Punishing China (reprise)

On April 17 of this year, this blog was first posted. Given current developments, I think it deserves a reprise!

It is now clear that the COVID-19 virus came from a level-4 virology lab near Wuhan, China ... and that Chinese authorities waged a propaganda campaign to cover this up and conspire to infect the rest of the world with this virus while limiting its spread within its own country.

This, unfortunately, is typical behavior for this autocratic regime ... and needs to be highlighted and punished. The question is how? May I suggest (pick any two to begin with):

- Insist that all Chinese companies listed on US stock exchanges comply with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and undergo annual published audits by non-Chinese accredited accounting firms.

- Decree that all critical  drug, defense, electronic, computer, software and telecommunications companies move their supply chains and development labs out of China and back to the US.

- Reestablish export controls on critical US technology ... like what once were in place during the last century.

- Permit companies and individuals to sue China for damages arising out of the Wuhan pandemic and patent/copyright infringements. Any judgments coming therefrom need to be paid either directly by China ... or by the US which would then default on the equivalent amount of US debt held by China.

- Thoroughly vet all Chinese students and emigres who have access to critical American know-how to insure that they have not been sent here to spy on America.

- Stop buying rare-earth minerals from China. Switch to the newly-discovered sources off Japan ... or encourage prospecting for same in America.

- Double the tariffs on all Chinese imports ... particularly if it doesn’t live up to its Phase 1 commitments.

- Start a new OPEC (Organization of Pandemic Enduring Countries) to coordinate global sanctions against China.

At War? (Part Two)

If you missed it ... see: At War?(Part One).

Now, to the rest of the story ... the more up-to-date events.

Is China now rolling over for the Orangeman? Of course not. They have turned up the heat on all those insidious activities I listed in Part One ... and more. And the “more” gets a little scary.

The further I muse about it, the further I am convinced that China unleashed the COVID-19 virus on itself and the world as a threat and a smokescreen for its other nefarious activities ... see: Xi Jinping.

China had a devastating African Swine Fever epidemic last year ... wiping out a huge portion of its major source of protein. Clearly the United States would not unleash such a scourge on the world ... but does China suspect otherwise ... and could COVID-19 be in retaliation?

And I am close to certain that China will not live up to Phase One of the trade agreement it signed in the White House this past January (knowing that it’s invisible enemy was on the way here.) So, how will President Trump respond to China’s reneging? My bet is on further and larger tariffs on Chinese exports ... maybe even unto iPhones ... and put more restrictions on what can be exported to China.

They say that there are no coincidences in world politics. So was Kim Jong Un’s apparent turning into kimchi coincidental? I suspect not. I don’t think that the US had anything to do with this transformation ... but did China? Perhaps the Rocketman was not being an annoying-enough gadfly to Trump for Xi to allow him any more Swedish call girls?

It seems clear that Trump and COVIS-19 have turned the tide of world public opinion against Xi and China. This makes them much more dangerous! Will they unleash another pandemic on the world? Will they annex more territory (Outer Mongolia, Taiwan)? Will they sell their holdings of US debt (the price is right)? Will they devalue their currency further? Will they crush Hong Kong? Will they cut off the supply of rare-earth minerals? Even, gasp, a kinetic war?

Watch out pilgrims .. we are living in dangerous times!

Punishing China

It is now clear that the COVID-19 virus came from a level-4 virology lab near Wuhan, China ... and that Chinese authorities waged a propaganda campaign to cover this up and conspire to infect the rest of the world with this virus while limiting its spread within its own country.

This, unfortunately, is typical behavior for this autocratic regime ... and needs to be highlighted and punished. The question is how? May I suggest (pick any two to begin with):

- Insist that all Chinese companies listed on US stock exchanges comply with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and undergo annual published audits by non-Chinese accredited accounting firms.

- Decree that all critical  drug, defense, electronic, computer, software and telecommunications companies move their supply chains and development labs out of China and back to the US.

- Reestablish export controls on critical US technology ... like what once were in place during the last century.

- Permit companies and individuals to sue China for damages arising out of the Wuhan pandemic and patent/copyright infringements. Any judgments coming therefrom need to be paid either directly by China ... or by the US which would then default on the equivalent amount of US debt held by China.

- Thoroughly vet all Chinese students and emigres who have access to critical American know-how to insure that they have not been sent here to spy on America.

- Stop buying rare-earth minerals from China. Switch to the newly-discovered sources off Japan ... or encourage prospecting for same in America.

- Double the tariffs on all Chinese imports ... particularly if it doesn’t live up to its Phase 1 commitments.

- Start a new OPEC (Organization of Pandemic Enduring Countries) to coordinate global sanctions against China.