Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 24, 2018

China detains two Canadians with remark and in the wake of a single Huawei executive’s arrest. Given the surfacing connections the executive’s family had to Mao, China likely views the value of arrested people as equally balanced; the West merely views China as having committed three criminal acts.

Huawei has gotten into more and more trouble the more it has been in the spotlight. Now, Europe even has its doubts. China’s sources of money and influences are drying up more and more.

But, an opinion article from Bloomberg invariably proves that some car makers managed to keep their technology out of the hands of China—mainly by keeping it out of China until it was out of date. Moreover, China has made proposals within its government to allow foreign companies to keep their technology secret. So, that should end any and every doubt about what a wonderful place China is for any and all manufacturing.

On the military side, China is announcing that it is finally pursuing the same quiet submarine technologies that the US, Russia, and India are also pursuing. So, that’s it. The West should give up because, after all, China is going to win.

The US, however, is in a different position. If China were to initiate a conflict with the US, say by attempting to assert control over Taiwan “by force if necessary”, China might not get as much help from its rumored spy partner, Russia. Taiwan is unlike Crimea, which held a referendum with overwhelming favor to return to Russia. And, with the US out of Russian-interested territories, like Syria and Afghanistan, there is little Russia would have to object to in the US following its own law to defend Taiwan, already on the books. A recessed Congress is certainly willing.

China: Economics

China mulls new foreign investment law | Economic Times – AFP

China’s Huawei faces new setbacks in Europe’s telecom market | WRAL 5

China says ‘new progress’ has been made in US trade war talks | SCMP

Behind the Myth of China’s Great Technology Grab | Bloomberg

China: Military

After heavy investment, China’s next generation of weapons and military equipment nears readiness | SCMP

‘GAME CHANGER’ China tests sub-launched nuclear missile that can strike America from thousands of miles away | The Sun

Why Chinese submarines could soon be quieter than US ones | SCMP

China: Diplomacy

How arrest of Chinese ‘princess’ exposes regime’s world domination plot | NY Post

Canada Presses China on ‘Arbitrary’ Detention of Citizens | NY Times

Justin Trudeau says people around the world ‘extremely disturbed’ by detention of Canadians in China | Global News

Prague: The city watching out for Russian and Chinese spies | BBC

Greater Asia

Tsunami hits without warning in Indonesia, killing over 220 | AP

US envoy Brett McGurk quits over Trump Syria pullout | BBC

US military ordered to begin planning to withdraw about half the troops in Afghanistan | CNN

Recognize Taiwan as the country it truly is | Taipei Times
letter to editor from US Congressman Ted Yoho