Symphony

Last’s week’s misunderstanding quickly transformed to rage with images of police, out of harm’s way, calmly reaching to pepper spray non-threatening bystanders, one at a time. Hong Kongers’ support for Occupy Central soared from “geek” to “peak” within a day. China opposes interference. Beijing backs the CEO of “China’s Hong Kong”, with no comment on their 1984 promise not to interfere in Hong Kong’s self-governance until 2047.

Ironically, Hong Kongers experienced more freedom and openness to new ideas after China’s takeover. Was that freedom only Beijing’s temporary gimmick? Or is Beijing genuinely on a learning curve, trying to understand the effective power of soft-servant governance? We’ll have to wait and see.

Hong Kongers want more than they can have, as explained last week, but they deserve more than they’ve been given. Pepper spraying targeted individuals when the police are not being threatened is cowardly, unbecoming of Hong Kong’s peaceful police, and is only asking for escalation.  · · · →

Inside Report—Hong Kong has one problem that is unaddressed in the media: HK can’t and doesn’t have its own military. Military service is the unwritten rule of any democracy. As much as Hong Kong needs freedom, they aren’t big enough to have their own military. That creates many problems and misunderstandings.

Hong Kong has a huge misunderstanding that could spiral out of control if everyone involved doesn’t understand each other soon. The uprising in Hong Kong is so complicated, it is difficult to accuse or defend anyone. Here are some perspectives based on anonymous sources from the inside:

With the police having used tear gas on Sunday, it’s most difficult to acquit Beijing. The unwritten law of Human Rights is that unarmed protests can interrupt their own government and force changes without arms—and if the police lift a finger to stop them, it’s a Human Rights violation. This isn’t written, but that’s what precedent hashes out to.  · · · →

When Ma stepped on board Taiwan’s frigate and smiled for the camera, he wasn’t smiling for the Taiwanese, he was smiling for Washington. Beijing has harbored too much friendliness with the KMT Nationalists and not enough with Taiwan’s DPP. Washington’s comments last week about supporting the KMT in 2016 will change that to shape both Taiwanese parties to fit the Pentagon’s agenda: military strength against China.

Now, two events to suggest thugs in Taiwan: The farmer who blew the whistle on Taiwan’s food oil scandal was sought by ‘men in black’ and Sunflower Movement international press translator, Oliver Chen, suspiciously falls off a cliff far from his home. Both people created big problems for the KMT Nationalists who control Taiwan—more importantly, they created trouble for Beijing, which has over 2,000 undocumented Chinese in Taiwan. Taiwan’s premier announces that Taiwan is already independent, even though his friends in Beijing threatened open war if Taiwan declares itself independent.  · · · →

The main topic in the press, though strange: China vs the Environment. Hong Kong’s democracy movement progresses, their opposition (mostly professors and members of government) also get louder. The US even piped in, stating that they were likely to endorse Taiwan’s pro-Beijing controlling KMT party. While the US is most likely trying to say whatever makes Beijing happy, the KMT became extremely unpopular during August and early September with scandals becoming public. US statements about the elections in Taiwan would likely enrage the Taiwanese public, leading voters of both Hong Kong and Taiwan to view all three governments being against them. While China was considered viz the environment, the people in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines (the volatile zone) are being pitted against all the governments’ controlling parties, US included. This could add a new dynamic to the swelling conflict.

Political Taiwan

The Chinese Civil War Continues

…Article on how the KMT Nationalists and Chinese Communists are playing footsie, but may never be friends.  · · · →

The Taiwan military rhetoric of last week was compounded by a food oil scandal affecting many large Taiwan food suppliers. The ultimate effect will hurt the pockets of the de facto pro-Beijing KMT Nationalist party controlling Taiwan. As the spirits of HK and Taiwan strengthen together, from valuable mistakes, Beijing faces a new weapon: human resolve.

The Japanese development of not being solely dependent on the US for defense came with consideration: A nation needs more than weapons for defense; it needs ethics, values, and a narrative. The region is realizing that this conflict won’t be fought in one single battle, but every day, with small run-ins and decisions to become strong or to bow to the big bully of the Pacific.

Regional

Top US security adviser expected in Beijing

…Strategically at the same time as the West plans to move against ISIS in Iraq.

Political Cartoon: The unfairness of “fairness” between China and Taiwan in trade agreement, CSSTA, illustrating why the Sunflower movement’s takeover of Taiwan’s Legislature made some sense.  · · · →

You know that point… where you’ve been trying to persuade a friend to get smart, think about his actions, and change his ways… and you’ve finally convinced him to open his eyes and he sees his situation… but then he looks at you as if he’s been violated… then he shrinks back into his emotional cave, stops listening, buckles down, and walks away?

We reached that point this week with China.

More importantly, we reached another point with Taiwan: shock and realization.

In China’s defense, the Communists don’t want Hong Kongers to have “buyer’s remorse” similar to what many Americans and Taiwanese feel for their presidents. But, more from Chinese domineering culture than from Communism ideology, Beijing’s solution is to seize control from the people, rather than allowing the people to learn from their consequences of their voting.

Chinese reportedly violated Taiwan’s airspace, then denied it, then moved military vehicles through busy streets of Hong Kong.  · · · →