245: Pompeo challenges the Chinese people to discard Xi.
Image: Gordon Chang, Daily Beast, and Jonathan Ward, China’s Vision of Victory, in re: Secretary Mike Pompeo’s landmark speech a the Nixon library last week: a new US policy vis-a-vis China. Bookended a decades-long failed US policy of hoping to get a friendly state; instead, China has become hostile and warlike. Pompeo spoke of “Chinese people governing themselves” – sounds like regime change (to democracy). Consider China as a danger to the world in toto. It abuses both its neighbors and states around the world. We’ll [the world’s developed nations] need to create economic containment to reduce the risk of war. “The Secretary of State is an enemy of all humankind” said China. Expect retaliation against US firms. Also, Houston office of PRC was closed; in retaliation, China closed US Chengdu office. China still believes in coercive leverage. Dominic Robb, UK foreign minister: Chinese “genocide” against the Uyghurs; statement may have rattled Beijing. Germany remains the open question.