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Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

economist.com

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Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#531

Post by monetus »

peoplefromibiza wrote: post #494
riffraff wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China won't allow airlines to say they fly to Taiwan. Western media frequently defer to PRC rules (the latest one: Top Gun sequel removing the taiwanese flag). John Cena had to publicly apologize because he referred to Taiwan as a country. Chinese vessels regularly violate territorial waters, and there is an ongoing spat with India around their borders. The PRC is bullying the whole planet, and people are letting the…

> because he referred to Taiwan as a country. But it isn't. Officially Taiwan is not a sovereign country. The status is controversial, it's similar to Catalunya in Spain (see what happened to Catalan leader Puigdemont) or Flanders in Belgium, but Taiwan is not officially a country. I think that if someone called Fort-de-France a country, France would correct them. On the other side of the spectrum, if someone says th…

I don't know much about catalonia or flanders, but don't they participate in the national government? Dissimilarly, taiwan hasn't participated in the chinese government? Correct me if I'm wrong, I've been under the impression they are not integrated with the mainland in any meaningful way governmentally.

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#532

Post by whimsicalism »

peoplefromibiza wrote: post #494
riffraff wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China won't allow airlines to say they fly to Taiwan. Western media frequently defer to PRC rules (the latest one: Top Gun sequel removing the taiwanese flag). John Cena had to publicly apologize because he referred to Taiwan as a country. Chinese vessels regularly violate territorial waters, and there is an ongoing spat with India around their borders. The PRC is bullying the whole planet, and people are letting the…

> because he referred to Taiwan as a country. But it isn't. Officially Taiwan is not a sovereign country. The status is controversial, it's similar to Catalunya in Spain (see what happened to Catalan leader Puigdemont) or Flanders in Belgium, but Taiwan is not officially a country. I think that if someone called Fort-de-France a country, France would correct them. On the other side of the spectrum, if someone says th…

This is disingenuous. You can't seriously claim there is no difference between Catalonia and Taiwan in their relationship to the broader national entity.

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#533

Post by tonguez »

whimsicalism wrote: post #323
omginternets wrote: post #312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This goes a fair bit beyond “disproportionate imprisonment”, as I’m sure you know.

What do you mean a "fair bit beyond"? I don't think imprisoning a large proportion of a certain ethnic group due to BS laws around extremist ideology is all that different from imprisoning an even greater number of a different ethnic group (1 in 3 black men imprisoned) due to BS laws producing a 100:1 sentencing disparity based on which drug is more popular among a certain ethnic group.

"I don't think imprisoning a large proportion of a certain ethnic group due to BS laws around extremist ideology is all that different from imprisoning an even greater number of a different ethnic group (1 in 3 black men imprisoned) due to BS laws producing a 100:1 sentencing disparity based on which drug is more popular among a certain ethnic group."

You think 1 in 3 black men imprisoned is due to crack vs cocaine laws? Do you really believe that every single black person in prison in America was there because they were smoking crack?

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#534

Post by spaced-out »

trasz wrote: post #448
spaced-out wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We've seen what happens when authoritarian governments which start locking minorities up in concentration camps progress to inventing historical grievances to start seizing territory. Appeasement doesn't work.

Your description matches American labour camps / private prisons. So, what happens?

I am concerned about an authoritarianism in America, even more so if the president started saying stuff like: "Canada and the US are essentially the same people and should be one country. The Canadian government has always been propped up by foreigners to weaken us. Reunification must happen, by force if necessary."

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#535

Post by dragonwriter »

dehrmann wrote: post #501

> In November China unilaterally declared that each country’s respective embassy would be demoted to an office headed by a chargé d’affaires, or caretaker. Is this technically an invasion from China since the embassy grounds are theoretically soil of the embassy's country?

> Is this technically an invasion from China since the embassy grounds are theoretically soil of the embassy's country?

No, because:

(1) embassy grounds are not soil of the embassy's country, even in theory. See, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

(2) a place being an embassy is a matter of mutual agreement, not a permanent right with regard to the establishment.

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#536

Post by manuelabeledo »

pphysch wrote: post #403
manuelabeledo wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Containing China by deploying troops is one thing. The US did deploy troops all over the world to contain advancement of countries under the USSR influence, or simply “communist” countries or governments, during that time. Starting a full on proxy war in Vietnam during the Cold War era is a completely different issue. Same goes for Korea. China wasn’t that big of a threat to the US. Pretending that it was, and that i…

Why do you insist on dying on this hill? The Sino-Soviet split took place in 1960. Vietnam War took off later. The latter had virtually nothing to do with the USSR and everything to do with violently containing PRC. Read the linked White House memo above. > China wasn’t that big of a threat to the US Believe it or not, US strategists in 1950 were capable of planning more than 0-4 years into the future.

> Vietnam War took off later.

The war started half a decade prior. The US already had 50,000 soldiers stationed in South Vietnam by the time the Sino-Soviet split reached its point of no return, plus several thousand advisors and other personnel.

> Believe it or not, US strategists in 1950 were capable of planning more than 0-4 years into the future.

I agree. I also think they were a bit more concerned about an arms race with the USSR, and the fact that the Soviets were involved in half a dozen direct geopolitical threats in the 50s and 60s.

Anyway, let’s say that you are right. Supporting and arming the North Vietnamese regime would make China as much as an aggressor as the US. Funnily enough, China also turned against Vietnam and both financed the Khmer Rouge and directly attacked the country after the war ended. But I guess those don’t count as “aggressions” either.

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#537

Post by FooBarWidget »

stale2002 wrote: post #529
FooBarWidget wrote: post #526

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course they keep making them. They don't want bloodshed where it's not needed. But you seem to think that this trend can go on forever no matter what. That is a dangerous mistake. What's needed is deescalation, not more escalation in the faulty thinking that they will continue to do nothing no matter what happens.

> Of course they keep making them. They don't want bloodshed where it's not needed. Exactly, I agree. They keep making threats, that they don't follow through on, and they will continue to not follow through on them. Nothing is needed, to do anything, given the fact that Taiwan is already independent, and that has been the case for decades. > What's needed is deescalation There is nothing to de-escalate. Taiwan is al…

Wait a minute, are you saying the US weapon sales to Taiwan, the US warships near Taiwan, and AUKUS, are not a thing?

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#538

Post by LAC-Tech »

5e92cb50239222b wrote: post #376
picture wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who have spent 13 or so years of their life in China, I absolutely agree with this perspective. The culture of modern China seem to support a strangely "macho" image particularly for men: it's acceptable and maybe even encouraged, for men to be overtaken by rage, and thrash and kick around while yelling things. [1] It looks like this mentality is reflected by the politics of china as a whole. [1]: This is…

> https://youtu.be/aCdFec3uu_g In what culture is this considered "macho"? He's acting like a little spoiled brat.

And now you understand PRC diplomacy - closing an embassy because an unofficial trade office used 'taiwan' instead of 'taipei'.

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#539

Post by delhn »

cesis wrote: post #281
geff82 wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What interesting software or locally producing electronics companies are there in Lithuania? I will by something from them instantly.

http://silelis.com projectors and http://snaige.lt refrigerators are the first ones that come to mind.

Are they made in PRC though?

Re: Lithuania evacuates its embassy in China

#540

Post by DangitBobby »

pphysch wrote: post #241

1. Beijing rejects being merely the "workshop" of the unipolar world, embraces sovereignty (GFW), high quality development (HSR), technological innovation (4IR), including in the military space (space, cyber, hypersonics). Oh and BRI. 2. Washington doesn't like that because it will displace the unipolar moment. USA has been in economic decline for half a century while PRC has been on a dramatic rise. Washington tries…

What are your thoughts on what China has done to Taiwan or the Uyghurs?
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