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A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

nytimes.com

21–28 of 28 posts

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#21

Two plainclothes officers asked him to go with them to answer questions. They asked him about his diplomatic status and whether he had diplomatic immunity, the people said. They demanded to see his passport, which he refused to show. What is the best way to deal with something like this? Not that I'm going back to China any time soon. Just from a curiosity standpoint.

comply? It isn’t weird to have to show identity to authorities in any country; having to provide a passport on demand is a given when traveling in China. Strange that this guy attracted black Audi cop interest, I’ve only ever seen them when they were hauling away a North Korea student from a Haidian Starbucks.

What is the significance of an expensive car cop? Does it means they are from some top paid government agency?

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#22

American living in China, here for 10 years now. Even before the current tensions, as an American visiting China, you'd be likely to feel like you've stepped into another planet on entering. China is just so utterly different, and if you are non-Asian, you attract a lot of Chinese eyeballs from everyone from young children to Grandpa's, as they are just generally curious about foreigners. Everyone openly refers to yo…

Reaction of the Huawei thing seems to be focused more on Canada. Canada is weaker, like Japan, Korea and to some extent Sweden on which the furor had found success.

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#23
This is very short sighted behaviour on the part of China. Clearly world business will avoid the country if they feel their personal security is at risk due to political interference in the judicial system. International supply chains will now seek to avoid China if at all possible.

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#24
post #15

Like how the CFO of Huawei has been detained in Canada since December of last year? https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/05/tech/huawei-cfo-arrested-...

She was credibly accused of a crime. The Koch executive wasn’t formally accused of anything, according to the article, not that such formalities matter in a system such as China’s.

> She was credibly accused of a crime.

The "crime" of breaking sanctions against Iran, which happened after the US left JCPOA to reinstate said sanctions against Iran.

Which was a very convenient way to manufacture the "formalities" to arrest the Huawei CFO.

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

comply? It isn’t weird to have to show identity to authorities in any country; having to provide a passport on demand is a given when traveling in China. Strange that this guy attracted black Audi cop interest, I’ve only ever seen them when they were hauling away a North Korea student from a Haidian Starbucks.

What is the significance of an expensive car cop? Does it means they are from some top paid government agency?

A Black Audi has symbolism in China, it means mid grade official at least (Audi beijg in China much longer than anyone else). Normal police don’t have access to that of course, if you see police in a black Audi wearing suits and sunglasses, they are very elite and are often involved in political crimes (Eg Party enforcement).

As an example, normal police in Beijing walk on egg shells since many people have lots of connections to bare. So a bunch of rich kids smoking weed isn’t something they will go near, so those are busted by the Black Audi people (who have strong enough connections to resist whatever).

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#26
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

She was credibly accused of a crime. The Koch executive wasn’t formally accused of anything, according to the article, not that such formalities matter in a system such as China’s.

> She was credibly accused of a crime. The "crime" of breaking sanctions against Iran, which happened after the US left JCPOA to reinstate said sanctions against Iran. Which was a very convenient way to manufacture the "formalities" to arrest the Huawei CFO.

Sorry, this is bullshit. Huawei structured the Iran deal to obfuscate that they were providing the equipment in question.

Not only did they know they weren't allowed to sell telecom equipment to Iran, they intentionally tried to do so while hiding it.

Don't pretend this was a secret post facto play by the US to strike at China. It wasn't.

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#27
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What is the best way to deal with something like this? Bribe them, it's business as usual there. When approached by officers, this is what they are likely expecting.

Don’t do this if you’re an American—it’s illegal to bribe anywhere in the world.

> Don’t do this if you’re an American—it’s illegal to bribe anywhere in the world.

Is this a US-citizen thing? I haven't heard that before and am curious.

Re: A Koch Executive’s Harassment in China Adds to Fears Among Visitors

#28
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Follow this advice. If you are working for an American company bribery is a horrible idea and in a situation like this would likely be used to make a case against you. The only exceptions made for bribes is if you feel like your life may be in immediate danger, in which case you are supposed to report the incident immediately to your employer and the local embassy. The other downside to bribery is if you have money,…

Yet half of your economy seems to be built around it (tipping).

Bollocks. Tipping is predictable and normative. You assume 15% when going to restaurants, and roughly the same amount in other contexts, like getting a haircut.

No one is fleecing you, and the costs are predictable using basic math.

You may be thinking of Lobbying, which is a totally different phenomenon.

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