#prime minister wang lin

[carmelide]

Wang Lin and Tywin Lannister

the parallels between wang lin and tywin lannister genuinely need to be studied. they're such similar characters, on the surface, but if you delve deeper into their characters you'll find a huge dissimilarity between them.

wang lin, despite all his glaring faults, genuinely loves his family. when a'wu came to visit him and left upon realising su'er and jinruo weren't there, he was very clearly devestated. when he and wang su were in the prison, he swore that they would have vengeance (and even though the union between huan mi and wang su was a catastrophic mistake, wang lin wed them together because he wanted wang su to be with a woman of his choice; something WL had been deprived of.) and, when jinruo died, anyone with working eyes could see the man was devestated (and even before that, he does genuinely love her. romantically, i still don't know, but his care for her was undeniable. that night where she demands the truth from him before his ancestors and he, knowing he cannot lie to her, admits he poisoned the emperor and even waits for her to kill him...he deffo feels something towards her.)

the thing that i have taken away from wang lin's character is this; it is evident that he loves his family, but he simply loves power more. he, like tywin, puts so much value on legacy- but unlike tywin (or maybe still alike depending on how you view the latter), WL believes that he is protecting his family by making all of these chess moves (which, to an extent, i understand. the emperor means to supress the wangs and of course wang lin, despite being his brother in law, cannot possibly stand by and watch that happen.)

another difference between tywin and wang lin is that whereas i feel confident calling WL a morally grey antagonist, tywin is a cold, calculating, loveless hardass™️ antagonist and graduated from Big Bad Guy University. that man only truly cared for joanna and i doubt he cared for anyone else. one could argue for his affections towards his children, but tywin didn't love or care for them at all in my opinion.

in regards to jaime, i think tywin loves what jaime represents and what he represents his the heir to casterly rock. his golden child. his future; his legacy. he loves what jaime could accomplish, what jaime could achieve; he loves what jaime could be (the future lord of casterly rock and warden of the west) but not what he is (an infatuated, impulsive kingsguard who has no desire to play the game). i think tywin's "favourite" child is most definitely cersei as she's the most accomplished out of all his children; the most powerful woman (and at times, most powerful person) in the seven kingdoms, mother to the future king and a lioness through and through. she definitely inherited tywin's traits the most, but her downfall is her madness (probably due to inbreeding or maybe she was bonked as a child idk) and, again, her recklessness and impulsivity are what disappoint tywin; cersei believes she can play the game, but she cannot. also, misogyny.

then there's tyrion. good god, where to begin. even though tywin is an intelligent man, he blames the death of his wife on tyrion who was an infant when his mother passed. he blames tyrion not because it was his fault (after all, it is logistically impossible for a newborn infant to kill a grown woman), but because he needs something to blame. for the most part, tywin is a logical man and only behaves illogically when he's emotional. his hatred of tyrion is a purely emotional one (though the man doesn't make himself any better by drinking and whoring so i'll give tywin some leeway there) and i think, to tywin, that tyrion is the antithesis of everything a lannister should be.

tywin only cares for his children when it suits him. he tries to get tyrion back from catelyn because if he doesn't, he will appear incompetent. he does the same with jaime for the same reasons (and because he needs his heir). he cares for cersei because it is in his best interest to do so, as she is the queen. if tywin truly loved his children, he would have clocked onto jaime/cersei's ways sooner. he would have found a way to quell cersei's madness and cruelty (or at least help her mask it better). hell, he would have remarried! tywin was only in his thirties when joanna died and i am positive of the fact that hundreds of lords and noblemen would have jumped at the chance for their daughters, sisters, nieces etc. to wed the lord paramount of the westerlands. if he truly wished to further his legacy, he should have just had more kids!

sorry, this has kinda devolved into me criticising tywin as an antagonist rather than comparing him to wang lin so compare i shall! tywin, firstly, is a terrible judge of character; the best example of this is him misjudging tyrion and thinking that the man wouldn't kill him for whatever fucking reason. in contrast, wang lin makes the astute observation (though it is moreso a jab at wang su than a compliment to his daughter) that she has a curiousity that could rival any man, or something along those lines. for the most part, wang lin is on the money for many characters in the story. the only person he misjudges is xiao qi, which he later admits.

a similarity between WL and TL is the fact that they both believe themselves to be acting in the best interests of their families (though i feel WL is a little bit more sincere, at least initially.) the reality of this, however, is that their goals are selfish and the only thing they seek to further/elevate is themselves. this, coupled with their hubris and the under-estimating of their enemies (who, arguably, needn't have been enemies in the first place), is what leads to their downfalls.

honestly, this was very disorganised and muddled and had no clear direction but i just needed to rant about how alike their characters are and for somebody - ANYBODY - to agree with/discuss this with me!

[silviakundera]

Joy of Life 20 liveblogging

This is my first watch, so don't tell me secrets ;)

We learn the Prime Minister isn't completely loyal to CP. He's aligned for interests but he'll switch sides if necessary

I'd feel worse about ML fooling the prime minister about his son, except I sense that his 2 remaining kids are the only non-sucky members of that family

Crown Prince throwing a whole tantrum on the steps. Ok Sister Ruoruo was onto something: the man was in love alright. Down BAD for Lin Gong. He's lost his damn mind.

Chen Pingping returns! dangermousie steered me correct that I already met him in ep 1

"Protect the heir" lmaoooooooooo

Chen Pingping, card carrying member of mom's fan club, gives us a family name for her!! Ye Qingmei!

He knows it was Uncle Wu too

Crown Prince will NOT let the murder of his main man go

Second Prince:

Wang Qinain works directly for Chen Pingping and also cannot stop lying, it's absolutely compulsive

wow he just met the emperor and now back again. You gonna extract Second Prince from your mess or leave him to fend for himself?

Ok yeah he's invited there to confirm they're each other's alibi

We get a test of Chen Pingping's loyalty to Team Mom and he passes, doesn't give up Uncle Wu. I don't think the emperor buys it, but he's probably also Team Mom by the way Fan Xian is allowed to never bow and touches all his stuff 😏

[spencerye]

Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary, chart blueprint for ties

1st trip to Europe in nearly 5 yrs gives new impetus to global peace, development

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10 at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France, President Aleksandar Vucic of the Republic of Serbia and President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday, a trip that experts believe is expected to shape the future of relations between China and Europe.

The visits show that both China and Europe are striving to explore the space and prospects of cooperation in an era when major power strategic competition intensifies and geopolitics returns, Chinese and European experts noted.

The visits will inject momentum for the further development of China-Europe relations, showcasing that the two sides can maintain positive interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation transcending traditional geopolitics, experts said.

This will be the first overseas tour of the Chinese president this year. It is also the first time that the Chinese top leader visits Europe in nearly five years. It underlines the fact that the Chinese leadership attaches great importance to Europe and highlights the prominent position China places on Europe in its global strategy and foreign economic policy, Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

Xi's visit to France, the first in five years, comes as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. In January, the Franco-Chinese year of cultural tourism was launched and a series of events will be held in both countries to celebrate cultural cooperation.

Pierre Picquart, an expert in geopolitics and human geography from the University of Paris-VIII, told the Global Times that France's long tradition of diplomacy and openness to international relations and its early recognition of the economic potential of China as an expanding market and as an important trading partner made France the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations with China. 

As France has significant influence on relations between Europe and China, "by choosing France as the first stop of his European tour, President Xi is sending a strong message about the importance of China-Europe cooperation and his commitment to multilateralism and dialogue diplomacy," Picquart said.

In a telephone call with the French president's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on Saturday, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said that China stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with France, give play to the leading role of head-of-state diplomacy, and add new connotations to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Xi will hold talks with French President Macron to have in-depth exchange of views on China-France relations, China-EU relations and international and regional hotspots of mutual interest, according to Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday. 

China looks forward to working with France through this visit to carry forward our good tradition, embrace the future, and further enhance political mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation, so that we can jointly elevate our comprehensive strategic partnership, inject impetus to a sound and stable China-EU relationship, and make new contribution to global peace, stability, and development, said Lin.   

Zhao Yongsheng, director of the French Economic Studies Center at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, told the Global Times that during the visit, China and France may sign a number of cooperation agreements in areas such as nuclear energy and agriculture. 

According to Reuters, France's Airbus is in talks with China over a potential major aircraft order. 

Xi will also visit Serbia and Hungary.

The China-Serbia partnership is frequently hailed as a paradigm of excellence within the cooperation framework of China and Central and Eastern European countries and the BRI. Friendship with Serbia can be traced back to engagement with former Yugoslavia countries. Both sides have pursued an independent development path and share common ground in many international affairs.

During Xi's trip in Serbia, the first in eight years, he will hold talks with Serbian President Vucic to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional hotspot issues of mutual interest and discuss an upgrade of the China-Serbia relationship and chart the future course for bilateral relations, Lin said.  

Zivadin Jovanovic, president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals who served as the minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2000, told the Global Times that a number of new agreements concerning future cooperation is expected to be signed during Xi's visit, opening a new stage of cooperation featuring innovation and high-quality standards matching the strategic comprehensive partnership. 

The visit to Hungary coincides with the 75th anniversary of China-Hungary diplomatic relations. During the visit, Xi will hold talks with President Sulyok and Prime Minister Orban about China-Hungary relations and issues of mutual interest. This milestone visit will elevate bilateral relations to a new height, open a new chapter in China-Hungary friendship and cooperation, inject impetus to China-EU relations and provide elements of stability and positive energy to a turbulent world, said Lin. 

Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister who visited Beijing last week, referred to China-Hungary cooperation as a success story that should be continued in an exclusive interview with the Global Times. He believes that Xi's upcoming visit provides answers to the effort and energy that Hungary has put to improve its relationship with China.

Levente Horvath, director of Eurasia Center of John von Neumann University and chief advisor to the governor of the Central Bank of Hungary, told the Global Times that during Xi's visit, the current comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Hungary can rise to a new, higher quality level. 

Extensive engagement, easing concerns

French President Macron, who pledged to visit China at least once every year while in office, visited China last year. Serbian President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban were among the foreign heads of state who attended the third Belt and Road International Forum for Cooperation in Beijing last October. 

A broader series of high-level engagements between China and the EU have been observed since the start of this year. 

In January, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo embarked on his first trip to China since taking office and signed with China a number of cooperation documents on the economy, trade, agriculture and food. In late March, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte paid a working visit to China, during which he expressed willingness to deepen partnership in areas such as economy and trade. In April, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China, accompanied by three federal ministers and a business delegation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is also reportedly planning to visit China later this year.

Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, sees the actions taken by some European countries against China as "hypocritical." 

"I think everyone knows deeply in his or her heart that China offers a huge chance, but many of them are simply not brave enough to speak about it openly, because the expectation of the liberal mainstream is somewhat totally different," he said.

The "liberal mainstream" appears to be the de-risking narrative proposed by the European Commission in its policy framework toward China last year, which has since then become a buzzword which echoes Washington's "decoupling from China" rhetoric. Nonetheless, the EU's adoption of "de-risking" measures against China has hurt its relations with China.

Last year, the EU launched an anti-subsidy investigation into electric-vehicle imports from China. Recently, the European Commission launched a probe into Chinese public procurement of medical devices, following an unprecedented probe in February into a Chinese trainmaker for allegedly using subsidies to undercut European suppliers.

Yanis Varoufakis, former minister of finance of Greece and now Professor of Economics at the University of Athens, views the EU as a spoilt child that fails to acknowledge its erroneous under-investment but blames China.

"The EU is toying with trade barriers to the importation of the very green technologies (e.g., solar, electric vehicles) that it desperately needs for its green transition - and which it lacks the capacity to produce economically in Europe," Varoufakis told the Global Times. 

The EU is the largest recipient of Chinese EVs, accounting for nearly 40 percent of China's electric vehicle exports, according to media reports. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China, said during his trip to France in early April that the accusations of "overcapacity" by the US and Europe regarding Chinese EVs are groundless.

Xin Hua, the Chinese expert, pointed out that in the field of electric vehicles, there is a certain degree of competition between China and Europe, which is normal. If Europe continues to uphold the concepts of economic globalization and trade liberalization, it does not need to worry too much about China's electric vehicle industry. At the economic and trade level, although there is competition between China and the EU, overall the benefits brought by cooperation to both parties will be far greater than the benefits that the two sides compete for. Therefore, Europe should view China as an opportunity rather than a challenge, Xin noted.

He believes that Xi's upcoming visit can help ease Europe's concerns about China to a certain extent and mitigate Europe's tendency of "de-risking" from China.

Washington watches from afar During Macron's China trip last year, his calling for "strategic autonomy" on the Taiwan question has been considered a rational and independent thinking by many China watchers and also triggered heated discussion within Europe.

On Thursday, he once again appealed for stronger, more integrated European defenses and said the continent must not become a vassal of the US, as he outlined his vision for an independent Europe in a speech at Sorbonne University in Paris.

His remarks came as the continent is still mired in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a "trap of its own making" that Europe has no ability to pull itself out of, as Varoufakis said. 

According to the European Investment Bank, the Ukraine crisis has disrupted trade and aggravated inflation for basic goods like energy, food and metals in Europe.

News organization Politico reported that the European tour of President Xi will be closely watched in Washington. Varoufakis believes that the visit will offer European governments the opportunity to demonstrate that they have retained something of a capacity to look after their countries' interests rather than following Washington's orders.

Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has made Europe realize its high dependence on the US, and this transatlantic relationship has jeopardized Europe's China policy. If Europe continues to follow the US to view China from a security and ideological perspective and takes a confrontational approach toward China, it will not avoid the fate of being a US vassal.

"Europe still retains a certain degree of autonomy," said Sun, adding that cooperation with China in economy and trade and common global challenges will demonstrate Europe's responsibility as a main pillar of the world.

[profoundcollectivequeen]

Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary, chart blueprint for ties

1st trip to Europe in nearly 5 yrs gives new impetus to global peace, development

By 

China-EU relationship Photo: VCGChinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10 at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France, President Aleksandar Vucic of the Republic of Serbia and President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday, a trip that experts believe is expected to shape the future of relations between China and Europe.

The visits show that both China and Europe are striving to explore the space and prospects of cooperation in an era when major power strategic competition intensifies and geopolitics returns, Chinese and European experts noted.

The visits will inject momentum for the further development of China-Europe relations, showcasing that the two sides can maintain positive interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation transcending traditional geopolitics, experts said.

This will be the first overseas tour of the Chinese president this year. It is also the first time that the Chinese top leader visits Europe in nearly five years. It underlines the fact that the Chinese leadership attaches great importance to Europe and highlights the prominent position China places on Europe in its global strategy and foreign economic policy, Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

Xi's visit to France, the first in five years, comes as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. In January, the Franco-Chinese year of cultural tourism was launched and a series of events will be held in both countries to celebrate cultural cooperation.

Pierre Picquart, an expert in geopolitics and human geography from the University of Paris-VIII, told the Global Times that France's long tradition of diplomacy and openness to international relations and its early recognition of the economic potential of China as an expanding market and as an important trading partner made France the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations with China. 

As France has significant influence on relations between Europe and China, "by choosing France as the first stop of his European tour, President Xi is sending a strong message about the importance of China-Europe cooperation and his commitment to multilateralism and dialogue diplomacy," Picquart said.

In a telephone call with the French president's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on Saturday, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said that China stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with France, give play to the leading role of head-of-state diplomacy, and add new connotations to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Xi will hold talks with French President Macron to have in-depth exchange of views on China-France relations, China-EU relations and international and regional hotspots of mutual interest, according to Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday. 

China looks forward to working with France through this visit to carry forward our good tradition, embrace the future, and further enhance political mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation, so that we can jointly elevate our comprehensive strategic partnership, inject impetus to a sound and stable China-EU relationship, and make new contribution to global peace, stability, and development, said Lin.   

Zhao Yongsheng, director of the French Economic Studies Center at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, told the Global Times that during the visit, China and France may sign a number of cooperation agreements in areas such as nuclear energy and agriculture. 

According to Reuters, France's Airbus is in talks with China over a potential major aircraft order. 

Xi will also visit Serbia and Hungary.

The China-Serbia partnership is frequently hailed as a paradigm of excellence within the cooperation framework of China and Central and Eastern European countries and the BRI. Friendship with Serbia can be traced back to engagement with former Yugoslavia countries. Both sides have pursued an independent development path and share common ground in many international affairs.

During Xi's trip in Serbia, the first in eight years, he will hold talks with Serbian President Vucic to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional hotspot issues of mutual interest and discuss an upgrade of the China-Serbia relationship and chart the future course for bilateral relations, Lin said.  

Zivadin Jovanovic, president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals who served as the minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2000, told the Global Times that a number of new agreements concerning future cooperation is expected to be signed during Xi's visit, opening a new stage of cooperation featuring innovation and high-quality standards matching the strategic comprehensive partnership. 

The visit to Hungary coincides with the 75th anniversary of China-Hungary diplomatic relations. During the visit, Xi will hold talks with President Sulyok and Prime Minister Orban about China-Hungary relations and issues of mutual interest. This milestone visit will elevate bilateral relations to a new height, open a new chapter in China-Hungary friendship and cooperation, inject impetus to China-EU relations and provide elements of stability and positive energy to a turbulent world, said Lin. 

Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister who visited Beijing last week, referred to China-Hungary cooperation as a success story that should be continued in an exclusive interview with the Global Times. He believes that Xi's upcoming visit provides answers to the effort and energy that Hungary has put to improve its relationship with China.

Levente Horvath, director of Eurasia Center of John von Neumann University and chief advisor to the governor of the Central Bank of Hungary, told the Global Times that during Xi's visit, the current comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Hungary can rise to a new, higher quality level. 

Extensive engagement, easing concerns

French President Macron, who pledged to visit China at least once every year while in office, visited China last year. Serbian President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban were among the foreign heads of state who attended the third Belt and Road International Forum for Cooperation in Beijing last October. 

A broader series of high-level engagements between China and the EU have been observed since the start of this year. 

In January, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo embarked on his first trip to China since taking office and signed with China a number of cooperation documents on the economy, trade, agriculture and food. In late March, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte paid a working visit to China, during which he expressed willingness to deepen partnership in areas such as economy and trade. In April, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China, accompanied by three federal ministers and a business delegation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is also reportedly planning to visit China later this year.

Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, sees the actions taken by some European countries against China as "hypocritical." 

"I think everyone knows deeply in his or her heart that China offers a huge chance, but many of them are simply not brave enough to speak about it openly, because the expectation of the liberal mainstream is somewhat totally different," he said.

The "liberal mainstream" appears to be the de-risking narrative proposed by the European Commission in its policy framework toward China last year, which has since then become a buzzword which echoes Washington's "decoupling from China" rhetoric. Nonetheless, the EU's adoption of "de-risking" measures against China has hurt its relations with China.

Last year, the EU launched an anti-subsidy investigation into electric-vehicle imports from China. Recently, the European Commission launched a probe into Chinese public procurement of medical devices, following an unprecedented probe in February into a Chinese trainmaker for allegedly using subsidies to undercut European suppliers.

Yanis Varoufakis, former minister of finance of Greece and now Professor of Economics at the University of Athens, views the EU as a spoilt child that fails to acknowledge its erroneous under-investment but blames China.

"The EU is toying with trade barriers to the importation of the very green technologies (e.g., solar, electric vehicles) that it desperately needs for its green transition - and which it lacks the capacity to produce economically in Europe," Varoufakis told the Global Times. 

The EU is the largest recipient of Chinese EVs, accounting for nearly 40 percent of China's electric vehicle exports, according to media reports. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China, said during his trip to France in early April that the accusations of "overcapacity" by the US and Europe regarding Chinese EVs are groundless.

Xin Hua, the Chinese expert, pointed out that in the field of electric vehicles, there is a certain degree of competition between China and Europe, which is normal. If Europe continues to uphold the concepts of economic globalization and trade liberalization, it does not need to worry too much about China's electric vehicle industry. At the economic and trade level, although there is competition between China and the EU, overall the benefits brought by cooperation to both parties will be far greater than the benefits that the two sides compete for. Therefore, Europe should view China as an opportunity rather than a challenge, Xin noted.

He believes that Xi's upcoming visit can help ease Europe's concerns about China to a certain extent and mitigate Europe's tendency of "de-risking" from China.

Washington watches from afar During Macron's China trip last year, his calling for "strategic autonomy" on the Taiwan question has been considered a rational and independent thinking by many China watchers and also triggered heated discussion within Europe.

On Thursday, he once again appealed for stronger, more integrated European defenses and said the continent must not become a vassal of the US, as he outlined his vision for an independent Europe in a speech at Sorbonne University in Paris.

His remarks came as the continent is still mired in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a "trap of its own making" that Europe has no ability to pull itself out of, as Varoufakis said. 

According to the European Investment Bank, the Ukraine crisis has disrupted trade and aggravated inflation for basic goods like energy, food and metals in Europe.

News organization Politico reported that the European tour of President Xi will be closely watched in Washington. Varoufakis believes that the visit will offer European governments the opportunity to demonstrate that they have retained something of a capacity to look after their countries' interests rather than following Washington's orders.

Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has made Europe realize its high dependence on the US, and this transatlantic relationship has jeopardized Europe's China policy. If Europe continues to follow the US to view China from a security and ideological perspective and takes a confrontational approach toward China, it will not avoid the fate of being a US vassal.

"Europe still retains a certain degree of autonomy," said Sun, adding that cooperation with China in economy and trade and common global challenges will demonstrate Europe's responsibility as a main pillar of the world.

[consortmadness]

Historical Chinese Drama Imagine OC #3 (The Rebel Princess)

Name: Wang Huan (Yanay) (Princess Meixiang)

Face Claim: Zhou Xun (plays Ula Nara Ruyi in Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace)

Birthday: N/A

Relatives: Awu (Princess Shangyang) (big sister), Wang Huanxi (Empress) (aunt), Wang Lin (Duke of Jing; Prime Minister) (father), Ma Jinruo (Princess Jinmin) (mother), Wang Su (Heir of Dukedom of Jing) (big brother), Xiao Qi (General of Ningshuo Army) (brother-in-law), Late Empress Dowager Xiaomu (Grandmother)

Allies: Awu, Xie Wanru (not for long), Wang Su, Ma Jinruo, Princess Huan Mi, Wang Qian (not for long), Su Jin’er (not for long), Xiao Yuxiu, Hu Yao, Hu Guanglie, Song Huai’en (not for long), Tang Jing, Xiao Qi

Nickname for Allies: Awu Jiějiě , Su Dàgē, Mǔqīn, Huan Mi Jiějiě, Yímā, Jin’er Jiějiě (not for long), Yuxiu Mèimei, Hu Yao Jiějiě, Yao Jiějiě, Guanglie Zhōngwèi, Huai’en Zhōngwèi (not for long), Jing Zhōngwèi, Qi Jiěfū

Yanay (Wang Huan) is the little sister of Awu and Wang Su and the niece of Wang Huanxi (Empress). After the wedding of her idol and big sister Awu and after argument with her father she goes to live in Yuzhang Mansion with Awu and Xiao Qi. Her Aunt decides to marry her to Ma Zetian as his Wangfei (Princess Consort).

Wang Huan is 3 years younger than Awu

Imagines will be after episode 18

Wang Huan’s nickname is Yanay which mean “she who loves”

[orsuliya]

I think many of us were wondering why Daddy Wang seemed so very eager to be rid of Auntie Xu, weren't we? It turns out that the answer was right there in the open this entire time. The only catch? You have to use any subs but Chinazone's.

After Awu's (un)fortunate fall in episode 4 she falls unconscious; Princess Jinmin keeps watch over her daughter. At one point Auntie Xu informs her mistress that Daddy Wang came by not that long ago while Jinruo herself was asleep. Going by Chinazone subs this short exchange is not at all memorable and for good reason. Let's see...

Auntie Xu: Princess, the Lord has just been here.

Jinruo: After all these years, you still call him the Lord. He doesn't like to be called as the royal position. Do not call him the Lord.

Auntie Xu: Yes. I remember.

How perfectly innocent, don't you think? Surely this 'Lord' title cannot be that bad. If it were otherwise, would Princess Jinmin dole out only the mildest of rebukes, even as Auntie Xu's sheepish smile tells us it's far from the first time this issue has been brought up? Auntie Xu did nothing wrong; Daddy Wang's dislike of this mode of address must be one of his many peccadilloes and nothing but.

Meanwhile, Viki subs give us this lovely conversation:

Auntie Xu: Princess, the Prince Consort came just now.

Jinruo: It's been so many years now, yet you still call him "Prince Consort". He dislikes being addressed by these titles of the royal family. Don't call him "Prince Consort" anymore.

Auntie Xu: Yes, I shall remember.

"Prince Consort", huh? That's strange and somewhat passive-aggressive. Could it be that for more than twenty years Auntie Xu has only ever acknowledged Daddy Wang as Jinruo's husband? Her Princess' Consort -> Prince Consort. Yikes! But fair enough; she became Jinruo's attendant well before her marriage to Daddy Wang, so if that's the way she wants to differentiate herself from other Wang servants, more power to her. Still awkward, but it's hardly an offense worthy of capital punishment, right?

Well, Fireflame subs say something very different:

Auntie Xu: Принцесса, только что приходил зять Императора.

Jinruo: Столько лет прошло, а ты все еще зовешь его зятем Императора. Он очень не любит, когда его называют, отталкиваясь от императорского имени. Не зови его так.

Auntie Xu: Хорошо, я запомнила.

...which roughly translates into...

Auntie Xu: Princess, the Emperor's brother-in-law came by a moment ago.

Jinruo: So many years have passed and you still call him the Emperor's brother-in-law. He really doesn't like being titled using the Emperor's name. Don't call him that.

Auntie Xu: Very well, I will remember.

Mind you, Imperial Brother-in-Law is a legitimate title and a very lofty one at that. Seeing as that's the case I strongly suspect that FSG Fireflame - as always - got the closest to the original. Technically speaking, Auntie Xu is not doing anything wrong... or is she? Daddy Wang has good reason for having issues with his place in the imperial family; I'd think Auntie Xu should know everything there is to know about Concubine Han's death and if not, then isn't Jinruo supposed to feel all contrite about that tragic event to this very day?

Great job baiting Daddy Wang by reminding him of the price he had to pay for his lofty title! Moreover, had Concubine Han never existed in the first place, Wang Lin would still have more that enough reason to abhor this particular mode of address. It's not like he hasn't proven his worth outside of his role as Jinruo's husband. Imperial Brother-In-Law probably trumps a mere Duke, but does it trump Prime Minister (Minister of the Right, Grand Chancellor, whatever you choose name his position)? I'm not that sure. Even if it does, it would still jar to hear daily that one's status depends solely on one's relationship to the Emperor... when the Emperor in question got the throne only thanks to Daddy (or Granddaddy?) Wang's considerable assistance.

Our lovely Auntie Xu kept calling him by a title he actively dislikes. For. More. Than. Twenty. Years. Perhaps not all the time, but don't tell me it didn't slip out on a regular basis. And on purpose, going by that placating smile of hers. And now imagine... If this is the level of respect she accorded him while living under his roof, what other little acts of spiteful bitchiness might she have come up with?

P.S. If anyone can tell us more about how this conversation comes over in Chinese, well, that would be just swell!

P.P.S. Thank you for providing such an excellent explanation in the comments below, @krispyllamasweets!

[sasorikigai]

"Is Grandmaster Kuai Liang a cut sleeve?" One of the apprentices asks innocently.

Random Inbox Shenanigans || anonymous || always accepting! 

❄️ || The story involves Emperor Ai of Han and the commander of his armed forces, Dong Xian. The Emperor was known for his sentimentality in connection with awarding stations, having four dowager empresses simultaneously, a feat that he was the first and last to manage. Still, there were harsh consequences, as warned by his Prime Minister Wang Jia. He cited the many other people close to the emperor who had been promoted quickly and faced punishment for that. The Emperor reacted by accusing the Prime Minister of false crimes and forcing him to commit suicide. He reacted to all criticism of his lover in this fashion and spent his life very in love with the Xian. Unlike the Duke’s relationship with the courtesan, the Emperor did not turn against his lover. By all accounts, he spent his life entirely in love with the man, leading to the story of the cut sleeve.

On one occasion, Dong Xian fell asleep in the emperor’s arms. When the emperor had to leave, he cut off his sleeve so as not to wake his love. Again, the story is simple, small, and very sweet, but it has an untold conclusion. When the Emperor died, so did Dong Xian, though not for the same reason. While the Emperor died of natural causes, Dong Xian committed suicide. The Emperor ordered Dong Xian to be given the throne after his death, but the order was ignored the minute his body was cold. All of Dong Xian’s titles were stripped away, and he killed himself, along with his wife. After his death, to honor him, people around the land cut their sleeves as a symbol of mourning and respect.

It showcases small gestures of affection, gentle sacrifices, and love of two people from wildly different stations. Something significant Kuai Liang himself has to recognize is their unhappy endings, the lack of happily-ever-after. As soon as the protection of powerful men fell away, the two lost everything. While there are in no way implied the fact that wives are always treated well, the wives of these men were seen as a family, their relationships to their husbands were seen as legitimate, and all forms of government recognized them. The relationships between two men are not given that luxury. But at the very least, there was some recognition of the existence and validity of those relationships and in Sub-Zero’s eventful life as a Lin Kuei novice, towards taking the mantle of Sub-Zero and remaining as one of the most mightiest and ferocious warrior in protection of Earthrealm, as human Kuai Liang without the honorable and prestigious titles, he is merely a man seeking to capture the radiant sun of love that will both silence and fuel his roaring veins.  

“Euphemisms are not necessary - for I pride myself in loving both men and women equally, as long as there are genuine, inseparable connections that tie both of our bodies, hearts, and souls. Love for me is such an ennoblement of desire, bringing exquisite sublime wonders. Even when life itself could be sometimes underappreciated in the throes of torment and suffering, but how my love, in the form of my human hand emblazons, burning in my human spirit. And there is nothing I can forget, and there is nothing that I can leave behind. For the gracious, passionate wings of my love and vigorous passion will always stir the intimate tenderness and potent sensuality of what my body, mind, and soul can offer.” ❄️ || 

[siumerghe]

I’m continuing with my The Longest Day in Chang'an history spam (previous posts: 1, 2)

This time I’d like to talk about Crown Prince Li Yu (historical Li Heng, Emperor Suzong) and his relationship with Right Chancellor Lin Jiulang (historical Li Linfu).

While watching The Longest Day in Chang'an, I thought the enmity between the Crown Prince and the Right Chancellor in this show was exaggerated for the sake of drama. 

In fact it wasn’t. At all.

The third son of Emperor Xuanzong, Li Heng was raised by childless Empress Wang. By 744 when the events of The Longest Day in Chang'an take place, Empress Wang had already been demoted (due to machinations of Xuanzong’s favorite consort, Wu-huifei) and dead (unclear if by suicide or by natural causes - she died very soon after the demotion). Li Heng’s biological mother, Consort Yang, also died (btw, when she was pregnant with Li Heng, Xuanzong wanted to abort the child, but was dissuaded). For Li Heng that meant that had no support in the Imperial harem.

Xuanzong wanted to make his much-beloved Consort Wu the new empress. Alas - Consort Wu belonged to the same clan as the only female emperor of China, Wu Zetian, whose reign ended not long ago and wasn’t remembered fondly. All the ministers were vehemently against the idea of Empress Wu v2.0, and Xuanzong eventually had to back down.

Consort Wu failed to become empress - it didn’t mean she didn’t have other ambitions. She formed an alliance with Li Linfu (Lin Jiulang in the series): she persuaded Xuanzong to appoint Li Linfu as the right chancellor (prime minister), and in turn, Li Linfu promised to make her son, Li Mao, the crown prince.

There is a well-known Chinese idiom 口蜜腹剑 “in the mouth -  honey, in the belly - sword” which means a double-faced and treacherous person, basically an equivalent of “Juda’s kiss”. Initially, this phrase was used to describe Li Linfu’s personality by one of his contemporaries. 

Consort Wu and Li Linfu started by framing three Xuanzong’s sons including the current Crown Prince Li Ying. Consort Wu sent them a message saying that bandits attacked the palace and asking for help. When the princes hurriedly came - in armor and with weapons - they were accused of treason and emperor assassination attempt. The three princes were demoted to commoners and ordered to commit suicide (their wives were executed as well.) Xuanzong killed three of his sons in a single day - not sure if it’s a record but probably pretty close.

It seemed that Li Mao was one step from becoming the new crown prince. However, soon after the princes’ execution Consort Wu fell ill: she was haunted by the souls of the executed princes (more likely, by her guilty conscience). Consort Wu made sacrifices to the princes’ souls - it didn’t help, and eventually she died. Xuanzong posthumously honored her as Empress under the name Zhenshun 貞順 ("virtuous and obedient”).

After Consort Wu’s death Xuanzong was inconsolable. At least for some time. Until his trusted eunuch Gao Lishi (Guo Lishi in the dorama) arranged an “accident“: Xuanzong saw his daughter-in-law Yang Yuhuan, who at that moment was leaving the bathing pool. Xuanzong immediately fell in love with her. (Yang Yuhuan - future Yang-guifei, one of the Four Legendary Beauties of China; in The Longest Day in Chang'an she is called Taizhen - by her Daoist name.)

When appointing the new crown prince, Xuanzong hesitated for a long time - almost for a year: he couldn’t decide between Li Heng and Li Mao. Li Mao was a son of his beloved woman, and had many supporters among high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family. 

However, it’s precisely because Li Mao had such strong support that Xuanzong became wary of making him the crown prince. Xuanzong himself came to power after two bloody coups and by dethroning his father-emperor, so suffering his father’s fate was probably his worst nightmare. He even built a “Ten Princes’ Residence” for his sons in a far away corner of Chang’an, where all princes lived together under a constant surveillance, in a sort of a luxurious prison. Their contacts with state officials were forbidden under a death penalty in order to prevent princes from getting their own power base at court.

Finally (as they say, by Gao Lishi’s advice), Xuanzong chose the older of the two candidates - Li Heng. (Btw, Yang Yuhuan was Li Mao’s wife. Was it one of the reasons why Xuanzong finally appointed Li Heng, not Li Mao, as the crown prince? If so, then bravo, Gao Lishi!)

By his natural qualities, Li Heng seemed perfect for the crown prince position: The Old History of Tang describes him as benevolent, smart and studious, with a very good memory. He was tall and graceful, and was said to resemble the Tang dynasty co-founder, Emperor Taizong.

However, being a crown prince during the Early Tang was a dangerous occupation with survival rate less than 50%: out of 13 crown princes only 5 lived to become emperors, and most of them came to power through coups and violent struggle. Li Heng was the 14th.

On Xuanzong’s orders, Li Heng several times changed his name: Li Sisheng, Li Jun, Li Yu (this is his name in the dorama), Li Shao, and, finally, Li Heng.

There is a story related to this: after Li Heng (Li Yu at that time) was promoted to crown prince, his name was changed to Li Shao 绍. However, during the Liu-Song dynasty a crown prince named Liu Shao 绍 killed his father-emperor and seized the throne. Oops. Xuanzong was reminded about this story and changed his son’s name again - to Li Heng. And didn’t change anymore. But apparently, it made suspicious Xuanzong prejudiced against Li Heng.

After Consort Wu’s death, Li Linfu continued to plot against Li Heng: he had already antagonized himself with the prince - if Li Heng came to power he would inevitably take revenge on Li Linfu. So Li Linfu tried very hard to prevent it. (Was it Li Linfu‘s idea to suggest such an unfortunate name for Li Heng, I wonder?)

In 746 Li Heng had to divorce his wife, Lady Wei, after Li Linfu accused her brother Wei Jian and general Huangfu Weiming of the attempt to form an alliance with the Crown Prince in order to depose the Emperor and to put Li Heng on the throne. Huangfu Weiming, Wei Jian with his brothers, as well as other people were executed or ordered to commit suicide, and many officials lost their positions. Left Chancellor Li Shizhi killed himself out of fear. Lady Wei was demoted to a commoner and forced to become a nun. 

Even after Wei Jian's death, Li Linfu still hated the Wei family and continued to pursue people accused of being Wei Jian's associates and torture them, until Li Linfu's later death in 752.

Then, in the same 746 year, the father of Li Heng’s favorite concubine Du was falsely accused of witchcraft. Li Linfu supported this accusation. As a result, the concubine’s father and some other people who were close to Li Heng were sentenced to be beaten by canes. Li Linfu bribed to executioners so that they increase the amount of strikes and beat these people to death. Concubine Du  was demoted to a commoner and expelled from palace.

In 747, Li Linfu launched another campaign against Li Heng. He engaged Yang Guozhong (Yang-gufei’s cousin and the future Right Chancellor) to falsely accuse people with connections to Li Heng, hoping to find a way to implicate Li Heng in improprieties. Yang Guozong was therefore able to use this opportunity to destroy several hundreds of households.

Then highly successive general Wang Zhongsi (whose daughter Wang Yunxiu gets kidnapped in the dorama) was accused of interfering with the campaign of another general, which was a punishable offense. Wang Zhongsi was a close friend of Li Heng. So Li Linfu broadened the accusation: he insisted that Wang Zhongsi intended to start a coup to overthrow Xuanzong and replace him with Li Heng. Thanks to other generals’ support, Wang Zhonsi was spared from death so Li Heng also wasn’t punished. Wang Zhonsi was demoted and died next year.

Over the years Li Linfu made other attempts to undermine Li Heng, but Li Heng managed to survive and preserve his title thanks to his perseverance and cautiousness. However, the prolonged stress undermined Li Heng’s health: he suffered from depression, and his hair turned white prematurely. (Eventually he’ll die being only 52 y.o. from a heart stroke, having outlived his father for only 2 weeks.) 

And yes, Xuanzong did plan to retire with his beloved guifei Yang and pass all state matters to Li Linfu - this is not the series’ invention! One can imagine how that would end for Li Heng.

After Li Linfu died in 752, nothing changed for Li Heng: the next Right Chancellor, Yang Guozhong was a close associate of Li Linfu, and he continued the same politics in regards to the crown prince. He even managed to force another close friend of Li Heng, Li Bi (yeah, the one in the series), into exile.

Did the Crown Prince in The Longest Day in Chang'an seem to you like a nervous wreck? He had all the reasons to be: remember, 5:13 survival rate, and his three brothers already killed by his father. For years, Li Heng had to walk on thin ice in fear that Xuanzong would listen to slander and order him to commit suicide. And all people who were close to Li Heng risked their lives - only because of their closeness with the prince.

[xtruss]

Kishida Risks Japan’s Image By Following Abe’s Wastewater Policy

— Lin Lan | October 18, 2021 | Global Times

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

With the connivance and even encouragement of the US and the West, Japan has decided to dump the contaminated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea, for the sake of its own selfish interests. Such anti-human actions of Japan, a US ally, have long been condoned by Washington. This being the case, the administration of new Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida has unsurprisingly inherited such a selfish policy.

Despite opposition from Japanese fishermen and Japan's neighboring countries, Kishida has said there can be no delay to plans to dump nuclear wastewater into the sea. "I felt strongly that the water issue is a crucial one that should not be pushed back," he said after his first trip to the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant as the Japanese prime minister.

This shows that Kishida has completely inherited the irresponsible nuclear wastewater policy of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. As early as 2019, then Japanese environment minister Yoshiaki Harada said that to "release it into the ocean and dilute it" is the only solution.

Kishida and his predecessor, former Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga, have both followed such a decision to maintain the continuity of the Japanese government's policy, and to grasp the bargaining chip in the diplomatic games with China and South Korea.

But in addition to dumping the nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea, is there really no other option for Japan? In a previous interview with Global Times, Shaun Bernie, senior nuclear specialist of Greenpeace East Asia, said, "It is not inevitable that the contaminated water will be dumped into the Pacific Ocean… The deadline is artificial as there is sufficient storage space on the Fukushima Daiichi site for additional tanks."

Obviously, Japan could have considered other alternatives. But it has chosen the easiest, the most irresponsible and the most harmful way to all human beings.

Unsurprisingly, mainstream Western media has generally turned a blind eye to Japan's decision. No major Western media outlets have criticized Kishida's selfish decision as they did to countries that don't belong to the US' ideological camp.

"The US wants to morally support Japan as an ally, trying to demonstrate the stability and reliability of US-Japan relations. The US may believe that, due to the geographical distance, the nuclear wastewater may not impact itself," Da Zhigang, director of Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Japan's irresponsible and selfish national image will be further confirmed and perpetuated if the nuclear wastewater is eventually discharged into the Pacific Ocean. People from Japan's neighboring countries such as China and South Korea may spontaneously boycott Japanese sea products. Wang Hanling, a professor at the Institute of International Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that relevant individuals and companies in Japan could face sanctions, including the Tokyo Electric Power Company.

Once the radioactive water is dumped, the Japanese government is very likely to lose its say in maritime cooperation - an important part of Japan's maritime strategy.

"When it comes to future maritime cooperation, some countries may think: If Japan is not even responsible for its own nuclear wastewater, how can it be responsible on related cooperation with others?" Da said.

Kishida is destroying the future of humanity for selfish political considerations, and the US has acted as an accomplice of Japan. The consequence of this man-made disaster should never be borne by all mankind.

[indianarrative1]

Xi Jinping is aiming at China taking on the mantle of the world’s pre-eminent power, displacing the United States, before he completes a third five-year term.

Xi Jinping comes from a privileged family that has seen both rough as well as good times. Unlike the assertive and brash children of some of the Chinese Communist Party leaders lower down the leadership ladder, Xi’s daughter Mingxe is quiet and courteous, refusing to partake 24/7 of the pomp and privilege of her father’s high office, while his wife Peng Liyuan is herself a well-known singer of motivational and patriotic songs, which are usually sung by her in a military setting. From his early years close to high authority, such as his affinity with China’s longest serving Defence Minister, Lin Biao, the current General Secretary of the CCP has placed the military at the centre of his statecraft.

This distinguishes him from Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin, who put commerce above everything else, or Hu Jintao, who placed a high value (and spent lavishly) on securing goodwill across the world. Soft power was given priority by Hu, even as he took steps to increase the domestic component of hi-tech fields of endeavour, a task enthusiastically embraced by his successor, Xi. Since 2012, “soft power booster budgets” have been cut and those cadres engaged in “goodwill” missions and tasks have been downgraded. In the time of Xi, an ounce of hard power is worth a pound of soft power. For Xi, as for his idol Mao Zedong, what counts is raw power and its exercise. He is clearly a believer in the adage that if an opponent is in a weaker position, it is irrelevant where that person’s heart and mind is, for he will be forced into doing what is wanted of him. This goes for groups and countries as well.

Even the “friendly face” of the PRC, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, is voluble during conversations that his country is 100% right in whatever its leadership says or does, and so discussions need to centre around the sole point of how quickly and smoothly the other side acknowledges such an obvious fact. What counts in the Xi model of governance is facts on the ground, not talks about talks or meetings about meetings.

While Indian public opinion saw the Moscow meeting of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with his PRC counterpart as routine diplomatic courtesy, the Chinese side saw it as a sign of weakness, and promptly stiffened their stance. Such an approach is the opposite of the situation in India, where international talks are given high priority and even visible failures (in terms of getting more than was given away) such as Tashkent or Shimla or the Tibet talks (from Nehru to Vajpayee) are seen as successes, a judgement made purely on the basis of optics. Indeed, optics seems to be the only result that policymakers in India have taken seriously in several situations.

The removal of the two-term limit by PRC President Xi Jinping has been taken as an indication that the CCP General Secretary would like to remain in office until the close of his life. However, the fact is different: Xi Jinping is aiming at China taking on the mantle of the world’s pre-eminent power, displacing the United States, before he completes a third five-year term. This would act as a force multiplier accelerating China’s lead over the US, the way its pivotal role in global commerce and geopolitics has assisted the US in maintaining its position within the global order. Once the milestone of global primacy is crossed, and it is regarded as axiomatic by his team that Xi’s leadership is crucial to such a success, it is likely that the current General Secretary, President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission will follow the example of Deng Xiaoping and take on an honorific title, such as Chairman of the CCP, handing over the General Secretaryship and other posts to trusted associates, although not to the same individual. India and the US are the two countries which figure prominently in the calculations of the team that has been gathered around Xi, individuals seen as the “best and the brightest” that the CCP has to offer. The question is whether they will ensure the success of Xi’s plans, or be responsible for a failure, much as the “best and the brightest” US policymakers in the Lyndon Johnson Cabinet were over Vietnam. The projections of Team Xi for both the big democracies are less than rosy.

EXPLOITING FAULTLINES

The US is seen as having potentially irreversible fault lines based on race, religion and income, which is expected to consume that country in internal strife on an increasing scale. While Joe Biden is preferred by Beijing to Donald Trump in the 3 November 2020 Presidential polls, the latter too is seen as vulnerable because of a “Two-Front” situation. The two fronts are (a) duels with the PRC combined with tensions with multiple countries, and (b) internal fissures created by those around President Trump seeking to impose on the US the same societal structure as was prevalent in the 1950s and in finance as was prevalent towards the close of the 19th century. The Supreme Court in particular is regarded as promising from the viewpoint of engendering chaos, in view of the fact that several of the justices are in effect charter members of the revivalist wing of the Republican Party and are visibly loyal in their verdicts to its tenets. Such a display of judicial partisanship is in the service of an effort to reverse the course of history, most importantly the effort by Stephen Miller and others filled with nostalgia for the segregationist past.

The main objective of immigration and “justice” policies is to reverse the steady increase in the non-white population, which is a factor that is deeply upsetting to such individuals. The selection of Kamala Harris as the running mate of Joe Biden has given oxygen to the efforts of such elements out of fear that Biden may, for reasons of health, have to hand over the keys to the White House to a non-white and this not long after the first non-white President of the US was sworn in for two terms. Should the Democratic Party prevail in the 3 November contest, including in the House of Representatives and the Senate, there is likely to be a growing conflict between the Executive and a Judicial branch honeycombed with closet revivalists by the Trump administration. Their power would increase with the likely nomination of another Republican ideologue to replace Associate Justice Ruth Ginsburg on the Supreme Court before the team chosen by the 3 November election gets sworn in.

An intensive effort is under way within the US to map for the CCP leadership the faultlines in US society and how they are developing. Or can be developed, a task in which China’s key ally Russia has been assigned to play the lead role on behalf of the common interests of the Sino-Russian alliance. At the same time, packages of misinformation that claim to show that Moscow and Beijing are working not seamlessly together (as is the case) but at cross purposes are being constantly tossed out to credulous policymakers in countries that are identified as hostile to a situation where China replaces the US as the centre of gravity of the international order. As a consequence, there are several policymakers in the US, the EU and India who believe that there is substantial daylight between the strategic ambitions and actions of Putin and Xi. The reality is that both wish to see the end of US primacy, ensure a fissured EU, and a weak congeries of South Asian and Southeast Asian states. Both Moscow and Beijing give an appearance of acting separately and on different sides, when in reality they are synchronising policy (often covertly) to bring about the geopolitical shifts desired by both.

SEPARATING THE U.S. AND INDIA

Both Beijing and Moscow regard it as crucial to keep the US and India strategically separate from each other, and the manner in which pro-Pakistan elements have embedded themselves within the Biden campaign has given Putin and Xi hope that a Biden White House would adopt a hectoring and unfriendly tone towards the Modi government. What is causing anxiety is the fact that Barack Obama, who seems close to Joe Biden, tossed away earlier US policy towards Narendra Modi within minutes of the latter winning the 2014 polls and becoming the second BJP Prime Minister of India.

A Washington-Delhi pairing as close as the Moscow-Beijing partnership would present an immense obstacle to the global designs of the Sino-Russian alliance, and extraordinary effort is being made by both capitals to ensure that this not take place. This campaign is active in Washington as well, where a whispering campaign has been launched even through improbable channels that India wants to be a “free rider” and is moreover “unreliable and quirky” as a partner. Thus far, this campaign has prevented the US Congress from going ahead with additional legislation designed to make India in law an ally of the US on par with any other country, including treaty allies. A bevy of voices are opposing this on the Hill, most of whom are unaware of the foreign link to their advocacy.

At the same time, several channels are being used in Delhi to convey a similar impression of unreliability about the US. Thus far, neither has Australia been invited to the Malabar exercises by India nor has BECA been signed. Keeping the US and India apart is a high priority and thus far, the strategy seems to have delivered results. Within the Biden camp in particular are several individuals who are in close contact with the Pakistan embassy, and during such visits, they “accidentally” meet diplomats from the country that is acknowledged as the single biggest threat to US interests by the Pentagon and the national security system. The close coordination between the Chinese and Pakistan embassies in numerous capitals is no secret. The usefulness of Pakistan in ensuring a covert bridge between Beijing and Washington, this time mostly in matters relating to the US Congress and to elements of the Republican and Democratic parties, is far from over.

MODI’S CREDIBILITY CORE TO STABILITY

Just as the US is regarded as being close to getting tipped into a societal war on a scale that will dwarf the unrest of the 1960s whoever wins on 3 November, India is calculated as being potentially vulnerable to a similar meltdown of public confidence and order. It has been factored in that the continuing credibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is key to ensuring a popular level of hope in the future as would prevent mass civil unrest across India. Efforts are ongoing to damage this credibility, and a military setback on the border is seen as the most effective way of bringing down the level of confidence of his people in the leadership of PM Modi. This would be on top of the economic hardship of the recent past. More than in the South China Sea or across the Taiwan Straits, it is the Himalayan massif that is likely to witness a kinetic effort by the PLA. This would be designed to shatter the image and confidence of India. The calculation is that such a setback would discredit those in the US and within the EU who are pushing for a more robust alliance with India. It would also eliminate any confidence within ASEAN that they can rely on India as a counterforce to an expansionist China. Clearly, interesting times are planned for the world’s largest democracy in terms of population.

The nightmare for President Xi Jinping is a military defeat at the hands of a country that is being constantly derided in state media as a paper tiger. Should the General Secretary’s Himalayan adventure end in catastrophe for the PLA, the impact on his leadership would be immediate. Given the governance structure of China, such a meltdown at the core would have a Chernobyl-style impact on the Chinese Communist Party, and a consequent weakening of the CCP’s hold on the people. This would lead to unrest in the PRC (and subsequently in Russia) on a scale that would dwarf whatever takes place in the US and India, even assuming some success in the Sino-Russian “Mission Meltdown” of the world’s two most consequential democracies. Those in the US and India who seek to “prevent war” seem to be unaware that the conflict has already started, and will end only with the defeat of one side over the other.

(This article was originally published in The Sunday Guardian)

[silviakundera]

Joy of Life Episode 17 Liveblogging

This is my first watch, so don't tell me secrets ;)

Side note, but I am very doubtful that Wang Qinain has a daughter. Not sure about the wife but I think neither I nor ML believe a word out of his mouth about his home life and background

Sister Ruoruo immediately confesses about her visit to CP. So she was fishing and wants to interact with him to understand him better

She thinks CP is in love? (I'll be real w you, I immediately thought of The Tearful Breakup lol)

Oh god, tell me Crown Prince isn't in love with 🍗 ??????????? and that's why wants to kill Fan Xian.

Sister Ruoruo I think Dream of Red Chamber fic has poisoned your brain

ML was always Si Lili's interrogator? 😵🙊

The Head is protecting him because...he was mom's dad or master? Or sworn brother?

So Sil Lili was just blackmailed. I never thought Northern Qing had a stake in this, so makes sense. Second Prince remains one of my top suspects.

Don't just trust her to give you a random name and release her! YES. THX. DO NOT RELEASE.

ML: have u heard of solitary confinement?

"If I die, you'll never know who that person is" GIRL like he can trust you anyway.

He's pretty badass in this scene ngl

You're not going to let us hear the name, huh?

Having Wang Qinain show up is not making me less suspicious about his masterminding

INTERESTING that she thinks ML would protect the revealed name. Very interesting

Ok what was the purpose for the big diversion??

Lin Gong, the pompous second brother is the blackmailer?! Alright, from team Crown Prince. But is he truly in the driver seat or is the Prime Minister just taking action on his behalf?

(i know it sounds like I'm trying to excuse him or something, but it's more like.... I'm trying to pin down the CP character and the dynamics of his faction. And I keep getting the impression that he's not always leading the charge & in the driver's seat. Which makes that faction feel illusive.)

"The world thinks he's not important. I don't like it." 👏👏👏👏 What a solid performance in this scene and a protagonist that I want to cheer for.

"So what if you don't like it." um I feel like the last couple episodes and the next 20 will answer that lol

[courtneytincher]

West Wing’s Revolving Door, Brexit’s Mayhem

(Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.President Donald Trump burned through his third national security adviser in three years with John Bolton's departure, setting up a potential shift in the U.S. approach toward a range of global hot spots.As the potential chaos of a no-deal Brexit was revealed, Britain’s Parliament was suspended and Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to ignore the law to leave the European Union by Oct. 31. In Israel, embattled leader Benjamin Netanyahu is set to face a second election in five months and may be forced to rely on one of the country’s most divisive politicians for his survival.Dig into these and other aspects of the latest political developments in this edition of Weekend Reads.Can You Tell the 2020 Democrats Apart?The Democratic presidential contenders have ideas — lots of them. The crowded field has offered dozens of plans on climate change, the student debt crisis, income equality and more. Take this short quiz and see if you can tell the difference among the proposals from Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and the rest of the 2020 candidates. And click here to read everything the candidates discussed at the debate.Bolton’s Out. Here's How That Will Affect Trump's Foreign PolicyJohn Bolton’s dismissal as U.S. national security adviser removed the most vocal hardliner from Trump’s inner circle. The president has carved out an unorthodox approach to global crises, and as Benjamin Harvey reports, Bolton’s departure leaves Secretary of State Michael Pompeo standing astride his foreign policy agenda.Netanyahu’s Survival Is in the Hands of a Fickle Former FriendBenjamin Netanyahu’s political survival may depend on the support of a one-time ally who’s turned on him. Avigdor Liberman, the blunt-talking hardliner who was instrumental in the Israeli prime minister’s rise to power in 1996, is shaping up to be the kingmaker of the Sept. 17 election, Gwen Ackerman writes.Brexit Is Making English Civil War Comparisons Hard to DismissThe U.K. is witnessing an historic period of upheaval that’s invited comparisons with the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642. Even the Queen has become embroiled in the standoff. And violence is brewing, Alan Crawford reports, with a government document warning of public disorder from food and fuel shortages should the country crash out of the European Union without a deal.Silicon Valley’s Worst Enemy Returns With Even More PowerThe regulator who’s made a name for herself by cracking down on tech giants is about to get even more power. Margrethe Vestager is the new EU Commission executive vice president in charge of the bloc’s digital affairs — a post that will hand her oversight of artificial intelligence, big data, innovation and cybersecurity, Aoife White and Natalia Drozdiak write.Afghan Taliban Stronger Than Ever After U.S. Spends $900 BillionFor many Afghans like Zohra Atifi, whose husband was killed under Taliban rule, the American invasion in 2001 marked a chance to start over after living under an oppressive regime. Yet as Eltaf Najafizada reports, 18 years later, after the U.S. spent nearly $900 billion and more than 147,000 people died, the Taliban are growing more confident of returning to power.Bombs, Bloodstains and Power Cuts: Libya’s Slide Into Civil WarGeneral Saleh Abuda’s orders to the troops besieging Tripoli came early on July 22. “Destroy the enemy, advance on the capital,” was the message, and with it another operation to break the stalemate in Libya’s conflict had begun, only to unravel within hours. The North African country is now more divided than ever, Samer Al-Atrush writes.In Hong Kong's Leaderless Movement, Officials Don't Know Who to Negotiate WithAs a top adviser to Hong Kong’s government, Bernard Chan is searching for any protester who can strike a deal to end more than three months of unrest. But as Blake Schmidt reports, nobody he meets can guarantee him that others will no longer hit the streets.Taiwan’s Tsai Rises From Ashes With a Hand From Hong KongHeading into 2019, Tsai Ing-wen looked at risk of becoming Taiwan’s first one-term president. Then came the unrest in Hong Kong. The mass demonstrations there against China’s deepening encroachment have given her a noticeable boost ahead of Taiwan’s presidential elections in January, Cindy Wang and Miaojung Lin report.Mystery Shadows Prince’s Enforcer in Year Since Khashoggi DeathSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a trusted enforcer inside the Royal Court until the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Since then, Saud al-Qahtani disappeared. His name resurfaced in recent days in speculation about whether he was dead, Glen Carey writes.The Plot to Scrap Germany’s Balanced Budgets Has Already BegunGermany’s worship of fiscal discipline is being challenged by a looming recession and tantalizingly cheap credit. A silent revolution is under way to encourage civil servants to shed that economic dogma, Birgit Jennen writes, as the new chief economist Jakob von Weizsaecker works to introduce the idea of scrapping the country’s zeal for balanced budgets.And finally ... The world must invest $1.8 trillion by 2030 to prepare for the effects of global warming. A new report said the payoff could be four times that. The chief priority, as Eric Roston reports, is avoiding the costs of waiting too long. To contact the author of this story: Ruth Pollard in New Delhi at rpollard2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

(Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.President Donald Trump burned through his third national security adviser in three years with John Bolton's departure, setting up a potential shift in the U.S. approach toward a range of global hot spots.As the potential chaos of a no-deal Brexit was revealed, Britain’s Parliament was suspended and Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to ignore the law to leave the European Union by Oct. 31. In Israel, embattled leader Benjamin Netanyahu is set to face a second election in five months and may be forced to rely on one of the country’s most divisive politicians for his survival.Dig into these and other aspects of the latest political developments in this edition of Weekend Reads.Can You Tell the 2020 Democrats Apart?The Democratic presidential contenders have ideas — lots of them. The crowded field has offered dozens of plans on climate change, the student debt crisis, income equality and more. Take this short quiz and see if you can tell the difference among the proposals from Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and the rest of the 2020 candidates. And click here to read everything the candidates discussed at the debate.Bolton’s Out. Here's How That Will Affect Trump's Foreign PolicyJohn Bolton’s dismissal as U.S. national security adviser removed the most vocal hardliner from Trump’s inner circle. The president has carved out an unorthodox approach to global crises, and as Benjamin Harvey reports, Bolton’s departure leaves Secretary of State Michael Pompeo standing astride his foreign policy agenda.Netanyahu’s Survival Is in the Hands of a Fickle Former FriendBenjamin Netanyahu’s political survival may depend on the support of a one-time ally who’s turned on him. Avigdor Liberman, the blunt-talking hardliner who was instrumental in the Israeli prime minister’s rise to power in 1996, is shaping up to be the kingmaker of the Sept. 17 election, Gwen Ackerman writes.Brexit Is Making English Civil War Comparisons Hard to DismissThe U.K. is witnessing an historic period of upheaval that’s invited comparisons with the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642. Even the Queen has become embroiled in the standoff. And violence is brewing, Alan Crawford reports, with a government document warning of public disorder from food and fuel shortages should the country crash out of the European Union without a deal.Silicon Valley’s Worst Enemy Returns With Even More PowerThe regulator who’s made a name for herself by cracking down on tech giants is about to get even more power. Margrethe Vestager is the new EU Commission executive vice president in charge of the bloc’s digital affairs — a post that will hand her oversight of artificial intelligence, big data, innovation and cybersecurity, Aoife White and Natalia Drozdiak write.Afghan Taliban Stronger Than Ever After U.S. Spends $900 BillionFor many Afghans like Zohra Atifi, whose husband was killed under Taliban rule, the American invasion in 2001 marked a chance to start over after living under an oppressive regime. Yet as Eltaf Najafizada reports, 18 years later, after the U.S. spent nearly $900 billion and more than 147,000 people died, the Taliban are growing more confident of returning to power.Bombs, Bloodstains and Power Cuts: Libya’s Slide Into Civil WarGeneral Saleh Abuda’s orders to the troops besieging Tripoli came early on July 22. “Destroy the enemy, advance on the capital,” was the message, and with it another operation to break the stalemate in Libya’s conflict had begun, only to unravel within hours. The North African country is now more divided than ever, Samer Al-Atrush writes.In Hong Kong's Leaderless Movement, Officials Don't Know Who to Negotiate WithAs a top adviser to Hong Kong’s government, Bernard Chan is searching for any protester who can strike a deal to end more than three months of unrest. But as Blake Schmidt reports, nobody he meets can guarantee him that others will no longer hit the streets.Taiwan’s Tsai Rises From Ashes With a Hand From Hong KongHeading into 2019, Tsai Ing-wen looked at risk of becoming Taiwan’s first one-term president. Then came the unrest in Hong Kong. The mass demonstrations there against China’s deepening encroachment have given her a noticeable boost ahead of Taiwan’s presidential elections in January, Cindy Wang and Miaojung Lin report.Mystery Shadows Prince’s Enforcer in Year Since Khashoggi DeathSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a trusted enforcer inside the Royal Court until the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Since then, Saud al-Qahtani disappeared. His name resurfaced in recent days in speculation about whether he was dead, Glen Carey writes.The Plot to Scrap Germany’s Balanced Budgets Has Already BegunGermany’s worship of fiscal discipline is being challenged by a looming recession and tantalizingly cheap credit. A silent revolution is under way to encourage civil servants to shed that economic dogma, Birgit Jennen writes, as the new chief economist Jakob von Weizsaecker works to introduce the idea of scrapping the country’s zeal for balanced budgets.And finally ... The world must invest $1.8 trillion by 2030 to prepare for the effects of global warming. A new report said the payoff could be four times that. The chief priority, as Eric Roston reports, is avoiding the costs of waiting too long. To contact the author of this story: Ruth Pollard in New Delhi at rpollard2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

September 14, 2019 at 12:30PM via IFTTT

[orsuliya]

On the whole, Cheng ministers seem to find nothing overly suspicious about being invited en masse to a remote and rather drab villa. By Turnip Wang, Schemer’s Daddy little boy. If that’s any indication of the average level of their self-preservation instincts, it’s a wonder that they haven’t yet gone extinct as a species.

Well, Gu Himbo is smelling danger, just look at how his cute little face scrunches up is suspicion! The rest of those guys? Dodo birds, every single one of them.

What is a man to do when his - rather drab - evil lair gets invaded by a flock of dodos? Well, one does have to take joy in those little pleasures of everyday life...

...and one of Daddy Wang’s chosen pleasures is scaring people by pretending to be a ghost. Boo!

Ah, it never gets old! And now that all pleasantries are out of the way, they can finally get down to business. Bitchin’!

Listen up, dodos esteemed former colleagues! I, Wang Lin, have come back from the dead in order to shed new light on this whole presumed usurpation thing. I have never ever tried to mash our beloved Spudperor, never happened, sorry. Pffff, that rumour about Xiao Qi kneeling all night long to save my life? Vile misrepresentation! It was all a scheme. Yes, a scheme! In which I, Daddy Wang, got sent into exile to serve as a last resort trustee of Spudperor’s will! Wanna see that will? It’s pretty neat, you know. Very crisp seal impression, why, one could mistakenly think it was a day-old fresh article!

Okay, now I am just hurt. What do you mean you don’t believe that Potato wanted me, Daddy Wang, to have absolute control over the future of Cheng? Only a stupid root vegetable would try to put a tiny sprout on the throne instead of an old and tried usurper like me! You would never dare to say that our beloved Spudperor was a stupid root vegetable, right...?

P.S. The Empress Dowager is 100% on it. Take it and choke on it, Prime Minister Wen.

Oh, so not everybody believes me yet? My metal heart is positively bleeding. Don’t worry though, I have solid arguments!

Meet my solid arguments. I think you will find them very convincing indeed.

Now, I must say that I am in awe of Daddy Wang’s audacity. This meeting serves little purpose, really, other than as a test to see how many of those ministers are weak-willed opportunists. But it doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to estimate that, does it? That false edict could be presented at any time during the coup and it would have made a greater strategic impact if so. And after this meeting Daddy Wang simply lets everybody go. Just like that. Yes, even Prime Minister Wen.

Oh my. He really must have wanted to say that Boo!

[englishindubellay]

ECE 2ème année 

texte écrit de colle à préparer par le premier étudiant de chaque groupe de colle

Les deux étudiants suivants préparent sur place

China's young reporters give up on journalism: 'You can't write what you want' 

(Abridged from) The Guardian, 12 February 2016

 Beijing’s decision to expel the French journalist Ursula Gauthier in December has thrust the dispiriting situation facing foreign correspondents in China into the headlines. But Chinese journalists are facing far greater challenges – and many reporters are simply turning their back on the profession as a result. Experts say two key factors are driving the hollowing out of Chinese newsrooms. One is the increasingly bleak financial situation facing newspapers as they struggle to adapt to the digital age. The other is the ever greater constraints being placed by President Xi Jinping’s increasingly authoritarian Communist party on what can and cannot be reported. Since Xi became leader, Beijing has launched an all-out assault on freedom of expression, jailing journalists, bloggers and outspoken civil rights lawyers such as Pu Zhiqiang, who was recently convicted for sending seven sarcastic tweets. In one of the most notorious cases a 70-year-old journalist, Gao Yu, was jailed for leaking state secrets after she allegedly passed an internal Communist party document to the foreign media. Another journalist, Wang Xiaolu, a business reporter for one of China’s top financial magazines, was arrested and forced to make a televised “confession” for writing a story about last year’s stock market turmoil. China fell one place in last year’s Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking and now occupies 176th position out of 180 countries. Lin, who now works for a film company run by the billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba group, denied politics were behind his decision to quit journalism, instead pointing to the dwindling readership and influence of Chinese newspapers. “Nowadays, nobody reads your stories,” he said. “Nowadays, readers are all living inside their smartphones or inside WeChat.” But his frustration with censorship was evident in a blogpost in 2014 : “All these years, people like us have seen our articles killed and our voices silenced, and we’ve started to get used to it. We started to make compromises and to censor ourselves.” Despite such problems Lin, who resigned from his last journalism job in April 2014, said it was still possible to write worthwhile journalism in China. “It’s just like a person has 10 fingers. There is one finger you can’t use but the other nine all work. There is one story you can’t write but there are still nine others you can.” Asked what the 10th finger was, Lin laughed. “It’s the same for you,” he replied. “I guess I don’t need to say it out loud.” Before the Xi Jinping era, editors at least had the autonomy to choose their own headlines, the journalist complained. Now newspapers and websites were forced to conform to a tedious monotony of praise for China’s Communist leaders. “The top headline must [always] be about Xi Jinping and the second must be about [prime minister] Li Keqiang,” the editor said. “If you read one website, you have read them all.” Bandurski, the author of a book on investigative reporting in China, said the Xi administration’s growing intolerance of critical reporting was becoming clearer by the month. Newspapers or websites that still tried to push the boundaries found themselves slapped back into line. A recent investigation into the social and environmental cost of the Three Gorges Dam by Shanghai’s The Paper was pulled off the internet after seven hours. Lin, who as a three-year-old son, said he had no regrets over his decision to abandon an industry whose days were numbered. After more than a decade in the business, an editor, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals, said he was also on the verge of resigning. “Freedom is very important – it is the most important thing – but we don’t have it in China, especially in journalism,” he said. 

 (640 words)