Generational Dynamics World View News

[John]

** 01-Jun-2021 World View: Investigating the pandemic is inevitable, necesssary and dangerous

Here is another article that describes the situation. It makes the
same point that I made in my article -- that China's shrill attitude
is the result of the dictatorship of Xi Jinping:

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/china-s- ... 601-p57x1a

In reality, a guilty conscience is not the only plausible explanation
for Beijing’s response. The broader difficulty is that China’s
reaction to any criticism in the outside world seems to be a toxic mix
of threats, shrill rhetoric and secrecy. This applies whether the
topic is Xinjiang, Taiwan or COVID-19.

This style of “wolf warrior” diplomacy is frequently
counter-productive. But it is also an inevitable product of a
domestic system that demands sycophancy towards President Xi – and
which enforces that demand with censorship and repression.

It is unrealistic to expect a system that is closed and paranoid at
home to be flexible and open in its engagement with the outside world.
A lot of aggressive messaging from China’s diplomats may even be
primarily intended for ordinary citizens or bosses back home. The goal
is to show that the Xi government is standing up for China. ...

The stakes for China are very high. Over the past year, China has
succeeded in changing the narrative over COVID-19. After initially
reeling under the impact of being the first to be hit, Beijing has
managed to highlight China’s success in containing the disease,
compared with the high death tolls in the west.

The news of the fresh US inquiry suddenly puts Beijing on the spot
again. Faced with this immensely difficult situation, China will need
all the friends it can find. But the Xi administration and its
wolf-warrior diplomats have spent the past year alienating potential
partners.

The latest blow was the European Parliament’s decision to freeze the
ratification of a major investment agreement between China and the EU
– following Beijing’s imposition of sanctions on European officials
and institutions, which was itself a response to EU sanctions imposed
over Xinjiang.

Relations with India have also taken a steady turn for the worse over
the past year. For New Delhi, the turning point was China’s aggression
in the Himalayas last year – which resulted in the death of troops on
both sides. Senior Indian analysts believe that the pressure that
Beijing was feeling over COVID-19 in the summer of 2020 may have been
a background factor in the decision to escalate tensions.

There is a clear risk that if China feels newly cornered over
COVID-19, it will once again respond with aggression – or with the
search for some kind of international diversion. The drive to
understand how the pandemic began is inevitable and necessary. It is
also dangerous. -- Financial Times, Australia

[John]

** 02-Jun-2021 World View: Loveable China

This is really hilarious. Xi Jinping wants China to become
"credible, loveable, and respectable."

> "In strategy shift, Xi tells cadres to project ‘loveable’ image of China

>

> By Eryk Bagshaw
> June 2, 2021 — 12.43pm

> Singapore: Xi Jinping has told China’s top political leaders they
> need to master international communication and create a “loveable”
> image of China as diplomatic pressure mounts on Beijing.

> In a sign of a communication strategy shift at the top of the
> Communist Party, the Chinese President told the Politburo on
> Monday afternoon his country was getting “closer to the centre of
> the world stage” and that it was necessary to widely publicise
> China’s wisdom and its plans.

> “We shall grasp the tone, be both open and confident as well as
> humble and modest, and strive to create a credible, loveable, and
> respectable image of China,” he said. ...

> The Foreign Ministry has been criticised in Europe, Australia and
> the United States for its more assertive brand of “wolf-warrior
> diplomacy”, which has resulted in frequent barbs being exchanged
> between Beijing, ministers and ambassadors."

> https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/in-st ... 57xcb.html

This will be fun to watch.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Hackers have disrupted a major industry again. This time it's beef.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meat-lat ... 30697.html

I found it interesting that JBS has a major Australian presence and I saw this the same day John wrote about Chinese relations with Australia deteriorating.

[DaKardii]

The hack has been fixed, and the affected employees are returning to work today.

Meanwhile, the White House is claiming that Russia, not China, was behind the hack.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russia ... 021-06-02/

[DaKardii]

Three things.

First, I thank those on this forum who participated in the weekend discussion about how to go on with life in the face of what's to come. Much of what was said is rather heartwarming, to say the least. I wish I participated in it myself, but I needed to take a break from the Internet this past weekend. So, it is what it is.

Second, John's latest "Worldview" article is perhaps the best I've ever seen thus far; if for any reason because he correctly points out that "total lunacy" reigns in both Beijing and Washington. This is a crucial fact that all Americans and all Chinese must understand. But unfortunately, it seems that both the American people and the Chinese people won't understand that fact until it is too late, for one reason or another. Thus is the nature of a crisis era.

Third, I am very alarmed by the recent revelation that Biden terminated the Pompeo State Department's initial investigation into the "Wuhan lab" theory, and only started his own investigation when Congress demanded that he do so. This raises red flags all over the place, and all of them point to either gross incompetence or a deliberate cover-up on Biden's part. Now, I may have a very low opinion of Mike Pompeo, and I wouldn't necessarily trust the results of any investigation he presided over. But there is no excuse for Biden doing what he did. Pompeo or no Pompeo, there still needed to be an investigation of some sort. In my book, no investigation at all is even less acceptable than an investigation headed by Pompeo. At this point, there ought to be a second investigation: one into Biden's decision to terminate the Pompeo investigation. And if it turns out there was official misconduct on Biden's part, then he needs to be impeached immediately. Same goes for Anthony Blinken, who supposedly carried out Biden's order to terminate the Pompeo investigation.

[DaKardii]

There are rumors circulating that Biden is considering firing Fauci in the aftermath of his recent testimony before Congress.

[John]

** 02-Jun-2021 World View: Two things

> Two things.

But you provided three things.

> There are rumors circulating that Biden is considering firing
> Fauci in the aftermath of his recent testimony before
> Congress.

Who's going to fire Biden for HIS lies?

[DaKardii]

** 02-Jun-2021 World View: Two things

> Two things.

But you provided three things.

Whoops, my bad. I just edited that. Thanks.

Who's going to fire Biden for HIS lies?

As I stated earlier, Biden's decision to terminate the Pompeo investigation and then follow up with absolutely nothing is inexcusable. And depending on his motives, it could very well be an impeachable act.

[Guest]

Who's going to fire Biden for HIS lies?

The Chinese will keep Biden after he has surrendered the country to them.

I'm taking to the hills to continue the fight. I have a highend gas mask and suit; the Chinese will definitely nerve gas the population...