Thread: The View, from China

Keep those airports closed.

Beijing sees record Covid cases as China outbreak spirals

Beijing sees record Covid cases as China outbreak spirals

China’s defense chief urges unity, rejects hegemony; ‘ASEAN, China have wisdom to resist attempt to recreate Ukraine crisis in Asia’


Defense ministers’ gatherings show ASEAN, China have wisdom to resist external interference


By Liu Xin
and Liu Xuanzun


Published: Nov 24, 2022 12:52 AM

"In attending the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Cambodia, China's defense chief on Wednesday called for world solidarity and fairness instead of hegemony and division, and called on countries to practice the Global Security Initiative and work together to build a solid barrier for universal security. He also stressed that the Chinese military's growth and strength will always be in favor of world peace but the Chinese military has the confidence and capability to defeat any intruders, reaffirming China's bottom-line on the Taiwan question.

Analysts noted that despite efforts by the US and other external forces to internationalize the Taiwan question, China and ASEAN nations have the wisdom to prevent conflicts like that which occurred in Ukraine to happen in Asia.

Under the theme "Solidarity for Harmonized Security," the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (the 9th ADMM-Plus) was held in Cambodia on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen security, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. Defense ministers from ASEAN and its dialogue partners, including China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, Australia and the US attended the meeting.

While delivering a speech at the 9th ADMM-Plus, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe stressed that as world peace and development faces major challenges, the right way is to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which is also where the world's future lies.

"We need solidarity not division, fairness not hegemony, openness not blockage, mutual benefit not selfishness," Wei said, noting countries should jointly shape and maintain a regional order that balances the concerns of all parties and serves their interests.

Observers said that this is Wei's first overseas visit after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which highlights that China attaches great importance to ASEAN in the defense and security domains and in bilateral relations. The meeting between China's defense minister and his ASEAN counterparts is crucial because external powers have intensified their attempts to pull military alliances and incite conflict, posing a growing threat to regional stability.

The US is attempting to sow similar turmoil in Asia after igniting the Russia-Ukraine conflict through NATO's eastern expansion and inflaming tensions between Russia and the West, Li Haidong, a professor from the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

Wei's statement is a response to interference of forces from outside the region, particularly those from the US, as it has kept making provocations and instigations over hot topics like the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Wednesday, requesting anonymity.

Affirming resolve on Taiwan question

Wei also stressed on Wednesday that China does not covet the interests of other countries, but its resolve to defend its own interests is as firm as a rock, reiterating China's position on the Taiwan question.

Taiwan is part of China and resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, adding the Chinese military is unyielding, assured, confident and able to defeat any intruders.

During his meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, Wei delivered a similar message, emphasizing that the Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests and the first insurmountable red line in China-US relations.

Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and the settlement of the Taiwan question is the Chinese people's own affair and brooks no foreign interference, he stressed.

Wei also told Austin that China's complete reunification must be and can be realized, and the Chinese military has the backbone, confidence and ability to resolutely safeguard national unification.

The cross-Straits situation has deteriorated, especially after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's highly provocative visit to the island of Taiwan in early August, which has also worried regional countries.

Moreover, aside from trying to internationalize the Taiwan question and touting its China-threat rhetoric, the US has also ramped up pulling small cliques, pushing the military alliance NATO's expansion to Asia and forging military alliances, including AUKUS in the Asia-Pacific region, which analysts said may lead to arms races and more disturbance.

How to thwart external forces from fomenting conflicts in the region has become an urgent issue for China and ASEAN members. As for the international community's displeasure with the US for its reckless role in the Ukraine issue and other international affairs, ASEAN members are becoming more watchful of US actions in the area, Li said.

China has shown willingness and sincerity to positively interact, communicate and work with Southeast Asian countries in jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the region, including around the island of Taiwan and in the South China Sea, and the US' true face as a troublemaker in the region is also exposed, the anonymous expert said. "With more cooperation and solidarity, there will be fewer loopholes for forces from outside the region to exploit," the expert said.

While addressing the Wednesday meeting, Wei said that China has always committed to injecting stability and positive energy to the world. China's peaceful development will offer new opportunities for global development and will play as a constructive role in defending world peace and stability. The Chinese military is a peaceful military and is willing to work with the militaries of other countries to continue contributing to world peace.

The Chinese defense chief noted that while the security in Asia has remained stable, there are also concerns. He said at the conference that the defense departments of all countries should uphold the centrality of ASEAN, practice the Global Security Initiative, focus on pragmatic cooperation and work together to build a solid barrier for universal security.

Li said that Wei's participation at the ASEAN Military Ministers' Meeting-Plus illustrates the consistency of China's defense strategy, which entails defending domestic sovereignty, preserving regional peace and pursuing mutually beneficial relationships with neighbors.

The Chinese defense chief's emphasis on regional cooperation and seeking common interests is actually the mainstream of the defense ministers' meeting. For example, Cambodia's Defense Minister Tea Banh said the Wednesday meeting was crucial to discuss solutions to potential security challenges that pose threats to regional and global peace and development.

More ASEAN and Asian nations are paying close attention on how to improve coordination to ensure regional prosperity rather than following the US' lead on contentious issues, according to experts. Regional leaders also have the wisdom and capability to resist any attempt that sabotages the stability in the region."

China’s defense chief urges unity, rejects hegemony; ‘ASEAN, China have wisdom to resist attempt to recreate Ukraine crisis in Asia’ - Global Times

The World Cup is giving Chinese people a different perspective on Covid:

With no bars to go to, the Global Times newspaper says some fans are "choosing to watch the games at home with their families". Others have also reportedly taken to camping sites.

Flights between Qatar and China also remain severely limited for those hoping to watch the event in person. Many are feeling acute isolation watching this year's event.

An open letter questioning the country's continued zero-Covid policies and asking if China was "on the same planet" as Qatar quickly spread on mobile messenger WeChat on Tuesday, before being censored.

Comments on the Twitter-like Weibo social network are rife from viewers who speak about how watching this year's matches is making them feel divided from the rest of the world.

Some speak of their perception that it is "weird" to see hundreds of thousands of people gathering, without wearing masks or needing to show evidence of a recent Covid-19 test. "There are no separate seats so people can maintain social distance, and there is nobody dressed in white and blue [medical] garb on the sidelines. This planet has become really divided."

"On one side of the world, there is the carnival that is the World Cup, on the other are rules not to visit public places for five days," one says.

Some say they have had difficulty explaining to their children why the scenes from the World Cup are so different to those people face at home.

Zero-Covid China asks: Is World Cup on another planet? - BBC News

Protesting workers beaten at Chinese iPhone factory

BEIJING (AP) — Police beat workers protesting over a pay dispute at the biggest factory for Apple’s iPhone, whose new model is delayed by controls imposed as China tries to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases.


Foxconn, the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other electronics, is struggling to fill orders for the iPhone 14 after thousands of employees walked away from the factory in the central city of Zhengzhou last month following complaints about unsafe working conditions.


China’s status as an export powerhouse is based on factories such as Foxconn’s that assemble the world’s consumer electronics, toys and other goods.


The ruling Communist Party is trying to contain the latest wave of outbreaks without shutting down factories and the rest of its economy as it did in early 2020. Its tactics include “closed-loop management,” under which workers live in their factories with no outside contact.


Foxconn offered higher pay to attract more workers to the Zhengzhou factory to assemble the iPhone 14, which sells starting at $799 in the United States.


On Tuesday, a protest erupted after employees who had traveled long distances to take jobs at the factory complained that the company changed terms of their pay, according to an employee, Li Sanshan.

MORE Protesting workers beaten at Chinese iPhone factory | AP News

Originally Posted by misskit

On Tuesday, a protest erupted after employees who had traveled long distances to take jobs at the factory complained that the company changed terms of their pay, according to an employee, Li Sanshan.

Assholes

Go to your Union

"Technical error" fnar fnar

Hon Hai Precision Industry apologized on Thursday for a "technical error" in announcing the amount of bonuses promised to new staff following violent protests at the world’s largest Apple iPhone plant in mainland China, the Central News Agency reported on Friday. (See post here.)

Taiwan-based Hon Hai, better known by its trade name Foxconn, promised new workers who chose to stay in their jobs bonuses for their first two months of work, CNA said, citing social media posts by workers at the plant in the central China city of Zhengzhou.

Hon Hai, one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers, was alleged to have changed the terms of its contract with the new hires to say they must work until at least March 2023 or forfeit all subsidies, CNA reported. That would mean they would have to continue through the Lunar New Year holiday in January, a time when many Chinese around the world return home for family gatherings. Hon Hai said yesterday it world pay the amount advertised on help-wanted posters, CNA said.

It Was All A Mistake, iPhone Supplier Says After Violent Worker Protests In China

Originally Posted by OhOh

25 Nov, 2022 21:24 HermantheGermanNews

Asian country stresses neutrality after US defense talks


Indonesia's planned purchase of F-15 jets in final stages, defence minister

Indonesia has been seeking to overhaul its ageing air fleet for some time, which currently includes Russian Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 jets.

HTG World News

Hope you don't mind making this news a bit more realistic and not washed up in a stinky, pissy ole communist fashion.

Indonesia'''s planned purchase of F-15 jets in final stages, defence minister | Reuters

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Keep those airports closed.

Beijing sees record Covid cases as China outbreak spirals

Made in fucking China!

China has inoculated about 90% of its population with two doses of its domestic vaccines

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

China has inoculated about 90% of its population with two doses of its domestic vaccines

Which might as well have been distilled water.

Just to remind you, the average life expectancy of a Chinee citizen has now exceeded that of a US citizen, since the onset of Covid. I think your laughies might be misplaced.

Originally Posted by sabang

Just to remind you, the average life expectancy of a Chinee citizen has now exceeded that of a US citizen, since the onset of Covid. I think your laughies might be misplaced.

Don't see Americans still getting locked down every other fucking week, do you?

Must be really enjoying all those extra years locked in their miserable, tiny apartments.

Originally Posted by sabang

I think your laughies might be misplaced.

Nope. Get a taste of reality, lemming...

https://twitter.com/Ironstealth609/s...98856196841473

Your false narratives are collapsing.

Originally Posted by sabang

the average life expectancy of a Chinee citizen has now exceeded that of a US citizen

China has girly gun laws and hasn't got the stamina for obesity.

Weaklings

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

this news a bit more realistic

The article's title, I suggest, is self-explanatory.

Originally Posted by OhOh

The article's title, I suggest, is self-explanatory.

So is Herman's nick

You expect too much

Originally Posted by helge

So is Herman's nick

You expect too much

Mind your manners lille helge.
Your breath smells like surstroemming!
You got to stop burping here on Teakdoor.

26 Nov, 2022 23:24 HomeWorld News

Taiwan’s ruling party suffers election defeat

President Tsai Ing-wen framed local elections as a referendum on her battle for Taiwan’s “freedom and democracy” .

"Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen has assumed all “responsibility” and stepped down as the head of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) following a series of election defeats to the opposition candidates, who focused their campaign on local issues and maintaining peace without being overly confrontational with Beijing.On Saturday, the residents of Taiwan went to the polls to pick mayors in nine cities, as well as city council members and other local leaders all across the island. In a major defeat to the ruling party, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) won key mayoral races in the capital city of Taipei, Taoyuan and Keelung, in addition to a string of other victories, leaving the DPP in control of only five out of the 21 local government offices, according to preliminary results.

“The results failed our expectations. We humbly accept the results and accept the Taiwanese people's decision,” Tsai told reporters at party headquarters on Saturday evening, announcing her resignation as the DPP head, which she also did after a similarly poor showing in 2018.

Beijing welcomed the results as proof that the people of Taiwan overwhelmingly support peace, stability and “a good life,” with China's Taiwan Affairs Office promising to continue its work to promote peaceful relations and to oppose foreign interference and calls for Taiwan independence.

Despite a largely symbolic resignation, Tsai is set to remain the island’s leader until the end of her second term 2024. She won by a landslide in 2020 on promises to stand up to Beijing, but won’t be able to run again because of term limits.

Ahead of the Saturday’s vote, Tsai repeatedly described local elections as yet another “chance to show the international community Taiwan's persistence and resolve to defend freedom and democracy,” and urged undecided voters to “please cast this vote for me, for candidates I am recommending.”

The opposition KMT also voiced its commitment to protecting the island’s freedom and democracy, but without being as confrontational with Beijing as the DPP.

While Tsai had repeatedly raised the issue of “opposing China and defending Taiwan” during the campaign, the opposition as well as her own party’s candidates focused instead on local problems such as air pollution, traffic issues and the island’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taiwan has governed itself since nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island in 1949, after they lost a civil war to the Communists. Beijing’s position is that Taiwan is an integral part of China – the so-called ‘One China’ policy – and that China “will inevitably be reunified.”

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party last month enshrined the opposition to Taiwanese separatism in the patry’s constitution, after re-electing Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a third term. The Chinese president said that while Beijing seeks “peaceful reunification” with the island, he could not “promise to give up the use of force” and reserves the option “to take all necessary measures.” "

Taiwan’s ruling party suffers election defeat — RT World News

Tsai Ing-wen announces resignation as DPP chair

Xinhua | Updated: 2022-11-26 21:59

"TAIPEI -- Tsai Ing-wen announced her resignation as the chair of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) late Saturday, to take responsibility for the party's performance in Taiwan's local elections."

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/2022...47eba13f0.html
The people of China have spoken.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Taiwan’s ruling party suffers election defeat

I discussed this morning with my friend in Taiwan. That being China, to some people, I think this stays on topic.
She pointed out that these were local elections decided mostly on local issues. She is most definitely not KMT politically but she voted for her local KMT candidate for lizhang, (里長) precinct chief, because he works hard and has done some good work. Even though Madam Tsai is resigning my friend never saw these elections as being a vote about cross-strait relations.

Protests against Covid restrictions in China appear to have intensified following a fire which killed 10 people in an apartment block in Urumqi.

In the city of Shanghai, videos posted on social media by foreign journalists show thousands of people taking to the streets to remember the victims and to protest against Covid restrictions.

Hundreds were heard asking for President Xi Jinping to resign.

Many people have blamed the lockdown of residential buildings for the fire.

Chinese authorities have denied it was the cause. Though Urumqi authorities did issue an unusual apology late on Friday - vowing to punish anyone who had deserted their duty.

At the gathering in Shanghai, some people were seen lighting candles and laying flowers for the victims.

Others were heard shouting slogans such as "Xi Jinping, step down" and "Communist party, step down". Some also held blank white banners.

Such demands are an unusual sight within China, where any direct criticism of the government and the president can result in harsh penalties.

Some protesters also shouted abuse at police, who lined the streets where people had gathered.

One protester told the Associated Press news agency one of his friends had been beaten by police at the scene, while two others had been pepper sprayed. Videos of other parts of the protest showed police standing watch as people protested.

Covid protests widen in China after Urumqi fire - BBC News

Originally Posted by sabang

Just to remind you, the average life expectancy of a Chinee citizen has now exceeded that of a US citizen, since the onset of Covid. I think your laughies might be misplaced.

Who told you that? Funny how you are skeptical about OUR world news but willing to swallow up what the communist party tells you. Reminds me of your good morning joke "China is the worlds largest donor country of foreign aid".
My laughies are always placed "on the spot" when you post something.

Originally Posted by Shutree

Protests against Covid restrictions in China appear to have intensified following a fire which killed 10 people

Covid causing fires, interesting adaptation.