Never a dull moment…

Donald Trump appoints laugh-a-minute Neo-con parody act John Bolton as National Security Advisor, and announces mega-tariffs on Chinese trade.

Presumably, the idea is that with someone in the White House apparently intent on nuking Iran, North Korea and the UN, the rest of the world will come to its senses and sort everything out, so all threats to global peace will vanish.

That’s certainly the principle behind the trade measures, which are really just proposals and possible plans designed to freak out or at least focus minds. The unmistakable tone of seriously miffed Panda suggests it has had an effect. Just because the US President is a clown, it doesn’t mean that China isn’t mercantilist, or that the West hasn’t been naïve about Beijing for a decade or two. And voila…

If you want to feel good, or at least better/less suicidal, about the Trumpian/Brexit/etc post-elites ‘shake things up’ approach, here’s a Big Picture argument that Trump’s tariffs strategy is worthy of a four-dimensional chess genius.

Thus comforted, I declare the weekend open with some links busy people may have missed, in increasing order of fascination.

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s speech at West Point on China’s rise is not overly exciting, but a good summary if you’ve been away for five years. And George Magnus asks whether authoritarian states deliver better economic growth – interesting even though you know the answer.

More hand-wringing as the shocked West starts to wonder whether Xi Jinping might be a Communist. This observer suspects that the ‘crushing of intellectuals, the massive spending on internal state security, the talk of hostile forces and internal coups – these are not hallmarks of real confidence’.

One small scrap of collateral damage in the Xi ‘win-win’ New Era is Hong Kong’s ‘One Country Two Systems’ – a view from Taiwan.

Finally, all you need to know about the lady who prompted That (ie this) Eye-Roll: an in-depth investigation exposes the tedious red-dressed Zhang Huijun as a sleazily-connected bim who slept her way up CCTV’s propaganda greasy-pole organ or something, as you would expect (or not – I couldn’t possibly comment).

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5 Responses to Never a dull moment…

  1. Ruddy Hell says:

    I doff my chapeau – excellent linkage in today’s piece. I encourage anyone who is interested in what’s going on up north to read Kevin Rudd’s speech.

  2. Joe Blow says:

    Wasn’t there once a George Magnus at HK Electric ? Him is die ?

  3. Hipster says:

    but but but … Trump can’t be a genius … because he’s just a lucky clown …

    he’s been playing 4D chess the whole time

  4. Knownot says:

    Bom-bom – bom-bom-bom-bom

    The year was twenty-eighteen
    ‘Tis worth remembering
    The heroes who lived through
    Fifteen days at Beijing.

    ‘Twas called the People’s Congress
    A great Chinese event
    And many proud supporters
    Summoned, loyally went.

    The flags of the Red Star
    How they fluttered in the breeze
    And many handsome portraits
    And all of them were Xi’s.

    There came the sound of clapping
    Again, again, again
    And many people’s palms
    Were smarting from the pain.

    Bom-bom . . .

    The President of China
    Gave the order to the host
    Let each corrupt official
    Be driven from his post.

    The President of China
    Said every splittist must
    Be silenced absolutely
    And resolutely crushed.

    The President of China
    Said the people need
    To change the Constitution
    And everyone agreed.

    The clapping now has ended
    The palms no longer smarting
    But look ahead and see
    A golden age is starting.

    Bom-bom . . .
    Fifteen days at Beijing.

    [with acknowledgement to ’55 Days at Peking’ recorded by the Brothers Four]

  5. LRE says:

    @Hipster

    4D chess?!? That numpty has managed to bankrupt five casinos: Lady Bracknell’s Law applies.
    He’s also re-hired Strap-on John, FFS.

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