A few Trump fans in the comments section. If Kamala Harris inspires some voters, it is because of the contrast between her and any visibly elderly white guy – be it a Joe or a Donald. She is on the left, with half-baked ideas about price controls, and she will probably spend more. It’s understandable that not everyone is a fan. But then look at the alternative. Harris will not sell out the free world to dictators, or let a bunch of white supermacists, misogynists, ultra-Christians, wacko tech gurus and Project 2025 creeps and weirdos overthrow the constitution. So you just hold your nose, vote Democrat, subsidize some kids’ breakfasts, and trust that sane grown-ups reclaim the GOP in the next four years.
It’s that stark. Which leads us to some Taiwan stories…
BBC report about China’s new judiciary guidelines to criminalize pro-Taiwan independence activity…
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office was quick to assure the 23 million Taiwanese that this is not targeted at them, but at an “extremely small number of hard-line independence activists”. The “vast majority of Taiwanese compatriots have nothing to fear,” the office said.
But wary Taiwanese say they don’t want to test that claim. The BBC has spoken to several Taiwanese who live and work in China who said they were either planning to leave soon or had already left. Few were willing to be interviewed on record; none wanted to be named.
…[Last week] Chinese authorities launched a website identifying Taiwanese public figures deemed “die hard” separatists. The site included an email address where people could send “clues and crimes” about those who had been named, or anyone else they suspected.
… [UMC founder Robert] Tsao was not always hostile to China. He was one of the first Taiwanese investors to set up advanced chip-making factories in China. But he says the crackdown in Hong Kong changed his mind: “It was so free and vibrant and now it’s gone. And they want to do the same to us here.”
…“They say the new law will only affect a few hard-line independence supporters like me, but so many Taiwanese people either support independence or the status quo [keep things as they are], which is the same thing, so we have all become criminals.”
The new guidelines threaten the death penalty and apply to anyone, including foreigners…
[They] make a criminal offense anything related to Taiwanese independence, including “establishing a ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist organization,” “promoting Taiwan’s entrance into international organizations,” and deviating from the Chinese narrative of Taiwan “in fields such as education, culture, history, or news media.” Other overly broad offenses include “conduct seeking to separate Taiwan from China” and “otherwise actively participat[ing]” in Taiwanese “separatist organizations.”
The guidelines threaten in absentia trials with no statute of limitations for those who evade being tried. They also do not differentiate between Taiwanese and foreign nationals.
A Hudson Institute paper asks Why is China so obsessed with Taiwan? A pithy survey worth a few minutes that completely avoids anything pre-1949…
Third, the CCP remains deeply paranoid that Taiwan’s success in democratizing will have a destabilizing effect on the mainland Chinese populace. Taipei’s advocacy for artistic freedom, its environmental activism, and its spirit of innovation exert an enormous pull on the millions of ordinary Chinese living under Beijing’s stultifying rule. A Taiwan subdued by unrelenting bullying and pressure would prove much less attractive worldwide than a thriving, vibrant democracy among the Chinese diaspora. A Hong Kong-style takeover would eliminate Taiwan’s inspirational power — and its potential to undermine the appeal of Beijing’s hard sell.
And via CSIS, a short paper – now deleted – from researchers at the Cross-Strait Institute of Urban Planning at Xiamen University on how China should prepare to govern Taiwan.It recommends establishment of a shadow government, calls for a committee to prepare ‘currency conversion, education systems, and military integration’, and proposes a ‘Taiwan Governance Experimental Zone’ to test post-reunification regime-building…
3. Demonstration of governing. The model for post-“reunification” governance in Taiwan was originally Hong Kong’s “One Country, Two Systems.” After the previous “disruption,” however, Hong Kong as a model has little persuasive power on the island. This requires the establishment of a new model. When the Communist Party took over Nationalist-controlled areas on a large scale in a short time during the War of Liberation, things may have looked overwhelming, but in fact the Communist Party had already had a lot of regime-building experience in its base areas. Now, although our Party has a lot of experience in governing, the generation that took over and established the regime is long gone. This requires us to begin again.
‘Project 2028’, perhaps.
From NPR, former students recall their English teacher at Foshan Number 1 Middle School in the late 1980s.
“she will probably spend more”
They all spend more, including the Republicans who claim to be for small government, low taxes and a balanced budget. Look at how much spending and the national deficit/debt increase under the last 2 Republican presidents, Junior and the orange buffoon. The last balanced budget happened when Clinton was in office, when there was even talk about elimination of the national debt.
Oh dear, feels like the Trumptards are getting a bit desperate. Diddums.
The fact the big orange Fart now has the endorsement of Nury Vittachi, CodeStink and the rest of the Neville Roy Singham network says it all.
The first paragraph sums up the US political situation perfectly.
“…but in fact the Communist Party had already had a lot of regime-building experience in its base areas. Now, although our Party has a lot of experience in governing, the generation that took over and established the regime is long gone. This requires us to begin again.”
I guess it helped that “our party” (with guns and comms) was dealing with mostly backwater peasants with a 2nd grade education (at most) and not well educated, worldwide connected, tech savvy young people with an international outlook and desires (Taiwanese). Yes, I’d say beginning again would be an understatement.
@ Donald J. Fart – Thanks for enlightening us on Vittachi’s take on Trump so we don’t have to peruse what the w*nker has written.
I beg to differ.
Don‘s crap you can reverse, clean out, and mend with fewer problems than a wrecked economy.
Hold your nose and vote Trump.
It’s only four more years.
Name two Trump policies, rather than two Trump personality defects, to which you object.
I’ll wait.
@Kwuntong
I’m sorry? The acceptance of the United States’ leadership role is predicated on its being a reliable partner and ally. Let’s ignore, for a moment, Trump’s cosying up to global miscreants. His disdain for partners and partnerships, say with Europe, if cemented by a 2nd term, risks an irreversible fall of the US from pre-eminence – to everyone’s loss.
Last time was a shot across the bows, with Europe receiving a message much deeper than ‘pay your dues’. A second Trump White House would clearly be much more structured and organised – working in a direction that scares everyone outside his orbit. He fails to understand and value the balance and reciprocity of relations between states that support a healthy world. It’s fragile, and not safe in his hands. As ever, take the man at his word. Block him at any cost.
1. What part of living in Hong Kong for the last 10 years makes you think the destruction of civil liberties, curtailment of freedoms, perversion of democratic institutions and damage to the rule of law can be reversed easily? Trump’s promising to use the justice system to persecute his enemies and his people are threatening to ban books and jail librarians. But sure, higher marginal tax rates are the irreversible threat.
2. Trump policies to which I object:
Stealing children from asylum seekers.
Banning Muslims from entering the country.
Letting Jared Kushner coordinate emergency Covid medical response resulting in predictable shit show.
Appointing a bunch of religious nut jobs to the Supreme Court eventually resulting in women suffering from miscarriages bleeding half to death.
Trying to extort dirt on Biden out of Zelensky by threatening to withhold military aid.
Kissing Putin’s arse.
Damaging relations with NATO.
Whatever that pointless grandstanding with North Korea was.
ATTEMPTING A COUP.
You mean to say you liked all of that? Alrighty then.
@peter
Not an American, but these seem pretty objectionable.
He wants to launch the largest deportation effort in US history, paid for with redirected military funds.
He’s vowed to close the Education Department and promote prayer in schools.
Exit the Paris Climate Agreement again.
If Trump wins the presidency in November, conservative groups aim to implement a wide-ranging plan to dismantle federal government agencies called “Project 2025.”
@Navarro
1. Supporting a coup d’etat against the Republic.
2. Tax cuts for billionaires.
Project 2025 is a Heritage Foundation wishlist – not a Trump wishlist. However, the Heritage Foundation proposes:
Secure the border, finish building the wall, and deport illegal aliens
De-weaponize the Federal Government by increasing accountability and oversight of the FBI and DOJ
Unleash American energy production to reduce energy prices
Cut the growth of government spending to reduce inflation
Make federal bureaucrats more accountable to the democratically elected President and Congress
Improve education by moving control and funding of education from DC bureaucrats directly to parents and state and local governments
Ban biological males from competing in women’s sports
______________________________________
As for banning Muslims, it didn’t ban Muslims from any of the 5 largest Muslim nations. (e.g. Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangledesh, Nigeria) Facts:
If you’re coming in and out of one of those seven countries — by the way, identified by the Obama administration as the seven most dangerous countries in the world in regard to harboring terrorists and affirmed by Congress multiple times — then you’re going to be subjected temporarily with more questioning until a better program is put in place over the next several months.
Trump’s executive order has two major components. It suspended entry of all refugees — those who want to resettle in the United States — for 120 days and barred refugees from Syria indefinitely. It also prohibits nearly all citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2017/feb/07/reince-priebus/were-7-nations-identified-donald-trumps-travel-ban/
“Project 2025 is a Heritage Foundation wishlist – not a Trump wishlist. However, the Heritage Foundation proposes:…”
Because tRump is only an empty vessel for all the bottom feeders of the so-called “conservative” neo fascist sub culture to fill with THEIR vision of a Utopian, Third Reich-like society and political structure.
Trump will say now he’s against Project 2025 (as well as unpopular abortion restrictions and whatever else) in order to get into office but being the lifetime conman that he is, he’ll say anything to get what he wants.
Once in, however, he’ll be easily placated with a smart phone and access to TWO new right wing social media megaphones (“Truth” Social and “X”) to post his incoherent, early dementia babbling 24/7 while the “operatives” start their work busily chipping away at what were once sacred American “values” and norms. And that includes all the bullshit lip service given to constitutional “originalism” until “originalism” becomes inconvenient.
@Peter Navarro’s Cell Mate
Regarding Project 2025, Mr Trump posted the following on Truth Social on 5 July, nearly two months ago: “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
Of course, even if the face of Mr. Trump’s crystal clear public disavowal of the 900+ page tome, some demented partisan lunatics who have no regard for reality or for the truth still try to hang Project 2025 around his neck. Naturally, their low-IQ followers lap it up like starving cats lap up a saucer of milk.
As for the rest of your fantastical rant, it is impossible to refute as it refers to future events. Are you, by any chance, a descendent of Jeane Dixon.
I think we should be told.
Peter Navarro.
Interesting coda to your final deranged rant.
“I think we should be told”.
Those of us of a certain age will immediately recognise this phrase as one regularly employed by the satirical magazine Private Eye.
And which contributor to this comments section has always been much given to larding his missives with catch phrases lifted from the Eye? Step forward the one and only “Doctor” George Adams, considered by some to be the (or at least an) avatar of Reactor #4.
Of course I may be wrong, the dull-witted, low IQ dupe of a conspiracy theory, so now’s your chance to put me right by confirming whether or not you are one and the same as the two stodgy, humourless agents provocateurs to whom I refer.
After all, I think we should be told.
Shurely shome mishtake.
@Red Dragon
You really are appalling.