WRT you puzzlement, they may not have been aware of it. If they weren't they certainly will be now.Reports of illegal Chinese "police stations" in Rotterdam and Amsterdam: Illegal Chinese ‘police stations’ uncovered in the Netherlands, reports say – POLITICO
The Dutch government say they will investigate and take "appropriate actions".
In Canada, the RCMP will investigate Chinese police stations in Canada: RCMP to investigate Chinese police ‘service stations’ | CBC.ca
This follows a report from back in September which says that China has established 54 police stations on 5 continents: 230,000 Chinese "persuaded to return" from abroad, China to establish Extraterritoriality | Safeguard Defenders
It puzzles me that the authorities in Western countries have not acted on this already...
A "multipolar world order" only works if the relevant participants are willing to play by the same rulebook. If countries like China are not, what that policy means in reality is dividing the world up into spheres of influence. That's not acceptable to countries like the US and increasingly other NATO states, Japan, Australia, etc.Realities of multipolar word order seems need to be accepted and sink in within Washington political circles.
Playing with same rulebook is not multipolar, it is unipolar as one rule govern all. This's the dream of those in Washington and many in collective west, especially after they won cold war.multipolar world order" only works if the relevant participants are willing to play by the same rulebook.
Multipolar means multiple power centres, not multiple sets of rules. If one country was dominant, & others had to fall into line with it to some degree, the world would be unipolar. But countries competing for power & influence can agree to a set of rules, for their own protection. Nobody wants to trigger a nuclear holocaust, for example, so some rules which avoid getting into one unintentionally benefit both or multiple sides of a multipolar world.Playing with same rulebook is not multipolar, it is unipolar as one rule govern all. This's the dream of those in Washington and many in collective west, especially after they won cold war.
There are always people who will disagree with government policy anywhere. Even now China has its cheerleaders in countries, saying stuff along the lines of "if we just be nicer to the CCP, they'll be chill" and "can't we just let them have Taiwan, I'm sure they'll pinky-swear to be nice".The article from Financial Times shown how some in Japan already begin to do calculation of costs assessment. Thus it can results they won't necessarily follow Washington demand all the way.
It is going to be multiple sets of Rules that being agree by all power centers as part of 'compromise'. The rulebook will come out as be based on 'cost' calculations of each potential scenarios.Multipolar means multiple power centres, not multiple sets of rules. If one country was dominant, & others had to fall into line with it to some degree, the world would be unipolar.
In Unipolar that's what happen. One set of rules which being push by one dominant polar to all. In Multipolar that rules are coming after set of compromises based on each power cost own calculations assesment.not like Lord of the Rings. Some agreed rules don't mean one ring to rule them all.
Yes, that's only happen after each of power based calculate the costs assesment and decides what compromises they can agree. Compromises is the 'key' word that result after each power doing their own costs assesment. It is different on getting the rules then unipolar where the one dominant power practically push everyone else to set of rules they prefered.But countries competing for power & influence can agree to a set of rules, for their own protection.
That happen after the costs assesment process. What FT shown is how assesment process now being done even by US closes allies like Japan. "If" Japan own assesment shown they will follow US, and they will push the business to do that. However the process means also potential other way around.the Japanese government supports the US - or the US just takes unilateral action that Japanese companies need to follow to avoid being
I'm afraid it is something that derive more on Xi's faction stuborness. They should see how the other countries practicess means the zero covid practicess can be 'loosen' bit more.actually don't understand the zero-Covid policy of the chinese government. 2019-nCoV/Covid-19 has become a part of our life, like so many other diseases like SARS, MERS and others, its only less deathly. In a lot of countries you even get collective immunity.
It's not his stubbornness but definitely about showing that he's in control. The CCP look in fear at the collapse of the Soviet Union and loss of power by the CPSU. They judge Gorbachev's policies of glasnost and perestroika as abject failures caused by Gorbachev acknowledging that the CPSU had made mistakes. Gorbachev had committed the penultimate communist heresy in admitting that the Party was fallible. In communist dogma the Party is infallible, meaning that it never makes mistakes; individuals make mistakes, the Party never. According to CCP logic that lead to the ultimate destruction of the USSR and CPSU loss of power. In communist dogma the gaining of power and retention of it at all costs, is the ultimate goal and reason for being. The loss of power is an absolute nightmare and regarded as the end of times. The CCP resolved never to repeat Gorbachev's mistakes, and they avoid anything resembling glasnost and perestroika like the plague.I'm afraid it is something that derive more on Xi's faction stuborness. They should see how the other countries practicess means the zero covid practicess can be 'loosen' bit more.
Perhaps they are not confident enough on their own vaccines ? Many others mixed Chinese Vaccines with Western ones as part gerting more protection results. China now already come out with their own MRNA vaccines, perhaps after that rolling they have more confidence.
All this just speculations, but for me is part of Xi's stuborness and shown he is in full control.
Somehow I do think this is more on His Personal Image rather then Party image. CCP has shown several times they are willing to change policies, however they are doing it silently and sometimes by stages. I saw this related to market and economics, like in real estate or credit union that already taken funds from publics. So they are willing to acknowledge mistakes, even though not in the same way others done it.Since under communist dogma it's perfect and infallible, Xi cannot cancel the Zero Covid Policy. Equally since he is one of the architects and public face of the policy, he cannot cancel it because it would mean tremendous loss of face, and open him up to attacks from his enemies because he would be perceived as being weak. So he's really snookered himself.
That article is completely irrelevant to your position.Saudi Arabia Reiterates Commitment To China, Regardless Of U.S. Concerns | OilPrice.com
Saudi Arabia last week reiterated its commitment to China as its “most reliable partner and supplier of crude oil,”.oilprice.com
I not entirely in agreement with this article assesment on Saudi tipping to China. However it is just part of 'others' lesser power adjusment of changing patern in World Order. This is what I put as tendencies of multipolar going to be determine by power of 'compromises' which it turn going to be seen as 'bargain' on set of rules, rather then follow set of rules being dictated by the dominant power on unipolar.
I think it is highly unlikely that china starts a war if Saudi-Arabia stops exporting oil because of an american embargo.That article is completely irrelevant to your position.
No one has argued that Saudi Arabia should or was considering imposing an oil embargo on China. Indeed, that's the last thing the US or its allies want because that might cause China to start a war like Japan did. An oil embargo or reduced oil exports to China would only happen if the CCP attacked one of its neighbours.
Vietnam is politically stable (unlike Myanmar), investor-friendly, has consistent policies & has lower wages & other costs than Thailand or Malaysia.
Put it in here, not in ASEAN thread. This is relevance I believe with George Yeo interview I've put before. Despite all the talks of Asians getting warry with China, at the same time they still need to balance the relationships.
Vietnam getting largest shares of Industry that relocated from China due to latest trend of US and China tit for tat exchanges. Yes other ASEAN members got some shares of relocations, but most of them goes to Vietnam. This is from one of China neigbour that has more real "blood" confrontations before with China.
Why ? Because Vietnam is closest to China, thus can source more towards Chinese production value chains network.
That article shown how the new reality of China position makes some lesser power behave differently, and US can't expect the like of Saudi to 'kowtow' on their demand as easily as before.article is completely irrelevant to your position.
That's the question the article point out. How do you know if that happens others lesser power especially outside collective west will 'kowtow' to US and Collective West demand, or they'll bargain on their own. How do you know that Saudi will just following US lead embargoes if that happens ?An oil embargo or reduced oil exports to China would only happen if the CCP attacked one of its neighbours.
Yes it is, however it is also benefits from the direct proximity to China, which give them advantage of the other costs (not just wages) to other ASEAN when attracting relocation from China.is politically stable (unlike Myanmar), investor-friendly, has consistent policies & has lower wages & other costs than Thailand or Malaysia.
I didn't say that Saudi Arabia would stop selling it. But an embargo might be enforced by the navies of countries at war with China/supporting those attacked by China. Saudia Arabia would be powerless to stop that.I think it is highly unlikely that china starts a war if Saudi-Arabia stops exporting oil because of an american embargo.
Hence me saying "or reduced oil exports".Besides that Russia will be willing to export to china.
i'm curious what rulebook are we talk about here? like examples? furthermore isn't most the rules were made after wwii lead by US? i dont recall china ever involved in making these rulebook given they didn't establish relationship with US till 70s.A "multipolar world order" only works if the relevant participants are willing to play by the same rulebook. If countries like China are not, what that policy means in reality is dividing the world up into spheres of influence. That's not acceptable to countries like the US and increasingly other NATO states, Japan, Australia, etc.