Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 21, 2019

“Careless” Carrie Lam’s effectiveness in Hong Kong is in the red. After banning masks at public gatherings, more people are wearing masks at gatherings than in the past. She bans an assembly, but people assemble anyway. Protests are so bad, police hit some people guarding a mosque with a water cannon and had to apologize to the imam. Lam was heckled by legislators during her annual policy speech and had to leave the chamber twice, finally delivering her speech on television. A government so defied and can’t govern. But, the need for public trust isn’t understood by Confucianism nor Communism nor especially Confucian Communism.

Beyond loss of control, the West gets the message loud and clear: China won’t back down on its forced expansionism. US Congress continues to pass laws favoring freedom in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. The TAIPEI act is largely symbolic, but still meaningful inasmuch as it gauges China’s response. Evaluating Hong Kong’s level of autonomy to be treated as a separate territory from China makes sense. Still, China considers the US formulating its own international policy a form of “interference”. Think about that…

US international policy must be what China wants it to be, otherwise China labels this as “interference”. This can only mean that China considers the US already under Chinese rule. It’s no longer about whether or to what extent China can boss Hong Kong and Taiwan. Now, the question is whether China should be allowed to dictate another country’s foreign policy.

Another factor is corporate. Gaming companies oust gamers who make “political” statements to defend freedom and human rights, but then Dior gets political by apologizing to China for not putting Taiwan in its map of China. If companies were consistent about being so-called “non-political”, then Dior would have refused to agree or disagree with China. But, this isn’t about being non-political; it’s about agreeing with whatever China demands.

Great Pacific

Hong Kong website posts private information of Taiwan activists // Taiwan News

Trade & Tech

Taiwan’s Foxconn to make iPhone XR and eventually iPhone 11 in India // Taiwan News

China

No, China’s Communist Party Is Not Running on Borrowed Money // National Interest

Retribution?
China Cancels Release of Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ // Hollywood Reporter

Two Americans detained in China on border charges // Yahoo News

Kidnap phonecall
‘Think of your family’: China threatens European citizens over Xinjiang protests // Guardian

China Unexpectedly Injects $28 Billion of Cash as Growth Slows // Yahoo News

Xi Jinping’s daughter has returned to US to resume studies at Harvard // Taiwan News

Taiwan

US House of Representatives introduces TAIPEI Act // Taiwan News

After Dior’s kowtow to CCP, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister calls on world to ‘stand up to China’ // Taiwan News

Dior’s apology over map controversy regrettable: Taiwan // Focus Taiwan

Taiwan to remain in American visa waiver program: MOFA // Taiwan News

Taiwanese students refuse to attend leadership forum in China // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong activists wear Joker and Winnie-the-Pooh masks // Daily Mail

Hong Kong descends into chaos again as protesters defy ban // AP

Hong Kong protests: NBA fans join anti-China display // BBC News

Hong Kong protests: Suitcase murder suspect to be released, says he will return to Taiwan // Taiwan News

Exclusive: Hong Kong Volunteers Document Extreme Police Brutality // Breitbart

Hong Kong Tycoons Are $3 Billion Richer on Lam’s Housing Policy // Yahoo News

Hong Kong protest organizer Jimmy Sham hospitalized after attack // CNN

Another history lesson…
What’s Happening With the Hong Kong Protests? // NY Times

Chaos as HK legislators thwart Carrie Lam’s address // Taipei Times

LeBron James no longer King James for Hong Kong protesters // Yahoo News

China threatens US for bill supporting Hong Kong protesters // CNBC

But she wouldn’t meet Cruz…
Hong Kong is not becoming a police state: Carrie Lam // Taipei Times

Hong Kong protests: US lawmakers pass Human Rights and Democracy Act // BBC News

China Threatens to Retaliate If U.S. Enacts Hong Kong Bill // Yahoo News

Hong Kong Protesters Rage Against Corporate China’s Growing Control // Yahoo News

Hong Kong Police say they have been attacked with IED // YouTube @ CGTN

Hong Kong protests: President Xi warns of ‘bodies smashed’ // BBC News

Hong Kong: Carrie Lam hints at further measures to suppress protests // Guardian

‘Crushed bodies and shattered bones:’ China’s Xi Jinping threatens dissidents amid Hong Kong protests // WA Examiner

Military

China builds 400 mph ‘flying saucer’ attack helicopter with stealth coating and missile system // Fox News

U.S. Aircraft Carriers Aren’t Easy to Attack and Sink. Here Is Why. // National Interest