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
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
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
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)
‘Yes or no?’: HK leader pressed by reporter // BBC News
Protests Put Hong Kong on Collision Course with China’s Communist Party // NY Times
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