On Monday (13 September 2021), the Wikimedia Foundation, which manages Wikipedia, announced that it has banned 7 mainland Chinese users and removed 12 pro-Communist administrators.
Maggie Dennis, vice president of the Wikimedia Foundation, issued an announcement stating, “After conducting long-term and in-depth investigations into the activities of some members of the unrecognized mainland Chinese Wikivers (WMC) group, we have banned 7 users and canceled the management authority of the other 12 users."
According to people familiar with the matter, the Chinese mainland Wikiman (WMC) is a QQ group established by mainland Chinese Wiki users. Its core members are pro-communist Chinese Wiki mainland administrators and senior users. This QQ group is established outside the wiki. A special circle was formed to conduct wiki-related resolutions, votes, and discussions, and engage in various canvassing activities, and even conduct human flesh searches for uncooperative Wiki users and other illegal operations.
In July this year, pro-communist wiki administrator Walter Grassroot and others threatened to report a Hong Kong user violating the "National Security Law", and was complained to the Wiki Foundation by a justice person, that eventually led the Foundation to make a major decision to "clean up the portal."
Pan Shiyi ran away? The United States appeared and was photographed by CCTV
One of the Chinese real estate tycoons, "Pan Shiyi", is a good friend of the second-generation "Ren Zhiqiang" who has been suppressed and sentenced by the authorities, and his position is considered to be more "pro-American". He has been beaten into a "traitor" by the CCP's Internet Red Guards "Little Pink" and "Five Maos".
In June 2021, the US private equity firm Blackstone Group intended to acquire Pan Shiyi’s company "SOHO China" for US$3 billion, but was rejected by the Chinese Communist Party’s General Administration of Market Supervision on August 6 in the name of the Anti-Monopoly Law. 9 The transaction fell through on the 10th.
Pan Shiyi’s wife Zhang Xin predicted in 2013 that China would usher in democracy within 20 years. It has not yet arrived, but first ushered in a public-private partnership and the second Cultural Revolution.
Facing the tycoon of a Chinese private enterprise, whether he fell down on his knees, or went to jail, Pan Shiyi's troubles may not stop at being called off the acquisition. Can he run?
However, when the mainland CCTV broadcasted the women's singles final of the US Open on September 11, it captured Pan Shiyi and his wife watching the U.S. Open in New York. In the camera, Pan Shiyi frowned, slightly sad. Pan Shiyi is in the United States! The news spread all over the Internet all at once.
Pan Shiyi's development trajectory is suitable to be described as the epitome of the prosperity of the CCP's wealthy businessmen. Lao Pan, born in Gansu in 1963, had a poor family when he was young, and his father was a rightist. But in 1987, his life began to turn. He first went to Shenzhen, which was a hot spot in the sea at the time, to develop, then went to Hainan, began investing in real estate in 1990, and then went to Beijing to develop.
In 1995, he co-founded SOHO with his wife and became a model couple for Chinese real estate developers. However, starting in 2011, Pan Shiyi and his wife began to invest in American real estate again. After 2014, they gradually sold Chinese real estate projects in Shanghai and Beijing, and they were considered by some CCP little pinks to “run”. At that time, Pan Shiyi also publicly said that he would not run.
But now, he and his wife have been photographed watching football in the United States. Combined with the current situation, it seems that not many people will believe that these two men will return to China. Judging from his trajectory in recent years, "running" seems to be a well-planned step. In this regard, he may be more foresighted than other mainland entrepreneurs. Even if there are still mainland assets that have not been sold, they will They are not going to make a living by delivering food in the United States, because they have invested in the United States early, or in other words, they have foreshadowed their "back road".
News (22)
The CCP wants to split Ant’s Alipay business to hide huge political goals
Ma Yun's experience has given Lao Pan a template of fear. Jack Ma, who lives on the mainland, has been peeled layer by layer by the CCP authorities. In addition to the recent announcement by Jack Ma that he will cut 100 billion yuan of meat by 2025 to honor the "common prosperity" of the party master.
On 12 September, the British "Financial Times" also said that Beijing's regulatory agencies are thinking about how to split the loan business of "Alipay" from the Ant Group and make Alipay a separate APP. Ants must also judge The user’s credit data will be handed over to another new credit scoring joint venture, and more than 35% of the company’s shares will be held by the Chinese Communist Party’s state-owned enterprises, including Zhejiang Tourism Investment Group, Zhejiang Electronic Port Company, and Hangzhou Financial Investment Group etc.
Alipay now has 1 billion users, more than 730 million are Chinese users, and the rest are in other Asian countries. According to the analysis of professionals quoted by the Financial Times, the CCP did this in order to put the "data control" of private enterprises over the massive population under its control, rather than these private technology giants.
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Zhao Wei "shows up" after being missing for 18 days, she must have been "busy" in the past these days
As of 12 September, Zhao Wei, a film and television artiste who has a relationship with Ma Yun, had been out of contact for 18 days. She is different from the above two entrepreneurs in that she is not only a well-known celebrity artist, but also a social flower across the political and business circles. The eldest sister in the entertainment industry is also known as the "female version of Buffett." A typical example of getting rich. Some people would think that her disappearance was sooner or later, and they would also be considered. This has a lot to do with Ma Yun, the "problem businessman" in the eyes of the CCP and the Jiang family.
On 12 September, Zhao Wei, who had disappeared from public view for many days, suddenly used her Weibo account to send the four characters "Happy Birthday" to female director Li Mengqiao. In fact, Li Mengqiao’s birthday was 14 days ago, and Zhao Wei only left a message at this time, as if she revealed her whereabouts at once.
If it is indeed the person who posted the article, then in the past ten days, Zhao Wei must have been "busy" to the point that she would miss the birthday of her best friend. I think this is not a trivial matter in the entertainment industry. So what is she up to?
After the end of October last year, Ma Yun disappeared for a long time, and later appeared in a low-key manner, just like Zhao Wei. However, Jack Ma was exposed by an insider, saying that during that period, he often went to Beijing to accept the National Security Admonishment or interrogation, and he would release him only after he obeyed.
Zhao Wei did not know whether she had also experienced Ma Yun's deeds. She was forced to use political intelligence or bloodletting to pay for the limited freedom she could enjoy in a low-key manner. She reappeared in a low-key public view again, wondering if it means that someone with a Jiang school background will be near sunset.
Pan Shiyi, Ma Yun, and Zhao Wei are all considered to be people who have been or may be under the sickle of the CCP; while for another wealthy man in China, Xu Jiayin, the recent troubles of his Evergrande Group seem to be his own long-term problems. It is caused by the background of the bleak current situation of China's economy. However, it is very likely that there is also an "invisible hand" operating behind it.
This invisible hand, in the "Wealth of Nations" by the famous Western economist Adam Smith, is generally considered to describe the actions taken by people to satisfy their own interests. Judging from the current status of the CCP, this "invisible hand" is described as the CCP's "political motive", and sometimes it is more appropriate. Let's start with some superficial backgrounds of the fall of Evergrande.
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Evergrande owes two trillion RMB! Three points cause a crisis, which will destroy China’s economic machinery
Some friends should already know that on 31 August 2021, Evergrande announced that as of 31 June 2021, the company's total debt reached 1.97 trillion RMB, equivalent to US$305 billion. Fitch, an international credit rating agency, believes that Evergrande’s debt default is very likely. Another "Moody" said that Evergrande's cash and time have been exhausted. The two rating agencies have also downgraded Evergrande’s credit rating, and Evergrande’s bonds and stocks have seen a wave of selling in the market.
The crisis of Evergrande is related to at least three factors.
First, in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has tightened its real estate policy, and the regulatory agencies have cracked down on the flood of borrowing. They have put forward a variety of requirements, including lending companies must reduce their existing debts before they can borrow.
Second, China’s real estate market is cooling down. The National Finance and Development Laboratory, a Beijing think tank, said last week that China’s housing market has entered an inflection point, demand has become weak, and sales have slowed. Evergrande’s new home sales in August this year were 25% lower than the same period last year. Even if the price is lowered, sales performance is still very sluggish.
Last year, the situation itself was not good. From September to October 2020, Evergrande once sold 30% off national real estate! By this year, some real estates have also offered a 50% discount. This has caused people to worry, and also caused some owners who have bought a house to protest, why they feel that the price is so high when they buy a house, and this reduction is so low, they feel that it is quite unfair. These phenomena all show that Evergrande is in trouble.
Third, that is the overall recession of the Chinese economy.
The current situation in China is that 75% of the wealth of most families is invested in real estate, and there are house slaves everywhere. This has made real estate companies like Evergrande an important part of China's economy, and the real estate market has long been a major factor driving China's economy. The Evergrande crisis will seriously affect the Chinese economy if it falls. The lending behavior of Chinese financial institutions will also become cautious.
Western leftist financial crocodile Soros warned when he wrote to the Financial Times in late August that Evergrande’s default would cause the Chinese economy to collapse.
Xie Tian, a professor of economics in the United States, said that Evergrande’s default will trigger a crisis for various banks and real estate companies in China. This is a chain. Once Evergrande falls, everything else will fall, which may cause the entire real estate industry in China to collapse. Moreover, China's real estate industry has thousands of banks with them, and these banks lend to them. When these companies collapse, those banks will also be affected.
Chinese real estate companies often borrow money from banks to buy new land and build new real estate before the house is built or sold out. Every real estate company does this. The accumulated debts are increasing, the bubbles are blowing bigger and bigger, and in the end, it can't be paid off. If a key node is broken or collapsed, the entire chain may be over. Evergrande is just one family. If more real estate companies collapse, the CCP will not be able to save it.
In addition, some analysts say that the Evergrande crisis will even drag down the global financial market and make it more difficult for Chinese companies to obtain foreign investment. Bloomberg said that within a year of 2022, Evergrande will have to pay off at least US$7.4 billion in foreign bonds.
This year, some foreign investors of Evergrande have been a little panicked and sold Evergrande bonds on the secondary market at low prices. In Hong Kong alone, the price of the major stocks listed on Evergrande has shrunk by more than 75%. According to the American media, Evergrande is the world's most indebted real estate developer and has been half dead for several months.
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Evergrande’s creditors spread all over China, brewing a huge social crisis, and the headquarters is "occupied"
Evergrande has 200,000 direct employees, and as many as 3.8 million employees associated with Evergrande. The fall of Evergrande will cause massive unemployment, and several large Chinese banks will also be threatened. Evergrande still has about 800 unfinished residential building projects, and some suppliers have stopped working. If all this turns into unfinished buildings, the anger of countless owners and protests of creditors will be transformed into a huge social crisis.
On 8 September 2021, Evergrande’s “Hengda Wealth” was revealed that there were financial product redemption problems, which caused a large number of investors to start defending their rights, including Evergrande’s own employees. The related news comes from REDD, a financial think tank. On the 8th, the think tank quoted an insider saying that Evergrande has notified two banks that it will suspend payment of loans due on 21 September and does not rule out starting from 8 September stop paying interest on financial products.
On 10 September, Evergrande’s boss Xu Jiayin stated that it is necessary to ensure that all expired financial products are fully redeemed as soon as possible, and one point cannot be lost. However, he also mentioned that Evergrande has encountered unprecedented problems but the verbal cheque printed by Xu Jiayin could not extinguish people's anger.
Hundreds of angry investors, as well as home buyers and retail investors, at least hundreds of people, started on the evening of September 12 and squeezed into the Evergrande headquarters in Shenzhen's outstanding Houhai to protest, demanding repayment of loans and payment of overdue financial products. More than 60 security guards were on alert.
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Company executives paid in advance, Xu Jiayin provokes investors and does not accept substitutions
Evergrande subsequently declared that it denied that the company would go bankrupt and reorganized, and was forced to adjust the payment plan on September 13. On the 13th, Du Liang, executive director and general manager of Evergrande Wealth, said that it is difficult for Evergrande to come up with 40 billion RMB to redeem maturing products.
However, according to a report by the Mainland’s Securities Times on the 13th, Evergrande has proposed at least three alternatives to redemption, such as cash instalment, residential or apartment buildings, office buildings, commercial shops, parking spaces, and the transfer of unfinished projects. Property rights and other methods can all be combined by investors to repay debts.
However, the protesters generally did not accept Evergrande’s redemption alternatives, believing that Evergrande’s own changes to the replacement clauses were a manifestation of inability to redeem them, and they evaluated this as a hooligan act of unilaterally changing the program. People have asked Evergrande to pay investors' costs and interest in accordance with previous contracts.
However, while Evergrande proposed alternatives to other investors, its own internal senior management was exposed and had already paid for its holdings of Evergrande financial products in advance. For example, Du Liang admitted that on May 31 this year, he redeemed an Evergrande wealth financial product with an investment of up to 10 million yuan in advance, explaining that it was "something at home."
However, in the WeChat group of Evergrande employees, it is rumored that Evergrande executives have sensed risks in advance and paid for financial products in advance, but they did not tell employees and customers. In addition to Du Liang himself, the 23 million RMB invested by Mrs. Xu Jiayin’s wife Ding Yumei, and other financial products ranging from 300,000 to 1 million invested by other executives, were all redeemed in advance. This has made other investors more and more angry.
Du Liang responded at the protest scene: Evergrande did encounter a "short-term" problem but Evergrande is still the same Evergrande, and the "fundamental" has not changed. Xu Jiayin's boss promised to pay every penny. But since they are so confident, why do executives pay in advance? Besides, Du Liang, other executives, including Mrs. Xu Jiayin, had not explained the issue of early redemption as of the final draft.
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WeChat group exposing the truth about Evergrande was suppressed. Protests broke out in a dozen major cities
In addition, on 10 September, when Xu Jiayin stated that he must give investors a penny, Radio Free Asia reported that a "Hengda Fortune WeChat Enterprise Group" in China has been disbanded, and Evergrande executives cashed in ahead of schedule. The news came from this group.
This is also another way for people in mainland China to solve the problem. The problem has not been solved yet. First, the channel for spreading the insider truth is closed. The related news confirmed that the senior executives paid in advance.
In the evening of 13 September, the CCP public security sent personnel into the headquarters of Evergrande, and the situation became more severe.
In addition to Shenzhen, more than ten major cities including Shanghai, Chengdu, and Chongqing, all have Evergrande investors and employees protesting at the locations of Evergrande. Everywhere people held up slogans such as "Xu Jiayin! Pay back my hard-earned money" and "Hengda pay back my money", and many cried and protested.
You must know that some individual investors have invested all their money in Evergrande. They are now facing a loss of money, and they have the heart to jump off the building.
People are now concerned about whether the CCP’s regulatory agencies will watch Evergrande’s “debt bomb” collapse. At present, the CCP has not fully expressed its position on the Evergrande crisis.
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Will Beijing let Evergrande fall? Two viewpoints, it is difficult for Xu Jiayin to protect himself
Some analysts say that Beijing will not let Evergrande fall, and will force Evergrande to reduce debt and reduce the risk of default. Currently, Evergrande is selling assets to fill the big debt hole. Evergrande’s regional banks, stocks of real estate companies across the country, Hong Kong-listed Internet companies, headquarters buildings in Hong Kong and many land are all for sale. Evergrande also listed its electric car business for sale, but no one has bought it yet. Maybe someone is waiting for Evergrande to lower the price further.
However, the New York Times reported on 13 September that in the past few years, the Chinese Communist Party has shown greater willingness to close companies in order to curb China's unsustainable debt problem. In other words, the CCP authorities may not try to rescue Evergrande and watch it fall. If this is the case, there are actually deep political reasons involved.
Many media reported that Xu Jiayin's backers are Hong Kong tycoons Liu Luanxiong and Zheng Yutong, and they are also closely related to the Jiang faction Zeng Qinghong family. In fact, these people are also connected to each other.
Xu Jiayin was a director of the Hong Kong Federation of Cultural Industries, known as the Hong Kong Regal Club. Zeng Qinghong’s younger brother Zeng Qinghuai, also served as a special inspector of the Ministry of Culture of the Communist Party of China in Hong Kong, and his daughter Zeng Baobao’s company "The Fantastic Year" in 2009 When listed in Hong Kong, Xu Jiayin's patrons Zheng Yutong and Liu Luanxiong both participated in the subscription. In fact, the Zeng family has been operating in Hong Kong for many years, and Jiang led the stock market.
But now, Zheng Yutong is no longer alive. 70-year-old Liu Luanxiong is old and ill. The Jiang faction is being chased by the Xi Jinping authorities on the mainland. Will Xi Jinping let go of Xu Jiayin who had contact with the Zeng family, or will he take the opportunity to subdue or overthrow Xu Jiayin? This is the next suspense.
On 1 July 2021, Xi Jinping allowed Xu Jiayin to board the Tiananmen Gate Tower. This does not mean that Xu Jiayin is safe. After many high-ranking CCP officials went up to the tower, they all collapsed.
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Evergrande was "brilliant". How it becomes China's economic "time bomb"?
Xu Jiayin's Evergrande was the golden age of its development 10 years ago. At that time, Evergrande acquired the Guangzhou Football Club, also known as "Guangzhou Evergrande", and spent billions of dollars to introduce foreign stars. Evergrande also operates bottled water, agricultural grains, dairy products, pig farming, petroleum, and enters the emerging electric vehicle industry. It seems that the capital is strong, and it has entered multiple industries.
Evergrande was established in 1996. It coincided with the development of China's urbanization process, when a large number of rural people entered the cities to work, and Evergrande Real Estate was doing well. Xu Jiayin is a skilled worker in a steel mill, who took the opportunity to make a fortune. He has also gradually accumulated his own official business network, with high officials sitting in the background, and his business has expanded further.
Many investors believe that Evergrande is a large company that cannot fail, and they imagine that the CCP can rescue this company with a strong party-government relationship at a time of crisis. Therefore, many people or financial institutions lend or invest in Evergrande, and they cannot stop.
As a result, the snowball of Evergrande Capital is getting bigger and bigger. In some residential building businesses, the buildings are often sold in a hurry before they are completed, and the down payment is very high, sometimes reaching one-third of the total house price, and the owners are not "When you live in the house, you have to provide a high monthly payment for repayment".
However, while Evergrande has been drunk with money, it has suddenly discovered something wrong in recent years. It has actually blown up the real estate bubble. The debt is much higher than the income. It is the so-called "insolvency". Such companies have set a higher loan red line, making Evergrande’s funds gradually unsustainable. About 800 real estate projects under construction across the country are facing "unfinished projects", and a total of 1.2 million individual home buyers cannot move in. Many of them have already paid a down payment, or even paid monthly payments for many years. If Evergrande goes bankrupt, many of them will have their money in vain.
This Chinese real estate giant is becoming a time bomb under the CCP's rule.
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Facing the mess, how will Xi reshuffle the cards? The ship broke into the U.S. waters
However, the Chinese Communist Party seems to have its own calculations. While various internal crises are brewing, it is also stepping up its external expansion. I don't know if Xi Jinping has a "gambler" mentality, and he is ready to play a war game when the domestic crisis is too big to be resolved, and to create an extraordinary period to reshuffle everything.
Many “compulsory” closed epidemic management measures in mainland China are suspected of being the CCP’s pre-war social management exercises.
On 12 September 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a photo showing that a fleet of Chinese Communist cruisers, destroyers, and reconnaissance ships sailed into the waters of the United States and appeared in the waters close to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. This is exclusively for the United States Economic Zone.
This incident occurred on 29 and 30 August. At that time, the US military sent a coastal defense patrol ship to closely monitor and communicate with the Chinese Communist Party's ships in accordance with the "International Maritime Collision Avoidance Regulations" and other content.
Some people put on beautiful clothes and are always willing to walk in front of others. Some people have some money, and they are willing to make money in front of their lovers to show off their local tycoon style. The CCP also fits in similarly. logic. It has been held in the narrow waters west of the first island chain for many years, and it does not dare to show its head defense.
These signs are also being passed on in secret. The CCP’s demand for outward expansion will not come now, and maybe it will come later but the CCP does not know if there is any self-knowledge. Its fat body may not be the kind of strong obesity, but the "puffiness" brought about by poor physique.
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The top U.S. general is exposed to Beijing, Rubio asks to fire Milley
Image : The Washington Post broke the news on September 14 that Mark Milley, the top U.S. general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after the defeat of former President Trump (Trump), privately took the initiative to call the CCP generals twice. Ensure that the United States will not attack China. The picture shows on 21 June 2021. Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, waits for the arrival of the Israeli Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in Arlington, Virginia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio sent a letter to President Biden on Tuesday (September 14) calling for the dismissal of the U.S. Supreme General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Washington Post broke the news on Tuesday that after the defeat of former President Trump (Trump) in the 2020 election, Milly took the initiative to call the CCP generals twice in private to ensure that the United States will not attack China.
"The actions of General Milly show that he obviously lacks sound judgment. I urge you to fire him immediately," Rubio wrote in a letter to Biden.
"I don't need to tell you the dangers of high-ranking military officers leaking classified information about US military operations, but I want to emphasize that this kind of subversive behavior undermines the president's ability to negotiate and manage the country's tools of national power in dealings with foreign countries. ."He said.
Rubio is the No. 1 Republican senator on the Senate Intelligence Committee and has access to top classified intelligence. He said that not only did Milli ignore national security, "it is even more shocking that reports show that General Milli has interfered with the procedures by which the civilian commander-in-chief can order a nuclear strike."
According to a report by China Post, Milly convened a meeting with officers of the General Staff. He told the participating officers that if Trump ordered an attack, he would be the first person to be informed.
When the participating officers stared at Milli nervously, Milli asked all the participating officers to "swear" one by one.
Rubio wrote in the letter, "This is a dangerous precedent that may be used by General Milley or others in the future. This may undermine the established principles of American civilian control of the military."
Rubio reiterated that Biden "must immediately fire General Milly" and warned that "the national security of the United States and its ability to lead the world are in jeopardy."
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Trump's response: It is unbelievable that Milley provided attack information to China
In a telephone interview with the media on Tuesday, the former President Trump responded to the revelation to Millie: "If this is indeed true, it is really hard to believe that he called China, did these things, and was willing to provide them with attack information. Or before the attack (to provide information), this is treason."
China Post columnist Josh Rogin tweeted later on Tuesday that senior national security officials of the Trump administration said that there was a secret call between General Milly and the Chinese general and said that they had dealt with China at the time when it was not involved. In the case of any other high-ranking officials, it is dangerous for Milly to engage in freelance diplomacy related to China.
"When Milley made these calls, the US government was at a stage of very complicated discussions and actions against China. It is surprising that he took such actions without any inter-agency coordination.
The risk is that (Milley) may cause China to misjudge and take some far-reaching diplomatic, economic or military action because he sent the wrong signal and did not understand the background of the (subject) he called. "
News (33)
Washington Post broke the news: The top US military commander secretly called Beijing twice
"Washington Post" reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa published an article on Tuesday, introducing some of the revelations in their upcoming book "Peril." Among them, the Chief of Staff Milley took the initiative to call the Chinese generals to ensure that the United States would not attack China.
After he was convinced that Trump failed in the November 3 presidential election, Milly promised his aides that if Trump makes extreme orders, especially the use of nuclear bombs, he will not immediately obey them.
As the U.S. intelligence agency concluded that the CCP believed that the U.S. attack was imminent, Milley called Li Zuocheng, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of the CCP’s Central Military Commission twice, once on 30 October 2020, before the presidential election, and once on congressional violence, two days after the shock event (8 January 2021).
Based on the testimony of more than two hundred anonymous U.S. officials, a reporter from China Post said that Milley said in the first phone call: "General Li, I assure you that the United States is stable and everything will go smoothly." "We will not launch attacks and take any military strikes against China."
Two months later, after the violent congressional shock incident, General Milley spoke with Li Zuocheng again and told, "Everything is normal, and the democratic system is sometimes a little messy."
Milley also convened a meeting with officers of the General Staff and said that if Trump orders an attack, he should be the first to inform him.
Milley also asked Gina Haspel, then director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Paul Nakasone, the head of the US Cyber Command, to closely monitor President Trump's actions.
The book says that Haspel, like General Milley, is worried that Trump will launch an attack on China or Iran, thereby creating a crisis, in an attempt to continue to serve as president.
The book also said that some officials felt that Milley’s actions were ultra vires, but Milli was convinced that what he did was what he should do, “in order not to have a historical break in the international order, nor to have an accidental war with China. Do not use nuclear weapons.”
Milley's second phone call with Li Zuocheng was after he had phoned with House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Nancy Pelosi).
The record of the telephone conversation between Pelosi and Miley is published in the book. Pelosi asked, "What are the possible measures to prevent an out-of-control president from launching military hostilities or preventing him from using nuclear codes to initiate a nuclear war?"
She also added, "If they can't even stop him from attacking the Capitol, who knows what else he can do?" "He is crazy. You know he is crazy... What he did yesterday further proves his madness. ."
Milley replied, "I totally agree with you." However, he assured her that to activate the nuclear command system, a "series of control procedures" would be required to prevent the president from abusing nuclear bombs.
So far, the Pentagon, the White House, and Millie himself have not responded to the news.
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Blinken sticks to his commitment to Ukraine and Taiwan
On 14 September 2021, Blinken answered the question of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan at the hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, asked Brinken, "Can we let you be here today and formally speak to the committee of the US Congress," We will unambiguously and clearly and firmly support our friend Ukraine and our friends in Taiwan at all costs?" Blinken: "Yes, we will stick to our commitment to these two countries." "We will be here. Compliance with our commitments under the "Taiwan Relations Act."
Some Chinese media call it "misname". This is not the meaning of slip of the tongue, but the wrong meaning. It's really not a slip of the tongue. As early as in another hearing in May, Blinken mentioned that Taiwan is a "country" that can contribute to the world. That time sparked heated discussion.
As Secretary of State, the third person in the US executive branch, and the top diplomatic person, the possibility of slipping is very small, let alone the second time. It shows that in the foreign policy of the United States, it is no longer a taboo to call Taiwan a country, and this can also be seen in the political circle of Washington.
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The United States seriously considers changing the name "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to "Taiwan Representative Office"
Prior to this, Lithuania, as the first country to establish a representative office in Taiwan, was suppressed by Beijing's diplomacy. Beijing recalled its ambassador, and Lithuania also recalled its ambassador at Beijing's request.
Yesterday (Monday), U.S. National Security Adviser Sullivan said in a phone call with the Prime Minister of Lithuania that the United States firmly supports Lithuania in responding to coercion from mainland China.
Last Friday, the “Financial Times” quoted a number of unnamed sources with knowledge of the US government’s internal discussions on the matter. Washington is “seriously considering” Taiwan’s request to remove its representative office in the US capital from the US "Cultural Representative Office" (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office) was renamed "Taiwan Representative Office" (Taiwan Representative Office).
Although the US and Taiwan officials have not confirmed it, they have not denied it either. I think the statement that it is being "seriously considered" is very accurate. In December last year, 78 members of the House of Representatives wrote to Pompeo, allowing the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" to be renamed the "Taiwan Representative Office in the United States."
In May of this year, cross-party congressmen proposed the "Taiwan Diplomatic Review Act", instructing the U.S. Secretary of State to negotiate with Taiwan’s Council of American Affairs (TCUSA) to rename the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" to "Taiwan in the United States." Representative Office". It can be seen that the name change is quite basic in the American political circle.
What's the point of renaming the office?
1) Taipei is a city, and Taiwan is the customary term for the international community to recognize Taiwan as an independent political entity for a long time. 2) No international or bilateral treaties involve the One-China policy. 3) It breaks the CCP’s long-standing opposition to " The monopoly power of "One China", 4) The United States has a much stronger exemplary role, and all countries' relations with Taiwan are based on the United States as a template.
The strong reaction from the Chinese side also sees the importance of this matter to the CCP. Yesterday, Zhao Lijian said that China has lodged solemn representations with the United States on relevant trends and must not rename "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" to "Taiwan Representative Office in the United States" and stop sending false signals to the "Taiwan Independence" separatist forces.
Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of the Communist Party of China, also issued a statement on the rectification of the name of Taiwan’s "Scripture Office" in the United States. Official institutions.
"Global Times" editorial: If the name of Taiwan's representative office in the United States is correct, the diplomatic "lowest response" is to recall the Chinese ambassador to the United States, and severe economic and military measures must be taken to combat the "U.S.-Taiwan arrogance." Sanctions on Taiwan and the implementation of an economic blockade; and militarily, Chinese military aircraft will fly over the island of Taiwan, bringing Taiwan’s airspace into the patrol area of the People’s Liberation Army. If the Taiwan army fires at the Communist military aircraft, Beijing will unhesitatingly inflict a decisive and devastating blow on the "Taiwan independence" forces.
This is a contest of will, because it is an event that neither party has planned before, that is, a gray area, and there is no reason to call the Taiwan representative office a Taiwan independence. The United States can do it with confidence.
The CCP has always used high-handed deterrence but avoided direct military conflicts, while the United States and the West have been making concessions. If this model of the CCP can be broken this time, please note that this is not a bottom-line red line. This line has never been crossed before. It is for the world. Good thing.
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Japan actively intervenes in peace across the Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait issue is no longer just US-China-Taiwan relations. Japan has recently supported Taiwan frequently. Although the Japanese government is unlikely to have formal talks with Taiwan or issue a joint statement or the like, a consensus among the people is forming. , That is, once something goes wrong in the Taiwan Strait, Japan will defend Taiwan together with the United States.
For example, Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister Yasuhide Nakayama and the Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Masahisa Sato connected on September 8 to participate in a symposium held by the National Policy Research Institute of Taiwan’s think tank. Yasuhide Nakayama said: "Japan and Taiwan are not friends, but brothers, and family. Japan regards peace in the Taiwan Strait as its own business."
On 29 July and 27 August 27, the Japanese side took the initiative to invite Taiwan to participate in the congressmen’s forum twice. The first was the Taiwan, the United States and Japan’s strategic forum for congressmen. There were heavyweight congressmen from all three parties, focusing on the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan’s development. International participation. The second time was the first diplomatic and national defense online security dialogue between the ruling parties of Japan and Taiwan on August 27, which was regarded as a quasi "2+2 talk" between the ruling parties of the two sides.
This is largely due to the CCP’s own performance. Japan was originally the weakest part of the West to the CCP. However, the CCP’s regional expansion has undoubtedly posed a huge threat to Japan over the years, and the situation of Taiwan has become more and more understandable. From a strategic point of view, Japan’s security is undoubtedly too closely related to Taiwan’s.
Of course, Japan has a non-war constitution (peace constitution) and a 2015 security law. Japan can be dispatched with the U.S. military during major incidents, but only for logistical supplies. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether Japan will make a breakthrough in the constitution and laws.
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Chinese warships appeared off the coast of Alaska and U.S. ships cruised the South China Sea
At the end of August, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered that there were four Chinese warships in the exclusive economic zone outside the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. They were announced on the U.S. Department of Defense information website, but they were removed a few hours later without explaining the reason for the removal. According to reports, it is the most advanced guided-missile cruiser and guided-missile destroyer, an intelligence ship and a supply ship.
Some people think that this is a response of the CCP to the US warships cruising in the South China Sea. However, the United States did not protest. This is not the first time. There was one in 2015.
For the United States, what the United States insists on is the sovereignty of 12 nautical miles and the right of free navigation in the exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles. The United States does not declare sovereignty when patrolling the South China Sea, nor does it intervene in sovereignty disputes between countries, but insists on free navigation. According to U.S. standards, Chinese warships have the right to pass through the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The U.S. will not protest or take any actions, but will monitor the departure.
This is the same principle as the behavior of US warships in the South China Sea, that is, the right to freedom of navigation. The CCP Maritime Traffic Safety Law came into effect on 1 September, requiring ships of category 5 to notify China before passing through China’s territorial waters. The Japanese-US aircraft carrier strike group did not notify the CCP to sail into the South China Sea for exercises, while another guided-missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, "claiming the right and freedom of navigation."
First, most of the South China Sea does not belong to the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, at most it is the exclusive economic zone, which is still controversial. Secondly, the United States (and many other countries) believe that the CCP is an illegal and extensive sea power claim in the South China Sea. It is free to navigate. From the perspective of the United States, the United States has no reason to declare and China has no reason to protest.
This has nothing to do with the free navigation of US warships in the South China Sea since the beginning of September, but it should be related to the United States and its allies in strengthening free navigation and patrolling in the South China Sea.
Or as an act of revenge, if you can come to the South China Sea, I can go to Alaska, but this is different. The CCP has announced its own rules but others have not implemented them, and the United States has never announced anything, nor has it banned any country. The ship sails in its exclusive economic zone.
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U.S. legislators support Taiwanese station in the U.S. office and change its name
Image : U.S. Republican Congressman Steve Chabot, profile photo. (Li Chen/The Epoch Times)
Foreign media reported that the United States is considering the possibility of changing the name of the representative office of the Republic of China in the United States to "Taiwan Representative Office," which triggered protests from the CCP. In response, U.S. Rep. Chabert said that whatever it does will make the CCP unhappy. He supports the rename to the Taiwan Representative Office in the United States, and believes that the Director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) should also be promoted to Ambassador Level.
The Financial Times reported on 11 September hat the United States is seriously considering Taiwan’s request to change the name of the diplomatic mission in Washington from "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to "Taiwan Representative Office".
According to a report by VOA, Democratic Federal Representative Ami Bera (D-CA) and Asia Pacific Group Chief Republican Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH) jointly participated in the German Marshall Foundation. The proposed "Taiwan Peace and Stability Act" (Taiwan Peace and Stability Act) held a video conference.
The Voice of America asked the two congressmen and host Bonnie Glaser, the director of the Marshall Foundation's Asia Program, since the Financial Times reported that the Biden-Harris administration is seriously considering allowing the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States to be renamed the "Taiwan Representative Office". Later, not only did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China protest, the official media "Global Times" also announced that the Chinese Communist Party will take retaliatory actions, including the recall of ambassadors and Communist fighter planes flying over Taiwan. .
Before asking the two congressmen to respond, Ge Laiyi said that although she “does not think that the Global Times is the most authoritative source of the CCP’s signal”, she still believes that the threat of the communist army’s possibility of flying over Taiwan is still necessary. Take it seriously, even the issue of the Chinese Communist Party's possible recall of its ambassador to the United States must be considered, because this is indeed a measure taken by the Chinese Communist Party against Lithuania.
Bera replied that, of course, he did not think it was dangerous to just talk about the renaming of Taiwan's representative office in the United States. “It does give us some leverage and ability to think about the issue of renaming.” However, he believes that the renaming should be a change. As part of a broad strategy, it should not be regarded as an isolated incident. The Biden-Harris administration can discuss with other allies with similar ideas and understand their thoughts on the matter.
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Bera: America is not Lithuania, rethink how to allow the people of Taiwan to continue to determine their future
Regarding the possible reaction of the Chinese Communist Party, Bera said, "My confirmation is that you will see the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China... You will see some bluffing, but the United States is not Lithuania, so I don’t think... threatening to withdraw the ambassador, I think eventually It was an overreaction by them. But I would not underestimate the overreaction by China (the Communist Party), because we have seen it in many places."
Bera said that Washington must ensure that it sends a message that "the United States is not the party to change the estimate" because the United States has an equation that has been used well for Taiwan and the world for decades. It was the CCP and Xi Jinping who changed the estimate and forced the United States to rethink with the whole world how to allow the people of Taiwan to continue to determine their own future.
Steve Chabot, one of the founding members of Taiwan Caucus of the US Congress, went on to say that he was still annoyed that Taiwan was called "Chinese Taipei" in the Tokyo Olympics because to some extent, sometimes symbolism is substance, as long as it is about Taiwan. The CCP will always be annoyed. They do not want to see anything that might involve sovereignty. They have bullied Taiwan for decades. They will magnify any trivial matter and ask people to criticize it, not just for Taiwan, but also for the United States."
CCP's anger is not new
Chabot said that many companies, including the National Basketball Association, NBA and many companies, have "kowtowed" to the CCP, and he is still angry and offended by this. He thinks that it makes sense for the director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan to act as the representative of the United States. Let this position be confirmed by the appointment hearing of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee will help it be promoted to the level of ambassador. Although these things will undoubtedly make the CCP angry, they are nothing new, because as long as the United States does anything that might give Taiwan credibility, the CCP will be unhappy.
However, Chabot emphasized that he should also avoid military confrontation as much as possible. Although the Republic of China (Taiwan) is in fact an independent country, Taiwan has not officially declared independence. He believes that as long as Taiwan does not do so, there are many meaningful and important things that the United States should support it.
The two parliamentarians also talked about the "Taiwan Peace and Stability Act" they proposed in mid-June. This bill is a long-term strategy formulated in response to the CCP’s increasing threat to Taiwan. Support Taiwan and ensure that the people of Taiwan continue to have the space to determine their own future.
Ami Bella emphasized that it was Xi Jinping's increasingly aggressive and unambiguous attitude towards Taiwan that forced the United States to rethink its response and adopt strategic deterrence to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The goal is to ensure that the people of Taiwan can decide their own path in the future.
Taiwan needs to increase investment in self-defence
Chabot, who has repeatedly proposed to support the Taiwan bill, also screamed that Taiwan must increase investment in asymmetric combat power instead of buying expensive fighters.
He said that Xi Jinping views the conquest of Taiwan as part of his political legacy. The CCP has become increasingly aggressive towards Taiwan. The military provocations surrounding Taiwan are “like pre-invasion like” exercises, and Taiwan’s situation is increasing. At the time of danger, he was very worried that young people in Taiwan might not think the CCP was a threat. "I worry that we take this threat from the CCP more seriously than the people of Taiwan."
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Evergrande crisis like a volcanic crater may detonate the collapse of China's real estate industry
The debt crisis of the Chinese real estate giant "Evergrande Group" has aroused great concern. Some experts pointed out that once Evergrande goes bankrupt, it will detonate the collapse of China's real estate industry. Watch the report.
Recently, the Evergrande Group's wealth management product "Hengda Wealth" exploded, and a large number of people gathered in Evergrande's Shenzhen headquarters building to demand repayment. The explosion of wealth management products also pushed Evergrande's debt crisis to the forefront. Evergrande boss Xu Jiayin also admitted that at present Evergrande has encountered unprecedented difficulties.
What is the current debt situation of Evergrande? As of the end of June this year, Evergrande had approximately US$88 billion in loans, 40% of which will mature in less than a year.
However, Evergrande’s own cash flow has encountered serious problems, and there is not enough cash to repay these due borrowings.
September is usually the peak season for the Chinese real estate market, but Evergrande said that September’s property contract sales continued to fall sharply because of negative news reports about the group, which seriously affected the confidence of potential home buyers.
As a result, Evergrande has fallen into a vicious circle. Because of the fear of debt crisis, no one dares to buy the completed project; because no one buys the project, it cannot be realized, which aggravates the cash flow problem.
Evergrande has also tried to sell shares in electric vehicles, real estate services, and Hong Kong office buildings to obtain cash but these measures have not made significant progress.
So if Evergrande cannot turn the tide on its own, will the Chinese Communist government take action to save Evergrande? There are rumors that the central government has dispatched a working group to Evergrande to find out its financial situation.
Current affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan believes that out of its own interests, the CCP should not let it go.
Current affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan: “Hengda’s scale is too large and the impact is too great. If the party leaves its hands alone, it is very likely that Evergrande’s thunder will explode. Just like dominoes, it may cause a storm. So. For Xi Jinping, this risk is absolutely unacceptable for Xi Jinping, especially at a stall as sensitive as the Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Committee is about to open."
American economist Xie Tian believes that the CCP is now in a dilemma when it comes to handling Evergrande.
Xie Tian, a professor at the Aiken Business School of the University of South Carolina: “If the CCP rescues, there will be more other companies that have the same problem. I see that the debt ratio of one of the top 15 real estate companies in China, Evergrande’s is 152%. There is one called R&F Properties, which is more than 130%, and one Greenland Holdings, which is also more than 140%. The problems are very serious. If they are saved, the CCP may not be able to save them. If they are not saved, the problems caused will bring down the entire real estate enterprise in China. Many banks in the Chinese Communist Party."
However, some scholars believe that in the context of the Chinese Communist government's determination to deleverage, the authorities may also choose to abandon Evergrande in order to shock other high-debt real estate companies. The Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Nanhai District, Foshan, Guangdong, recently issued an order to “prevent and control risks” to suspend loans to Evergrande’s local real estate, which seems to be showing some signs.
Current affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan said, "Now the CCP is like stepping on a steel wire, (thinking) how to strike a delicate balance between the two, which can minimize the impact of thunderstorms on the regime and society, and at the same time. It will not allow other similar companies to follow suit (high debt model)."
Evergrande Group was established in 1996, and it has caught up with the booming era of China's real estate industry. Xu Jiayin, the founder of Evergrande Group, once said that everything about Evergrande is given by the party. So will the party be responsible for the debt he owes now? We will continue to pay attention to this issue.
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