Konflikti Kiinan merellä

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The Vatican has voiced concern after Hong Kong’s national security police arrested 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of Asia’s most senior and outspoken Catholic clerics.

Zen, a former bishop of Hong Kong, was arrested along with the singer and actor Denise Ho, the lawyer Margaret Ng, and the scholar Hui Po-keung.

“The Holy See has learnt the news of Cardinal Zen’s arrest with concern and is following the development of the situation very closely,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Local reports earlier suggested the arrests were related to their roles as trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which provided legal aid and other financial help to people who took part in the 2019 pro-democracy protests that were quashed by security forces.

Hui was arrested at the airport as he was about to board a flight to Germany on Tuesday, local media reported. Another trustee, Cyd Ho, is already in jail for her alleged involvement in illegal assemblies.

Hong Kong: Vatican ‘concerned’ over arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen

Prominent Catholic cleric, 90, detained with three others linked to disbanded charity for protesters

www.theguardian.com

 

[ctg]

While some chipmakers have reported a hit to their revenue due to COVID-19 lockdowns in China and other effects, New York-based GlobalFoundries said its business stood strong in the face of various global disruptions.

But that may sound like an understatement, given GlobalFoundries on Tuesday reported records for revenue, gross margin, operating margin, and net income in its first quarter financial results.

"Amidst the backdrop of sustained and robust demand, our global team of 15,000 strong continues to over-deliver despite inflationary, geopolitical and pandemic-related challenges," GlobalFoundries CEO Thomas Caulfield said in an earnings call.

GlobalFoundries’ chipmaking machine unfazed by global chaos

Records for revenue, gross margin in Q1 as others take a hit

www.theregister.com

 

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Australia's defence minister said Friday that a Chinese spy ship was sailing off the west coast on an "aggressive" route, the latest in a string of pre-election warnings about Beijing's military intentions.

In the run-up to May 21 federal elections, with the government trailing in opinion polls, Defence Minister Peter Dutton has been warning voters not to trust the opposition Labor Party with Australia's security.

Dutton called a news conference in Perth to say that a Chinese surveillance vessel had been sailing close to the West Australian coastline for the "last week or so".

The minister said he could not reveal when Australia became aware of the ship for "operational reasons". But a defence ministry media statement showed it had been tracked from May 6-13.

Australia's air force was monitoring the ship, which had entered the country's exclusive economic zone, he said.

The zone extends beyond Australia's territorial waters and the government has previously said it accepts Chinese spy ships can operate there.

"Its intention, of course, is to collect intelligence right along the coastline, and it has been in close proximity to military and intelligence installations," Dutton said.

The defence minister said it was "unusual" in the way that it had sailed so far south and was hugging the coastline.

Australian minister says China spy ship route 'aggressive'

METATEXT

www.spacewar.com

 

[ctg]

The Solomon Islands' prime minister dismissed criticism of a new maritime investment deal with China on Wednesday, saying there was nothing "sinister" in the draft agreement.

The new agreement, a copy of which has been leaked to the media, comes after a controversial security pact was signed last month.

The pact sparked alarm in Australia and the United States, which feared it could lead to Beijing securing a military foothold in the South Pacific. Honiara has ruled out hosting a Chinese military base.

On Wednesday, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare shrugged off criticism of the separate leaked memorandum of understanding on maritime investment, describing it as a "normal bilateral development initiative" that is yet to be formalised.

"There is nothing sinister nor trivial about the Blue Economy Memorandum of Understanding," his office said in a statement.

A day earlier, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had expressed concern regarding the memorandum, which covers undersea cables, port wharves, shipbuilding and other areas.

Morrison said he was "very concerned, as many other Pacific leaders are, about the interference and intrusion of the Chinese Government into these types of arrangements".

The Solomons' warming ties with China have been a key issue in Australia's election campaign since a draft of the security agreement with China was first leaked on social media in March.

That draft allowed for Chinese naval deployments in the Solomon Islands, eliciting a warning from the United States that it would "respond accordingly" if China installed a military base in the Pacific archipelago.

In April, Solomon Islands PM Sogavare said that his government would not allow a Chinese military base to be built in his country "under its watch".

The latest leaked maritime investment deal, dated just "2022", covered investment in wharves, shipbuilding and ship repair, offshore gas and oil exploration and other "blue economy" industries.

Sogavare's Wednesday statement said the memorandum of understanding was a broad document, which would be followed by a more detailed agreement.

CORRECTED: Solomons PM dismisses concerns over China maritime deal

Honiara (AFP) May 12, 2022 - The Solomon Islands' prime minister dismissed criticism of a new maritime investment deal with China on Wednesday, saying there was nothing sinister in the draft agreement.

www.terradaily.com

 

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Tästä konfliktista tulee mielenkiintoinen kun se syttyy.

 

[ctg]

Nearly one in 25 people in a county of the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows.

A list obtained and partially verified by the Associated Press cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county, one of dozens in southern Xinjiang. In recent years, China has waged a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority, which it has described as a “war on terror”.

The list is by far the biggest to emerge to date with the names of imprisoned Uyghurs, reflecting the sheer size of a Chinese government campaign that swept an estimated million or more people into internment camps and prisons. It also confirms what families and rights groups have said for years: China is relying on a system of long-term incarceration to keep the Uyghurs in check, wielding the law as a weapon of repression.

World’s highest jailing rate found in Uyghur county of China, data leak suggests

One in 25 people sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges in Konasheher, Xinjiang province, where Communist party represses Muslim minority

www.theguardian.com

Those swept up came from all walks of life, and included men, women, young people and elderly people. They had only one thing in common: they were all Uyghurs.

Hulluja lukuja.

 

[AMC]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1528631413569896450

 

[ctg]

Joe Biden has said the US would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if it came under attack from China – a statement that is likely to enrage Beijing as concern grows over Chinese military activity in the region.

Speaking in Tokyo on the second day of his visit to Japan, Biden said the US’s responsibility to protect the self-ruled island – which China considers a renegade province – was “even stronger” after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in one of the most forceful statements in support of Taiwan in decades.

“That’s the commitment we made,” Biden said, after he told the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, that Washington backed Japan’s permanent membership of a reformed UN security council and Tokyo’s plans to beef up its security with record levels of defence spending, as it seeks to counter a nuclear-armed North Korea and an increasingly assertive China.

The US president said any attempt by China to use force against Taiwan would “just not be appropriate … it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine”.

US would defend Taiwan if attacked by China, says Joe Biden

President says US’s responsibility to protect island is ‘even stronger’ after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

www.theguardian.com

 

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Yle julkaisee ennennäkemättömät kuvat Kiinan uiguurien sorrosta – poliisilla käsky ampua, vanki kahlehdittu metalliseen "tiikerituoliin"

Tietovuoto sisältää tuhansien pidätettyjen kuvia ja mielivaltaisia pidätyssyitä. Se tarjoaa tähän asti laajimmat kuvatodisteet uiguurivähemmistön sorrosta vankileireillä Xinjiangissa.

yle.fi

 

[ctg]

China’s foreign minister will visit Solomon Islands this week, one month after signing a security agreement with the Pacific country, on a broader tour where China is seeking more deals in the region.

Wang Yi would visit Honiara with a “nearly 20-member delegation”, the Solomons’ government confirmed on Tuesday, calling the trip a “milestone”.

“The highlight of the visit is the signing of a number of key bilateral agreements with the national government,” said Li Ming, China’s ambassador to Solomon Islands.

China’s foreign minister to visit Solomon Islands amid push for more deals with Pacific countries

Tour, which includes Fiji and Papua New Guinea, comes amidst ‘uptick of tempo’ in China’s engagement in the Pacific

www.theguardian.com

 

[von Moltke]

Tuleva maailmanvaltias näyttää parasta osaamistaan:

Yle julkaisee ennennäkemättömät kuvat Kiinan uiguurien sorrosta – poliisilla käsky ampua, vanki kahlehdittu metalliseen "tiikerituoliin"

Tietovuoto sisältää tuhansien pidätettyjen kuvia ja mielivaltaisia pidätyssyitä. Se tarjoaa tähän asti laajimmat kuvatodisteet uiguurivähemmistön sorrosta vankileireillä Xinjiangissa.

yle.fi

 

[ctg]

China christened a remarkable new 290-foot ship last week – the world's first semi-autonomous drone carrier. It'll carry, launch, recover and co-ordinate the actions of more than 50 other autonomous aerial, surface and underwater vehicles.

The Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard began construction on the Zhu Hai Yun last July in Guangzhou. According to the South China Morning Post, it's the first carrier of its kind, a self-contained autonomous platform that will roll out with everything necessary to perform a fully integrated operation including drone aircraft, boats and submersibles.

China doesn't expect it to navigate busy seaports by itself, like the Japanese autonomous container ship Suzaku we wrote about last week. Instead, the Zhu Hai Yun will run on remote control until it's out in the open water, and then its self-driving systems will take over to execute whatever mission it's running.

China launches an autonomous mothership full of autonomous drones

China christened a remarkable new 290-foot ship last week – the world's first semi-autonomous drone carrier. It'll carry, launch, recover and co-ordinate the actions of more than 50 other autonomous aerial, surface and underwater vehicles.

newatlas.com

 

[ctg]

China is pursuing a sweeping regional economic security deal with Pacific nations that would dramatically expand its influence and reach into those countries, in a pact that has western countries and some Pacific leaders deeply worried.

The wide-ranging deal lays out China’s vision for a much closer relationship with the Pacific, especially on security matters, with China proposing it would be involved in training police, cybersecurity, sensitive marine mapping and gaining greater access to natural resources.

A draft of the deal, written in a similar style to the controversial bilateral security deal signed by Solomon Islands and China last month, and a five-year action plan, both of which have been obtained by the Guardian, cover a huge range of issues, including trade, financing and investment, tourism, public health and Covid-19 support, establishing Chinese language and cultural exchanges, training and scholarships, as well disaster prevention and relief.

Deal proposed by China would dramatically expand security influence in Pacific

Leaked copy of draft shows Beijing wants more involvement in policing, cybersecurity and marine mapping

www.theguardian.com

 

[ctg]

“‘China’s hope lies in youth,” he said in a major speech.

But on China’s internet, some young people say their “ideals” simply cannot be achieved and many of them have given up on trying. Frustrated by the mounting uncertainties and lack of economic opportunities, they are resorting to a new buzzword – bai lan (摆烂, or let it rot in English) – to capture their attitude towards life.

The phrase, bai lan, which has its origin in NBA games, means a voluntary retreat from pursuing certain goals because one realises they are simply too difficult to achieve. In American basketball, it often refers to a player’s deliberate loss of a game in order to get a better draft pick.

On Weibo, the bai lan-related topics have generated hundreds of millions of reads and discussions since March. Netizens also created different variations of the bai lan attitude. “Properties in Shanghai too expensive? Fine, I’ll just rent all my life, as I can’t afford it if I only earn a monthly salary anyway,” one grumbled.

The rise of ‘bai lan’: why China’s frustrated youth are ready to ‘let it rot’

Phrase bai lan gains popularity as severe competition and social expectations leave many young people despondent

www.theguardian.com

 

[ctg]

An egghead at the Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications, writing in a peer-reviewed domestic journal, has advocated for Chinese military capability to take out Starlink satellites on the grounds of national security.

According to the South China Morning Post, lead author Ren Yuanzhen and colleagues advocated in Modern Defence Technology not only for China to develop anti-satellite capabilities, but also to have a surveillance system that could monitor and track all satellites in Starlink's constellation.

"A combination of soft and hard kill methods should be adopted to make some Starlink satellites lose their functions and destroy the constellation's operating system," the Chinese boffins reportedly said, estimating that data transmission speeds of stealth fighter jets and US military drones could increase by a factor of 100 through a Musk machine connection.

The authors also expressed concern over the ability of Starlink satellites to quickly change orbits via ion thrusters as an offensive move, or for military payloads to be disguised as Starlink machines and sent into orbit undetected.

This means China will need upgraded surveillance systems to detect the fakes and, according to Ren, the ability to intercept Starlink signals to look for threats.

Unfortunately for the researchers, with 2,400 satellites in orbit, taking out Starlink would be quite difficult to accomplish as the system is extensive enough to continue working even with some satellites missing.

While a "hard kill" method, such as a grapple arm or ballistic missile, may not be the most feasible, a "soft kill" method such as using jamming technology would be more practical.

These days the practice of jamming satellites is considered typical warfare activity, as is the inevitable anti-jam satellite communication systems that comes next.

China needs ability to take out Starlink, say researchers

Paper authors warn Elon Musk's 2,400 machines could be used offensively

www.theregister.com

 

[ctg]

Peters was an often-controversial, pugnacious minister with a reputation for sharp or off-colour comments, but spent several terms as New Zealand’s foreign minister and had a particular focus on Pacific strategy.

He said New Zealand and its allies had allowed a power vacuum to develop. “What is happening is in the situation of a vacuum – which I daresay likeminded nations were warned about a long time ago – you have the automatic consequence of a void being filled, where there should never have been one,” he said.

Those concerns have been echoed by a senior Pacific diplomat, who told the Guardian some leaders had “big concerns” about the deal but “there has been a vacuum left in this region from traditional partners. They have to work extra hard to win back the hearts of Pacific people.”

Ardern, who is currently visiting the US, has confirmed she will meet with the president, Joe Biden, on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues, including the balance of power in the Pacific.

“There are an a number of areas in which the United States and New Zealand have very similar views, a number of areas where we would wish to see their presence continue or increase,” the prime minister said.

“I imagine we will discuss our region and the fact that it is becoming increasingly contested and the role of the United States in our regional economy is important.”

Peters said New Zealand and its allies had ignored longstanding warnings of a power, investment and relationship vacuum in the region. “A lot of us who were sounding the alarm bells have clearly not been listened to. It has to be hoped that those who are making the decisions now finally realise … their lack of preparedness, their lack of understanding,” he said.

New Zealand and allies allowed ‘vacuum’ to develop in Pacific, former foreign minister says

Comments by Winston Peters come as China hopes 10 Pacific countries will sign wide-ranging security deal

www.theguardian.com

Nöyryys ja pieliin katsominen tekee hyvää itse kenellekin, mutta mitä he olisivat voineet tehdä muuta? Menneisyys on menneisyyttä, sitä ei voi muuttaa. Tämä päivä on eri ja kovaa hommaa se on suhteiden muuttaminen positiivisempaan valoon. Ei siitä pääse mihinkään.

 

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In three separate incidents over the last two months, Chinese law enforcement vessels have challenged marine research and hydrocarbon exploration activities within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

Update: China Blocks Another Philippine Resupply Mission | Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

Automatic Identification System (AIS) data suggests that a Philippine government vessel was again denied access to Second Thomas Shoal by the China Coast Guard (CCG) in late June, underscoring the vulnerability of the grounded BRP Sierra Madre, which serves as a Philippine outpost on the reef...

amti.csis.org

 

[Vääpeli]

Jostain luin ja en tietenkään löydä enää uutista, että Kiinan keinotekoset saaret ois vajoamassa mereen. Että niitä pitäs kokoajan korottaa, mutta lisääntynyt maamassa taas lisää vajoamista.