China is running into one of the problems of Communism; once the government controls a company, what that company buys is fair game in treaty negotiations. China’s government owns a lot of Chinese companies. The world already knows this, but Trump is the first president to figure it out.
Neither Trump nor Xi are attempting any kind of long term trade deal. Xi will only accept a deal where China can grow enough to eradicate the English language from Western culture and the Magna Carta is forgotten, in which case a trade deal wouldn’t be necessary anyway. Trump will only accept a trade deal in which that can’t happen.
No deal is anticipated by either. Both are vying for time and ways to milk money away from the other to fund their own goals, which are already known, though not everyone has figured them out because not many people want to. We’re on a collision course with war and no one wants to admit that.
Delaying the October 1 tariffs because 1. the Chinese premier asked for it and 2. because of the 70th Anniversary celebrating the Chinese Communist Party will only embolden the Chinese Communists. The Chinese love parades, and if they think America respects their parades, they will think it proves that they are invincible. This is a part of Chinese thinking Americans struggle to understand.
Equally, the Chinese struggle to understand Trump. In his Tweet announcement, where he delays the tariffs, but also reminds everyone how bad they will be just two weeks later—it’s a mind game that Beijing can’t grasp. Even reading this article won’t help the Chinese get wise to how much they are being played. The only reason they are so easy to play is because they make it so easy by refusing to abandon their Confucian values. Ironically, those are the very values they want to impose on the rest of the world by Sinicizing the rest of the world.
So, mid-October has become the big date. That’s when Trump slaps more tariffs on China, and that’s when Taiwan is expected to finalize its purchase of 66 brand-new, shiny, American F-16Vs.
Great Pacific
US warship sails near contested Paracel Islands // Taipei Times
Top US diplomat raises alarm over Chinese disinformation war on Taiwan // Taiwan News
Trade & Tech
China is starting to eat into its reserves of pork // CNN
U.S. Charges Chinese Professor Accused of Theft to Help Huawei // Yahoo News
China
US-China trade war’s unstoppable global economic transformation // CNBC
China’s Economy Will Shrink. Trade War Has No End In Sight. // Forbes
Taiwan warns citizens not to travel to Hong Kong and China after businessman detained // CNN
US stock futures rise after Trump delays tariff hikes against China until Oct 15 // MarketWatch
Trump delays tariff hikes on Chinese goods ahead of talks // BBC News
China will win trade war, reduce reliance on US tech: Strategist // CNBC
Taiwan
Taipei plans to act fast on F-16s: US official // Taipei Times
Nation signs consular deal with the US // Taipei Times
Bill for Taiwan purchase of F-16s likely to be passed in October: lawmaker // Taiwan News
Tsai leading presidential race in all scenarios: poll // Taipei Times
Foxconn Billionaire Clears Path for Taiwan Presidential Run // Yahoo News
Mayors of Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung ranked bottom for performance // Focus Taiwan
Domestic arms key to deterrence plan // Taipei Times
Aides to Foxconn founder and Taipei mayor visit election commission together // Taiwan News
Taipei Mayor faces backlash on Facebook after controversial comments // Taiwan News
Hong Kong
Groups clash as HK protests enter 15th week // Taipei Times
Hong Kong protests: Petrol bombs and water cannon used in clashes // BBC News
Hong Kong police fire tear gas, water cannon after protesters hurl petrol bombs: Live updates // CNN
Hong Kong protesters clash with pro-Beijing counterparts // Aljazeera
Hong Kong activist to Germany: stop selling riot control kit to city // Guardian
Hong Kong Protesters Wave the American Flag, but Is It Too Late? // Yahoo News
Billionaire Pansy Ho tells UN human rights body she feels repressed by Hong Kong protests // SCMP
Anti-government movement takes singing protest to Hong Kong malls // SCMP
Hong Kong protesters hit pause to mark Sept. 11 attacks // Yahoo News
Hong Kong’s Protest Movement Is Getting Darker // The Atlantic
Hong Kong Activist Joshua Wong Confirms Arrest at Airport // Bloomberg
Korean Peninsula
Several dead as Typhoon Lingling hits North Korea // Aljazeera
Military
Navy carrier strike group deploys without carrier after flattop breaks // Business Insider