109 Comments

If i was writing an article about morality, i wouldn't use lithuania as an example.

They were extremely satisfied working alongside the Nazis and played a major part in the deaths of roughly 195,000 Jews, which accounted for almost the entire population of approximately 200,000. today, they've denied their role in the holocaust and portray themselves as a victim of the red army. I find it ironic for someone who has a STEM education to be so ideologically driven by the "we do it for democracy" narrative.

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The country I lived in here isn't called "Taiwan" that's part of the grander problem and mess both internally here and it's extention into the world beyond.

To be frank, the current admin's play is mostly about internal poltics of winning more votes, to the point where they don't deny that they actively played a part in instigating the whole mess in Hong Kong a few years back (just as they were losing in the polls of the election.) while one may argue for the morale of all this, but if one actually digs into the details of what they have done and haven't done, it usually starts to fall apart pretty fast that morality had anything to do with it.

(For example, the whole mess' starting point was a HK national murdering his girl friend in Taiwan then hopping back to HK before people found out, and the extradition mess was a result of that, today, the guy that accidently ignited this mess openly said multiple times that he wish to face justice by being extradicted into Taiwan, but these justice loving government in Taiwan openly reject having him over on any term. official or not.)

This is of course, not saying the PRC is the good guys, but just pointing out that there are severe dangers in the magical thinking that "If these guys are bad, the guys opposite of them must be good" in this world. As it has already and will inevitably further lead to many shames and disasters which people will totally forget they basically made happen.

( for example, just look the awesome track record of handing out Nobel peace prize to various political leaders . )

I would pose the simple logic that "bad people being bad is not as bad as people you think are good ending up bad" because it is inevitably going to take major tolls into the integrity of trust in this world. Which I would think almost everyone older than 20 have notice is a pretty big issue these days

I'll just point out that in the whole 2016 election when Trump started rolling, the general musing here in Taiwan's internet chatter was "oh hey, the Americans are finally learning our tricks"

As for Lithuania, I'm sure there's some internal factors they have going on there as well, but I would think that for the EU in general, there is probably serious concern that this ends up being more like eve of WW1 where it ends up being the small countries that drag everyone else into a much more serious conflict

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Do you like Winnie the Pooh? It's my favorite Disney character.

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Oh, *that* G7. This pawn pun goes to 11👍🏻

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Interesting piece!! I need to become more familiar with the ongoing global geo-political game of strategic interdependence played by the West, Asia, Russia and everyone else...not enough hours in a day!!!

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Now we know why we have so many groups of nutters.

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The world needs the Christian nations of the former Eastern Block nations to voice their faith in God. It is that faith that got them through the godless rule of the Soviets. It appears that Russia is returning to it's Christian roots and has become more capitalistic as the world has globalized. The Christian East and West must stand up to the Communist regime in China.

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I don't think imaginary friends in the sky have much to do with anything...or at least nothing good anyways. Let's practice factful thinking first and mindful thinking second

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Communism and theocracy are just different kinds of totalitarian ideology. We don't need more tyranny.

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Very nice article denotes the extreme intelligence of arguing with incredible similarities and parallels. Congratulations green chicken!

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This is just a little cat & mouse game between the EUSSR and China, ‘allowing’ two EU member states to become a little bit ‘rebellious’ against China. The EUSSR will try to extract some concessions/leverage out of this little adventure, and then those Taiwanese “Representative Offices” will be shut down again, and Lithuania and Slovenia will once again be in the fold. (p.s. just look at the Corona Fascism in Slovenia and Lithuania to get a rough idea of how they think about freedom and independence.

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Sometimes it take the small guy to take down the bully! Lithuania may be my next foreign trip.

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Make sure you get vaxxed and wear your face diaper, because other than this little altercation (“good cop/bad cop” game from the EU?) Lithuania is a totally Covid Fascist State.

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This too shall end and then I will reward their boldness. In the mean time, Florida is the place to be. If you are anywhere else, I suppose you have 1st hand experience with vaxes and face diapers. Enjoy!

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lithuania it appears is cutting the string to ccp before it becomes a noose. so it is geographically and econ and militarily (nato) buffered from china.

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Here we can say... Have fun staying poor :-)

It is not a surprise that Germans would prefer to avoid that. It is not an accident that Germany is leading the EU economically. Less bullshit, more work and business.

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Germans have a long history of keeping their head in the sand.

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Especially when it comes to energy policy. Their dogmatic, religious love of 'alternative' (unreliable/expensive) energy sources continues to cost them dearly, not to mention their reliance on Russia for natural gas. What could possibly go wrong with that???

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This Lithuanian stance also has a historical reason. When Lithuania declared independence from USSR in 1990, only Moldavia (another country with 2M population) recognized it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_the_Re-Establishment_of_the_State_of_Lithuania). Everyone else followed after a year or so. Lithuania is returning the favor.

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"For the EU, the CCP’s bullying of one of its member states presents a significant threat to their credibility as a unified and effective global power”. The US bullies EU member states almost daily without risking the EU's credibility as a unified and effective global power. Why not China?

"In its high-profile trade war with Australia, China has accomplished little.The result can only be seen as an embarrassing loss for China and a win for the Aussies”. Unless you count Australia's current recession–its first in 30 years–as a win for China, of course.

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The real China economy isn't doing all that well either.

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China's GDP rate of acceleration was 9.4% in 2011 but only 8.1% last year.

China's GDP grew by $1.2 trillion in 2011, and grew by $2.2 trillion (Italy’s entire GDP) last year, 2021.

That’s because the base GDP in 2010 was $10.3 trillion, while it was $24.2 trillion in 2020.

Far from slowing down, China’s GDP growth is accelerating at light speed, and leaving everyone in its dust.

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I have been hearing about the coming Chinese crash for 20 years ago. Meanwhile they have become e world's largest economy, lifting more people out of poverty than any country in history. The Americans are so deeply imbued with their own sense of superiority they they are compelled to resort to outright denialism to keep their sanity

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Nasty little man. Wow! Aren't we judgemental? I guess when you lack the intellect to continue the discussion, you resort to stupidity. You know nothing about me and the number of times that I've been to Asia. So, here we go. People of your background, tend to side with evil. Your denial of evil is the same denial that allowed evil to rise in europe before and during ww2. How did that turn out for your countrymen?

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I nailed it! Enough said.

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Jan 24, 2022·edited Jan 24, 2022

your thumb? sorry for your pain

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prissy little thing you are. Ignorant and arrogant.

For any American to accuse others of evil is riotous.

Enjoy your decline!

(The current financial crisis is seeing China finally consign you - if not to the dust heap of history - at least to the crowd of also -rans.

If you knew how to use a Bloomberg I'd tell you to pull up a RMBUSD chart, and to look at relative equity performance since the beginning of the year - but Hell, you'll figure it out soon enough!

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Once again, there are plenty of real estate opportunities for people like you. I'm sure that you will fit right in. The only people risking their life to get into China are the North Koreans. I guess that I am just one of those "Americans are so deeply imbued with their own sense of superiority they they are compelled to resort to outright denialism to keep their sanity".

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Or merely clueless since you've obviously been nowhere near China and know about as much about life there as about the dark side of the moon

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Wow! Aren't we judgemental? I guess when you lack the intellect to continue the discussion, you resort to stupidity. You know nothing about me and the number of times that I've been to Asia. So, here we go. People of your background, tend to side with evil. Your denial of evil is the same denial that allowed evil to rise in europe before and during ww2. How did that turn out for your countrymen?

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They have plenty of vacant real estate over there. I'm sure that they would welcome you to participate in their booming economy. Good fortune to you!

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And by the way, if you had a Bloomberg you'd know that the developers are turning up - even Evergrande. Chinese property prices were off a massive 3.2% last year. Compare and contrast with the 2008 US meltdown

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But is it though? Australia suffered during Covid lockdowns, as did many countries. GDP growth is forecasted at 5.5% by the RBA; well above the long-term trend of 2.8%. The V-shaped recovery

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delusional. Europe is going to have to hike rates into a market crash. Good luck

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One step back, two steps forward. It's been China with the long view that has elevated them on the world stage, fitting that the same tactic might keep them in check lest they be found mating too soon...

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founding

A pawn to G7 is about to queen and can become the strongest piece on the board. Must protect that G7 square at all costs.

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