China’s Army posts “Preparing for war!”

nigeldaniel

Domestic tensions are high as the country's economy has slipped to the lowest growth in more than two years amid rigid Covid lockdowns and a slumping property market. Youth unemployment has soared to the highest on record. Social protests are rising because of a nationwide mortgage crisis and a series of rural bank scandals

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/03/economy/china-suspends-imports-taiwan-products-intl-hnk/index.html

Do people still think that the Chinese will always row in behind Chairman Jin... I think not. What a Chinese person says to another's face is not necessarily how they feel. China's current bluster and bellowing is evidence that the commy party is worried about their own people and is doing their damnedest to keep the fear in them. Pelosi's visit is absolutely nothing new and China knows this.

Its all about the boogie man. Evidence in spades that Jin is following Putin's line on management.

brickster69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424943#Comment_119424943

It is used to make silicone

Sandor Clegane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424930#Comment_119424930

They no full well that Taiwan and it's people don't want anything to do with them, but dictators and autocratic regimes don't care much for what people want, the Ukraine Russia situation is identical really, Ukraine were moving more towards the EU/democracy because nobody with any sense would want to live under a regime like Russia's or be connected to them.

It must drive Xi mad having a flourishing democracy right next door to him, he's an out and out oppressor.

joseywhales

It is a bit ridiculous every thread has a few anti American posters whose entire geo political view is that Americans want to enslave us all, endless whataboutism "well how can they complain about war crimes when they have committed them", fine we will all live in a world where war crimes are cool because there is a precedent for them(clearly set long before America was even a country). And pejorative terms like "yanks" and pelosi is a "witch". Asserting that exercising your right to visit a country is warmongering and outright falsehood that the USA is not a democracy. This is all demented biased nonsense. The Americans must have pissed in your corn flakes when you were a child or something.

ceoltoir

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119422004#Comment_119422004

Good points. I hadn't factored in the reaction of other Asian countries to a possible Chinese invasion.

I'm aware of all the other wars in the world. It's just that the Ukraine/Russian war is on such a huge scale and it could escalate quite easily.

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425415#Comment_119425415

That reads like there is no legitimacy to pointing out the hypocrisy of US imperialism? Secondly, why is anyone who questions the US 'anti american', it's such a lazy, reductive argument.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424930#Comment_119424930

Which is not true. Public opinion has swung many times in Taiwan regarding having better relations with China, etc. In terms of reunification, you're right.. there's little interest, but again, public opinion has swung many times previously.

How HK turned out killed any chance of any real support within Taiwan for reunification, but prior to that there were periods where it could have been possible. Had HK been handled better, with the CCP promises being followed up on, I suspect we would have seen much greater interest in Taiwan about reunification, especially when the Chinese economy was doing so well. Now, though, there's no chance of it.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424930#Comment_119424930

Over a million Taiwanese live and work in the PRC and there are loads of Taiwanese owned factories and businesses operating there.

The two China's regardless of their political differences are very interconnected in trade and business.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425674#Comment_119425674

You know it's possible to be opposed to US imperialism and opposed to nations being invaded? Ukraine and Taiwan have no desire to be absorbed into Russia or China by invasion. There would totally be some posters here that would have downplayed Germany back in day.

Tonesjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424572#Comment_119424572

This is neither the Trump thread nor the Biden thread. Can this one not go the same route please.

But as I know you are an American I have a question about Pelosi or her job to be more exact of you could help. Is it a job for life kind of role or is she repeatedly elected in or whats the workings of it? The woman is 82 for Christ's sake.

(I could just google it but sure what I'd the point of conversation if we all just google everything)

igCorcaigh

Would it be fair to say that the dialogue between Taiwan and China is, say, nuanced, and that they live with the current relationship fairly well?

And how would that idea, were it true, sit with the idea of a country like the US flying in and out, and possibly stoking tension? Where does the Taiwanese public opinion lay, or for the Chinese public opinion too?

Bobeagleburger

Did the US call Chinas bluff?

The last thing China want is a war. Their property market is tanking. They need the US.

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425869#Comment_119425869

Absolutely, couldn't agree more however it is the forces of US imperialism who engage in lectures about democracy yet have done much to undermine it through their actions.

EOQRTL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425962#Comment_119425962

We'll see but yes at the moment the CCP have shat the bed on this. Full of bluster and fancy videos about their military but little substance, basically a dog with a lot of barking but little bite.

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425936#Comment_119425936

I'd do a bit of reading if I were you.

Beijing despise the DPP party currently running the show because they are not bought my mainland interests. The DPP are politcally in the ascendancy, and it will likely stay that way with voter sentiment under 60s definatively identifying as Taiwanese first.

Beijing placed all their bets on the KMT, many of the senior leadership who they have bought off or coerced. They (Beijing) run voter interference campaigns come electoral time doing their best to boost KMT candidates. They also pay off triad and organised crime outfits to astroturf community groups as pro mainland / unification and to buy off pensioners (just about the only demographic left that vote KMT consistently).

Luckily for Taiwan, their security services know CCP tactics better than anyone, have a massive network of informants in the PRC and know exactly what Beijing get up to at all times.

Taiwanese, and particularly young Taiwanese massively favour visits from Pelosi and the likes. They do not regard a foreign politician visiting as "stoking tension" and would laugh a Western know-nothing for suggesting as such when the reality is the PLA has their missile batteries trained on them.

This may stun and apall some contributors here, but Taiwan is the last place in the Chinese speaking world where you can do and say what you please. You can carry a sandwich board in downtown Taipei that reads "Tsai Ing Wen is an American running dog" and no one pays you the blindest bit of bother (in fact, they know well kooks like that are poor people paid to be there by shady characters, no one is genuinely stupid enough to think that). It's a remarkable democracy and one of a kind in Asia. It should (and will) be defended at all costs, and that's just the moral imperative aspect.

Regretably, in the PRC, "the public" are told what to think about Taiwan from a very young age. You're not going to get a divergance of opinion, because wrongthink on this can land you in serious bother.

fritzelly

China love calling out everyone else when it looks like they are losing face but care naught for when they do the same

They have been using the same rhetoric for years and have yet to try and take over Taiwan as they know they will lose in all areas but they just love that juicy pie made out of semi conductors of which they import billions of dollars worth but could get for free

They will do their blustering and military exercises and in a week be all forgotten about till the next "egg on their face"

(When I say China I mean the CCP)

Tonesjones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119426119#Comment_119426119

Where are you doing the bit of reading from yourself?

Just interested

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119426170#Comment_119426170

Haven't been to Taiwan in a long time, but I was a regular visitor for personal reasons over the years.

I recall being there in the months when mainland group tours were allowed for the first time (they were previously banned). One thing I noted down by the night market in Taipei was seeing the mainlanders drawn to a newstand (Taiwan now the last standing Chinese speaking territory with a vibrant anything goes free-press) but being ushered away by the mainland guide.

Yurt2

A presentation at the start from Audrey Tang (digital minister in Taiwan and savant) about PRC interference and disinformation campaigns in Taiwan.

She is a bit difficult to listen to and speaks rather rapidly, but you get a sense of how radically different Taiwan and the PRC are poltically and in outlook. I defy anyone after watching this that they seriously think Taiwan isn't worth defending.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Ks2xiHxnI

Danzy

This century will be defined by the Western approach of Democratic freedom Vs totalitarian regimes and cultures.

Unlike the last 70 years the impetus favours the external and the internal opposition is quite strong as well.

Drumpot

It really is beginning to look like Europe is going to have to “play it’s role” with the US in arming and getting involved in global politics outside of simply using trade and financial penalties. The comittment to defence spending will probably end up multiples of what’s being touted, time to invest in weapons manufacturing !

If Xi is really in trouble of losing power then the Taiwan escalation makes sense, the question may be how far he might be willing to take it to hold onto power.

EOQRTL

The CCP fired a few missiles into the sea last night im reading this morning. Those fish are really paying the price for Pelosi's visit 🤣

NK mark 2.

Danzy

China should have remained a pariah State in the 90s, it was still a Communist country. A totalitarian regime with scale.

Winding down economic interaction as much as possible with them is necessary. Not easy at this late stage.

gk5000

A different member of Congress should visit Taiwan every few weeks....see how many toys China have to throw out of their pram, or how many fish they want to shoot.

EOQRTL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119426856#Comment_119426856

Most have don't have the balls that Pelosi has. A politician standing up for something they believe in is a rare thing in America

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119426905#Comment_119426905

Pelosi has balls 😮 ..thought there was something odd about her alright!

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424462#Comment_119424462

How about leave it to the people of Taiwan to figure out?

If they want back in, fine.

If they don't want back in, then the CCP should respect that.

Anyone who voted 'Yes' in our of GFA and thinks its OK for China to take over Taiwan by force are idiots and hypocrites.

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119424572#Comment_119424572

Honestly, I know you are living in the US, but not EVERY SINGLE THING about the US has to be GOP vs DEMS. Most people in Ireland don't give a damm about the 'He said, she said, blah blah' that infects most Americans.

So maybe leave it out of there, as it's already infected numerous threads.

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425674#Comment_119425674

The thing is, there is already a thread dedicated to that. Post away there about your favourite hobby horse, but perhaps leave this thread to Taiwan and China.

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119426293#Comment_119426293

Can you imagine China having a transgender minister serving in the top echelons of government?

All the left-wing tankies as you call them should be fully on-board protecting Taiwan's liberal and open democratic system from authoritarianism.