China

[dawg80]

The British carrier HMS Prince of Wales and its task force is heading to the South China Sea and today US spy satellites detected what appears to be a large Chinese submarine drone, shaped like the US's 'Manta Ray" drone the US Navy has been testing. This Chinese drone, if indeed that is what it is, is much larger at a length of 150 feet, and it is being towed by a Chinese tugboat when photographed. It could just be an empty hull and the Chicoms might be doing something akin to putting up a sign "Beware of Dog" when only a toy poodle is in the house. In other words, a mere bluff.

Beijing again filed a protest with London demanding the Brit fleet turn away. Guess we'll see what happens and if this floating Manta Ray-shaped craft is operational or just a decoy.

[dawg80]

China is quietly "demanding" Russia return about 4 million square miles in eastern Russia. This land was illegally seized by Russia when they had a czar, and it occurred during the Opium War of the mid-19th century (1839-1860). Greatly weakened militarily in its war against western powers, mostly Great Britain, China was unable to repel the invasion of Outer Manchuria by Russian forces. Russia seized all the lands it currently holds. Right after the commie revolution the newly formed Soviet Union promised China it would return all that land, just asked to give it time to get organized as a new government. Well, that was 108 years ago, and Russia has "returned" only 140 square miles. Put returned in quotes because truthfully, China has seized that land and Putin sheepishly signed an agreement in exchange for Chicom support in his war in Ukraine.

Now one Russian national TV Network has been running commentary on the justice of Russia returning all of Outer Manchuria to China IF Putin's argument (excuse) for invading/seizing Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States, and other territory is valid.

(should have put this under the Russia thread, I guess)

[dawg80]

Is it true? There's a report from about a week ago that China has lost half of its population. That is crazy! With a population of 1.4 billion some years back to a mere 760 million today. The streets of Beijing and other major cities, as well as some of the better-known rural communities (farming), are empty. Restaurants and stores and shopping malls which used to be packed are now mostly empty, some closing due to a lack of business. One YouTuber who has strong connections in China, like bloggers, speculates that China is suffering from rampant epidemics, COVID-19 has morphed into two other strains and is wiping out their population. Can this be? One thing that is certain, confirmed, is China is dealing with virus outbreaks and that has caused their people to avoid populated centers, like Beijing. So, maybe millions and millions of Chinese have left cities in favor of rural towns and villages. That might explain it but there is no evidence of significant increases in rural populations. A drone survey of several key rural areas reveals empty streets, empty houses, abandoned farms. Very few people are seen. So, where did all those millions of people go? Well, one blogger says they have gone to their graves, or in many cases, the furnaces where bodies are cremated in wholesale numbers.

The Chinese economy is collapsing, and Trump's tariffs are putting even more pressure on it.

This is big news...stay tuned.

[dawg80]

Japan has launched and sea-tested its first fixed-wing aircraft carrier, the IJN Kaga. In a joint training session with the US and later involving French navy ships, Japan put the Kaga through her paces, launching and landing F-35 jet fighters. And, a Japanese F-35 landed on the US carrier and a US F-35 landed on the Kaga so that communication, processes, procedures could be worked out and practiced.

The Kaga was a helicopter carrier used mostly for search and rescue missions. Now it has been converted to Japan's first true aircraft carrier since the end of World War II.

[dawg80]

Australia's 60 Minutes show (same format as "our" 60 Minutes show) ran a story revealing China's activity in the Pacific region. It's a combination of "carrot and stick" policies, whereby nations can either willingly ally with China, and be rewarded (carrot), or be subject to threats (stick). Good example is the island nation of Tonga, 1,000 miles east of Australia. It's a small country of 100K population, formerly a protectorate of Great Britian, through 1970. The official language is English, 97% of the population is Christian.

China presented the carrot to Tonga, and they took it and continue to accept Chinese aid and investment. Today 90% of all businesses in Tonga have a Chinese connection, either total ownership or a partnership. China "loans" the Tonga government about $22 million in aid annually, saying if Tonga remains "friendly" to China those loans may be forgiven. The Aussie 60 Minutes reporterette interviewed the president of Tonga asking him if he is concerned about China's influence in his country. He shrugged it off saying they are not an ally of China, Tonga is an independent nation making its own decisions, and that they welcome foreign investment from any country. To that end Australia has greatly stepped-up aid and investment in the tiny island nation.

This is how China is operating around the world, such as their investments at the Panama Canal.

Then the topic of the report turned to military concerns. Several months ago, China sent three navy ships to circumnavigate Australia staying just outside of territorial waters. The Aussies tracked the ships, occasionally sending planes or navy ships to closely monitor them, but that was it. So, the reporterette interviewed a Chicom spokesman, a retired Chinese colonel, educated in America and in Europe and who speaks VERY good English, and now is a mouthpiece for Xi and the Chicoms. The topic turned to escalating tensions in the Pacific region. He blamed the "west" including Australia in that with provocations of sending navy vessels through the Strait of Taiwan. She said, these western ships always stay in international waters. His reply was, there are no international waters in that region, it all belongs to China. And that is China's view of it, much like Putin thinks eastern Europe belongs to Russia. Finally, she asked what would happen if China went to war with Australia. His facial features changed from a confident smirk to a more sinister frown, and he said, Australia would lose. China has more planes, ships, soldiers, we would crush you. She cowered back in her chair and replied, well, let's hope it doesn't come to that. He smirked saying, there is that hope.

[PawDawg]

Our legacy media would never run anything negative regarding China. CBS must not control the Australia Outlet

[dawg80]

Australia’s Sky News is very conservative, pro-US, pro-Trump. Maybe they own the Aussie 60 Minutes show. I will have to check on that.

[DawgyNWindow]

I see Chinese nationals were caught smuggling in some sort of fungus that destroys agricultural food production and sickens the people that eat it. Makes you really wonder about all those Chinese nationals that showed up at our southern border under our weekend at Bernie's presidential period.

I guess poisoning us with fentanyl and working with Fauchi to unleash Covid on the world weren't enough.

I think I might give Taiwan nukes to eliminate that whole disgusting stench from the world should they choose to invade. At the very least we should sanction and tariff their economy into pauperdom!

[dawg80]

Xi Jinping is no longer "supreme leader" of China. He has retained the position of "president" and is still considered to be the chief executive, but now there's a 4-man committee who he has to answer to. The Chicom governing body, their parliament, voted to create this committee that now wields supreme power. Xi has to get approval from this committee for most decisions he used to make unilaterally. Observers of Chinese politics are watching to see how this plays out.

On this matter, it is not clear which faction has "won." There are two factions in the high-end Chicom government. They roughly fall into one of two camps: 1) hardliners who want China to invade Taiwan now! and also flex its muscle elsewhere, and 2) those who want China to back away from the aggressive edge and become a better world citizen. I suppose there are also "moderates" who are somewhere in-between these two extremes, but apparently the "moderates" wield no power at all. A former Chinese government official, a woman named Lei, has a YouTube channel and she does a great job of keeping up with news from China. It appears the 4-man committee is equally split between the two camps. So, I guess that will mean a vote of 2-2 on issues and Xi Jinping may end up with the tie-breaking vote. Which essentially means he still holds absolute power.

In other Chicom news, which also involves Russia, the Chicoms are eyeing not only Siberia but the eastern provinces of Kamchatka, Irkutsk, and Yakutsk (if you played the game RISK you are familiar with these places). Most of the eastern provinces of Russia have become empty. There are 26,000 "ghost towns" scattered across eastern Russia, and other small towns/villages down to fewer than 100 inhabitants. Most of these people are elderly, living on a pension, and will die out creating even more ghost towns. Russia has stripped their eastern provinces of practically all the military equipment/personnel and sent them to fight in Ukraine. Chinese forces can literally walk into these eastern provinces unopposed. Already what's left of the provincial governments there are making overtures and separate deals with China for economic assistance, business/trade deals, etc. Moscow is losing control of eastern Russia, and all those oblasts east of the Urals will seek independence when the inevitable economic collapse comes to Russia. The danger, for the rest of the world, is China will then have complete access to the natural resources across this vast area, including O&G. Also, the Chicoms will inherit some key seaports on the Artic Ocean.

I predict by 2028, or perhaps sooner, the West will be dealing with a very powerful, aggressive China gobbling up territory.

[dawg80]

FIRST! I really don't expect this to happen, and I pray I am right. But, there are those sounding the alarm bell, so it warrants mentioning.

With Trump and the EU driving the economic pressure being put on those supporting Putin, i.e. China, India, North Korea, Iran, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, and several others, namely some African nations, a rift is developing between all these nations and "the West" (which also includes Japan and other Pacific region allies). Looking at this militarily, if we cast all those nations as "the Axis" then, on paper, 3 of the 4 largest militaries are in that camp, namely China, India, and Russia, although Russia's military has been greatly depleted. Throw in radical militant nations like Iran, North Korea, and willing partners like Cuba and Venezuela, this comprises a very strong military alliance.

What is being cast as reasons for concern, any military alliance between these nations, especially China and India, and the strategic geography of supposed Axis members, with warm-water ports in both hemispheres, represents a real danger to world peace.

Now, the important counter argument to this "Axis" is the relationship between the two biggies, China and India. Simply put, they do not like each other and certainly don't trust each other. The likelihood of India entering into a world war on the side of China is very doubtful. Yes, they are locked together in this anti-Trump tariff issue re: Putin's oil. But that is a long way from any kind of military alliance facing off against the US and our allies.

But, just to entertain the concerns, yes, an Axis of power that includes China, India, Russia, NK, Iran and the others would represent a huge challenge to the US and our allies. On paper, just China and India are larger than the US and our traditional allies in terms of real military assets. Computer-generated war games testing this scenario ended in victory for the Axis in 98 of 100 runs. But again...this assumes China and India would fight together as loyal allies. VERY doubtful.

[dawg80]

"India folded like a cheap deck chair!" so says one YouTuber, Gerdes. And it is true India has announced they will pursue purchasing oil from other sources rather than Russia/Putin. This is huge...if true. We shall see if they actually follow through.

[dawg80]

"India folded like a cheap deck chair!" so says one YouTuber, Gerdes. And it is true India has announced they will pursue purchasing oil from other sources rather than Russia/Putin. This is huge...if true. We shall see if they actually follow through.

More on this. India's state-owned oil refineries are refusing to purchase Putin's oil, which represents about 60% of India's oil industry. The other 40% are privately owned and all of those are companies mostly owned by Russian oligarchs, and they will continue to buy Putin's oil, of course. India is, or was, Russia's single largest oil customer, so cutting it by 60% is still a huge loss to Putin.

China has not commented yet.

[dawg80]

More on this. India's state-owned oil refineries are refusing to purchase Putin's oil, which represents about 60% of India's oil industry. The other 40% are privately owned and all of those are companies mostly owned by Russian oligarchs, and they will continue to buy Putin's oil, of course. India is, or was, Russia's single largest oil customer, so cutting it by 60% is still a huge loss to Putin.

China has not commented yet.

Now, another hiccup. India's PM Modi has taken exception to Trump's stupid comment about India's "dead economy," and is reconsidering everything. No final decision has been made yet.

But, in the bigger picture, once again Donald Trump's inability to act/remain PRESIDENTIAL and open his immature mouth is causing problems. Why? Why does Trump have to open his mouth and say stupid things? India's economy is hardly "dead," and is actually the third largest in the world. India state oil just agreed to purchase 5 million barrels of oil from the US, this just yesterday, in a partial replacement of Putin's oil. Instead of simply saying "Thank you" to India, Trump has to go sophomoric and make asinine comments.

Again, Modi was careful NOT to make a statement he would have to walk back later. He said he was disappointed and insulted by Trump's comment and is considering how to proceed.

[dawg80]

China has responded, a firm HELL NO! to stopping buying Putin's oil. Official statement is China will always protect its national sovereignty (even as they blatantly violate others') and securing a steady supply of oil is part of that.

That said, the Chicom spokesman, the Minister of National Commerce, quickly added that China is very interested in working out all other differences between Beijing and Washington, especially resolving the tariff deal.

China purchases about 30% of Russia's oil exports, India has been buying about 40% of Russia's oil.

[dawg80]

Might need to start a thread for "India." In the meantime, posting here will do.

Being reported by a couple of sources that India has inked a deal to purchase 7 million barrels of oil from the US. Which is more than the 5 million reported earlier. Not sure how reliable the sources are, so will need to wait for more confirmation.

India's PM Modi is scheduled to travel to Beijing to meet with Xi, on August 31. This marks the first meeting of any kind between the leaders of India and China since 2019. India and China have ongoing border disputes which occasionally erupt into violence. Hundreds of Indian and Chicom soldiers have been killed/wounded over the years fighting in the border region. Then India blamed China for the China Virus pandemic in 2020 which further soured their relationship. In 2017 India joined "the Quad" a joint defense alliance with the US, Japan, and Australia, aimed at checking Chicom expansionism. One of Trump's foreign policy successes in his first term. Since then, India has distanced itself from the Quad agreement, not siding with China, but rather emphasizing its independence and fending for itself.

So now, in a few weeks, Modi meets with Xi. What could they possibly be planning to talk about?