Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 9, 2021

India has an aircraft carrier. It just finished its maiden voyage in China’s backyard. Those shipping lanes—one third of ocean-faring trade traffic—which China wants to claim by planting islands next to—most of them pass India. If any of them have traffic trouble, India will have reason to sail to the South Sea and clear up the cause of traffic congestion—or what some might call trade blocking.

India isn’t the only nation with a navy on the rise. Britain has its new aircraft carrier in the area. Germany wants to join the party. South Korea will join a scheduled US Navy exercise. And, the Japanese want to hire the British carrier builders to make their helicopter carriers F-35-ready. India’s carrier was built by a collection of 500 companies. If anything went nuts in the Taiwan Strait or the South Sea or the Sea of Japan, moving over to the Indian Ocean wouldn’t be a wonderful option since India already has its patrol.

Navies are snowballing in the East. If there’s money to be made in a Pacific scuffle, the convenient logistics of already having so many at the party could push the timing. Those islands-nations are in tumultuous waters.

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 2, 2021

British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is trudging through China’s backyard. Chinese government news “Global Times” describes Britain as trying to relive its old days. China was never happy about getting its ass whipped twice in the Opium Wars, which China provoked with its economic philosophy that “sliver-in, tealeaves-out” was sustainable trade. China, now with money from slave-cheap labor making tech designed and invented by the West and Taiwan, got enough money to build aircraft carriers from copied Russian designs at least 30 years inferior to Britain. That just goes to prove why China is the best.

China wouldn’t be angry if the Elizabeth wasn’t a threat. It’s possible that the military masterminds of the West sent the British group for China to look at, just to measure China’s level of objection. Military strategists would reverse-engineer China’s response to see how threatening the carrier group is to China, merely by China’s response. It’s a kind of soft-handed espionage, without having to cross any borders. China’s objection only helps with Western intel gathering. And, like a bull going for the bullfighter’s cape, China determines to attack that foreign flag as if on command.

Then, there’s the Olympics. Taiwan won the gold against China in badminton. A movement has been resurrected in Taiwan to insist its name be called “Team Taiwan” when competing in any world games, including the Olympics. In the past, a white-flag group of pansies convinced Taiwanese to let everyone push them around. But, like Trump the loser raises so much money for loser Republicans, Taiwan being called the nonsensical name “Chinese Taipei” when winning medals will only fuel global sympathy for the island hated by the perceived world-menace.

China’s media is partly right; the West is manipulative, but only because China always plays along.

China

China snapping up drug rights in Taiwan // Taipei Times

Taiwan

Taiwanese love badminton
Lee Yang, Wang Chi-lin win gold // Taipei Times

Groups urge changing name of Olympic team // Taipei Times

Military Faceoff

UK still lives in colonial days by sending navy to South China Sea // Global Times (China Govt)

UK’s HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier pictured in South China Sea // CNN

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 26, 2021

While a typhoon largely evaded Taiwan over the weekend, tragedy struck the mainland. Shanghai faced flooding and death while India suffered a landslide in the Himalayas. In a shocking video, one boulder took out a bridge. Several people died.

But, speaking of Taiwan’s tendency to fall out of manure smelling like roses, there’s nothing like persecution to fuel the competition. Taiwan is rolling out its own, homegrown vaccine. Being a world leader in chipmaking, especially D-RAM, and having both avoided and purged COVID outbreak on its own turf, the Taiwan vaccine could become a world leader, along with its cocktail vaccine approach to booster shots. Beijing blocking Taiwan from the Pfizer vaccine could backfire if Taiwan’s vaccine and methods become more credible than Pfizer or Moderna. That has been the history between China and Taiwan, after all. So, it wouldn’t be surprising.

No doubt why China remains a hater where Taiwan is concerned. Biden follows Trump’s popular-in-America strategy of sanctioning Chinese officials. China does the copy-cat game, but avoids those most close to Biden because that wouldn’t seem friendly.

When Olympic network NBC showed the map the rest of the world passively-aggressivly responds that NBC should fix the insulting error—without stating what the supposed error is, and without stating whether China’s presumed fix would insult Taiwanese. But, Taiwanese don’t matter in China’s view. And, that’s why China should be trusted with the Olympics in 2022.

China

China retaliates with sanctions on former commerce secretary Wilbur Ross // Guardian

Typhoon In-fa: eastern China battens down as Henan death toll rises to 63 // SCMP

China criticises NBC Olympics broadcast for ‘incomplete map’ // Yahoo Finance

Taiwan

COVID-19: Panel approves mixing of vaccine doses // Taipei Times

US official pledges Taiwan support // Taipei Times

India

India landslide: Nine tourists killed as boulders fall from hilltop // BBC News

Military Faceoff

E-4B ‘Doomsday Plane’ Just Made A Highly Unusual Visit To Secretive Tonopah Test Range Airport (Updated) // The Drive

Satellite photos show China’s new aircraft carrier coming together quickly and reveals more about its design // Business Insider

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 19, 2021

China faces a three-pronged attack in the realm of public opinion. The Olympics converge with COVID; the third is three levelings up in Chinese military aggression.

COVID is seen in the public eye as having mainly originated from China. Even with conspiracy theories surrounding Faucci and Gates, no explanation lets China off the hook. That actually works to argue against the conspiracy theories—if they were true, they would seem to give China an alibi, but they don’t. Every noteworthy theory on the COVID origin points to China.

Now, COVID is crashing the Olympics in Japan.

This makes an additional bad connotation against China and the Olympics. So, with China wanting to host the 2022 Olympics, boycotts against China can be expected even from the Japanese. Then, other countries will feel comfortable joining the anti-China Olympic boycott. Such boycotts from across the globe will achieve two things: fueling popular hatred against China and inflaming China’s emotional-shame reaction. The Chinese government will dig in its heels and the world will want the Chinese dead where they stand.

But, adding to both sentiments are China’s military saber rattling. Surprise military drills within 300 miles of Taiwan, a step up in Chinese vessels observing a US-Australia navy drill, threats to nuke Japan if Japan honors a treaty to defend Taiwan from invasion—these also enrage the non-Chinese public against China. China has the control to stop global anti-China sentiment: stop giving excuses. But, that is a course of action that emotionally-driven shame doesn’t understand. And, no one expects this response better than the masterminds of the West.

Indo-Pacific

Nukes!
China threatens to nuke Japan if country intervenes in Taiwan conflict // News.com.au

China

Covid: Is China’s vaccine success waning in Asia? // BBC News

Second Chinese vessel to watch US-Australia drill // Taipei Times

Zero risk? Virus cases test Olympic organizers’ assurances // AP

Taiwan

In Taiwan’s backyard
China conducts naval exercise in East China Sea // Taiwan News

Defense spending could rise more than NT$10bn // Taipei Times

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 5, 2021

Everyone gets more serious about Taiwan. The US wants a special free trade agreement. China wants reunification, again. While China stockpiles nukes, the US shakes the finger, then China shakes its fist.

But, Chinese on the inside are tired of it. CCP has burned-out much of its talent and it looks like the Chinese solution is to burn-out more. It’s a very common indication of a very bad leadership—that the solution to a problem is more of the cause.

Taiwan makes a swift recovery from its own COVID lockdown, though Taiwan still has a long way to go. Charging significantly higher fees for the vaccination to resident foreigners, including Americans, isn’t exactly the best way to court support from America. Then again, too often the proposed solution to a problem is more of the cause. Taiwan has developed a fear of foreign invasion—a fear reinforced by recent Chinese rhetoric—yet Taiwanese xenophobia fails to distinguish between foreign friend and foreign foe. That’s the greatest cause of Taiwan’s security threats.

Indo-Pacific

Bagram: Last US and Nato forces leave key Afghanistan base // BBC News

China

U.S. calls build-up of China’s nuclear arsenal ‘concerning’ // Yahoo News

Some Chinese shun grueling careers for ‘low-desire life’ // AP

Taiwan

COVID-19: New infections fall to 37: CECC // Taipei Times

Xi pledges ‘reunification’ with Taiwan // Taipei Times

US senators call for groundwork for Taiwan FTA // Taipei Times

Taiwan to require vendors of freshly made beverages to label caffeine content // Taiwan News

Taiwan hospitals charge foreigners up to 57% more for PCR tests // Taiwan News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 28, 2021

Spite for China is turning toward panic. Australian university campuses feel the pressure of CCP censorship, including death threats against students and pressure on family members back in China. If the CCP wanted to demonstrate its purported benevolence to the world, every week betrays a bigger fail.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth marches through Russian-concerned waters on its rout to Hong Kong. Moscow knows that the Brits have no interest in quibbling over Crimea. The bombs dropped in the aircraft carrier’s path were meant to deter the British from arriving at the Southeast Asian shipping lanes that Russia so conveniently controls through the world’s biggest puppet-in-denial: China.

Taiwan magnificently navigates its own mini COVID crisis, which doesn’t help build kind thoughts among Taiwanese toward the CCP. The American “not Embassy” director is on his way out and was honored by Taiwan’s president with a big, pretty, purple ribbon. Nothing makes the CCP angry like a purple ribbon.

China

The students calling out China on Australia’s campuses // BBC News

Taiwan

AIT director recognized by president for contributions // Taipei Times

COVID-19: CECC reports 88 domestic virus cases // Taipei Times

Hong Kong

Hong Kong needs law to tackle ‘hostility against the police’, says force’s new chief // Guardian

Japan

Japan, US kick off largest annual military exercise // Taiwan News

Military Faceoff

South China Sea: Inside US Pacific plan to combat China // News.com.au

Why Black Sea could be new South China sea // News.com.au

Russian warplanes ‘monitoring’ the HMS Queen Elizabeth in Syria // The i Paper

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 21, 2021

China is facing massive resentment against its own Communist Party from inside its own borders. Members of ordinary society stab Communist Party members and are regarded heroes. The party of self-importance on the world stage isn’t only hated by the rest of the world, but also by the people it oppresses at home. CCP does not have the support it claims. That’s just another lie.

Taiwan is having to pull staff from its Hong Kong office. The Hong Kong government wouldn’t give work visas to the Taiwan government without them agreeing to the “One China” policy—which apparently was not part of an agreement from 2011. Hong Kong didn’t agree with Taiwan before adding the new requirement. Not having work visas on this account, Hong Kong told the Taiwan office workers to leave for not having work visas. The puppets in Hong Kong’s government never had the gonads to say that they kicked out Taiwan for not agreeing to CCP’s desire to redraw the world map against the will of the world. Those Taiwanese are heroes.

Taiwan’s pandemic is calming down. After Pfizer’s fling with the mildly popular CCP became the excuse to deny Taiwan its vaccines—and after 49 people died after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine, the US boosted its donation of Moderna vaccines from 700k to 2.5M. Rest assured, the CCP will show the world more of its loving attitude in response.

China

Revenge Attacks! China’s Mass Stabbing Crisis! // youtube.com

Now NATO
Beijing tells Nato to stop hyping up China threat // BBC News

Taiwan

US envoy to Taiwan posts vaccine-love photo
美國在台協會 AIT – ??美國在台協會期待明天即將抵台的250萬劑莫德納疫苗，此批疫苗由美國政府捐助，數量包含了6… // Facebook

U.S. to deliver 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine to Taiwan Sunday // Focus Taiwan

COVID-19: US sending 2.5 million Moderna shots // Taipei Times

Seven officials recalled from TECO Hong Kong // Taipei Times

The world relies on one chip maker in Taiwan, leaving everyone vulnerable // Mint

President of Taiwanese pro-China group dies from COVID // Taiwan News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 14, 2021

The snowball of worldwide hate toward China is past the growth knee. It was slow going, but now it’s gaining unstoppable momentum. China’s self-importance has reached embarrassing levels. G7 wants stability, introducing an alternative plan to China’s tightening Belt Road. The EU wants stability in the South Sea—rules agreed to and honored by all countries. Japan wants to back Taiwan by name in the written G7 agreement.

But, then China responds by saying that “small groups do not rule the world” and issued a statement: “We always believe that countries, big or small, strong or weak, poor or rich, are equals, and that world affairs should be handled through consultation by all countries.” That statement comes from China. Does that mean that China has reversed its position? Will China now agree with the EU for bilateral rules in the South Sea?

Essentially, China’s own propaganda is getting to a point of grotesque and overt self-indictment. More importantly, China doesn’t see the contradiction of its own statements. This is comparable to John Kerry’s famous remark “I voted for [it] before I voted against it.” You see, that actually made sense to Kerry. That’s the crazy world Washington politicians live in. And, apparently, China’s CCP lives in an even crazier world. And, the rest of the world isn’t just waking up to China’s craziness; the rest of the world is wide awake and on the march. It’s been growing slowly, but that global anger is moving faster and faster and is about to enter an all-out blitz.

Hungarians in Budapest are irate over construction plans for the Chinese Fudan University from Shanghai. The city of Budapest even renamed streets to “Dalai Lama Road” and “Free Hong Kong Road”. The Chinese embassy responded with its own propaganda again, but there is no sign that China’s anonymous words had more sway on Hungarians than China’s consistent actions. In fact, they didn’t have any sway at all. If anything, China only made Hungarians more angry.

China is entirely unaware of anything in the rest of the world. It’s histrionic. The CCP believes they only need censor information within their own borders, say what they want others to parrot, and then both public opinion and the past will automatically change throughout the rest of the world. They are in for a humiliating shock.

China

Flashback: “I actually did vote for [it] before I voted against it.” – John Kerry
Kerry discusses $87 billion comment – Sep 30, 2004 // CNN

Will S.China Sea issue become setback in China-EU relationship? // Global Times (China Govt)

Opposition forces Orbán into U-turn over Chinese campus plan in Budapest // Guardian

G7 summit: China says small groups do not rule the world // BBC News

G-7 Leaders Rally to Biden’s Call to Challenge China // MSN News

Massive Protests Erupt in Mainland China // YouTube @ laowhy86

Exclusive: Amid accusations of genocide from the West, China policies could cut millions of Uyghur births in Xinjiang – report // Yahoo India

Taiwan

“Japan… backed mention of Taiwan in the final statement”
G7 pushes back against China, supports Taiwan // Taipei Times

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 7, 2021

It’s that time of year again. While Americans celebrate independence on July 4, Chinese mourn one month before on June 4, to remember the 1989 Tienanmen massacre. Chinese aren’t allowed to gather. People in Communist China are tightly controlled by programmed groupthink. Like robots, they parrot negativity about Westerners whom they have rarely met and never heard out. Hong Kongers and Taiwanese are a different story. They know. And, they remember.

As if China doesn’t have enough regional enemies, Malaysia says China entered its airspace “flying in tactical formation”. Sixteen Chinese jets were intercepted by Malaysia. China’s Global Times called it a training exercise that did not breech Malaysia’s airspace, then said people only object because of “Western hype”. It’s too bad so many people from so many countries interpret China’s actions as hostile. Regional sentiment against China only grows.

Of course, China showed its level of dedication to its 1984 treaty with Britain through the ban on any Tienanmen vigils. The treaty allows Hong Kong to be under China at all. Britain, the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia consider that treaty “permanently shredded“, which means they don’t consider Hong Kong under China and only need a military scuffle to enforce that decision. That is the military action they are actively looking for, the military action which China is helping them to find.

Worst of all for China is yet another increase in support from the global public. Because Microsoft Bing censored the famous photo of “tank man” from its search results—not only in China, but around the world. By playing to China’s apparent tune, Microsoft got to chalk up the blame to “human error” and the world saw China for the history re-writing addict it is. Microsoft would have done China a favor by not censoring “tank man”, even if instructed by China. But, with the Chinese appetite for respect, they’ll never figure out that Microsoft probably meant to do them dirty by going along. This was a test from the West on how far China would overreach unto its own undoing.

China

Hundreds gather near Hong Kong park despite vigil ban // AP

Tiananmen Anniversary: Microsoft Bing blocks ‘tank man’ // Taipei Times

Malaysia

West hypes air force ‘intrusion’ to sow discords in S.China Sea // Global Times (China Govt)

PLA aircraft training in S.China Sea abide by intl law without entering others’ airspace // Global Times (China Govt)

China’s incursions over Malaysia add to South China Sea disputes // Nikkei Asian Review

Military Faceoff

NASA is getting serious about UFOs // CNN

Pentagon UFO report ‘may be cover for hypersonic weapon Cold War’ between US and China // Daily Star

Italian Destroyer joins British Carrier Strike Group // UK Defense Journal

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 24, 2021

A democratic Pacific alliance is on the rise. Many nations in the Far East may host US troops, but a bond is forming between them that runs deeper than any US influence. At the center: Taiwan; across the battlefield: China, the great enemy of the Pacific peoples. That’s how this rising alliance sees it.

Taiwan has breakthroughs in micro-tech. The Philippines steps up rhetoric against China—which may not mean anything as words are mere words, but it is a very different direction than bowing down. Japan and Southern Korea tell China to knock it off. And, the British set sail for the Far East with the brand new, shiny HMS Queen Elizabeth and her entourage. This new Pacific family has friends on both sides of the Atlantic.

Indo-Pacific

Ministry thanks S Korea, US for remarks on Strait // Taipei Times

China

More Japanese brands will lose out in China due to Xinjiang cotton ban: analyst // Global Times (China Govt)

Taiwan

Taiwan’s TSMC claims breakthrough on 1nm chips // Taiwan News

Philippines

Philippines protests China fishing ban in South China Sea // Rappler

Military Faceoff

Royal Navy Submarine HMS Anson Launched by BAE Systems // Naval News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 17, 2021

Asia produced two shining lamps on two hills this week. One is Ming Yang, CFO of the Daqo solar manufacturer in Xinjiang. The other is Taiwan.

Yang, who has a Taiwanese heritage, leads a company in China that is completely controlled by foreign investment. He insists that the company does not employ any Uighurs, thus arguing that using Uighurs as forced labor wouldn’t be possible. He also insists on full transparency with outside groups that would seek to confirm the situation in his company—he wants the truth to convince them through transparency. He also insists that he is not aware of Uighur abuse in Xinjiang, but that if it were true, it would be a very bad thing.

Taiwan shines its light of hope from the season of darkness it now enters. An outbreak of COVID in the greater Taipei area has put the entire island on near lockdown. Customers must list name, phone number, and time when entering many stores. Many avoid public places, wear masks among friends, and carry spray bottles of sanitizer. The calm solidarity in Taiwan is almost unnerving, but it is very encouraging. And, we need encouragement in these times.

Both shining lights cast a pleasant light upon the Taiwanese people. While many will be encouraged throughout the world, there will always be someone who finds a way to be jealous.

China

Shining lamp on a hill
A Xinjiang Solar Giant Breaks Ranks to Try and Woo the West // Bloomberg

Western powers clash with China over Xinjiang at UN virtual meet // Aljazeera

Xinjiang births plummeted after crackdown on Uyghurs, says report // Guardian

China’s ambitions in space: national pride or taking on the Americans? // Financial Times

Taiwan

Minister urges care as local cases grow // Taipei Times

Military Faceoff

Amphibious Exercise ARC 21 Underway with Australia, France, Japan, United States // Naval News

Italian carrier returns home after completing F-35 trials // UK Defense Journal

MV-22B Osprey aircraft land on HMS Queen Elizabeth // UK Defense Journal

USS Harry S. Truman Departs Norfolk Naval Shipyard // US Navy

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 3, 2021

Navies from across the globe are holding a slumber party in the East Pacific, namely the South Sea. British and other Europeans join the US, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and of course China. Everyone says they want things to be calm and normal. But, the elephant in the slumber party living room is Taiwan. China maintains a policy of planning to take control either by hostile takeover or hostile invasion.

North Koreans aren’t happy with Biden. He says he will use the American-despised method called ‘diplomacy’. But, what diplomacy compares to the first president to meet with the Great Successor—twice? Biden and his team of wonderfuls are thrilled to be rid of divisive riff-raff like the first president to achieve diplomacy talks with North Korea head-to-head. Now that things are improving in America, we can get back to hostility as usual with the Korean peninsula.

If the other members of the East Pacific navy slumber party were serious about peace, they would freeze all Chinese assets until China renounced its Taiwan invasion policy and gave half of its navy to Taiwan as evidence. That won’t happen, but it just goes to prove that no one wants peace in the Pacific—they just want a navy slumber party. And, that’s what they’ve got. And, weapons manufacturers are thrilled.

Taiwan

Chinese man crosses Strait on raft // Taipei Times

Korean Peninsula

N Korea warns of response to Biden’s ‘hostile policy’ // Taipei Times

Myanmar

Seven dead in Myanmar as Amnesty accuses army of ‘killing spree’ // Aljazeera

Military Faceoff

China’s carrier group conducts exercises in South China Sea // Aljazeera

China’s new amphibious assault ship to carry multi-type helicopters, ‘enters world-class’ ranks // Global Times (China Govt)

British name enormous carrier strike group heading for the Indo-Pacific // Defense News

UK to send Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to Japan, S Korea // Aljazeera

China simultaneously commissions three warships on Navy anniversary // Defense News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 26, 2021

The world is starting to realize that China is just going to ignore everybody. Talking won’t work. Action won’t work unless China loses, then China still won’t listen.

This isn’t new. China has never listened. The only reason China respected international laws in decades past—including its own treaties—was because China was forced to. But, China never wanted to. And, China never will.

The EU is in blaming mode. The Philippines are on high alert. Australia is on high alert and warns Taiwan. Taiwan has always been on high alert because Taiwan may be the only country that never misunderstood China—neither its psychology nor its intentions.

But, it looks like this scuffle isn’t building up in Myanmar or Japan or even Taiwan. The flashpoint is staged at the Philippines. Anything else could serve as the fuse. But this time around, the Philippines hold the payload. Here we go.

Trade & Tech

China is going after tech companies. Tesla is trying to keep out of the way // CNN

China

EU blames China for endangering peace in South China Sea // Yahoo Canada

Xi Jinping says ‘bossing others around’ won’t work as US ups pressure on China // CNN

Analysis: Xi Jinping’s culture war comes to China’s campuses as Communist Party prepares to mark 100 years // CNN

Taiwan

Australia does not rule out China conflict over Taiwan // Taipei Times

Why the world should pay attention to Taiwan’s drought // BBC News

Many aim to form travel bubbles with Taiwan: bureau // Taipei Times

Philippines

Philippines Duterte latest victim of China’s South China Sea battle // News.com.au

Philippine coast guard holds drills in disputed South China Sea // Bangkok Post

Military Faceoff

China’s overseas naval base is now big enough for its aircraft carriers, a top US commander says // Business Insider

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 12, 2021

China’s getting more flack from more sides—Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines. Vietnamese are furious with H&M for depicting maps with Vietnam-claimed islands as part of China, even though H&M did that because the Chinese told them to. The noose of perceived nuisance tightens.

China won’t back off on military drills and presence. The greatest beneficiaries are Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. They have every reason to hope China continues military drills. A Chinese aircraft recently radioed reference to airspace as “Chinese”, which Taiwan also claims. Weapons dealers are probably clanging champagne glasses over that.

Military activity in the Southeast Asia is on the uptick. No one plans to back down. The question is over which side is reacting how the other side expected. The accurate expector will likely win the next scuffle.