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Code Williams's avatar

What truly fueled this shift was the world's collective desire for genuine cooperation—nations wanting to assist each other and trade on equal footing, creating partnerships rather than dependencies.

But then we look at the current flashpoints: Gaza, Ukraine, and Taiwan. What's Taiwan really about, for heaven's sake? It's become a geopolitical chess piece—a threat wielded rather than a place that needs "policing." The area doesn't require external intervention; instead, it's being used as leverage. The US dangles incentives like $6 billion in arms and training, alongside the strategic prospect of severing China's semiconductor supply chain. This would potentially allow America to surge ahead in the AI race. Honestly babe, I shudder to think what those in power have planned if they completely dominate the AI landscape—because historically, it's never been about peace.

Enter China with a different playbook: offering to build ports, develop infrastructure, and share technology in exchange for fair trade agreements. It's cooperation versus coercion, partnership versus positioning.

Luckily I have front row seats.

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Boris Petrov's avatar

ALL Dnjeper bridges should be destroyed

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钟建英's avatar

Interesting and illuminating discussion, thanks.

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Steve Middendorf's avatar

Professors: You mentioned an academic article published under Profound Changes Unseen in Centuries. Could you please provide a link to this?

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

China isn’t hegemonic? Ask the Tibetans, the Uighurs, the rim countries. China has labd issues with ALL of them including tiny Bhutan. C’mon!!

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

I don’t hide my name unlike you. But then again I am not afraid unlike you hiding behind your pseudonym

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A walk in the woods's avatar

Here is a Tibetan who has a YouTube channel showcasing her life in China. Her contact information is on her channel. Why don't you ask her?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgPJ2yHCrYo

Here is an American just gotten married to a Uyghur and settled in China. She also has a YouTube channel, and her contact information is on her channel. Why don't you ask her?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNJeU7zXFT8

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

Oh my! And I thought Google was banned in CCP. I have to say that the videos have convinced me (sarcasm). I’m familiar with with very many Tibetan refugees. Their stories are horrific

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A walk in the woods's avatar

One thing that I am always curious about is that Indians seem to be very concerned about the welfare of the Tibetans and Uyghurs in China, but couldn't care less about their fellow Indians in India. In terms of HDI, India is worse than a lot of sub-Saharan African countries.

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A walk in the woods's avatar

China does not have a bad issue with Bhutan. Bhutan is militarily occupied by India and does not have an independent foreign policy.

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

So why did China try and occupy Doklam?

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

Bhutan has a defense treaty with India so India was obligated to defend Bhutan from Chinese invasion

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A walk in the woods's avatar

Let me make it clear to you. India's obligation is not to defend Bhutan. India's obligation is to build toilets, so its people do not need to defecate in the open like animals. That is India's obligation. India should give up its hegemonic ambition and live peacefully with its neighbors.

India needs to militarily get out of Bhutan and get out of Sikkim and the northeast. The northeasterners see the people in the plain as strangers. What India is doing in the northeast is colonialism, plain and simple.

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

Ah! A personal and racist insult! Must have gotten to you!

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A walk in the woods's avatar

What insult? Talking about insults, it is the Indians who frequently make racial slurs against the northeasterners.

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A walk in the woods's avatar

You didn't read the link I provided you? Bhutanese people are sick of India using the pretext of 'defending Bhutan against China' to annex their country. Bhutanese people are acutely aware of what happened to Sikkim, a neighboring country India gobbled up in 1975.

Here is a Bhutanese expressing what he thinks of India.

https://wangchasangey.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-strategy-behind-india-doklam.html

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

So, it’s OK to try an occupy parts of Bhutan then? Let alone Nepal, Mongolia, Manchuria, Yunnan, Myanmar, Phillipines etc etc??

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A walk in the woods's avatar

The one that is occupying Bhutan is India. Bhutanese are acutely aware of what happened to Sikkim, a neighboring country very similar to Bhutan, which was annexed by India in 1975. China has good relations with Nepal and Myanmar. It does not have a bad relationship with Mongolia. The rest is part of China.

India has territorial disputes not only with Pakistan, but practically every single of its neighbors:

https://blog.supplysideliberal.com/post/136236833245/expansionist-india

If you want to know how Bhutanese people think of India, read the following:

https://wangchasangey.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-strategy-behind-india-doklam.html

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

Chinese bot, it is China that has a border dispute with EVERYONE of its neighbors including even Russia. Read some history. Even a minute amount will do

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A walk in the woods's avatar

India has been propagating this narrative for years. The truth is, it is India that has unresolved borders with every single one of its neighbors, not China.

Listen to this:

https://ppr06262023.substack.com/p/renewed-tension-india-china-border

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Rudy Talukdar's avatar

Repeating lies ad nauseam doesn’t make it true. But keep going. The data are in front of the world. All you’re doing is digging a bigger hole for the CCP

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Diego Prendergast's avatar

Peace enables change, advancement of human cultures. China has had peace since the Long March.

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