Biden admin threatens response if China militarizes Solomon Islands (Page 148 of 151)
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For the second block, here are the two most interesting stories Taiwan military deploys troops to Xiaoliuqiu for first time Fourth Theater Command sets up forward combat outpost TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan's Fourth Theater Command deployed troops to Xiaoliuqiu for the first time on Thursday to test cross-sea mobility during the Han Kuang 42 exercise. On the second day of the exercise, the command transported personnel, weapons, equipment, and supplies by sea to the island, CNA reported. Troops then quickly established a forward combat outpost, testing cross-sea mobility and strengthening early warning and overall defense resilience. The command said troops moved into tactical positions after landing in accordance with operational plans and constructed defensive fortifications, according to Liberty Times. They strengthened air defense warning and counter-drone measures while continuing to monitor surrounding waters and airspace using drones and other surveillance and reconnaissance equipment. The command said Xiaoliuqiu's location allows effective monitoring of nearby waters, ports, and shipping lanes, per Liberty Times. By integrating offshore defense with the overall defense plan, the drill tested command and control capabilities and rapid response. This year's exercise follows a continuous scenario format to strengthen troops' ability to respond under realistic battlefield conditions. Elsewhere, the Fifth Theater Command carried out a pre-dawn maneuver mission, deploying M60A3 tanks and CM33 armored vehicles to preserve combat power under simulated threats, per CNA. The Third Theater Command conducted port protection drills in Keelung, simulating enemy special forces attempting to infiltrate and seize control of the port. CM32 and CM34 Clouded Leopard armored vehicles and troops were deployed, using 30 mm cannons and T91 rifles to neutralize the simulated enemy and secure the port, CNA said. The Second Theater Command staged port defense drills at Hualien Harbor, simulating enemy forces attempting to breach the port and seize critical facilities. Units rapidly deployed to tactical positions to conduct perimeter security, target searches, and firepower deployment. Attached File Not a lot of meat to the story, and "it's the first time" doesn't seem like much except for in the context of Taiwan's recent history. What the Taiwanese are doing now, is not something that the Republic of China has done in decades going back to WWII. The KMT used the military in the same manner that most South American governments use their military: for internal use only. This is quite the transformation and all of it within the time frame of this thread. We've had a front row seat here! Next story just highlights that Speaker Han, OG KMT, is meeting with Michael McCaul and not Mistress Cheng. Can't say why, but from the outside it certainly highlights the factions in the KMT. Han Kuo-yu thanks US Congress for backing Taiwan Legislative speaker meets with Michael McCaul TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu ( ) expressed gratitude to the US Congress for supporting Taiwan on Wednesday. During a meeting with US Representative Michael McCaul, Han said Congress has maintained bipartisan support for Taiwan over the years and helped Taiwan strengthen its self-defense capabilities through concrete actions, according to the Legislative Yuan. Its support has helped uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, Han said. The speaker also thanked McCaul for his contributions to strengthening Taiwan-US relations. Han said the Legislative Yuan is advancing drone legislation and expressed hope that Taiwan and the US will deepen cooperation in areas including drones, advanced technologies, and supply chain resilience. He pointed out that the Legislative Yuan completed reviews of the national defense special act and special budget in May. McCaul arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for talks with top government officials. He also delivered a keynote speech at the Ketagalan Forum, reaffirming that US policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged. He pledged that US arms sales to Taiwan would continue. On Tuesday, McCaul received the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon from President Lai Ching-te ( ) for his efforts to bolster the Taiwan-US partnership. Last one is for us; it's great news, but unrelated to the thread: Department of War taps Virginia Tech, UNC Chapel Hill to train senior military officers Secretary Hegseth shifts toward schools with 'American values' This new development follows Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's decision earlier this year to sever ties with several elite universities. In a February 2026 memo, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stressed the need for SSCFs and similar programs to align with "American values." This will "better prepare them for the complexities of modern warfare and return our Force to [its] original purpose," the memo states. The memo announced the cancellation of various SSCF programs at Ivy League and similar institutions like Harvard and Princeton. It also provided a potential list for future colleges to partner with, including UNC and VT. In an earlier February 2026 memo, Hegseth cancelled all graduate-level fellowships and programs between his alma mater, Harvard University, and the Department of War. In the memo, Hegseth cited Harvard as "a prime example of what was once a world-leading university becoming an institution that fails to encourage open inquiry and debate." This development echoes a broader clash between the Department of War and elite schools, which are traditionally in lockstep regarding coordination and recruitment. "For decades, the Ivy League and similar institutions have gorged themselves on a trust fund of American taxpayer dollars only to become factories of anti-American resentment and military disdain," Hegseth said in a video posted to X. He added that universities have become "woke breeding grounds of toxic indoctrination." |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/trump-host-mining-ceos-administration-seeks-minerals-defense-supply-chains-2026-08-07/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
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First!!!! A few announcements!! There's another typhoon on the way and it's passing to the North of Taiwan and will fuck up China again: Taiwan issues sea warnings for Typhoon Dolphin Next we have an update on the China Unification Party story that we've been following for well over a year. It's one step closer to happening!! Ministry of Interior applies to dissolve pro-China unification party in Taiwan No need to read either story as the headlines contain the meat of the stories. Next story is a propaganda story coming from the BBC China, so none of us will be surprised by the complete and utter bullshit it is!!!!! (Until I'm proven wrong!) Japan softens Taiwan Strait wording but keeps China threat focus Scholars say Tokyo removed provocative language while maintaining security concerns TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Japan's Defense of Japan white paper removed wording linking Taiwan Strait stability to Japan's security, but scholars said Tokyo has not softened its China threat assessment. Japan's Ministry of Defense's report maintained its assessment that China represents Japan's "unprecedented and greatest strategic challenge," per CNA. It also warned that Beijing has intensified military activities around Taiwan in recent years and is attempting to normalize such activities while improving its military capabilities. BBC Chinese reported that the latest version kept the statement that "stability in the Taiwan Strait is important to the stability of the international community" but removed the reference to Japan's security. The change has raised questions over whether Tokyo is adjusting its Taiwan policy after Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's previous remarks on a possible "Taiwan contingency." Hung Yao-nan ( ), an assistant professor at Tamkang University's Department of Diplomacy and International Relations, said the wording change reflects a bureaucratic effort to reduce political friction with Beijing while maintaining Japan's security assessment, CNA reported. He said Tokyo removed phrases that China could directly cite for criticism but kept its broader operational analysis of regional threats. He added that last year's reference to Taiwan Strait peace and stability being a concern for "the entire international community, including Japan" was also revised to say it concerns "not only the Indo-Pacific region, but the entire international community." Hung said the changes show Japan has removed itself as the direct subject of Taiwan Strait discussions and indicate that Tokyo has downplayed China-related security risks. Tsai Hsi-hsun ( ), a professor at Tamkang University's Department of Global Political Economy, said it would be an overreaction to conclude that Japan-Taiwan relations have shifted because of the wording changes, CNA reported. He noted that the white paper still refers to cooperation with allies and like-minded countries. Tsai said Taiwan-Japan security cooperation has entered a new stage, with potential collaboration in areas including AI, drones, and electromagnetic warfare. First, no one knows if the phrase was in there to begin. Second, using BBC China, the CCP is taking a victory lap because there's no reference to Japan's security in case Taiwan is attacked. The way this propaganda works is that if the offending word or words are in a statement, here comes the vitriol! If the offending word or words are not there, here comes the accusation of moral cowardice which is what BBC China is saying. The next thing is that BBC in the UK knows that there are typically two "white papers" produced: one public; one classified. One would think that since the BBC knows, and BBC America knows this, and even BBC Kids knows this, but apparently BBC China doesn't know it at all. This reflects poorly on the BBC management. More Chinese news: Taiwan teacher held in China for 80 days Straits Exchange Foundation says detained for religious reasons TAIPEI (Taiwan News) A Taiwanese teacher with links to the Yiguandao ( ) religious movement has been detained in China for 80 days, the Straits Exchange Foundation said Friday. He had been teaching in China for more than 10 years, but in late May he was suddenly taken away by local public security officials, per Liberty Times. His relatives alerted the authorities in Taiwan in June, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia ( ) told a news conference Friday. The foundation contacted China within a week after being informed, but two months later, there was still no response, he said. The teacher's religion was the cause for him being suspected of activities damaging to China's national security, according to Luo. He said two other teachers had been questioned at the same time, but they had been allowed to leave, the Liberty Times reported. Luo called on China to respect past agreements, including the duty to inform the other side when a citizen is detained. He added the latest case should make Taiwanese more aware of the risks of working in China due to the differences in legal systems. The foundation recently warned of an increase in the number of Taiwanese detained for religious reasons. Last story in this block: China Punishes U.S. Companies After Being Called Out for Slavery The Chinese Communist government announced "countermeasures" on Wednesday against the U.S. designation of more Chinese entities under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). China denounced the U.S. listings as "illegal," without addressing the actual issue of slave labor extracted from oppressed minorities like the Uyghurs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added 43 more Chinese companies to the list of entities presumed to use slavery last Friday. The affected industries included apparel, agriculture, and aluminum. "The American worker must not be undercut and cheated by foreign companies that use slave labor. Our job is to defend the Homeland, and that includes protecting our citizens from unfair competition that not only disadvantages Americans, but harms human dignity," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said when announcing the expanded list. China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) responded on Wednesday with: countermeasures that include strengthening export controls on dual-use items related to UAVs and their key components and technologies to the US; placing six US entities on the countermeasure list for 'assisting and supporting the US in imposing illegal sanctions related to China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region'; placing a US compliance testing company on the countermeasure list; and initiating a national security investigation into the import of printing and copying office equipment. "China has decided to strengthen export controls on drone-related dual-use items to the US, in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation," MOFCOM added. The six U.S. companies targeted for assisting the "illegal" anti-slavery sanctions included Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., Stratum Reservoir, LLC, Altana Technologies, Inc., the Responsible Business Alliance, Verite Group, Inc., and Human Rights in China. Instead of addressing China's horrific use of slave labor, MOFCOM accused the U.S. of "seriously violating international law and the basic norms governing international relations and gravely infringing upon China's sovereignty, security and development interests." The U.S. has already banned importation of some of the products China supposedly restricted with its "countermeasures," including many Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). China's sanctions against U.S. companies that perform compliance testing could have more bite. China's State Administration for Market Regulation banned U.S. firms from conducting follow-up factory inspections for the China Compulsory Certification system (CCC), a regime of mandatory safety inspections. Under the new rules, American electronics manufacturers will be required to hire non-American auditors and subcontractors to meet CCC standards. CNBC described China's actions on Wednesday as its "broadest package of trade countermeasures since last October's truce," and part of China's effort to set the stage for dictator Xi Jinping's planned visit to Washington in September. The Chinese countermeasures seem designed to increase compliance costs on American exporters, and to mirror some of the restrictions the United States has placed on Chinese technology due to security concerns. "Both sides are attempting to come up with new approaches, new sanctions, new limitations, where they can then potentially horse trade," Z-Ben Advisors founder and managing director Peter Alexander told CNBC. Alexander predicted some of the sanctions and restrictions on both sides would be "ironed out" by the time Xi makes his trip to Washington, and both parties would generally strive to maintain the trade "truce" they reached during Xi's meeting with President Donald Trump in South Korea last year. Typically, though, it entails restriction of movement with in China and leaving China. Restrictions on banking, etc., and using the service economy i.e. restaurants, etc. Usually the same types of restrictions that Democrats imposed on us during the time of Covid. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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The next story is another first as we've never seen foreign governments talk about a Taiwanese military exercise before: Foreign offices share information on Taiwan's resilience drills US, Japan, EU and other international offices share what to expect TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Ten foreign representative offices have shared information about the country's ongoing urban resilience and defense mobilization drills, National Security Council deputy secretary-general Lin Fei-fan ( ) said Friday. The drills are part of President Lai Ching-te's ( ) efforts to strengthen defense readiness. Two-day city and county resilience drills are being held between April and August across 11 jurisdictions, while a nationwide air raid exercise divided into five regions will run from Friday to Aug. 13, according to Business Weekly. The offices of the US, Japan, the UK, Singapore, the European Union, Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Czech Republic have shared related information through their websites or social media platforms, according to RTI. The American Institute in Taiwan launched a series of "Resilient Taiwan" posts on Facebook, highlighting that disaster and crisis response cannot be built through government efforts alone but requires participation from all levels of society. It said preparedness must be developed "one person and one skill at a time." The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association published guidance on the drills, urging the public to stay calm during air raid alerts and follow official instructions. Representative offices from the UK, Singapore, the EU, Australia, and France also shared information on drill details. The offices of the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Czech Republic highlighted the planned mobile internet restriction exercise. The measure will temporarily slow mobile internet services in central and northern Taiwan next week. Minister without portfolio Chi Lien-cheng ( ) said Taiwan's main security challenge is its geographic proximity to China, which lies across the Taiwan Strait. He said defense ultimately depends on self-reliance and noted that public awareness of this reality has been increasing, according to Reuters. However, Chi said gaps remain in Taiwan's preparedness, and available resources may not be sufficient in a real emergency. He said continued drills are needed to improve coordination among the central government, local governments, and civil society, while identifying problems and strengthening future responses. Lin said Taiwan's resilience efforts are intended to show that any potential conflict would involve significant costs and uncertainty. Such uncertainty could lead potential adversaries to reconsider military action, he added. And then here's a story about another budget cut!! Taiwan's road safety programs face budget cuts Cho calls for investment as government works toward 2030 pedestrian safety targets TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan remains behind schedule in meeting its road safety goals, Premier Cho Jung-tai ( ) said, urging lawmakers not to cut funding for related safety programs. His remarks came as ruling and opposition legislative caucuses completed a second round of negotiations over the central government's 2026 budget on Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to decide next week whether to sign off on the negotiated outcome or proceed with a third round of talks, according to CTEE and CNA. Several budget items related to pedestrian and road safety have been proposed for cuts, despite the government's long-term road safety goals. Taiwan aims to reduce pedestrian deaths by half from 2023 levels by 2030 and achieve zero road traffic fatalities by 2050. I guess they'll stop letting women drive!! a sexist would say! Cho said data collected so far this year shows pedestrian deaths have fallen 22% from the 2023 baseline, while overall traffic fatalities are down 14%. However, he said progress remains below the pace needed to meet the government's targets. Taiwan began implementing new pedestrian safety infrastructure standards in 2024. The government has allocated a total of NT$40 billion (US$1.2 billion) between 2024 and 2027 to help local governments improve pedestrian facilities. The program involves cooperation across government agencies to redesign and upgrade high-risk intersections. More than 900 high-risk intersections have been upgraded this year, with additional projects planned. Cho said continued investment is essential to maintaining these improvements, but several road safety-related budget items are facing cuts during the budget review. One proposal would cut NT$20 million from funding for public works quality and road construction inspections, leaving about 20% of the originally proposed budget. Lawmakers have also proposed eliminating the entire NT$8.1 million budget for maintaining the government's road information website. Another proposal would cut nearly half of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' NT$95 million allocation for road safety campaigns. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Originally Posted By zoinks: Just to add another video!!!!!! This goes with the story above where the PRC is changing the exit rules on 15SEP this year. This is China Uncensored, and Chris has a slightly different take that I didn't think of:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNu4VW3hCMELess than 6 minutes. Might as well as this story tonight: Taiwan Coast Guard expels four Chinese ships near Kinmen The Taiwanese didn't have the story yet, but with the start of the Han Kuang exercise, Kinmen Island was doing their live fire portion today. and we might as well do a Pffffft Report. The Sorties today surrounded Taiwan probably due to the Han Kuang Exercise. It's a pattern we've seen before, and it was all done in the daylight, so very easy to see. PLA Activities 2026.08.06 Issuing Authority Political Warfare Bureau https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/1737/1_jpg-3806747.JPG ETA: I found one more video on the change in the Exit law of China. this video presents a far more dire picture of what's going on inside China. First 8 minutes give a pretty good overview of what's happening to the everyday non-party member folk. The next section covers the law itself and how vague and ultimately arbitrary and capricious it is. Next section around 16 minutes or so talks about what I thought the purpose of the law was which is a forced repatriation and forced "patriation" with hostages to keep you in China. At the 21 minute mark, the narrator brings in the fact that the real estate market has collapsed so much that the CCP is looking for money wherever they can find it...with taxation schemes the Democrats are you using here!!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozXDWf-PpGQETA: I even quoted my spelling mistake to point it out!! dum dum dum dum Originally Posted By zoinks: Just to add another video!!!!!! This goes with the story above where the PRC is changing the exit rules on 15SEP this year. This is China Uncensored, and Chris has a slightly different take that I didn't think of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNu4VW3hCMELess than 6 minutes. Might as well as this story tonight: Taiwan Coast Guard expels four Chinese ships near Kinmen Four Chinese coast guard ships leave restricted waters after warnings TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Coast Guard expelled four Chinese coast guard ships from restricted waters near Kinmen on Wednesday after they entered the area during what China called a law enforcement patrol. CNA reported that the Coast Guard Administration said the four Chinese vessels approached Kinmen's restricted waters. Taiwan sent patrol boats to monitor them and respond if they entered the area. The Chinese ships entered restricted waters south of Lieyu. Taiwan's patrol boats followed each vessel and issued warnings to leave the area. Taiwanese patrol boats also maneuvered at close range to prevent the ships from moving farther into the area. All four Chinese vessels eventually left restricted waters, per TVBS News. The Coast Guard said Chinese vessels have repeatedly entered restricted and prohibited waters around Kinmen while describing the operations as law enforcement patrols. It said China was using coast guard activity as gray-zone pressure to create the impression that it exercises jurisdiction over the area. The agency said the restricted and prohibited waters around Kinmen are under Taiwan's legal jurisdiction. It said it would continue enforcing the law to protect the country's sovereignty and maritime security, per TTV News. and we might as well do a Pffffft Report. The Sorties today surrounded Taiwan probably due to the Han Kuang Exercise. It's a pattern we've seen before, and it was all done in the daylight, so very easy to see. PLA Activities 2026.08.06 Issuing Authority Political Warfare Bureau 1.Date 6 a.m. Aug. 4 (Tue.) to 6 a.m. Aug. 5 (Wed.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities 14 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN ships and 7 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 out of 14 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. ETA: I found one more video on the change in the Exit law of China. this video presents a far more dire picture of what's going on inside China. First 8 minutes give a pretty good overview of what's happening to the everyday non-party member folk. The next section covers the law itself and how vague and ultimately arbitrary and capricious it is. Next section around 16 minutes or so talks about what I thought the purpose of the law was which is a forced repatriation and forced "patriation" with hostages to keep you in China. At the 21 minute mark, the narrator brings in the fact that the real estate market has collapsed so much that the CCP is looking for money wherever they can find it...with taxation schemes the Democrats are you using here!!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozXDWf-PpGQETA: I even quoted my spelling mistake to point it out!! dum dum dum dum And that "thought" was this: What if China's "Ethnic Unity" Law was China's attempt to stop Chinese citizens from establishing US citizenship to get away from the CCP?????? That's not good! In fact, it's bad. You read that here first! Here's a very good write up about Trump's two new executive orders to reduce "birth-right citizenship" in case you want to read it: Trump Moves To Shut Down Birth Tourism Industry After SCOTUS Affirmed Squatter Citizenship It's a very good write up with plenty of details to make things very understandable. However, there are no pictures. (sad smilie face here) |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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This morning we start off with another power play by the Chinese who I guess are taking a page from the Iranians: China's Taiwan Strait traffic controls described as 'utterly ridiculous' Taipei says Beijing's announcement of traffic-control measures ahead of Typhoon Dolphin breaks international rules TAIPEI (Taiwan News) China's attempt to impose traffic-control measures on ships entering the Taiwan Strait during Typhoon Dolphin was described as "utterly ridiculous" by the Mainland Affairs Council on Friday evening. MAC asserted that Beijing has no authority to restrict navigation in international waters, per The Straits Times. China's state media reportedly said Wednesday that vessels traveling north through the southern entrance of the strait would have to follow traffic-control measures beginning Thursday night. Ships were instructed to move to safe waters, shelter from the storm and comply with directions from maritime authorities. "The unreasonable and crude statement by the relevant Chinese communist departments reflects an ignorance, disregard, and trampling of international order and norms. It is utterly ridiculous," MAC said in its statement, carried by Straits Times. "Taiwan's affairs need no meddling from the Chinese communists." The Coast Guard Administration, meanwhile, reportedly said the Taiwan Strait is international waters outside territorial limits and that China has no right to impose traffic controls there. It urged merchant and cargo vessels to disregard any Chinese radio instructions and immediately report possible interference. The Coast Guard said it had not detected any unusual movements by Chinese vessels and had received no reports from shipping companies of interference with their communications, per Reuters. It said it would continue monitoring waters around Taiwan and take measures to protect safety and freedom of navigation. The dispute comes as Typhoon Dolphin moved westward through waters north of Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning Friday afternoon, forecasting strong swells along the northern and eastern coasts and heavy rain in mountainous areas of northern and central Taiwan. Shame on you, China!! My word! Finally some good news on the diplomatic front: Taiwan will attend Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau Forum official describes Taiwan as important partner TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan will attend the Pacific Islands Forum summit in diplomatic ally Palau next month, reports said Saturday. An official above the rank of deputy minister will lead the delegation to the Aug. 30-Sept. 4 event, per Liberty Times. Taiwan acquired the status of development partner of the forum in 1993, but last year, it was not invited by the summit host the Solomon Islands, while China was present. Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa reportedly described Taiwan as an important partner, adding that it would be able to attend this year's summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan will continue to deepen collaboration with forum members. Details about the Taiwan delegation and its activities at the summit will be revealed at an appropriate time, per Liberty Times. Taiwan donated NT$63.68 million (US$2 million) to the Pacific Islands Forum in July. The sum was a contribution to the group's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. Here's another story coming out of Africa. It's the second one of its type: Taiwanese travelers meet with visa problems in Uganda Entebbe Airport authorities confiscate passport of Taiwanese resident TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Uganda confiscated the passport of a Taiwanese resident at the airport and sent another tourist back home, refusing him entry into the country, reports said Saturday. Both incidents occurred at the East African country's Entebbe Airport earlier this month, per UDN. Immigration officials cited a "new policy" as the reason for the treatment of the Taiwanese. The Taiwanese man who had his passport confiscated, had been working in Uganda with a valid work permit, Liberty Times reported. The confiscation happened as he arrived at Entebbe on a domestic flight. His passport has still not been returned, the report said. The incidents led to travel agencies in Taiwan postponing trips scheduled for September to at least April next year, per UDN. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had contacted the Taiwan office in Somaliland and the association of Taiwanese business people in Uganda to provide assistance. On June 2, Taiwan started implementing entry restrictions for visitors from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda due to an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the country. The measures were valid for 90 days. There was no immediate statement about any link between the incidents at Entebbe Airport and the Ebola measures or pressure from China. Uganda is the second African country making travel difficult for Taiwanese, after Morocco announced in July it would no longer process visa applications from Taiwanese travelers at its embassy in Japan. Taiwan responded by suspending most visa requests by Moroccan nationals from July 30. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Security!! Former Taiwan missile operator sentenced for leaking Hsiung Feng II manuals to China Former Hai Feng soldier recruited through retired servicemember to provide military documents to Chinese contact TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Former Hai Feng Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile Group soldier Tsai ( ) was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison for leaking operating manuals for the Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile to a Chinese intelligence contact. The prosecution said a Chinese People's Armed Police Force intelligence officer using the aliases "Chuting" and "Tiying" contacted retired Navy servicemember Lin ( ) while posing as an Epoch Times journalist based in Hong Kong, per CNA. Lin later introduced the woman to Tsai despite knowing she was a person dispatched by a foreign country or China, according to the prosecution. The prosecution said Lin asked Tsai to provide military secrets, telling him that payment could increase depending on the confidentiality of the information. Tsai then provided his personal information, military unit, and details of his duties through Lin, violating regulations, and received NT$8,000 (US$248) in return. Tsai later sent photographs of the Hsiung Feng II missile launcher vehicle operating manual and Hsiung Feng II deployment manuals to the Chinese contact, receiving an additional NT$30,000 in return, the prosecution said, per Liberty Times. Although the disclosed information was not classified as confidential, the prosecution argued that Tsai's actions still endangered national security and undermined military discipline, per UDN. It said Tsai had been entrusted with operating domestically produced defense equipment critical to Taiwan's security but betrayed the public's trust by providing military information to Chinese operatives. Tsai admitted to the charges in early July and asked the judge for a lighter sentence, saying he did not want his parents to worry, per ETtoday. He said he recognized his wrongdoing and regretted his actions. The court took into account Tsai's admission of guilt and the return of his illicit gains in handing down a sentence of two years and seven months in prison. The court also prohibited Tsai from holding public office for one year and six months. Another change since we've started this thread is the one dealing with the spying. When we first started, I thought the cases brought forth were jokes destined to go no where, and the number of cases overturned showed that. I don't know what happened, but "out of the blue", the cases got better and more to the point. Convictions went up, and overturns on appeal haven't happened lately. A few weeks ago, we had a story about Lai showing up to an exercise location and the opposition political parties went nuts over it. Let's see if it happens again, shall we: Lai inspects Kuang Hua IV missile boat in Kaohsiung President urges military to strengthen coordination and readiness TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) boarded a Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat Saturday to observe the Han Kuang 42 exercise in Kaohsiung. Lai visited the Navy's Zuoying Naval Base to observe the coastal defense portion of the live-fire exercise, per RTI. Accompanied by Defense Minister Wellington Koo ( ) and other officials, he boarded the No. 64 missile boat, which was undergoing pre-departure checks, per CNA. After receiving a briefing from the boat's captain, Lai addressed the crew over the vessel's public-address system. He said the crew had been ordered to leave port and conduct a coastal strike mission, reflecting the exercise's focus on responding to potential threats. Lai said Han Kuang uses troops, equipment, and operational environments to test battlefield responses and the military's ability to defend Taiwan, per RTI. He said the exercise would help identify areas for improvement in handling different scenarios. The president said his administration would continue strengthening national defense in response to external threats. He pledged full support for the armed forces while urging service members to improve coordination and teamwork. Lai said the military should maintain credible defense capabilities to protect Taiwan's sovereignty and the safety of its people. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
I just finished watching this: China's Air Force is Broken. Here's the supplied table of contents: 00:00 Introduction 01:15 By the Numbers 08:42 Freshly Unboxed 18:36 Unproven, Underwhelming 27:08 A Mismatched Force 37:29 Insidious Forces 42:58 Display Only? I thought it was pretty good; sort of long, so have a beverage available!! He provides a lot of details, and makes a multitude of assumptions, but you have to do that in this business as the Chinese lie about everything to begin with. For the most part, we've covered everything in the video over the last 4 and half years, so it's nice to have everything in one convenient spot. Where we differ is in the assumptions we've made as we've made fewer assumptions, but heavier assumptions based on experience with commies. For example, we say that the Chinese are in the fight in Myanmar to get that all precious experience, and when the Chinese went to Egypt for the "Eagles of Civilization" aerial exercise in 2025, that was to get next to an air force that has had combat experience against the Israelis who use American planes. But that's just us!!! I think this is my second video watching this guy, and I seem to remember posting his video on the Chinese fortifications on reclaimed underwater structures in the South China Sea. But that was under a different guise. I don't know who this guy is, but his voice sounds like he's been trained to speak on TV/Radio. Might be English, but sounds like he's losing his accent, or perhaps, he's not English, but that's who trained him to speak. His thumbnail image is on a lot of video titles whoever he is. It's a good video!! I can recommend it being watched by you!!!! |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Two blocks this morning and the first block has two very surprising stories. Damn near shocking! China sets up offshore wind turbine in Taiwan EEZ Haiyou Anlan wind turbine placed about 80 km from Dongsha Island TAIPEI (Taiwan News) China has placed another permanent structure in Taiwan's exclusive economic zone, Ingenispace COO Jason Wang and analysts Pei-Jhen Wu and Marvin Bernardo said in a Jamestown China Brief report published Thursday. In June, China National Offshore Oil Corporation installed its Haiyou Anlan offshore wind turbine, which is supported by a tension-leg platform. It is located approximately 80 kilometers from Taiwan's Dongsha Island, according to Ingenispace. The turbine began operations Friday. The offshore wind turbine is part of a larger network of existing Chinese semi-permanent oil and gas structures in the area north of Dongsha Island, a strategic Taiwanese military and maritime law enforcement base, Ingenispace said. The firm said the wind turbine strengthens China's anti-access/area-denial capabilities. Despite Taiwan's protests and demands that China halt construction and activities in the area, Beijing continues to operate there without hindrance from Taipei, per Ingenispace. "Taiwan's inability to prevent CNOOC's extractive industry only furthers the normalization of (China's) administrative control over disputed territory." China is steadily weakening Taiwan's control over its territory and resources while building infrastructure that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, Ingenispace said. China could use maritime structures such as floating turbines to extend its influence or as bases for "sensors, systems, and personnel especially in the context of unmanned systems warfare," Ingenispace said. A 16-megawatt wind turbine could generate enough power to support the launch of cheap, mass-produced Chinese drones toward Taiwan during a conflict, it added. The structures could also help Beijing justify and strengthen its territorial claims, according to Ingenispace. Ingenispace reported in September that China had placed 12 permanent and semi-permanent structures near Dongsha Island, including seven oil rig structures, three storage vessels, and two semi-submersible oil platforms. It later removed one rig, Nanhaierhao, and added several more in its place. The structures inside Taiwan's EEZ pose a threat to regional and global trade, the company said at the time. "Nearly 50% of trade goes through the major sea lanes Taiwan's EEZ protects." The Chinese military is rapidly developing underwater, surface, and aerial drones, aiming to use large swarms to overwhelm traditional defenses and disrupt enemy drone swarms, Ingenispace said. It is also improving its ability to track and potentially target key shipping routes, strengthening its end-to-end "kill web" capabilities. Countries including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam have protested encroaching Chinese oil rigs and other structures near their EEZs and have tried to counter Beijing's salami tactics, according to Ingenispace. China currently has more than 30 permanent structures in disputed waters in the Indo-Pacific, the company said. Ingenispace said that if countries along the First Island Chain do not work together to stop China from building more dual-use structures in their waters, Beijing will keep pushing forward. "More structures are already planned in the coming months, with some already under construction," it warned. Back in the real world, it seems that even China doesn't really trust their batteries if they're using their windmills, that aren't all that good, to power their systems. Plus Typhoon winds will close the wind mills down twice a year! Yeah, it's stupid, but the reason the Chinese do things like this is to produce "facts on the ground" as it were. It's not different than the reclamation projects South of Taiwan. Taiwan protests seating at Nagasaki peace ceremony Taiwan envoy to Japan skips event after delegation denied diplomatic seating TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan Representative to Japan Lee I-yang ( ) was absent from a ceremony commemorating the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Sunday after protesting seating arrangements that placed Taiwan's delegation outside the diplomatic section. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Japan said in a statement that Lee and Deputy Representatives Tsai Ming-yaw ( ) and Chou Shyue-yow ( ) did not attend the ceremony. Instead, TECO Fukuoka Office Director Chen Ming-chun ( ) was sent to represent Taiwan, according to LTN. Lee said Taiwan's commitment to peace and democracy is well known internationally, adding that many Taiwanese were among the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 81 years ago. "Taiwan deeply bears the tragedy of World War II and hopes to demonstrate its determination to pursue peace through participation in the peace memorial ceremony," Lee said. He noted that Taiwan was given its first opportunity to participate in the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony last year. However, the delegation was subjected to unfair treatment, with seating assigned in the international NGO section instead of the diplomatic corps. "Unfortunately, the Nagasaki city government's pro-China attitude was evident," Lee said. "Last year, Taiwan cherished this first opportunity to demonstrate its commitment and attended with humility but immediately issued a statement protesting the unfair treatment we received." Over the past year, several prominent pro-Taiwan Japanese lawmakers appealed to the Nagasaki City Government to improve its treatment of Taiwanese representatives, while TECO Fukuoka sought support from local councilors and nongovernmental organizations. Lee said those efforts failed to improve Taiwan's seating arrangements at this year's ceremony. He said the Nagasaki City Government's decision to exclude Taiwan's delegation from the diplomatic section deliberately disregarded Taiwan's sovereignty and dignity. Lee called the decision surprising given Taiwan's participation in various central and local events in Japan. At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony three days earlier, Taiwan's delegation was seated alongside representatives from Paraguay, the Holy See, Israel, India, and Armenia, according to the statement. "Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, not subordinate to China. China has never ruled Taiwan for a single day, and Taiwan has never been a part of China," he said. Lee also condemned what he called "the Nagasaki City Government's subservience to China's will, its belittling of Taiwan's national character, and its insult to Taiwan's dignity." He pointed to the close relationship between Taiwan and Japan in trade, tourism, and disaster relief, saying TSMC investment in its Kumamoto plant would bring economic benefits to the Kyushu region over the next decade, including Nagasaki, per LTN. Lee also criticized China for expanding its nuclear arsenal and conducting military exercises in the Indo-Pacific, saying Beijing is "the biggest disruptor of regional peace." He said the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony's calls for the "abolition of nuclear weapons" and the "pursuit of peace" should be understood in the context of China's military activities. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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I'm posting another "Mr. Lai goes to the military exercise" story: Lai visits Taoyuan to observe Han Kuang military exercise President inspects drills amid Typhoon Dolphin rain, winds TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) traveled to Taoyuan on Sunday, the fifth day and halfway point of the annual Han Kuang military exercise. Wearing a raincoat amid a heavy downpour and strong winds from Typhoon Dolphin's outer circulation, Lai inspected field exercises and received briefings on the deployment of firepower. He inspected key areas where the military would seek to destroy an opposing force, including beachheads and corridors designed to channel an adversary into areas optimized for defensive fire, per LTN. Upon arrival, Lai received a battlefield briefing from an observation platform. Military personnel used a tablet computer to explain tactical deployments and the status of the exercise, giving the president an overview of firepower deployment in the Taoyuan Central Combat Zone. Lai then visited an Avenger air defense system operated by the Army's 21st Artillery Command. Soldiers wearing digital camouflage uniforms and protective gear demonstrated the operation of the air defense missile system and tracking radar, showcasing their combat readiness and ability to respond to threats. Lai also provided additional funding for meals to recognize the soldiers' efforts during the exercise. Han Kuang 42 will conclude Friday. During the exercise, mobile network speeds will also be reduced for the first time in central and northern Taiwan as part of urban resilience drills, according to a Cabinet press release. The exercises aim to strengthen coordination among the central government, local governments, armed forces, and civil defense teams to improve Taiwan's overall resilience. Following the exercise, the armed forces will review the results to improve joint operational capabilities, strengthen resilience and combat readiness, deter potential enemy invasion, and safeguard national security. The military said the exercise is also intended to demonstrate Taiwan's resolve to maintain regional peace and stability through concrete action. Cabinet budget calls for defense spending to reach 3% of Taiwan's GDP Taiwan defense budget expected to exceed NT$1.1 trillion next year on higher government revenue TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan's Cabinet is expected to present its proposed central government budget for next year on Aug. 20, with defense spending projected to exceed NT$1.1 trillion (US$34.1 billion), or more than 3% of GDP, according to sources familiar with the matter. Next year's central government revenue is expected to exceed NT$3.8 trillion, a 35.7% increase from this year, while spending will exceed NT$3.6 trillion, a 20% increase, with both reaching record levels, per LTN. The government is not expected to require new borrowing next year, including to cover debt repayments. Spending on science and technology, major public construction projects, and social welfare is expected to increase significantly, while defense spending is also expected to reach a record level. Although the exact figures for next year's budget have not been finalized, analysts estimated that defense spending calculated according to NATO standards will exceed NT$1 trillion for the first time and could surpass NT$1.1 trillion. A special budget of about NT$240 billion is also expected next year, covering three major areas: strengthening Taiwan's resilience to international developments, enhancing asymmetric warfare capabilities, and developing autonomous unmanned vehicles for national defense. Special procurement programs for new fighter jets and enhanced naval and air capabilities expire this year and will be covered by the new special budget, per LTN. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics is expected to release its forecast for next year's GDP growth soon. If GDP growth reaches 10%, bringing the economy's total output to about NT$36.8 trillion, defense spending would rise significantly. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/addressing-the-four-tyrannies-of-the-pacific-to-keep-logistics-flowing/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
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The Typhoon is still going on, so not much news. At the end of the second block, there'll just be links because if you've been through one NBC exercise, you've pretty much been through them all!! But we're going to start of with "Fall out from Nagasaki!" (see what I did there????) DPP lawmakers warn against Taiwan-Japan fallout over Nagasaki seating dispute Legislators suggest Nagasaki may have faced pressure from China over Taiwan envoy's seating arrangement TAIPEI (Taiwan News) DPP Legislator Lin Chu-yin ( ) warned Monday that Taiwan-Japan relations should not deteriorate over what she described as Chinese interference, after Taiwan Representative to Japan Lee I-yang ( ) refused to attend a ceremony commemorating the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Sunday. Lee declined to participate in the ceremony, arguing that his assigned seating belittled Taiwan's national character and dignity. He alleged that the arrangement reflected what he described as the Nagasaki City Government's subservience to China's wishes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that although the seating arrangement, which was closer to the area for foreign dignitaries, was an improvement over the 2025 arrangement, there were still shortcomings, per NOWNews. The ministry expressed regret over the city government's handling of the matter but stressed that it still sent personnel to attend the ceremony. The Nagasaki City Government responded that the seating arrangement was the same as in 2025, per FTNN. The city government explained that Lee was assigned to an area that also accommodates dignitaries when the special guest area cannot accommodate them. The special guest area is reserved for foreign dignitaries and high-ranking officials. Commenting on the incident, Lin said Taiwan understands Nagasaki's handling of the situation in the face of pressure from China, per UDN. She emphasized that, as both are democratic nations, Taiwan and Japan should not allow a single incident to affect their broader relationship. DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung ( ) echoed Lin's assessment, saying that although Taiwan was compelled to lodge a protest, the seating dispute would not damage the relationship between the two countries, per ETtoday. DPP caucus official Chen Pei-yu ( ) said the difference in seating arrangements between the Hiroshima and Nagasaki peace ceremonies highlights the importance of democracy. KMT lawmaker and spokesperson Niu Hsu-ting ( ) praised Lee's handling of the incident, saying Taiwan should make clear to the international community that it should not be belittled, per Liberty Times. He said that if the government could not reach a mutual understanding with the event organizers, skipping the ceremony was an acceptable response. The All Japan Taiwanese Union issued a statement Sunday calling on the Nagasaki City Government to disclose the decision-making process behind the seating arrangement, per UDN. It also urged the city government not to bow to Chinese demands and to treat all participants in the ceremony equally. I guess the morale of the story is to just go to Hiroshima from now on. China Coast Guard is being problematic during the Typhoon. The Chinese are using the occasion to get their ships in close. Taiwan rejects Chinese monitoring of sheltering foreign vessels Ocean Affairs Council says emergency shelter should not challenge sovereignty TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Sung Cheng-en ( ) said China should not monitor foreign vessels taking shelter from storms as a way to challenge Taiwan's sovereignty, CNA reported Sunday. FTV News reported that a Chinese coast guard ship may have monitored a Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessel while it sheltered from Typhoon Podul west of Taiwan. Sung said the Central Mountain Range can shield vessels in those waters from strong typhoon winds. Taiwan allows vessels in distress to seek shelter and provides assistance regardless of nationality, Sung said. The Coast Guard also warns vessels about dangerous sea conditions and provides rescue support when needed. Taiwan has assisted Chinese vessels in distress on several occasions, including during Chinese military exercises around the country, Sung said. He said such assistance follows international humanitarian principles while the nation continues to defend its sovereignty and jurisdiction. Foreign government vessels may enter nearby waters for shelter only during genuine emergencies, Sung said. They are expected to leave once the storm passes, sea conditions improve, or mechanical problems are resolved, per Economic Daily News. Sung said vessels should use the Automatic Identification System or other communication channels to make clear that they are seeking emergency shelter. This allows Taiwan authorities to monitor the situation and provide assistance when necessary. Vessels seeking shelter must not engage in activities that threaten Taiwan's peace, public order, defense, or security, Sung said. He said there is a clear difference between entering nearby waters for safety and conducting operations that challenge Taiwan's jurisdiction. China should not use law enforcement operations, surveillance, or sailing alongside other vessels to dispute Taiwan's sovereignty and jurisdiction, Sung said. Emergency shelter should not be turned into a political issue, he added. The Coast Guard Administration said the foreign government vessels involved remained outside Taiwan's contiguous zone while sheltering from Typhoon Podul. They began leaving the area as the storm moved away, per Liberty Times. The difference here is if a foreign government vessels stops and drops anchor in the case of an emergency. Taiwan listed its procedures for this in the story. What Taiwan doesn't want is the Chinese there making trouble!! |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Taiwan Navy to procure new rescue ships Navy to buy 2 rescue ships, 1 submarine rescue vessel TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Navy plans to proceed with two rescue vessel procurement programs. The Navy will acquire two Dawu-class rescue ships between 2027 and 2033 for NT$21.8 billion (US$676 million), Liberty Times reported. Each ship measures approximately 87 meters in length, 15.5 meters in width, and has a draft of about 5 meters. The ships will each be equipped with a diving bell and a remotely operated vehicle capable of reaching depths of up to 500 meters. The Navy already has one Dawu-class ship in service. The ships will also have firefighting water cannons with a range of 120 meters that can switch between seawater and foam for tackling oil fires. A 100-ton towing winch at the stern can pull vessels weighing 100,000 tons. The Navy will also invest approximately NT$13.2 billion to construct a larger submarine rescue vessel between 2027 and 2033, according to Liberty Times. The ship is expected to measure about 112.86 meters in length, 20.5 meters in width, and have a draft of around 5.2 meters. It will be equipped to carry submarine rescue systems and conduct related operations. With these procurements, the Navy will expand its overall maritime rescue capacity and strengthen underwater rescue support for its submarine force. Taiwan Navy stockpiles 288 missiles for Coast Guard patrol ships Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles stored for wartime deployment TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Navy is storing 288 Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles for the Coast Guard Administration's Anping-class patrol ships. Since each of the 12 ships can carry 16 Hsiung Feng missiles, 192 are required to arm them fully, per Liberty Times. The Navy has stockpiled an additional 96 missiles for reloading, bringing the total to 288. They are stored in depots at controlled temperatures and humidity levels. The Anping vessels are based on the Navy's Tuo Chiang-class corvette. The vessels can reach speeds of up to 74 kilometers per hour to combat maritime crime and conduct search-and-rescue operations on the high seas during peacetime, Liberty Times reported. During wartime, each ship can be fitted with a tactical data link receiver, four four-cell missile launchers, and a simplified missile control console and fire control interface. Each ship can carry a mix of eight subsonic Hsiung Feng II missiles and eight supersonic Hsiung Feng III missiles. The final Anping-class patrol vessel, the Donggang, was unveiled in May. The 12 ships will later be integrated with the Navy's Tuo Chiang-class corvettes and land-based mobile missile units under the newly established Coastal Defense Command, Liberty Times said. Together, they will form a dense anti-ship missile network intended to make it difficult for enemy forces to penetrate. We have two drone stories in the fashion that we've had the drone stories in the past few months since the KMT cut drones of the budget with the election coming up, so yes, this is a big time election issue. Taiwan Matsu Defense Command expands drone capabilities Command uses drones for ISR, logistics support missions Taiwan details drone 'hellscape' progress Unmanned aerial drone, surface vessel fleets can buy soldiers response time Finally, we have this story which as far as I can recall, this is the first time they practiced a chemical attack and didn't let the weather stop them!!! Taiwan's Han Kuang exercise includes responding to chemical attack Annual wargames reach midpoint on Sunday The exercise was conducted despite the lingering effects of Typhoon Dolphin, which brought heavy, intermittent rain. Soldiers remained alert and ready for subsequent enemy attacks and also wore gas masks throughout decontamination procedures. 
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Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Guess what? We're starting off with Chinese Spies today!!!! Attached File nice dinghy/raft thingy!!! No idea what the wheel is for or if there's another one on the other side thus making that a small carriage. Photo is very low resolution, so I couldn't pull any brand names, but that's probably how the government wanted it!!! It being tied up as suck means that the former occupants were intending to use it again on the way out. Taiwan detains 2 Chinese a week after landing in rubber dinghy Radar operator assumed signal caused by waves TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Two Chinese were detained a week after they landed on a New Taipei beach in a rubber dinghy, reports said Tuesday. They arrived near Taipei Port in Bali District on July 23, per Liberty Times. Passersby discovered the dinghy the following day, noticing an oil barrel and food containers with inscriptions in the simplified characters used in China. After they reported the find to authorities, the Coast Guard Administration used surveillance cameras to track the two suspects. They were found and detained in Taoyuan on July 30, one week after they first landed in Taiwan, the report said. The Shilin District Court approved their detention. Because their arrival came shortly before the launch of the Han Kuang 42 military drills on Aug. 5, national security organizations paid close attention to the incident, Liberty Times reported. Bali's beaches and nearby Taipei Port are sensitive locations, with the area seen as one of the most likely sites for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Since last year, there have been 29 similar cases involving 71 people, with 61 detained on the spot. The Coast Guard Administration apologized for the latest incident and blamed the oversight on its radar operator. The dinghy had appeared on radar screens as a flickering dot, but the operator relied on his four years of experience to dismiss the signal as the result of strong waves. Standard operating procedures dictated that he should have alerted a superior to the anomaly and told local personnel to check the location. However, he never informed Coast Guard personnel in the field, missing a chance to find the suspects immediately. The Coast Guard said it would strengthen coastal patrols and observation at sea, using new methods including drones. Taiwan court sentences Chinese spouse to 7 years in prison Chinese officials told Xu Chunying to speak at TPP campaign events TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The New Taipei District Court on Tuesday sentenced Chinese spouse Xu Chunying ( ) to seven years in prison for offenses including violating the Anti-Infiltration Act by campaigning for election candidates on China's orders. Xu served as an official in the TPP and spoke on stage at rallies for Taipei mayoral candidate Huang Shan-shan ( ) and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je ( ), per Liberty Times. The court found her guilty of five offenses, also including fraud, irregular financial dealings, and helping a Chinese citizen enter Taiwan illegally. Xu frequently reported back to officials in China about the political situation in Taiwan and the activities of Chinese spouses, according to prosecutors. Chinese officials instructed her to play an active role in the campaigns for the 2022 local elections and the 2024 presidential and legislative elections. The investigation into her activities on behalf of China also uncovered illegal currency exchanges from 2020 to 2025, Liberty Times reported. She made NT$240,000 (US$7,400) from transactions in violation of the Banking Act, prosecutors said. They also accused her of obtaining the help of Chinese officials to claim she had renounced Chinese residency documents, allowing her to feature on a TPP list of legislative candidates in 2024. Her actions damaged public trust in Taiwan's democratic system, prosecutors said. The district court on Tuesday also sentenced Xu's daughter to one year in prison, suspended for four years, in a case involving a fraudulent NT$26.97 million loan. None of this was due to incompetence. It was due to lack of leadership and lack of Will. ETA: I should have qualified my above statement in some manner, so please accept my apology. Chinese spies are not very good! They do not compare well to the East German and Soviet spies from back in the day. Chinese spies are the WNBA compared to the NBA level Cuban spies. Chinese spies are not very good. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Lithuania is still being problematic with Taiwan. I'm beginning to wonder if they enjoy the attention: US lawmakers urge Lithuania to maintain Taiwan ties Congressional Taiwan Caucus pens letter to Lithuanian government TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Co-chairs of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus urged Lithuania to continue supporting Taiwan in a joint letter addressed to Lithuania's leaders and government officials. In the letter, published Monday, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ami Bera, Andy Barr, and Greg Stanton said that amid Chinese intimidation, the US and Lithuania have partnered to protect freedom and democracy in the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-Pacific. The two countries "have stood together to support a free and democratic Taiwan," they added. In February, China said it was willing to resume dialogue with Lithuania if it returned to the "one China principle." Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene told Baltic News Service earlier that month that her government had begun taking "small first steps" to restore relations with Beijing. She said Lithuania had misjudged the consequences of allowing Taiwan to open an office. The best the Chinese could do is to stop Lithuanian banks from being in China thus making it harder for the Chinese to hack into them, or not have Chinese factories steal Lithuanian IP. From what little know I know of LIthuania, they don't seem to be the type to want to have a weekly envelope dropped off by Win and Wang with further instructions. The lawmakers praised Lithuania's withdrawal from China's 17+1 framework in 2022 and its efforts to persuade other Baltic nations to follow suit. "Lithuania has always been a strong leader among the European Union countries in opposing autocratic influences," they said, citing the 2021 opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius. The lawmakers called on Lithuania "to consider the importance of maintaining relationships with those that share our democratic values." They pointed out that China is helping Russia's war effort against Ukraine. "For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to continue the courageous path of maintaining your substantive relationship with Taiwan, which has been a trusted and reliable partner of our respective countries for decades," they said. Taiwan and Lithuania resumed talks last month on an economic cooperation action plan following a change in government in Lithuania. Lithuania's foreign ministry said it is focused on bolstering economic cooperation with Taiwan and hopes to finalize the action plan as soon as possible, per Lithuania's LRT. Taiwan Envoy Constance Wang ( ) and Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidmantas Verbickas discussed the plan in April. The agreement covers semiconductors, the defense industry, technology, science and innovation, finance, agriculture, and cooperation projects in Ukraine. Taiwan foreign ministry hosts drone workshop with Czech Republic Event focuses on lessons from Ukraine war TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan and the Czech Republic held a joint drone workshop focused on lessons from the war in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday. The Aug. 3-7 event took place at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi County. The ministry said in a statement that it invited 22 experts to exchange views and demonstrate practical examples of drone use. The ministry's Drone Diplomacy Task Force, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the Institute of National Defense and Security Research, and the Czech Republic's Farpoint Academy were represented at the event. The workshop resulted from discussions between Drone Diplomacy Task Force Executive Director Chiang Zhen-wei ( ) and former Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova. On Sunday, Chiang and Adamova signed a memorandum of understanding paving the way for cooperation on talent training, supply chains, and the organization of international events. Taiwan's expertise in semiconductors and drones, as well as its emphasis on non-Chinese supply chains, demonstrates the country's importance and will help its cooperation with countries sharing similar values, Chiang said. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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We did the story from early last month about the KMT now wanting to shut down the Control Yuan after demanding that the Lai Admin submit candidates to it. I'm certain, almost, that the KMT has a plan, maybe. We can skip most of the arguments and positions over it other than the DPP long ago proposed to eliminate the Control Yuan and charge both the Legislative Yuan and the Judicial Yuan with almost all of its functions. Chen Yung-hsing cautions against freezing Control Yuan Control Yuan nominee says abolition would require public consensus TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Control Yuan nominee Chen Yung-hsing ( ) cautioned Tuesday against forcing the Control Yuan to shut down without constitutional amendments, warning that doing so could harm Taiwan's human rights protections and oversight of civil servants. During a legislative review of President Lai Ching-te's ( ) nominees to the Control Yuan, Chen noted that calls to abolish the oversight body or freeze its budget had increased since Lai announced his nominees, per Liberty Times. He compared the proposal to shutting down a hospital because of poor-quality medical services. DPP Legislator Lee Kun-cheng ( ) asked Chen about the possibility of the legislature freezing the Control Yuan's budget, per CNA. Chen said paralyzing the institution would be unreasonable and unconstitutional. Chen said abolishing the Control Yuan was not impossible but would require broad societal consensus. In the meantime, he said he would push for reforms, including establishing a Control Yuan spokesperson, inviting third parties to evaluate members' performance, creating an internal performance evaluation mechanism, securing additional funding for investigative work, promoting human rights education among civil servants, and establishing teams within the Control Yuan to work on constitutional amendments, per UDN. DPP lawmaker Lin Tai-hua ( ) questioned the necessity of the Control Yuan's National Human Rights Commission, noting that it can promote human rights policies but cannot implement them, per UDN. She also pointed to overlapping functions between the Control Yuan and internal oversight mechanisms under the Cabinet, including the Agency Against Corruption and government employee ethics units. Chen said the commission was established in response to UN human rights conventions and should take on more responsibilities beyond advocacy. Regarding the overlapping functions, he suggested that the Cabinet agencies could be consolidated and that the legislature could place their powers under the Control Yuan. Opposition lawmakers also questioned Chen about his personal political views. Citing Chen's pro-independence background, KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling ( ) asked whether he could pledge loyalty to the ROC Constitution, per Liberty Times. Chen said he could, adding that the ROC and Taiwan had combined to become a free and democratic state. He stressed that his duty would be to prevent China from taking over Taiwan. That answer burns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "...the ROC and Taiwan had combined...." This is while Mistress Cheng was running around saying "we're Chinese!!" Opposition lawmakers also questioned Chen is still in the burn ward, so if you can, send cards and flowers! Taiwan Military Police conduct urban defense drill on Taipei MRT Soldiers use MRT for rapid deployment, supply delivery TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan's Military Police Command conducted an exercise on Sunday in coordination with the Taipei City Government, Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, and Taipei City Police Department. Troops used the cover provided by underground MRT facilities and passages to move rapidly to designated positions, the Military News Agency reported. At the same time, logistics units used vehicles and the MRT system to carry out phased delivery of supplies, including food and ammunition. The exercise also introduced a "force awareness application suite," enabling commanders at all levels to monitor troop movements and battlefield information and issue operational orders in real time. The drill focused on the rapid deployment of personnel and materiel in response to enemy threats, using the underground MRT network to deploy troops and carry out logistical resupply missions, according to MNA. It also incorporated systems including a common operational picture and backup communications to enhance the resilience of urban defense operations. The exercise was conducted in line with requirements to strengthen urban defense resilience and implement civil-military integration. It incorporated simulated battlefield conditions to train units to integrate and maximize the use of existing public infrastructure and systems in support of defense missions. The Military Police Command said that amid an increasingly complex security environment, the armed forces must continue to refine training based on evolving threats and operational scenarios. It must also find ways to effectively integrate military, government, and civilian resources to enhance overall defense capabilities. So let it be written; so let it be done This is a typical "rah-rah" piece we'd find in, well, what we'd used to find in military.com or Stars and Stripes before they both turned into the Guardian: Taiwan carries out anti-airborne assault drill Troops simulate drone strikes, clearing operations against enemy special forces TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Fifth Theater Command conducted an anti-airborne assault drill on Tuesday as part of the military's Han Kuang 42 live-troop exercise. The command first simulated reports from special forces soldiers observing enemy activity and requesting fire support, Liberty Times reported. Units quickly identified the strength of enemy special forces and their landing coordinates using reconnaissance drones and later carried out drone strikes. Following fire allocation by the Joint Firepower Coordination Center, psychological operations (psyops) broadcast vehicles and CM-34 infantry fighting vehicles were dispatched to the objective area, Liberty Times said. The psyops vehicles broadcast deterrent messages to undermine the enemy's will to fight. Meanwhile, troops dismounted from the infantry fighting vehicles to conduct clearing operations and engage the enemy. The realistic drill aimed to sharpen troops' combat skills and tactical application, as well as strengthen engagement procedures and defensive combat concepts, per Liberty Times. I don't know how effective psyops are going to be on "enemy special forces" "to undermine the enemy's will to fight" when they're pretty much chosen because they can totally ignore things like "The Statue of Liberty is kaput." On the other hand, Asian armies have been doing such a thing for thousands of years, and it can't hurt!! |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| https://breakingdefense.com/2026/08/army-needs-comprehensive-missile-defeat-strategy-to-address-air-defense-challenges/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
| https://asia.nikkei.com/business/aerospace-defense-industries/japan-to-integrate-cybersecurity-into-air-defense-radar-fighter-jets |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
| https://breakingdefense.com/2026/08/boeing-northrop-unveil-low-cost-intercept-tech/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
|
The "news" overall is heavily "defense" related with a few political news items in there, but I did not understand the issues other than Side A says Side B is not doing what it said it was going to do, or Side B accuses Side A of not being truthful to the voters, etc., etc. So, today in political news, it's only what I could understand!! Cabinet proposes more defense and welfare spending in supplementary budget Government considers billions in additional funding as 2026 budget remains pending TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Cabinet is considering additional spending on defense, welfare benefits, public-sector allowances, and price stabilization in a supplementary budget, CNA reported Wednesday. The central government budget for 2026 is still under review in the legislature. The Cabinet said it will finalize the supplementary budget after lawmakers complete the review. Planned spending includes higher payments for elderly farmers, national pension recipients, and six welfare programs. The government also plans to increase professional and supervisory allowances for military personnel, civil servants, and public school teachers. Professional and supervisory allowances would each rise by NT$2,000 (US$62.09) per month. The increases would require about NT$11.2 billion in additional spending this year. The monthly allowance for elderly farmers would increase from NT$8,110 to NT$10,000. Income eligibility rules would also be relaxed, while a new adjustment mechanism would take effect when the consumer price index reaches 3%. More than 530,000 elderly farmers are expected to benefit from the changes. The government estimates they would require an additional NT$12.9 billion this year. National pension payments would also increase to NT$5,000, benefiting more than 1.76 million people. The program is expected to cost NT$86 billion annually, including NT$16.98 billion from the 2026 supplementary budget. Another NT$6.59 billion would be used to increase six categories of welfare payments. Recipients include people with disabilities, low-income households, and disadvantaged children and teenagers, UDN reported. The Cabinet is also considering additional defense spending, though the amount has not been decided. The legislature recently approved a NT$780 billion special defense program, down from the Cabinet's original NT$1.25 trillion proposal. The Cabinet has separately proposed a NT$210 billion special budget for domestically developed unmanned vehicles. Together, the two programs total NT$990 billion, NT$260 billion less than the Cabinet's original defense proposal. CNA reported that other ministries may request additional funding before the supplementary budget is finalized. The final amount will depend on completion of the 2026 budget review and further discussions among government agencies. Han blasts KMT's Fu Kun-chi for repeatedly skipping Taiwan budget negotiations Fu has skipped talks five times as more than 1,000 proposals remain unresolved TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu ( ) on Tuesday criticized KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi ( ) for repeatedly skipping talks on the 2026 central government budget, SETN reported. Allow me to interrupt here to remind you, gentle reader, that Fu is in the Mistress Cheng faction and has tried twice to depose of Han, who is an OG KMT party member and retired General. OG refers back to "we kill commies." Speaking while chairing the third round of budget negotiations, Han criticized Fu for missing the talks for the fifth time. He said Fu also refused to authorize KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang ( ) to negotiate on his behalf. Han questioned why Fu continued to serve as caucus whip if he would neither attend the talks nor authorize another KMT official to negotiate. He said Fu had three choices: attend the negotiations himself, authorize Lin to represent the caucus, or resign from the position. Han also complained that the legislature had extended its session until the end of August to complete unfinished work, but the budget negotiations were still making little progress. He said lawmakers could not tell the public they were extending the session and then fail to accomplish anything, per CNA. The dispute comes as the legislature is still reviewing the central government budget for 2026, which would normally have been approved in the second half of last year. NPP Chair Wang Wan-yu ( ) said more than 1,000 budget proposals remained unresolved after committee reviews. Under legislative procedure, Han must call cross-party negotiations to settle disputed proposals before they go to votes on the legislative floor. If the parties cannot reach agreements, lawmakers could be required to vote separately on more than 1,000 proposals, per UDN. Wang said previous negotiations had stalled because Fu either did not attend or refused to authorize another KMT representative to make decisions. She said this left many KMT proposals unresolved and contributed to the continuing delay. She warned that the Cabinet is expected to submit the central government budget for 2027 later this month. If lawmakers have not completed the 2026 budget by then, they could be reviewing budgets for two different years at the same time, per EBC News. Wang criticized the opposition for what she described as wasting legislative time rather than carrying out effective oversight. She said the prolonged delay risked becoming an embarrassing moment for Taiwan's democratic system. Foreign ministry condemns planned Chinese drill near Taiwan's eastern waters China announces joint naval navigation exercise with Indonesia TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The foreign ministry on Wednesday condemned a planned Chinese military exercise in waters east of Taiwan scheduled later this month. The ministry said in a statement that China has once again disregarded "international norms and responsibilities" and escalated regional tensions. The ministry added that it asked Indonesia and other "relevant parties" to clarify the situation. The ministry said that China is the only party near the First Island Chain to be "engaging in such malicious, provocative, and irresponsible unilateral actions that bring instability and threats to the region." It pledged to continue defending Taiwan's territory and safeguard its "sovereign rights in its eastern waters." It also vowed to cooperate with regional partners to maintain freedom of navigation and regional security. The Chinese defense ministry said on Tuesday that it would conduct "a naval navigation exercise" that includes "communications exercises and maritime replenishment operations." It said "the exercise aims to enhance the two navies' joint operational capabilities, deepen practical cooperation and maintain peace and stability in the region. The planned exercise follows an increase in Chinese gray zone and military activities near Taiwan's eastern waters. In late July, Chinese coast guard vessels, the Xiushan and Chongming, were found 280 kilometers and 80 km east of Lanyu, respectively. The Chinese coast guard claimed they were conducting a routine law enforcement mission. In early June, five Chinese government vessels operating off eastern Taiwan broadcast false radio messages asserting jurisdiction to passing merchant ships. The vessels contacted three passing merchant ships to request information such as ports of departure and destination and crew numbers. Taiwan Coast Guard vessels responded by warning the ships that China was breaching international law and that there was no need to respond. National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu ( ) said in July that China has deployed more than 110 military and coast guard ships along the First Island Chain, which is a record. China's "massive military mobilization" along the First Island Chain is a clear sign of its expansionism, Wu said. Taiwan is currently carrying out its 10-day Han Kuang exercise. Part of the exercise will assess whether Taiwan can keep key shipping routes open and safely deliver essential supplies. The Navy and Coast Guard will hold joint live-fire drills, including coastal defense operations, maritime law enforcement, and protection of supply ships. China, Indonesia to conduct naval navigation exercise in waters east of Taiwan Island BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Indonesian navies will conduct a naval navigation exercise in waters east of China's Taiwan Island in mid-August, China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Tuesday. During the exercise, frigates of the two navies will carry out a series of drills, including communications exercises and maritime replenishment operations. The exercise aims to enhance the two navies' joint operational capabilities, deepen practical cooperation and maintain peace and stability in the region, according to the Chinese defense ministry. Attached File |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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For defense related news, there are a bunch of firsts going on, but we start with an update on a story we started a number of weeks ago: Taiwan tests wartime arms production TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Armaments Bureau's Production and Manufacturing Center activated wartime production mechanisms on Wednesday as part of the military's Han Kuang 42 exercise. The drill tested the military's ability to transition from peacetime to wartime operations, disperse production lines, and continue supporting combat operations, Military News Agency reported. Factory 202 produced 155 mm artillery shell bodies and filled them with high explosives. It also incorporated drone munitions assembly to meet the military's drone strike demands and asymmetric warfare requirements. Factory 205 continued cold hammer forging T112 rifle barrels, rifle sleeving, and rifle assembly non-stop. Precision equipment was used in accordance with standardized procedures to ensure component compatibility and design accuracy, per MNA. Factory 401 produced three types of optical sights, including the TS112 close-combat sight, to boost soldiers' long-range precision, close-range rapid engagement, and urban combat capabilities. All products underwent final testing to maintain strict quality control and uninterrupted wartime production. The bureau emphasized that sustained wartime production and weapons supply are critical to facilitate combat operations. It pledged to continue providing frontline units with high-quality weapons and ammunition. Taiwan fits second Kang Ding frigate with new vertical launching system Hua Yang VLS allows for rapid successive missile launches TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The second upgraded Kang Ding-class frigate was recently seen outfitted with the Hua Yang vertical launching system (VLS) after approximately six months of upgrades. A military source said the National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology selected hot-launch technology for the VLS because missiles are ignited inside their launch cells, enabling rapid successive launches, Liberty Times reported. Although cold-launch systems avoid exposing the launch cell to the missile's exhaust, a failure to ignite after a missile is ejected could cause it to fall back onto the ship, potentially resulting in catastrophic damage, per Liberty Times. The first upgraded frigate, the Cheng De, completed all modification tests in early February and held its commissioning ceremony in Kaohsiung. The Navy plans to use the Cheng De as the benchmark and complete upgrades for all six frigates in phases by 2031, fully addressing gaps in the Navy's medium-range air defense capabilities. In addition to VSLs, the Kang Ding frigates will also be equipped with the BAE Systems Artisan radar and the French PASEO NS electro-optical fire control system, which significantly improves their ability to detect stealth targets. Taiwan drills simulate defense against attempted landing by enemy aircraft TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Defense Minister Wellington Koo ( ) on Wednesday witnessed military police and Marines on Taipei's Guandu plain simulating action against a landing by enemy aircraft. The event was part of the eighth day of activities during the Aug. 5-14 Han Kuang 42 drills. Wednesday's efforts also included the use of drones to conduct attacks. In addition to Koo, foreign nationals were also seen observing the exercises, CNA reported. Guandu plain in Beitou District has been regarded as a spot where enemy forces would find it relatively easy to land in support of an attack against Taipei. A Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection parking lot and the space around Nung Chan Monastery were the center of activity Wednesday. The 239th Battalion of the military police drove CM-34 Clouded Leopard armored vehicles while the 66th Marine Brigade moved Humvees around the area, using drones for observation. The troops then erected barricades to prevent enemy aircraft from landing, per CNA. The military police sent four drones to drop explosive charges, and four "suicide" drones to attack simulated enemy targets. Air Force tests Patriot Missile resupply in north Taiwan TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Air Force air defense units conducted a Patriot missile reload drill in northern Taiwan on Tuesday. During the drill, units simulated munition depletion, Military News Agency reported. The commanding officer issued an order to replenish missiles, and troops quickly deployed missile transport vehicles into position and conducted equipment checks. Under the direction of a signal officer, crews worked together to unload and reload missiles and conduct equipment inspections. The military plans to use approximately NT$20 billion (US$636.9 million) in project funds to procure 102 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles. The advanced Patriot missiles, along with Taiwan's domestically produced Sky Bow III and Strong Bow missiles, will form a "high low mix" air defense network, dubbed the T-Dome. Military sources said the MSE missiles have a more powerful dual-pulse solid-rocket motor than Taiwan's current PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative missiles. This boosts intercept altitude up to nearly 60 kilometers, while also extending range, they said. These advanced missiles would allow Taiwan to counter China's Dongfeng ballistic missiles. Both of the last two stories have never happened or have been publicized before. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Pffft Report that means something!! 6 hours ago we did a few stories, so here are some witty repartee to those stories, but first, the Pffffft Report! PLA Activities 2026.08.13 Issuing Authority Political Warfare Bureau 1.Date: 6 a.m. Aug. 12 (Wed.) to 6 a.m. Aug. 13 (Thu.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 18 sorties of PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN ships and 3 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 out of 18 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. This just happens to coincide with the newly announced PLAN exercise to the East of Taiwan. You'll notice that areas 1,3,4 are mostly helicopters except for the UAV in area 2, so they're just looking for submarines is my guess. Area 2 is mostly boring! speaking of the PLAN exercise, in the earlier story Taiwan asked Indonesia for an explanation. Here it is: Taiwan condemns China-Indonesia joint naval exercise Taipei says Beijing's 'irresponsible' actions threaten regional stability TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan on Thursday condemned China for what it described as a deliberate escalation of regional tensions after Beijing announced a joint naval exercise with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan. China announced two days earlier that its navy had conducted navigation exercises with an Indonesian Navy frigate in mid-August in waters east of Taiwan. The drills included communications and at-sea replenishment, with the Chinese navy saying they were intended to enhance joint operational capabilities and deepen cooperation, per LTN. However, the Indonesian Navy clarified that the activities were merely "passing-through exercises" consistent with Indonesia's nonaligned foreign policy and were not combat exercises. The military-focused Facebook page Taiwan ADIZ reported that the Indonesian warship, identified as the KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332, departed Yokosuka, Japan, on Saturday and entered waters east and southeast of Taiwan on Tuesday before heading south. According to the Facebook page, the vessel circumnavigated waters southeast of Taiwan and was closely monitored by the Chinese military. Based on available navigation data and observations of its movements, the warship showed no unusual behavior and turned south toward Indonesia on Wednesday evening. Taiwan ADIZ said Taiwan's armed forces maintained 24/7 monitoring of the airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan. The page said the Indonesian warship's movements appeared to be a routine transit and differed from the military exercise described by China, adding that there was no reason for the public to panic. The Indonesian Navy said its warship was returning home after completing exercises in Russia and had conducted "passing exercises" with countries along its route. Such activities are a naval tradition conducted while transiting other countries' waters and are not combat-related, it said. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Thursday morning strongly condemning what it called China's "arbitrary and irresponsible behavior" in disregarding international norms and responsibilities and further escalating regional tensions, per CNA. MOFA said that Taiwan will uphold its consistent stance of defending its territory, actively safeguarding its sovereign rights in the waters east of Taiwan. It will also work with all parties in the region to ensure freedom of navigation and regional security and stability. 6 hours ago Speaker Han went after KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi by way of a public spanking in a story posted above. Fu has one large bull shit excuse!!! Please to enjoy!! KMT's Fu Kun-chi calls for unity after Han criticizes absence Fu claims absence was intended to defend legislature's authority TAIPEI (Taiwan News) KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi ( ) called for party unity Wednesday after Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu ( ) criticized him for repeatedly missing negotiations on the central government budget. CNA reported that Fu said it was a simple dispute and that harmony within the party was important. He thanked Han for his work and said the KMT needed to remain united. Han criticized Fu on Tuesday while chairing cross-party talks on the 2026 central government budget. Fu was absent and had not authorized KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang ( ) to make decisions on his behalf. Han said Fu should attend the negotiations himself, authorize Lin to represent the caucus, or step down as caucus whip. He also questioned why Fu continued to hold the position while neither attending the talks nor giving another party official authority to negotiate. Fu said his absence was not intended to show disrespect toward Han or other party caucuses. He said he stayed away as a peaceful protest against what he described as the Cabinet's failure to respect the legislature, per CTS News. This a editorial photo, and the real reason Fu went with this BS is because no one was going to believe the "hunger strike" excuse. Fu said the Cabinet had refused to implement some laws passed by lawmakers and had ignored agreements reached through legislative negotiations. He said his absence was meant to draw attention to what he saw as an imbalance of power between the Cabinet and legislature. Fu said the protest had achieved its purpose. He again thanked Han, saying they might use different methods but shared the goal of defending the legislature and improving governance. KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling ( ) said Han was likely frustrated because he wanted lawmakers to complete the budget review quickly. She said some disputes were difficult to resolve and blamed the Cabinet for failing to respect laws passed by the legislature, per UDN. Economic Daily News reported that the KMT and TPP, which together hold a legislative majority, have delayed the 2026 budget review for 349 days as of Wednesday, nearly a year after the Cabinet submitted it on Aug. 29, 2025. The legislature may have to review the 2026 and 2027 budgets at the same time, as the Cabinet is due to submit the 2027 budget by the end of August. The overlap could complicate the review process, while some ministries may also face problems with funds already spent if lawmakers later freeze or cut parts of the delayed 2026 budget, per PTS. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2026-08-12/chinese-arrests-military-bases-south-korea-22527172.html |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
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The Rains are over and that means the Taiwanese and Chinese are generating news stories!!!!! Lucky us: three blocks of news. This block is about responses to China. I take that back, all three blocks are responses to China!! Let's try this as the main theme for today: more countries are coalescing around statements calling out Chinese actions. I think that's the fairest statement I can make. First story is an update from last week in Uganda when Uganda, where Mamdani comes from, is now enforcing the "One China Principle" on Taiwanese individuals. This update has way more detail than the practically useless summary of last week: Taiwan calls on nationals to postpone trips to Uganda Call follows incident involving 3 Taiwanese travelers at Entebbe International Airport TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday called on Taiwanese travelers to postpone trips to Uganda following a new visa incident at the African country's main airport. In early August, a Taiwanese resident had his passport confiscated at Entebbe International Airport, while a tourist was turned away after being refused entry. In a new incident Wednesday, a Taiwanese business traveler and his two relatives were told to show Chinese passports in order to have their Taiwanese passports returned, the ministry said in a statement. The three travelers were allowed to enter Uganda, but immigration officials told them the request was part of the country's "one China policy." The ministry said its representative office in Somaliland and the association of Taiwanese businesses in Uganda immediately provided assistance to the travelers. Even though the Ugandan government has not announced any changes to its visa policies for Taiwanese visitors, the ministry said travelers should evaluate the risks when planning a trip to the East African country. The ministry also advised Taiwanese residents to stay in contact with the Taiwanese office in Somaliland. Nearly 70 Taiwanese nationals reside in Uganda, while around 35 Taiwanese-invested companies operate in the country and create local jobs, the ministry said. Tourism from Taiwan has also been rising in recent years. The ministry called on the Ugandan government to respect Taiwan's sovereignty and refrain from imposing unreasonable entry restrictions. Second story is the result of the Chinese paying off traitorous Taiwanese in bitcoin: Taiwan Cabinet backs tougher crypto money-laundering rules Draft amendments target unregistered virtual-asset services and unauthorized stablecoin issuance TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Cabinet on Thursday approved draft amendments that would bring unregistered crypto services and unauthorized stablecoin issuance within the scope of Taiwan's money-laundering law. Providing virtual-asset or third-party payment services without registration, or issuing stablecoins without authorization, would be classified as specified offenses under the law, allowing money-laundering penalties to apply to proceeds from those activities, according to CNA. The amendments will be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review before they can take effect. The draft will also define a beneficial owner as the person who ultimately owns or controls a client, transaction, or legal entity. Regulators would be authorized to set procedures for identifying and inspecting beneficial owners. Government agencies could access information on fines imposed on financial institutions and designated nonfinancial businesses when needed to prevent money laundering. Banks and virtual-asset service providers could also share information with other institutions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. CNA quoted Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee ( ) as saying Premier Cho Jung-tai ( ) believes anti-money-laundering efforts are essential to fighting crime and protecting financial stability. Cho added that the law must keep pace with changing criminal methods and international standards, while agencies strengthen cooperation and information sharing. You get three guesses who is behind this: Taiwan confirms AI-assisted attack by foreign hackers on government systems May be first known end-to-end autonomous cyberattack against government target TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Ministry of Digital Affairs confirmed Thursday that foreign hackers used AI tools to attack government systems in July. The operation may be the first known end-to-end autonomous cyberattack against a government target, according to the Financial Times, which broke the story Wednesday. It said "suspected Chinese hackers" may have been responsible. In response, the ministry said its cybersecurity units detected the hack, investigated its impact, and responded according to established procedures. It said "overseas sources" were responsible but did not point the finger at China. The Financial Times quoted researchers at Israeli AI company Dream as saying the use of simplified Chinese in internal communications suggested the operator was linked to China. However, the data taken from the targets of the attack was written in traditional Chinese, which is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. The hackers reportedly used the open-source agent systems Hermes and OpenClaw. They chose the target and established the mission, while AI handled much of the reconnaissance, testing, and coordination. The tool was said to have deployed as many as eight agents at once during a four-day operation in early July. It mapped 21 government systems and worked through attack paths with limited human direction. The operation compromised at least 85 government user accounts, Dream said. It also extracted more than 2,500 personnel records, then targeted the nation's nuclear safety agency and at least seven energy companies. Dream reportedly found evidence of the attack in a 160-megabyte online archive. The archive contained 1,395 files showing how the hacking tool operated. The Financial Times quoted the Ministry of Digital Affairs as saying, "AI agents have brought new dual challenges to network security defense: the attacks are automated, and AI agents themselves become new vulnerabilities." In January, the National Security Bureau said Taiwan's critical infrastructure faced an average of 2.63 million Chinese cyberattack attempts every day in 2025. The figure was 6% higher than the previous year, with energy, emergency response, health, and communications systems among the targets. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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First story has a photo of Mistress Cheng. I defy you to look at that photo and tell me you don't think she smells like boiled cabbage!!! Magazine column warns Taiwan political dysfunction undermines democracy Column says opposition has triggered 'rolling constitutional crisis' TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Economist criticized the KMT and other opposition politicians Tuesday, saying they were undermining Taiwan's democracy for political gain. In a column, the magazine said opposition parties have "triggered a rolling constitutional crisis." Opposition lawmakers have delayed government budgets for months, including funding for US arms purchases, and blocked judicial appointments, leaving Constitutional Court justices uncertain whether they have enough members to resolve government disputes. The magazine said the opposition has also blocked efforts to build up Taiwan's domestic drone industry. The DPP government proposed an NT$210 billion (US$6.59 billion) budget in June to procure 210,000 uncrewed aerial vehicles and small kamikaze drone boats. "Taiwan needs drones, is good at electronics, and could also export to Western countries desperate for non-Chinese kit," the magazine said. However, the KMT and its allies are hindering new drone orders until next year. A senior KMT figure told the magazine that the party is stalling Taiwan's drone plans because legislators fear the government would channel funds to firms that donate to DPP coffers. DPP politicians have criticized KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun ( ) for casting doubt on the US as an ally and promoting expanded ties with China, the magazine said. They also criticized Cheng after she met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in April. Despite Cheng's claims that she is trying to prevent a war rather than sell Taiwan out, the DPP has accused some KMT members of serving as Chinese agents. "There is no doubt that Taiwan is the target of Chinese influence operations," the magazine said. The Economist argued that Taiwan's freedoms should strengthen deterrence by raising the cost of a Chinese takeover and that Taiwanese politicians must protect the country's democracy themselves. However, those freedoms "are being betrayed from within," it said. Lucky Palmer had shown up in 7 interview articles in international news sites. This makes the 8th one I've seen: Anduril founder says West aims to deter China from invading Taiwan Palmer Luckey says Anduril providing weapons to make Taiwan annexation too costly TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Most Western countries want to make Taiwan too costly for China to seize, Anduril Industries Founder Palmer Luckey said in a "60 Minutes Australia" interview last week. "The winning move is for them to be convinced to not play," Luckey said. Luckey said Anduril is already delivering missiles, loitering munitions and other weapons that "make it much harder for China to get across the strait, land on Taiwan, and invade it." The company is also assisting with air defense systems that protect Taiwan's critical infrastructure and installations from a Chinese attack, he said. Defense Minister Wellington Koo ( ) confirmed last August that Taiwan received the first batch of Altius-600M attack drones it purchased from Anduril. Luckey said the weapons provided to Taiwan are a combination of offense and defense. If China knows Taiwan can shoot all of its missiles and destroy its vessels in the strait, "that's going to give them pause in deciding what they are going to do tomorrow, the next month, next year," he said. Taiwan's Metal Industries Research and Development Centre signed a cooperation agreement with Anduril in early June to collaborate on drones, autonomous systems, and trusted supply chains. The Ministry of Economic Affairs said the partnership will focus on AI applications, drone manufacturing, supply chain integration, and local production. More than 10 Taiwan companies have already received Anduril orders for prototype or mass production work, the ministry said. if you followed the "buzz" around Francesca Hong's campaign in Wisconsin, you'll recognize some of the same patterns here: Lai warns of potential CCP interference in Kaohsiung mayoral race Ko Chih-en calls for investigation into Lai's claim or end to allegations if evidence insufficient TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) warned Wednesday that the CCP is already interfering in the upcoming Kaohsiung mayoral election, citing recent reports about the CCP's annual Beidaihe meeting. National security officials told Liberty Times that the CCP has issued four directives concerning its Taiwan policy: opposing Taiwan's military and drone spending, restricting Taiwan's international space, mobilizing forces within Taiwan to oppose independence and support unification, and supporting "patriotic forces" in Taiwan ahead of the upcoming local elections. The Beidaihe meeting is an unofficial annual gathering mainly attended by members of the CCP's Politburo. The meeting reportedly included experts from a range of academic fields this year. Citing the report, Lai said the CCP had identified the upcoming elections as an indicator of its work on Taiwan, putting Kaohsiung under particular pressure, per Z.Media. He said the CCP had already interfered in the mayoral race and described a recent poll showing DPP Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Lai Jui-lung ( ) narrowly leading KMT candidate Ko Chih-en ( ) as fake. Lai Ching-te said the upcoming mayoral election could determine the future of both Kaohsiung and Taiwan. Ko called on the government to investigate Lai's claim of CCP electoral interference or stop making the allegation if there is insufficient evidence to support an investigation, per NOWNews. She also rejected Lai's characterization of the recent survey as fake, saying it was conducted by a reputable pollster. Ko also pointed to Lai Jui-lung's time at the Kaohsiung City Government Department of Tourism, saying he had proposed establishing direct flights to Beijing. Lai Jui-lung rejected the characterization, saying Ko was conflating cross-strait exchanges with election interference, per FTV. DPP Legislator Fan Yun ( ) said Lai Ching-te was seeking to remind the public that CCP interference in Taiwan's elections had become increasingly widespread, per ETtoday. She urged KMT candidates not to interpret Lai's remarks as targeting any particular candidate. KMT Legislator Hsu Yu-chen ( ) said President Lai's warning about Chinese interference could indicate that the DPP lacked confidence in Lai Jui-lung, per UDN. She accused Lai Ching-te of diverting attention from what she described as long-standing problems with DPP governance. TPP Legislative Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung ( ) said linking political opponents to the CCP would not win public support. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an ( ) urged Lai Ching-te to focus instead on the ongoing tainted cooking oil scandal, per Liberty Times. I could find anything remarkable about Ko Chih-en other than she's an at-large KMT politician and she holds degrees in the Education field. As Ko suggested that Lai "put up or shut up", you'll notice that Ko offered no evidence of her claims either, and the the political sniping began. I wonder if Ko is on anti-depressants as well? Just thinking out loud. Next story harkens back to the beginning of the KMT/TPP joint venture, and I'd like to remind anyone how we got here. The TPP is a small upstart party started by Master Ko who also happened to be somewhat corrupt, not surprising as he is a professional politician. He was engaged in the normal KMT type corruption with both TPP and KMT members. The KMT turned Master Ko in to the authorities providing confessions on their part. (Same rule is everywhwere! the first one to rat out everyone else gets the deal.) Master Ko is pretty sharp seeing the politics in everything, and would not have gone for this "cooperation" between the KMT and TPP nonsense that the "Boy Wonder" Huang did (the guy that replaced Ko.) So far, the KMT has gotten the better of the arrangement with the TPP unsurprisingly. KMT Taipei branch chair considers resignation over election performance Tai Hsi-chin rejects reported alliance with TPP councilor to retain speakership, says party will discuss election strategies with candidates TAIPEI (Taiwan News) KMT Taipei City Branch Chair Tai Hsi-chin ( ) said Wednesday that he is considering resigning from his post because he believes he has failed to meet the expectations of fellow party members. Storm Media reported Wednesday that Tai is facing an uphill battle in his bid to retain his position as Taipei City Council speaker. The DPP has proposed a vote-allocation strategy across Taipei, while KMT councilors are reportedly dissatisfied with Tai's response and his plans for how the opposition coalition would operate after the election. Tai said election arrangements, including opposition cooperation and the campaign schedule for Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an ( ), had been sufficiently discussed with party members, per UDN. However, he said he was considering resigning because he believed his performance no longer satisfied party members. Tai said the party branch would invite all candidates to discuss election strategies, including vote allocation, to maximize the KMT's seats on the city council, per China Times. In a Thursday interview, Tai said Chiang's efforts to help TPP city council candidates could cost the KMT council seats, per Liberty Times. He said that because the framework for the opposition coalition had already been established, he could not, as branch chair, ask for Taipei to be excluded from it. Responding to reports that he could form an alliance with TPP councilors to retain his speakership, Tai said his priority remained maintaining the KMT's majority on the council. TPP Taipei City Councilor Chen You-cheng ( ), who has been rumored to be Tai's potential partner in the speaker election, said he did not know where the rumors came from, per TVBS. Chen said the TPP would seek to maximize its gains in the local elections in preparation for a potential return to a governing role in 2028. Asked about Tai's potential resignation, Chiang said he believed the Taipei City KMT branch had plans in place to deal with the possibility, per CNA. Breaking it down, Tai of the KMT is thinking of resigning from the KMT for a "failure" that isn't his fault in that he didn't come up with the Plan to begin with. However, there's a rumor going on that he's actually going to join the TPP to help them. However still, Johnny Chiang - Mayor of Taipei and KMT royalty as he is the grandson of Chiang Kai-shek, plus he's made three unforced errors in his campaign against our Hero, Puma Shen running for the DPP, and if that weren't enough, Johnny Chiang is against the Mistress Cheng faction that's very pro-Beijing - is looking to have a 4th error, but this one is made in his name by the young Tai person here. This looks like machinations against Johnny Chiang more than anything else! Could be I'm wrong and that all politicians are truthful and honest and only want the best for their Country! That's one possibility!! The other is that the Mistress Cheng faction is looking to sacrifice a few pawns on the table to gain more control over the Party. That's also a possibility. We don't see too many political stories that don't make any sense other than to throw out names, throw some shade on the names and then end with a quote, "TPP Taipei City Councilor Chen You-cheng ( ), who has been rumored to be Tai's potential partner in the speaker election, said he did not know where the rumors came from." |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Last Block!!!!!! Yes, I'm happy as well. It's Friday there right now, and hopefully they'll all be figuring out ways to look busy!! Next story is a follow-up to when the Chinese did the submarine ballistic missile launch a few weeks. Everybody got less than 4 hours notice, and China played it off like they do these launches all the time being the professional type military they claim to be. The Party never errs. US, 40 countries urge advance notice for missile launches Taiwan welcomes call for 24-hour warning before launches TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The US and 40 other countries have urged the global community to follow stricter advance-notification procedures when conducting long-range missile launches. In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the signatory countries said recent missile tests in the Pacific did not follow standard procedures for advance launch notification. "Conducting nuclear-capable ballistic missile tests without sufficient advance notice and detail is dangerous and disrupts the peace and security of relevant nations in proximity to these tests," the statement said. The statement applies to intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and space launch vehicles. It called for at least 24 hours' advance notice and information including the missile class, launch window, launch area, and planned direction. "Countries should also provide clear notices for airmen and mariners consistent with international standards to reduce risk, including in expected impact or landing areas," the statement said. Though the statement did not name any specific country, China fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying a training warhead from the South China Sea into the Pacific Ocean in July, per USNI News. Taiwan's National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu ( ) said at the time that the action was "a provocation that destabilizes the Indo-Pacific." Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung ( ) welcomed the joint statement. China has continued to bolster its military capabilities and use gray-zone tactics in an attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region, Lin said, per the foreign ministry. "These actions not only threaten Taiwan but also pose serious challenges to the security and peace of neighboring countries and the region as a whole," he said. The foreign ministry emphasized that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific has become a global consensus and serves the common interests of all parties. China Ground Force expands maritime strike role with attack drones Development comes as Taiwan ramps up drone production TAIPEI (Taiwan News) China's People's Liberation Army Ground Force staged a drill last week in which attack drones targeted unmanned surface vessels. A Chinese military media post published Thursday showed KVD002 unmanned combat aerial vehicles striking fast-moving drone boats with missiles, according to USNI News. The footage showed at least 13 drones assigned to a PLA Ground Force unit. The training highlights the Ground Force's growing role in maritime strike operations. USNI News said the branch has demonstrated land-based anti-ship capabilities during recent exercises around Taiwan. The Ground Force's growing drone fleet, along with missile launchers equipped with specialized long-range munitions, could support Chinese forces in a potential invasion or blockade of Taiwan, USNI News said. Taiwan, meanwhile, is ramping up drone production as part of efforts to strengthen its deterrence against China. The defense ministry said on Aug. 5 that it is developing a "hellscape" deterrence network, according to the New York Times. The strategy would deploy waves of drones to locate and attack approaching enemy forces while troops maneuver between firing positions. Taiwan's Cabinet aims to turn the country into a major drone manufacturing hub capable of producing 100,000 drones a month by 2030. It has proposed an NT$210 billion (US$6.6 billion) special budget over five years to acquire 1,446 coastal surveillance drones, 208,000 coastal attack drones, and 1,320 small unmanned attack boats. Here's a link to who the hell the Ground Force is: People's Liberation Army Ground Force The People's Liberation Army Ground Force[a] (PLAGF), also referred to as the PLA Army,[3] is the land warfare service branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and also its largest and oldest branch. The PLAGF traces its lineage to 1927 as the Chinese Red Army; however, it was not officially established until 1948. We're having a rough day and it's only Thursday. Taiwan Navy, Coast Guard drill to counter simulated blockade Yushan-class ship acts as merchant vessel loaded with critical supplies TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Navy and Coast Guard Administration staged a joint drill on Thursday to test their capabilities to counter a Chinese blockade. The exercise aimed to strengthen interagency coordination and response, as well as maritime defense resilience, to maintain the security of sea lines of communication, Military News Agency reported. Navy and Coast Guard ships rushed to escort the Yushan-class landing platform dock, which simulated a merchant vessel carrying critical supplies, per MNA. The ships also conducted maritime security operations. Yungfeng-class ships were tasked with opening a safe passage and guiding the merchant vessel into a key port. The relevant operational area then carried out transfer operations for the simulated supplies. The Navy Command said cooperation with the Coast Guard continues to deepen. From gray-zone response and littoral strike missions to escort missions, both agencies regularly coordinate and validate capabilities. The command added that both are dedicated to safeguarding the security and uninterrupted flow of Taiwan's sea lines of communication. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
If you're into Economics and now the difference between the economic systems and their underlying principles, have I got a video for you!!! China’s Mistress Economy Collapses: Biggest Mistress Village Dies Out, Rich Men Can’t Afford It Yes, there are a couple of hot chicks in there!!! At around the 3 minute mark, are faithful narrator tells us why this aspect is important. At both the roughly 13 minute mark and at the end of the video, our faithful narrator offers us two great summaries of what's going on within Chinese society. Every Leftist socio/political/economic entity, be it commune or country, has gone down this same path without fail. Some way faster than others. (Venezuela was Mach speed fast!) It's amazing!!!! There really is no stopping it. You can't point out the dead/dying fly encrusted carcasses on the road and say, "see! here's another example" because these people will just ignore it. It's utterly amazing. Again, if you're not into the study of economics, feel free to skip it. The story line is very heavy into principles. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
I have two more videos this morning that cover another CCP scandal in China involving "youth" employment (not kids) and the Chinese Fishing Fleet. In conjunction with the Mistress story above, they're actually all the same story!!! Only the names and places have been changed!!! Again, Leftist societies!!!! This really is the best they can do!!! Anyone that says different is high, stupid, or has an agenda!!!  This Scandal Has Pushed China’s Youth to the Breaking Point  The Moment You Realize You've Made A Terrible, Terrible Mistake and yes, both videos are single subject and average 7 minutes each of your valuable time. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Those bastards worked on Friday!!!! First story is a very carefully written piece!! We shall compare it to the original! Marcos says Philippines will not attack China if it invades Taiwan Only interested in maintaining regional peace and stability TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Philippines will not allow offensive operations from its territory if China invades Taiwan, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Friday. He was responding to questions during a luncheon with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, the Manila Bulletin reported. He was asked whether he would allow the US military to launch offensive operations from bases in the Philippines. The country would not be a belligerent nation in the region, but would only promote peace and stability, Marcos said. He added that allowing an attack from the Philippines against anyone contradicted its policy of defending regional peace and stability. Marcos described decisions by the US and other countries as their own internal matters and part of their foreign policy, the Manila Bulletin reported. The Philippines is only interested in defending its own sovereign rights and territorial independence, he said. The president also said that cooperation with Taiwan would continue as the two are close neighbors, per Liberty Times. The "one China policy" will remain an important principle governing relations with China and with Taiwan, he said. As to talks with Japan about maritime borders east of Taiwan, Marcos described them as a bilateral process, but they would welcome hearing the views of other interested parties. He said there was no timetable for the talks, but he hoped Japan and the Philippines could reach an agreement before the end of the year, per Liberty Times. Marcos: No attacks on anyone from Philippines in case of Taiwan invasion President Marcos has once again stressed that the Philippines will not engage in any hostility in the region, saying there will be no attacks on anyone from the Philippines. During the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Presidential Luncheon in Manila on Friday, Aug. 14, Marcos was asked whether he would allow the US military to launch offensive operations from Philippine bases and territory if an invasion of Taiwan were to occur. Marcos firmly stated that the Philippines has no desire to be a belligerent nation in the region. All it is concerned about is promoting peace and stability, he stressed. "The Philippines has no desire to be a belligerent nation in the region. We have no interest in that. All we are concerned about is the defense of our territory and the maintenance of peace and stability in the region," Marcos said. "That is all that the Philippines is concerned with. That is all the concern that Philippines will promote. That is all that the Philippines will endorse and support," he added. The President emphasized that allowing an attack from the country against anyone contradicts its policy of maintaning regional peace and stability. "So to allow an attack on anyone from the Philippines is contrary to that policy. So we will stick with that policy, where all that we do is work hard to maintain peace and stability in the region," Marcos said. PH has no influence on what other countries do Marcos pointed out that whatever other countries do, the Philippines has no influence over it. Thus, it will only stick with its policies and duty to defend its territory, to exercise its sovereign rights "What other countries choose to do is really not something that the Philippines has much influence on. So again, what the United States or any other country chooses to do is certainly an internal matter for them and how they choose to handle their own foreign policy," the President said. "When it involves the Philippines, again, we hew back to that policy, where we are not interested in being a belligerent force. We are simply interested in the defense of the republic, a continued exercise of our sovereign rights, and the recognition of our territorial independence," he added. The President has repeatedly stated that the country will not interefere in any internal affairs of other countries, including the issue between China and Taiwan. The original question dealt specifically with the US without Philippine permission launching some sort of attack against "it doesn't say" but the attack is in the direction of Taiwan. The question was an obvious trap! Oh, I know: why would nice people do such a thing to other nice people?! Well, nice people don't! Ergo, this was a trap! I assume the Filipinos are still blaming the US for their prostitution problem, drugs, crime etc,. But as we've cataloged, they're free to believe the hell out of that all they want as they also elect Chinese crime bosses who also have PLA uniforms ready to go. The pleasures and conveniences of being a victim!! At the end of the Day: All of this goes out the window when either the Philippines or the US invokes the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
We have Tariff issues AGAIN!!! (Tariffs should be like abortions!) Trump announces tariffs on drone imports (I'm pretty certain a similar story has already ended up in GD, but from a different source.) Drones from Taiwan, the EU, Japan, Liechtenstein, S Korea, and Switzerland will face 15% tariff TAIPEI (Taiwan News) US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a proclamation saying he will impose tariffs up to 100% on imported drones and components, citing national security concerns and over-dependence on foreign suppliers, Reuters reported. The White House said the measure mandates a 100% tariff on larger UAVs or drones with certain capabilities that are particularly sensitive to national security, including those with a combined weight over 25 kilograms and thermal imaging capabilities, as well as their docking stations and key components. Smaller drones without capabilities sensitive to national security will face a 25% tariff. For non-sensitive drone components, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after the signing. Drones and components from Taiwan, the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, and Switzerland will face a 15% tariff. Drones from the UK will see a lower 10% tariff. Trump said an investigation by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick found that foreign producers of drones and components pose security risks. Trump added that the US does not produce enough to meet its Drone Dominance goal. The White House said that tariffs are to take effect in 21 days. The White House added that for products that the Pentagon has approved for exemption from the Federal Communications Commission's Covered List within 20 days of signing, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after signing. The pieces were just put into place a couple of weeks ago, and now this. Here's one answer: Click To View Spoiler I can see that the Ukraine is not on the List, but Liechtenstein is! How about that, Sports Fans! The other thing is that exemptions will be put out in 20 days, and 180 days from there (200 days) when the tariffs allegedly take effect, there'll probably be another similar notice with either lower rates, higher rates, some countries off the list, and new countries on the list, and everyone's favorite, an exemption schedule. Maybe by then, we'll see a pattern emerge that makes sense. If Lesotho ends up on the list, then we can say that the Chinese found a new route to evade banning of Chinese parts. Other than that, I have nothing! As a counterweight to the above story, here's one with Taiwan having an issue with the importation of banned Chinese products: Taiwan warns against reassembled motorbikes from China Import of complete or disassembled Chinese motorbikes banned TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Importing motorbikes from China is banned, even if the vehicles have been dismantled and are imported as parts, Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin ( ) said Wednesday. The Ministry of Economic Affairs said that after noticing social media posts, it sent investigators to a site in New Taipei on Friday and Tuesday to confiscate motorbikes built with parts imported from China. The bikes had been dismantled in China, sent over separately as parts, and then reassembled in Taiwan, the ministry said. The import of Chinese motorbikes or their parts is not allowed by existing laws, Kung said Wednesday. He added that any move to open up imports would have to be preceded by trade talks between the two countries, per CNA. The importer in the New Taipei case may be hit with an import ban from two months to one year, or with the cancellation of his registration as an importer and exporter, the ministry said. A vehicle taking to the road without the necessary permits could also face confiscation. The ministry called on the public to be careful when buying a motorbike, and to check the origin of the vehicle and the required import documents. the bikes/bike parts didn't go through a safety inspection is the big issue, and if it turns out extra special GPS transceiver parts go in them (see ship to shore gantry cranes made by the Chinese!!), now we have the potential of a national security problem like the fitness trackers on military installations as an example. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Yesterday, Speaker Han calls out Caucus Whip Fu over Fu's bull shit and today...the Budget is finally completed. Amazing! Legislative Yuan passes Taiwan central government budget after 350 days Opposition freezes premier's salary for 4 months TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Legislative Yuan passed the central government budget Friday with cuts totaling NT$48 billion (US$1.49 billion). It is the first time in history that a central government budget took until Aug. 14 to be approved. The Cabinet first submitted the budget in August 2025, but the opposition KMT and TPP used their majority at the Legislative Yuan to block passage for 350 days, per Liberty Times. The government proposed annual expenditure of NT$3.34 trillion, but the opposition cut NT$48 billion or 1.689% of the total. Annual revenue totaled NT$3.46 trillion, with the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics still expected to make adjustments. The legislature also froze Premier Cho Jung-tai's ( ) salary for the four months from September to December, UDN reported. The salaries for the president and the vice president of the top government watchdog, the Control Yuan, suffered a similar fate. Earlier Friday, the opposition dropped threats to freeze a NT$44.2 billion plan to develop the drone sector and NT$19.2 billion of related spending. Critics said the opposition action would harm the development of what many observers see as Taiwan's future growth sector following semiconductors. Taiwan legislature passes drone development and procurement spending without cuts KMT withdraws proposal to freeze NT$63.4 billion in drone-related spending TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The KMT legislative caucus on Friday withdrew proposals to freeze the Cabinet's NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) comprehensive program for developing Taiwan's drone industry and another NT$19.2 billion in drone-related spending, citing its support for the industry. The KMT had initially proposed cutting NT$63.4 billion in combined spending from the two items before changing its proposal to freeze the spending, per Liberty Times. The move drew criticism from the DPP, which argued that freezing the funds would delay the country's drone development and harm the industry in the long term. The KMT withdrew the freeze proposal Friday and called on the Cabinet to phase in its drone industry development program to ensure stable funding for the industry, per ETtoday. The party said support for national defense should not be used as an excuse to avoid legislative oversight and called on the Cabinet to subject future programs to oversight mechanisms. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen ( ) said Friday that the Legislature could pass the 2026 budget with fewer opposition-proposed cuts than in previous years, per CNews. She said that after speaking by phone with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu ( ) and KMT Caucus Convener Fu Kun-chi ( ), the proposal to freeze the drone-related spending would be withdrawn. Lu called on the government to allocate drone-related funding to Taichung, Changhua County, Miaoli County, Nantou County, and Yunlin County, saying that approving the spending without cuts would help secure funding for local industries. She said the government had not allocated drone-related funding to the five areas and argued that they should have received funding as potential drone development hubs. Lu also called on the government to establish drone flight-testing areas in central Taiwan, saying that requiring local companies to send prototypes to southern Taiwan for testing has caused inconvenience for businesses. Taichung Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin ( ) had previously called on the government to allocate a similar amount of drone funding to Taichung as was allocated to Chiayi and Tainan, at roughly NT$10 million, per China Times. Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang ( ) questioned the government's plans to allocate robotics development funding to Tainan and drone development funding to Chiayi, per Storm Media. He said that while he supported the government's efforts to promote balanced regional development, Taichung has one of the most complete supply chains for both industries and should play a leading rather than supporting role. Chiang said focusing on southern Taiwan while neglecting central Taiwan would weaken Taiwan's ability to compete in international markets. This Johnny Chiang is a different Johnny Chiang. Purple Johnny Chiang is one of Mistress Cheng's sycophants along with Fu above. Second Johnny Chiang is the grandson of Chiang Kai-shek and therefore KMT Royalty. As we've written multiple times...the drone companies are in a heavy KMT affiliated area and this entire episode has not been good for the polling numbers for the upcoming local elections which makes one wonder why the KMT was doing this to begin with. And that answer is orders from China which Mistress Cheng and her minions complied with adeptly until it looked it they were going to lose. Now, purple Johnny Chiang is all on board with great ideas!!!! So, to save face, the KMT suspended pay for 4 months of the top three positions of government: the President, Vice-President and the Premier. That's another real head scratcher!!! Lai announces end to Han Kuang 42 drills President promises speedier drone development TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) called an end to 10 days and nine nights of Han Kuang 42 military drills Friday with a promise to speed up the development of drones. The aim is to build up a more complete and resilient defense supply chain, he said in a Facebook post. The government will continue to strengthen defense through speedier research and development, manufacturing, and use of advanced systems, he added. Lai said Taiwan will combine its advantages in information and communication technologies, semiconductors, and precision manufacturing. As a result, industry will supply the military with even better equipment and contribute to the further growth of the country's competitive defense sector, he said. The Aug. 5-14 Han Kuang 42 drills are over, but steps to strengthen the nation's defenses and the resilience of society will not stop, Lai said. The government will stand by the military to protect the nation's free and democratic way of life, the president concluded. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
LAST BLOCK!!!  Here's a story that shouldn't surprise anyone!! Opposition coalition fractures during legislative vote on Taiwan referendum proposals KMT withdraws support for two TPP proposals as TPP abstains on KMT's plan to add whipping to Criminal Code TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The opposition coalition fractured during Friday's legislative vote on referendum proposals, with four of six initiatives proposed by either the KMT or TPP passing. The TPP proposed requiring traffic fines to be used exclusively for traffic-related spending, introducing absentee voting, and legalizing medically assisted euthanasia, per Storm Media. The KMT proposed ending Taiwan's "nuclear-free homeland" policy, opposing abolition of the death penalty, opposing abortion, and introducing judicial whipping into the Criminal Code. However, the proposals on absentee voting and opposing abolition of the death penalty were dropped before reaching the floor. The opposition jointly passed the proposals on traffic-fine spending and ending the "nuclear-free homeland" policy, per CNA. The KMT also passed its proposal to introduce judicial whipping despite the TPP's withholding its support. Meanwhile, the KMT's withdrawal of support for the medically assisted euthanasia proposal resulted in its failure. During the vote on the KMT's whipping proposal, DPP Legislative Caucus Whip Tsai Chi-chang ( ) and Legislator Tsai Yi-yu ( ) initially voted for the proposal by mistake, per UDN. Before the vote, the DPP legislative caucus argued that the issues covered by the proposals should be addressed in the legislature rather than put to referendum, per Newtalk. DPP Legislator Fan Yun ( ) said the DPP was willing to support the TPP's proposal on traffic-fine spending, but the opposition rejected the offer during legislative committee deliberations. The two most contentious proposals within the opposition coalition concerned judicial whipping and medically assisted euthanasia. KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-pao ( ) opposed the euthanasia proposal, saying the issue required a stronger social consensus before being put to a referendum, per NOWNews. The TPP's main objection to the KMT's proposals was the introduction of judicial whipping into the Criminal Code. TPP Legislative Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung ( ) said before the vote that the caucus would abstain, despite the issue being roughly evenly divided within the party, per UP Media. The TPP said it hoped to receive KMT support for all three of its proposals, though its decision to abstain put the KMT's whipping proposal at risk of failing. The vote on whipping took place before the vote on medically assisted euthanasia. After the vote, TPP Legislator Liu Shu-pin ( ) expressed regret over KMT and DPP opposition to absentee voting, saying the TPP was the only party focused on protecting the voting rights of people who work or study away from their registered residences, per FTNN. She said the party would continue to push for absentee voting through legislative and policy reforms. In her defense, she's a fuck up, and this was always going to happen. It was only ever a question of when. Parting is such sweet sorrow, and as the elections get closer and the polling sharpens up, many members of the TPP are going to see for themselves how badly the KMT screwed them. Last story deals with something that I can't tell right now if it has legs. Corruption stories are typically that way, so I'm just going to provide a link in case it does have legs: KMT Pingtung County Councilor Sung Li-hua faces fraud allegations Prosecutors seek detention of Sung over alleged involvement in former husband's fraud scheme |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| https://thediplomat.com/2026/08/taiwan-wants-to-know-why-indonesia-joined-china-in-a-naval-exercise-east-of-taiwan/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
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Let's recap the last couple of weeks of political shenanigans in Taiwan - The KMT finally passed the 2026 after having it for 350 days. - The KMT thought they had an issue with the over-cooked cooking oil, but they screwed that up - The KMT is cutting the National budget to make things harder for the government to administrate and function, and this includes suspending 4 months of pay to the President, VP and Premier for an unstated reason. - The KMT/TPP strategic coupling is at a total risk. All of this is right before the local elections in November So...as we look back, we've noticed a trend where the KMT is acting like a bitch. Real mystery as to why.  The Friday news, which carries over the weekend, isn't looking good for the KMT either, and the Lai Administration has done alright for itself with all the hits it's taken over accusations outside of its control. Let's get it on! The DPP is going to use KMT budget Shenanigans to its benefit from here on out: Taiwan culture minister condemns budget cuts Cuts will harm overseas promotion and culture workers inside Taiwan TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Budget cuts voted by the Legislative Yuan will reduce Taiwan's ability to promote itself overseas and harm culture inside the country, Culture Minister Lee Yuan ( ) said Saturday. The opposition-dominated Legislative Yuan passed the central government budget Friday with combined cuts and budget freezes targeting the Ministry of Culture totaling NT$1.38 billion (US$43.28 million). The cuts included NT$47.38 million budgeted for the promotion of policies through media, per Liberty Times. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency had already signed the contracts for activities planned during the remainder of the year, Lee said. The NT$100 million cut in its budget will affect its promotion of movies, TV, animation, literature, and overseas exhibitions, CNA reported. The opposition also approved NT$321.85 million in cuts for Public Television Service and NT$220 million for the TaiwanPlus English-language platform. Lee criticized the complete elimination of the budget for policy promotion for the second year running. The opposition action was based on the erroneous notion that the promotion budget only benefited media friendly to the government, the minister said. He emphasized the absolute impartiality of the ministry, while criticizing the opposition for holding attitudes dating back to the martial law era, per CNA. The opposition measures were demeaning to Taiwan's artists and culture workers, Lee said. Cabinet warns Taiwan budget cuts threaten government operations Says legislature has reduced funding needed for several government functions TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee ( ) said Friday that seven major budget cuts and freezes approved by the legislature could disrupt government operations. CNA reported that the legislature passed the 2026 central government budget on Friday, cutting NT$48 billion (US$1.5 billion) in spending. Lee said the total reduction was smaller than earlier proposals, but several agencies and programs still faced cuts or freezes that the Cabinet considered "unreasonable." One of the Cabinet's main concerns is the National Communications Commission. Lawmakers cut more than NT$57.82 million from the commission's operating budget for August through December. Lee said the Cabinet submitted nominations for new commission members to the legislature on July 24. She said delays in approving the nominees, together with the budget cut, could prevent the independent agency from carrying out its legal duties. Government funding for public information was also sharply reduced. The Cabinet and ministries had budgeted NT$1.38 billion for policy communications, but lawmakers cut about NT$684 million, or nearly half of the total, per Liberty Times. The Cabinet lost its entire NT$16.78 million policy communications budget, while the culture ministry lost its full NT$47.38 million allocation. Lee said the cuts could make it harder for the public to receive accurate government information and could weaken efforts to promote culture. The Cabinet's Department of Information Services also lost its entire NT$52.54 million operating budget. Lee said the cut could disrupt government communications and affect salary payments and work arrangements for contract employees in the second half of the year, per PTS News. Lawmakers also cut NT$10 million and froze another NT$20 million from the president's special state affairs budget. Lee said the restrictions could leave too little funding for duties including public outreach and visits to military units during the final months of the year, per TTV News. Another NT$5.53 million was cut from Cabinet funding used for official coordination and field visits. Lee said the money helps cover administrative costs when the premier visits disaster areas and supports government work during disaster response and recovery, per Economic Daily News. Human rights and transitional justice programs were also affected. The Cabinet department responsible lost its entire budget, while the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee had half of its operating expenses cut, per UDN. The committee also lost all funding for overseas travel, special expenses, and subsidies. Lee said the reductions would seriously affect government work on human rights and transitional justice. The Cabinet is scheduled to review the central government budget for 2027 on Thursday. Lee said she hoped lawmakers would follow the legal timetable and conduct a professional review so government agencies and public programs could continue operating normally. Lai urges lawmakers to complete 2027 budget review on time President asks lawmakers to return to rational and professional budget discussions TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) on Friday urged lawmakers to complete their review of the central government budget for 2027 on time, after the 2026 budget took 351 days to clear the legislature. CNA reported that lawmakers passed the 2026 central government budget in a final reading Friday. Lai said the government submitted the spending plan to the legislature in August 2025 and that it should have been approved by the end of that year. Lai said he regretted that the final budget still contained what he considered unreasonable spending cuts and freezes. These included major cuts to government publicity spending and freezes that affected the normal operation of government agencies and the salaries of senior officials. The president said overseeing the government and reviewing its budget are important constitutional duties of the legislature. However, he said lawmakers should examine spending proposals using professional judgment and proportionate standards rather than allowing political disagreements to disrupt government operations. Lai thanked Premier Cho Jung-tai ( ) and the Cabinet for keeping the government running while the budget remained under legislative review. He said officials continued responding to rapid changes in the global economy and international politics while addressing domestic issues involving people's livelihoods. The Cabinet is scheduled to approve the 2027 central government budget on Thursday, Lai said. He said the government plans to use the benefits of economic growth to provide more support for families and invest in the country's future, per Economic Daily News. The spending plan will include financial support for children and young people from birth to age 18 and expanded assistance for childbirth, child care, and parenting. It will also increase investment in technology, public infrastructure, industrial upgrades and national defense. Lai said the measures are intended to strengthen the country's ability to respond to international changes while improving its long-term economic competitiveness and security. He added the budget will directly affect the daily lives of families across the country. You'll also note that every argument above started off with the logical "cause and effect" rationale and then went into the emotional appeal. That's been the opposite of the only emotional appeals of "hurtness" of the KMT since last November, 2025, when Mistress Cheng took over. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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I love this story: Ko downplays KMT-TPP rift over euthanasia referendum TPP founder supports cooperation looking forward TAIPEI (Taiwan News) TPP founder Ko Wen-je ( ) said Saturday that his party is still cooperating with the KMT even though it failed to support the proposal for a referendum about euthanasia. Only seven TPP legislators voted in favor of the proposal Friday, while all KMT lawmakers abstained and 51 DPP legislators voted against, defeating the referendum plan. Up until Friday, the KMT and TPP voted together on most proposals on a wide range of issues. Asked about the vote, Ko said the two parties are cooperating, but have not merged, per UDN. The views of the two parties could not be entirely the same, so it was understandable that the KMT disagreed with the euthanasia referendum proposal, according to the former TPP presidential candidate. Ko said the TPP and the KMT will cooperate when possible but compete when necessary, UDN reported. Cooperation between the two parties is a trend, but it is not possible for the two sides to agree all the time, he said. As a reminder, Master Ko created the TPP and wasn't going to be bullied into folding the TPP into the KMT. That's why the KMT sacrificed a couple of its members in order to have Master Ko jailed for corruption. This removed him from Party leadership, allowing the "nowhere as strong" leader Huang to take over and fall into the clutches of the KMT. And Look at Master Ko today! On top of the World!!!!! He's controlling it all again!!!! And it will be from his prison cell!!!!!! I guess that's how you say, "fuck you" in Taiwanese. Gentlemen, I would like to move that we nominate Master Ko as "Rascal of the Year!" Do I hear a second? US trains Taiwan Coast Guard as Chinese patrols increase Program described as maritime law-enforcement cooperation rather than military exercise TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The US Coast Guard is training its Taiwan counterparts in small-boat operations, team coordination, and maritime patrols as Chinese vessels increase their activities around the nation, the Coast Guard Administration confirmed in a press release Friday. The two-week course began Monday at the Coast Guard Training and Evaluation Center, in Taoyuan City's Luzhu District, and is scheduled to continue through Aug. 21, the administration said. The program is focused on improving the nation's maritime law-enforcement capabilities in complex operational environments. The administration did not disclose the number of US instructors or Taiwanese personnel involved, citing operational considerations. The course includes vessel handling, emergency response and rescue procedures. The training comes as China has expanded coast guard activity around Taiwan. Even so, the US training is publicly described as maritime law-enforcement cooperation, rather than a military exercise. Furthermore, it is not a new initiative, as the US and Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding in 2021 to strengthen cooperation between their coast guard agencies. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
| Taiwan resolved an issue so missile product bottlenecks dont impeded increased production https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/08/16/2003862566 |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2026/8/14/missile-defense-agency-wants-to-be-less-expensive-director-says
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Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
| USN https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/08/14/pentagon-inks-deals-with-boeing-rtx-to-boost-production-of-sm-3-components/ |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
| https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-905614 |
Deckard “nobody wants to know the truth, nobody” Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence “she’s hot and all those other things” Tucker Carlson 1/10/2018 “I used to be a liberatarian until Google”https://mobile.twitter.com/Henry_Gunn
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We're going to start of with some News! Yes! News that we'll have to see how it affects the future US Representative McCaul warns warns of China's belligerence toward Taiwan Michael McCaul reaffirms US support during third Taiwan visit TAIPEI (Taiwan News) US Rep. Michael McCaul, chair emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that China's increasingly belligerent threats toward Taiwan pose a direct challenge to the global balance of power during his third visit to Taiwan, per VOA. McCaul, a Republican from Texas, visited Taiwan from Aug. 2-7, meeting with President Lai Ching-te ( ), Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim ( ), and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung ( ). He also delivered a speech at the annual Ketagalan Forum, where he reiterated US support under the Taiwan Relations Act. "At a time when the stakes couldn't be higher, I was proud to visit Taiwan for the third time to reaffirm the United States' unwavering support," McCaul said in a statement. "The increasing belligerence of the Chinese Communist Party poses a direct threat not only to Taiwan, but to the entire global balance of power," per a press release. McCaul said he has consistently supported Taiwan, including efforts to advance the 2024 Supplemental Appropriations Act and strengthen US-Taiwan economic relations. He also highlighted his support for closer security cooperation among the US, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In recognition of his support for Taiwan, Lai awarded McCaul the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Brilliant Star. McCaul previously announced that he would not seek reelection after his current term in Congress expires. During his visit, McCaul also met with opposition leaders, including Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu ( ), and legislators from opposition parties. Discussions covered Taiwan's recently passed defense budget, the importance of drones, and US-Taiwan cooperation on drone production. Before leaving Taiwan, McCaul also met with officials from the National Security Council and Ministry of National Defense to exchange views on strengthening Taiwan's defenses against China's coercive actions in the region. He also visited US drone company Shield AI and the Industrial Technology Research Institute, where he learned about Taiwan's drone industry and ITRI's certification work. ITRI is the first institution outside the US authorized to certify that drones do not contain components from China, per VOA. McCaul, a member of the House of Representatives Taiwan Caucus, first visited Taiwan in April 2023 as chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He returned in May 2024 to attend Lai's inauguration. China conducted military exercises involving aircraft and naval forces around Taiwan during both of those visits and imposed sanctions on McCaul. During his latest visit, McCaul said China's coercive actions had only strengthened his commitment to supporting a free and peaceful Taiwan. The House of Representatives has created has passed a bill on how to sanction CCP officials, but the Senate has not followed suit. Right now, the US only has (that I'm aware of) the "Global Magnitsky Act" with which to use because one political party's interests are threatened by sanctioning Chinese officials. Lin Chia-lung confident in continued US arms deliveries to Taiwan Foreign minister says pending arms sales remain under review TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung ( ) expressed confidence that US arms sales and deliveries to Taiwan would continue in a BBC interview on Thursday. Lin said that the Taiwan Relations Act and long-standing arms sales are part of the foundations of Taiwan-US ties, according to the foreign ministry. He pointed out that Taiwan secured two rounds of arms sales from the Trump administration last year totaling more than US$11 billion (NT$344.9 billion). Lin cited US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's remarks in June, saying that pending arms sales remain under review rather than being suspended. In response to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's comment in May that "the era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over," Lin said the issue is related to "burden sharing." He noted that Taiwan has already raised its defense budget to 3.3% of GDP and plans to increase it to 5% by 2030 to deter a Chinese invasion. The foreign minister warned that China's military expansion affects the entire Pacific region and urged like-minded countries along the First Island Chain to strengthen cooperation to respond to authoritarian expansion. Lin said that following the US-China summit in May, the Trump administration has reaffirmed that its Taiwan policy remains unchanged and that bilateral ties will continue to deepen. Trump emphasized last year that "Taiwan is Taiwan," he said. Taiwan signs deal with US defense firm to advance underwater drone tech NCSIST says partnership with VATN Systems strengthens Taiwan's defense TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has signed an MOU with US defense startup VATN Systems to boost the development of unmanned underwater systems. NCSIST Deputy Director Lin Chun-tsun ( ) and VATN Systems co-founder and CEO Nelson Mills signed the deal to establish a technical partnership on unmanned underwater vehicles and promote innovation and system integration for autonomous underwater vehicles, according to the Military News Agency. NCSIST said that amid the rapid development of unmanned underwater technologies, AUVs can be used for ocean monitoring, environmental surveys, and underwater reconnaissance. These drones can strengthen Taiwan's maritime surveillance and defense capabilities, the institute said, per MNA. NCSIST emphasized that the partnership with VATN Systems will combine international technology with Taiwan's industrial, government, academic, and research strengths to advance AUV innovation and system integration, according to MNA. It will also accelerate related technological development, improve underwater reconnaissance capabilities, and bolster the nation's asymmetric warfare capacity and maritime defense resilience. The partnership also aims to better connect Taiwan's defense technology sector with global industry and improve defense self-reliance, NCSIST added. Attached File That was nothing. But that's how it always begins. Very small. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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International News, and Taiwan comes off very well internationally. Only the PRC complains about them and threatens others when they engage with Taiwan. Is that not an interesting fact? Taiwanese students wins awards at International Olympiad in Informatics Student Li Po-ting takes gold and places 8th individually TAIPEI (Taiwan News) National Tainan First Senior High School student Li Po-ting ( ) won gold and placed eighth individually at the 38th International Olympiad in Informatics, leading Taiwan's four-student team. Silver medals went to Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School students Lin Chi-you ( ), who placed 56th, and Huang Yu-lun ( ), who placed 77th. Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School student Liao Yu-hsiang ( ) received an honorable mention and finished 200th, per UDN. Taiwan ranked eighth internationally by gold-medal count among 92 countries and 375 competitors at the Uzbekistan-hosted event, per CNA. The four representatives were selected from 2,766 students at 396 schools through three rounds of domestic selection. Li said a Scratch competition in sixth grade sparked his interest in programming before he moved on to LeetCode, Codeforces, and AtCoder, according to UDN. Lin began with robotics and C programming in junior high school before teaching himself Python and pursuing competitive programming. Huang, a sixth-dan Go player, said using AI tools to review games drew him toward algorithms and artificial intelligence. Liao began learning C++ during the summer before high school and continued competing after failing to advance beyond an earlier Olympiad training stage, per UDN. The Education Ministry awards NT$200,000 (about US$6,250) for gold medals, NT$100,000 for silver, and NT$50,000 for bronze. Medal winners may also qualify for special university admission pathways. International Olympiad in Informatics The International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) is an annual competitive programming competition and one of the International Science Olympiads for secondary school students. The first IOI was held in 1989 in Pravetz, Bulgaria. Each country sends a team of up to four students, plus one team leader, one deputy leader, and guests. Students in each country are selected for their country's team through national computing contests. Students at the IOI compete on an individual basis. There is no official team ranking. The contest consists of two days of solving six complicated algorithmic tasks by writing computer programs in C++.[1][2] All task materials are published on each year's contest website soon after the competition ends. China won this year's competition and are on a winning streak since 2021. Taiwan legislators to attend Asian Pacific Parliamentarians' Union meetings in Japan Johnny Chiang will lead 13 lawmakers to Tokyo next week TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang ( ) will lead 13 legislators to Japan on Aug. 24 to attend the Asian Pacific Parliamentarians' Union (APPU) 54th General Assembly and 88th Council Meeting. This year's theme focuses on inter-parliamentary cooperation to maintain a free and open economic order and strengthen regional supply chain resilience, CNA reported. The two meetings will both be held at the House of Representatives First Members' Office Building in Tokyo from Aug. 24 to 26. The three-day agenda includes five formal sessions and two banquet events. KMT Legislators Wang Yu-min ( ), Lin Szu-ming ( ), Huang Jen ( ), Hung Meng-kai ( ), Cheng Cheng-chien ( ), and Tu Chuan-chi ( ) will join the delegation. DPP legislators include Chiu Chih-wei ( ), Lin Shu-fen ( ), Chen Kuan-ting ( ), Lin Chu-yin ( ), Lo Mei-ling ( ), and Kuo Yu-ching ( ). TPP Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin ( ) will also join the group. Taiwan hosted the APPU's 53rd General Assembly last year from Aug. 27 to 29, during which eight resolutions were adopted, including three proposals put forward by Taiwan. One of them called on APPU member states to participate in the "Indo-Pacific Marine Debris Cooperation Platform" initiative to promote regional sustainability and security. Every time I see that word "sustainability", I think that it's meaning more than what it suggests. It's a very suspect euphemism since the '90s. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Some election news, but also more hurdles the KMT/TPP/CCP have to over come: Taiwan household disposable income hits record NT$1.21 million Average household disposable income rose 3.9% in 2025, while savings climbed 4.9% TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Taiwan's average household disposable income reached a record NT$1.21 million (US$38,500) in 2025, up 3.9% from a year earlier, according to a report issued Friday by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics. Disposable income refers to income remaining after non-consumption expenditures such as taxes and social insurance premiums have been deducted, leaving money available for consumption or savings, per Storm Media. Hsinchu retained its position as the municipality with the highest average household disposable income at NT$1.604 million, followed by Hsinchu County at NT$1.569 million. Taipei ranked third at NT$1.554 million per household. Hsinchu's high ranking was attributed to its concentration of high-tech companies in the Hsinchu Science Park and the growth of the AI industry. Taipei, meanwhile, benefits from its position as Taiwan's political and financial center, per CNA. Among Taiwan's six major municipalities, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung all recorded average household disposable income above the national average of NT$1.21 million. Tainan and Kaohsiung were below the national average, with household disposable income of NT$1.044 million and NT$1.206 million, respectively. DGBAS added that average household consumption expenditure reached NT$920,000 in 2025, an increase of 3.6% from 2024. Average household savings rose 4.9% to NT$290,000 during the same period, per the report. DPP warns AI elevating election interference risks in Taiwan Ruling party urges stronger cybersecurity measures TAIPEI (Taiwan News) AI is enabling a new level of interference in Taiwan's elections, the DPP warned on Sunday. The party's China affairs department said in a Facebook post that AI-generated content already emerged in the 2024 general election, including fake videos of the "secret history" of Tsai Ing-wen ( ) and the spread of AI-generated images and memes across social media platforms. As AI technology advances, the risks of interference will increase, the party said. The DPP highlighted three key areas of concern regarding AI-enabled interference, including precision targeting, identity impersonation, and last-minute attacks. Precision targeting entails analyzing personal data, social media interactions, and online behavior to tailor political messages that are most likely to persuade specific demographic groups based on age, occupation, location, and political leanings, the party said. Identity impersonation uses AI to mimic the language and tone used by Taiwanese to operate fake accounts or virtual personas, infiltrate online communities, and make foreign operators appear as domestic voices. Last-minute attacks refer to releasing deepfake audio, videos, false endorsements, or fabricated scandals in the days or hours before voting. This is intended to exploit limited time for verification to influence voter decisions. The DPP urged the public to remain vigilant, especially when encountering sudden political revelations, social media content, or major candidate statements before elections. The party also called for stronger deepfake detection, AI content labeling and traceability, election cybersecurity, and other preventative measures. In particular, it stressed the need to shorten the time needed to detect, verify, and clarify fake social media content. The warning comes as the Chinese Communist Party has reportedly designated Taiwan's 2026 local elections as a key focus of its coercive efforts toward Taiwan, per the DPP. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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New Day today!! Three blocks of news: Chinese interfering with travelers; Election news; Defense News We've covered similar stories, but this one goes on to point out specific dangers for specific types of people: Chiu warns China rules could trap Taiwanese travelers Officials say vague regulations give Chinese authorities broad powers to impose exit restrictions TAIPEI (Taiwan News) China's new entry and exit rules could allow Taiwanese travelers into the country but prevent some from leaving, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng ( ) warned Monday. Speaking at a forum at Tunghai University, Chiu said the rules give Chinese authorities broad discretion over border controls. He said they also extend border-control powers from the central government to local authorities, CNA reported. Chiu said the regulations are vague and provide weak protections for individual rights. People could face exit restrictions if Chinese authorities decide their actions outside China violate national security or national interests. Such restrictions could last from six months to three years, he said. Chiu warned that this creates uncertainty for Taiwanese traveling to China. Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung ( ) said the rules could affect Taiwanese businesspeople, students, professionals, and government employees. He said people traveling with a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents could also fall under the regulations. Shen said people working in technology and semiconductor supply chains should be especially cautious. He also identified people known for outspoken political views, those with business assets in China, and those with links to religious groups as potentially facing greater scrutiny. Lower-level civil servants should not assume they face little risk because they hold junior positions or are visiting only as tourists, Shen said. He added that more Taiwanese have recently been questioned after entering China. Shen also cited a case involving a person of Chinese origin who later became a Japanese citizen. He said Chinese authorities required the person to resume Chinese nationality and then prevented the person from leaving China. National Chung Hsing University professor Tan Wei-en ( ) said the rules give administrative authorities greater power to stop certain people from leaving China. Tunghai University assistant professor Liu Ming-hao ( ) said workers in advanced technology may face particularly strict controls. Liu said people working in artificial intelligence, defense technology, rare-earth refining, aerospace, and nuclear fusion could face greater difficulty leaving China. Semiconductor workers may also face restrictions depending on their employer and the technology they handle. National Chung Hsing University professor Tsai Tung-chieh ( ) said enforcement of Chinese regulations can be political and selective. He warned that local officials may apply the rules too broadly because of bureaucratic pressure, self-protection, or performance targets. Tsai said Taiwan's government should identify groups that may face greater risk of being flagged by Chinese authorities. He also urged officials to prepare possible scenarios and give travelers clearer warnings. National Chi Nan University professor Chang Chun-yen ( ) said China's border controls increasingly focus on digital information as well as individuals. He said some travelers may delete social media accounts or change how they communicate online because they fear their digital activity could be used against them. and now for a deeper, darker, dive into it all!! This extends the Chinese operation to all over the World: China's passport warfare targets Taiwan Beijing is weaponizing airspace, visas, and border controls to squeeze Taiwanese mobility China is turning travel documents, overflight permits, visas, and border checkpoints into weapons in a quiet campaign to isolate Taiwan from the world. In late April, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight clearances for President Lai Ching-te's ( ) planned flight to Eswatini under pressure from Beijing. Taipei and Mbabane outmaneuvered the blockade when King Mswati III's aircraft transported the Taiwanese delegation on a much longer route through friendly airspace, landing safely in Eswatini on May 2. By July, this containment campaign had begun targeting ordinary citizens. The Moroccan Embassy in Tokyo halted mandatory visa confirmation letters for Taiwanese tourists, forcing Taipei to respond with a reciprocal visa suspension against Moroccan nationals. In August, Ugandan immigration officers at Entebbe International Airport withheld Taiwanese passports and demanded that Taiwanese travelers produce Chinese passports before their documents would be returned. These shocks reveal a trend toward "passport warfare" the weaponization of airspace, transit hubs, visas, and checkpoints to isolate Taiwan. This administrative containment mirrors the coercive diplomatic warfare the Chinese Communist Party aggressively conducts against countries that maintain official relations with Taiwan. By forcing foreign states to deny transit, entry, or basic document recognition to Taiwanese passport holders, Beijing achieves through bureaucratic pressure what it cannot yet enforce through military might. The result directly undermines cross-strait deterrence and assurance. The Zero-Tariff Cauldron These travel restrictions reflect clear geopolitical patterns. Sovereignty fears drive complete transit blockades in Georgia and Moldova, where governments fear legitimizing breakaway regions and have strong reasons to please Beijing. Economic dependencies dictate entry bans in Venezuela and Azerbaijan, while Chinese investment in Morocco's Tangier Tech Smart City forms part of the broader context for Rabat's recent visa freeze. Elsewhere, proxy disputes dictate borders, as Somalia has barred Taiwanese travelers in retaliation for Taipei's ties with Somaliland. This African containment stems from a unified economic carrot. On Feb. 14, during the 39th African Union Summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced a unilateral zero-tariff policy for 53 African nations, effective May 1. Eswatini, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa, was the sole African country excluded from Beijing's duty-free umbrella. In exchange, African leaders have increasingly aligned their borders and diplomatic language with Beijing. Recent joint declarations with hardline dependents such as Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have dropped historical language endorsing a peaceful resolution of cross-strait relations. By stating only that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and omitting references to peace, these accords grant diplomatic cover to a future military blockade. Deterrence, Assurance, and Silkworms International relations theory holds that deterrence relies on raising the costs of aggression, while assurance guarantees that maintaining the status quo preserves security. Beijing's passport warfare subverts this balance through consular and airspace deterrence. It creates a gray-zone barrier to prove that standard travel can result in immediate logistical stranding. This behavior embodies the Chinese idiom , or "to nibble away like a silkworm before swallowing like a whale." Avoiding hot war, Beijing relies on the silkworm's patience. It pressures civil aviation systems, border authorities, and travel-document databases to make Taiwanese mobility appear abnormal, disputed, and administratively inconvenient. Squeezing access in isolated hubs gradually conditions the world to accept Taiwan's isolation. Once this erasure is normalized, the strategy can shift to the whale's swallow: collapsing status quo assurances and eliminating Taiwan's international presence entirely. The Expanding Gray-Zone Grid This containment has expanded beyond historic non-recognition blocks, combining passport warfare and legal pressure into a unified lawfare campaign. In South Africa, Pretoria excluded Taiwan from its automated e-visa platform and demanded that Taiwan move its liaison office from Pretoria to Johannesburg, treating travel access and representation as concessions to Beijing. In China's own legal system, the CCP has expanded extraterritorial threats. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council has raised concerns over Article 63 of China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, which targets overseas organizations and individuals accused of undermining ethnic unity or promoting separatism. At the same time, Chinese judicial guidelines on "Taiwan independence" have turned travel through China and China-aligned states into a growing risk for Taiwanese, overseas Taiwanese, and foreign supporters of Taiwan. Thailand and South Korea have also intensified screening of Taiwanese arrivals under the pretext of fighting transnational fraud, demonstrating how ordinary border enforcement can be turned into broader friction against Taiwanese mobility. Uganda's August passport seizures show the campaign's most blunt form. Ugandan immigration officers at Entebbe withheld Taiwanese passports, demanded Chinese passports, and in earlier cases detained or deported Taiwanese travelers. Foreign nationals are not immune. Western and other foreign passport holders who renew documents through trade offices or de facto embassies in Taipei can face denial or heightened scrutiny at Chinese checkpoints when "Taipei" appears as the place of issue. In China's political reading of travel documents, even a neutral administrative field can become a sovereignty trap. The same pattern appears in paperwork erasure. Serbia and Bolivia process visas for Taiwanese on loose sheets of paper, while Jamaica requires travelers to purchase a separate affidavit of identity to avoid creating an official administrative record on a Taiwanese passport. The September Entry and Exit Codes The structural normalization of passport warfare is arriving through China's sweeping new entry and exit regulation, State Council Decree No. 841, which takes effect Sept. 15. The 19-article regulation gives Beijing broader administrative tools to refuse entry, cancel transit, restrict exit, demand supporting documents, require electronic data, and impose entry bans on people accused of violating vague border or national-security classifications. This codifies a weapon-ready architecture for gray-zone border control. Under the new regulation, border officers and visa authorities can demand documents, materials, and electronic data when verifying a traveler's identity or stated purpose of travel. False materials or statements can be used to deny entry or exit documents, refuse entry, or impose bans of one to five years. The system gives Beijing more tools to punish travelers whose identities, documents, political views, or links to Taiwan are deemed irregular. Because Beijing routinely treats Taiwanese as Chinese citizens under its domestic administrative practices, these measures could be selectively applied to Taiwanese tech workers, academics, businesspeople, activists, and public figures traveling to or from China. What appears to be a border-management rule is in practice another tool for ideological compliance. The Democratic Counterstrike To neutralize this strategy, Taiwan and its allies must establish diplomatic counter-deterrence. First, democratic partners should impose immediate diplomatic costs on states that target Taiwanese travelers. Taiwan's July 30 reciprocal visa suspension against Morocco offers a model. If a state bans Taiwanese transit, withholds passports, or enforces discriminatory entry rules under Beijing's pressure, the US, EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, and other partners should respond with bureaucratic delays, reciprocal scrutiny, or restrictions on electronic visa access for that country's officials. Second, allies must mobilize multilateral aviation protections. Beijing's airspace coercion violates the apolitical spirit of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. Western allies should explicitly extend freedom-of-navigation principles to civil aviation by guaranteeing alternative routes, priority transit, diplomatic escorts, or emergency logistical support for Taiwanese officials facing blockade attempts. Eswatini's royal-jet intervention showed that Beijing's airspace choke points can be broken. The democratic world should systematize that lesson before the next attempted blockade. Third, allies should establish pre-cleared sovereign whitelisting. The US, Canada, UK, and Schengen Area should integrate Taiwan into automated, depoliticized biometric corridors such as Global Entry, SmartGate, and similar trusted-traveler systems. Bypassing manual embassy checks protects travelers from localized diplomatic pressure. This automation is urgent. As the Uganda passport seizures show, Taiwan often lacks local embassies and must route emergency support through remote offices, such as its representative office in Somaliland. Automated and trusted systems would make Taiwan's global mobility harder to break, even under China's incoming Sept. 15 border rules. A Global Blueprint for Erasure Passport warfare is an existential threat disguised as paperwork. The institutional foundations for this global containment were codified during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation meeting in Beijing, where every participating African head of state except Eswatini declared support for China's "national reunification" narrative and "all efforts by the Chinese government" to achieve the goal. Driven by Beijing's economic leverage, this language fuels the silkworm's first nibble, expanding the blockade into a systemic global consular net. In Southeast Asia, staunch Beijing allies such as Cambodia and Laos have weaponized visa infrastructure by tightening restrictions on Taiwanese nationals while offering broader entry privileges to Chinese citizens. In South America, China has used expanded visa-waiver frameworks with core trade partners such as Brazil, Argentina, and Peru to encourage compliance with Beijing's passport and sovereignty demands, increasingly choking off standard entry procedures for Taiwanese travelers. Normalizing a world where autocrats dictate international transit does not prevent conflict. It accelerates the whale's final swallow. If the democratic world fails to break Beijing's consular blockade today, its own freedom of movement will be held hostage tomorrow. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Originally Posted By Longshore87: So Xi is arriving on September 23, meeting with Trump on the 24th and departing right away on the 25th. No UN visit. No meetings with Top US executives who rolled over backwards for him in 2023. This visit will be vastly different from his previous one. I wonder if they'll "sign" anything as a show for the cameras? The US has really striped China of its really big allies, and so China has moved towards a large number of very small "allies." Russia does have an ability to wage a very small scale guerilla war on the Europeans which, honestly, would devastate them. Xi has backed himself into a corner with both Taiwan and the rest of the CCP. Once again, there are no public showings of the CCP meetings this year again. (The Party Plenums) Lately, I've been racking what little brains I have left over Iran and wondering why we haven't "dumb bombed" it into a prehistorical period like the Mongols did on horseback. Ever hear of the Algerian Hook? It wasn't meant to kill right away. A man was impaled and suspended, so that others could see and hear his suffering. (The Turks have no limitation on cruelty.) The Iranian population has been spared by the US, but not by the Iranian government. The Iranian government has less and less room to act as each day ends. Maybe now this is the purpose??? The Chinese can see how there's nothing the Iranians can do to end it in their favor. I frame it in that manner because of Trump's "Glengarry Glen Ross" style of "always be closing." The "deal" is becoming smaller and smaller as each day passes. Fuck if I know! |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Let the pandering begin! Actually, this is the third time a version of this story has been published, but this version has details: Lai proposes NT$10,000 cash handout in 2027 budget President says NT$235.7 billion allocation will share 'AI dividends' while keeping budget balanced TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Lai Ching-te ( ) proposed a universal cash handout of NT$10,000 (US$314) per person next year, noting economic growth is forecast to reach a 39-year high, creating an opportunity to share the benefits. Lai made the remarks Monday while attending a central government budget briefing. He said long-standing strengths in semiconductors, information and communications technology, and manufacturing supply chains have enabled the government to share what he described as an "AI dividend," per a press release. "All colleagues have worked diligently and steadfastly, maintaining steady progress and delivering outstanding results even in the face of a turbulent international political and economic situation and domestic political turmoil," said Lai. He noted that an upward revision of Taiwan's economic growth forecast led the central government to raise revenue projections for next year to NT$3.9266 trillion, enabling the government to earmark NT$235.7 billion to fund a NT$10,000 universal cash handout while maintaining a balanced budget and virtually zero net debt. Lai said individuals and families can decide how to use the money, including paying for children's education, caring for elderly family members, easing household financial burdens, increasing consumption, and supporting local businesses and industries. "We must take care of the people's immediate needs and be responsible for future generations; share the fruits of economic growth while upholding the discipline of national finances," he said. Lai then instructed the Cabinet to complete the general budget proposal according to schedule and expressed hope that the legislature will review the 2027 general budget on schedule. He said Taiwan should continue taking advantage of opportunities created by AI while strengthening and investing in the country and supporting working families, per the press release. "Let technology drive the economy, let the economy strengthen the nation, and let national progress benefit the daily lives of the people," Lai said. Kuo says opposition-led legislature politicized presidential discretionary fund Lawmakers cut NT$10 million, freeze remaining NT$20 million TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Presidential Office Spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui ( ) said Sunday that lawmakers had used the budget as a political tool by making the entire NT$30 million (US$941,000) presidential discretionary fund unavailable. CNA reported that the opposition-led legislature passed the 2026 central government budget on Friday. Lawmakers cut NT$10 million from the fund and froze the remaining NT$20 million. The frozen NT$20 million can only be released after President Lai Ching-te ( ) promulgates five laws listed in the budget resolution. The laws concern government revenue allocation, military dependents' housing, ill-gotten political assets, satellite broadcasting, and the organization of the legislature. The Presidential Office must then submit a written report to a legislative committee and receive its approval before the money can be used. Kuo said those conditions are unrelated to the purpose of the fund or normal oversight of government spending, per SETN News. She said linking the fund to the promulgation of laws was an attempt to influence the president's exercise of constitutional powers. Budget oversight should instead focus on whether spending is necessary, reasonable, and properly used, she said. The presidential discretionary fund has been included in the government budget since 1949, according to Kuo. Its annual allocation has remained at NT$30 million since 2014 and was not cut or frozen from 2014 through 2024 under the administrations of Ma Ying-jeou ( ), Tsai Ing-wen ( ), and Lai, per UDN. The fund pays for expenses related to the president's official duties, including visits, awards, receptions, condolences, and financial assistance. It also supports disadvantaged people and social welfare groups, helps victims of major emergencies, and recognizes frontline military and police personnel. Kuo said lawmakers froze the entire fund for the first time in the 2025 budget, affecting some programs for disadvantaged groups. This year, they again made the full NT$30 million unavailable by cutting one-third of the fund and freezing the rest, per FTV News. She urged lawmakers not to blur the line between legislative budget oversight and the president's constitutional responsibilities. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
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Posts:
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Originally Posted By zoinks: You are absolutely correct! The Time in between the last summit and this one, has not been a good time for the "relationship." I wonder if they'll "sign" anything as a show for the cameras? The US has really striped China of its really big allies, and so China has moved towards a large number of very small "allies." Russia does have an ability to wage a very small scale guerilla war on the Europeans which, honestly, would devastate them. Xi has backed himself into a corner with both Taiwan and the rest of the CCP. Once again, there are no public showings of the CCP meetings this year again. (The Party Plenums) Lately, I've been racking what little brains I have left over Iran and wondering why we haven't "dumb bombed" it into a prehistorical period like the Mongols did on horseback. Ever hear of the Algerian Hook? It wasn't meant to kill right away. A man was impaled and suspended, so that others could see and hear his suffering. (The Turks have no limitation on cruelty.) The Iranian population has been spared by the US, but not by the Iranian government. The Iranian government has less and less room to act as each day ends. Maybe now this is the purpose??? The Chinese can see how there's nothing the Iranians can do to end it in their favor. I frame it in that manner because of Trump's "Glengarry Glen Ross" style of "always be closing." The "deal" is becoming smaller and smaller as each day passes. Fuck if I know! I don’t understand why we’ve handled Iran the way we have. I do know this though. The longer Iran is blockaded the more China has to tap into their oil reserves. With Venezuela and currently Iran off the board they have lost access to about 17% of their total imports. |
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Defense news Former UK diplomat says Taiwan invasion would be risk for China Charlie Parton highlights military, economic consequences if China attacked TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Former UK diplomat and Royal United Services Institute associate fellow Charlie Parton expressed doubt that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would happen in an interview published Saturday. Before even launching an attack, Chinese leader Xi Jinping would have to amass troops and equipment, which would be a "pretty clear warning," Parton told The Sun. "This would give time for the Americans and others to reinforce and make it even more difficult for China," he said. China would then have to move assets across the Taiwan Strait to a handful of beaches suitable for an amphibious landing. "You've only got about 13 beaches where you could land on, and of course, you'd send in airborne troops, but they're at great risk of being shot out of the sky, particularly as drone technology increases," Parton said. "So, if the Taiwanese have prepared properly, it would be extremely difficult to invade, and the chances are that you wouldn't succeed." Blockading Taiwan would also be challenging, the former diplomat said. Cutting off the Taiwan Strait would sever links to Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and in turn, cause a global economic meltdown, Parton said. China would feel the effects of its own blockade and see mass domestic unemployment, he said. "If the Chinese economy is not sufficiently self-reliant, self-contained to weather that storm, then there would be an inevitable plummet in its economic performance," Parton said. Even if an invasion were successful, it would be a challenge to gain control because Taiwanese troops would conduct guerrilla warfare. "The one thing that Xi is not going to do is take a risk of falling from power because that's really dangerous," Parton said. "So, I think it's much more likely that they will continue to put other forms of pressure on Taiwan and its people to try and convince them that unification is irresistible and inevitable," he said. He added that another factor affecting Xi's decision to attack would be whether the US can assist Taiwan on time. "Until those conditions are met, it's fair to conclude that forceful ways of getting hold of Taiwan are on the back burner," he said. Taiwan Army to hold exercise in October to boost combat readiness Exercise focuses on small-unit missions, logistical support TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Army will conduct its annual Lu Sheng exercise in October to bolster combat readiness. The exercise will simulate a battle between a mechanized infantry brigade from northern Taiwan and an armored brigade from the south, CNA cited a military source as saying. The exercise will focus on firepower values, rules of engagement, enhancing small-unit mission command, and logistical support capabilities. The inaugural Lu Sheng exercise was held last year, pitting the 542nd Armored Brigade against the 234th Mechanized Infantry Brigade for seven days in central Taiwan, CNA reported. The exercise abandoned the practice of substituting wheeled vehicles for armored platforms and adopted a no-script approach. It also introduced several innovations, including the restoration of a "firepower value" system. This entailed assigning different lethality values to various weapons and platforms to make training more objective and realistic, per CNA. This improved the accuracy of command decisions and post-exercise after-action reviews by providing more precise equipment and platform parameters. Last year's exercise also incorporated the use of Team Awareness Kits, enabling commanders at all levels to track friendly and opposing forces in real time and strengthening decentralized command and control capabilities, according to CNA. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Originally Posted By Longshore87: I don't understand why we've handled Iran the way we have. I do know this though. The longer Iran is blockaded the more China has to tap into their oil reserves. With Venezuela and currently Iran off the board they have lost access to about 17% of their total imports. Originally Posted By Longshore87: Originally Posted By zoinks: You are absolutely correct! The Time in between the last summit and this one, has not been a good time for the "relationship." I wonder if they'll "sign" anything as a show for the cameras? The US has really striped China of its really big allies, and so China has moved towards a large number of very small "allies." Russia does have an ability to wage a very small scale guerilla war on the Europeans which, honestly, would devastate them. Xi has backed himself into a corner with both Taiwan and the rest of the CCP. Once again, there are no public showings of the CCP meetings this year again. (The Party Plenums) Lately, I've been racking what little brains I have left over Iran and wondering why we haven't "dumb bombed" it into a prehistorical period like the Mongols did on horseback. Ever hear of the Algerian Hook? It wasn't meant to kill right away. A man was impaled and suspended, so that others could see and hear his suffering. (The Turks have no limitation on cruelty.) The Iranian population has been spared by the US, but not by the Iranian government. The Iranian government has less and less room to act as each day ends. Maybe now this is the purpose??? The Chinese can see how there's nothing the Iranians can do to end it in their favor. I frame it in that manner because of Trump's "Glengarry Glen Ross" style of "always be closing." The "deal" is becoming smaller and smaller as each day passes. Fuck if I know! I don't understand why we've handled Iran the way we have. I do know this though. The longer Iran is blockaded the more China has to tap into their oil reserves. With Venezuela and currently Iran off the board they have lost access to about 17% of their total imports. They've cancelled their "Eagles of Civilization" for this Year. This year was to prove that it wasn't a fluke. Well...it looks like a fluke now. Also, no Thanks to the English!, but the US has done fairly well in stopping/hopefully ending Chinese encroachment on Diego Garcia. Plus, you'll have noticed that there have been no more hits on US and Arab bases or even on civilian infrastructure. " Accurate Targeting" has seem to run into some issues. It's even been 4 or 5 days since the Houthis got a hit on the Saudis. The Indo part of the IndoPacific is not looking as good for the Chinese as it was a few years back. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
|
Our first bit of news... Remember when Mistress Cheng came to the US for the visit of alleged Taiwanese civil groups and college students (and US politicians), but those pesky CCP members tended to be at the civic group meetings in good amounts, and the colleges she picked to visit had large numbers of Students from China and very small amounts of students from Taiwan? Remember that? Well, Dear Reader, have we got a story for you!! 83 Colleges and 26 Schools Act as a Pipeline for China's Regime: Report A new report from Defending Education has identified at least 83 universities and 26 K-12 schools across 30 states that exposed their students to Chinese Communist Party propaganda through the Young Envoys Scholarship program. According to the report, titled "Little Red Classrooms: China's Infiltration of American K-12 Schools," the program is monitored by the China Education Association for International Exchange, or CEAIE, and serves as an alternative to the Confucius Institutes, which Congress began restricting in 2021. On its Chinese website, the organization states that it is guided by "Marxism-Leninism" and Xi Jinping thought on socialism. It aims to "always adhere to the leadership of the Party and integrate the Party's work into the entire process of the association's operation and development." Reagan Dugan, director of higher education initiatives at Defending Education, told the Daily Signal that it is an attempt by the Chinese communist regime to create a pipeline into America's classrooms. "The organization Xi Jinping personally tasked with bringing 50,000 young Americans to China, CEAIE, states in its own charter that it exists to carry out Party activities and 'adhere to the overall leadership of the Communist Party of China,'" Dugan said. "This same organization is now overseeing YES programming inside at least 83 universities and 26 K-12 schools in 30 states. Families are being sold cultural exchange," Dugan continued. "What they're actually getting is a Party-run pipeline into their kids' classrooms." China Education Association for International Exchange did not respond to the Daily Signal's request for comment by publication time. As previously reported by The College Fix, a GOP spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that a number of universities were under investigation for failing to disclose all foreign funding. Data compiled by The College Fix also found that state-sponsored institutions, such as the University of Illinois System, raked in $26.5 million of the $168 million in gifts from Chinese sources to American universities during a six-month period in 2021. A different report from The College Fix noted that at Indiana University, a Chinese researcher was detained and deported after he pleaded guilty to smuggling DNA derived from E. coli into the United States. The Fix also noted that, in 2020, the Indiana attorney general launched an investigation into state colleges over Chinese influence. All three colleges were listed in Defending Education's report. The issue, as noted in the report, is not limited to higher education. Schools such as Lincoln High School in Washington state's Tacoma Public Schools district are exposing schoolchildren to China's government through program-sponsored trips. These travel and exchange programs offered by the organization are used by Chinese government officials to have U.S. students serve a political function by facilitating "sponsored, carefully narrated visits attached to institutions and trumpeted in official state media accounts, often in ways that serve Chinese cultural diplomacy interests." Tacoma Public Schools did not return a request for comment by the time of publication. Here's the link to the original report, if interested: Little Red Classrooms: Young Envoys Scholarship Program Next, a couple of more spy stories REVEALED: Stanford Aerospace Chief Who Oversaw F-22 And F-35 Development Secretly Trained Researchers At Blacklisted Chinese Defense University A former Stanford University aerospace chairman who spent 14 years reviewing engine programs tied to the F-22 and F-35 traveled to one of China's most sensitive defense-linked universities under a Chinese foreign-expertise initiative, university records reveal. Brian Cantwell, a longtime Stanford professor of aeronautics and astronautics, spent May 9 through June 3, 2025 at Beihang University, according to an official account published by Beihang. The nearly month-long visit was supported by what Beihang described as an "expertise introduction" program, part of a broader Chinese system designed to recruit foreign technical specialists into Chinese universities. During the visit, Cantwell delivered six technical lectures, met directly with Chinese research teams, advised graduate students on ongoing projects, toured laboratories and an aeroacoustic wind tunnel, and discussed future scientific cooperation with Beihang faculty. A separate Beihang notice advertising the lecture series stated that some of the material Cantwell intended to present was so recent that "the latest research has not yet been published." The visit is notable because Beihang has been restricted by the U.S. government for 25 years over concerns involving missile and unmanned-aircraft technology. Washington has spent 25 years restricting the transfer of American technology to Beihang because of missile and UAV concerns. China appears to have found another route to valuable American aerospace know-how: bring the experts themselves to campus. Cantwell's experience extends far beyond academic research. According to his Stanford biography, Cantwell chaired Stanford's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics from 2001 through 2008. From 1994 through 2008, he also served on an Executive Independent Review Team overseeing the development of the F119, F135 and F136 engine programs. The F119 powers the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor. The F135 powers the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Cantwell previously served on NATO's Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development Fluid Dynamics Panel, including a period as deputy chairman. His biography states that the panel supported NATO aerospace technology needs. His research areas include turbulence, aerodynamics, aircraft propulsion, rocket propulsion, hybrid rocket fuels and aerodynamic drag. Cantwell has remained active in the field. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics selected him to receive its 2026 Fluid Dynamics Award. Beihang Says He Presented Unpublished Research Beihang's records show that Cantwell's visit involved more than ceremonial appearances. The university organized a six-part lecture series focused on turbulence and fluid mechanics, including wall-bounded turbulent flow, boundary layers, turbulent shear flows and jet behavior. In its advance description of the lectures, Beihang stated that much of Cantwell's material involved research conducted after 2019. Lecture titles include - Primer on Symmetry Analysis (4/6) - Similarity Rules for Incompressible Turbulent Shear Flows (5/6) - Transition in the Jet Created by an Impulsive Point Force (6/6) It then noted that "the latest research has not yet been published." He Also Advised Beihang Researchers Beihang's report on Cantwell's visit describes direct interaction with researchers working under Professor Chen Xi, a Beihang turbulence specialist. Chinese researchers presented Cantwell with their work on subjects including boundary-layer circulation, adverse-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers and compressible channel turbulence. According to Beihang, Cantwell discussed the research with graduate students and provided "opinions and suggestions." He also toured graduate laboratories and the university's aeroacoustic wind tunnel. The university concluded that the visit had laid a foundation for additional cooperation with Cantwell's team in joint scientific research, talent cultivation and academic exchanges. Chen himself previously worked in the United States. His Beihang biography states that he worked as research faculty at Texas Tech University from 2014 through 2019 before returning to China. He later received support through a Chinese overseas high-level talent initiative. Cantwell's Trip Was Part Of A Chinese Foreign-Expert Program Beihang explicitly described Cantwell's visit as supported by an " ," a term commonly translated as an expertise-introduction or foreign-expert recruitment initiative. Beihang separately explains that it operates multiple programs for importing overseas expertise, including "111" foreign-intelligence bases, high-end foreign expert projects and short-term foreign-expert initiatives. According to the university's own description of the system, these programs target overseas specialists in fields including aerospace and artificial intelligence, promote substantive scientific cooperation and are intended to "serve major national strategic needs." Beihang Has Been On The U.S. Entity List Since 2001 Beihang has faced American export restrictions since May 2001. When the Commerce Department added the university to the Entity List, exports to Beihang became subject to restrictions connected to missile-related end-use concerns. Those restrictions remain in effect. The current Commerce Department Entity List imposes licensing requirements on items subject to U.S. export regulations when Beihang is the relevant end user, generally with a presumption of denial. The university has also previously been accused of using intermediaries to obtain American goods despite those restrictions. In 2013, the Commerce Department identified several entities it said had acted as procurement agents for Beihang and facilitated at least 75 shipments of items subject to U.S. export controls intended for use at the university. The School Hosting Cantwell Conducts UAV Research Cantwell's host institution inside Beihang, the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, maintains significant aerospace infrastructure. Among its facilities is an Advanced Long-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technology Engineering Research Center. According to Beihang's description of the center, its work includes long-endurance UAV design, autonomous flight control, aircraft energy systems and new unmanned-aircraft configurations. Organizations involved in its development have included major Chinese aerospace institutions. Beihang is also commonly identified as one of China's "Seven Sons of National Defense," a group of universities with deep ties to the country's defense industrial and military research system. There is one obvious question Stanford has yet to answer: why wasn't any of this worth mentioning? American universities rarely miss an opportunity to advertise their professors' international prestige. Yet there were no glowing Stanford profiles touting its former aerospace chief's work with Beihang, no celebration of the relationship, and seemingly no effort to tell the American public that a man with intimate experience evaluating some of the Pentagon's most advanced fighter-engine programs was lending his expertise to one of China's premier defense universities. Instead, Americans had to learn about it from Chinese-language university webpages. Beijing was apparently proud enough to publicize the relationship. Stanford was not. Way back when I was in the Strategic Air Command, we did not worry about Soviet paratroopers filling the sky and floating downward to us. We were always on the look at for American and Canadian saboteurs. Sabotage takes many forms. They've put pilots in jail for helping the Chinese! Hopefully, this guy sees the inside of a cell as well. This is a screen shot of her post on X.com: Attached File She has more at the link. German journalist says Chinese agent followed him during Taiwan trip Investigation Bureau confirms Jurgen Kremb followed in Alishan, woman left Taiwan shortly after investigation TAIPEI (Taiwan News) German journalist Jurgen Kremb was followed by a Chinese woman during a trip to Alishan last year, who later appeared at his hotel, attempting to eavesdrop on a phone call. The Investigation Bureau confirmed the account on Monday. The bureau, however, did not disclose further details of the case due to confidentiality in ongoing investigations, per EBC. Kremb previously served as head of the Beijing, Singapore, and Vienna offices of German news magazine Der Spiegel. He has long studied Chinese intelligence agencies and cross-strait relations, and in 2025, he came to Taiwan as a visiting scholar at Soochow University. Because Kremb had lived in Beijing for an extended period and was familiar with regional accents and the methods used by Chinese intelligence personnel, he became suspicious when he noticed the woman following him in Alishan. The woman later appeared in the lobby of his hotel and sat next to one of Kremb's companions while the person was making a phone call, apparently attempting to listen to the conversation. Kremb immediately warned his friend, telling him to end the call because he believed the woman was a Chinese agent. His friend initially did not believe him, but Kremb said he recognized the surveillance methods from his experience working in China. After returning to Taipei, Kremb reported the incident to the Investigation Bureau, per EBC. The bureau later reviewed surveillance footage and found that the woman had followed Kremb and his group, at times hiding behind vehicles and street corners before entering the hotel lobby with them. Investigators also confirmed with the hotel that the woman was not a guest. After the bureau began investigating the case, the woman left Taiwan within two days. The Taiwan Representative Office in Canada shared a video on Facebook on Monday of an interview Kremb gave to Taiwan Plus in June. In the interview, he described being followed by the Chinese woman during his trip to Taiwan and said that she waited for him at his hotel, according to UDN. The Investigation Bureau said the case demonstrates that China has long engaged in transnational repression and that its targets are not limited to Chinese or Taiwanese. Anyone who opposes communist totalitarianism and supports democracy, freedom, and human rights could become a target of China's repression, the bureau said. The bureau added that it will continue strengthening law enforcement cooperation with democratic partners to counter China's long-arm jurisdiction and transnational repression. |
Like a midget at a urinal, I had to be on my toes--Lt. Frank Drebin
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’
SixtyNine (7AUG21) "very interesting, thanks"
Pres. Joe Biden (16FEB21) Biden dismisses Uighur genocide as part of China’s ‘different norms’