Another point to be noted is the the appearance on the American Left of an anti-anti-China movement. Essentially this is an alliance between progressive antiwar groups and progressive Asian-American advocacy groups. Their claim: that a robust US response to the Chinese threat stokes racism and incites hate crimes against Asians. Needless to say, that all-purpose demon, “white supremacy,” lies at the root of the problem.
Whether these activists are acting in good faith or not I leave for others to decide, but there can be no doubt that their campaign is very serviceable to the Chinese regime. For instance they condemn negative characterizations of the regime as inherently racist. Also they argue that the security threat posed by China is greatly exaggerated. All this must be music to the ears of of the Chinese oligarchy.
This wouldn’t matter very much if it was a phenomenon confined to the deep reaches of the progressive fever swamp. But it has already gained a foothold in the Democratic Party, where the likes of AOC and Bernie Sanders embrace the position of the anti-anti-China movement in whole or in part.
Perhaps the willingness of the PRC regime to invade Taiwan is exaggerated. An amphibious invasion is the most complex operation of war—and one of which PLA has no practical experience. I have no doubt that the regime desires to brandish a credible military threat so as to intimidate Taiwan. I very much doubt that it’s eager actually to go to war. Taiwan, after all, has powerful allies.
I learn more about Asia from reading Vivek Kelkar’s brilliant essays at the Cosmopolitan Globalist than I do from any other source. Thank you Mr. Kelkar!
I can’t help but wonder how the world will react to the increasingly obvious fact that SARS-CoV-2 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. While no one expects China to cooperate with the new WHO panel charged with investigating the origins of the pandemic, the circumstantial evidence is mounting fast, especially the reality that gain of function research took place in that lab with the obvious endorsement of American virologists.
Will the world turn its head to Chinese complicity in the deaths or illness of millions? It’s hard to say, but the hit to the Chinese reputation is sure to be profound.
The reality of the conflict between Taiwan and China elucidates the decades long mistaken of Asian nations sheltering under the American nuclear umbrella. No thinking person can possibly believe that in response to a Chinese invasion or even a nuclear attack in Taiwan, that the United States would respond with nuclear retaliation. Would any American President but our country at risk to protect an island nation most American’s don’t care about? It’s highly doubtful.
Taiwan would have been much better off now if it had developed it’s own nuclear deterrent decades ago as Israel did. The American nuclear umbrella has been ripped apart by the gusts of history. If Taiwan had nuclear weapons even a nation as terrible as China would think twice about putting hundreds of thousands of its own citizens at risk of nuclear annihilation.
As for China’s economic woes, David P. Goldman at the Asia Times thinks they’re exaggerated. See,
typo: "his his path, " Good article. Not enough attention paid to the Climate Crisis effect and the Covid Effect and the ramifications world wide.
The site looks great and it is rocket fast, BTW.
Another point to be noted is the the appearance on the American Left of an anti-anti-China movement. Essentially this is an alliance between progressive antiwar groups and progressive Asian-American advocacy groups. Their claim: that a robust US response to the Chinese threat stokes racism and incites hate crimes against Asians. Needless to say, that all-purpose demon, “white supremacy,” lies at the root of the problem.
Whether these activists are acting in good faith or not I leave for others to decide, but there can be no doubt that their campaign is very serviceable to the Chinese regime. For instance they condemn negative characterizations of the regime as inherently racist. Also they argue that the security threat posed by China is greatly exaggerated. All this must be music to the ears of of the Chinese oligarchy.
This wouldn’t matter very much if it was a phenomenon confined to the deep reaches of the progressive fever swamp. But it has already gained a foothold in the Democratic Party, where the likes of AOC and Bernie Sanders embrace the position of the anti-anti-China movement in whole or in part.
Perhaps the willingness of the PRC regime to invade Taiwan is exaggerated. An amphibious invasion is the most complex operation of war—and one of which PLA has no practical experience. I have no doubt that the regime desires to brandish a credible military threat so as to intimidate Taiwan. I very much doubt that it’s eager actually to go to war. Taiwan, after all, has powerful allies.
I learn more about Asia from reading Vivek Kelkar’s brilliant essays at the Cosmopolitan Globalist than I do from any other source. Thank you Mr. Kelkar!
I can’t help but wonder how the world will react to the increasingly obvious fact that SARS-CoV-2 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. While no one expects China to cooperate with the new WHO panel charged with investigating the origins of the pandemic, the circumstantial evidence is mounting fast, especially the reality that gain of function research took place in that lab with the obvious endorsement of American virologists.
Will the world turn its head to Chinese complicity in the deaths or illness of millions? It’s hard to say, but the hit to the Chinese reputation is sure to be profound.
The reality of the conflict between Taiwan and China elucidates the decades long mistaken of Asian nations sheltering under the American nuclear umbrella. No thinking person can possibly believe that in response to a Chinese invasion or even a nuclear attack in Taiwan, that the United States would respond with nuclear retaliation. Would any American President but our country at risk to protect an island nation most American’s don’t care about? It’s highly doubtful.
Taiwan would have been much better off now if it had developed it’s own nuclear deterrent decades ago as Israel did. The American nuclear umbrella has been ripped apart by the gusts of history. If Taiwan had nuclear weapons even a nation as terrible as China would think twice about putting hundreds of thousands of its own citizens at risk of nuclear annihilation.
As for China’s economic woes, David P. Goldman at the Asia Times thinks they’re exaggerated. See,
https://asiatimes.com/2021/10/gobbling-chinas-exports-us-sinks-into-dependency/