Lightman

it's pretty clear that a lot of western "leftists" don't view tibetans as humans with agency, are deeply ignorant of what the modern tibet movement is like, don't understand that it's not a monolith, and aren't willing to contend with the ideological plurality that exists in it

“Shame on Communist China!” Tons of Tibetans gathered outside of the Chinese consulate in Toronto (which closed early out of fear that their staff would learn the truth about the CCP) to protest the new law on “ethnic unity”. More proof that in practice, communism is the racist and imperialist ideology in the world.

I spent a lot of time watching Chinese YouTube, watched a lot of Millennial and Gen Z commentary on the Chinese economy (in Chinese) I have a lot more empathy for the Gen Z grads in China…. It’s badddddd

China's aid to Cabo Verde spans multiple sectors—including infrastructure, livelihood improvements, healthcare, sports, and agricultural technology—aiming to enhance the nation's development capacity and improve the lives of its people. 1. Infrastructure and Sports Facilities: Praia National Stadium—A landmark project built with Chinese aid and handed over in 2013. It is the only professional football stadium in the country certified by FIFA, filling the gap for international-standard sports facilities that existed since the nation's independence. The national team holds its daily training sessions and crucial World Cup qualifying matches here, providing the necessary infrastructure to support their bid for the World Cup. Other structures—China also funded the construction of public buildings such as the National Assembly, government offices, the National Library, and the Monument to the Father of the Nation. 2. Livelihood and Water Projects: Poilão Dam—Completed in 2006, this was Cabo Verde's first large-scale dam, effectively addressing the island nation's chronic drought and freshwater shortages. The dam is so significant that it is depicted on the back of the 500-escudo banknote. Seawater Desalination Project—Chinese enterprises constructed a seawater desalination and water supply system on Santiago Island, adding a daily supply capacity of 15,000 tons and further securing water for households and farmland. 3. Healthcare Cooperation: Since 1984, China has dispatched a total of 22 medical aid teams to Cabo Verde, with personnel currently working in the capital, Praia. China funded the construction of the ICU at Praia Central Hospital and several other public hospitals, providing medical support for the general public and national team athletes. China also donated anti-epidemic supplies during the pandemic. 4. Agricultural Technology Assistance: Through "South-South Cooperation" projects, Chinese agricultural experts have introduced dry-land farming techniques, water-saving irrigation, and green pest control methods (such as using sex pheromones to trap pests) to Cabo Verde. They introduced drought-resistant, high-yield crops (such as elephant grass) to help improve local livestock farming and food production, thereby increasing the country's food self-sufficiency. 5. Educational and Cultural Exchange: China has been accepting scholarship students from Cabo Verde since 1996; in 2023, there were approximately 180 Cabo Verdean students studying in China. The University of Cabo Verde has established a Confucius Institute, and Chinese language education is offered in secondary schools. The two sides have signed a cultural cooperation agreement, and artistic troupes have exchanged visits for performances. 6. People-to-People Friendship and Cooperation: Over a thousand overseas businesspeople from Wenzhou have established roots in Cabo Verde for more than two decades. Beyond supporting the local economy through trade, they are deeply involved in the football sector—sponsoring clubs, supplying jerseys, and assisting players' families—thereby serving as a vital bridge for friendship between the peoples of China and Cabo Verde.

This sushi spot in Shenzhen - crazy how when you market to Chinese the sushi portion sizes look extra bigger lol

29 years ago, the British economy was larger than India and China combined

Fun Fact: Taiwan also has a National Security Act and it is also extra-territorial and applicable to non-Taiwanese.

'"The new law, which went into effect ⁠on Wednesday, includes a clause saying people and groups beyond the borders of the People's Republic ​of China can be held legally accountable for undermining "ethnic unity and progress or inciting ethnic separatism".' I am personally really disappointed by this law, and especially this clause. The way the clause is written is detestably broad and vague. It completely plays into the fears of people who think of China's influence on the world as malign and not bound by clear boundaries, but rather increases as a function of its power. Here's the full text of article 63, the extraterrestrial clause: "Organizations and individuals outside the [mainland] territory of the P.R.C. that commit acts aimed at the P.R.C. that undermine ethnic unity and progress or create ethnic division are to be pursued for legal responsibility in accordance with law." Who do they mean by "organizations or individuals"? Is it PRC citizens? Does it apply to Taiwanese and diaspora? Or really just...anyone? Is the determination of what undermines ethnic unity delineated anywhere at all? It's also exceedingly dumb: you either enforce this law and be proven to be exactly the draconian anti-liberal bully your critics say you are, or you don't enforce it and you give people a great opportunity to flaunt their defiance. I am not a fan of "long arm" enforcement from any country. The Chinese should know how incredibly galling when their own citizens are subjected to this kind of bullshit. Remember when Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was snatched by Canada for "fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud" only for Trump to humiliate Canada weeks later by proudly bragging that she would be a good bargaining chip in US-China trade negotiations? That's just the tip of the iceberg. China should remember that a lot of their increased aura is not just from their progress, but America's visible declines and role reversal from sheepdog to disruptor. They would like to tell the story where the world doesn't need America to be in charge to have a fair order governed by international laws and China's rise is not going to mean China getting its way all the time.

The need for big surplus countries to avoid policies that make their large surplus bigger for the good of a broader, generally open trading system used to be fairly widely understood. disappointing that China now takes the view that it can continue with export based growth 4/4