Trump’s tweets about China suggest to some that the U.S. military posture with respect to the Nine Dotted Line is about to become more aggressive. Most noted is Trump’s phone conversation with the president of Taiwan, in violation of the “one China policy” of both the mainland and Taiwan, which, according Congressional Research Service (pdf), … Continue reading Trump’s Tweets on China →

Reuters: Freedom of navigation patrols may end ‘in disaster’: Chinese admiral. Quoting, “‘This kind of military freedom of navigation is damaging to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and it could even play out in a disastrous way,’ he added, without elaborating.” Googling “South China Sea” brings up pages of links on the … Continue reading China Expansionism Part 1 →

CNN. Addresing the U.N., Russian PM Medvedev equates relations with West to a ‘new Cold War’. A few days later, (Reuters) Lucian Kim accuses the West of Munich-like behavior, where “Munich” is a synonym for capitulation. The authors share a common assumption, the continued existence of a Bloc World. In the post World-War II era, … Continue reading New Cold War, Not! →

Reuters reports the protest of Vietnam with the first military flight to an island in the Spratleys. The inaugural post of this blog,  The Nine Dotted Line, suggested 2025 as a due date for exercise of full sovereignty by China in the delineated area. You may wish to look at the Pivot to Asia series: … Continue reading South China Sea Tense →

(CNN) Saudis confirm death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.  Quoting, the explanation is: Discussions between Khashoggi and those who met him during his arrival at the consulate in Istanbul led to a quarrel and physical altercation, which led to his death, according to State TV. This is not likely to be the  truth, but it is … Continue reading Khashoggi Killing a Rogue Op? Saudi Renaissance →

Reuters: Chinese state media cheer Xi-Trump meeting, say confrontation not inevitable. This was preceded by (Washington Post)Tillerson’s visit to Beijing, which the Post summarizes as a win for China. The Post notes  the remarkable pivot, from a campaign that demonized China and made a saint of Russia, to the polar opposite. In the old days, … Continue reading Xi-Trump meeting; Long Range; North Korea →