Tennis star Peng Shuai missing

And that ended thanks to Ronald Reagan, not Pierre Trudeau/White picket-fence Pearson style docility, the peacenik bohemians, the Georgetown dilettantes, the NGOs, etc.

When the FBI presented U.S. President Reagan with a tape recording of Adm. Wang’s orders to the assassins for Liu’s murder, Reagan demanded Adm. Wang’s arrest, trial and conviction. Otherwise, Reagan would abide by the so-called “Solarz Amendment” and cease all arms sales to Taiwan. Wang was convicted in a Taiwan court and got a life sentence. And this marked the beginning of the end for the Chiang regime. Thank you Ronald Reagan

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FIFY

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This is probably the biggest scandal in China since Bo Xilai drama.

This is probably the biggest scandal in China since Bo Xilai drama.

I find the whole affair and Chinese leaders behaving like feudalistic barons just to be crazy

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And yet we can’t seem to show that kind of resolve to China?

:thinking:

Naomi Osaka has joined a growing movement in the international tennis community demanding answers about the whereabouts of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai and her allegation of sexual assault.

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Abused, then Abuse by gov of the people. Working so hard at tennis and being a star does not protect her, glad I do not live there but very sad for her and family.
Nice link, from the link:
“I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused,” Osaka wrote. “Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I’m in shock of the current situation and I’m sending love and light her way.”

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The Chinese Government seems to be making it real difficult for its atrocities to be ignored.

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In spite of Chewdawg’s weird obsession with Pierre Trudeau…
Solarz was of course a Democrat supportive of the Tanwai movement. The Republicans, including Ronald Reagan, strongly supported the KMT because in those days- not now!- the KMT were strongly anti-Communist China, to the point of accusing anyone supporting democracy or Taiwan nationalism of seeking to support Beijing. Support for democracy and human rights in Taiwan actually began under Jimmy Carter, while the Republicans were still big fans of CKS.

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:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Yeah and Carter and Warren Christopher are really popular in Taiwan. Disliked by KMT and DPP alike because they formally recognised Beijing.

In spite of Chewdawg’s weird obsession with Pierre Trudeau
:innocent: To be fair and balanced, I did criticize Pearson too did I not?

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It at least shows some of their citizens have actual spine.

There is no way in hell CCP is going to let a #我也 movement take hold, especially one ignited after targeting such a high level figure.

She’d have had better luck poisoning him in bed, and blaming it on his heart.

Death by Snu-Snu would be too good for him, but it would at least enhance being disappeared.

I don’t think this will end well for China. Their soft power is about as bad as it can get for a wold power.

Simon has said he doubts the email is authentic, and that it raises his concerns for Peng’s safety.

“The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts,” Simon said in a statement, “I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her.”

He added: “Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. Her allegation of sexual assault must be respected, investigated with full transparency and without censorship.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/17/tennis/peng-shuai-naomi-osaka-intl-hnk/index.html

Soft power doesn’t really mean shit at the end of the day though. The concerns of the party will always be how it influences their own domestic legitimacy

I don’t agree that soft power is not without value (lots of negatives there). China needs partners and cooperation from other countries. If other countries can be persuaded to do what China wants without using force or hard tactics (threats, coercion, etc.), that would be valuable.

Soft power is a concept from the 90s, but the real world value of it is overstated.

Look Beijing sent tanks against students in Tiananmen square, and record amounts of foreign capital flooded in , half a decade later

WTA seems to be taking a stand.
“After calling for an official investigation, Simon has threatened to move all WTA tournaments—altogether worth billions of dollars in business to the WTA, China, and other stakeholders—out of China if the country’s governing bodies don’t comply.”

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That would be something

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Perhaps overstated but I don’t believe it should be discounted or believed to be valueless. I think the US has benefited greatly because of its soft power. Lots of research would be needed for me to show this so I’ll make a slow retreat at this point!

There’s no doubt that most most corporations are spineless and without morals. Direct investment into China last I heard continues to grow.

Let me just leave it at this: I really believe that China’s rise would be quicker and greater if they could up their soft power game.

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You have to think what their goals are. In terms of Taiwan, they just want to shut down all conversation and muddle the boundaries enough, so that outsiders basically consider it as some vague internal issue