Miscellaneous News

iewgnem said:

It's not just China knowledge, it's a couple of other observations:
- Total lack of subject knowledge in western governments. From my experience you can never underestimate how little people know about something and the vast majority of personal interactions does not involve the need to know anything.
- Western culture trains people to only get their thinking points externally, especially boomers, they literally would kill themselves en-mass (COVID) if the TV told them to do so.
- People equate something's importance only with how many people talk about it and not based on it's objective merit.

Case in point, the fact that Dysprosium is needed in RE magnets, and that RE magnets are neodymium magnets, that neodymium magnets come in many grades and shapes, that they're critical for brushless motors are all knowledge that almost nobody knows outside engineering. When China first announced export control on Dysprosium 6 month ago it was just a single line item half way down the page, while this forum knew immediate it was huge, it's presentation and obsecureness hid the nature of that rule for almost one or two month before magnet shortage popped into news, they literally didn't know they were being starved as China's already starving them.

The fact that large number of Chinese officials has engineering background is far more consequential than most people realize, even if they at a surface level recgonize it's benifits.

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iewgnem said:

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This news is only made funnier by the fact it's been 8 years since Trump first talked about EMAL in 2017.

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PopularScience said:

Trump, Xi to Discuss Lowering China Tariffs for Fentanyl Crackdown​

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tamsen_ikard said:

If China gives up on the rare earth controls just for tariff reduction, it will be a huge loss. I hope they got concession on US chip export controls before giving up on the rare earth.

And if they dont up on the rare earth controls, i dont see a deal happening.

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tamsen_ikard said:

If China gives up on the rare earth controls just for tariff reduction, it will be a huge loss. I hope they got concession on US chip export controls before giving up on the rare earth.

And if they dont up on the rare earth controls, i dont see a deal happening.

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tamsen_ikard said:

If China gives up on the rare earth controls just for tariff reduction, it will be a huge loss. I hope they got concession on US chip export controls before giving up on the rare earth.

And if they dont up on the rare earth controls, i dont see a deal happening.

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Randomuser said:

FFS. I really don't get how Jews and Israel are that powerful. There aren't that many of them. Now they are basically taunting us saying yes we are that powerful and you can't do a thing about it!

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Randomuser said:

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Citing Biblical story, Taiwan president says Israel is a model for island's defence​

TAIPEI, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Israel is a model for Taiwan to learn from in strengthening its defences, President Lai Ching-te said in remarks released on Tuesday, citing the Biblical story of David versus Goliath on the need to stand up to authoritarianism.
Taiwan has been a strong backer of Israel since the 2023 Hamas-led attack on that country which triggered the war in Gaza, though Israel, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.

Attending a Monday night dinner in Taiwan of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Lai, who has also

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conservative U.S. media in an effort to win support from the White House, said that Jewish people have suffered constant persecution over their history.
"The Taiwanese people often look to the example of the Jewish people when facing challenges to our international standing and threats to our sovereignty from China. The people of Taiwan have never become discouraged," he said, in comments his office released on Tuesday.

'VALUABLE MODEL FOR TAIWAN'​

Appeasement has never been the way to stop authoritarian governments, and the concept of peace through strength is a maxim that Israeli, U.S. and Taiwanese societies have had for years, Lai added.

"Israel's determination and capacity to defend its territory provides a valuable model for Taiwan. I have always believed that Taiwan needs to channel the spirit of David against Goliath in standing up to authoritarian coercion."
Taiwan has a de facto embassy in Tel Aviv, while Israel has a similar representative office in Taipei. There is no similar arrangement between Taiwan and the Palestinians, with whom China has a close relationship. China recognised a Palestinian state in 1988.
Lai earlier this month announced a new multi-layered air defence system called "

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" to defend itself against a possible future attack by Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory.
Lai told the dinner that T-Dome had been inspired by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defence shield.

"I believe that trilateral Taiwan-U.S.-Israel cooperation can help achieve regional peace, stability, and prosperity," he said.
Lai and his government reject Beijing's territorial claims. Foreign minister Lin Chia-lung

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he was not worried that U.S. President Donald Trump, who is touring Asia, would "abandon" the island.



FFS. I really don't get how Jews and Israel are that powerful. There aren't that many of them. Now they are basically taunting us saying yes we are that powerful and you can't do a thing about it!

​

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tamsen_ikard said:

If China gives up on the rare earth controls just for tariff reduction, it will be a huge loss. I hope they got concession on US chip export controls before giving up on the rare earth.

And if they dont up on the rare earth controls, i dont see a deal happening.

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In recent trade negotiations, the Chinese have demanded a full capitulation: the removal of all U.S. tariffs and export-control measures, though their American counterparts haven’t given any ground.

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U.S. military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America mission​

U.S. military officials involved with President Donald Trump’s expanding operations in Latin America have been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements, three U.S. officials say, a development that raises new questions about a military buildup that Venezuela fears may lead to an invasion.

The step is highly unusual, given that U.S. military officials are already required to shield national security secrets from public view, and comes as lawmakers in Congress say they are being kept in the dark about key aspects of the mission.

The officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity did not know how many members of the U.S. Defense Department had been asked to sign the agreements and did not offer further details on the scope of the NDAs.

While the Defense Department has turned to NDAs from time to time since Pete Hegseth became defense secretary in January, the Pentagon’s use of non-disclosure agreements specific to activities in Latin America has not been previously reported.

The Pentagon announced last week the deployment of the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to Latin America, escalating a military buildup that experts say far exceeds any requirement for counter-narcotics operations -- the stated intent of the U.S. mission so far.

The U.S. military has carried out at least 13 strikes against alleged drug vessels, mostly in the Caribbean, since early September, killing about 57 people. The Pentagon has provided few details about the people targeted but has acknowledged some of them include people from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.
The carrier strike group adds another roughly 10,000 troops and enormous firepower to a buildup that already includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops.
The Pentagon has not explained why such firepower is required for the counter-narcotics operations.

Hegseth has taken a series of steps to try to control the flow of information since taking over the Pentagon in January. He told Pentagon staff they must obtain permission before interacting with members of Congress, according to an Oct. 15 memo. He has also launched leak investigations and demanded Pentagon-based journalists sign a new press access policy, taking away the credentials of those who did not.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump’s administration has been tying the governments of Venezuela and, more recently, neighboring Colombia directly to the drug trade, allegations denied by both governments. The claims, however, have raised concerns that the U.S. military might be tasked with carrying out attacks in both countries.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican lawmaker with close ties to Trump, suggested in a television interview on Sunday Trump would soon outline to Congress “future potential military operations against Venezuela and Colombia.”

Washington in August doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of links to drug trafficking and criminal groups that Maduro denies.

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela’s neighbor, Colombia, have also spiked in recent days, with Trump accusing Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being an “illegal drug leader” and a “bad guy” - language Petro’s government says is offensive. Washington on Friday imposed sanctions on Petro.

Graham said Trump had all the authority he needed to carry out operations in Latin America.

“These military assets are moving forward to deal with a country that’s got blood on its hands when it comes to Americans by flooding our country with drugs from Venezuela and Colombia,” Graham told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan.

“So, I hope Maduro would leave peacefully, but I don’t think he’s going to stay around much longer.”

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