CTH readers are well versed in the dynamics of the Panda mask -vs- Dragon motives of China.  Therefore we are able to discuss events without the MSM financial filter; which is narrated specifically to the benefit of multinational interests.  Always keep that in mind.

Everything needed to understand the latest panda narrative from Beijing is identified in this simple paragraph:

(Beijing) […] The talks were supposed to have resumed this month but China’s commerce ministry said Vice Premier Liu He, Beijing’s pointman on trade, agreed to October in a phone call with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday. (more)

First, anything from Vice Premier Liu He is panda-speak; he is a tool in the process of Chinese narrative engineering.  All former trade negotiation authority held by Liu He was stripped by Chairman Xi Jinping.  Commerce Minister Zhong Shan is the real voice of Xi and the Beijing authority.
Second, what exactly is Beijing selling?  An “October phone call”…. and that manipulates markets for the multinationals on Wall Street.  A friggin’ announcement of a phone call?
(more…)

After benefiting from ridiculous preferential treatment by the World Trade Organization under “emerging nation” status for the past two decades, Beijing now turns to the WTO and files a complaint against the U.S. over recent tariffs and countervailing duties.

The substance to Beijing’s complaint is silly.  China claims there was a “leadership agreement” during the Osaka G20 summit not to apply additional tariffs.  However, the latest round of U.S. tariffs on China were in response to Chinese tariffs applied after Osaka.  Bottom line, Beijing is playing political games.
China, once again playing the wounded panda routine, is trying to set up a narrative that President Trump has broken his word.  That’s the cornerstone of their position, and they know such a complaint won’t go anywhere at the WTO; the complaint is really for the use, exploitation, and consumption by President Trump’s political opposition, domestic and international.  (emphasis mine)

HONG KONG/GENEVA (Reuters) – China has lodged a complaint against the United States at the World Trade Organization over U.S. import duties, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Monday.

(more…)

The protests and demonstrations began in mid-June, centered around the now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party.  Today, those protests are outlawed by Chinese authorities, organizers have been disappeared, and yet the protests continue.
Eric, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters news agency: “Telling us not to protest is like telling us not to breathe. I feel it’s my duty to fight for democracy. Maybe we win, maybe we lose, but we fight.”

Hong Kong police, seemingly comprised of Chinese militia, are using semi-permanent blue dye water cannons to mark the protesting groups. This helps them later identify their targets for the arrest (ie. disappearing).

(Reuters) Protest organizers have urged the public to overwhelm road and rail links to the airport on Sunday and Monday, potentially disrupting flights. A similar so-called “stress test” of the airport last weekend failed.

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An interesting article in the South China Morning Post outlines how Chinese companies producing everything from canned mandarin oranges, to mid and high-tier furniture, cannot sustain a business model without access to the U.S. market.
Their problem?…
In essence, when they established their decades-old business model the overwhelming majority of their manufacturing was/is contingent on U.S. buyers.
Right now those Chinese companies are praying the CCP central government keeps devaluing their currency, because U.S. purchasers, including wholesalers and intermediaries, have told those manufacturers they will not pay the import duties.
Apparently, U.S. corporate buyers are leveraging the pressure applied by President Trump – a remarkable dynamic.

Perhaps President Trump has to play the public pretend game to China’s panda mask presentations, but we do not.

The corporate U.S. media are pushing a hard narrative today surrounding claims by Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He and wanting to create “calm” to work in earnest toward a U.S-China trade deal.  However, those who follow the dynamic closely will remember Liu He’s role was changed back in July.  Today’s Panda announcement is pure cunning.
Everything China is doing is intended to make it harder for President Trump to be aggressive in the confrontation:

BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said on Monday that China is willing to resolve its trade dispute with the United States through calm negotiations and resolutely opposes the escalation of the conflict, a state-backed newspaper reported.
Liu, China’s top trade negotiator, was speaking at a tech conference in Chongqing in southwest China, the Chongqing Morning Post reported.

(more…)

It does not take a deep geopolitical weed-walker to see the background for inviting the African delegation to the Biarritz summit.  Here we see the the G7 working session group on ‘partnerships with Africa‘:

What we don’t see in this picture is the main reason for the meeting, the 800lb panda in the room. All of these non-G7 members and meeting participants have been previously exposed to the One-Belt One-Road influence of Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping.
Combine World Bank President David Malpass into the equation, a direct U.S. nomination by President Trump now in place; mix in the visibility of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison; and then recognize the sudden appearance of Sebastian Pinera from Chile and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from India; and the picture of a multi-continental meeting to discuss the potential downstream ramifications of President Trump confronting China becomes visible.
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An announcement from China on Saturday, pledging a full economic war against the United States, will likely not come as a surprise for most CTH readers.  However, it does serve as emphasis for our 2017 statement: “prepare your affairs accordingly“…

When we followed up a few months later with the warning:

“There is no upper limit to the level of economic pain Team U.S.A. (America First) is willing to inflict upon China. There is no ending perimeter of action too far for President Trump to travel. Trump will battle his adversary far beyond traditional horizons and will follow them in retreat if that’s what it takes to ensure the safety of the our economic nation.”

Those words were not written lightly.  We accept Trump’s history; we accept three decades of his expressed intent on these issues; and we also accept the historic and cultural position of China which takes us into this conflict.   From Beijing today:

China on Saturday said it would continue fighting the trade war with the US “until the end” after the two sides slapped further tariffs on each other’s goods.

The commerce ministry issued a statement calling on Washington not to “misjudge the situation and underestimate the determination of Chinese people” after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese imports. “The US should immediately stop its wrong action, or it will have to bear all consequences,” the statement said.

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President Trump has announced the raising of tariffs on China effective Sept 1st and October 1st, 2019.  This is one arrow in a quiver filled with economic consequences:

• The preexisting 25 percent tariff on $250 billion in Chinese goods will increase to 30 percent effective October 1st, 2019.
• The pre-planned 10 percent tariff on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods will increase to 15 percent, effective September 1st, 2019.

This targeted tariff approach is only a small sample of the economic action that is available to President Trump.  There are a host of tools and targeted economic weapons available to President Trump that are far more damaging to Beijing.
This announcement also sends a clear message to the members of the G7 as they prepare for their meetings in France.
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Within the dynamic of the U.S -vs- China trade confrontation, CTH has long noted the Wall Street (globalist) multinationals would always go bananas.  There are trillions at stake and President Trump is confronting three decades of financial influence from Wall Street’s multinational corporate lobbyists.
To the angst of Wall Street, POTUS Trump tweets the dynamic.
President Trump will not back down from his position; the U.S. holds all of the leverage and the issue must be addressed.  President Trump has waited three decades for this moment.  Main Street U.S.A has waited for this moment.  This President and his team are entirely prepared for this battle…. Now we fight!

We are finally confronting the geopolitical Red Dragon, China!
President Trump has been brutally consistent for more than three decades on his intent and purpose with the Chinese.  President Trump is the first U.S. President to understand how the red dragon hides nefarious motives behind the panda mask.
Additionally, while carrying out the objectives of the confrontation, Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Ross, Ambassador Lighthizer and adviser Peter Navarro are well aware of Beijing’s duplicitous panda mask; POTUS Trump will never let them forget about it.
(more…)

Well, they cannot later claim they were not warned.  In a series of stunning tweets today, President Trump directly tells U.S. companies manufacturing goods in China, they need to make rapid plans for exit.