Oh, man, this is hilarious. Europe actually thinks they can treat China like they treat America. This is going to be good.
[Euractiv.com] As China becomes an increasingly important partner for the EU, now is the time to take a strong stance on human rights and make sure Beijing provides fair access to European businesses, writes Marietje Schaake. I busted out laughing when I read this intro. She actually thinks this is going to happen? She doesn't know the Chinese at all.
Marietje Schaake is a Dutch Democraten 66 MEP in the liberal ALDE group.
With Trump turning away from the EU, many see cooperation with China as a natural reflex. However, we must recognise that there are still many obstacles in the relationship, both in the economic and the political sense. China acts based on what it perceives as its own interest: China first. On climate, the European and Chinese interest seems to converge. On trade, security and human rights, China is charting a very different course. The EU-China summit is an opportunity to stress that the EU is willing to cooperate, but that this can only be done on the basis of respect for international laws and agreements. BAHAHAHAHAHAAHA
Last January in Davos, before CEO and ministers from all over the world, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech in which he promoted globalisation. Highlighting the value of free, rules-based trade was a clear move to counter the ’America First’ narrative of Donald Trump. The rhetorical role reversal between the US and China, was remarkable. The question is now whether China will actually turn these words into actions. Kowtow to China and everything will be fine.
Chinese economic growth has made it a key global trade player alongside the EU and the US. China has benefitted greatly from access to other markets and the rules that the World Trade Organisation has set. But while the EU is an open market, generally allowing for fair and equal treatment of foreign companies, the Chinese market remains closed and difficult for foreign companies. European businesses consistently face problems as Chinese companies often receive help from the government, for example through un-transparent subsidies or simplified procedures. Big infrastructure contracts always seem to be awarded to Chinese contractors. Often, companies with technologically advanced products, need to transfer knowledge before they are allowed into the market at all. These are problems that must be addressed. We may be able to cooperate more closely with China on advancing international rules, but only if China will enforce those rules on its own market in a fair way. Oh, man, my sides are hurting. She really thinks they're going to stop being dicks to foreigners! It's like she's never read a word of Chinese history.
The EU can only convincingly persuade China if the member states form a united front. China does not hesitate to try to divide the member states. By targeting specific sectors, or threatening to take counter measures, China has in the past pressured EU countries to change their positions. Unfortunately this has been effective. If member states only focus on the short term and narrow economic interests instead of the long-term collective interest of the EU, it will be difficult to leverage our weight. In the end, more and fairer market access in China, as well as committed participation by China to adhere to and enforce global rules, is a bigger interest for the EU. Notice she does not, at any point, mention the interests of the people of Europe. It's all about her, all the time. And why shouldn't it be? The EU was created as insulated from the voters for a reason.
The EU-China summit will focus mostly on climate and trade. While these are important topics, they must not push other issues off the agenda. They should not overshadow the problems with human rights in China. Journalists are jailed, the death penalty is often carried out and in different parts of the country, minorities are repressed. The importance of the European market for China means that we have a possibility to address the dismal human rights situation in an integrated way. European leaders must also address the provocations and instability in the South China Sea. Although it is unlikely that China will change its position, the EU must make clear that international law is also our guiding principle. Yeah let me know how that works out for you BAHAHAHAHAAHA
While there may be opportunities for more cooperation, Europe cannot be naive about the fundamental differences that remain. China should let go of ’China first’ if it wants to be a convincing global player. Stop, stop, it hurts from laughing!
This is going to be great. The next few years are going to be gut-bustingly funny as Europe finds out they can't push China around the way they did with the Americans. China don't give a shit about the hairy barbarians, no matter how clever they are or how many technologies they invent. If you're not Chinese you're not a person, end of story. Oh man, this is a wonderful time to be alive.
Posted by: Herb McCoy7309 ||
06/04/2017 00:00 ||
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Link ||
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Top|| File under: Commies
#1
"now is the time to take a strong stance on human rights and make sure Beijing provides fair access to European businesses"
Yep, "now". The human rights abuses only began yesterday, so let's do something NOW.
And don't you just love how politicians of all shapes and sizes define "fair". GTFOH!
#6
One Belt, One Road, One Leader. Kinda has a familiar ring.
Posted by: Pearl Spatch3340 ||
06/04/2017 9:55 Comments ||
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#7
Partners:
EU-China: Trade in goods
Trade in goods 2014-2016, € billions
Year EU imports EU exports Balance
2014 ... 302.1 ...... 164.6 ...... -137.5
2015 ... 350.6 ...... 170.4 ...... -180.3
2016 ... 344.6 ...... 170.1 ...... -174.5
Posted by: Pearl Spatch3340 ||
06/04/2017 10:06 Comments ||
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#8
The keepers of the 'Middle Kingdom' have much patience and very long memories.
They do not forget history and therefore try not to repeat mistakes. They may talk one way, but will act for what suits them best most every time.
They may not 'burst out laughing' when reading this poor ignorant screed, but they would certainly smile.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
06/04/2017 10:57 Comments ||
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#9
Given that the EU is basically the Fourth Reich (i.e. a German empire) by another name, I'm guessing here that, in their dealings with the EU, the Chinese will look up their voluminous catalog of affronts from other nations and recall the Kaiser's instructions to his troops prior to their expedition to China:
"Should you encounter the enemy, he will be defeated! No quarter will be given! Prisoners will not be taken! Whoever falls into your hands is forfeited. Just as a thousand years ago the Huns under their King Attila made a name for themselves, one that even today makes them seem mighty in history and legend, may the name German be affirmed by you in such a way in China that no Chinese will ever again dare to look cross-eyed at a German."
This is not to say the China has never imposed its will on other nations - the existence of a continental-scale unitary Chinese state suggests a long and bloody history of aggressive war, even if you've read no Chinese history. However, Xi, as another in a long line of emperors of all under heaven (the notional title of all Chinese rulers), probably views this as China's prerogative - an opinion likely shared by most of his countrymen. Chinese territorial expansion is part of its mission civilisatrice, whereas invasions of the Celestial Kingdom are obviously the work of barbarians bent on exploiting its people and pillaging China's priceless antiquities (the eye-rollingly nutty motif of more Chinese chop socky movies than I can count).
#10
Good comment, ZF, at least in terms of educating me (which when it comes to China is an admittedly low hurdle.) I note that we're reading about this EU fantasy on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square.
Posted by: Matt ||
06/04/2017 14:26 Comments ||
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#11
China apologist
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/04/2017 17:53 Comments ||
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#12
The EU-China summit will focus mostly on climate and trade.
#13
China has made huge amounts from the climate scam. At one point 80% of all carbon credits bought worldwide ended up in China's pocket.
One example was factories making CFCs that nobody wanted, which were then paid in Carbon Credits to destroy. Then they would make more. This went on for years.
h/t Gates of Vienna
[WND] ...Chris Gaubatz grew a beard, went through a "conversion" ceremony at a notorious Northern Virginia mosque and became an intern for CAIR -- ultimately gathering first-hand documentation of the group’s subversive aims -- because he believes the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots in the U.S. are a threat to the nation’s security.
[The Hill] "Loose lips sink ships" is as true today as when the phrase was popularized as a slogan by the U.S. Office of War Information during WWII. We are now witnessing a stark reminder of the impact of intelligence leaks on America’s efforts to restore its role as a world leader in combating international terrorism.
As Great Britain faces the aftermath of the most significant Islamic terrorist attack since 2005, global security is being put at greater risk due to the unauthorized release of investigative information on the U.S. side of the Atlantic. This leak is, of course, deplorable.
The war on international terrorism rests in large measure on trust between and among intelligence and security partners on a global level. Few American partners are more trustworthy than our British colleagues. The cornerstone and bedrock of that trust rests on the ability to protect sensitive sources of information and the means by which it was collected. In the case of law-enforcement dependencies, the leaking of sensitive information can ultimately result in the unintended but no less significant undermining of a prosecution.
Facing a British threat to curtail sensitive information sharing with American counterparts, a tentative truce has been reached to restore intelligence sharing with the U.S. It’s a tenuous agreement. How devastating to be having this discussion in May 2017 with one of our closest counterterrorism partners - nearly 16 years after 9/11. As we have seen before, there always exists the possibility of finding international ties between a terrorist event and the terrorist(s) - in this case, a 23-year-old named Salman Abedi and an improvised bomb placed just outside the Manchester Arena.
Leaking sensitive information about a particular case doesn’t just undermine the ability to find potential additional terrorism ties outside the country where the event took place. It also fundamentally erodes the trust between partners. The international community that continues to face the scourge of international terrorism can ill-afford any decrement in information sharing.
The British, however, must protect their information at all costs and have for understandable reasons sent a shot across the American bow concerning the impact of leaked information on their investigation in Manchester.
#3
Given that it is the intelligence community that is doing the leaking, it's hard to imagine them stopping themselves. Not without a good housecleaning and a few (symbolic) executions. Hey, maybe we could appeal to their patriotism!
#4
Revisit arresting not just the reporters, but the editors who permit classified material to be published. Think they would endure weeks in jail pending trial?
#5
Leaking has done lasting damage to the intel community. Since real intel is derived from sources...who are now rightfully concerned that their info and ID will not be protected...and technical means...which are exposed in every leak...and allow the folks targeted to better protect themselves. Most focus on the short term damage - not sure how we gauge the negative long term effect of intel no longer there.
Letters to Lida:
World War II Told Through the Eyes, Heart, and Words of a B-29 Tail-Gunner
Charlene Briggs
Epigraph Books, Rhinebeck NY
The author's father, David Lemal, went off to war and wrote a series of letters to his family back home where the author discovered them years later. All in all, 150 letters survived the years.
In his twilight years his daughter, Charlene Briggs - adjunct professor in Environmental Science at Temple University - interviewed her father letter by letter and asked for background and/or reflection of that particular letter. Sometimes her questions betrayed her education, but for the most part she let him just talk or explain the event.
Mr. Leval and his mother were prolific writers, and even though his mother's letters did not survive, one can conclude what the other side of the correspondence held.
June 21, 1944
Reflections
The plane on the letterhead of the poem is the plane I got to ride in. The poem was in an army newspaper.
There was still no room in gunnery school. They shipped us there to Del Rio to get us out of the way. While we were on hold, I volunteered to work in the machine shop. I made a big wrench to take the landing gear apart. People who worked in the machine shop could not get over I knew how to run all the machines.
"Hell and Del Rio" was written by one of the soldiers in town. I found it in a newsletter.
Each letter is scanned, and extras like this poem are included.
This is not an action book; it is a back-and-forth between a son and his mother during extraordinary times. It isn't a continuous story either, which makes it a good book for people who have five or ten minutes here and there, then not pick it up for a few days.
Proceeds go to the B-29 'Doc' restoration project.
Link is to Doc's web page and store, story, and gallery which are also interesting to look through.
*Break*
About three months ago my boogie bag's status switched from theory to practical and I was going to get into that but have run out of time - feel free to discuss such things as well. I will try again next time, whenever that may be. Oh, and didn't get my bi-annual mother henning on daylight savings about smoke detectors, safe batteries, and bad weather season.
Like I said, next opportunity or later in this thread I will try to make time for boogie bags because I give myself a C, maybe C- where I thought I had at least an B+.
#2
I have two out this week myself - Luna City IV (the fourth in the series) in print and ebook, and a collection of historical essays, The Wild Frontier and Other Legends, which is ebook only ... but has a picture of a vintange cannon on the cover!
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
