Chinese language – Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 28, 2015

China steps up its game again. While companies won’t be required to give Beijing power to indiscriminately snoop the web, they are on notice to cooperate with coming procedures if they are asked. This time wasn’t the first, but it’s a little more clear, a little more friendly, and a little more toothy than the last.

Taiwan’s likely Presidential victor party, the DPP, has adopted a policy effectively outlawing the KMT-Nationalist party practice of owning for-profit businesses. The policy is wise by many measures, respect from the US and an even greater increase in voter support notwithstanding.

Since the US stepped up its own game, $1.8B to Taiwan, China is not happy.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 19, 2015

SymphonyOctober 19, 2015

China may have been pushed to the breaking point. America may have called the Communist bluff. With all of the “yesmen” required for a totalitarian regime to continue, Michael Cole points out that the majority members of the Communist party probably don’t support an invasion of Taiwan (the largest Chinese contention in the Pacific.)

Reportedly, only 3% of Taiwanese think they are Chinese and only 9% want Taiwan to become a province of China. Reunification between Taiwan and China is untenable by all accounts. Even if forced, Taiwan would cease to exist as it is; China would acquire a costly pile of rubble. The fact that Beijing continues to tout such aspirations suggests that they may be ignorant of the reality of their situation—stereotypical of imploding regimes.

In the “wake” of suggested ignorance in Beijing, America is setting sail for the newest islands in the Pacific. Beijing is getting ready for America getting ready to set sail. · · · →

In Prelude

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, March 9, 2015

SymphonyMarch 9, 20151 Comment

China was doing great. They had it “goin’ on”. Then, they made some choices over the last few years. Now, the Pacific region is foreseeably destabilizing. But the least of those concerns, and arguably the most overrated, is the situation in Hong Kong. Before we review the facts, read clearly; Hongkongers have nothing to fear. Here are the facts: China promised a kind of “contained autonomy” to Hong Kong as a precondition for Britain leaving the former colony.

As history repeated in Hong Kong as in the American British colonies, when Britain left, the former colony prospered. Now, in being consistent with old school Asian rhetoric, China is omitting key phrases during rhetoric that relates to its own promise. Beijing speaks more and more about their power over Hong Kong and less about Hong Kong’s power within its own territory.

The uninformed West, including westernized Hongkongers, misunderstood this old school Asian rhetoric as being a threat. · · · →