Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Bill Clinton Scandal - SANITY CHECK -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (42301)	4/14/1999 11:12:00 AM
From: Les H	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 67261

That explains why the Chinese are so hospitable in Tibet. Any fortune cookies in that pus pot?

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (42301)	4/14/1999 9:49:00 PM
From: JBL	Respond to of 67261

Daniel, you are right. I will not wager on an invasion of Taiwan by China by 2001. This would give the appearance that I wish such an event would happen, and I don't. But again, I believe it is completely reckless to assume that this is not likely to happen after the signals we have received recently, and what is going on there. Regarding the modernization of their nuclear weapons, it is clear that the Chinese only intend to use them as a threat to keep the US out of their hair when they flex their muscle in the region. (They have already done it, by the way, when they mentioned LA in the context of their viewing the inclusion of Taiwan in a US missile defense plan as an act of agression.) and BTW, I believe it is most unlikely that they will ever use nuclear weapons against Taiwan. Another clue you may be interested in is that about 3 weeks ago, a Chinese official met with a Philippine deleguation about the Spratlys, some of which, as you may know, lay well within Manilla's "Economic Zone " as defined by an international convention signed by most countries, including China. Well, guess what ? This guy declared that there was no doubt whatsoever as to the claim of sovereignty of China on the said Spratlys, (which are 1400 to 1600 miles from the closest Chinese coast). The Philippinos were pretty shaken. Regarding your claim that the Chinese aren't much into craziness those days, Tiananmen was not that long ago, and believe me, the leadership hasn't changed that much since. Again, what the Chinese military does outside Chinal depends on the level of stability inside China itself. Right now, I can tell you for a fact that the situation is very unstable, (as gaged through the level of corruption of officials in particular). What you read on the subject in Newswek, the NYT, or the Washington Post is horse shit for the most part . The guys they get their info from at the US trade mission and embassies are interested in selling "Mulan" and ATT phones. They are missing the boat about what is going on, just like they did in Russia, because their job is to have rose colored glasses on at all times, and to discuss their latest commercial prowess at cocktail parties with reporters from the LA Times that travel there once in a while. What is going on in China is not quite as bad as what led to the Russian debacle, but we have the same type of problems linked to modernization of the economy wich puts millions out of work, criminal activity by officials, power struggle, and corruption on a massive scale. Nobody really knows how things will evolve, and a lot will depend on how successful the fight against corruption is. Judging from personal experience, it's not going well. Before you call me a loony based on knowledge derived from US newspapers, consider what I just told you.

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (42301)	4/15/1999 10:44:00 AM
From: John Lacelle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 67261

Daniel, I have traveled to Taiwan. Trust me on this one, they will fight to the death before letting Red China take them. Not only that, but maby you are too young, but I remember Tianemen Square. Do you know that the day after that one guy with the shopping bags and white shirt stood in front of those tanks and CNN broadcast that shot live before the world, the Government newspapers reported "The PLA (people's liberation army) shows great restraint in not running over a protestor" as a caption to the photo? Thats how they look at things. Pure force. As Mao Tse Tung once noted "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun". They still follow Mao's lead when dealing with dissent. -John