The “Pillar of Shame,” 26 feet high, had stood on the University of Hong Kong grounds since 1997 “as a memorial to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.” The sculpture by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt included an inscription that said, “The [...]
Archive for the ‘China’ Category
Hong Kong voters boycott election
What if they held an election and no one voted? “The quiet scenes at the polling stations spoke volumes,” NBC News reported (here). “Entrances at some of Hong Kong’s 630 voting sites were empty on Sunday as the Chinese territory held an election for its legislature in which none[...]
November 26th, 2021 - 9:26 pm § in China, Foreign Affairs
What crushing Hong Kong cost China
A generation of young Taiwanese, and any remaining hope of mutual reconciliation. “As authorities in Hong Kong arrested pro-democracy supporters, including opposition politicians and newspaper editors, a growing number of people in Taiwan have reflected upon the island’s future relatio[...]
Major cities hire “chief heat officers”
Here in Seattle, we sweltered through prolonged 100-degree-plus heat last summer, and I began joking to friends about buying Arctic beachfront property while it’s available. The warming Arctic is no joke, though. Seattle isn’t one of the cities hiring “chief heat officers” &#[...]
Chinese farmer’s now-famous 70,000 chickens
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China’s hypersonic test “concerning”
China recently tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic delivery vehicle, although they deny it. Gen. Mark Milley, America’s top military officer, called the test “very concerning” (see story here). There are several things the Pentagon doesn’t like about these weapons in our adve[...]
October 25th, 2021 - 8:34 pm § in China, Foreign Affairs
China will freeze in the dark before it buys Australian coal again
China has an energy crisis. To be more specific, China has a coal shortage. Australia has lots of coal, but China doesn’t want it, even though its lights are going out. Beijing is throwing a hissy fit. A year ago, it blocked imports of Aussie coal because “after Canberra backed a call fo[...]
October 21st, 2021 - 10:30 pm § in Biden, China, Donald Trump, Foreign Affairs, Law and Courts, Politics
Biden errs, then criticizes himself
Last week, The Hill says, Biden was asked about (in its words) “people who defy subpoenas from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol,” an obvious reference to Steve Bannon (image left). Biden replied, “I hope that the committee goes after them and holds [...]
October 18th, 2021 - 3:55 pm § in China, Foreign Affairs
The nuclear chess game
China asserts it merely tested a reusable spacecraft, but some people suspect it was a hypersonic nuclear delivery vehicle. US disarmament chief Robert Wood said, “We are very concerned by what China has been doing on the hypersonic front,” the Guardian reported on MOnday, October 18, 2021 (rea[...]
October 17th, 2021 - 9:35 pm § in China, Foreign Affairs
A glimpse of life under China’s inept and corrupt communist system
The 55-year-old impoverished Chinese man who lived with his frail 89-year-old mother in this house couldn’t keep his roof on when the windstorm came, and then couldn’t get it back from his wealthy neighbor. Local authorities had previously given him permission to build a new house on his[...]