I am fairly sure that isn't the first time they have tried that excuse, either.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
I don't know what to say other than I'm deeply disgusted.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
Just say it like it really is: Monsters like these don't deserve the lives they possess.
edited 4th Dec '17 4:40:04 AM by MarqFJA
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Xi behind coercive tactics in East China Sea: documents
China’s surging military activity in the East China Sea has caused deep anxiety for Japan, which administers the Senkaku Islands. The uninhabited isles near Taiwan are also claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu, and Taiwan, which calls them Tiaoyutai.
According to the documents, recently obtained by Kyodo News, during a closed-door meeting with members of the Central Military Commission, which is in overall charge of the People’s Liberation Army, on Feb. 20 this year, Xi, supreme commander of the world’s largest military, said “some countries have conducted frequent maritime drills in the area seeking to provoke and pressure us.”
“Yet our military has regularized patrols in the air and on the sea with a series of military operations deep into the East China Sea and Diaoyu Islands to safeguard our interest in territorial sovereignty,” he added.
Such military operations have proven that “if our strategy is appropriate and our actions are pro-active, we could seize an opportunity and even turn a crisis into an opportunity,” he is quoted as saying.
Statistics show that China’s military exercises in the East China Sea are becoming increasingly routine and that their frequency and scale have grown.
In fiscal 2016 ended in March, Japan scrambled fighter jets 1,168 times to intercept approaching aircraft, breaking the Cold War record, according to the Defense Ministry.
Last year, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry began publicizing news, and sometimes photos, of scrambles executed by its air force to counter China’s increasing military activity.
Recognizing that “problems” have emerged under “new circumstances,” Xi said China is at a critical juncture of developing itself from being “big” to “strong.”
“We are now facing a historic opportunity that happens only once in a thousand years,” he said. “If we handle it well, we will prosper. But if we screw it up, there will be problems, big problems.”
While recognizing opportunities, Xi said that there are also “unprecedented risks and challenges.”
Shifting to economics, Xi said some politicians in the West have declared they are against globalization merely for political reasons, while pinning the blame for problems at home on China, which has been branded as the biggest beneficiary of globalization.
Some countries are likely to be driven by their economic woes to “make a reckless move in desperation” or “flex their muscle overseas as domestic pressure heightens,” he said.
On international strategy, Xi said some Western countries have lost their long-standing dominance in international affairs and found their international status in real danger of slipping.
Yet at the same time, some emerging markets and developing countries are on an ascending path, especially China, whose overall national strength is rising, he said.
“The international community increasingly thinks highly of us and wants to hear what China has to say and see what China wants to do,” he said.
As for development models, Xi criticized Western democracy, saying many Western countries promote “democratic expansion” and see themselves as the “world savior,” while their institution creates not only societal divisions, but also infighting among parties and endless political scandals.
“It’s like the real-life version of the House of Cards,” he said, referring to the now-canceled hit U.S. political drama. “People are gravely disappointed in the Western ruling apparatus.”
By comparison, Xi said the leadership of the Communist Party of China is supported by a majority of the people and socialism with Chinese characteristics is “full of vigor and vitality.”
“Many leaders of developing countries I’ve talked to told me that they are doubtful about the political system of the West and expressed hope to learn about how China has developed itself,” Xi said. “It’s a trend to ‘look east.’ “
In short, Xi said China’s military must beef up its efforts to resolutely safeguard state sovereignty, security and the national interest to realize the dream of “two 100 years” and rejuvenation of the “great Chinese nation.”
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
TBH I don't think anyone is surprised that he was behind it.
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
I'm actually fascinated by Xi's nervous remark that his plans would only succeed if they worked perfectly, because otherwise China is in for a world of hurt.
And hardly any plan goes perfectly to plan. . .
Oh, bother.
I have no sympathy for the man. My only concern is that this guy might drag China down with him with his overreaching. He's competent (and evil) but he's not a god.
It probably won't end up being "Great Leap Forward 2.0", but still.
Disgusted, but not surprised
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
Still, that comment alone is actually the very first time I at least have read about Xi feeling vulnerable and admitting it. Strongmen like him will go across the universe to the Pillars of Gas to ensure that no account of personal "weakness" be revealed to the public.
A little off topic, but how's President Tsai doing nowadays? Just curious.
(Meanwhile in HK, Carrie Lam is...er...receiving the flak, so to speak. As expected.)
United Earth
I say, Myanmar has gone utterly Orwellian.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
From my observations, Tsai is Taiwanese female Obama: her administration has overseen the legalization of gay marriage, foreign policy victories in securing trade deals with other Asian countries, and most provocatively, a build-up of the ROC's military and self-providing procurement.
Despite all of her practical achievements, she remains surprisingly unpopular according to polls. However, I personally suspect that this may have something to do with the fact most Taiwanese media outlets lean towards the Kuomintang, who obviously have many things to say about everything she's done.
Basically, Tsai's administration has polarized Taiwan by party line the same way Obama did, with the DPP's supporters applauding her while the KMT's despise her.
Given who succeeded Obama though . . .
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20171209_14/
Dunno if this was announced, but it seems that Masako will be the next commoner Empress.
Calling somebody who is descended from the main branch of the Owada Clan on her father's side "common" is like calling the Percy or Spencer families "landlords". 
There's Imperial in that there bloodline. In short, they wouldn't let a Crown Prince marry outside a select pool of candidates, despite official rules clipping the nobles' involvement. On paper.
edited 10th Dec '17 5:47:25 PM by Euodiachloris
(I thought Myanmar/Burma was Southeast Asia)
How do nobility and tribes/clans work in Japan?
There were implications that the Imperial Household Agency looked down on her roots as she wasn't (somehow) noble enough. Sparking a decades long feud between the Crown Prince and the Agency. Not that anyone actually knows why she was singled out like that, although theories abound.
They don't, at least not in the way they used to. Many old families do still dominate the higher social strata and inter-marry.
edited 11th Dec '17 12:10:49 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Officially disbanded post [WWII]
The clans were just that, extended family networks. The nobles went through a couple of variations. For most of the Sengoku and Edo periods, they were divided into two distinct groups, the daimyo who held land, had samurai retainers and answered to the shogun (and further divided on the size of their territory and in the Edo period, who's side your family fought on at the Battle of Sekigahara) while in Kyoto there were a separate group of nobles attached to the Imperial Court (and technically superior in rank to the Shogun... some of them anyway) but more or less irrelevant outside Kyoto.
Post Meiji restoration they were re-organised into a European style aristocracy, merging both groups together.
Edit for ![[nja]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/user_ninja_2074.png "[nja]"){kind=small}
edited 11th Dec '17 12:13:48 AM by KnightofLsama
I think they were holding out for a more prestigious clan with stronger imperial links. But, seriously: Murakamis don't grow on trees. 
All the older clans have imperial links. Even if the female ones are sneered at as "insufficient".
McChicken, just interested - there's been some criticism leveled at Tsai for not building up Taiwan's defense capabilities well enough. There's claims that the defenses are too weak to handle an invasion from the mainland.
Then again, while Chiang turning Taiwan, Kinmen and Guningtou into near-impenetrable fortified island strongholds was very impressive, I guess it'd be pretty costly nowadays.
Also, how do you feel as the KMT as a political party today, personally? Just interested.
Final note: Congrats on signing the gay rights bill. Big step for Asia, and I'm very proud. If only Hong Kong could do the same...unfortunately, that's gonna take a looooong while.
edited 11th Dec '17 1:06:40 PM by TheWildWestPyro
Probably not going to happen in Hong Kong so long as it's still under China's thumb. Also Hong Kong leans a little more conservative in general, though it's more in the "slow to change" sense than the rightwing sense.
Does the CCP care about LGBT folks in either direction, beyond the normal „party über alles“?
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Doesn't seem like it.
I'll agree, honestly. HK people are fairly traditionalist. They're also big fans of the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and the concept of Self-Made Man (although they criticize the latter's flaws too). Fitting for the city called "capitalist playground" back in the 90s.
edited 11th Dec '17 2:12:50 PM by TheWildWestPyro
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
Currently the only thing stopping an invasion from the mainland is that the PLA is horrible at amphibious landings.
Once they sort that out, nothing short of a nuke or very potent thermobarics is going to stop them.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
Ian Easton's Chinese Invasion Threat, which is based on published Taiwanese reports and leaked PLA documents shows that the PLA is not in any way confident in an invasion scenario. It's not just the lack amphibious capability, but lack of experience, logistics, intelligence, unpredictable currents and weather in the Strait, and the fact that Taiwan knows the most likely places for an invasion anyway, making surprise and speed (keys to their strategy) almost nonexistant. It's also not possible to hide such a build-up. It'll take a while for them to sort out the technical aspects, but the reality is they've never done anythng remotely like it and US intervention will be a death sentence. For now.
So they'll go with all measures except outright war, until they feel confident enough to actually do it. As in the politicians will feel confident, not the military.
edited 12th Dec '17 1:16:27 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Also, One Child Policy + actual military losses=lots of upset people. CCP doesn't want to stir the pot like that.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
So now Myanmar is pulling this shit?
Disgusted, but not surprised