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Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 7:50:20 PM
From: TobagoJack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 217694

Republic of China is now under de facto dress rehearsal of lock-down / quarantine / embargo / etc etc etc Pelosi promised to come to the aid of ROC Let's watch & brief, wait & see November 2022 should be interesting Q1 2022 election in ROC should be quite interesting To be then followed by November 2022 Regime-change(s) possible amidst charges of electioneering and interference, naturally, am supposing Below is Bloomberg MSM read, but if read wrong, then all might be wrong bloomberg.com Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip Left a Fuming White House Scrambling for a Plan Administration aimed to quietly persuade delay of Taiwan visit Officials raced to ensure any fallout could be minimized Billy House 4 August 2022, 02:19 GMT+8 Nancy Pelosi, center, waves with lawmakers at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, on Aug. 3.Photographer: I-Hwa Cheng/BloombergBefore Nancy Pelosi landed in Taipei for a controversial meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, the White House was careful not to weigh in on the trip, stressing that the speaker of the House makes her own decisions. But behind the scenes, officials in President Joe Biden’s administration were fuming at her insistence on using the trip as a capstone for her career at a moment of highly delicate relations with Beijing. In an effort to quietly persuade Pelosi to delay the visit, the White House dispatched senior members of the National Security Council, as well as State Department officials, to brief the speaker and her team on the geopolitical risks, people familiar with the conversations said. Read More: Pelosi Stares Down Xi’s Threats, Giving China a Reality Check When it became clear that Pelosi could not be swayed, the administration instead planned for contingencies, setting up a scramble to ensure communication channels with Beijing were functioning and any fallout could be minimized. That included meetings between US officials and their counterparts at the Chinese embassy in Washington, people familiar with the matter said. They were granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations. But even as they tried to convince Pelosi’s team that now was not the right time to go, administration officials knew they had to plan for the possibility that she would do so and gird for any Chinese response. Nancy Pelosi, center, arrives at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, on Aug. 3. Photographer: I-Hwa Cheng/Bloomberg The inability to persuade Pelosi to postpone adds another complication for an administration that is still figuring out its approach to China. And it left Biden officials in the uncomfortable position of being upstaged by one of the most powerful House speakers in modern times, who has never shied away from poking China and isn’t afraid of upsetting anyone that gets in her way. Read More: Pelosi’s Legacy as China Critic Fuels Beijing Ire on Taiwan Trip When Chinese officials in Beijing summoned the US ambassador to lodge a formal protest, Nicholas Burns reiterated the Biden administration wanted to avoid any escalation and was intent on keeping all lines of communication open, according to a State Department spokesperson. Pelosi’s trip came as she’s expected to soon wind down her historic career as the first woman House speaker. While she is likely to be re-elected to her San Francisco House seat, Republicans appear poised to capture the chamber’s majority and Pelosi cut a deal in 2018 with younger House members agreeing to leadership term limits. Pelosi, 82, valued the discretion of her members about the trip and was especially displeased with leaks her team believed to come out of the Biden administration in an effort to make her cancel the visit, people familiar with the matter said. An NSC spokeswoman said allegations that the administration purposefully leaked it are false. NSC spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday called them “unfortunate,” noting that the speaker should be able to travel on her own terms. Information about the visit was tightly held, kept even from lawmakers accompanying Pelosi. They didn’t receive the complete itinerary for the trip -- including confirmation of the Taiwan stop -- until the day they left and only after the delegation had boarded the plane. The trip initially was to occur in April, but was postponed when Pelosi tested positive for Covid-19. Pelosi’s office continued to make clear to members who were to be on that trip that it was merely on hold. Communications between the speaker’s team and the White House were fraught, with tension added when Biden in late July told reporters that the US military was opposed to Pelosi’s then unconfirmed travel plans. The more the administration tried to weigh in behind the scenes, the more Pelosi dug in. At one point, her team suggested she might consider delaying the trip if the president publicly asked her to. Biden advisers didn’t believe that was a good idea, not least because they were unsure that she would comply, people familiar with the exchange said. After days of treating the travel plans as a hypothetical, on Monday, White House officials changed their tone. Before Pelosi landed in the region, Kirby warned Beijing not to overreact to a potential Taiwan stop or use it as a pretext to increase tensions. On Tuesday, when she landed and China issued threats of military drills around the island, Kirby repeated his warnings and said the US was prepared to manage whatever Beijing chooses to do in response. The White House declined to say whether the president personally supported the speaker’s trip and whether he believes it benefits US foreign policy objectives. Biden this year said he would support military intervention if China invaded Taiwan -- a comment that was quickly walked back and clarified by his advisers. People familiar with the internal deliberations, however, said the president was probably speaking his mind then, while stressing that it would have no impact on the longstanding One China Policy. Steely Resolve US officials have spent the past 19 months carefully trying to recalibrate the relationship with China away from the unpredictability of the Trump administration. They’ve emphasized the need for clear communications to avoid unintended consequences or a misunderstanding that could lead to conflict. In her less than 24 hours on the ground, Pelosi also met with human rights and business leaders. Her message, she said, was unwavering support for Taiwan in the face of Beijing’s threats. The trip was consistent with her political brand, which she has built on her steely resolve to stand up to bullies. Throughout her career, she’s taken a tougher stance on China than virtually any of the US presidents she’s dealt with. Read More: Pelosi Commands World’s Attention Like No House Speaker Ever Has — With assistance by Iain Marlow, and Erik Wasson

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 7:55:28 PM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 217694

Very interesting vector happening Diplomacy and strategy on the fly per winging it Am certain others near and far are taking note and readying plans Am wondering when freedom fighters on Taiwan of ROC get into the act All eyes on November 2022 bloomberg.com White House Lobbies Democrats Against Bid to Deepen Taiwan Ties Erik Wasson updated an hour ago Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez Photographer: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesThe Biden administration is lobbying Democratic senators to put the brakes on a bill that would alter US policy toward Taiwan, including by designating it as a major non-NATO ally, according to people familiar with the matter. The legislation also would provide Taiwan with $4.5 billion in security aid and support its participation in international organizations. It is sponsored by Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both harsh critics of China, which considers the self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its territory. “The White House has significant concerns,” said Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I have significant concerns.” Murphy said the Foreign Relations panel is delaying work on the legislation until September and it may be rewritten. The committee had planned to vote on the bill Wednesday. The administration is already trying to deal with increasing US-China friction, which was exacerbated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week. Taiwan was a major topic of a call last week between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Nancy Pelosi speaks in Taipei, on Aug. 3. Photographer: Chien Chih-Hung/Office of The President/Getty Images Read More: Pelosi Stares Down Xi’s Threats, Giving China a Reality Check Menendez, in an op-ed published Wednesday in the New York Times, said the US strategy must be geared to “deter and constrain Beijing’s problematic behavior.” “As China challenges us across every dimension of national security — militarily, economically and diplomatically and on values — we are laying out a new vision that ensures our country is positioned to defend Taiwan for decades to come,” Menendez wrote. Graham rebuked the White House for trying to stymie the bill. “It’s a miscalculation of how to keep the world in order. At every turn they take the weakest path,” Graham said. “If you put this on the floor of the Senate it would pass overwhelmingly.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read More: Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip Left Fuming White House Scrambling for Plan The Biden administration considers the legislation counterproductive and that it would interfere with the decades-old approach of “strategic ambiguity” about whether the US military would defend Taiwan against Communist forces, according to the people, who asked for anonymity because the discussions are private. The US also adheres to a “One China” policy which deems the question of sovereignty over Taiwan as undetermined. “I’m not sure this is the moment to throw out 40 years of policy,” Murphy said, while adding that “it makes sense for us to draw closer to Taiwan.”

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 7:59:18 PM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 217694

... as if there is a big vote coming up in the UN bloomberg.com China to Deepen Africa Ties Over Next Decade With Focus on Trade China aims to overtake EU as Africa’s biggest trade partner Agriculture, manufacturing likely to attract more investment Antony Sguazzin 4 August 2022, 07:01 GMT+8 Gantry cranes and shipping containers at a port in Mombasa, Kenya. Photographer: Luis Tato/BloombergChina will deepen its ties with Africa over the next decade by focusing on trade and is unlikely to be dislodged by US and European Union attempts to re-engage with the continent, the Economist Intelligence Unit said. The Asian country is likely to keep investing in Africa’s natural resources and may look to the continent as a source of food, boosting its expenditure on agriculture, the EIU said in a report released Thursday. Asia may see Africa’s youthful population as a source of labor for its manufacturing companies and as a market for its consumer goods, the research organization said. China plans to surpass the EU as Africa’s biggest trade partner by 2030, and while western powers are trying to boost relations with the continent, they will struggle to catch up, the EIU said. Their relations with the continent are complicated by Europe’s colonial history with Africa and distrust of their intentions due to erratic engagement over the last few decades. “Question marks are also being raised in Africa over the motives behind the re-engagement of the EU and US,” the EIU said. These “raise memories of past failed commitments and are viewed merely as a desire to counter Chinese influence rather than work with African business partners,” the organization said. Read: Young Africans Prefer China to The US China has held annual meetings with African heads of state and that is now being emulated by its geopolitical rivals, while Russia, Turkey, Brazil and Saudi Arabia are also trying to build relations with the continent. The EU and African Union held a summit in February, and US President Joe Biden has called for a meeting with African leaders in December. These “to an extent will help to counter, but not dislodge, Chinese influence across the continent,” the EIU said. China has spent two decades cultivating its political and economic relations with Africa and stronger ties could now benefit its economy even as slowing growth may restrain investment in the continent. Food Security “Food security issues and enormous food import requirements in China could drive large trade and investment flows in African agricultural products and production,” the EIU said. “Africa has an enormous, young and low-cost pool of labor that presents a potential outlet for China’s labor-intensive manufacturing sector -- something that will become increasingly attractive as China’s labor force grows older and becomes more costly.” Ties are already significant. Bilateral trade between China and Africa rose 35% in 2021 from the year earlier to $254 billion, with African exports hitting a record $106 billion, the EIU said, citing Chinese government statistics. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest importer from China while South Africa is the biggest exporter. “Afro-Chinese relations are clearly moving into a new phase,” Pat Thaker, the EIU’s editorial director for the Middle East and Africa, said in a statement. “Latest policy initiatives, development strategies and financial pledges point to a deeper and broader engagement.”

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 8:09:46 PM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 217694

lots of counters on the map, so let's see if the aircraft carriers come closer to support ROC, albeit I note they are already within long stick of trucks in the desert, forests, and all around zerohedge.com As Taiwan Warns Chinese "Maritime & Aerial Blockade" Ensuing, Pelosi Says Real Issue Is 'I'm A Woman' Update(1545ET): During Nancy Pelosi's brief visit to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, China's government issued an alert telling commercial airlines to avoid airspace near Taiwan as it kicked off live military drills that essentially choked off maritime areas surrounding the island - drills coming even within 12 nautical miles of the Taiwan coast (conventionally considered "terrotorial waters"). State-run Xinhua also reported that China is conducing joint Navy, Air Force and rocket drills just off Taiwan. And more ominously Global Times said the PLA is *preparing to send rockets over* the island of Taiwan*. As also Axios* recapped: The alert describing six areas in the region as "danger zones" notifies airlines of flight restrictions due to the military exercises from Thursday at 12 noon until 12 noon Sunday Hong Kong time, per Bloomberg, as officials in Japan also expressed alarm at Beijing's plans. China's government also moved to block imports of citrus fruits and frozen mackerel from Taiwan in retaliation for Pelosi's trip, AP reports. Taiwan's Defense Ministry described the latest PLA actions as essentially a "maritime and aerial blockade." Meanwhile, Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson observes that "48 Chinese military aircraft, mostly fighter jets, have now buzzed Taiwan over the past two days." A little less than half of these were reported by Taiwan's defense ministry as having crossed the "median line" - which it should be recalled Chinese state mouthpiece Global Times said has now ceased to exist. [url=][/url] You will find more infographics at Statista To be expected, Taiwan's defense ministry charged Biejing with "violating international law and Taiwan's sovereignty" - given China's ongoing live-fire military exercises that will occur in six different areas around Taiwan, some overlapping with Taiwan's claimed territorial waters. And the mainstay of the drills haven't even yet begun - given the PLA Eastern Theater identified a Thursday "start" date. Needless to say all of this is incredibly dangerous when considering the potential for an 'inadvertent' incident between either the PLA and Taiwan forces, or between China and the US Navy, considering two days ago the USS Reagan strike group entered regional waters... 3 US carrier groups namely the aircraft carrier group USS Ronald Reagan & the amphibious assault groups USS Tripoli & USS America are in the vicinity of #Taiwan The map also shows the locations of the 2 Chinese carriers, Liaoning & Shandong.#Taiwanchina pic.twitter.com/p4yWKkHJJO — Indo-Pacific News - Watching the CCP-China Threat (@IndoPac_Info) August 3, 2022 Now that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is safely in Seoul, South Korea - where neither President Yoon Suk-yeol nor the country's foreign minister will meet with her - as the former is conveniently on "vacation" and the latter is in nearby Cambodia - all that she's offered thus far as an "explanation" for soaring regional tensions, and with Taiwan now finding itself in the direct crosshairs of a nuclear-armed superpower is that people are angry that she went to Taiwan because she's a woman. Yes, she actually said on Wednesday morning while standing alongside Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen: "They didn’t say anything when the men came." Pelosi: “They didn’t say anything when the men came.” A reference to the fact that in April, US senators Lindsey Graham, Bob Menendez, Richard Burr, Ben Sasse, Rob Portman, and Ronny Jackson visited Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/TwW8t36Bxy — Melissa Chan (@melissakchan) August 3, 2022 What else can be said?... she gets to play the woke victim (but wait: "what is a woman?"), while the Taiwanese people practice emergency bunker drills as they face down the possibility of serious Chinese military aggression. #PLA drills could pose threat to major ports and shipping lanes in #Taiwan, forming a complete blockage. This blockage could be part of action plans for future reunification-by-force operations, Herman Shuai, a retired Taiwan lieutenant general, told GT https://t.co/gBk6ldMlvG pic.twitter.com/XRTTtSRRJe — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 3, 2022 * * * Update(9:57ET): Less than a half-day after Nancy Pelosi's departure from Taiwan on a US Air Force plane, a large group of 27 Chinese PLA planes breached Taiwan's air defense identification zone Wednesday, crucially with at least 22 of the aircraft reported as having crossed the Taiwan Strait "median line". A map posted to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense showed the brief crossovers by the PLA jets. In response, the ministry said it issued radio warnings and readied air defense missile systems to monitor the activities. Taiwan previously said it won't hesitated to deploy its armed forces to thwart "enemy threats". Already as Pelosi's plane was inbound yesterday from Malaysia Chinese planes and ships had buzzed the median line, which demarcates what the self-ruled island deems its own territorial waters. [url=][/url] "27 PLA aircraft (J-116, J-165 and SU-3016) entered the surrounding area of R.O.C. on August 3, 2022," Taiwan's military wrote in official social media posts. Earlier in the day state-run English language PRC mouthpiece Global Times declared that Beijing now views the median line has having ceased to exist. "The exercises are unprecedented as the PLA conventional missiles are expected to fly over the island of Taiwan for the first time, the PLA forces will enter area within 12 nautical miles of the island and that the so-called median line will cease to exist," the publication wrote while detailing the next phase of PLA drills to surround the island. PLA drills encircling Taiwan (source: Bloomberg Graphics):* [url=][/url] Taiwan's military has since confirmed breaches of its territorial waters and airspace above "by force" as the PLA continues its threatening tactics... PRC announcing air-naval live-fire drills around Taiwan is self-evidently apparent that they seek a cross-strait resolution by force instead of peaceful means. Activities around our territory are closely monitored by #ROCMND and, will meet our appropriate responses when needed. — 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) August 3, 2022 To review of the latest via Chinese media outlet Global Times: The PLA drills around Taiwan island are unprecedented conventional missiles are expected to fly over the island for the 1st time PLA forces will enter area within 12 nautical miles to the island "median line" ceases to exist Taiwan has in the last hours issued its own video depicting the military on a high state of alert... * * * "Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during her short Wednesday morning meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after flying into Taipei the night prior on an Air Force jet. "America’s determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad." She has already departed on Wednesday, amid ongoing Chinese PLA military drills surrounding the self-ruled island on many sides, which are the result of her visit which Beijing has vehemently condemned, with the foreign ministry warning overnight the US will "pay the price". Taiwan's Tsai, for her part while meeting with Pelosi said, "Facing deliberately heightened military threats, Taiwan will not back down, we will firmly uphold our nation's sovereignty and continue to hold the line of defense for democracy." Tsai bestowed on Pelosi the democratic-island's highest civilian award, called the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon during a live broadcast from the presidential palace. The Taiwanese president described that it "represented their [Taiwan’s] gratitude to Pelosi and the wish to continue progressing US-Taiwan relations through more cooperation." Pelosi later posted on Twitter that it was a "symbol of America’s strong and enduring friendship." China's National Defense Ministry in its latest said, "Such an act equals to sealing off Taiwan by air and sea, such an act covers our country’s territory and territorial waters, and severely violates our country’s territorial sovereignty," according to the words by Capt. Jian-chang Yu. Via Reuters The part of the PLA drill slated for Thursday will include 'live fire' exercises within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers of Taiwan's shore. The Hill notes it will be "the largest aimed at Taiwan since 1995, when China fired missiles in a large-scale exercise to show its displeasure at a visit by then-Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to the U.S." Taiwan has already charged China with breaching its territorial waters with the drills that kicked off immediately upon Pelosi landing in Taipei the night before. Meanwhile, more of China's outrage was on display throughout Wednesday, with Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, previewing to a scheduled media briefing more repercussions and punishment to come. "As for the specific countermeasures, what I can tell you is that they’ll include everything that should be included,"Hua said. "The measures in question will be firm, vigorous and effective, and the U.S. side and Taiwan independence forces will continue feeling them." A statement in state-run Global Times has declared the "median line" separating the Taiwan Strait will not longer be recognized. "Joint military exercises around the island of Taiwan by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) continued Wednesday with a joint blockade, sea assault and land and air combat trainings, involving the use of advanced weapons including J-20 stealth fighter jets and DF-17 hypersonic missiles after the drills started on Tuesday evening, when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed on the island which seriously violates China's sovereignty," the provocative statement says. "The exercises are unprecedented as the PLA conventional missiles are expected to fly over the island of Taiwan for the first time, the PLA forces will enter area within 12 nautical miles of the island and that the so-called median line will cease to exist, experts said, noting that by surrounding Taiwan entirely, the PLA are completely blockading the island demonstrating the Chinese mainland's absolute control over the Taiwan question," the publication adds. * * * A summary of overnight activity and Pelosi's post-trip fallout via Newsquawk: US House Speaker Pelosi has concluded her Taiwan visit, has now departed on SPAR19 US House Speaker Pelosi said there is bilateral support for Taiwan in the US and that her visit is a reminder of the bedrock promise America to always stand with Taiwan, while she added that the delegation came to Taiwan to make it unequivocally clear that they will not abandon Taiwan. Pelosi also said they explored deepening trade ties with Taiwan and a trade agreement may be imminent, according to Bloomberg and Reuters. Taiwan President Tsai told Pelosi she is one of Taiwan's most devoted friends and the visit shows firm US support for Taiwan, while she thanked Pelosi for her unwavering support of Taiwan on the international stage. President Tsai also said Taiwan will not back down in facing deliberately heightened military threats and Taiwan will do whatever it takes to strengthen its self-defence. White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications Kirby said the US is monitoring Pelosi's travel and has taken measures to ensure her safety, while he added that China has positioned itself to take further steps and the White House expects China to react beyond Pelosi's trip including by scheduling live fire exercises, while other steps by China could include economic coercion, according to Reuters. Taiwan Defence Ministry said Chinese drills have invaded Taiwan's territorial space and they will counter any move that violates Taiwan's territorial sovereignty, while it added that Chinese drills violate UN rules and amount to a blockade of Taiwan's air and sea space, according to Reuters. China's Taiwan Affairs Office said it will take disciplinary actions against two Taiwan foundations which will be banned from financially cooperating with mainland firms and individuals. China also announced a stoppage of certain fruit and fish imports from Taiwan and halted exports of natural sands to Taiwan which is a key component used in chip-making, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, China will adopt criminal penalties regarding Taiwan separatists and vowed criminal punishments for Taiwan-independence diehards, according to Xinhua. China's Vice Foreign Minister Xie lodged representations regarding Pelosi's Taiwan visit, according to Xinhua. Taiwan is negotiating alternative aviation routes with Japan and the Philippines, according to Taiwanese press.

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 8:16:00 PM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 217694

Did not see that coming, on my part, albeit I wasn't paying attention of the minutia, and interesting minutia if true zerohedge.com Pelosi Arrives In Seoul, But South Korea's President Won't Meet With Her Nancy Pelosi has arrived in South Korea, continuing her Asia tour - now leaving in her wake a tense Taiwan situation that's seeing Chinese PLA forces encircle the island with live fire drills - but South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol will not meet with her. While he had a pre-scheduled "holiday" which was announced in advance, there's been widespread speculation in the region that this was intentional (given weeks ago it was being reported she may go to Taiwan), so that Seoul can avoid bringing down China's wrath. Even Foreign Minister Park Jin happens to be out of the country - so there will be no Pelosi meeting with the nation's top diplomat either. Pelosi leaves Taiwan for South Korea on Wednesday afternoon.Image: Reuters As House Speaker, Pelosi is second in line to the US presidency. Instead of meeting with South Korea's head of state, she'll instead greet National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and leaders of the ruling conservative People Power Party, along with the opposition Democratic Party of Korea The Korea Times says officials in Seoul are all too wary and nervous over the timing of Pelosi's visit. "Amid the deepening U.S.-China rivalry, China has threatened military actions and it could invoke a U.S. response in kind, which would eventually affect South Korea, because of the South's alliance with the U.S.," director of the U.S.-China Policy Institute at Ajou University Kim Heung-kyu was cited as sayingin the publication. It marks Pelosi's first visit to South Korea since 2015, and she's expected to encourage the country to deepen its support for Washington's shoring up coordination among regional partners and allies to counter Chinese aggression. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Foreign Minister Park Jin won't meet #Pelosi.@President_KR's on leave and @FMParkJin will be attending a meeting in Cambodia. "Oops, Nancy, sorry that we won't welcome you in South Korea."#Taiwan pic.twitter.com/TdbzuHTqUT — Whistle (@Whistle020) August 3, 2022 So far, as tensions between China and Taiwan soar, also with Beijing vowing to make the US "pay a price" - South Korea has urged dialogue and calm, with a presidential office statement asserting, "Our government’s stance is to maintain close communication with relevant parties … on the basis that peace and stability in the region through dialogue and cooperation are important." Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan with wise words from “Benjamin Franklin, our presidency” on “freedom and democracy on one thing, security here.” pic.twitter.com/mElfFUoF5C — Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 3, 2022 The statement also welcomed Pelosi and expressed hope for "many achievements" amid meetings lined up during her stay.

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 9:22:00 PM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 217694

Re <<Are you sure Xi is not playing checkers?>> I am fairly sure the gaming is not checkers, irrespective of how opposing sides are playing it, per tiddlywinks vs Go Just finished watching problematic Scott's funny rant of this day's curation Message 33948224 , a knee-slapper, and am looking forward to Nancy slink out of S Korea w/o seeing president and foreign minister. An observation, that the problems w/ Scott pales against the problems of many others, except that some of his observations merits considering. Let's see what if anything N Korea shows Japan what the end-game could be

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 9:35:24 PM
From: TobagoJack	1 Recommendation Recommended By marcher Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 217694

Re <<Are you sure Xi is not playing checkers?>> ... reasonably sure, some folks the Russians pay attention to seem to be ... for some in the US might be welcoming, for regime-change even if nothing changes post regime-change. Let's watch the show. In terms of how China will hit back at the main perpetrator – Washington – this will likely be in the realms that it really hurts and where the US is already seeing the most destabilization – the economic and trade spheres. The US supply chain is infinitely intertwined with China and the ongoing trade war between the two sides has already been a major source of inflation. With the flick of a pen, Chinese officials could seriously upset the US economy, exacerbate inflation and send Biden’s Democrats packing in this year’s midterm elections, which would also mean dethroning Nancy Pelosi as speaker. It’s anyone’s guess how things progress but this seems the most likely, in my view. rt.com China may avenge Pelosi's visit – just not how we might think Here’s why Nancy Pelosi’s visit is such a big deal in Beijing – and how Chinese officials might respond Bradley Blankenship is an American journalist, columnist and political commentator. He has a syndicated column at CGTN and is a freelance reporter for international news agencies including Xinhua News Agency. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made an unannounced but heavily anticipated landing in Taiwan on Tuesday, plunging US-China relations to a new low. Despite warnings from other top Washington officials, Pelosi has now become the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years – but the situation is far different now than it was then. First, it should be recognized how consequential this decision is. For the US, it’s not that big of a deal. Congressional delegations, not just from the US but many Western countries, go to Taiwan frequently. It’s also seen as separate from official US government policy because the legislative branch of government is separate from the executive, which is tasked with managing foreign policy. In fact, Pelosi noted this in a tweet when she first arrived on the island. “Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts longstanding United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, US-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances,” she said. China begins military drills near Taiwan – reports But China doesn’t see it that way. And that’s because the situation now is far different than 25 years ago when then-house speaker Newt Gingrich visited Taipei. That’s primarily because the then-ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party still maintained the ‘One China’ line, reached under the 1992 Consensus established by the National Unification Council of the Republic of China (official title for what Westerners refer to as Taiwan). It’s worth remembering briefly how Taiwan as we know it came to be. It was formed during the Chinese Civil War when the ruling KMT fled to China’s Taiwan after being overwhelmed by forces led by the Communist Party of China. The Republic of China is the remnants of the backward, pre-communist government. That’s why the 1992 line by the ROC recognized itself – not the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – as the legitimate government of the whole of China. It saw itself as a government in exile. However, this line was still admissible by the mainland, e.g., the PRC, because it recognized that there is one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. It wasn’t until 2019 that current Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), completely rejected the established 1992 Consensus. That was when things changed and when Beijing started to refer to the Taiwan government under the DPP as “Taiwan independence forces.” It was at this point that an independent “Taiwanese” identity started to emerge. So, Gingrich’s visit was not seen as a recognition of separatist forces – because the ruling KMT saw itself as de jure rulers of China – and Pelosi’s is seen as an attack on China’s national sovereignty. China also sees the behavior of the administration as tacit approval of this attack on its sovereignty. First of all, Pelosi took an official US government plane to Taipei which implies an official connection between officials in Taipei and Washington. Estimates put the cost of this trip for US taxpayers at about $90 million dollars. Part of the US’ ‘One China’ pledge is that it will only maintain unofficial ties with Taiwan. At the same time, the US military – part of the administration – reportedly made plans to protect Pelosi’s plane in any emergency event and, to top it off, both Pelosi and US President Joe Biden are members of the same political party. This only underscores China’s insistence that the administration supports Pelosi’s actions. Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan will undoubtedly plunge relations between Beijing and Washington to a new low. “The Taiwan question is the most important and most sensitive issue at the very heart of China-US relations. The Taiwan Strait is facing a new round of tensions and severe challenges, and the fundamental cause is the repeated moves by the Taiwan authorities and the United States to change the status quo,” an official statement by China’s Foreign Ministry says. The question now is how things progress from here. Tensions are already near a boil. Over speculation of Pelosi’s visit, flights in China’s Fujian province near Taiwan were disrupted, Taiwan’s presidential office was targetted by an overseas DDoS attack and there was even a bomb threat sent to Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport. China has since announced a major military drill from August 4-7 that pretty much encircles the entire island of Taiwan and crosses Taiwan’s territorial waters. It doesn’t appear that the US has planned for anything above military drills or diplomatic statements, and likewise, Beijing doesn’t seem likely to make any sudden, knee-jerk reactions to Pelosi’s visit. Chinese nationalist commentators like Hu Xijin of the Global Times have hinted at immediate military reactions – this appears unlikely. The saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold. And China certainly has a lot of time on its hands to let that dish languish, choosing a time and place of its own to react. One thing’s for sure, as Chinese commentators have said, this latest move could easily hasten the eventuality of reunification. There are internal political dynamics that suggest this, too, with public opinion on the mainland firmly in favor of pulling Taiwan back into Beijing’s orbit and President Xi Jinping looking to consolidate his legacy as one of China’s historic leaders. In the second half of 2022, during the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he is seeking a third term as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China – or possibly to be elected as the chairman of the Communist Party of China, a position abolished in 1982 and most notably held by Mao Zedong. Reunification, thus permanently ending the Chinese Civil War, would certainly put him among the most important Chinese leaders ever. In terms of how China will hit back at the main perpetrator – Washington – this will likely be in the realms that it really hurts and where the US is already seeing the most destabilization – the economic and trade spheres. The US supply chain is infinitely intertwined with China and the ongoing trade war between the two sides has already been a major source of inflation. With the flick of a pen, Chinese officials could seriously upset the US economy, exacerbate inflation and send Biden’s Democrats packing in this year’s midterm elections, which would also mean dethroning Nancy Pelosi as speaker. It’s anyone’s guess how things progress but this seems the most likely, in my view.

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 9:40:39 PM
From: TobagoJack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 217694

Folks picking up on my way-earlier take re 'rehearsals' to make sure national territorial integrity gets upheld per international recognition of what is indubitably true, that ROC and PRC both say there is but one China and that China includes both the mainland provinces, Taiwan province, and of course the three little islands part of the much larger Fujian province rt.com China tests hypersonic missiles in Taiwan blockade drill – media The large-scale military drills Beijing launched around Taiwan in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island involve the “use of advanced weapons,” including China’s state-of-the-art hypersonic DF-17 missiles, China’s Global Times newspaper reported on Wednesday. The ongoing exercises involve a “joint blockade, sea assault and land and air combat trainings,” the state media outlet said, adding that Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jets were taking part in the exercise as well. Global Times called the drills “unprecedented,” adding that Chinese missiles were expected to “fly over the island of Taiwan for the first time.” People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces are also expected to enter the area within 12 nautical miles of the island, and could potentially surround the island “entirely,” it added, citing military “experts.” The Chinese Armed Forces Eastern Theater Command said on Wednesday that the forces involved in the exercise conducted “realistic combat-oriented” drills to the north, southwest and southeast of the island. The drills are expected to run at least until Sunday noon, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday evening, adding that they will involve “live-fire drills in six large maritime areas and their air space surrounding the island of Taiwan.” READ MORE: Real Taiwan crisis is only starting – WaPo The DF-17 missiles mentioned by Global Times on Wednesday were first publicly demonstrated in action by the Chinese military on July 31, 2022. At that time, an official video celebrating the 95th anniversary of the PLA's founding featured a launch of what the Chinese media described as a missile resembling the “aircraft carrier killer.” DF-17, which stands for Dongfeng (East Wind), is said to be using a hypersonic glider as its warhead, which flies five times faster than the speed of sound and has “unpredictable trajectory.” According to Global Times, the missile is particularly good at hitting “slowly moving targets” like aircraft carriers. The news comes as tensions around Taiwan are running high. On Tuesday, Pelosi visited the island that Beijing considers part of China's sovereign territory. The House speaker, who is the third in line to the US presidency, has become the highest-ranking American official to do so since 1997. China previously repeatedly protested the move, calling it a provocation. READ MORE: Kremlin comments on ‘global war’ risk Beijing reacted to the trip by launching military exercises around Taiwan and warning the US that Pelosi’s visit would have “severe impact” on bilateral relations between Beijing and Washington. Since 1949, Taiwan has been governed by nationalists defeated in the Chinese civil war, who evacuated from the mainland with US help. The government in Taipei calls itself the Republic of China (ROC) and never officially declared independence. Washington maintains close unofficial ties with the island and sells weapons to Taipei, despite officially recognizing Beijing as the sole legitimate authority in China.

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/3/2022 11:10:00 PM
From: TobagoJack	1 Recommendation Recommended By marcher Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 217694

Re <<Are you sure Xi is not playing checkers?>> Now quite but still not very extremely sure, that the game is definitely not checkers and possibly Go Go Go is the game. Suggest prepare way to Congressional hearings on "Who lost Republic of China and People's Republic of China?" Onward to Q1 2024 election time. Xi's dream fulfilled by Pelosi. Amazing. Placard of Taiwan protestor says, "Sold out Taiwan" "Colluding with foreigner", "Traitor", "Felony", and "Jail" What you are not being shown by MSM. In a poll of nearly 7500 readers by the United Daily News website, 61 per cent said the trip was “not welcome” as it “may destabilise the Taiwan Strait”. Only 38 per cent welcomed the visit and said it had “more advantages than disadvantages”. news.com.au Nancy Pelosi Taiwan visit sparks protests, public opinion mixed \| news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site As Nancy Pelosi’s historic Taiwan visit threatens to spark a major crisis between the US and China, public opinion on the tiny island nation is mixed. Following weeks of fevered speculation, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives touched down in Taipei at about 10.45pm local time on Tuesday (12.45m AEST), sparking fury from Beijing which immediately launched military exercises in the face of the “serious violation”. Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, is a self-governed democratic nation, but Beijing considers the island of 23 million people as its territory – to be seized one day, by force if necessary. Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan late on Tuesday. Picture: Annabelle Chih/Getty Ms Pelosi is the highest ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since then House speaker Newt Gingrich landed on the island in 1997. The Chinese government views any official visits to Taiwan by senior politicians from other countries as a provocation. While many Taiwanese support independence and welcome the backing of the US, some question whether Ms Pelosi’s visit is an unnecessary provocation. *In a poll of nearly 7500 readers by the United Daily News* website, 61 per cent said the trip was “not welcome” as it “may destabilise the Taiwan Strait”. Only 38 per cent welcomed the visit and said it had “more advantages than disadvantages”.** Meanwhile, some critics at home have raised questions about the timing, which comes just a few months before the US midterm elections which could see Democrats lose control of Congress, and Ms Pelosi her powerful position. “Taiwan is not a playground for US politicians,” Lyle Goldstein, director of Defense Priorities of Asia Engagement, told Bloomberg on Wednesday. “It is no exaggeration to say the future of humanity may depend on a pragmatic US-China relationship — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan needlessly jeopardises regional stability.” Pro-CCP demonstrators outside her hotel. Picture: Annabelle Chih/Getty In Taiwan, hundreds of civilians gathered in different locations to either welcome or protest Ms Pelosi’s arrival, The Guardian reported, with independence groups outside the airport holding signs saying “I love Pelosi” and “shut up China”. But according to the newspaper, the largest crowd gathered outside the Grand Hyatt, where she was due to stay, with protesters holding signs calling the Democrat a warmonger and chanting “Yankee go home”. Photos showed pro-CCP protesters holding signs saying “ugly American”, “toruble [sic] maker Nancy Pelosi” and “American witch get out of Taiwan, China”. Chinese state-controlled media amplified the anti-Pelosi protests. Gu Xijun, vice president of the Taipei-based Chinese Patriotic Concentric Association, told the Global Times that protests “will accompany Pelosi wherever she appears in Taiwan”. Zhang Xiuye, a Taiwan resident who took part in the rally, reportedly told the outlet US politicians create cross-Straits tensions and use Taiwan as their ATM. Public opinion on the visit is mixed. Picture: Annabelle Chih/Getty“ If we don’t warn the Yanks in Taiwan, then we will be like [Taiwanese President] Tsai Ing-wen who is acquiescing to the Yanks,” she was quoted as saying. “Both sides of the Taiwan Straits are one family, and we can sit down and talk without the Yanks interfering. We sincerely hope for early reunification.” The controversial visit also sparked protests in Ms Pelosi’s hometown of San Francisco, according to Newsweek, with anti-war activists joining with leaders of the city’s Chinese community on Monday. Roughly 100 people gathered outside Ms Pelosi’s office at the San Francisco Federal Building urging her to cancel the stop, saying it unnecessarily risked a “potential war” with China. Demonstrators held signs reading “US hands off Taiwan”, “stop the provocations” and “no war on China”, the outlet reported. Julie Tang, a retired San Fransisco Supreme Court judge and longtime supporter of Ms Pelosi, told the San Francisco Standard she was “disappointed” about the trip. “We have donated to her, we’ve supported her throughout these years, but we are so disappointed that what she’s doing is totally against the welfare and the wellbeing of the community – in particular Chinese Americans,” Ms Tang said. “She does not listen to us. She’s going with the flow, going with pushing US hegemony to contain China. For what? We don’t get anything out of it.” Read related topics: China

To: Pogeu Mahone who wrote (190551)	8/4/2022 1:26:58 AM
From: TobagoJack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 217694

I was not able to find any actual up to hour video by PRC on PRC w/r to whatever might be happening in the strait. Perhaps exercises require secrecy. Who can know. Perhaps a time lag. Time shall tell, but I did search high and low. In the meantime I found below combos of ROC / PRC videos on ROC / PRC w/r to happenings and recruitments and such. I note that both set of broadcasts are perfectly understandable to the other side in so far as language is concerned, namely all in Mandarin dialect, which makes communication easy I guess :0) Both sides seem to have same sentiment when it concerns the frontier of ROC / PRC w/ India, and so I surmise perhaps they feel same w/r to those little islands in the South China Sea. Of course Team USA may back ROC on the SCS islands against all including PRC whereas PRC must defend those islands against all. including ROC and USA, on own, unless somehow Russia Russia Russia helps out :0) All very confusing. ROC news broadcast on PRC ROC news broadcast on ROC ROC video re PRC Himalaya front PRC news broadcast of interviews in ROC PRC video w/r to cultural exchange :0) PRC / ROC recruitment video