Quote:
Originally Posted by FlameOn
For me, there is a huge trust gap between what China says, and what China does that influences how hard I am with China's public statements. China's recent history is filled with duplicitous and misleading statements that would lead me to not trust anything they say and wait for their actions to really show that they mean.
Take for example, the whole Spy Balloon incident. Publicly, the Chinese were pushing for a de-escalation with the US encouraging a state visit with Antony Blinken, but at the same time they sent a huge 3 bus length wide Spy Balloon covered in SIGINT equipment, that changed course to go over US nuclear military installations, while constantly falsely claiming that the balloon was civilian in nature w/ no ability to steer and covered under international regulations meant for "light <6kg" weather balloons. They claim they want peace in the Asia Pacific, but blockaded Taiwan, criticize South Korea and Japan for increasing their military budgets when China had been ramping up spending and their power projection abilities for more than two decades. Now they are publicly pushing a peace plan for Russia and Ukraine, while at the same time preparing to sell arms to Russia based on American and German intelligence reports. They claim to be neutral in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, but sign a "treaty of unlimited friendship" with Russia almost right after Russia invaded. It's probably why Ursula von der Leyen of the EU stated that we should be skeptical of the Chinese peace plan because overall they have not been at all neutral in this conflict.
All this leads me to think China might not in control of the hardliner elements within their military, which is super concerning. Or these actions are in line with what central CCP leadership really wants in which case we trust nothing they say. And as with Russia, I seriously doubt any moderate "selfish economic self-interest" a-holes will survive when push comes to shove.
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I have said it a few times here. There is a difference in the meaning of the word truth in China vs western world. Truth to us philosophically mean rooted in fact and evidence. In China it is rooted in power. Those who hold it hold the truth.
Good, Bad, Indifferent its undeniable. The two Michaels are a prime example. The justice system there can create charges and make you disappear. If the ones in power say its true you committed a crime.
Its been talked about quite a bit. Rules based open culture vs. a dystopic police state.
In short, no one should believe what is said.