Three countries the U.S. cannot beat in their own backyard: Russia, China and Iran. Add: the US could not defeat 2022 Ukraine Underestimate Iran At Your Peril
We would not want to fight China in its own backyard, as that would be a major fight and would take a while (and be very costly) for the U.S. to win. But a fight over the ocean? The U.S. would win that fairly quickly, without a doubt. I would not be surprised to find out that all of China's aircraft carriers were sunk in the first week, if not the first day. It might take another week or two to sink the entire Chinese navy (or confine the vessels to heavily defended ports).
An interesting article on how European businesses reacted to Trump's tariffs on China: they tried to move in and replace the U.S. companies that were leaving China. The plan was undone when China tried to install four directors from a Chinese state-owned investor company on the British company's board of directors. How a British tech champion almost fell into China’s grasp
China is up to its ears in its latest major crisis: soaring bond prices that threaten to collapse. The crisis is compared to the Silicon Valley Bank crisis of last year, except on a MUCH bigger scale. SVB dumped billions into U.S. bonds, thinking they were a safe investment. When interest rates were increased to control inflation, the bond prices fell, along with SVB's finances. At stake in China is the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and about 4,000 small- and medium-sized banks. This could get ugly, folks. https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/03/business/china-bond-market-bank-crisis-svb-intl-hnk/index.html
China has been sending military drones to Libya, with one shipment intercepted by Italy. The Chinese were nice enough to disguise the drones as wind turbines. Another U.N. violation. Not sure how much the Chinese government is directing this, and how much independent businessmen are controlling the smuggling. (China's government has a lot less control over its businesses than you might think, unless they say anything against the party. The government tends to look the other way a lot. Businessmen in China tend to be unusually unethical.) I don't know about you, but this really makes me want to trust China . . . The shipment was spotted by the U.S., which alerted the Italian government. The drones were 33'-long, with a 66' wingspan (not small ones.) Italy seizes Chinese military drones heading to Libya, authorities say
Indian P.M. Modi decided to skip the big SCO summit, in a humiliating blow to Xi and Putin. He sent his foreign minister in his place. Maybe next year he'll send his valet. Is India sending a message to 'China's show' as Narendra Modi skips SCO summit?
Germany blocks China from buying a gas turbines subsidiary of Volkswagen. Germany believes that China intended to use the gas turbines to power warships. Germany also blocked the sale of a computer-chip manufacturer to China in 2022. Germany blocks another big business deal with China
Taiwanese people working in China are thinking about escaping while they still can. China has declared that anyone who insists that Taiwan is an independent country could be subjected to the death penalty. Very subtle way of influencing the discussion. So much for hopes of freedom of speech. A lot of Taiwanese businessmen moved to China in the last 20 years as there was a lot more money to be made in China, with lower payroll, than in Taiwan. There were 177,000 Taiwanese working in China in 2022. Firms weigh removing Taiwan staff from China after death penalty threat
Presumably after he visits Biden. *snickers* https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/04/asia/modi-putin-russia-india-visit-intl/index.html
China has parked its largest Coast Guard vessel (over 500'-long) in Philippine waters to remind the Philippines that their coastal waters are being claimed by China. Apparently, when bluster doesn't work, intimidation is the next step. China seems to want to push its neighbors toward "starting" a war with them so they can win and feel better about themselves and their leadership. My solution: take an old U.S. battleship out of mothballs, refurbish it and sell it to the Philippines. One look at the Iowa towering over their coast guard ship, and China might re-think their policy. China anchors 'monster ship' in South China Sea, Philippine coast guard says
China continues to defy Hague tribunal ruling, building islands out of coral reefs to create military outposts, all the while denying that they are violating anything. Beijing’s ‘monster’ ship ramps up tensions in South China Sea
The Philippines are feeling frisky. They want to defeat China without U.S. help, and will only ask for help after they have exhausted all of their options. Exclusive-Philippines turned down US help amid South China Sea tensions - military chief
Maybe that's among the reasons that his party lost the recent parliamentary elections in a landslide.
That, and he didn't have his opponent imprisoned and murdered, like Putin did, or "disavowed", like Xi did.
Hong Kong customs official: "Is that a snake down your pants, or are you just happy to see us?" Traveler: "Dway." ("Yes.") https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/10/travel/snake-smuggler-trousers-scli-intl/index.html Should have stopped at 90.
From the country that brought you baby milk formula made with melamine (toxic industrial chemical used to simulate normal protein levels in watered-down milk formula) comes fuel oil in the cooking oil. It was an open secret that the same trucks were being used to haul both cooking oil and toxic fuel oil (and possibly other chemicals), but it was always overlooked . . . until now. Just another reason that the U.S. is a much, MUCH more advanced society than China. It starts with respecting human life, and continues with the respect for the quality of life. That doesn't happen overnight, and you can't wish it into existence. A picture of a city with shiny, multi-colored lights does not make up for getting cancer or other problems from food contamination. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/10/food/china-oil-food-safety-scandal-sinograin-intl-hnk/index.html
After months of embarrassing delays, China finally begins its top-level communist party meeting to discuss what to do about its disastrous economy and various other topics. Growth of GDP slowed dramatically from 5.3% to 4.7% between the first and second quarters of this year, even while taking Russia to the cleaners. Brutal. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/14/...arty-third-plenum-economy-intl-hnk/index.html
Nope, they won't do anything drastic, for reasons I listed a couple pages back. They're popping a historic real estate bubble while transitioning to a high tech economy. They're OK with a few "brutal" years of ~5% growth while doing so.
