by Pepe Escobar – posted with permission
With Sinophobic hysteria reaching new heights in US, China’s counter play is a massive new economic plan
Stranger things have happened.
Everyone was expecting US President Donald Trump to go nuclear by de facto sanctioning China to death over Hong Kong. In an environment where Twitter and the President of the United States are now engaged in open warfare, the rule is that there are no rules anymore.
So in the end, what was announced against China amounted to an anti-climax.
The US government, as it stands, is terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). The geopolitical repercussions are immense and that will take time to sink in. In the short term, something must be blamed for the US’ appalling Covid-19 record, so it might as well be a UN institution.
Hong Kong’s preferential trade status will also be terminated, but in a hazy future in still undetermined terms.
Phase 1 of the US-China trade deal still stands – at least for now. Yet there’s no guarantee that Beijing itself won’t start to doubt it.
The bottom line: “Investors” were duly appeased, for now. Team Trump seems not to be exactly versed in the niceties of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, as the president stressed the “plain violation of Beijing’s treaty obligations with the United Kingdom.” The national security law was blasted as “the latest” Chinese aggression against its own special administrative region.
Now compare all this with the Two Sessions in Beijing ending the day before, with an intriguing, quite Keynesian performance by Prime Minister Li Keqiang. This was compelling as much for what Li did not say as for what he chose to put on the public record.
Let’s review some of the highlights. Li stressed that the NPC’s resolution putting forth a national security law for Hong Kong is meant to protect “one country, two systems,” and not as an “aggression.”
Instead of demonizing the WHO, Beijing is committed to a serious scientific investigation of the origins of Sars-Cov-2. “No cover-up” will be allowed, Li said, adding that a clear, scientific understanding should contribute to global public health. Beijing also supports an independent review into the WHO’s handling of Covid-19.
Geopolitically, China rejects a “Cold War mentality” and hopes China and the US will be able to cooperate. Li stressed the relationship could be either mutually beneficial or mutually harmful. Decoupling was described as a very bad idea, for bilateral relations and for the world at large. China, after all, will start to import more and that should also profit US companies.
Domestically, the absolute focus – 70% of the available new funding – will be on employment, support for small and medium enterprises and measures to encourage consumption rather than investment in infrastructure building. In summation, in Li’s own words: “The central government will live on a tight budget.”
If not completely Sisyphean in the long term, it will at least be a “daunting task” in Li’s terminology considering the previously stated end-of-2020 deadline would be to reach President Xi Jinping’s goal of eliminating poverty across China.
Li said absolutely nothing about three key themes: the alarming Himalayan border stand-off between China and India; the prospects for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects; and China’s complex geopolitical and geo-economic relationship with the European Union (EU).
The non-mention of the last theme is especially noticeable after Chancellor Merkel’s quite encouraging assessment earlier this week and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell’s remark to a group of German ambassadors that “the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century” is now “happening in front of our eyes.”
Confirming steady rumors emanating from Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, China and East Asia are taking precedence as the EU’s top trading partner. This is something that will be extensively discussed at the upcoming EU-China summit next autumn in Germany. The EU is going Eurasia. Team Trump won’t be amused.
Dancing with wolves, remixed
Predictably, the Beijing leadership needs to focus on domestic consumption and reaching the next level on technological production so as not to fall into the notorious “middle-income trap.” Fine-tuning the balance between domestic stability and a very strong and wide global reach is another task that brings Sisyphos to mind.
Xi, Li and the Politburo very well know that Covid-19 hugely affected migrants, farmers and small-scale family entrepreneurs. The risk of social unrest is very high. Unemployment protection is far from Scandinavian levels. So back to business, fast, has to be the top priority.
Enveloping this strategy is a new diplomatic offensive. Foreign Minister Wang Yi, usually meticulously nuanced and polite, is now increasingly exasperated. Earlier this week, Yi defined the demonization of China by the US over Covid-19 as “a product of the three no’s”: no grounds, no factual basis and no international precedent.
Moreover, he described attempts to blackmail China through threats as “daydreaming.” The Global Times, for its part, has blasted the Trump administration for “typical international hooliganism” and additionally stressed that “labeling Chinese diplomacy as ‘wolf warrior’ reflects an extreme ideology.”
The “wolf warrior” plot is bound to thicken. Beijing does seem ready to deploy its diplomatic force as wolf warriors. One should always keep in mind General Qiao Liang: if China is forced to dance with wolves, it might as well set up the rhythm.
That applies perfectly to the Hong Kong question. Whatever Team Trump thinks, Beijing has no interest whatsoever in disturbing the Hong Kong financial system or collapsing the Hang Seng index. That’s exactly what the black block protesters last year were accomplishing.
What we saw during this week is the result of what a task force, sent to Shenzhen last year to examine every angle of the protests, relayed back to the leadership in Beijing.
The sources of financing for the hardcore black blocks have reputedly been cut. The local 5th columnist “leaders” have been isolated. Beijing was being very patient tackling the whole mess. Then along came Covid-19.
The economic consensus in Beijing is that this will be an L-shaped recovery – actually very slow on the bottom of the L. So the West will buy much less from and invest much less in China.
This implies that Hong Kong is not going to be very useful. Its best bet has already been offered many times over: integrate with the Greater Bay Area and be part of a booming Pearl river delta southern cluster. Hong Kong businesses support it.
Another conclusion was that, whatever Beijing does, the Sinophobic hysteria in the US – and in this case also the UK – is unabated. So now is the right moment to go for the national security law, which of course is against subversion, against British-era “wigs” (judges) acting as 5th columnists and, most of all, against money laundering.
A Global Times editorial cut to the chase: the national security law is the “death knell” for US intervention in Hong Kong.
Cold War 2.0
As much as Yi may have said, this time diplomatically, that we’re “on the brink” of a new Cold War, the fact is the Trump administration’s hybrid war on China – or Cold War 2.0 – is now fully established.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is openly threatening Five Eyes allies and vassals, as well as Israel, with consequences if they fail to ditch any projects linked to Belt and Road.
That is intimately linked to the avalanche of threats and measures against Huawei and everything connected to Made in China 2025, which proceeds at a fast pace but without using the terminology.
The official Trump re-election campaign strategy “China, China, China,” detailed in a 57-page memo to Republicans, is bound to be deployed as total hybrid warfare, including non-stop propaganda, threats, infowar technologies, cyber warfare and breaking news fabrications.
The ultimate objective shared by every Sinophobic strand, whether commercially-minded or think tank-based, is to derail the Chinese economy – a top level competitor – by any means necessary and thus cripple the ongoing Eurasian integration process whose three key nodes, China, Russia and Iran, happen to be top “threats” according to the US national security strategy.
Once again, the gloves are off. And Beijing won’t stop counterpunching in kind.
It’s as if Beijing had so far serially underestimated the Deep State and Beltway’s larger than life obsession with always remaining the undisputed hegemon, geopolitically and geo-economically. Every “conflict” erupting across the chessboard is and will continue to be directly linked to the twin objectives of containment of Russia and disruption of the Belt and Road.
I previously referred to the Empire of Chaos, where a plutocracy progressively projects its own internal disintegration upon the whole world. But only now is the serious game starting, complete with Trump’s intention to test nuclear bombs again. Not against a bunch of low-life “terrorists,” but against a serious, peer-competitor: the Eurasian strategic partnership.
It would be too much to expect Team Trump to learn from Gramscian analyses of Belt and Road, which demonstrate how the Chinese Dream – a Confucianist variant of neoliberalism – marks the evolution of China into a core production zone in the neoliberal world economy by profiting from the existing global legal structure.
Team Trump has vociferously announced its own strategy. Expect serial, silent Sun Tzu counterpunches.
Yes the gloves are off, Cold War 2.0 in full bloom. Uncle Sam finds himself in sorry shape: epidemic still raging, economy teetering, allies collectively biting their tongues upon hearing his pleas to hop onto his bandwagon. Fortunately his own populace is one dumbified enough to be oblivious to all these predicaments :))).
Dissociation from WHO is a tactical move. WHO has vowed to ‘scientifically’ investigate the origin of this epidemic, after the global pandemic shows signs of waning. Uncle Sam knows where the origin is; nations with competent life-science research institutions know where the likely origin is; China knows where the origin is, or else it wouldn’t advocate “let’s investigate” with such high syllable. Uncle Sam figures the only way to ward off WHO investigators is to dissociate from them, or else He would have to find a way to backtrack his own hollers of ‘responsibility of compensations’. It’s gonna be a few interesting years watching Uncle Sam squirm in waves after waves of negative publicity.
Sanctioning China, Hong Kong? When, oh when? How? To what effect? Uncle Sam doesn’t yet know, but it sure sounds grand and lustrous for the Chief’s reelection. So, let’s give it a go.
The Chinese now view infrastructure as digital technologies, not Ghost Cities. Thus, they will be investing in R&D and pushing out new developments through the combined efforts of their major tech corporations working to outpace US tech giants and government funded innovations. AI, big data, smart cities, electric vehicles, genetic research, robotics, IoTs, and nanotechnologies are the new Chinese infrastructure, built on 5G which they are rolling out quite fast and comprehensively.
The US and the EU are refusing to work with Huawei 5G and therefore are giving the Chinese a 1.5-=2 year head start in 5G.
As for the US leaving WHO, this opens a clear path for the Chinese Health Silk Road. It will be embraced in Africa and Latin America, as well as Eurasia.
Hardball tactics by the US are coming. But China understands that time is on their side. They have momentum, a lead in critical areas of technology and an ally in Russia.
Since exports are only 11% of GDP, China will make a turnaround this year.
While the US announces more sanction regimes against China and Russia, US cities are burning down. And civil unrest will help to keep 40 million unemployed on the dole instead of back on the production line and selling services to consumers.
The Chinese are optimistic. The Americans are pessimistic. The race is on.
Trump came out against Beijing like a heavyweight whose trunks fell to his knees as he pranced around promoting the big fight for the championship. It was embarrassing.
@Larch, nobody wants to live in a smart city, we are not soulless drones, let the Chinese live in such an Orwellian environment if they want, me i don’t want to. All them smart technologies should be restricted to academia and healthcare, outside there is no purpose except for making us like drones. The internet (in the old days) was used by academia as an information source, not for posting selfies. The internet and smart Internet of Things are destroying local cultures to have them replaced with a global citizenry. It is not for nothing the Pentagon created the Internet; to reach out to the world with their soft power.
Quite the opposite, @dave, there are millions of people who want to live in a smart city.
In fact, probably, billions of people would chose a smart city over their present circumstance.
Technology is what you do with it, not just what it does with you.
It is misused, overused and oppressive. But it is also a marvel. It’s how you use it.
I’m with Dave, and so is everyone I know in California who understands at least the health questions and then applies the precautionary principle. Like Russia does with GMO crops. Techno euphoric fools cant live without GMO and in a microwave hotspot soon enough. And the people who bring us 9/11 and Covid 19 can’t get us there fast enough.
I’m with you and Dave. So many, seem to be walking blindfold into the technology trap. The days are long past when technology was about helping out in the workplace and home.Those that haven’t yet come to terms with the real purpose and dangers of 5G are probably already well beyond help. These same people will likely be the first in line, with rolled up sleeves, when cuddly eugenicist Bill Gates is ready to dish out his experimental and hardly tested vaccine.
Those with the technology will move forward; the rest go backward. Its inevitable. 5G will open up things we cannot now appreciate. A lot will be good, some may be bad. But the world moves on. The US and vassals are cutting their noses off to spite their faces.
Excellent article as usual from Pepe – – Re 5G -this Video information opened my eyes. Watch it & learn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkfyu7pbofg — 5G APOCALYPSE – THE EXTINCTION EVENT
Japan invented the internet in 1989 with one satellite.
None of these things you fear are inherently bad or good. They can be used for great good or great evil and all the grey space between.
You are a ‘Well Meaning’ Dreamer Bone, Eventually Power uses all technology to enslave, that is what power Wants, Humans are neither ‘Bad nor Good’ they are Human and their instinct is to control everything! Because if they didn’t then someone else might use the Technology to control them! So obviously, He who enslaves first has the best chance to avoid His own enslavement! Technology is neither good nor Bad, Technology has no will of it’s own, but Humans have will and they have shown us where their will can take them, many, many times before, the difference this time is; While Human Nature doesn’t change with the passing of time, Human’s toys/tools do and ‘now’ they have more powerful tools/toys to play with the World has as yet seen! I sense, as a poster on Zero Hedge said a few months ago, the tension is building up in the masses and they are longing for release, I don’t think they will have to wait for long!
I think the US without most people knowing is highly Orwellian if you ask me. With mobile phones, everybody and everyone can be snooped upon and it’s happening. There seems to be mirage of freedom but on closer inspection is that even true with the massive self censorship going on?
Most advanced countries are close to a 1984 scenario without even knowing!
Trump rocking the Doyle Brunson…that being said China is not as strong as she appears.
”The Global Times, for its part, has blasted the Trump administration for ’typical international hooliganism’.”
Well put by Global Times. Moreover, I was pretty amused watching the Evening News tonight. Swedish MSM rarely ridicule the US and its Orange Baboon in charge, but after the most recent eruption of violence in Pindoland the reporter explained that ”Trump’s half-witted tweets” and ”Biden sitting in his own basement producing podcasts while Covid-19 is wreaking havoc on substantial parts of the US population” has brought frustration to breaking point.
The decision on WHO funding is only valid while Trump is in office. If he loses the election, Joe Biden can simply reverse that decision. The WHO may only need to wait it out for 6 more months.
Not that the WHO doesn’t deserve it. They completely bungled their response to the Covid19 pandemic. Just because Trump says so doesn’t make it untrue.
Trump has to deal with several issues on the domestic front (covid19 response, economic depression, now civil unrest) I see the US being pretty much hamstrung from now until the end of the year regarding international issues which leaves the world stage wide open for China’s initiatives.
If Trump is defeated, everything he has accomplished will be reversed in 3 days, except Justices and Judges and a few pieces of legislation that may stay for a while.
Nearly everything he has done is Executive Orders. Ephemeral. Easy to reverse.
The big things he promised, he has done nothing.
That’s b/c nothing can be done, the military runs the country and until they are curbed (which could be a while considering we have created quite a few animalistic citizens that might need a balance of destruction check),
their is not much a citizen or even a group of citizens can do to influence, or reverse, the militaristic behaviors of the military, any time soon.
“Trump is defeated, everything he has accomplished”
Accomplished? Degenerated, corrupted, destroyed…these things can not be easily reversed in the real world of israeli colonial america. Few toxic zionazi-gay policies put in place by a pindo colonial establishment are ever reversed by the next colonial regime. Should biden be selected to be the new head quisling, it is extremely unlikely he will undo the trump regime’s service to zionazi, inc. He would most likely add to it, as will trump, if that zionazi-gay quisling is re[s]elected.
This is exactly what has been happening in american politics since kennedy. Each successive regime furthers israeli/zionazi-gay control, and further removes peoples power and disempowers them. This is known as shifting a society to the right. Further to the right in zionazi colonial pindostan.
1/ Not entirely true. Trump has been very successful for and upon behalf of Israel.
2/ Not since Kennedy. Since and including Truman.
Why would China “fold”? The loss of pindo business with China will affect China less than it would the usa. The usa is utterly dependent upon Chinese produced products, while China could absorb the losses of there american exports ceasing.
As Larchmont445 pointed out above, export constitutes 11% of China’s 2019 GDP. 2020 First Quarter statistics showed that USA ranked 3rd as destination for Chinese exports, at 13%. This means exports to USA accounts for about 1.43% of Chinese GDP. That amount is easily absorbed by increased domestic consumptions, increased trade with Silk Road partners, as well as irreplaceable import needs of the USA. Nah, China ain’t worry about losing the pindo market :).
ASEAN is now China’s #1 export destination, EU #2. Uncle Sam hanging on to being #3, but slipping. Good for them that COVID-19 has compressed consumption enough for people here not to notice the dwindling cheap Chinese products.
The only need China has from the US market is semi-conductors.
They are pouring money into a Chinese company to build what they need. In a year or two, China will not need anything from the US and its vassals.
The food they buy is replaceable from South America and Russia.
Water comes from Russia.
If there are high tech products for military they might need, Russia can provide export versions of most everything they have, and what they have scares the crap out of the Pentagon.
China just needs to keep growing. 4.5-5% growth is good enough to stay far in front of the US.
In fact, their big development projects in the western provinces, in Xinjiang and Great Bay Area will spur the domestic consumer market. Add BRI projects and China will be just fine.
No one can make a similar case for the USA.
Most importantly China has the deciplined, well educated and hard working population of 1.4 billion. China currently produces 10 times more engineers and scientists than US and the disparity will become bigger as time.
Another astute article by Pepe. If the EU shifts to Eurasia, the great game is lost for the USA. We can expect very major conflict to ensue henceforth.
Request to Pepe… Your satire to use the name Trumpistan is understood, but is rather demeaning to all the legitimate -stan countries. Would you not agree the name Trumprael is more appropriate?
‘A take from out sectet sources.’
Hannity: Why? Yesterday, the Chinese claimed their first victim in Washington. He said this as if it should have been common knowledge among all PhD’s
‘Ha-Ha. I said, You jest.’
‘I jest what?’
‘Well, you just said that the Chinese just claimed their first victim in Washington.’
Hannity waved a serious index finger under my nose. ‘Yikes! How can you joke when the Chinese commies threaten? Sit down while I tell you a tale. Last night, last night, my dear Mr Trump, I was a passenger on a local bus in Washington.’
‘Trump sat up, ‘you reckless fool, you!’
‘Touche’, he replied, ‘the bus was passing the Congressional Fire Station, all as normal …..’
The conductor wending his way down the aisle: ‘Any more fares, please, White House next stop. Then a loud screech: ‘Chinese commie Eeeeeeeeh,’ followed by severe convulsions.
A Concerned Local said, ‘What to do with him?’
The Conductor somewhat recovered tried again, ‘Hold tight, please … ‘ before repeating: ‘Chinese Eeeeeeeeh.’
A second local who happened to be a Senator searching for poor people spoke up, ‘Ere, loosen his collar; I’ll look after his wallet.’
The conductor tried again: ‘What’s the matter with you lot? Take your hands off me! Chinese Eeeeeeeeh.’
Congressman: ‘Stop the bus! Stop it…’
Conductor again: ‘Don’t you stop this – Chinese Eeeeeeeeh, Yakka-Boo.’
Congressman: ‘Give him air! Stand back now!’
Conductor again: ‘Chinese Eeeeeeeeh…’
Hannity looks to Trump, ‘Not a pretty sight!’
Trump replies, ‘Good Heavens! What happened then?’
Well now, the unfortunate bus conductor was taken to the Hospital Emergency Department.
‘And then?’
And then…well, listen:
Conductor to the emergency worker: ‘Doctor, I tell you, I’m all right, I – Chinese Eeeeeeeeh – I can’t see what you’re bothered about at all ya see – Chinese Eeeeeeeeh, Yakka-Boo.’
The Doctor: ‘Yes, yes, yes. Now breathe in’. The conductor inhales, ‘Breathe out.’
‘Chinese Eeeeeeeeh.’
Doctor impatiently, ‘Must you? Now breathe in again.’
‘Chinese Eeeeeeeeh.’
The Doctor also succumbs, ‘Please, I must ask you to reeeea – Chinese Eeeeeeeeh.’
The alarmed conductor yells. ‘Nurse! Nurse! Nurse! Nurse! Chinese Eeeeeeeeh…’
The nurse rushes in and…, ‘Now what is it, I – Chinese Eeeeeeeeh…’
Then a chorus of ‘Chinese Eeeeeeeeh…’ echoed about the ward.
‘And that is my tale Mr.President. In six weeks America could be destroyed by Chinese commies and that includes you!’
“the Chinese Dream – a Confucianist variant of neoliberalism”
… yes, unfortunately!
“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is openly threatening Five Eyes allies and vassals, as well as Israel, with consequences if they fail to ditch any projects linked to Belt and Road”.
Washington will try that once too often – and maybe quite soon.
On that day, Pompeo will bellow “You are either with us or with them”; and everyone addressed will reply, “OK then, we are with them”.
The anti-Chinese sentiment is entirely aimed at voters who will half believe almost anything if given a push. The Democrats and their allies in the security services invented lies about Russia, the Republicans are going with lies about China. Everyone is happy with this arrangement–keeps power-relations in place, war-budgets high, and is a paradise for the hustlers and con artists who are the movers and shakers in Washington.
It has been the pattern for a while.
Republicans = Bash Iran (goes back to the hostage crisis)
Democrats = Bash Russia (Trotsky still their dearest)
Both = China (polictically correct thing to do)
Please, please let us not forget Fort Detrick.
https://journal-neo.org/2020/05/26/in-the-west-propaganda-hysteria-and-truly-foul-breath/
https://www.informationclearinghouse.info/55149.htm
In the West: Propaganda, Hysteria and Truly Foul Breath!
by Andre Vltchek / May 30th, 2020
There is absolutely nothing positive that is written (in the West) about nations which decided, or
were forced to, embark on their own path: China, Russia, pre-Coup Bolivia, Nicaragua, Syria, Iran,
Venezuela, Cuba and of course the “most evil of all” North Korea, also lately even South Africa and
its “racist ways of mass-murdering white farmers” aka Bannon’s manufactured “genocide”.
Russia and China cannot compete with the propaganda machinery of the West.
And they do no try to, anymore. They used to, but they gave up, quite some time ago.
Instead of quarreling, pointing fingers and insulting opponents, Russia and China are
marching forward, irreversibly.
Also
Hate China By Caitlin, May 25, 2020
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/05/23/hate-china/
http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_87857.shtml
After Russia noow it’s China Derangement Syndrome
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/05/25/china-derangement-syndrome-notes-from-the-edge-of-the-narrative-matrix/
Police in Hong Kong Brutalized by Rioters While Attacked by the Western Press
https://dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/police-in-hong-kong-brutalized-by-rioters-while-attacked-by-the-western-press/
The New Security Law Masterstroke
https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3085853/new-security-law-masterstroke
Lenses on Riots, Murder and Racism in the US and Hong Kong
https://dissidentvoice.org/2020/05/lenses-on-riots-murder-and-racism-in-the-us-and-hong-kong/
“Russia, Russia, Russia” by the left has been replaced by “China, China, China” from the right. LOL.
Hong Kong was taken from China by force during the Opium wars where the British East India company and their shareholders (royalty & “The City”) got very rich off dealing drugs in China and destroying the culture for over a hundred years. The Chinese still call it “The lost century”. They don’t forget and won’t forgive. They view all IP theft and everything else legal or not as “war reparations”.
China obviously feels it can go it without the USA. As long as Russia and China are not enemies there can be no stopping them. Sort of like what Bismark wanted with Germany & Russia.
In light of what is happening in the United States at the present time, I would suggest that the Americans have the nerve to point out what they believe are human rights abuses by the Chinese. A classic example of doublethink. America good, China, or Russia, or North Korea, or Cuba, or Iran, name your own, are bad. It is frankly child-like. One of these days the Americans and their allies will perhaps grow-up, although I have my reservations.
I think it’s probably for the best if Trump loses the election. He was a false prophet, saying all the right things and delivering very little. The whole anti-China shtik is hard to watch. Basically a Biden presidency will if anything drive the empire faster into the ground and the whole world will be better off for it. America has proven itself a non governable shithole. Trump has proven himself a weak non-doer. After 4 years of his presidency it’s obvious that this is the worse that America has ever been, yet world-wide it achieved really nothing apart from the very very low bar of not starting new wars.
Hopefully the US collapses fast without civil or any other war and rebuilds itself as a functional and sensible country like Russia did after Yeltsin. This is painful to watch.
You are a ‘Well Meaning’ Dreamer Bone, Eventually Power uses all technology to enslave, that is what power Wants, Humans are neither ‘Bad nor Good’ they are Human and their instinct is to control everything! Because if they didn’t then someone else might use the Technology to control them! So obviously, He who enslaves first has the best chance to avoid His own enslavement! Technology is neither good nor Bad, Technology has no will of it’s own, but Humans have will and they have shown us where their will can take them, many, many times before, the difference this time is; While Human Nature doesn’t change with the passing of time, Human’s toys/tools do and ‘now’ they have more powerful tools/toys to play with the World has as yet seen! I sense, as a poster on Zero Hedge said a few months ago, the tension is building up in the masses and they are longing for release, I don’t think they will have to wait for long!