Chinese imperialism and future Australian sovereignty

[think positive]

Yep, Well said Stu

[Jezza]

Good post, Stui

[David]

You know "China" isn’t a person, right? How on earth can it be difficult to understand that a country of over a billion people can include both areas with backward superstitions and highly technologically literate groups; a wealthy class and large numbers of impoverished people; competing value systems and interest groups? It’s one thing to caricature a country and its people; it’s another to not even acknowledge the basic complexities of any conceivable nation state.

Get over yourself David, apart from the population numbers you just described most countries there.

China had a developed civilisation and culture, including sciences and the arts from if not prior to what we call "ancient Greece" then from the same time, from before when the English and Scots were throwing rocks at Romans.

They've been trading with the western world for centuries if not milennia, they have the worlds second largest economy, spend billions of dollars in genuine developing countries with "debt trap diplomacy" to tie up strategic control of assets and nations, yet apparently they are a "developing nation." Really?

The USA probably has hillbillies in the Appalachian mountains who believe that fricasseed cougar testicles increase the size of your wang, but none of the levels of government actively encourage that crap by lobbying the WHO .

Take your un-warrented self righteousness, roll it into a tight tube and shove it straight up your own colon.

This is a country that cares for it's own people by running them over with Tanks when they protest, that has the great firewall of chine to ensure they control all media, social included, who are so consumed with that control that they act punitively against any country who doesn't follow their tight script of kissing their arse and fire insults at them through their state controlled media.

Yeah, they've lifted millions out of the poverty that they themselves created . Wow, lets give them a medal, or maybe wait until they introduce some basic levels of human rights in their own country instead of letting just enough people get wealthy enough that they can exploit them together and stay in charge.

Good rant, but not very factual. You missed the chunk of history in which China was a feudal state, then a European imperial plaything for a couple of centuries before being such a basket case that Japan got to treat it as a punching bag for a couple of decades in the early part of the twentieth century. Mao pushed them forward in a big way after that, but of course left a trail of destruction in his wake, before they started getting serious about fast-tracking economic development in the 1980s and throwing their weight around on a global scale, and here we are today: a rapidly developing country that nonetheless remains relatively impoverished in many places. (I note this isn’t the first time on here you’ve conflated total GDP with GDP per capita.)

While I understand a couple of posters on here are passionate about the topic, the traditional medicine thing (and bullying the WHO into giving it a green tick) is mostly a side issue in all this, probably just a sop to keep the rank and file onside. Other descriptions of their totalitarianism are basically accurate and, of course, well known.

If you think anything I’ve written so far has been praising or apologising for the current regime, please invest in some reading glasses. What I’m reacting against is the absurd, wilfully ignorant reductionism in this thread about the country and its people. I doubt you’re inclined to challenge your own prejudices, but there’s only so much tripe one can read without responding, honestly.

[stui magpie]

I'm well aware of what my own prejudices are, no one else does because they don't have any devine gift of insight and can only pick bits from posts I've made, align them with their own belief system, and put labels on me.

Finally, conflate and GDP. Where exactly did I use either of those terms in this thread?

[David]

This is the passage in question:

they have the worlds second largest economy, spend billions of dollars in genuine developing countries with "debt trap diplomacy" to tie up strategic control of assets and nations, yet apparently they are a "developing nation." Really?

If this is your view, then your argument isn’t with me, really. You’re just failing to comprehend something super basic.

[stui magpie]

This is the passage in question:

they have the worlds second largest economy, spend billions of dollars in genuine developing countries with "debt trap diplomacy" to tie up strategic control of assets and nations, yet apparently they are a "developing nation." Really?

If this is your view, then your argument isn’t with me, really. You’re just failing to comprehend something super basic.

Ok, please explain?

[stui magpie]

Good rant, but not very factual. You missed the chunk of history in which China was a feudal state, then a European imperial plaything for a couple of centuries

I'm also keen on you explaining this. Exactly how did I miss them being a feudal state? And I'd really love you to explain how they were a European imperial plaything. Quoting The Guardian as a reference is a fail. If you can't find a real source it didn't happen.

[pietillidie]

We've seen this loss of control before on topic after topic and it never ends well for those who take the easy emotional and intellectual path and buy into the hysteria. It's an old script: next comes the big-mouthed halfwit politicians and the tragic, costly, disastrous decisions. Tiring.

[stui magpie]

Agreed, but hopefully David can rise above that.

[Morrigu]

While I understand a couple of posters on here are passionate about the topic, the traditional medicine thing (and bullying the WHO into giving it a green tick) is mostly a side issue in all this, probably just a sop to keep the rank and file onside.

Animal welfare and stopping the cruelty and the extinction of endangered species for TCM are the only things I’m interested in! I don’t give a fat rats clacker about the medieval and disgusting beliefs and practices of the rank and file and the plan to expand the “industry” as the fat little fck Xi calls it for $$$$$ is extremely concerning and makes me feel physically sick!!

It may be as you suggest a side issue for the Chinese regime BUT it is threatening so many endangered species let alone the horrific cruelty!

# ****

[think positive]

Bravo you two,

Pass the popcorn!

[pietillidie]

The grovelling for feel-good Facebook bum slaps from the like-minded is pitiful. And the most pathetic thing about it is we've seen this movie over and over before. From the Iraq tragedy, to climate denial, to Halal hysteria, to Trump, and now on to China.

Unfortunately, the idiotic politics, policies and politicians that arise, as always without fail, will crowd out serious politicians with serious policy solutions, burn precious time needed to respond thoughtfully and productively to challenges, and leave us exposed to heightened risk.

[Wokko]

The grovelling for feel-good Facebook bum slaps from the like-minded is pitiful. And the most pathetic thing about it is we've seen this movie over and over before. From the Iraq tragedy, to climate denial, to Halal hysteria, to Trump, and now on to China.

Unfortunately, the idiotic politics, policies and politicians that arise, as always without fail, will crowd out serious politicians with serious policy solutions, burn precious time needed to respond thoughtfully and productively to challenges, and leave us exposed to heightened risk.

People who don't agree with your positions aren't stupid. Once you can accept that you might be worth engaging with.

[pietillidie]

Del.

[David]