British media said: On July 3, the European Union, China and Japan
addressed their deep worries at the World Trade Organization (WTO)
about US import tariffs probably to be imposed on automobiles and
parts. These countries are America's most important trade partners.
According to Reuters [news] agency report from July 7, an official
attending the [WTO] meeting declared Japan warned that such a move
[i.e. the introduction of tariffs on cars and parts] may trigger off
a series of countermeasures, and there are fears the situation might
rapidly aggravate, leading to the collapse of the rules-based multilateral
trading system. Japan and Russia have initiated consultations at the WTO
Trade in Goods Council.
The report says: Among 40 WTO member states on the alert are 28 nations
belonging to the European Union. In the view of the importance of global
car trade, America's behaviour might seriously damage the global markets
and threaten the WTO [trading] system.
[SOHU 搜狐 on July 5, 2018]
中金：贸易摩擦影响的三种情景 市场好转需正面催化剂
CICC: The three scenarios of trade frictions -
Market improvements need a positive catalyst.
CICC = China International Capital Corporation Limited
中国国际金融股份有限公司, one of China's
leading investment banking firms.
Sino-US direct investment volume in billion US$
above: US investment in China / below: Chinese investment in the USA
While China won't give up an inch of its
territorial claims in the South China Sea,
US defense secretary Mattis will find it
hard to forge an agreement that might please
his boss Donald Trump. This could be the
reason why the Chinese surrounded Mattis with
especially beautiful army women as some kind
of a cosolation prize and a reminder for the
days of his retirement.
振作起来老战友!
Cheer up, old comrade in arms !
中国美女包围美国防长 解放军军官挨批
Chinese beauties surrounding US defense secretary.
Liberation army officers are being critisized.
照片：美国国防部长马蒂斯会见中国国防部长魏凤和
Photo: US defense secretary Mattis meeting
with China's defense minister Wei FengHe on
1st July [Mattis and Wei standing side by side]
[51新闻 Chinese language
news service from Canada on July 2, 2018]
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Hong Kong - CNOOC Limited announced today that its parent company,
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), has signed a production
sharing contract (PSC) with Roc Oil (Bohai) Company (Roc Oil) and Smart
Oil Investment Ltd. (Smart Oil) for Weizhou 10-3W oilfield and Block 22/04
in the South China Sea.
[World Oil on July 3, 2018]
我首艘国产核航母开始“试手” 俄罗斯送来两份大礼
China's first homemade aircraft carrier began with a "practical test".
Russia delivered two big presents.
It's about China's intention to construct a nuclear powered icebreaker
with the help of Russian technology and which came to China in the frame
of "two big Russian presents". The use of Russian technology in a nuclear
powered icebreaker hints as well at the origin of Russian and US aircraft
carrier drive technology because the application of nuclear drive technology
in icebreakers can be seen as a first "practical test" for further military
purpose.
[SINA Military 新浪军事
on July 3, 2018]
..............................
Visitors to "blueprint news" coming from Los Angeles, USA, and an Egyptian web node in Cairo.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Wei hosted a regular press conference on
June 28, 2018, where he answered questions on the implementation of the
"High-Level Officials' Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South
China Sea".
From June 25 to June 27, China and ASEAN countries held the 15th Senior
Officials' Meeting and the 24th Joint Working Party Meeting of the
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in Changsha,
Hunan Province, China. Vice Foreign Minister Kong Yuyou attended the
delegation headed by senior Chinese officials.
We are pleased with the positive results achieved by the meeting.
From the results of the conference, it can also be seen that the
countries in the region cherish the excellent situation of peace,
stability, and cooperation. Starting from their own interests,
China and the countries in the region have also cherished the peace
in the South China Sea and freedom of navigation and security more
than any other country.
Some of the extraterritorial forces have constantly stirred up the
situation in the South China Sea by various means, including speculating
on the false proposition that the so-called freedom of navigation and
security have been affected. Regional countries have maintained their
due vigilance.
We hope that countries outside the region will respect the good situation
in which the regional countries maintain peace and stability in the
region and commit themselves to the development and prosperity of regional
cooperation. There is no need to put the blame on anything.
[SINA Finance 新浪财经 on June 28,
2018, slightly modified excerpt of some pre-translated text version]
中国驻英大使英媒撰文:不容美国在南海"秀肌肉"
China's ambassador to Britain wrote for the British media: America
won't be tolerated to "put forth its muscles" in the South China Sea.
[Handy Net - Easy Net 手机网易网
on June 29, 2018]
..............................
US visitor to "blueprint news" coming from San Diego
and who is interested in China's aircraft carriers.
- Latest News on US Economy under the Trump Administration -
- June 30: Update added on US Diplomats Leaving their Posts -
On June 26 USA Today published an evaluation of US president Trump's Trade Wars written by an opinion contributor. Here an excerpt from the original text:
An obscure provision in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, intended to be used to address specific national security concerns, has been invoked by the White House to push through sweeping import taxes on American consumers. Given how these powers have been abused, it’s time for Congress to look at ways that it can restore some oversight powers to the Constitutional powers it delegated away.
Congress has delegated too much power to the President in recent decades. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act gives the President the power to impose restrictions on foreign trade should the Department of Commerce determine that imports pose a threat to national security. Section 232, unlike other discretionary trade powers, requires only a report by the Secretary of Commerce, which the President can choose to agree with or ignore. This can be used to bypass the normal safeguards Congress set up when delegating away its power to regulate trade.
The situation on the stock markets is none better as a brandnew article is suggesting and which has been published on June 27 by the New York Post. Here an excerpt from that article in order to hint at the driving force that is behind the current rollercoaster behaviour of equity markets:
Reading the tea leaves on President Trump’s ever-changing views on trade with China has proven to be a major headache for US equity markets.
Look no further than the wild ride the Dow Jones industrial average took Wednesday.
The blue-chip index soared 285.91 points in early trading on news that the Trump administration’s restrictions on Chinese investment in US firms wouldn’t be as tough as initially feared. But by midday the Dow reversed course sharply to end the day down 165.52 points at 24,117.59.
“Investors don’t think that this trade war tension is over, and they’re concerned that something is going to come and bite them later on,” Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA, told The Post.
The schizophrenic nature of the equity markets can be attributed to differing headlines coming out of the White House.
..............................
US visitors to "blueprint news" coming from New Jersey and Virginia.
..............................
US Diplomats That Recently Resigned :
The US ambassador to Estonia is resigning, reportedly in frustration at
remarks made by US president Donald Trump about America's European allies.
He wishes to retire from the Foreign Service effective July 29 after 33
years of public service.
James D Melville had held senior diplomatic posts in several European
countries before he was nominated ambassador to Estonia by former US
President Barack Obama. He speaks Russian, German and French according
to his biography on the US State Department website.
Mr Melville revealed in a Facebook post that Mr Trump's comments had brought
forward his decision to retire, Foreign Policy magazine reported.
In the private Facebook post seen by Foreign Policy, Mr Melville reportedly
told friends: "For the president to say the EU was 'set up to take advantage
of the United States, to attack our piggy bank', or that 'Nato is as bad as
Nafta [the North American Free Trade Agreement]' is not only factually wrong,
but proves to me that it's time to go."
Other US diplomats have also left their posts early in recent months.
In January, US ambassador to Panama John Feeley resigned saying he was
no longer able to serve under President Trump.
A month earlier, Elizabeth Shackelford resigned from her post in Nairobi
where she worked for the US mission to Somalia.
In her letter of resignation to then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson,
she said she was quitting because the US had abandoned human rights as
a priority, Foreign Policy reported.
The "2017 South China Sea Navigation Research Report"
was officially released.
The Research Report on the Navigation Status in the South China Sea in 2017 was issued by the China Institute of Navigation and Shanghai Maritime University (SMU).
Studies have shown that except for fishing activities, the recommended
routes in the South China Sea area are mainly suiting merchant ships
connecting the ports of China's coastal area, Japan, South Korea and
Southeast Asian countries with each other and, as well, with Europe and
the United States.
The routes are mainly in the southwestern/northeastern
direction, and are generally classified according to the season of the
year as the eastern line, the central line, and the western line, where
the central line is the main route.
“Among the above mentioned three
recommended types of merchant shipping routes, choice and distribution
of any route during different seasons ensures distance from island reef
areas or maintains a sufficient safety distance from the island reef area,”
said Huang You Fang. [Huang You Fang is President of Shanghai Maritime
University and co-author of the quoted report]
The statistics and analysis of the ship's position data show that the
total number of ships in the South China Sea waters in March and June
2017 was 7,909 and 7,502, respectively. Ships with a size greater than
30,000 tons were mainly used. The number of ships per month remained
basically balanced with that of 2016.
Except from weather related effects (tropical storms) and energy-saving
speed control, ships are freely and smoothly sailing in these waters. The
recommended merchant shipping routes for the South China Sea have been
repeatedly and freely selected by ships coming and going. Flow, length,
width and water draught of ships in these waters is comparatively large,
and the average speed of the ship is stable.
In the past, the shipping ports of the South China Sea were reached by 70
major shipping countries in the world. The total shipping capacity of
national or regional sailing through the South China Sea matched more than
92% of the total tonnage of the top 50 fleets in 189 countries or regions.
[Chinanews 中国新闻网 June 20,
2018]
【中国无人艇南海演练】无人舰队加持AI，厉害了我的国
[China testing unmanned boats in the South China Sea]
The unit of unmanned ships has adopted the artificial
intelligence (AI) that seriously damaged our country.
Formation of unmanned boats showing the Chinese characters
军民 meaning "the army and the people".
Recently and in the vicinity of the Wanshan Island group that belongs
to the South China Sea, a unit of 56 unmanned ships has conducted
large-scale "multi-boat synergy" technical tests. These unmanned naval
vessels use artificial intelligence technology to control and communicate
with each other. This test was intended to demonstrate the potential of
Chinese "sea drones" in their future maritime military operations.
[SOHU 搜狐 on June 18, 2018]
US opinion on China's military build-up in the South China Sea.
A brandnew Chinese video from June 23 dealing with planned British and French
navy drills in the South China Sea. It's mostly about an evaluation of naval power
in the frame of "punishing" China for militarizing its maritime zone of influence.
..............................
Chinese visitor and his requested site: US Tariffs - China Strikes Back.
Another brandnew Chinese video from June 23 is dealing with countermeasures
against US tariffs. This time it's about American soy beans and cotton. It should
be noted that North America is the most important provider of cotton worldwide.
特朗普总统疯狂引起美农业的没落。
Australian visitor and his requested site: China's Aircraft Carrier - Latest News.
US visitor and his requested site: 70 Years ago End of World War II.
Spanish visitor and his requested site: Israel - German Submarine Delivery.
The South China Sea Conflict simmering between China, its neighbours and the US has come again into the focus of US government and media after China stepped up militarizing that region by allegedly deploying advanced missile systems on the disputed Spratly Islands, according to the Pentagon.
Defense officials disclosed to the Washington Free Beacon that the militarization has raised alarm bells about China's creeping takeover of the strategic waterway used for some $5 trillion annually in international trade.
It is said that the "Pentagon is planning a major response to Chinese hegemony".
[The Washington Free Beacon on June 14, 2018]
Video from a US based military site reporting on China's military build-up in the South China Sea.
美国军事网站报告有军事化在南海【2018年6月16日】
西沙島礁浮潛釣魚超夯 軍事設施敏感排除台港澳遊客
The floating fishing [ platform ] of a Paracel Island reef ... is a military facility
that is sensible to get rid of tourists from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.
[ET Today 大陸—新聞雲, a Taiwanese TV station represented as
well in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China, on May 28, 2018]
Western media recently reported that France and Britain intend to participate in navy drills to be held in the South China Sea later this year in August. This prompted observers in Russia to ask what would be the use of such military drills for European nations and who are not only far away from China and with little influence in the region but are, as well, subject to US pressure when it comes to US protective import tariffs and the consequences of president Trump's abandoning the nuclear treaty with Iran, both US measures threatening Europe's national economies.
These Russians come to the conclusion that France and Britain actually react out of fear to loose the rest of US respect and of transatlantic cooperation. This opinion is being shared by two Chinese sources I found on the internet. Here is one of them:
欧洲为何突然在南海动作频频？俄媒：因为他们弱小
Why is Europe suddenly repeatedly acting in the South China Sea ?
Russian media say: Because they are small and weak !
[SINA Military 新浪军事 on June 16, 2018]
On June 18 the Philippine Daily Inquirer referred to the Philippine politician Roilo Golez, security adviser to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and who had urged an aggressive diplomatic campaign to counter China’s increasing encroachment on Philippine territory in the South China Sea. Here an excerpt from the original article:
..............................
Further information related to the region:
الرئيس روحاني: نسعى لمواصلة التعاون من اجل الحفاظ على الاتفاق النووي
President Rouhani - We take care to continue the
cooperation intended to maintain the nuclear treaty.
Rouhani referred to Iran's intentions with respect to the nuclear treaty in a telephone conversation on Thursday when he congratulated Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on his election as prime minister.
[Al-Manar المنار,
Hezbollah TV, Lebanon, on June 14, 2018]
The Trump - Kim Summit Presented by North Korean State TV
特朗普金正恩高峰会谈在朝鲜的国家电视
First meeting between US president Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
[ABC Action News, Tampa / Florida, quoting CNN.]
[Straits Times, Singapore]
The " Turbo Agreement ":
Mr Trump and Mr Kim signed a document pledging to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
But the broad agreement was light on specifics, largely reiterating previous public statements and past commitments.
The statement details the two leaders' plans to cooperate on denuclearisation and peace on the Peninsula.
It also reaffirmed the Panmunjom Declaration, signed after the North and South Korean leaders met on April 27, which stated the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) committed to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
When asked by a reporter what made this time different, Mr Trump said America had a different administration and a different president.
"The sanctions will come off when we are sure that the nukes are no longer a factor," Mr Trump said.
In exchange for Mr Kim handing over his nukes, Mr Trump has committed to providing security for America's old enemy.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials are due to hold follow-up negotiations "at the earliest possible date".
After the meeting, Mr Trump said he had formed a "special bond" with Mr Kim and the relationship with North Korea would be very different.
"This is going to lead to more and more and more.
[ABC News, headquarters Sydney / Australia, on June 12, 2018]
Scholars and former officials occupied with the denuclearization of
the Korean peninsula are showing a greater difference of views when
confronted with the results of the actual talks.
Optimists consider the meeting of the US and North Korean leaders as a
historic breakthrough, while pessimists consider that the talks don't
bring with them a substantial roadmap to denuclearization, and negotiation
results are even more vague in comparison with any results reached before
between the US and North Korea.
[CaiJing 财经 "Finance and Economics", China, published on June 12, 2018]
美国共和党议员敦促特朗普对朝鲜要谨慎行事
US Republican lawmakers urge Trump to act cautiously toward North Korea.
Quotations from the English version of the article:
..........
Unlike Trump’s exultant attitude toward the summit, Republican lawmakers
used a much more discreet tone to urge Trump to proceed with caution.
“We should not overlook the fact that Kim Jong-un was a butcher and
slaughtered his own people. This is very important,” US Senator John
Kennedy told reporters.
"Trying to talk to such a person is like hand-feeding a shark. It's not
that you can't do this, but that you must be very, very careful," he said.
Although it cannot be immediately determined whether Trump’s performance
in Singapore will affect the ongoing mid-term Congressional elections,
it is clear that the Republican Party has not fully accepted Trump’s
enthusiasm for Kim Jong Eun.
Bob Corker, chairman of the United States Senate’s Foreign Affairs
Committee, told Reuters: “It's hard to tell if something substantial
happened.”
[Reuters, Chinese / English language service on June 13]
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Spotlight on two controversial characters:
June 11 Tweet by Le Monde Diplomatique, Paris, showing an example of London street art.
- Fox News finally tells the truth and calls Trump a "dictator". -
In a Trump TV/Fox News broadcast the right-wing propagandist
Abby Huntsman referred to the upcoming summit as a meeting
between "two dictators", a qualified Freudian slip of the tongue.
Trump Kim: Impersonators buddy up in Singapore - BBC News.
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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Rwanda in East Africa.
Visitor from Novi Sad, Serbia, reminding Obama's Speech on Transatlantic Partnership
held in Berlin in July 2008 before he became President of the United States.
