Arrogance is such an ugly quality and it’s on full display from US leadership right now. The chaos caused by Trump and his stooges is getting all the attention, and those of us from allied countries are finding it all VERY pathetic, but it’s the attitude towards China that astounds me. Does the US really think it can beat China in a trade war? Really? Especially going it alone, because it’s pissed off all its allies along the way? Yeah Nah!
To get a grasp of the complexity of the situation, as well as what the US needs to do now, do you think Trump & Co’s antagonism towards Europe and the rest of the world is the right approach according to this Foreign Affairs opinion piece? Underestimating China: Why America Needs a New Strategy of Allied Scale to Offset Beijing’s Enduring Advantages.
A couple of other views on China
- As the U.S. Alienates Old Friends, China Is Ready to Reap the Benefits – WSJ
- China’s Trump Strategy | Foreign Affairs
And the disrespect from JD Vance: “we borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture. That is not a recipe for economic prosperity.”
He is pathetic, but if international diplomacy ever gets its head on straight again, remember the message that has been understood for decades – never underestimate China. Never, never, never!
The Chinese plan decades ahead (unlike the US and most of the Western world), partner for the future (BRICS, etc..) and they have a history of suffering, which remains alive in their memories. When it comes to the Chinese, resilience flows through their bloodstream. It’s a proud nation and a proud people, united as a collectivist society, which means everyone will hold the line long after US consumers start screaming blue murder.
Think about it? How long will Americans accept suffering? Especially when it comes to more and more inflation, more bankrupt farmers, food insecurity a growing threat (not just eggs), all the way through to the rising costs for all basics, from kitchen gadgets, to cars, to unaffordable iPhones? The Chinese know it too, they know their customer, and they know American consumers don’t have the stomach to hold out longer than China can and will.
Short-term thinking, which is common in Western nations, means they just can’t grasp the long-term thinking typical across Asia. They don’t get it and what it REALLY means. I do; I’ve lived it for the last 20 years in Asia, and I’m constantly amazed at how little the West understands this region.
Of course, beyond just living here, I track media and social commentary from this region and the Western world too. What do I see? The Western part of the world has no appreciation for nuance, and in the other part – Asia – everything is about nuance.
In this region, the message is subtle, always understated and you must learn to read between the lines to understand what is being said. It’s all there if you know how to look for it, but most Western minds, especially Western media, don’t have the patience to see it, so it will always underestimate this region. Perhaps at their own peril, especially with a Trump Whitehouse.
Honestly, at this stage since the launch of the tariff chaos, I haven’t seen one, reliable, trustworthy expert say anything good is going on here, and I also haven’t seen anyone credible explain it in a way that makes any sense. Perhaps he is making it up as he goes along…. Trump is ‘making is up as he goes ‘ on tariffs hurting US and allies, charges Wall Street Journal | The Independent.
In case you missed it, the big news this week is the debt sell-off. THIS is the real kick in the teeth for Trump and team. It’s where the real economic crisis hits. Keep an eye on this part of the story, because it impacts us all.
- China starts dumping US Treasuries as trade war keeps escalating
- Trump tariffs spark US government debt sell-off – BBC News
The lunatics are definitely running the asylum, and there are some bangers in the mix, exhibit one – Laura Loomer’s influence on Trump is terrifying.
Exhibit two, a Dear Leader moment…
Lots of other news to pay attention to
This is an important video to watch. The great lady, Carole Cadwalladr, TED Talk is out – This is what a digital coup looks like. Her voice is shaking as she speaks, which is not a surprise considering what happened after her last TED Talk. I couldn’t admire someone more.
This is a must watch, delivering a clear message that we must all come together and do everything in our power to stop this in its tracks.
An unstable environment
On the environment front, so much going on, where do I even start?
Sticking with China, look at the scale of this? China halts mega project the size of Germany involving 600,000 workers – Jason Deegan.
March in Europe was the hottest March on record and that means a harsh summer and more wildfires expected – be careful out there – March hottest on record in Europe – with warnings of ‘harsher heat waves and wildfires’ this summer | Science, Climate & Tech News | Sky News.
India has suffered relentless heat for the last few years and it’s still not ready to deal with it. Please get yourself and your communities ready – India’s patchy heatwave preparedness sparks fears of rising death toll | News | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific.
Food and drink is pretty important right? Yeah, we’re not getting prepared for that either – Food and drink industry heading towards melt down, insiders warn.
Asia is waking up to the risks of the climate emergency, and considering it’s on the front line of extreme weather events, it’s about time. The issue is finally more important than the economy – Climate overtakes economic woes as Southeast Asia’s biggest challenge | News | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific.
You know, just because no one is researching it, doesn’t mean it’s going away – Trump seeks to end climate research at premier U.S. climate agency | Science | AAAS.
I talked about pets and their environmental and ecological impact in this video last year, and it seems the topic is finally warming up. We can’t all have pets, we just can’t – Pet dogs have ‘extensive and multifarious’ impact on environment, new research finds | Dogs | The Guardian.
From Nature.com – we’ve entered a new climate era, and the events of 2023–2024 were exceptional even when accounting for recent climatic trends – Global and regional drivers for exceptional climate extremes in 2023-2024: beyond the new normal | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.
North-East Atlantic mackerel is in decline, so if this is a regular grocery item for you, expect empty shelves in the not-to-distant future. We need to give life in the ocean a chance to replenish – Mackerel stocks near breaking point because of overfishing, say experts | Fishing | The Guardian.
War continues
One day, I’d like to understand WHY this is always an outcome in war. It’s reported to have happened in Ukraine by the Russians, in Israeli prisons, and this shocking story from Sudan – Sudan’s RSF accused of ‘sickening’ sexual violence on women, girls: Report | Sudan war News | Al Jazeera. Why, why, WHY???? Are we simply animals?
Joy and memories
Finally, something joyful – 50 years since Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This is a wonderful memory from my childhood, although it wasn’t loved in my Catholic community at the time –‘It was a magical chemical balance’: How Monty Python and the Holy Grail became a comedy legend.
As I say every week, yes, it’s grim, yes, it’s alarming, so what are we going to do about it? Wait for someone else to step up? That isn’t going to happen. It’s not time to hide or go silent, it IS time to act at the scale required – every single one of us, everywhere!
Favorite visual or meme
My favorite section, and this first choice gets a chortle!
In the Economist
Made in China
Sorry MAGA, it’s true
Finally, in case you didn’t know, Fortune Cookies were apparently first found in Japan and popularized in the US. Good one regardless, because they probably are made in China today.
My content and my pals
Pretty cool, number 44 on the Best 100 Sustainable Leadership Podcasts – appreciate that!
You might read this report and think so what? That’s 200 years away, but it’s not like our ancestors will wake up in 2200 and it’ll be 7°C warmer, because by the time warming hits 7°C, only the cockroaches will remain – Even moderate CO2 emissions could lead to 7°C of warming by 2200 | New Scientist.
Dig into the news
Plenty more to read, listen to or watch, so do click through to the reads at the image below, and a reminder, this platform has articles going back weeks, so have a scan and read/watch/listen to whatever jumps out at you.
Let me know what caught your attention? Or share with me what has your attention now? There’s a lot going on, which means none of us can cover everything. Besides, it’s always great to get feedback so I know I’m delivering something of value.
Cheers
Andrea
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