Encore of Revival: America, May 18, 2015

American spying diminishes trust among allies in Europe.  White House nuke deal diminishes trust in the Middle East.

America watched the Blessing of the Bikes in Baldwin, MI; and curse of the bikers in Waco, TX.

Taiwan’s left party (democracy, freedom) has a sole front runner, their right (fascist, Beijing-friendly) party has none. America’s left party (democratic, Marxist) has a sole front-runner, their right has too many. America’s fate is tied to Taiwan in the Pacific with China as much as it is with party politics, so it seems… and it also seems to be tied to a stage being set for revival.

Germans are still digesting their complicity with America’s digital spy agency

White House: Gulf leaders not snubbing President Obama

…Shep: “If it walks like a snub and it talks like a snub, it’s a snub, isn’t it?”

US House passes RIMPAC Taiwan rule

…If Beijing practices with US Navy, so can Taiwan, Beijing won’t be happy.  · · · →

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 11, 2015

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 11, 2015

Taiwan makes headlines in KMT-Nationalist-related corruption, KMT president hopeful Chu reportedly speaking as if Taiwan is part of China, and China “droning” up to attack.

The Pentagon reports China preparing to bomb Taiwan, saying “Preparing for potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait remains the focus and primary driver of China’s military investment,” weighing cost and benefit like a business transaction.

Russia invited China to V-Day’s military saber-rattle parade. Japan rattles their own sabers, buying Osprey helicopters from the US and being as loud about it as possible.

China slams Japan for not being sincere enough in apologizing for WWII… While Beijing prepares to start WWIII over an island half the size of Lake Michigan.

Top

China preparing for Taiwan conflict: report

U.S. May Sell 100 Ospreys Abroad: Official

…including India, Singapore, Australia, Japan

Chu goes there?

…AP reporter in Beijing forced to retract… journalism’s inside baseball

If the Unthinkable Occurred: America Should Stand Up to China over Taiwan

Taiwan

China planning to build 42,000 drones, report says

A Rather Lackluster Performance by Xi During Meeting with Chu

…Chinese President Xi, Taiwan President hopeful shake hands… Why would this picture make anyone in Taiwan want to vote KMT-Nationalist?  · · · →

Cadence of Conflict: May 4, 2015

Cadence of Conflict: May 4, 2015

Japan gets US nod to respond in Pacific warfare, no longer needing Pentagon permission. An otherwise introspective week with analytical articles and lack of startling headlines, probably because Michael Cole wrote little.

China copied military tech, again, and claimed it’s superior to the US, again. Chinese corruption and environment shared headlines, again. More articles agree with foreseeable change in Taiwan’s 2016 politics; Beijing is angry, again. Reports show China’s influence in money and trade, again, this time, wine and Wal-Mart.

Top

The Battle for Taiwan’s Soul: The 2016 Presidential Election

…This could mean war! US and Beijing attempts to influence Taiwan’s elections probably won’t work; likely DPP victory in 2016

Chu trumpets fake ‘consensus’

…Taiwan’s own media openly calls KMT-Nationalist rhetoric “fake”

Japan

U.S., Japanese Officials Announce New Defense Guidelines

…Buried in the details, Japan can respond if China attacks Japan or one of its “friends” [such as Taiwan].

China

China’s advanced J-11D heavy fighter jet takes maiden flight

Crackdown on corruption at Chinese environmental risk assessment agencies

…Corruption and environment cross paths again in China.  · · · →

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 27, 2015

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 27, 2015

Nepal needed immediate help after an earthquake, but Nepal turned away Taiwan’s aid from fear of Beijing; India, China, and Pakistan were invited to the party. Russia agrees to sell missiles to China, setting off alarms, some too loud, others not loud enough. Eyes are turning to Taiwan.

Some claim that the West would not defend Taiwan if attacked by China because Taiwan isn’t important enough. But, others explain that losing Taiwan would encourage Beijing to go farther. Regardless, China’s growing reputation precedes it more and more. And more eyes turn to a growing shadow that creeps toward Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Top Aricle

Don’t Let China Swallow Taiwan

…It would only encourage China to continue. Know why!

China

Hundreds of Chinese Cities Don’t Meet Air Standards, Report Finds

Iran backs pipeline to China under ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative: ambassador

ASEAN avoids confronting Beijing

…Taiwan was ready to help Nepal in the aftermath of the recent earthquake, but Beijing said no.  · · · →

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 20, 2015

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 20, 2015

China’s economy is getting “worserer and worserer”. Their progress seems to have been hyped. Then again, that could be said of everyone. Banking is all over the news—all over. But the real reasons for such economic conflict and shuffling between West and East remains unsaid. The US is spread too thin. Taiwan is focusing on military. And Japan is focusing on ISIS. Banking doesn’t seem like much news… Then again, maybe the excess of worldwide headlines about banking should be very big news in itself. Maybe the headlines aren’t as excessive as the iceberg beneath the surface.

China

China ‘suspends until further notice’ bank technology restrictions opposed by the US

…Indicating the real reason for China’s new bank?

…And a great excuse for the West to leave China, which already seems to be happening…

China’s incredible shrinking factories

…Taiwanese are pulling out of the Mainland.

HSBC speeds up exit from emerging markets

…More bank pulling and shifting

China GDP growth lowest since 2009

…And the Premiere is even talking about it…

Downward pressure on China’s economy ‘increasing’, admits premier

We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy

…Notice in the video, he says that “it” is good in the long term, though he never clarifies what “it” is.  · · · →

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 13, 2015

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 13, 2015

China’s new bank (AIIB, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) dominated headlines this week. AIIB’s history suggests China wants infrastructure money without being told to clean up the environment, respect human rights, or play nice with their hope-to-be soon-to-be-annexed neighbors. The US could have jumped-in and controlled AIIB, but didn’t, as if the US anticipates that AIIB may lose money after, say, a conflict in the Pacific.

The bank seems to be a line in the sand for US allies in the Pacific, but not so much in Europe. The Internet is flooded with articles claiming that China won’t control their own bank, some of which Cadence has too much dignity to link to. Does hiring Westerners to run the Chinese bank make it less “Chinese”? Beijing marketing departments might think so.

Isn’t it interesting that China is creating a bank for infrastructure while, at the same time, China is building up their military to knock-out existing infrastructure in places like Taiwan? All this Pacific infrastructure talk smells a little “fishy”, as it were. China wants to invest. The US doesn’t. The bank controversy may not be about politics, but about money—gambling on who will get a return on their investment after… “something” happens and “someone” wins.

China is building up in the Pacific and the US isn’t afraid to say so, especially to Taiwan. Taiwan made more great poses for the camera with the US, which China won’t like. Taiwan is rolling out a new political party, which the Establishment won’t like.

Chinese corruption and the environment crossed swords this week. No one seems to have asked why China has so much corruption. The answer would likely be that strong households maintain themselves first, while those who think more about their neighbors often leave the own homes in disrepair.

Chinese and Western press exchanges drew a little more attention than normal this week. We see a pattern in both press and policy: Poke at China and they spill their beans; oppose China from abroad and they try to annex you, “by force if necessary”. Michael Cole deserves a medal for getting a Chinese general to give away more of Beijing’s intentions, this time with classy Beijing graphics, though the Pacific Daily Times doesn’t exactly share a coterminous opinion on Israel; we like Israel at the Times. But Michael is as informed as he is thought provoking—and good at provoking the PLA into revealing strategy. With ISIS on the move so much that even Japan is watching, we all might come around to appreciating Israel for standing in their way.

What makes a nation aggressive? Will China give up its claim to the map if the good guys erase themselves from it? An academic blog article encourages the US to infiltrate China’s new bank, claiming that the US is partially to blame for its creation. While joining China’s AIIB might be a good idea—had war on the horizon not made it a risky investment for the Yanks—China didn’t create that AIIB bank because of lack of control in the IMF.

Obama’s election wouldn’t make Al Sharpton complain less nor would Israel’s annihilation suddenly make ISIS stop burning people alive. Limbaugh predicted it: Obama’s election preceded a spike in ethnic tension in America. ISIS is angry that they don’t already control Europe because Israel is in their way. If China controlled the IMF, the AIIB would already be open for business. And if China acquired Taiwan, Beijing would soon publish genealogical claims to Tokyo, and why not Jerusalem and Tehran too?

Top Stories

Britain’s Support for China’s AIIB Means Japan, Parroting the U.S., Is Trapped

…Old, but shows the controversy surfacing.

US reports on Chinese naval threat to Taiwan

“Friction between China and its neighbors appears increasingly likely as Beijing seeks to deter rival activities and assert its own claimed rights and interests.”

The Great Chinese Lie About Taiwan

…From J Michael Cole on China and the controversy *See more under Taiwan

Retired PLA General responds to J Michael Cole

…Photo of a Chinese General’s backlash against Cole (in his Chinese article) *See more under Taiwan

Territorial Claims in the South China Sea

…NY Times maps from 2012, informative

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