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Xi Jinping (4)

Really Small States in Really Big Conflicts

Written By: advantage - Date published: 7:50 pm, April 20th, 2023 - 10 comments

We didn’t need the Russian invasion of Ukraine to tell us that great power competition is back, since China and the United States and Russia had been going at it well before even COVID temporarily messed up the multilateral trade system upon which we had built our little country. But it’s made it worse, and so we’re picking a side, and that side is NATO.

Lonely on the right side of history?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 11:07 am, April 17th, 2023 - 18 comments

Musing after the recent IMF/World Bank meetings, Former White house economist and US Treasury secretary Larry Summers said “it’s looking a bit lonely on the right side of history..as others are increasingly banding together in a whole range of structures.”

The Drums of War – Again

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:12 pm, March 20th, 2023 - 38 comments

On 20 March 2003 the US invaded Iraq, on the basis that it had and could use weapons of mass destruction. That was a lie. Australia joined President Bush ‘coalition of the willing’, New Zealand did not. The drums of war beat strong then, they are doing so again now. This time China is the target.

Saudi/Iran peace deal brokered by China

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:57 pm, March 13th, 2023 - 14 comments

Veteran Indian diplomat MK Bhadrakumar describes the resumption of diplomatic relations between Shi’ite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia brokered by China as a “Suez moment” in the history of the Middle East. Peace in Yemen is only one of the possible benefits.

China’s Peace Initiative for Ukraine

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:08 am, February 27th, 2023 - 86 comments

China has proposed a 12 point peace plan to start discussions towards ending the war by Russia against Ukraine. And Ukraine’s leader wants to meet Xi Jinping to hear more.

Celebrating 50th Anniversary of PRC recognition

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 10:12 pm, December 21st, 2022 - 15 comments

“When Joe met Chou, we have opened the door and said hello” captions the photo of the Beijing meeting between Joe Walding and Chou EnLai in March 1973. It followed New Zealand’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China on December 22, 1972, an anniversary definitely worth celebrating.

Push Back Against Tyranny and Win

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:48 am, December 17th, 2022 - 136 comments

Australia is showing New Zealand how to resist the authoritarian Xi Jinping’s pressure and stay prosperous at the same time.

The Zelensky Dump

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:27 pm, December 13th, 2022 - 311 comments

Vladimir Zelensky’s message to the New Zealand Parliament will be delivered in the last week before Christmas, in the bury-it time-slot. That seems appropriate, for much has changed since the heady days when our Parliament went straight for sanctions on Russia without discussion.

Prime Minister Ardern and Premier Xi

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:40 pm, November 24th, 2022 - 6 comments

New Zealand has the most adroit and high profile international leader in a generation with Prime Minister Ardern, but she has weakened New Zealand against China.

Diplomatic Values

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 5:39 pm, November 21st, 2022 - 4 comments

Trudeau got a 10-minute stand-up with Xi followed by a public shirt-fronting, Albanese a 32-minute sit-down, and Jacinda Ardern a 50-minute formal bilateral. In the carefully calibrated world of the diplomatic dance-card, that says something. New Zealand would be foolish not to take advantage of what is on offer from China.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Pause With Map In Hand and Scratch Their Heads

Written By: advantage - Date published: 7:00 am, November 13th, 2022 - 19 comments

If 2020 was the worst year in my lifetime how does 2022 compare?

In praise of Michael Hudson

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:32 pm, November 3rd, 2022 - 39 comments

82-year old polymath Michael Hudson is my favourite economist. He currently lectures in China to million-strong audiences. His latest book is The Destiny of Civilisation: Finance Capitalism, Industrial Capitalism or Socialism. His latest article is well worth a read.

Will We Go Down With China?

Written By: advantage - Date published: 11:24 am, August 22nd, 2022 - 19 comments

Muchn’all as I try and stay positive about New Zealand’s economic direction, our reliance on China is getting much, much worse, and we need to move as China declines.

Chinese Capital in the Pacific

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:23 am, July 19th, 2022 - 26 comments

It would be tidy for New Zealand and Australian leaders to blame China’s debt within Sri Lanka for its collapse, so that they could scare Pacific Island nations back into the fold. It would be wrong.

Militarising the Pacific

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 2:04 pm, July 17th, 2022 - 16 comments

The Solomons Islands security agreement with China led to paroxysms of ‘serious concern’ about militarisation of the Pacific. 3 days before the Pacific Island Forum convened, 4 US B-2 nuclear-capable stealth bombers deployed on rotation into Australia. I know what worries me most.

Should our future lie with NATO?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:23 pm, June 21st, 2022 - 62 comments

Not content to stay in the North Atlantic, NATO is shortly about to reveal in Madrid its next ten-year plan to contain China. Jacinda Ardern will be there, who knows why. Are we nailing our colours to a flag at half-mast?

China and the Pacific

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:00 am, June 5th, 2022 - 223 comments

National and it allies have this week attacked Nanaia Mahuta for not responding to China’s forays in the Pacific. But they do not appreciate the quiet diplomatic work that Labour MPs have been doing in the background or the reasons why the Pacific rejected having a joint security arrangement with China.

India Rises

Written By: advantage - Date published: 10:21 am, May 1st, 2022 - 10 comments

Why is India such a world player right now?

The Natives are Getting Uppity

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 8:24 pm, March 29th, 2022 - 33 comments

Jacinda Ardern is “gravely concerned.” Peeni Henare was ‘”caught off-guard.”. Barnaby Joyce feels “intimidated.” Solomon Islands PM Sogavare found it “insulting to be branded as unfit to manage our sovereign affairs.” I think he is right.

Who Pays the Price of Sanctions

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:32 pm, March 20th, 2022 - 194 comments

New Zealand’s sanctions on Russia have not stopped the war in Ukraine. They may have made our parliamentarians feel better, and Tony Blinken was quick to congratulate us on falling into line with the US “high-impact sanctions.” The language is combative, but the evidence shows sanctions do not work. They can have significant blow-back effects, particularly if not combined with effective diplomacy.

The world in 6 months

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:59 am, March 15th, 2022 - 117 comments

In six months time the world could be in a very precarious position.

Watch China’s next move

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:03 pm, February 24th, 2022 - 61 comments

Why should we in New Zealand give a damn about Ukraine? My answer is: China.

Big developments in Beijing

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:44 pm, February 7th, 2022 - 31 comments

The meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping is likely to set the geopolitical direction for the 21st century. If ‘divide and rule’ was the mantra for the US’s hegemonic rule in the 20th century, ‘unite and share’ looks like setting the tone for the 21st. Co-operation rather than competition is the mantra, and “friendship between the two states has no limits.” A truly remarkable turnaround.

Blinken and Blind-Sided?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 2:54 pm, January 16th, 2022 - 17 comments

Russian peacekeepers are already leaving Kazakhstan having nipped the ‘colour revolution’ in the bud. Blinken clearly didn’t have a clue when he said Russians never leave the house. Russian intelligence was superb. Now we wait for Russia’s response to US likely refusal to pull back from its borders. One thing I’d bet on – no invasion of Ukraine.

Even China is struggling with Delta

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:37 am, November 3rd, 2021 - 8 comments

China, which has previously successfully suppressed the Covid virus, is struggling with a delta outbreak. And questions are being asked if suppression is still viable.

China and Real Estate Developers

Written By: advantage - Date published: 9:14 am, October 10th, 2021 - 17 comments

Speaking of contagion, China is dealing with an outbreak of real estate market ebola.

China, Australia, and Coal Energy

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:25 am, October 1st, 2021 - 31 comments

China, which previously banned coal imports from Australia, is running out of coal. Will Australia uses the resumption of coal supply as a diplomatic play?

CPTPP V Nuclear Submarines

Written By: advantage - Date published: 2:45 pm, September 19th, 2021 - 41 comments

In a piece of incredible timing, on the same day as Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom announced their defence technology procurement pact and pissed off ally and competitor alike, China formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Porgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.