China faces more scrutiny from its own propaganda while Taiwan searches its own soul. Taiwanese elections are fast approaching. Demagoguery is in full swing. Even the founder of Foxconn says a Chinese god told him to run for president.
We could say that billionaires are the presidential trend, but Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) money is largely in China, which is planning to attack Taiwan. Trump’s investments were mainly in American companies with satellite projects globally. Gou can’t rightly be compared to Trump. While there were proven-to-be-unsubstantiated suspicions of a connection to Russia with Trump, Gou’s connection to China is both widely known and undisputed, Foxconn having 12 factories in China. Gou opposes the US selling weapons to Taiwan. I wonder why.
If business tycoon Gou were to take the de facto pro-unification KMT-Nationalist party nomination, he would need to overcome Mayor Han of Kaohsiung, a populist with little political experience who’s primary vehicle of campaigning is complaint and demagoguery. Han recently accused Taiwan’s military of being “eunuchs” in uniform, which stirred up the voters who don’t like compulsory military service, but he failed to provide a solid path to making any improvements.
The controlling party’s incumbent president will need to face a primary challenger, former Premier and Mayor William Lai, who has his own past list of non-accomplishments.
While Taiwan fights with itself, China’s new best-friend-forever is Venesuala. The press highlighted China’s high-pressure work culture this week with a story about Alibaba founder Jack Ma’s defense of 12-hour, 6-day work weeks. Did Ma think that would make the American public more or less likely to support US military action against China? Some in China are starting to see Trump as China’s savior.
So, with a seemingly unstable Taiwan and a China with something to prove, we are approaching flashpoint, where “liberators” will get the justification they need to come out of the woodwork and split up China like fire ants on a dead tiger.
Taiwan
China to show new warships as Beijing flexes military might | Taipei Times
Taiwan will not be intimidated: Tsai | Taipei Times
Taiwan president says island not intimidated by Chinese military drills | Yahoo – Reuters
Terry Gou
Hon Hai’s Gou officially enters presidential race | Taipei Times
Flashback, 2018/7/17…
Foxconn chief Terry Gou not interested in Taiwan presidential election bid | Taiwan News
The Terry Gou I Know Won’t Be China’s Man | Bloomberg
Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou questions US-Taiwan arms sales | China Post
Mayor Han
Taiwanese Populist Han Kuo-yu Advances China’s Interests | The Atlantic
Tsai pans Han Kuo-yu’s ‘eunuchs’ comparison | Taipei Times
KMT could ‘recruit’ Han for primary: Wu | Taipei Times
China
Trump Stirs Alarm That He May Be Giving China a New Trade Weapon | Bloomberg
Jack Ma endorses China’s controversial ‘996’ work culture | CNN
US attacks Huawei and China, without its own 5G strategy | CNBC
Trump soured relations in Latin America. China and Russia have welcomed the chaos. | Geenwich Time
China says US treats Latin American like its ‘backyard’ Index | ABC News
Donald Trump, China Savior? Some Chinese Say Yes | NY Times
U.S., China Set Tentative Timeline for Next Round of Trade Talks | WSJ
Korea
Pompeo insists he’s ‘still in charge’ on North Korea negotiations | CNN
North Korea test-fires a new tactical guided weapon | CNBC
Military
US, Japan still can’t find missing F-35, ‘secrets’ may be in danger | Business Insider
Bad News for China: J-20 Stealth Fighters Can’t Touch an F-22s or F-35 | National Interest
Check This Plane Out: It Will Make the F-22, F-35 and F-15 Even Deadlier | National Interest