Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 8, 2020

If The Chinese think poll numbers looking low or that the unrest in America means the Xi doctrine has a widening path on the road ahead, they should think again. But, being Confucian Communist, that’s hard.

Trump actually may be ahead of where he was when he ran against Hillary. And, if the one president who could stand up to China were really on the outs, the last thing America’s government would want is for the news media to report on it. It’s a rouse. America and Trump are far better positioned to take on China than anti-society new media would have us think.

Mayor Han of Kaohsiung in Taiwan just faced a recall election and he got spanked. In a vote of 939k to 25k, the China hopeful from the grand old KMT-Nationalist Party faced a humiliation that the rest of the party might never overcome. The Kaohsiung city council speaker reportedly jumped to his death. Mayor Han had challenged Taiwan’s president in the general election and lost, now his own constituency dumped him. It wasn’t just a reprisal on him or his party; it was a reprisal against China. He ran on a platform of reuniting with China. These days, China is unpopular because of decisions within China’s power to change.

Hong Kong is another hot spot for bad press. While Hong Kong could never stop China alone, Hong Kongers have been a platform on which China showed the world how China does things. And, the world isn’t having it.

We’re past the point of common sense and diplomatic shuffles. Nothing China even could do ever would change anyone’s opinion. The world already has its mind made up.

Great Pacific

Overreach bolsters tech demand
Protests In Hong Kong And Minneapolis Show The Need For Privacy And Bitcoin // Forbes

Trade & Tech

The case to extradite Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou from Canada to the United States can continue, judge rules // CNN

UK to decide on Huawei 5G ban // BBC News

China

US to impose restrictions on more Chinese media outlets // Taiwan News

Chinese Government Buildings in Africa Used as a Way to Spy // christianitydaily.com

Government Buildings in Africa Are a Likely Vector for Chinese Spying // Heritage Foundation

Bill that could delist Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges to see ‘swift passage’ in House, analyst says // MarketWatch

All about the whole thing…
The US is Getting SERIOUS About China // YouTube @ China Uncensored

China asks state firms to halt purchases of U.S. soybeans, pork, sources say // CNBC

Smear piece: American YouTuber inside China spreading CCP anti-democracy sentiment
China propagandist Nathan Rich’s criminal record revealed // Taiwan News

Is Beijing preparing to decouple from the US? // SCMP

Taiwan

Defeat! 939k : 25k
Kaohsiung voters recall Han Kuo-yu // Taipei Times

Taiwan opposition candidate Han Kuo-yu removed as mayor of Kaohsiung after heavy defeat in recall election // SCMP

Crackdown and pushing out spies:
Taiwan offering up to NT$20,000 reward for info on foreigners who overstay visas // Taiwan News

Taiwan remains sanguine despite Beijing sabre-rattling // Financial Times

Taiwan recall vote stirs acrimony, brings new problems for KMT // Yahoo News

Hong Kong

Pro China sentiment
Never bet against China // SCMP

Tiananmen vigil as it happened: thousands of Hongkongers defy ban to mark anniversary of June 4 crackdown // SCMP

Hong Kong leader calls out ‘double standards’ on national security, points to U.S. // Yahoo News

Hong Kong Police Block Tiananmen Square Vigil, Citing Coronavirus // NPR

Podcast episode: Basic Law recap & history
Hong Kong: the end of one country, two systems? // Guardian

Hong Kong facing ‘Tiananmen Square’ moment – as plea is made for UN intervention // Express

Security Law Sends Hong Kong Residents Dashing for the Exit // Bloomberg

 

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Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 9, 2020

Things are fairing worse and worse for China, but better and better for Taiwan.

The KMT-Nationalist party is abandoning its long-standing agreement to cooperate with the Chinese Communists, much how the American Democratic party is abandoning socialism within its ranks. Taiwan's handling of the 2019-nCoV Wuhan virus is top notch, possibly the best in the world. The irony is that Taiwan is not a member of the WHO, for mere reasons of political pressure from China. The world will interpret Taiwan's absence from the WHO through the poor response to the virus from WHO members. And the world will, accordingly, blame China not only for the virus, but for the lack of Taiwan's valued input in the WHO.

This week, when things seemed as though they couldn't get worse in China, a hotel collapsed, which housed many people being observed for the virus. Not all had been diagnosed, but at least 10 are dead from the collapse.

Interestingly, this does not fair well for Taiwan. The more respect Taiwan earns from the international community, and the more spite China earns from the international community, the more envy will boil and bubble as China froths with rage against Taiwan. China's government is not functioning with any trace of sobriety. Recent events are pushing the Chinese government over the edge in their ancient desire to invade Taiwan. While that would leave them vulnerable at home and hated even more throughout the world, such things never stopped them before and certainly aren't stopping them now. continue reading

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