China - Geostrategic & Geopolitical.

[Bob53]

I’ll leave it at this so I don’t get painted as a complete wackjob but why would an Walkley award winning Australian investigative Journo or anyone associated with her, arrange get fake positive book reviews of her book by a bot army? Wouldn’t it be more likely that the CCP would bombard with fake reviews to discredit?

Part of the issue is that we had China Hawks like Pompeo launching the intel and then the Donald spruiking it as the Wuhan Flu. At the time a big chunk of the US and AU/Western media would of disagreed with anything that came out of their mouths without a second thought. Mainly because a lot of what they said about just about everything sounded like 2 monkeys arguing over bananas.

 

[John Fedup]

Is that the investigation into the bogus pornhub reviews? Sorry couldn't resist it.

Now that is something that really deserves a serious investigation.

 

[ngatimozart]

I’ll leave it at this so I don’t get painted as a complete wackjob but why would an Walkley award winning Australian investigative Journo or anyone associated with her, arrange get fake positive book reviews of her book by a bot army? Wouldn’t it be more likely that the CCP would bombard with fake reviews to discredit?

Don't push it. I replied like I did because they weren't academic or published reviews by peer reviewers. There's a big difference.
You have been on here long enough to know what the expectations are, so don't spit the dummy if you are challenged on your claims by anyone else or the Moderators.

Part of the issue is that we had China Hawks like Pompeo launching the intel and then the Donald spruiking it as the Wuhan Flu. At the time a big chunk of the US and AU/Western media would of disagreed with anything that came out of their mouths without a second thought. Mainly because a lot of what they said about just about everything sounded like 2 monkeys arguing over bananas.

Be very careful because you've entered into the realm of US politics and that is an absolute no no. So back off from it. I won't give you any demerit points or a ban, nor an official warning, but I cannot speak for other Moderators. You have worried this book like a dog worries a bone and that is not good. You don't appear to understand the inner workings of the CCP and how it works very hard to control the Chinese people and the narrative world wide. There is a significant body of peer reviewed evidence to support my assertions about the CCP.

 

[Bob53]

Nagi I’m not disagreeing in anyway with your comments about the CCP controlling the narrative. I am in violent agreement in fact. They key point was the scientific journals supported the bulk of the claims made in the book.

 

[weaponwh]

The western intelligence agencies came by to this conclusion that supports the outline of the book around March2020. If you recall around this time Trimp started calling it the Wuhan flu and Scomo requested an independent review of the origins of COVID 19. This is because they had been briefed.

There is a lot I have missed in the synopsis above, including how WHO and Eco Health alliance were central to the narrative that was adopted in the west.

I am of the view that the basic under story of the book …. it sounds about right but like I said get a copy and read it.
Btw I am not the authors agent.

What Really Happened In Wuhan

Walkley Award-winning journalist, Sharri Markson is the Investigations Editor at The Australian and host of prime-time show Sharri on Sky News Australia.The ...

www.harpercollins.com.au

well its still speculation, until white house said this is true and provide solid evidence, no one will ever knows. i mean US intel must spend billions and tons man hours on this already. so i'm not sure what one book can achieve something US intel can't .

 

[ngatimozart]

Ukraine likely to end up looking a lot like Syria - Asia Times

The war in Ukraine has been burning for more than 100 days. But outside of the West, the conflict is a “quiet” war – burning away somewhere over the

asiatimes.com

Bit changing the sources perspective from non western and non russian. Yes Asia Times is HK based, and now all HK based media practically (especially by collective West) considered tainted with Beijing yoke. Still it is shown more or less how the world outside collective West see this War.

I used to read the SCMP quite a bit because it offered a good view on what was happening in the PRC, but since Beijing has stripped away any press freedoms and independence in HK I don't bother now. I am not sure, but the recent requirement that every business in the PRC, even foreign owned ones, is to have an active CCP cell in each branch and / or business unit, may also apply apply in HK and that would impact on the HK media as well.

 

[Ananda]

may also apply apply in HK and that would impact on the HK media as well.

I can only say the way HK Financial Market practise now. Yes Beijing influence is getting clearer, but HK market still maintain independent action some what. They are in balancing game.

So far Beijing more concern on one thing (at least what my coleugues there told): "don't go to politics against me, just make money and I leave you alone".

 

[ngatimozart]

I can only say the way HK Financial Market practise now. Yes Beijing influence is getting clearer, but HK market still maintain independent action some what. They are in balancing game.

So far Beijing more concern on one thing (at least what my coleugues there told): "don't go to politics against me, just make money and I leave you alone".

Have you heard anything about Li Keqiang's May 25th 100,000-strong conference regarding the PRC economy?

 

[Ananda]

Not Much, and my colleugues in HK put it into two thing on this conference:

1. Beijing concern on the economics impact of their zero covid policy (which they will never admitted it is too far for economy survival),
2. How to galvanise economics players (business and officials) to reallign themselves for energisimg economy activities ASAP.

I'm not following much on the conference, because for me it is more important how the implementation results. Second semester this year will be clearer how the results will be.

 

[ngatimozart]

Not Much, and my colleugues in HK put it into two thing on this conference:

1. Beijing concern on the economics impact of their zero covid policy (which they will never admitted it is too far for economy survival),
2. How to galvanise economics players (business and officials) to reallign themselves for energisimg economy activities ASAP.

I'm not following much on the conference, because for me it is more important how the implementation results. Second semester this year will be clearer how the results will be.

It will be but the Politburo Standing Committee has not deviated from its Zero COVID policy and by all accounts it has no intention to regardless of the cost to the economy. Farmers adjacent to the five large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing etc., aren't allowed to harvest both the vegetable and grain harvests because of the Zero COVID policy and its draconian regulations.

They are having to leave the crops to rot in the ground and this is going to create food supply problems. not just within the PRC but elsewhere because the PRC owns a large number of foreign food producing companies and it will order those to ship food back to the PRC to feed its starving population, regardless of the food supply in the country of origin.

 

[Ananda]

The result of HK latest COVID peak few months ago, shown it can be relatively manageable without too much draconian lock down. However seems not acceptable enough for Mainland standard.

As for China grab many overseas producers, yes their aim to help support Chinese food market. Some of those companies also accepting Chinese shareholders, due to promises of better Chinese market access. It is afterall the largest consumers market in the world. However those host countries can hold off the export if they see it is creating problem to domestic supply.

Indonesia for example hold CPO export recently due to safe guarding cooking oil supply domestically. Nearly Half of those big Palm Oil plantation are foreign owned. However the foreign shareholders can't say much on export hold off due to domestic needs come first.

Anyway:

Chinese Defense Minister and US Secretary of Defense conducting talk in Singapore.

 

[Ananda]

China deserves new sanctions over Xinjiang - EU

European Union (EU) lawmakers pushed to bolster sanctions against Chinese officials involved in alleged human rights violations in the western region of Xinjiang.

www.bangkokpost.com

Sometimes I'm perplexed with those EU lawmakers in Brussels timing. EU economy still has to beared costs due to Economic War with Russia, that push down the recovery effort. Now they want to add another Economic War with much bigger market also trade partner ? Do they expect China don't do retaliation ? Sanctioning officials seems simple, but it will always follow with another spiralling down factor that negatively effect trade costs as consequences.

No wonder the fringe voices of dissastisfaction toward EU in Brussels getting louder. You can see that on several Euro Independent online media. Don't underestimate those independent fringe voices, afterall that's where one of Brexit begining come.

Perhaps those lawmakers want to capitalise on recent Euro cohesiveness toward war in Ukraine. However try to add the costs on EU consumers over a political issue that not reasonate same emotional feeling on average Euro (as Ukraine War) ?

Look, I got that many in collective west politicians like to push sanctions. However, be realistic with your timing. Just take a look on your own economic conditions first. Is this good timing to add another economic war costs to EU already fragile recovery ?

That's what always the problem, when too much politics try to interfere on Economics/Market mechanism.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

It will be but the Politburo Standing Committee has not deviated from its Zero COVID policy and by all accounts it has no intention to regardless of the cost to the economy. Farmers adjacent to the five large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing etc., aren't allowed to harvest both the vegetable and grain harvests because of the Zero COVID policy and its draconian regulations.

Youth unemployment in China is nearing 20%, when historically it was barely any worse than the US and better than the EU - now it's sigificantly worse than both.

Note these are EU figures without the UK, which is notable as we have tended to have lower youth unemployment than our continental neighbours, so we somewhat flattered EU figures before we left.

This should be worrying for the CCP, as there are much fewer young people entering the job market than there were 10 or 20 years ago. If the economy was healthy there wouldn't be such a large change in the unemployment rate for younger Chinese.

elsewhere because the PRC owns a large number of foreign food producing companies and it will order those to ship food back to the PRC to feed its starving population, regardless of the food supply in the country of origin

Depending on the country in question that may not be possible. Even the corrupt leaders of third world countries would prefer China's anger than a hungry mob lynching them. As for countries with rule of law, within days you could expect emergency legislation to stop food exports of the sort China would want. Even with current cost of living issues you have countries like Malaysia stopping exports of chicken. Which country would allow China to say "we're taking all your food"?

 

[John Fedup]

This article summarizes some of the economic damage caused by Xi. I think the article is somewhat optimistic wrt diminishing Chinese influence in the world, at least regarding military aspirations.

China’s Crisis of Confidence

What if, instead of being a competitor, China can no longer afford to compete at all?

foreignpolicy.com

 

[Boatteacher]

I'm surprised this hasn't got more press...
"But on Monday, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said 'China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait'.

'It is a false claim when certain countries call the Taiwan Strait 'international waters' in order to find a pretext for manipulating issues related to Taiwan and threatening China's sovereignty and security,' he added."

It was in this article (yes, in what I call trash on line press) Taiwanese politician warns supersonic cruise missile can reach Beijing

I know China has danced around this issue, but I don't recall as blantant a statement as this one before.

In the same article, Taiwan announced they have a supersonic misslie that can reach Beijing.

@Boatteacher Whilst some of us don't hold the media in the highest regard, there is no need to be insulting about it. Please don't do it again.

Ngatimozart

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

I'm surprised this hasn't got more press...
"But on Monday, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said 'China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait'.

'It is a false claim when certain countries call the Taiwan Strait 'international waters' in order to find a pretext for manipulating issues related to Taiwan and threatening China's sovereignty and security,' he added."

It was in this article (yes, in what I call trash on line press) Taiwanese politician warns supersonic cruise missile can reach Beijing

I know China has danced around this issue, but I don't recall as blantant a statement as this one before.

In the same article, Taiwan announced they have a supersonic misslie that can reach Beijing.

Thank you for sharing.

Lawmaker warns Taiwan's missiles can hit Beijing | Taiwan News | Jun. 14, 2022 17:27

www.taiwannews.com.tw

|"The legislative speaker said that when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tries to cross the Taiwan Strait, its naval vessels will be sunk by anti-ship missiles and Hsiung Feng III (雄風三型, Brave Wind III) missiles. When PLA troops land, there will be a decisive battle to prevent them from setting up a beachhead, argued You."|

They can only let china regret any invasion if they have enough Yun Fengs and Hsiung Feng III on stock.

 

[ngatimozart]

This article summarizes some of the economic damage caused by Xi. I think the article is somewhat optimistic wrt diminishing Chinese influence in the world, at least regarding military aspirations.

China’s Crisis of Confidence

What if, instead of being a competitor, China can no longer afford to compete at all?

foreignpolicy.com

Hmm, one assumption in the article is definitely not a given and that is Xi getting his third term come the 20th CCP Congress in November. The author doesn't really discuss why Xi has done so much damage to the PRC economy and it's not so much his alleged far left Maoist political beliefs either as many in the west make out. What is correct though, is that the Zero COVID Policy is having a significant negative impact on the PRC economy. It's going to cause a significant food shortage as well and some are mentioning it in the same breathe as the Great Famine caused by Mao's Great Leap forward. It is estimated that approximately 20 million people starved to death in that famine. The faction fight between Xi and the Jian faction has also caused significant damage to the economy that is unrelated to COVID-19 with real estate crashes and businesses going bankrupt.

This has had a flow on effect to the city governments because of their funding comes from the sale of land rights to developers and from a cut in the on-selling of property land rights. No one owns property in the PRC because all the land and property is owned by the State (CCP). The individuals own the rights to the land and property for a period not exceeding 70 or 80 years, then it reverts back to the State. So cities are going broke and are not hiring public servants and those already employed are having to take pay cuts. The basic salary is quite small and the rest is made up of bonuses, so from the middle of last year cities have cut bonuses completely and required staff to pay already paid out bonuses back. As you can understand that's gone down like a bucket of sick. Recently I saw a notice one worker received from one of the PRC's biggest company's saying that the worker volunteers a pay cut. All they had to do was fill in the amount. If they for some strange reason they disagreed with it, they had to explain why. Imagine doing that in any of the FVEY or EU countries?

Part of the problem is the CCP itself and I liken it to a huge large Aussie salt water croc that has a foul temper, a perpetual tooth ache, and a permanent hunger that is never satisfied. So it is always hunting and eating everything in its path and it's cannibalistic. It continues to grow until it's eaten everything within its area so has too move into other crocs areas. Salties are very territorial so it devours its own kind as it takes over each opponents range. The people within the CCP are the same and at the top are like grumpy salties or tiger snakes. The CCP doesn't care about the people within it or the Chinese people in particular. They are just feedstock to feed the machine that seeks power and keep it, because that's what the CCP is, a machine that feeds and survives on, and is addicted to power which it must have regardless of the cost. People in the west don't understand that because generally they've never experienced anything like it before. Even the tax office is 1000% nicer, more helpful and freer than the CCP.

 

[OPSSG]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1536719714818347009

No surprise that Xi Jinping signed new rules governing "non-war" military operations which will allow the Chinese military to undertake "special military operations" abroad. The order which takes effect 15 June 2022, state media reported, without detailing the order in full.

These plans have been in the works even before 2019, as the PLA prepare and train to secure far flung Chinese interests — the PLA Southern Theater Command Army's (STCA) 74th Army Group, was in Singapore for 10 days to engage in professional exchanges and tactical training to conduct NEO.

"It mainly systematically regulates basic principles, organization and command, types of operations, operational support, and political work, and their implementation by the troops," state news agency Xinhua said.

 

[Ananda]

阿里云万网虚机手工关停页面

www.tbcoer.com

This's not being discussed much on Western media that are more focus on Taiwan and Ukraine War. However this is can be considered breakthrough from PRC to provide their own Litograph machine that up to this moment dominate by Dutch ASML.

Moreover this will reduce much US leverage on potential more embargoes threat toward China semiconductor Industry. The article come from Chinese source, and they are admitting it is not as advance as ASML Litograph machine yet. However in paper it is closing in toward Litograph 2nd player Japan Hitachi.

Even tough it is not yet as advance as ASML and Hitachi on wafer thickness, but it will provide China their own competitive Litograph machine. Thus they can provide chip toward those market that being embargoes by West like Russia.

Moreover knowing China track record, it can also provide significant market alternative from either Taiwan and South Korea for chip sources. Good for the market overall that are now facing continue chip shortage crisis. However I don't think it's a welcome development for those in Washington.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

This's not being discussed much on Western media that are more focus on Taiwan and Ukraine War. However this is can be considered breakthrough from PRC to provide their own Litograph machine that up to this moment dominate by Dutch ASML.

Do you have verification of this from a trustworthy source? The website you've linked to is a Chinese industry website. Could be a load of nonsense or an exaggeration, like when we hear of people making fusion breakthroughs with industrial-scale production "a few decades away".

This website in 2020 said that China had virtually no experience in this field. That they've managed to produce a working model seems unlikely, unless they stole all the plans from someone else.

You might ask why lie. Well the biggest reason would be to try to attract foreign investment (hence it being posted on an English-language website) in the belief China has or will be able to take the monopoly away from the Dutch. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Chinese companies tried to dupe foreign investors.