The main news of the day is the Biden administration’s effort to sell 40 155mm M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer artillery systems, 1,698 precision guidance kits for munitions, spares, training, ground stations and upgrades for previous generation of howitzers, to the island of Taiwan in a deal worth up to $750 million. China is, to say the least, livid.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1230698.shtml
Military Drills: US ‘large-scale’ military exercises cannot scare China, Russia
The US has begun two “large-scale” military exercises. The first is a joint Indo-Pacific military exercise led by the US Indo-Pacific Command with the participation of Japan, Australia and the UK. The other is the “Large-Scale Exercise 2021” held by US Navy around the world and is reportedly the largest naval exercise since 1981. A US military scholar told media that it is intended to demonstrate to China and Russia that US naval forces can simultaneously meet challenges in the Black Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, South China Sea and East China Sea.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1230616.shtml
More Military Drills: Chinese, Russian militaries to hold joint drill in NW China
YINCHUAN — A joint military exercise by the Chinese and Russian armies will be held from Aug. 9 to 13 at a training base of the People’s Liberation Army in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region.
The exercise, named ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021, is the first joint military exercise held inside China since the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the exercise’s leading group.
http://www.chinadailyglobal.com/a/202108/06/WS610c8415a310efa1bd667010.html
And more, an ongoing military drill from Friday to Tuesday
A large section of waters from Hainan to the Paracels has been cordoned off by China’s maritime authorities from Friday
While we are right at the end of the Tokyo Olympics, the force is strong for canceling or otherwise interfering with the upcoming Beijing 2022 Games.
This is what Radio Free Asia (and people should recognize that for what it is), reports, and this is clearly within the human rights wars.
2021-07-27 — The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday said it had to “remain neutral” on global political issues in response to a request from the U.S. Congressional commission that asked it to postpone and relocate the 2022 Beijing Winter Games if China does not end its human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs in its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The reply came in response to a letter that the bipartisan U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) sent to IOC president Thomas Bach. The commission made the letter public on July 23.”
Despite these efforts to do something to China, anything, before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese are keeping cool: “Off the field, observers noted that the success of the Tokyo Olympics under huge pressure is a desperately needed inspiration for the world. Tokyo’s experience in carrying out a major international event under such circumstances sets an example for next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics, experts said. ”
Let’s look at the latest Xinjiang information:
And then during the time of writing, the news broke. Part of the Xinjiang story, is pure hard blackmail: the US-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) blackmailed, bribed, and extorted a Chinese company and its US cooperative partner for $300,000 by threatening to hype up fabricated “forced labor” issues related to China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1230759.shtml
The complete Xinjian story of forced labor, a genocide (with no dead people), prison camps et al is falling apart like an overripe watermelon that just smashed itself falling off the watermelon buggy and is not fit for eating any longer.
While we are on the topic of extortion, Alex Rubinstein did some undercover work.
He says: “Using a friend’s company on my application and adopting a fake persona, I attended a three-day summit on religious freedom where leading figures in the Democratic Party including Nancy Pelosi, USAID Director Samantha Power and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken joined up with anti-gay Evangelicals, a slew of shady NGOs and multiple bonafide cults to ratchet up pressure against China.”:
From this ‘Davos of Religious Freedom’, we see top democrats, top republicans, the Christian far right, some clear cults, NGO’s with no history, and just about every anti-China organization in the world right across the spectrum. The objective? Balkanization under the guise of religious freedom as the new front in the new China cold war. This report is incredibly detailed and would need some time to read through. It is however recommended to understand the vast array of forces aligned in the new cold war against China.
https://realalexrubi.substack.com/p/top-democrats-unite-with-christian
And the 2nd part is out, titled: A Cult, a Fake Gov’t & US-funded NGOs Hold Panels Panning China
https://realalexrubi.substack.com/p/cult-fake-govt-ngos
And this is how medical philanthropy US to China actually operates:
https://saker.community/2021/08/02/tarnished-american-philanthropy-in-china/
So, what is happening in China? Simply said, strong strong words.
The recent visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, despite the usual initial nice and welcoming words apparently did not go down well. “A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the talks were in-depth, frank, and beneficial to the relationship between the two countries.”
Days later the story changed materially. “We will no longer make unilateral efforts to maintain the public opinion atmosphere in China-US relations. Using illegal sanctions as a pretext, the US, aided by Canada, has effectively kidnapped a high-ranking Chinese corporate official, Meng Wanzhou, and is still threatening her with possible imprisonment. No other nation behaves so brazenly in defiance of international norms.
“The basis for such changes is that Chinese society has become fed up with the bossy US and we hold no more illusion that China and the US would substantially improve ties in the foreseeable future. The Chinese public strongly supports the government to safeguard national dignity in its ties with the US and firmly push back the various provocations from the US. In the face of the malicious China containment and confrontational policy adopted by the two recent US administrations, the Chinese people are willing to form a united front, together bear the consequences of not yielding to the US, and win for the country’s future through struggles.
In other words, Chinese society would unconditionally support whatever tough counterattacks the Chinese government would launch in the face of US-initiated conflicts in all directions toward China. The US should abandon forever the idea of changing China’s system and policies through sanctions, containment, and intimidation. We hope US allies in the Asia-Pacific, especially Japan and Australia, can weigh the situation. They should not act as accomplices of the US’ China containment policy and place themselves at the forefront of confronting China, or they are betting their own future.”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229704.shtml
And this is the message that is still prevailing in China and internal to her people.
Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou was in the dock in a Canadian court this last week but at the time of writing, I have not seen any reports.
Further detail:
Far more world leaders visit China than America: “If leadership diplomacy was an Olympic sport, Beijing beats Washington to the gold medal.” In 2019, 79 foreign leaders visited China, while only 27 called on the United States. More world leaders have visited China than the United States in every year since 2013. Many US allies visited China more often than the United States, including those of South Korea, Germany, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and New Zealand. Read full article →
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said ties with Southeast Asia are a priority for China and called for “multilateralism with Asian characteristics”, as the country seeks to counter US moves in the region.“China has always made Asean its priority for diplomacy in the region … and firmly supports Asean’s central role in regional cooperation,” Wang said, according to the Chinese foreign ministry readout on Thursday. “Both sides should conduct frequent communication on all levels, and continue with mutual understanding and support for each other’s core interests.” Read full article $→
US drops visa fraud charge against Chinese researcher accused of hiding ties to Chinese military. Days before trial was expected to start, US prosecutors ask judge to dismiss charge against cancer researcher Tang Juan. Federal agents said Tang allegedly sought refuge at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco after they interviewed her at her home. Read full article $→
The US dropped cases against five Chinese researchers accused of hiding ties to the Chinese military. The China Initiative has raised concern about racial profiling of Asians, however, and led to calls for investigation into the DOJ’s conduct. Judges had already dismissed parts of two cases after it was revealed FBI agents hadn’t properly informed them of their rights against self-incrimination. Read full article $→
U.S.-listed Chinese firms must disclose Chinese government interference risks. The Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday that Chinese companies listed on U.S. markets must disclose the risks of the Chinese government interfering in their business as part of their reporting obligations. Read full article $→
For the first time since 2013, China funded no overseas coal projects in H1. Last month, ICBC announced that it would begin to phase out coal project financing, and pulled out of a major $3 billion coal power plant project in Zimbabwe. Then Beijing published fresh guidelines encouraging overseas enterprises to invest in greener projects and dump environmentally risky ones. Read full article →
Selections from Godfree Roberts’ extensive weekly newsletter: Here Comes China. You can get it here: https://www.herecomeschina.com/#subscribe
There are some delicious long reads in this week’s newsletter from Martin Jacques, Martin Chorzempa, Chris Lau, Rick Sterling, Yiwen Lu and Hubert Horan
Further selections and editorial and geopolitical commentary by Amarynth.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-extradition-legal-proceedings-1.6132808
The Canadian judge will side on the US regardless of facts – or law.
justin is such an idiot. he could’ve elected to become part of the bri: it was a natural. instead he choose to listen to the dumpster & as michael hudson said, ‘take up residence in a basement suite in the pentagon.’
America: As alliance of the free world, you need to help us to contain China, at all cost.
Canada: Hmmmmm,… agree….
America: So, do what I say.
Canada: OK, but what is the cost?
America: You.
The same joke applies too for those idiots like Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and some countries in EU.
.. somehow the US is able to convince that it is better to Serve in Hell that to Rule in Heaven.
I agree. Canada is pretty much fully subservient to U.S. interests, military, economic, cultural. I will be very surprised if Canada’s court will dismiss the case.
Danke! I read the material. I guess everybody sees the general disposition, and hopes it’s not “1914”…but it is, close enough. I followed the links…Mr Chine and Mr Ivan are dead serious, and Zone A is delusional and afraid… What could go wrong?
Recall an affray that followed a series of provocations, which had to stop…the Strategy called for preparing for the next provocation, which took a bit of planning after it was decided to stop the irritating attacks…essentially the attackers got our focused attention.
The subsequent provocation was a trap, and those sods walked right into “trouble”. Their previous “success” had caused them to assume what was not true, ie they had made themselves delusional. After that, well, anybody could have “dealt” with the problem. They had become blind.
Recall VVP “fight inevitable? strike first.”
This disposition of forces “smells” like that Strategy… Our Heartland Brothers are tired of being irritated, Zone A has got their focus. Sooner or later one of these provocations will result in big surprise. IMHO, so to say. Mercouris seems to expect matters to go pretty soon. Can’t say I disagree. Martyanov more or less also, I think.
Thus fight is seen as increasingly inevitable Zone A means gets a ‘sprize. Everybody knows the senile guy loves surprises. One wonders what happens after the surprise… plenty not-good is safe bet.
How pathetic.
Thanks again!
WRT the last paragraph, here is the latest news on Meng Wanzhou’s extradition hearing…
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3144192/us-improperly-provided-evidence-judge-meng-wanzhous-canadian
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-crown-submissions-1.6131293
She is being held under house arrest in her Vancouver mansion, so hardly a harsh imprisonment.
@Opport Knocks
We will be coming over to your house to strap on an ankle bracelet you have to wear for two years. You haven’t broken any laws, but the US government demanded we do it.
So, it’s not harsh imprisonment.
You don’t get to go anywhere, can’t work, but you’ll agree it’s not harsh.
@Larchmonter,
You forgot that Opport Knocks also has to pay for his own bodyguards to ensure he doesn’t break house arrest.
A nice touch that! You pay for your own prison!
Opport Knocks says: “here is the latest news on Meng Wanzhou’s extradition hearing…”
Your links (which I foolishly clicked) say that US acts “honorably” in this case. Yes, “honorably” for introducing an incomplete PowerPoint slide file (with missing pages) as key evidence. Yes, “honorably” for pressuring Canada to arrest Meng illegally while transiting (not entering) Canada. Yes, “honorably” for pursuing a political agenda on an innocent people. Yes, “honorably” for …
US realizes this is such a meaningless case that, a few months ago, they offered to release Meng provided Meng admits that she is “guilty”. The offer was rejected by Meng:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-in-talks-with-huawei-finance-chief-meng-wanzhou-about-resolving-criminal-charges-11607038179
Opport Knocks says: “so hardly a harsh imprisonment.”
Spin whatever way you want, arresting any innocent person is “harsh”, imprisonment or not. Meng loses her freedom, Meng couldn’t perform her job, Meng couldn’t run her company, Meng and Huawei have to spend money on legal cost, Meng loses her privacy, …
All for the sole reason that Huawei is too successful in the eye of US.
US companies lose to Huawei so it takes its bat and ball away. Pathetic.
there is a media clip today on chinese media saying, Meng and Huawei may be elevated to chinese national security level ‘threat’. In exchange of her safe and secure released, china will agree to do the ‘trade’ talk, which otherwise is, 门都没, meaning dead end. Show-only or substatial depends on the how capable are the not-agreement-capable, if they hv learn from the last schooling.
bwbs
Woah there boys. I am not defending the US government judicial over reach nor the Canadian government’s willingness to assist them in Meng Wanzhou’s case.
IMHO the first Canadian judge erred because under Canadian extradition law, the crime for which a person is extradited must also be a crime in Canada. As far as I can tell, Canadian sanctions against doing business with Iran are not as broad as those in the US for using their banks.
Compared to the incarceration China’s tit-for-tat arrests of 2 Canadians, Meng’s arrest conditions are extremely lax. She can do whatever work she needs via video conference, email and couriers. I work as an IT consultant from home and have not had an “in person” client meeting for 2 years.
As for paying the cost of guards, etc., if you net out the costs of her not travelling and staying at expensive hotels, Huawei is saving money ;-)
”The US has begun two ’large-scale’ military exercises. The first is a joint Indo-Pacific military exercise led by the US Indo-Pacific Command with the participation of Japan, Australia and the UK.”
Make that Pindo-Pacific. Judging by the above quote, India is not participating in these awesome tours de force. Modi, after all, might not be too interested in liberating any Muslims — he certainly is sufficiently feeble-minded to buy the official narrative, LOL.
Also: Is this German dude Adrian NonZenz cruising along to keep up the humanitarian focus?
Great to see that the Chinese government has the overwhelming majority behind it. The Navy should unceremoniously sink these bastards. Feed the sharks with some Western flesh.
Oh, India is doing its thing, don’t be fooled here :-). It is all over the Chinese media. (Naval Task force? huh? I think it is three ships that India is sending but check me on this). Please forgive the Reuters link and seek out one that you like better.
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-deploys-warships-south-china-sea-part-act-east-policy-2021-08-04/
In addition, Britain sent a warship that ran home quickly. Alexander Mercouris had a good assessment and analysis of this. And then, Germany as well.
I did not have space here to list all the sorry trails of other lonely ships setting off for the South China seas or environs in solidarity. One would need a spreadsheet or something to keep track.
”/…/ postpone and relocate the 2022 Beijing Winter Games if China does not end its human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs in its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.”
They tried the very same kind of silly blackmail in 2018 prior to the World Cup in Russia. Presented as due ”punishment” for Putin personally ordering the poisoning of the Skripals with Novichok. These clowns are inventive people — respect!