Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 12, 2015

China didn’t make any friends this week. Beijing spies on every street corner with a service literally named “Skynet”.

The Pentagon wants a strong Taiwan. The US Navy plans to challenge China’s man-made military airport-seaport islands. Most people don’t know exactly where the islands are since they aren’t listed on many maps. But if you happen to have a recent Chinese passport, the islands would fall within the nine-dash line, along with Taiwan, parts of the Philippines, and a number of other territories we thought belonged to other countries.

Local Pacific politics are another big question mark this week. Malaysia’s PM is having “royal” trouble, literally. Taiwan’s failing KMT-Nationalist party seems to be cannibalizing their own Presidential front-runner. Who knows what will happen or even if it will matter.

Old guard and Establishment parties are facing the masses en masse. It’s not just happening in the Pacific, but also in the Americas and Europe.

And, N Korea has nuclear missiles… again.

Navy will challenge Chinese territorial claims in South China Sea

Putin’s boost in battle against ISIS: China preparing to ‘team up with Russia in Syria’

China

The Chinese government is cranking up the nationalism after its Nobel win

Absolutely everywhere in Beijing is now covered by police video surveillance

…Literally called “Skynet”

Taiwan

US wants strong, confident Taiwan: Pentagon official

Hung camp calls for secret vote at KMT’s congress

Malaysia