Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 10, 2019

Chinese rhetoric spiked over recent weeks. They made threats. Trump made threats. They made more threats. Trump and Xi are BFF, just like Xi and Putin, but Xi and Putin are BFF-er. Now, we move toward quiet action. If China stops exporting “rare earth metals” to the US, the US would simply get them from somewhere else. “Rare” means many countries can get them, but few actually do because China does it so much.

The US is selling several tanks and tank-buster rockets to Taiwan. Beijing isn’t happy—about the $2 Billion in weapons sales to Taiwan, but also because of the people who publicly express memory of what happened 30 years ago at Tienanmen Square.

Around the time Taiwan’s primaries finish, the US launches its first Ford-class carrier in October, larger than a Nimitz. It still has a year of training and won’t be commissioned until 2022.

South China Sea: World War 3 fears as India and Singapore Navy conduct naval drill | Express

Tiananmen Square: World marks 30 years since massacre as China censors all mention | CNN

Tiananmen: The image that China forgot | BBC News

Tiananmen 30th anniversary: Thousands hold huge vigil in Hong Kong | BBC News

China slams Mike Pompeo’s Tiananmen Square comment as it clashes with Beijing’s rewritten version of history | CBS News

China

Why China’s rare earths threat is no game changer in the trade war | CNBC

China to curb some technology exports to US: Global Times editor | CNA

China to set up system to safeguard technology security | Punch Newspapers

Chinese warships leave Sydney after intimidating visit | Taipei Times

Three Chinese warships arrive in Sydney Harbour for four-day stopover | Australia news | Guardian

Ford Is Fined in China as Trade Fight With U.S. Rages | NY Times

China is jamming Trump on trade | Yahoo

Trump threatens China with tariffs on another $300B of goods | Fox Business

China’s Xi Jinping calls Trump a ‘friend,’ says US isn’t interested in rupturing ties with country | Fox Business

Trump US-China trade war news: Beijing says it ‘WILL NEVER GIVE UP’ and rejects US numbers | Express

China’s Xi praises ‘best friend’ Putin during Russia visit | BBC News

Commentary: It’s the US that has miscalculated in this trade war | CNA

Trade tensions have had a ‘significant’ impact on China, IMF says | CNBC

China issues citizens US travel alert, warns of harassment | Fox News

Huawei, Et Cetera

Report: China Warns Foreign Tech Companies Not to Comply With Trump Trade Bans | Gizmodo

Report: Google argues the Huawei ban would hurt its Android monopoly | Ars Technica

Facebook suspension deepens Huawei’s app dilemma | Nikkei Asian Review

Facebook reportedly prohibits Huawei from pre-installing its apps | Engadget

Hong Kong

Hong Kong sees new umbrella protests over China extradition bill | Aljazeera

In Pictures: ‘No to China extradition’ – Hong Kong protest against controversial new law sees huge turnout | HKFP

Hong Kongers protest extradition law | Taipei Times – AFP

Mass protest in Hong Kong over law critics fear could allow China to snatch anyone | CNN

Hong Kong students rally in Taipei | Taipei Times

Taiwan

US under Trump takes step towards recognizing Taiwan as a country | Taiwan News

U.S., Taiwan: American Military and FBI Delegation Begins 5-Day Visit | Stratfor

Delegation of US military and FBI officials arrives in Taiwan: Stratfor | Taiwan News

US looks to sell billions in weapons to Taiwan | SMH

Taiwan confirms request for US arms | news.com.au

Trump Administration Readies a $2 Billion Taiwan Arms Package | Bloomberg

China Invokes Abraham Lincoln in Justifying Push to Take Taiwan | Bloomberg

South China Sea news: Beijing condemned by Taiwan, Taipei for infiltrating island | Express

Academics part of Beijing program to be investigated | Taipei Times

Taiwanese meteorology experts blocked from Geneva summit at last minute | Taipei Times

Tracking Taiwan’s dwindling bear population | CNN

The Question: Why Didn’t Mao Invade Taiwan? | National Interest

North Korea

North Korea Would Get Wiped Out by the U.S. Air Force | National Interest

North Korea’s famed Mass Games put on pause | CNN

Kim Jong-un criticises ‘wrong spirit’ of mass games | BBC News

Kim Hyok Chol, North Korean diplomat, is alive, sources say | CNN

Japan

Here Come Japan’s Aircraft Carriers | The Diplomat

Remains Of Japanese F-35 Pilot Found As Search Is Called Off For Crashed Aircraft | The Drive

Military

F-15EX: The Strategic Blind Spot in the Air Force’s Fighter Debate | War on the Rocks

USS Gerald R. Ford Weapons Elevator Certifications Will Extend Past October | USNI

The Navy’s new supercarriers can’t carry its new stealth fighters | Business Insider

The Navy’s newest aircraft carrier won’t be able to deploy with the service’s newest warplane | Task & Purpose

The F-35 Is One of the 5 Worst Fighter Jets Ever Made | National Interest

The F-22 Raptor Is So Dangerous It Has No Real Enemy To Fight | National Interest

Video: Close Air Support: A-10 Warthog vs. F-35 Lightning | Task & Purpose

No Stealth for You: India Says It Can ‘Track’ China’s New J-20 Fighter | National Interest

The Big F-35 Flaw That Won’t Be Easy to Fix | National Interest