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Sol Sanders | Follow the Money No. 75 -- Breaching China’s great wall of arrogance
Latest from Sol Sanders. A version of this column is scheduled for publication in The Washington Times, Monday, July18, 2011 -- Chris
Follow the Money No. 75 -- Breaching China’s great wall of arrogance
Sol Sanders<solsanders@cox.net>
Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen’s bumbling replies to questions by “automated” university students during a mid-July Beijing visit were symptomatic of total disarray in U.S. China policy. Instead of clear-cut defense of no military takeover of Taiwan, with its 25 million the only free society in Chinese history, the Admiral backed into a defense of U.S. policy as if the Taiwan Relations Act were an impediment Washington leadership had difficulty overcoming.
He did not forthrightly defend traditional American support for freedom of the seas in the face of Beijing’s outrageous claims on Southeast Asia waters with their gas and oil prospects through which much of world commerce – including China’s vast exports – flows freely courtesy of the U.S. Navy. Nor did he condemn Beijing’s support for the world’s most hideous tyranny in North Korea. For Pyongyang is not only a threat to regional peace with its buildup of weapons of mass destruction but worldwide through its nefarious exports – in league with the Chinese -- to pariah states.
Supplicants for months, Washington’s aim with the Mullen visit was facilitating liaison between U.S. and Chinese military to reduce possibilities of accidental clashes and ventilate Beijing’s rapidly escalating but ultra secret military buildup. But Beijing’s generally boorish response – except for a promise of a Mideast anti-piracy exercise where China has been odd-man out in coordinating multinational operations – inevitably promises more misunderstanding.
That was despite Adm. Mullen carrying a major concession in Washington’s continued refusal to meet Taipei’s request to purchase additional fighter aircraft and submarines. U.S. arms for Taiwan’s defense has become the pretext for Beijing’s rejecting military courtesies, while it pursues a double-edge strategy of economic integration with the Island while positioning one of the world’s largest missile arrays opposite it just across the Strait.
Adm. Mullen’s performance again demonstrates Washington’s lack of a strategic framework given China’s centrality in a rapidly changing world coupled with Beijing’s growing arrogance. Minor but indicative: on the eve of his journey, Adm. Mullen publicly accused the Pakistan government of murdering a journalist. Even had he proof, going public in the Obama Administration’s ill-conceived current media campaign against the Pakistanis only further aggravated relations with Islamabad. Essential as Pakistan is for Washington’s pursuit of the Afghanistan War and worldwide counterterrorism campaign, he played into Beijing’s efforts to exploit U.S.-Pakistan frictions in pursuit of its own alliance with Islamabad against India.
Adm. Mullen’s confusion epitomizes not only the lack of a coherent official U.S. policy toward “a rising China” but parallels increasing difficulties by American entrepreneurs in hot pursuit of the Chinese shirttail. ["If we could only persuade every person in China to lengthen his shirttail by a foot, we could keep the mills of Lancashire working round the clock”, an 1840s British commentator wrote.] Foreign businessmen increasingly must choose between the mythical unquenchable market for investment and trade or eschew exposure to an economy without the rule of law.
As Beijing’s domestic political crackdown intensifies, spurred by fear of contagion from rising popular revolt in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and the insecurity of next year’s Communist Party leadership generational succession, commercial relations with foreigners are deteriorating. The media focuses on the larger economic issues: China’s perilous growing dollar hoard through its manipulated currency, protected markets and subsidized exports. But increasingly foreign companies are threatened with death by a thousand cuts.
For example, Beijing backed off price blackmail with its rare earths monopoly when faced with sanctions in the World Trade Organization where Washington’s aggressive sponsorship facilitated Chinese entry on unfulfilled promises of compliance. But after announcing exports at last year’s level of its highly contaminating metals production essential for information technology hardware worldwide, Beijing’s arbitrary customs voided contracts.
Even more threatening, suddenly the whole vast, abysmally corrupt, network of foreign investors’ ownership in Chinese companies through local middlemen held corporately in overseas tax havens has come under “scrutiny”. The Chinese had winked at such arrangements for decades as a device to entice but manipulate direct foreign investment. Now these arrangements are being used to freeze out foreign participation in company expansion with transferred technology. Coupled with expanding theft of intellectual property – the latest, French, German and Japanese high-speed rail know-how – Beijing looks to feel there are no holds barred in their seduction of foreign businessmen faced with a worldwide markets slowdown.
sws-07-15-11
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Taiwan's been part of China for thousands of years. It's just since their 1945-50 civil war did Taiwan break from China with the remnants of the National party fleeing their. This break will not last forever. They will reunite, no doubt. It's only a matter of time. Taiwan will be handled just like Hong Kong was, no problems.
Taiwan may not want to be part of China. We let everyone else secede
Just don't be surprised when a 'snafu' in Defense policy statements and actions ... inadvertantly ... encourages the Chinese to invade (or is it liberate) Taiwan.
Then we don't need to be friends anymore, all debts will be written off, Chinese US assets get seized for the Squid & the Morgue, and China gets thesub-sea rights back again.
Satisfaction all round.
Who gives a shit about Taiwan? Let the Chinese handle their own revolutions. We had ours and didn't like it when foreign powers meddled.
"Now these arrangements are being used to freeze out foreign participation in company expansion with transferred technology."
Lol... this was all so predictable. Transfered technology was always going to be stolen. The west was seduced into destroying itself. For what? Short term profits. Corporations are only managed for the managers. They'll sell out for anything they can get themselves.
Welcome to the Family! Feel free to curse a lil more! this is Fight Club.. but your message is fucking immaculate!
WTF is America doing in Taiwan? They got no oil there!!
Beach Head for China..
and old mentality still hanging on.
Come! On!!
Everyone!!!
Let's Celebrate Gay Day in Pakistan!! land bridge to Iran!! on schedule! War in 3.. 2.. 1.
http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2011/07/us_embassy_hosts_lgbt_rights_e.php
Here have some FREE! Fighter Jets! from China!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTxZuuZj0iA
I suppose the dumb cunt of Foggy Bottom will keep her trap closed if foreign embassies in Washington decide to have "spousal rape" or "stone the queer" celebrations.
At this point, who believes this sort of neo-con horseshit?
The US is immeasurably more "arrogant" in the world than anyone else.
Amen, bro. These cold-warriors are so behind the times. ". . . China’s vast exports – flows freely courtesy of the U.S. Navy. . ." China's vast exports flows on the backs and by the tears of millions of Chinese who slave away for the fat Yankees who buy things they don't need with money they don't have. Instead of criticizing the Chinese, Americans like Mr. Sanders should be at least a bit grateful, and maybe on their knees praying the the Greatest Ponzi Scheme is the world's history goes along a bit longer thanks to the Chinese.
http://www.truthwinds.com//siterun_data/business/corporate_fraud/news.ph...
Great Wall of Yankee arrogance stinks to high heavens.
Just like the cold war warriors are out of date.. so are YOU!
1. Peak Oil.
2. Wage Arbitrage is a Joke!
3. World Trade is a JOKE!!
4. Protectionism is coming, like a pipe line from Iran for sour / heavy crude.
China is not our friend in 5 years.. if it takes that long and all this bullshit at home just plays into what makes them stronger and more stable for the World's Investment Monies!
Thank God Washington DC Lobby Whores get their Money Up Front!
Debtor empires come under pressure to sell off their satellites, that's how it goes. China wants Taiwan and on present course they will get it within a couple decades. Who are we to complain, we got half our states the same way.
Every retired general--British and American-- said the Afghan War cannot be won.....Mullins has a different view...wait until he retires.
Print them Dollarie-doos, Bennie, debase their Treasury holdings.
Well, I was wondering WTF ol' Mike was doing over there in the first place - now I know. Just more confirmation of "we soooo fucked"
Pretty much shows me that the U.S. military is fighing and showing strength in support of big corporations and bankers, regardless of what nationality. The american people are cannon fodder and wallet.
Yup.
The poppies in Afghanistan seem to be doing well also.
Admiral Mullen disgraced the U.S. with that visit.
Anyone remember the opening of the Beijing Olympics? Drum pounding, war drums, and Mullen plays patty-cake over Taiwan and North Korea?
Unbeleviable.
The American people are ignorant of all of this. In this case, the ignorance will be very costly.