Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 19, 2019

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.

Trade & Tech

U.S. ban on Huawei being largely ignored in S.E. Asia // Kyodo News+

Huawei employees reportedly helped African governments spy // NY Post

China Prepares Its ‘Nuclear Option’ In Trade War // OilPrice.com

Tech Suppliers Shift Away From China Despite Trump Tariff Delay // Bloomberg

Taiwan’s Quanta plans to move part of its production from China // Taiwan News

China

How China is crushing the Uighurs // YouTube @ The Economist

China prepares its ‘nuclear option’ in trade war // RT

‘Too much damage has been done’: strategist on US-China trade war // Yahoo News

History is bound to repeat itself. Never forget Tiananmen Massacre. // Imgur

If China crushes Hong Kong, is Taiwan next? // The Hill

Taiwan

US lawmakers back Taiwan F-16 sale // Taipei Times

Trump Administration moves to submit Taiwan F-16V deal to Congress: Washington Post // Taiwan News

Taiwan mulls visa waiver for Vietnam, Indonesia // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong protests: what’s at stake for China? // YouTube @ The Economist

Worried Hong Kong Residents Are Moving Money Out as Protests Escalate // WSJ

Hong Kong protests: Rival demonstrations spread across globe // BBC News

After Tumult, Hong Kong Gauges Support for Protests With Mass Rally // NY Times

He spends half his $1300 monthly salary on rent. This is why he’s fighting for a fairer Hong Kong // CNN

China flexes muscle near Hong Kong amid more weekend rallies // Taiwan News

The End of Hong Kong as We Know It // Yahoo News

Jackie Chan comments about Hong Kong protests spark backlash // NY Post

Global Times chief Hu Xijin: The man taking on Hong Kong from deep inside China’s propaganda machine // CNN

Who’s apologizing and why? An A-Z list of the foreign companies that are being condemned on Chinese social media for allegedly disregarding the one-China principle // Twitter @WhatsOnWeibo

Affecting Macau, West hopes for best…
WRAPUP 3-China warns it could quell Hong Kong protesters; Trump urges Xi to meet them // Yahoo News

Recalling Tiananmen Square, Bolton Warns China Against ‘Missteps’ in Hong Kong // CNSNews

Trump Suggests China’s Xi Meet With Hong Kong Protesters // VOA

Are we on the brink of a new Tiananmen Square horror? // Daily Mail

Why Hong Kong universities are cancelling inauguration ceremonies and orientation camps this year // SCMP

Militarized escalation…
Satellite photos appear to show Chinese APCs near Hong Kong // Taiwan News

Hong Kong announces $2.4B economic stimulus, growth revision // TeleTrader

Hong Kong protests: Trump offers to meet with China’s Xi to resolve crisis // CNN

Hong Kong protesters wave American flag, sing national anthem // The Week (India)

Hong Kong protest: Demonstrators clash with riot police and force cancellation of all flight departures today // CBS News

‘Yes or no?’: HK leader pressed by reporter // BBC News

Protests Put Hong Kong on Collision Course with China’s Communist Party // NY Times

Cathay Pacific says workers who protest in Hong Kong will be suspended from mainland China flights // CNN

Hong Kong protests: Clashes as police fire tear gas into rail station // BBC News

Korean Peninsula

North Korea shuts down peace talks with South Korea // YouTube @ CBS News

North Korea threatens to freeze South Korea out of future talks // CNN

Military

USS Gerald R Ford can recover all Navy planes except the F-35 // Business Insider