Tag Archives: China

Sep 1 2019

Rage Against The Regime – Hong Kong Demonstrators Keep Resisting Beijing Authoritarian Dictates…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on August 31, 2019 by 

The protests and demonstrations began in mid-June, centered around the now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party.  Today, those protests are outlawed by Chinese authorities, organizers have been disappeared, and yet the protests continue.

Eric, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters news agency: “Telling us not to protest is like telling us not to breathe. I feel it’s my duty to fight for democracy. Maybe we win, maybe we lose, but we fight.”

Hong Kong police, seemingly comprised of Chinese militia, are using semi-permanent blue dye water cannons to mark the protesting groups. This helps them later identify their targets for the arrest (ie. disappearing).

(Reuters) Protest organizers have urged the public to overwhelm road and rail links to the airport on Sunday and Monday, potentially disrupting flights. A similar so-called “stress test” of the airport last weekend failed.

Late on Saturday and into the early hours, police fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets and protesters threw petrol bombs, escalating clashes that have plunged the Asian financial center into its worst political crisis in decades.

Officers fired two warning shots in the air to scare off a group of protesters who had them surrounded and were trying to steal their pistols, the police said, only the second time live rounds have been used in more than three months of unrest. (read more)

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Freedom HK@FreedomHKG
 · 
Replying to @FreedomHKG

First aiders were not allowed to enter the station to provide immediate medical care for the injured citizens inside the station. The first aiders standing-by outside the station confirmed that none of the injured were transported out for proper treatment for over 3 hrs

View image on Twitter

Freedom HK@FreedomHKG

This is murder, not crowd control.

Photo source: hk01

View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

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World News Tonight

✔@ABCWorldNews

METRO STATION STANDOFF: Shocking video shows riot police in Hong Kong storming a metro station, using batons and pepper spraying protesters inside train cars, as pro-democracy protests continue for a 13th week; several people were arrested. https://abcn.ws/2Ldd58c 

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Aug 31 2019

Get Off the Plane: Your Social Credit Score Just Went Negative


Published on Aug 30, 2019

China expands its system of tracking a citizen’s behavior with a social credit score, and limiting his freedoms if it goes negative. Your neighbor reports you smoking a cigarette at your house, and when you try to fly to Hong Kong the flight attendant says, your score is too low, get off the plane. Is this just a dystopian nightmare spawned by communism, or could measures taken by American companies to nudge consumer behavior lead to such a scenario in the land of the free? Right Angle — with Stephen Green, Scott Ott and Bill Whittle — is a production of the Members at BillWhittle.com, who pay to create dozens of new shows each month, run their own Member-written blog, and generally work to advance the message of liberty in the free and communist worlds. Perhaps you should join the team that’s working toward what you believe. Visit https://BillWhittle.com/register/ right now to become a Member.

 

 

Aug 27 2019

China warning the Hong Kong Protests are a “Color Revolution”


Armstrong Economics Blog/China

Re-Posted Aug 26, 2019 by Martin Armstrong

 

After 12 weeks of protests in Hong Kong, the likelihood of China sending in troops has escalated. Xinhua News Agency said Sunday in China recalling comments by former top leader Deng Xiaoping saying Beijing has to act under such circumstances. In Sunday’s commentary, Xinhua said Hong Kong’s protests have turned into a Color Revolution aimed at overturning the Special Administrative Region’s constitutional institutions. This is not very accommodative at this point and the protesters have reached an extremely dangerous point.

There is a deep concern here in Asia since we have clients on both sides of this conflict, which is why I am in Asia at this moment in time.  There is a rising fear that if China sends in troops, exactly how long will such a situation play out.

Our key turning points remains unchanged – September, November, and the big one is January coinciding with the turn in the Economic Confidence Model. We do see rising volatility in the currency come October.

Aug 21 2019

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Resigns After Pressure from Nationalist Matteo Salvini…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on August 20, 2019 by 

Italy is one of the key economies within the EU. In the past several years, driven by both economic challenges and unfettered immigration challenges, the populist revolt has gained ground. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a nationalist-minded politician, has won the hearts of Italian voters.  Matteo Salvini is a proud Italian populist.

Several months ago Matteo Salvini challenged current Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to hold a snap election; and followed-up with continued pressure on the Italian government by advancing populist positions of economic patriotism, sovereignty and tougher immigration rules.

Amid a revolt against globalism writ large, it was not accidental that Nancy Pelosi traveled to Italy recently with a coalition of U.S. leftist politicians to organize a strategy to fend-off Salvini and assist Prime Minister Conte. Pelosi is an opportunist. Part of the plan for Conte to hold power was a shift within his party (Five Star Movement or 5sM) to form an alliance with the Italian left-wing Democratic Party (Pelosi’s ideological allies).

To pull off their plan, Conte and the Democratic Party would align; Conte would then resign and hold the snap election where 5sM and the far-left Democratic party would re-elect him. This approach would strategically counter the 36 percent of support currently held by Matteo Salvini (the League). Today Giuseppe Conte resigned.

(Wall Street Journal) […] Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced his resignation in a speech to the Senate on Tuesday, blaming far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini for causing a political crisis as Italy looks to draw up a challenging budget to keep its parlous finances on track.

[…] Leaders of 5 Star are exploring the only plausible alternative to snap elections the League would likely win: a new coalition government with their longstanding foes, the mainstream center-left Democratic Party. Talks in coming days could show whether such a coalition is possible or early elections are needed.

Italy’s power struggle is a symptom of Europe’s continuing political upheaval after a decade of crises including the economic depression in the periphery of the eurozone and the pressures of rising immigration from poor and war-torn parts of Africa and the Middle East.

[…] The political upheaval has gone further in Italy than in most other EU countries. In March 2018 elections, Italy’s mainstream parties suffered a heavy defeat. In a country tired of economic stagnation and ineffectual political incumbents, one in three Italians backed 5 Star, while the League won 17% of the vote. Since then, however, 5 Star has struggled in government and its support has halved, while Mr. Salvini’s tough stance on immigration has helped double support for the League.

If Italy holds early elections, Mr. Salvini could become the first leader of a major EU nation who comes from a self-described populist party to the right of Europe’s mainstream conservatives. Mr. Salvini, an avowed admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has challenged the EU’s rules on fiscal discipline, accusing Germany and France of hypocritically breaking the rules while imposing austerity on Italy. Some League officials have advocated Italy’s exit from the euro, although Mr. Salvini says it isn’t on his agenda. (read more)

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In the background of all of this we have: (1) Italy’s involvement in “spygate” and the U.S. intelligence operations in/around Joseph Mifsud (Malta).  (2) The pending Brexit at the end of October, a threat to Pelosi’s ideological group.  (3) The possible defeat of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, another threat to Pelosi’s ideological group; and (4) the economics of Trump’s trade strategy, more threats to Pelosi’s scheme team.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is traveling the world in an attempt to block rising nationalism, and the consequences of economic trade deals therein, wherever possible.  Her domestic political interests in the 2020 election are predicated on stopping the deglobalization process underway by President Trump.

Aug 19 2019

The Rising Tensions: Kashmir – Hong Kong – Korea


Armstrong Economics Blog/China

Re-Posted Aug 19, 2019 by Martin Armstrong

The War Cycle is by far on schedule. We have tensions rising almost everywhere. In Asia, we have the Kashmir Crisis as hundreds of people took the streets in Srinagar, the main Indian city, to protest New Delhi’s decision to lift the special status of the territory.

In Hong Kong, there are fears that China will send in troops and take military action, which would trigger an international crisis as fear in Asia as a whole will rise sharply over the future of economic stability. This could send the yuan crashing and even force the break of the Hong Kong peg. The Hong Kong share market peaked in January 2018. It has not made new highs in 2019 and remains at risk of breaking the 2018 low of 24540.43. That gives way and capital is showing its concern for the future of Hong Kong.

In South Korea, the high in the share market remains that of November 2017. We are trading below the 2017 low. A closing at year-end below that warns of lower lows into 2020. Here, the concern is the economic pressure on North Korea. North Korea holds a Tree Planting Day every March. The question is whether it could help regreen a largely deforested nation whose people face food shortages, deadly natural disasters, and bitterly cold winters. These economic pressures will eventually push the Supreme Leader into perhaps an attack on South Korea or face an overthrow himself.

We have a serious crisis building in Asia on three fronts. Then there is the chaos of Europe. The Democrats are complete idiots for claiming if Britain exits the EU, they will block any trade deal to punish Britain in support of Brussels. Instead of helping to solve the crisis, they are encouraging the EU not to renegotiate. The Democrats are basically saying — screw the Irish.

Right now, I am working from Asia in the middle of a real crisis with a front-row seat.

 

Aug 14 2019

The Legacy of Tiananmen Square at 30


Published on Jun 10, 2019

The Tiananmen Square democracy protests in 1989, and the subsequent brutal crushing of the movement by the Chinese government on June 4, remain one of the key moments in China’s modern history. On the 30th anniversary of the protests and the crackdown, what is the legacy of Tiananmen Square, and how has it shaped modern China? How did the Communist Party maintain its grip on power, even while losing legitimacy in the eyes of many at home and abroad? Why has there been no follow-on democracy movement in China over the succeeding third of a century? In an era of populism and nationalism around the world, are there any prospects for a Chinese pluralism that embraces democracy? Hoover Institution Research Fellow Michael Auslin, famed Chinese democracy activist and former political prisoner Wei Jingsheng, student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Democracy Movement Wang Dan, Claremont McKenna College Professor Minxin Pei, and Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Executive Director Marion Smith discuss the legacy of Tiananmen Square.

 

Jun 17 2019

Huawei Tech Prepares for 40 to 60 Percent Drop in International Smartphone Shipments…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on June 16, 2019 by 

Bloomberg has an interesting article citing an internal discussion within Chinese technology company Huawei as they estimate the financial impact to the U.S. blacklist position.

Do the math… Huawei estimates an international drop of between 40 million to 60 million units at an average retail cost of $500 per unit. That is a stunning financial forecast for a drop in sales.

(Via Bloomberg) Huawei Technologies Co. is preparing for a 40% to 60% drop in international smartphone shipments as the Trump administration’s blacklisting hammers one of the Chinese tech giant’s most important businesses.

China’s largest technology company is crunching internal estimates and exploring options including pulling the latest model of its marquee overseas label, the Honor 20, people familiar with the matter say.

The device begins selling in parts of Europe June 21 including France and the U.K., but executives are monitoring the launch and may cut off shipments if it sells poorly as expected, they said, asking not to be identified discussing internal matters. Already, two of France’s largest carriers aren’t bothering with the Honor at all, two people familiar with the matter said.

Huawei sales and marketing managers are internally charting a drop in volumes of anywhere between 40 million to 60 million smartphonesthis year, the people said. That’s a big chunk of an international business that in 2018 accounted for almost half of the 206 million phones it moved.

The unusually wide range underscores the uncertainty gripping Huawei, a Chinese national champion that Washington accuses of aiding Beijing in espionage — something the company has repeatedly denied.

The U.S. in May blacklisted Huawei, choking off the American components and software it needs to run its businesses. That includes updates for the Google Android system that powers all its smartphones abroad. Without that software, devices like the Honor 20 wouldn’t be able to run critical apps like Google Maps and Gmail.

[…] Priced at 399 pounds ($500), the Honor 20 runs on the most advanced Android 9 software and is the latest in a line that’s won over budget-conscious consumers, including in the U.S.

[…] Huawei aims to grab as much as half of the smartphone market in China in 2019 to offset the decline overseas, the people said, citing internal discussions about year-end goals.

While the domestic market is shrinking, Huawei hopes to boost shipments by investing in marketing and expanding distribution channels, one of the people said. (more)

$20 to $30 BILLION loss on Smartphones alone.

Jun 17 2019

Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam Suspends Chinese Extradition Proposal…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on June 16, 2019 by 

~ Dance With The Dragon ~

Amid the furor from hundreds-of-thousands -perhaps millions- of protestors, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announces a ‘suspension‘ of the proposed extradition law that would have permitted extradition of Hong Kong residents to Chinese law enforcement.

Lam apologized on Sunday, for the way the Hong Kong government handled the proposal but she did not fully take the controversial law off the table.  The ripple effect of the proposal itself now calls into question the autonomy of Hong Kong, and many observers foresee it is now only a matter of time before China takes a tighter grip.

Currently Hong Kong is not subject to the same economic consequences within the U.S-China confrontation.  As long as Hong Kong is considered ‘autonomous’ they remain detached from U.S. tariffs and other measures targeted to China.  However, if China breeches the increasingly unclear barriers, judicial and legal systems intended to provide that autonomy – well, then the situation could change.  Hong Kong is tenuous at best.

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam apologized to its people on Sunday as an estimated 1 million-plus black-clad protesters insisted that she resign over her handling of a bill that would allow citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.

[…] On Sunday, she apologized for the way the government had handled the draft law, which had been scheduled for debate last Wednesday, but gave no further insight into its fate.

[…]  The protests have plunged Hong Kong into political crisis, heaping pressure on Lam’s administration and her official backers in Beijing.

Critics say the planned extradition law could threaten Hong Kong’s rule of law and its international reputation as an Asian financial hub. Some Hong Kong tycoons have already started moving personal wealth offshore.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Trump would raise the issue of Hong Kong human rights at a potential meeting with president Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan this month.  (read more)

This controversy couldn’t come at a worse time for Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping as many in the international community are beginning to question the scale of damage likely to increase as an outcome of the U.S. -vs- China confrontation.

President Donald Trump is applying massive economic pressure upon China in an effort to force a complete restructuring of trade terms that will have global implications.  The recent moves by Trump have significantly weakened the supply chain position of a Chinese nation that is dependent on raw materials, and the import/acquisition of technology systems.

As a consequence, on the geopolitical front – Beijing is now threatening any institution that would consider an exit from China, and simultaneously burning massive amounts of cash to subsidize their manufacturing position and offset any tariff impact.

As manufacturing investment begins to shift to South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines and alternate ASEAN nations, capital is starting to flow out of Hong Kong into safer financial systems within Tokyo and Singapore.

The situation for Chairman Xi is worsening daily and U.S. President Donald Trump has only just begun the consequence phase.

China has never faced a structural economic challenge so comprehensive and simultaneously so consequential.  Decades of central planning by Beijing is being deconstructed by President Trump, and the Chinese have yet to see the worst of it.

Historically the totalitarian Chinese response has been to drop the panda mask and turn to their Red Dragon authoritarian nature.  However, until now they have only faced internal challenges to their systems….

President Trump is applying external pressure, external challenges, and Beijing is discovering when they unleash the Dragon approach into an external global market that is adverse to Dragon instability, the economic systems do not acquiesce.  Instead, with more antagonism and threats the free West responds by quietly discontinuing the relationship.

Beijing has no frame-of-reference, culturally, to understand this dynamic.  Economic systems, based on freedom and capitalistic markets, are like free people… neither like to be threatened and controlled by oppressive regimes.

Stunning how consequential this is in the larger dynamic.

May 20 2019

Australian Conservatives Win by Thin Margin


Armstrong Economics Blog/Australia & Oceania

Re-Posted May 20, 2019 by Martin Armstrong

Australia’s center-right government won a surprise victory over the left. Voters backed the center-right government in a slowing economy for another three years and rejecting the opposition’s progressive agenda which has been really pretty out there at times. Despite trailing in most opinion polls for years, Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition won attacking Labor’s pledge to take tougher action on climate change and strip tax perks from wealthy Australians. Many are calling Labour’s loss for its leader Bill Shorten, the shock of all time up there with the loss of Hillary Clinton because the polls just got it wrong again.

May 19 2019

Conservatives Celebrate Stunning Win in Australian Elections…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on May 18, 2019 by 

The Australian election was held today; voting is compulsory as everyone over the age 18 is required to vote; turnout was greater than 95%…  and all the media and pollsters are stunned, shocked, jaws-agape, as the conservative coalition has received a stunning, unexpected, unanticipated victory.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has won the election.  Yes Alice, 2019 media in Australia look identical to media in the U.S. circa November 2016.

The economy, immigration and push-back against the insufferable climate-change nonsense appear to be the top issues that led to Morrison’s surprising win.  None of the pollsters or media saw it coming.  The BBC are stunned:

BBC – […] The final result of the election may not be known for some hours, but with more than 70% of votes counted the [Conservative] Coalition has won, or is ahead in, 74 seats in its quest for a 76-seat majority, with Labor on just 66 seats.

[…] Try finding someone who says they saw this result coming.

For well over two years, the coalition has trailed behind Labor in the opinion polls, and the assumption had been it would be Labor’s turn to govern.

But somehow Scott Morrison managed to turn things around at the 11th hour – and he did it largely on his own.

With some of his cabinet colleagues considered too toxic to appear in public on the campaign trail, ScoMo made this election about him, and his ability to be the trustworthy, daggy-dad Australia needed.  (read more)

Labor leader Bill Shorten , who has led Labor since it lost office in 2013, conceded defeat and congratulated Morrison.  Shorten’s losing moonbat platform was centered on creating a “fairer society”, similar to the social justice movement in the far-left U.S. Democrat party.

The labor movement planned to increase taxes on the wealthy and bring social justice demands to central government.  Their agenda was counting on strong support from college-aged students and climate change activists.  However, the majority of Australians saw the predictable economic damage that was certain from the proposals to raise taxes and institute the Australian version of the Green New Deal.

Australian left-wing media is going bananas….

The progressive movement is crying in the streets.