Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 2, 2019

Reuters broke the story. According to unnamed sources, Beijing refused to let Hong Kong’s government grant free elections, withdraw the extradition bill, and crackdown on police brutality. If this report can be proven in court, a case could be made that Hong Kong is no longer under China’s governance, already. Of course, China would never recognize such a ruling and a military conflict between China and the West would quickly ensue.

The West has slowly been inching forward in support of Western freedoms everywhere the West resides, including Hong Kong, and China has been ill prepared. Had Beijing anticipated the status quo, preventative measures would have been taken long ago. But, China doesn’t understand the West, just as Beijing can’t understand Westernized Hong Kong. So, “suspicion” is the emotional response to expect.

Well past the 79-day record of continued protests from the Umbrella Movement in 2014, the extradition protests are in their 13th week.

Turn of events included protestors setting large fires on police-related barricades and the police using blue die in water cannons, presumably to mark protestors for later action. This is a serious escalation on both sides. Far more importantly, but less likely to be noticed, protestors marched outside the Chinese military garrison, near Central on Hong Kong Island. This is a direct affront to Chinese control and, for that reason alone, the situation has never been more explosive, so to speak.

Hong Kong’s miracle was that it was Western, but it was located in the Far East. This made it an overlap and a gem in the world. It was the convergence of extremes that made Hong Kong special. But, Confucian-Communist Chinese can’t imagine that being Western would make a thing desirable. So, Beijing chalks-up Hong Kong’s “greatness” to the idea that “it is Chinese”.

In attempt to explain the protests, and without evidence, China has repeatedly accused the West of interfering in Hong Kong, which got its very value from already being Western. The greatest Western influence in Hong Kong came from Hong Kong itself. Reports of supposed Western financial backing for Hong Kong protests seem laughable to the West since they have been presented without a shred of anything remotely resembling a “paper trail”; it’s mere surmise.

Far more importantly, since when did Beijing object to Western influence? Communism is Western. But, seeing that requires objective thought, something Confucian culture can’t do.

Beijing supposes their must be someone behind the protests. In Confucian Chinese thinking, no one would oppose their great benevolence unless someone else told them to, and “objective thinking” is a mere myth. But, the West can’t imagine anyone supporting the government of the Tienanmen Square massacre without brainwashing.

As Westerners, Hong Koners don’t want to be brainwashed to support such a murderous government, neither does the rest of the West. So, with this past week, we can’t expect the West not to interpret action against Hong Kong’s protestors as a preemptive attack on the rest of Western civilization. World War veterans remember what happens when the West feels threatened. Still, no matter how much Hong Kong wants to, Beijing refuses to allow the only way to stop making Western culture feel like someone wants it to stop being Western.

Trade & Tech

Giant pandas may leave US zoos as trade war rages // NY Post

Huawei to launch Mate 30 in September potentially with no Google services // CNBC

U.S. Prosecutors Probe Huawei on New Allegations of Technology Theft // WSJ

More than 130 US companies have reportedly applied to sell to Huawei, but the Commerce Department has approved none of them // TechCrunch

Trade war drives ‘innocent’ Asian nations towards recession // BBC News

New Huawei OS Shock: ‘Confirmation’ Of Russian Software For Mobile Devices // Forbes

Vietnam Prefers Its Mobile Networks to Be Free of Huawei // Bloomberg

China

Trade war: US set to hit China with new wave of tariffs // BBC News

China Indicates It Won’t Retaliate Now on New U.S. Tariffs // Yahoo News

China says it’s willing to resolve trade war with a ‘calm attitude’ // CNBC

China willing to accept more pain in trade war, analyst says // CNBC

Trump stands firm on China trade war as talks poised to resume, says critics ‘don’t have the guts’ // Fox News

Taiwan

Taipei Mayor Ko says Han’s run for president ‘really frightening’ // Taiwan News

Petition to ‘purchase Taiwan’ emerges on White House website // Taiwan News

China to hold 3rd set of military drills near Taiwan this week // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong protesters build wall, set fire on a main street // Taiwan News

Hong Kong police are using blue-dye to mark protesters for arrest // Insider

EXCLUSIVE-Amid crisis, China rejected Hong Kong plan to appease protesters – sources // Yahoo News

Chinese National Who Joined Hong Kong Protests Now Begging in Taiwan // RFA

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam leaves door open on invoking sweeping emergency powers to deal with violent anti-government protests // SCMP

Hong Kong protests: Chinese PLA sends new military troops into SAR // CNBC

Hong Kong protests are impacting the city’s housing market // Business Insider

Jimmy Lai: The only Hong Kong multi-millionaire standing up to China // CNN

Carrie Lam is trying to shift the blame for the unrest to protesters. Don’t let her get away with it // SCMP

Korean Peninsula

North Korea hits Pompeo for ‘thoughtless’ comments, warns hopes for talks are dimming // The Hill

North Korea changes constitution to solidify Kim Jong Un’s rule // CNBC

New North Korean submarine could threaten the US // CNN

UPDATE 1-Japan says North Korea developing warheads to penetrate missile defenses // Yahoo News