An interesting article on the future of China with an increasingly autocratic Chairman Xi in charge. China has had a terrible history in the last century with autocratic rulers like Chairman Mao, who's incompetence almost starved half the population (and that was after he killed most of the educated people and landowners). Xi himself is building a new high-tech city in the swamp south of Beijing (my money is on the swamp). Xi's subordinates are afraid to say anything, because anything they say may run afoul of their Dear Leader, who apparently gives vague instructions. Sounds like a Cult of Personality to me. Why Xi Jinping is nothing like he really seems to the West
The Brits say that the Chinese Dream is world domination. Apparently, they have been supporting Hamas, and are using the conflict in Israel to advance their own agenda. They seem to be willing to burn half the planet down to gain control over the other half, all the while declaring their innocence. Taking a page from Russia's playbook. Hamas appears to be using Chinese weapons supplied by Iran. China supplies weapons, explosives, and ammunition to Iran, and then Iran distributes it to terrorist organizations throughout the middle east. I imagine some of this goes back to the ignorance of GWB, tolerating Iran's interference in Iraq. The ‘Chinese dream’ is the complete control of humanity
Thanks for sharing, along with all of your pieces. I have read some similar sentiments about his thirst for power and control, especially of business sector, really backfiring, although it's unclear whether what would be a threat to his power. But he has a lot more internal problems than most in the West are aware of
The Brits talk about the difficulties that China would face with U.S. submarines during an invasion of Taiwan. The U.S. currently has 54 nuclear-powered attack subs. By 2030, that number could drop to 46 before new subs are built and become available. Even if only two thirds of the subs are available for use against China, that's 30 subs and over 1,000 torpedoes and missiles on them. Add them to the 50 F-35's (and their 200 internally-stored missiles in stealth mode) that a single aircraft carrier can carry, and China's Navy might not last very long. China must master a difficult form of warfare before it can take on the US Navy
When we do it it’s defense. When China does it its aggression … Pentagon assesses the PLA Navy’s modernization and growing aggression - Naval News
^I wonder when the last time the U.S. has threatened Cuba (a country hostile to the U.S.) with invasion or destruction. Not since the early 1960's. The U.S. is generally non-violent with its neighbors. We can achieve a lot more with economic action (or inaction) than with military action (at least, I would say that the economic action is typically more successful).
One of the last moderate voices in China has died. Le Keqiang has died of a heart attack at age 68. Li Keqiang: One of Chinese politics' last moderate voices dies (yahoo.com) That last paragraph is an eye-opener. Probably shocking to a lot of propaganda peddlers that want to claim China's economic superiority to certain other countries, knowing that about 40% of the population of China lives on less than $1700 a year.
More on the Li Keqiang story. China (or Chairman Xi) is trying to stifle the public grief for Keqiang. It seems that the Chinese long for the policies of Keqiang that brought China so much success years ago, before Xi took power and then became a dictator. Another bad move for Xi. Insisting that the public worship him and him alone is a bad idea. There is no room for anyone else besides Xi in the newspapers (even a dead man who is no threat to Xi), and the Chinese are apparently getting sick of Xi. Xi should have retired after two terms, according to China's policy at the time (before Xi changed it). China seeks to stifle public grief for former premier Li Keqiang (yahoo.com)
Chinese jet fired flares in front of a Canadian helicopter, which could have brought it down. More threats and intimidation from our "peaceful" trading partner, reminding the west that they will remain peaceful as long as we give them whatever they want. I suspect that Xi wants a western country to down one of his reckless and dangerous fighter jets, to get the people of China riled up about a "provocation", thereby keeping them distracted from their economic problems. Exclusive: Chinese jet fired flares close to submarine-hunting helicopter in South China Sea, Canadian Navy says (yahoo.com) China's defense minister is getting chippy, and wants western navies to stay away from international water around China, so China can get back to bullying its neighbors. "Umm, maybe it's because China is belligerent, reckless and dangerous?" The dimwit seems to have discovered the problem, but refuses to take responsibility for it. The U.S. routinely puts ships and aircraft near the borders of most of the countries in the world, and does not get "attacked". Most of the other countries do not even get defensive about it.
Feels like a matter of time before there is a clash of some kind. Question is how much does it escalate when that clash occurs.
British intelligence confirms China's loss of one of their most advanced submarines, with 55 crew. The sub sank when it struck a system designed to destroy western submarines. Caught in their own trap. 55 Chinese sailors allegedly died after falling into their own undersea trap (yahoo.com)
China is working on its latest doomsday device, an ICBM that the U.S. had worked on years ago and concluded that it was way too dangerous to ever use (so it stopped working on it). It would likely trigger a nuclear attack, even if it had conventional warheads. Dr. Evil has been busy in his Chinese lair. Apparently, to the Chinese, more and bigger weapons are always better. China is working on a weapon the US decided was too dangerous to exist (yahoo.com)
The Brits say that China is preparing to isolate Taiwan. They are operating an aircraft carrier group east of Taiwan. A Japanese destroyer is trailing the Chinese task force at a distance. Two U.S. aircraft carriers are in the region and within striking distance of the Chinese force. Meanwhile in the Western Pacific, China is getting ready to isolate Taiwan (yahoo.com)
It's hard to be too concerned with a country that has never won a war with Chinese troops. Since the current country was formed in 1911, they have never won a war. They were defeated by Japan in the 1930's, and they lost to Vietnam in 1979. It would be foolish of them to start a war with the U.S. There is a lot more to winning a war than "research". Besides, the U.S. doesn't have to do as much research as China. The U.S. is improving on the best weapons systems in the world, not trying to invent them from scratch. Under those circumstances, a little research goes a long way. And there are a lot of wrong turns that you can (and will) make when inventing something from scratch. Some of those mistakes will be discovered in battle, when it is too late to make changes. Or they may be discovered when you install a submarine destruction system too close to where your own submarines are operating. But keep peddling your communist propaganda--it's working for you.
Hong Kong, formerly the City that Never Slept, is now either sleeping or comatose. The party is over. The streets are empty. Everyone has been re-educated and properly threatened by the Chinese government. This city never slept. Now with China tightening its grip, is the party over? | CNN Business
