United States – Page 7

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, September 7, 2015

China’s pushing into the water. Beijing celebrated America’s victory over Japan in 1945. The Communists who took over China four years later seemed to take much of the credit. And, they are still angry that, even after 66 years, they don’t control Taiwan. A “victim of its own propaganda”, Beijing believes Taiwan doesn’t want to fly the Communist flag from lack of “communication” rather than, perhaps, Communism being communicated all to well. So, Communist China’s PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) is going to Alaska where Russia has more interests than China. So, is China a victim of it’s own propaganda—or of someone else working behind the scene?

China also seems to be having trouble on the money front. Even as its currency plummets, the world’s currency doesn’t. G-20 only loses trust in China.

Respect for Russia, however, is unchanged. Russia is playing some of its own games that will echo in the Pacific waters. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 24, 2015

SymphonyAugust 24, 2015

North Korea does it’s annual late summer saber-rattling while the US and South Korea run their annual pre-autumn laps on the peninsula. Everyone’s in an uproar and “this time” it could be dangerous—again. Back to school.

China’s market slows while it’s naval activity rises. Chinese business is no longer the talk of town, though banking is as Beijing goes liquid. 400 deep pockets lost $182B USD to China’s sinking tech.

Taiwan’s election season continues to heat up. In this week’s episode of old school v democracy, DPP Mayor William Lai threatened to close the KMT-Nationalist-controlled Taiwan Control Yuan if the Control Yuan tries to close him, but not Speaker Lee who was found guilty in a lower court of buying the votes that gave him his speakership. Apparently, the Control Yuan is not even a Constitutionally legal entity. China does is own gossip among Americans about the DPP. So, it’s clear how important the Taiwan 2016 election will be. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, August 17, 2015

SymphonyAugust 17, 2015

Chinese marketing, Taiwanese elections, and new military toys. Both Taiwan and China have been touting their military equipment. This goes a bit beyond the usual saber rattling; it’s more like sabre “show and tell”.

China launches a recruitment video for it’s Navy (PLAN). Though, China is facing an aging labor force and lacks the resources to make the Navy in the video become a Navy much father from its own coast. Perhaps it’s lack of range is why China seeks to build new islands. The video of dropping bombs does not ease concerns that China wants to expand in other territories. But the fact that it’s marketing has gone to such lengths does provide some reason for confidence that it’s dreams are only dreams.

Taiwan’s elections are heating up and it’s nothing the international community should ignore. While an old pro-unification third party (PFP People’s First Party) candidate, who helped persecute the Taiwanese’s own native language, is slightly rising in the polls, Taiwan’s own “game of thrones” politics could offset the balance. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 27, 2015

SymphonyJuly 27, 2015

Propaganda. Taiwanese students protest “rewriting” history curriculum. Taiwan’s Ministry of Education responded on cue: police to arrest protesters—as well as three reporters. Notwithstanding Mark Twain’s “Never argue with people who buy ink by the barrel”, taking action against the students will fall into the playbook MLK used in Birmingham. Had the police not responded, there might not have been any news. The backlash will whack the Taiwan party that caves to China—just before an election. And, the stories reveal that freedom of Taiwanese’s own press in their own country is as bad as it is in China. Reportedly, the press aren’t allowed to cover a protest unless the government invites them.

Chinese TV shows a simulated assault on the Taiwan presidential palace. This raises questions about whether China has also simulated the vast mountain range and beach landing necessary to reach Taiwan’s presidential palace. China’s propaganda within its own borders could backfire—not that the international world should be concerned with whether China tells the truth to its own people, but if the public gets unhappy with the Beijing bullhorn, it would create another battlefront, on top of the other battlefronts expanded under Xi Jinping. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 13, 2015

SymphonyJuly 13, 2015

With China’s economy failing, the Chinese KMT-Nationalist party living in exile at Taiwan may have made a mistake in trying to merge the fates of the New Taiwan Dollar with the Chinese Yuan. Election time in Taiwan could mean a political “pay day”. China is in financial crisis.

Weapon sales from the US to Taiwan have stalled during the tenure of Obama and Ma, Taiwan’s president. Both elections are in 2016 and analysts are wondering why the US won’t deliver on its sales to Taiwan. The obvious answer seems to evade experts and pundits. Even with America’s failed negotiations with China, the Pentagon doesn’t seem stupid enough to sell weapons to a nation run by leaders who don’t know how to explain their own foreign policy. The Pentagon delivery service will deliver once Taiwan clearly announces which country should appear on the shipping label.

In the meanwhile, China’s bad economy seems more scary than Greece’s. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 29, 2015

SymphonyJune 29, 2015

China’s economy is tanking if you look at sales reports, or, no, wait, it’s going up if you ask the Chinese. China is also losing in the battle for Vietnam’s alliance: Moscow is now buddy-buddy with Hanoi.

Taiwan’s internal politics are all over the map with a presidential election schedule running near-parallel to the US 2016 election. Both countries look like they will elect a leader that wants to “deal smart” with China—against Beijing’s de facto policy of demanding that the world allow itself to be annexed by Beijing. Beijing has already rejected what looms in 2016 like a slave owner rejecting a slave’s desire to “normalize relations”.

Speaking of slavery, China is now an expert on human rights, lecturing the US. It is almost comedic, not because of the gross difference in numbers, but because China has so consistently told the US that countries should mind their own business. It seems Beijing has reversed that precedent with a new one. · · · →