CCP | | RG21

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo–America’s Point Man on China Policy.

“President Reagan said that he dealt with the Soviet Union on the basis of ‘trust but verify.’When it comes to the CCP, I say we must distrust and verify.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo July 23, 2020 .

It has become abundantly clear that Donald Trump’s point man on China is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In his July 23, 2020 speech at the Nixon Library in Simi Valley California he left no doubt about that.

In the speech Mr. Pompeo outlined the Chinese threat (as seen by the US) and called for a new alliance against China. He spoke of the United Nations and the G20 and others G7 and NATO standing with the US to deal with China.

The whole speech set out the treats from the Communist Party of China and from the Chinese nation itself. Such cold war rhetoric has not been heard for a long time, and the speech really did lay down the gauntlet.

Observers suggest that the rhetoric will continue and even intensify right up until the 2020 presidential election. One reason for the Trump administration’s belligerence toward China is to ensure the re-election of Donald Trump.

So who is Mike Pompeo anyway? Mr. Pompeo was born in Orange County California. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point graduating first in his class. After his military duty finished, he entered Harvard University Law School and graduated with a JD degree. After Harvard he entered private business where he teamed up with former classmates to form an aircraft parts business. In 2011 he was elected to the US congress as a Republican Representative for Kansas and where he served from 2011 to 2017. In 2017 he was appointed as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency held that job for a year before being nominated as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump.

Mr. Pompeo, in the Reagan Library speech on July 23, didn’t echo President Ronald Reagan’s words in 1983 calling the Soviet Union an “evil empire” by calling China an “evil empire”, but Pompeo’s meaning, was clear enough about what he considered the Chinese threat.

Worth noting is the fact that Mr. Pompeo in his July 23 speech did not offer any way forward regarding better relations between the US and China. No, China is a menace to world peace and to American democracy, and we must (all) stand up to China. No more ” Mr. Nice Guy” American hoping for a liberal China to emerge. Time to stand firm.

So the face of the “new Cold War” and the pushback on China is US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. One could argue that he is the right man for the job. A Democratic win in November would tone down a lot of the rhetoric toward China, but American actions under a Democratic president might not be so far different regarding China in many areas.

What do you think? Contact us and let us know your opinion.

Secretary Pompeo’s July 23rd Speech at the Nixon Library.

Photo: US Dept. of State via flickr

Hong Kong, Summer 2019 – A Thorny Problem for Beijing.

Hong Kong in the summer of 2019 really is a thorny problem for Beijing. All things considered, it looks like there is no “win” for Beijing, only a “not lose.”

A “Perfect Storm”

A perfect storm of conditions is coming together to make an almost impossible situation in which the Chinese government cannot get a positive outcome. The Hong Kong government has been tasked with dealing with the massive demonstrations opposing the now-defunct extradition bill. The kidnapping of anti-Beijing booksellers in the not-so-distant past gave demonstrators just the ammunition they needed for their protest, as it proved to them that the true purpose of the bill was not to extradite criminals to face justice, but to smother dissent in Hong Kong.

This has been a near impossible situation to deal with for the government of the SAR considering that university students are on holiday and out in full force, and that the world is watching via international media. While there were accusations of excessive force, the demonstrators did enter and vandalize the Legislative Council Building despite police presence.

As of mid-July 2019, protests continue. The second round of protests have been against mainland traders who buy up huge amounts of goods in Hong Kong for resale on the mainland which drives up inflation in Hong Kong. Police and protesters scuffled at a shopping mall and injuries were reported.

Demands from the protesters, in addition to the permanent scrapping of the extradition bill, now include an investigation into police brutality and the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

The Use of Minimal Force

At present, it appears that Bejing’s decision is to continue to let the Hong Kong government handle the situation. The use of excessive force by the SAR or the Beijing government would damage the “soft power” that the PRC has been developing for decades culminating in the “Belt and Road” initiative.

The specter of the CCP’s handling of the 1989 Tian An Men Square incident also hangs over the Chinese government. Moreover, those “on the fence” in Taiwan regarding re-unification might be pushed to the pro-independence side if they were to see the PRC clamp down.

And the “no win” situation is just not for the government of the PRC.The protesters who are acting in such a way to preserve the freedom of Hong Kong under the One Country-Two Systems arrangement might just be putting an end to it.

Beijing’s Red Line

China’s long-term strategy is not yet clear. In the short term, the strategy is not to use excessive force. However there is a point where protest becomes anarchy. If anarchy were to ensue, then the PLA would be called in to maintain order. Once order had been restored, those “freedoms” that the protesters were fighting so hard to preserve might be lost forever.

No one knows where the red line is with the powers in Beijing and we are not privy to the thinking of the CCP. But be sure, there is a red line. When the passions of the protesters are aroused, it is unlikely that long-term thinking will prevail, and it is highly likely that anarchy will ensue. When anarchy does ensue, the CCP and PLA will act, and act decisively.

The above outcomes are not good for Hong Kong, and ultimately not good for China. But history has a way of being history, and in Hong Kong and other places around the world we can see history unfold from the comfort of our own homes on big-screen TVs.

What do you think about this matter? Please let us know.

photo: Etan Liam via flickr

Asian Waters—China’s Venerable Grand Canal

The Grand Canal represents the greatest masterpiece of hydraulic engineering in the history of mankind, because of its very ancient origins and its vast scale, along with its continuous development and its adaptation to circumstances down the ages. It provides tangible proof of human wisdom, determination and courage. It is an outstanding example of human creativity, demonstrating technical capabilities and a mastery of hydrology in a vast agricultural empire that stems directly from Ancient China. (UNESCO World Heritage List)

by David Parmer / Tokyo

Unlike China’s other great treasure, the Great Wall, the Grand Canal is not only an historical relic, but it is also a vibrant part of China’s culture and economy, important today as it was in the 13th century. The 1776 km Hangzhou-Beijing canal, or the Grand Canal, runs from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province through Jiangsu, Shandong, and Hebei provinces. In the North, its route passes Tianjin and ends up in Beijing.

The Grand Canal was started in the late Spring and Autumn period (770-470 BC). The officially agreed upon date seems to be 486 BC. Various sections were linked together during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD) and the project reached completion and its near 2,000km length during the Yuan dynasty (1279-1386 AD). Today only the section from Hangzhou to Jining (see illustration above) is navigable. Some sections in the North have dried up and become impassable or are severely polluted. Historically the canal was used to transport grain from southern China to northern China. The bricks for the Forbidden City in Beijing and the timbers for the Ming Tombs also came north along the canal. Since the end of WWII it has been used to transport building materials and fuel. Estimates are that some 100,000 vessels ply the waters of the Grand Canal every year.

China’s rivers generally flow from west to east, and this is one reason why the south to north flow of the Grand Canal is so important. It not only permits the transport of goods from south to north, but also links five of China’s rivers. In addition to the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, it also links the Huaihe, Haihe and Qiantang rivers.

The Grand Canal is indeed an engineering marvel; it is 10 times longer than the Suez Canal and 22 times longer than the Panama Canal. It is also the longest artificial river in the world. The canal is 1.0m below sea level in Hangzhou but 38.5m above sea level in its modern navigational terminus and Jining in Shandong province. There are 24 locks along the river that make this possible.

In 2014, the once-neglected Grand Canal was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is valued for its cultural value as well as its ongoing contribution to China’s economy. Throughout history the canal has brought goods and culture from one part of vast China to the other. Efforts are ongoing to improve not only the maintenance of the waterway but also the communities along its way. It is clear that the Hangzhou-Beijing canal will continue to have a major influence on the region and the country in this century and for centuries to come.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1443

China Daily: Multi-part video series on Grand Canal in Chinese with English subtitles

http://video.chinadaily.com.cn/2013/1031/1518.shtml

Photos:

Top: China Discovery

Map: Wikipedia

Bottom: CNTO