Geo Political Risk

[Davexl]

China is humiliating Australia as an example to others - but the bullying won't last
By Anne-Marie Brady

https://www.smh.com.au/national/chin...01-p56jfz.html

Excerpt:
"Australia is important to China as a source of strategic minerals and food, it hosts three of China's BeiDou global navigation stations, and is influential in Pacific and Antarctic affairs, as well as being an important player internationally. Australia should be confident that China will also be looking for common points in the relationship, and will understand that the tongue war is damaging its international reputation. We can expect that it will eventually trail off, as China's many other tongue wars have done."

[Davexl]

While President Xi remains in power - it is time to decouple from China...

China’s hard line against Australia is a lesson for us all

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion...ine-australia/

[Davexl]

I'm confused - On the one hand, NZ is being berated as a member of Five-Eyes by the
Chinese Foreign Ministry, very crudely, with a very mild rebuke from Foreign Minister Mahuta,

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politi...FXYIR27BUIYOE/

and on the other hand China is promoting itself as all sweetness and light with a vision for all mankind,

https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/e...nd-cooperation
(Paid subscribers only)

All at the same time!!??

Excerpt from Ambassador Wu Xi:

"In the years ahead, China will continue to hold high the banner of peace,
development, cooperation and mutual benefits, strive to create a favorable
external environment and promote the building of a new type of
international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind."

Perhaps the CCP is in turmoil and can't get its messaging right??

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'Weak': Chinese President Xi Jinping's huge leadership problem

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/wea...NWRDY7AS3UQFA/

Excerpt:
"Retail sales are up, but not as much as expected and the government has delayed setting a new target for economic growth.
Unemployment is widely thought to be higher than the official figures and the gap between rich and poor is widening.

Some within China are also deeply uncomfortable with the government's "wolf warrior" diplomacy that has led to the country's reputation being trashed."

"The fact that professors from top academic institutions – including the party's own national training centre – are calling Xi's leadership a failure, urging his removal from power, and explicitly envisioning a transition to a more democratic political system is simply incredible," Cook wrote in The Diplomat.

"It indicates that Xi is facing a serious crisis of faith within the party, even if no one has the power to act on it at present."

[Davexl]

Some aspects of Sino-U.S. ties 'beyond repair,' China state media warn

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...lations-media/

Excerpt:
"China’s ambassador to the United States became the latest of the Asian nation’s senior officials to signal a desire
to reset the increasingly confrontational relationship as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in January.

“There are always differences between the two countries. None of them justifies confrontation and war, cold or hot,” Cui Tiankai said on Twitter."

[Davexl]

Japan to put new Aegis radars on warships after cancelling ground stations: Asahi

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-j...-idUSKBN28H041

[Davexl]

Biden officials to look to repair alliances and help mend Tokyo-Seoul ties

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...n-south-korea/

[Davexl]

Invasion killer: Taiwan’s new subs can pack a punch

https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/death-...midable-force/

[GTM 3442]

A view from the fringes of the military-industrial complex?


https://www.airuniversity.af.edu//Po...ml?source=GovD

[Davexl]

Historic parallels for NZ also?

The threats to Australia’s economy and democracy are grave but not insurmountable

https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-...07-p56l7o.html

Excerpt:
"China’s Xi Jinping has made a strategic decision to put Australia’s sovereignty to a sustained test.
It’s a political, economic and cyber confrontation so far. We’ve not been so tested since World War II."

[Davexl]

Nato has only recently woken up...

NATO boss says China challenge too great for US alone

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/...07-p56lg9.html

Excerpt:
"So I strongly believe that NATO also should be a platform to help create a community of like-minded democracies
and that's the reason why we've been reaching out to our partners in the Asia-Pacific: Japan, South Korea,
Australia and New Zealand and we met with them actually last week at the foreign ministerial meeting."