First Beijing aimed threats at exotic mist-shrouded and harmless Bhutan; now it’s targeting the sturdily neutral yodelling chocolatiers of Switzerland. China extends its Everyone’s Making Us Really Angry foreign policy into the most inaccessible and inoffensive landlocked mountainous nations. Plucky little Andorra is next.
Some mid-week links…
An interesting thread on a shadow parliament and other ideas for pan-dems in NatSec-era Hong Kong.
It never hurts to see your persecutors as ludicrous (eg, imagine your interrogator naked). Behold the PLA Hong Kong garrison trying to look hip and tough (or something).
If you’re into intellectual name-dropping, it’s time to learn more about Carl Schmitt, mid-20th Century ‘philosopher of illiberalism’. The German political and legal theorist who provided deep thinking to justify the Nazis’ policies has – surprise! – become increasingly popular among Chinese academics pushing the idea that Western democracy is finished and CCP dictatorship with Xi characteristics will save the world. The NYT has a good intro on the subject with reference to the Hong Kong clampdown. Here’s the long, heavy background (the second half is about the CCP angle). You can now use the word ‘Schmittian’ with confidence.
Atlantic on how Xi Jinping has screwed up massively on the international stage…
Foreign-policy observers have long debated: What if Beijing were handed a golden opportunity to strut on the world stage, absent a more powerful United States? Would it seize the opportunity, acting for the good of all and convincing the globe of its peaceful intentions? Or would it pursue a cramped vision of national interest? The world has inadvertently run that very experiment since January.
Having an Emperor-for-Life doesn’t help. From China Media Project: Foreign Minister Wang Yi goes overboard (grab a sick-back before reading) in lavishing praise on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.
A reasoned, non-wacko thesis – so far as I can see – that the Covid virus did escape from a Wuhan virology lab.
With respect to the hilarious video posted of the PLA garrison, is it not unpatriotic or collusionist to impersonate Korean boy bands? Lock them up (and throw in additional charges on the grounds of taste and decency as well)!
The PLA garrison’s little musical number reminds me a LOT of North Korean military musicals that Air Koryo plays on flights between Pyongyang and Beijing.
From the NYT piece on Schmidtism:
“Dissenting academics are maligned in the party-run news media and risk professional ruin.”
So it’s no great surprise that “thinkers” are toeing the hardline.
” China must reclaim its status as a world power” Reclaim? When was the last time it had that status?
In the Wang Yi article: …`the Xi Jinping phrase “telling China’s story well.”’
Worked in Xiang Gang, didn’t it?
Those poor PLA minions…literally a captive audience…
Those PLA singers look very …. butch?
I thought I was watching a contemporary update of Village People (who had some very danceable music)
Are those good-looking boys really serving soldiers? They’re a far cry from the dejected puddings I used to see “jogging” (shuffling would be a better word) around Osborn Barracks in Kowloon Tong. Not that I know anything about youthful male beauty, you understand, but you have to admit the PLA know how to pick ’em when there’s a camera about.
Tut Tut Pope I. The video indicates that the army is upholding equal opportunities by appealing to a diverse audience.
Aha! But where are the actual most inaccessible and landlocked nations?
Only two countries in the world are doubly landlocked – bordered only by countries that are themselves landlocked.
Any stabs? (we will not consult our electronic devices ..)
Not A
Liechentstein IIRC is a candidate, sort of triply landlocked being between Austria and Switzerland. Probably fairly safe from aggression because I’d guess it is looking after a fair amount of the comrades’ cash.
Liechtenstein & Tajikistan?
Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein?
PLA prancers – good-looking boys? You are right, Pope Innocent – you know nothing about youthful male beauty!
The argument supporting the virus escaping from the Wuhan lab seems sound in the papers dated 02 June and 15 July. Worth wading through the science (which is well beyond my O Level biology).
https://www.independentsciencenews.org/commentaries/a-proposed-origin-for-sars-cov-2-and-the-covid-19-pandemic/
How about that weird bit of Oman, which is entirely enclosed by a “ring” of UAE territory that is itself entirely within Oman? Without reference reference to Google I can’t remember the names (and Oman and UAE could be the other way around). Granted that neither Oman or UAE are landlocked, but in terms of being inaccessible …
@Not Andorra: when do we hear the result? The suspense is killing me. This is more exciting than the Euro Song Festival.
@ Big Al
Yes it’s Oman surrounded by the UAE, it is Madha. technically part of the other odd Omani outpost, the Musandam. 9mm aspirin country – solves all Iranian people smuggler’s headaches.