In mid-2018, the US declared the China American Cold War a go. It comprised a series of ratcheting trade tariffs by the Trump Administration directed at China. these were directed largely at shifting global manufacturing supply chains, especially in technology, away from China. The measures were directed specifically at China’s stated aim of dominating global technology, artificial intelligence and robotics by 2025.
Other dimensions of the growing Great Power conflict included freedom of navigation through the South China Sea where China had constructed series of far-flung militarised atolls that armed the distant approaches to its mainland and effectively claimed that ocean as sovereign Chinese.
The Cold War was also concentrated around Chinese ‘sharp power’ which had made significant inroads in influencing policy outcomes within the US alliance network in and around the Asia Pacific via bribes, debt diplomacy and corruption of media.
The China American Cold War showed all of the characteristics of an historic, ideological struggle between liberal democracy and statist growth that had defined the 20th century battle between the US and the Soviet Union.
Via Sinocism: It is Fifth Plenum week as the fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party meets in Beijing from Monday through Thursday. Today Xi gave a work report and presented the “discussion drafts” of the proposals for the 14th Five-Year (2021-2025) Plan for Economic and Social Development and
A terrific piece at Domain on the weekend describes the state of China ties within the ALP: In mid-May, a small sticker appeared on a Labor senator’s office door in Parliament House. To an untrained eye it was innocuous – four wolf’s claw marks on a clear background. But it was a symbol of what
I’m not sure how we’re supposed to discuss our future when this happens. At Domain: Senator Andrew Bragg has denounced as “degrading and regrettable” calls for Chinese Australians to pledge their loyalty, adding to the controversy that embroiled his Liberal Party colleague Eric Abetz. Senator Abetz declined to apologise for remarks at a Senate inquiry
Lordy, I’m getting whiplash. Recall Shadow Trade Minister Madeleine King, previously a China apologist: Opposition trade spokeswoman Madeleine King has targeted high-profile Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, labelling him a political ideologue who is hijacking the debate about Australia’s relationship with China. But Mr Hastie responded saying she was muddled and asleep at the wheel when
It was a good time not long time. Via ABC: Christine Liu has always resisted asking her parents for money, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit, she didn’t have a choice. “I felt guilty … even though I can hardly make ends meet, I didn’t want to ask,” Ms Liu said. “I think the impact
I noticed something quite interesting on Friday when I was looking into the latest declaration of war on Australia by China, in cotton. Notice that over the past two years there has been an extraordinary boom in exports of foodstuffs to China. It is not clear why this is the case: it predated the FTA
Wolf wankery has set a new low bar in Canada, via The Star: Beijing’s envoy explicitly warned Ottawa not to offer political asylum to Hong Kong dissidents at risk of emboldening “violent criminals” and endangering the safety of Canadian citizens and business people in Hong Kong. “So, if the Canadian side really cares about the
It is amazing to behold just how out of step Australian universities now are with the community. Via The Australian: A Senate hearing into the government’s foreign relations bill on Tuesday turned into an interrogation of university chiefs over research partnerships with the Chinese military and their failure to register Beijing-backed Confucius Institutes as foreign
It’s all-out soft power war now, via the ABC: Australia’s cotton industry is bracing for what could be a devastating blow as it becomes the latest casualty in the escalating trade tensions with China. Mills in China are being told to stop buying Australian cotton as speculation grows that a hefty tariff is about to
This is priceless from CCP mouthpiece, The China Daily: Probably none of the protagonists were asked but were they really needed to be? Kim Carr is a famous communist. Friendly Jordies has got Murdoch Derangement Syndrome and is blinded by Labor links. Finally, Geoff Raby is paid by Chinese SOE Yancoal to lobby on its
Sigh. It’s all the CIA’s fault apparently: Yo @friendlyjordies, I’ve been a fan for years, so this is super disappointing. There are Uyghur guys up here in Brisbane with dozens of family members in the concentration camps. One guy had his Mum sent away because he protested with us at UQ. Message me, we can
China is everybody’s destiny! So says Ray Dalio whose admiration for Beijing knows no bounds: “Time is on China’s side and it’s not on the United States’ side, for various developments,” Dalio said Monday in a conversation with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman at the Milken Institute Global Conference. “What’s going to be a
Via Argus: China has told some of its state-owned steelmakers and power plants to stop importing Australian coals with immediate effect, injecting more uncertainty into its spot markets that had anticipated eased restrictions into 2021. A major northeast China state-owned steel producer received verbal notice of the ban this afternoon, but with few details available.
Via National Review: When Mike Pompeo traveled to Tokyo to meet his counterparts from Japan, Australia, and India for talks this week, some observers speculated about the creation of an “Asian NATO” to counter China’s malign activity in the region. That’s been one constant refrain about this four-country “Quad” in the lead up to the Tokyo
And why wouldn’t it? Via Pew: Views of China have grown more negative in recent years across many advanced economies, and unfavorable opinion has soared over the past year, a new 14-country Pew Research Center survey shows. Today, a majority in each of the surveyed countries has an unfavorable opinion of China. And in Australia,
Cross-posted from FTAlphaville: Morale-boosting military messaging intended to recruit and galvanise troops, while prompting patriotic goodwill with the public, is nothing new. Such techniques have been in play since war itself was invented. In the 20th century, the military took advantage of the media of its day: broadcast radio, video and celluloid film. In 2020,
Europe joins Cold War 2.0: Germany is to impose tough new restrictions on telecoms equipment providers which will effectively exclude Huawei from the buildout of the country’s 5G phone networks. An IT security bill that Angela Merkel’s cabinet is planning to pass in the coming weeks would stop short of an outright ban on Huawei
Some links today from Sinocism tell the tale loud and clear: 1. Official National Day activities Xi pays tribute to national heroes at Tian’anmen Square – Xinhua Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state joined representatives from various walks of life in a ceremony to present flower
Looks like this is where it is hitting back against Trump: This PIIE Chart, originally published on May 18, 2020, tracks China’s monthly purchases of US goods covered by the phase one deal between the United States and China. Hexuan Li provided outstanding data assistance, and William Melancon and Oliver Ward assisted with graphics. On
BREAKING: Ads on Uyghur slaves from companies representing Xinjiang Government. You can find such ads from Chinese websites. I can provide more contents to legitimate persons if desired. If such operations continue, what will be left in Uyghurland? pic.twitter.com/MEjrXyNeba — Erkin Sidick (@ErkinSidick) September 26, 2020 Nazism is nothing if not profitable for Nazis. And
Let’s get a few things straight. In recent times we’ve seen a swag of analysts and apologists grabbing at the pearls as they worry that “China will cut off Australian iron ore”. Some are even contending that the recent slow disembarkation at Chinese ports is evidence of such, even though delays have hit ships from
Wolf wankers at the FT: Just two days before President Xi Jinping was scheduled to speak to Chancellor Angela Merkel last week, China blocked all pork imports from Germany. The ostensible reason was the death of a single German wild boar from African swine fever, a disease already endemic in China. But some analysts jumped
The CCP lackeys are on the run again at UQ: BREAKING: UQ has attempted to ban our anti-CCP “Drew Pavlou Fighting Team” from student elections. Last week, new VC Deborah Terry held a private meeting with one of our key opponents, today we discovered these opponents registered tickets under our name, disqualifying us. — Drew
Via Sinocism: Comment: We still have only sketchy details of what was decided at the recent 7th Tibet Work Conference, but perhaps they decided to take some of the “successes” from Xinjiang and apply them back into Tibet? Exclusive: China sharply expands mass labor program in Tibet | Reuters Beijing has set quotas for the
Via China apologist “think tank” China Matters: Plenty of people in this country agree with some or much of what the CPC has done over the past 40 years. They are entitled to express those opinions and to try to influence government. This is normal in a democracy. Members of Chinese communities in Australia often
Great stuff from the PLA today as it obliterates…Alcatraz?: What, no more retro posters?
What a great idea. Via Domain: The founder of a global coalition of MPs is pushing for the International Olympic Committee to reconsider Beijing’s hosting of the 2022 Winter Games as politicians around the world voice increasing concerns over China’s human rights record. The move paves the way for a worldwide alliance between human rights
Via Bloomberg: Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday that the U.S. would bar WeChat and its parent company from letting users send money to friends, family or businesses. It also banned business relationships with certain third-party technology providers starting Sunday. The move will make it harder to access and use a tool that helps more
The Global Times’ attention-seeking editor Hu Xijin’s message a bit more ‘Red’ on Weibo: “If we have no choice but war, we should first avoid direct conflict with the US. We can (instead) severely beat up a US running dog that always crosses our bottom line… to send a warning.’ https://t.co/wMquyeaUpE pic.twitter.com/lRVmPjv4yM — Bill Birtles
I popped over to Shits and Giggles today for the first time in many moons and when I arrived saw this fantastic example of why Labor will be out of power for three or four decades: Driving in the dark in our conflict with China There is a co-ordinated front from the defence and security
