven laws initially meant to curb Republicans came back to bite Democrats when it was their turn to follow their own new laws. A no-vote impeachment proceeding could also impede Congressional ability to enforce subpoenas against another branch of government or to continue to hold hearings in the basement SCIF.

America faces a Constitutional crisis on two fronts: first, impeachment, subpoenas, no official impeachment vote, and whether a Supreme Justice who offered political comments about the President can preside over a trial in the Senate; second, California's legal authority to enter into an international treaty apart from the Federal Government. By joining the "carbon credits" cult with Canada, California engaged in the kind of international negotiations that the Constitution explicitly prohibits in Article II Section 2 Clause 2, which made the Constitution different from its predecessor, the Articles of Confederation. While California focused on the environment more than the Constitution, it left kindling unattended throughout forests now on fire. Trump warned about the uncollected kindling wood and leaves in the forests of California over one year ago and is suing California for its carbon credit agreement with Canada.

We are in conflict. The nation is in conflict. There are two Americas today, just as there were two types of Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower. The battle in our divided nation rages hotter than California's fires. Stewardship of the economy, national security, and the environment can all play well with rule of law. Whoever understands that the best will come out ahead in this great American conflict.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 21, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj_itp5q4Ys

"Careless" Carrie Lam's effectiveness in Hong Kong is in the red. After banning masks at public gatherings, more people are wearing masks at gatherings than in the past. She bans an assembly, but people assemble anyway. Protests are so bad, police hit some people guarding a mosque with a water cannon and had to apologize to the imam. Lam was heckled by legislators during her annual policy speech and had to leave the chamber twice, finally delivering her speech on television. A government so defied and can't govern. But, the need for public trust isn't understood by Confucianism nor Communism nor especially Confucian Communism.

Beyond loss of control, the West gets the message loud and clear: China won't back down on its forced expansionism. US Congress continues to pass laws favoring freedom in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. The TAIPEI act is largely symbolic, but still meaningful inasmuch as it gauges China's response. Evaluating Hong Kong's level of autonomy to be treated as a separate territory from China makes sense. Still, China considers the US formulating its own international policy a form of "interference". Think about that...

US international policy must be what China wants it to be, otherwise China labels this as "interference". This can only mean that China considers the US already under Chinese rule. It's no longer about whether or to what extent China can boss Hong Kong and Taiwan. Now, the question is whether China should be allowed to dictate another country's foreign policy.

Another factor is corporate. Gaming companies oust gamers who make "political" statements to defend freedom and human rights, but then Dior gets political by apologizing to China for not putting Taiwan in its map of China. If companies were consistent about being so-called "non-political", then Dior would have refused to agree or disagree with China. But, this isn't about being non-political; it's about agreeing with whatever China demands.

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Encore of Revival: America, October 7, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4_WDqiEJDg

President Trump has been a role model for America's place in the world: non-interference. Fighting revolutionary wars for others is a bad idea. It has only backfired. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq are just a few examples. Hong Kong's October 4 declaration of a provisional government is a model of what should be done to help another democratic revolution: nothing. Real democratic revolutions must happen on their own and Trump knows that. He might be the only president in our time to know that.

Even though he does not interfere as presidents before him have, the non-interference fans among Democrats continue to attack him. That, too, is backfiring.

The president has an obligation to investigate criminals. Joe Biden and his son have extremely dubious financial entanglements and possible connection to elements Robert Mueller investigated. If the Mueller investigation was so important, then President Trump ought to pursue loose ends that Mueller and Congressional Democrats didn't. When a foreign country is party to elements of such a serious investigation as Mueller's, as well as extremely dubious dealings of the Bidens, the Attorney General of the United States ought to cooperate with the government of that country through official channels.

Trump asked for just that and no more.

Trump did not ask to connect secret attorneys or organizations. He did not request back door channels. He did not ask for unofficial cooperation. And, the people he wanted to investigate were not without serious suspicions.

Had President Trump not asked Ukrainian President Zelensky for the official cooperation he did, Trump would not have been doing his job as president. As for Biden and the supposed "political campaign rivals" accusation Congressional Democrats conjured, Joe Biden should be aware that running for president doesn't allow a candidate to break the law without being investigated. Biden started his dubious dealings long before he was a presidential hopeful. If claiming "for political purposes" is granted to every candidate under investigation, Democrats could make crime vanish merely by declaring the entire population to be political candidates.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMJHFMQYPP8

Conflicts with China are helping Taiwan. The trade war is driving manufacturing away from China toward Taiwan, Vietnam, and Burma, among others. China's travel ban on Taiwan for openly supporting the Hong Kong protests is pushing the Taiwanese to implement better visa privileges with other Asian nationals visiting Taiwan. Not only did last week's occupation of the Hong Kong International Airport break Western confidence in the Chinese "Special Administrative Region", the Hong Kong protests are even affecting business in Macau.

Why the protests? Where did it all start? Follow the money. Of the many factors, one of the best kept secrets around the world is the housing cost for local Hong Kongers. It's called "gentrification". Ordinary Hong Kong citizens can't afford even the least expensive homes without government subsidy in addition to living with family. A Hong Kong jail cell is larger that many homes.

That happened because Hong Kong's government, clearly under the thumb of Beijing, allows Mainland Chinese citizens to move into Hong Kong at such a high rate that new housing can't be built fast enough to keep residential costs affordable. Wealthy Chinese need a place to live, some place where they can enjoy life. They won't find anything nice enough within China proper, so they have to go somewhere with an economy created by the West—somewhere like Hong Kong. That way they can enjoy all the money of China without the lousy lifestyle. In their view, it would be cruel for Hong Kong not to let as many Chinese Mainlanders displace native Hong Kongers as fast as possible.

Protests are entering their eleventh week. One more week will begin a new record of 79 days from the Umbrella Movement in 2014.

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Cadence of Conflict, Asia, July 8, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnbkog5BUzA

China has been had. It has been had by Western freedom. It has been had by its own culture's psychopathology. It has been had by the concept of a promise—something the Chinese can't understand, let alone keep. It has been had by Marxist propaganda. And, it is still being had by its obsession with power.

British officials are turning their eyes toward Hong Kong. This is a move of revival in the English-speaking world. The English have a conscience. It is more than political smoke-blowing. Britain fully intends to protect the people of Hong Kong. And, they can do it because China has already reneged on a treaty registered with the United Nations.

China has difficulty understanding the concept of a promise. Living fully and wholly by the psychopathology of Gorgias—that all statements are lies and only rhetoric matters—the Chinese truly believe that their promise to not interfere with Hong Kong until 2047 is irrelevant trivia. They truly believe that if the world distrusts China for breaking treaty, it would be the world just looking for ways to be mean to poor, suffering, victimized China. They truly believe that any "distrust" from the West, citing broken promises, would be pure propaganda from any and all, everywhere on Earth.

The British dealt with China for centuries. They must have at least suspected that China would break treaty. In fair honesty, by allowing a fifty year window, they showed high hopes that China would at least be capable of pretending to have a conscience for half a century. If China could lie to the world for fifty years and conceal its spite for any race lacking Han blood—if China could at least pretend to be nice for fifty years—then perhaps Hong Kong would be safe long after 2047. Britain gave China the benefit of the doubt.

But, China didn't make it fifty years, not even half that.

Call it temptation. Call it the "Tienanmen fix". China can't not oppress and boss and dominate. From Beijing, Hong Kong calls, begging, "Oppress me! Oppress me!"

From Xi Jinping's perspective is one of power. He believes that the Russian Communist downfall of 1989 happened because the Communists didn't oppress enough. It never occurs to him that people do not overthrow governments that they trust—but to a psychopath, all statements are lies and all protests are propaganda. People would only hate an oppressive government, so they think, because someone told them to.

Hong Kong knows differently. Though they do not have complete self-rule, they do have free speech, free markets, free press, and free religion. To them, China stinks, and not only from the pollution of mismanagement.

Still, China wants to force its embrace upon the free people of Hong Kong. The legal justice system has a term for criminals who force their love on unwilling victims. In that scenario, everyone knows who everyone is.

Like an alcoholic claiming that alcohol is the medicine, China sees voluntary support as a threat—as a lack of power—and that power is the cure for power resisted. China has been had by everyone, its own vices above all else.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, January 2, 2018

China claims no part in the Hong Kong and Taiwan -related ships recently stopped by South Korean officials for illegally supplying oil to North Korea. China's claim might be believable, but during the holiday week, China blocked a UN attempted to blacklist those very vessels caught in the act. By blocking the block of the "smoking gun" ships, as it were, China has defined itself as an accomplice. It's a mere matter of fact and definition. There is no defense for China in regard to having some part to play with these two seized vessels.

Russia's role, however, seems more dominant and should be more disconcerting. But, where does the attention from the press turn to blame but China. The press loves to make China the global scapegoat, but China's responses don't help its own disposition any.

Beijing made it clear that military exercises all around Taiwanese airspace are the "new normal" and Taiwan will just have to get used to it. Taiwan is re-focusing strategy for asymmetric warfare—politically correct military language for "fighting a bigger enemy". Several Taiwanese companies are "rethinking" the presence of their factories in China after an entire zone was targeted for zone-wide shutdown. The catch to the zone shutdown story is that the entire zone is said to be targeted for a few blackout days because only some factories in the zone are polluting the environment too much. Factories that are within environmental regulations also have to shut down, argued to include Taiwanese-owned factories. Many factories in that zone are Taiwanese-owned. If China isn't sending a message that Taiwanese aren't welcome then Beijing could do a better job of not making it look that way.

Again, China's actions indicate more and more that China is hostile toward democracies in the East Pacific, namely South Korea and Taiwan. From the perspective of Americans reading Western headlines, it is more difficult every day to come to China's defense. That perspective among the masses is what the Pentagon is waiting for.

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June 10, 2015

TPA attempts to turn US Congress into a puppet. TPA is very unpopular. TTIP in EU faces UK Labour Party wrath. Russia v EU conflict escalates. Rumsfeld: Democracy was wrong for Iraq. New Obama voters hit a learning curve. Obama covered up Iran violations? Video: McKinney police resignation. The stories are finally here: Software v Employment. Loyal: Guide dog throws itself in front of oncoming school bus to save blind owner  · · · →

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Faux Report

Drum Circles in Hong Kong Reach Critical Levels

HONG KONG — As the democracy protests in Hong Kong enter their second week, sources say the number of drum circles in the city has reached critical levels.

Drawn to the freewheeling, Occupy-style protests, thousands of itinerant drummers have set up shop among the protesters in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay.

Initially, the tabla-toting newcomers were welcomed by protesters but their incessant thumping quickly alienated both organizers and participants. Some feared that the never-ending percussion would spark a backlash among local residents and prompt police retaliation.

Sources say the cacophony in Wan Chai has reached 1.6 zuccottis and continues to build.

Indeed, Hong Kong Police Commissioner Andy Tsang told reporters Thursday, “We tolerated the establishment of a lending library, but if this arrhythmic banging continues we will forcibly clear the affected areas.”

“It’s disturbing the day traders,” Tsang added.

But the freestyle jam sessions show no sign of abating. Sources on the ground say the cacophony in Wan Chai has reached 1.6 zuccottis and continues to build.

On the same day as Tsang’s press conference, state-owned newspaper People’s Daily published an editorial that denounced the unrest and pointed to the drum circles as clear evidence of a Western conspiracy.

“The Chinese do not percuss,” the author wrote. “These can-banging insurgents want to destroy China and turn it into one giant Burning Man.”

At press time, protest leaders attempted to use the people’s microphone to debate the necessity of drum circles, but their arguments could not be heard over the din.

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