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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   29600 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of October 2, 2023

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In his speech on Monday laying out his priorities for China, Xi described the need for “national reunification” as the “essence of national rejuvenation”, casting the issue of Taiwan’s relationship with China as a focus of the new political term.

“We should actively oppose the external forces and secessionist activities of Taiwan independence. We should unswervingly advance the cause of national rejuvenation and reunification,” Xi said, to loud applause. Xi, who has previously not ruled out the use of force against Taiwan, stressed the need to “promote peaceful development of cross-strait relations”.

The Chinese Communist party has never governed Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, but regards it as a renegade province that it must “reunify” with the mainland, by force if necessary. Xi has increasingly prioritised China’s claim to Taiwan, casting it as a historical imperative amid spiralling tensions with the US.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/13/xi-jinping-taiwan-independence-china-parliament-national-peoples-congress

Why don't you ask them? China's national leader said that resolving the Taiwan issue is the focus of his new term in office! The Chinese government very obviously views this as a problem, and they have quite a large say in the actions taken by the Chinese government.

I’ll admit to not believing Xi is smart. He’s made a lot of mistakes. It’s also not “All of the government”. He’s wrong. But I’m not sure he’s dumb enough to ruin the international system his government extremely benefits from.

China took advantage of the Pax Americana and the feckless venality of Western leadership to purchase the West's manufacturing base and actual productive economy. Previously, they were reliant on that international system in order to grow, but they have now reached the point where the Pax Americana restrains them more than it helps. You may as well ask why the USA wanted to get out of the Pax Britannica when it was an international system that allowed them to develop into a major power.

How does Pax Americana restrain them now? Trade specialization is still necessary even at 1 billion people. Tech invested in the west still benefits them.

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