12-11-2018, 11:29 PM
*** 12-Dec-18 World View -- China jails Canadian journalist Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for Canada arrest of Meng Wanzhou
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** China jails Canadian journalist Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for Canada arrest of Meng Wanzhou
****
![[Image: g181211b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g181211b.jpg)
Meng Wanzhou speaks to her lawyer at Tuesday's bail hearing (Toronto Star)
Michael Kovrig, a Canadian journalist and analyst working as a China
expert for the International Crisis Group, has suddenly disappeared
while in China. Kovrig is also a former Canadian diplomat.
It's assumed the Kovrig was arrested by China's security forces.
According to one analyst, the Chinese will hold someone for 37 days
before he's given access to a lawyer.
Many people additionally believe that Kovrig was arrested, without
charges or justification, in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei
CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested after a multi-year investigation
alleging that Meng conducted massive counts of bank fraud in order to
violate US sanctions against Iran.
The fact that Meng was charged with multiple real crimes, while Kovrig
was arrested without any justification is just one of the differences
between the two cases.
A second difference is the Meng was immediately given access to her
family and a lawyer, and was told what the charges were. Kovrig has
completely disappeared, and is given access to no one.
Third, Meng was tried in a real court, where her lawyer could defend
her. If Kovrig's case is typical, he'll be thrown into jail,
tortured, and forced to confess to a crime he knows nothing about.
China is just being consistent as a criminal nation. Meng is being
tried in a fair court procedure. China's abduction of Kovrig is
criminal. China's activities in the South China Sea are criminal.
China's theft of other countries' intellectual property is criminal.
China's repeated violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules is
criminal. China's repeated destruction of Christian churches is
criminal. China's incredible actions sending a million Uighurs to
"re-education camps" where they can be beaten, tortured, raped or
killed for not reciting the party line is not only criminal, it's one
of the stupidest and most insane policies in the history of mankind.
And China is being led by president Xi Jinping who is terrified by
Winnie the Pooh because they look the same. Can you imagine Donald
Trump or any other world leading being terrified by a cartoon like
Winnie the Pooh?
Almost every day something new happens that makes China appear to be a
country falling apart at the seams. This is not good, as it will lead
to a great deal of bloodshed and a world war. Toronto Star and South China Morning Post and Canadian Broadcasting
****
**** US State Dept considers stronger travel warning for China
****
Michael Kovrig's arrest without charges or justification, apparently
in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Meng, has raised alarm that any
Westerner in China is now subject to arbitrary arrest without charges
or justification.
There are reports that the US State Department is considering
toughening its travel warning for people considering travel to China.
However, the State Dept's existing travel warning is already pretty
tough, and shows that Kovrig's unjustified rest is pretty common in
China:
<QUOTE>"Chinese authorities have the broad ability to
prohibit travelers from leaving China (also known as ‘exit bans’);
exit bans have been imposed to compel U.S. citizens to resolve
business disputes, force settlement of court orders, or facilitate
government investigations. Individuals not involved in legal
proceedings or suspected of wrongdoing have also be subjected to
lengthy exit bans in order to compel their family members or
colleagues to cooperate with Chinese courts or investigators.
U.S. citizens visiting or residing in China have been arbitrarily
interrogated or detained for reasons related to “state security.”
Security personnel have detained and/or deported U.S. citizens for
sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese
government."<END QUOTE>
It's pretty clear from this State Dept. warning that things like
arresting and burying Michael Kovrig are a fairly common occurrence in
China. US State Dept.
****
**** How Michael Kovrig infuriates the Chinese
****
Michael Kovrig is a fluent Mandarin speaker and an analyst for the
International Crisis Group. I was curious to see what he's written,
and I found his most recent article on the ICG web site, "China
Expands Its Peace and Security Footprint in Africa." It's a lengthy
article, and here are some excerpts:
<QUOTE>"[O]fficials from 53 African countries and the African
Union (AU) [came] to Beijing for meetings that culminated in a
resolution to continue strengthening ties and a renewed pledge of
billions of dollars in Chinese loans, grants and investments. Over
the past decade China’s role in peace and security has also grown
rapidly through arms sales, military cooperation and peacekeeping
deployments in Africa. ...
A more controversial sign of China’s military footprint is the
36-hectare Djibouti facility that the PLA established in 2017 with
a ten-year lease at $20 million annually. The PLA describes it as
a support base for naval anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of
Aden, peacekeeping in South Sudan and humanitarian and other
cooperation in the Horn of Africa, but has also used it to conduct
live-fire military exercises. ...
Less noticeable to outsiders but broader in impact is China’s
direct defence and security cooperation with African
counterparts. This takes place through a growing number of joint
exercises, naval patrols and exchanges. In the first half of 2018
alone, the PLA Navy’s 27th and 28th anti-piracy escort task forces
reportedly visited ports in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria,
while PLA units conducted drills in the same countries, and its
medical teams did work in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and
Zambia. Mere months after Burkina Faso’s May decision to switch
diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the PLA is already
working to develop military ties that will likely emphasize
counter-terrorism cooperation. ...
The political and defence relationships fostered by these programs
grease the wheels for weapons sales. Data compiled by the
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows
that China has become the top supplier of arms to sub-Saharan
Africa, accounting for 27 per cent of the region’s imports over
the four year period from 2013-2017, an increase of 55 per cent
over 2008-2012. Some 22 countries in the region have procured
major arms from Chinese suppliers in recent years, key among them
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia. In June, China’s State
Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National
Defence reported that Beijing now has defence industry, science
and technology ties with 45 African countries. ...
China’s own expanding economic interests are a further driver.
Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009, China increasingly
counts on the continent for natural resources and markets to
maintain its own growth and social stability. ...
Moreover, roughly a million Chinese are estimated to live and work
in Africa, and China’s leaders have a domestic political
imperative to ensure their safety. Beijing has already contended
with evacuations from Libya, South Sudan and Yemen, and incidents
of violence and property damage elsewhere. The 2017 Chinese
blockbuster action movie Wolf Warrior II brought home a
Rambo-esque fantasy version of these concerns. Set in a nameless
African country that descends into chaos, it closes with the
hubristic message that China’s government will protect its
citizens wherever they go."<END QUOTE>
China's politicians are people that become infuriated by Winnie the
Pooh, so it's not surprising that this criminal nation would be
infuriated by this kind of analysis. It's quite possible that they've
been planning to arrest and bury Michael Kovrig for some time, and the
arrest of Meng Wanzhou provided the perfect opportunity. International Crisis Group (24-Oct)
****
**** Canada releases Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on bail
****
There was a burst of applause on Tuesday afternoon in the Vancouver
Supreme Court courtroom when the court granted bail to Huawei CFO Meng
Wanzhou.
Meng is not scheduled to appear in court again until February 6, at
which time a hearing will be held to determine whether Meng should be
extradited to the United States for a setting up a complex
international financial system, defrauding banks in several countries,
in order to violate US sanctions laws with regard to Iran.
The judge said that Meng's husband Liu Xiaozong would pledge a total
of $15 million — including the value of two Vancouver homes and $7
million in cash — and live with her to ensure she obeys court
conditions. Meng must also report to a bail supervisor, maintain good
behavior, live at a house owned by her husband, and stay in that house
between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. She must also surrender her
passports, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet on her ankle and
live under surveillance 24/7.
However, these people are billionaires, and this money means nothing
to them. I don't believe anyone will be too surprised if Meng doesn't
show up at the February 6 court hearing, and investigation shows that
she eluded the police by wearing a turban, a long fake beard, and a
Sikh chola, carrying a pair of swords.
Apparently what convinced the judge is that four other friends were
willing to guarantee that she would not skip bail. He told the
courtroom he believed "the risk of her non-attendance in court can be
reduced to an acceptable level" under the bail conditions.
There is an unconfirmed suspicion that the arrest of Michael Kovrig in
the criminal nation China was a factor, since not granting bail to
Meng could mean torture and additional detention for Kovrig. Even
with bail, the suspicion is that the fate of Kovrig is directly
dependent on the fate of Meng in the Vancouver courtroom. Toronto Star and Canadian Broadcasting
Related Articles:
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, Huawei, Meng Wanzhou,
Michael Kovrig, Canada, Vancouver, Liu Xiaozong
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- China jails Canadian journalist Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for Canada arrest of Meng Wanzhou
- US State Dept considers stronger travel warning for China
- How Michael Kovrig infuriates the Chinese
- Canada releases Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on bail
****
**** China jails Canadian journalist Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for Canada arrest of Meng Wanzhou
****
Meng Wanzhou speaks to her lawyer at Tuesday's bail hearing (Toronto Star)
Michael Kovrig, a Canadian journalist and analyst working as a China
expert for the International Crisis Group, has suddenly disappeared
while in China. Kovrig is also a former Canadian diplomat.
It's assumed the Kovrig was arrested by China's security forces.
According to one analyst, the Chinese will hold someone for 37 days
before he's given access to a lawyer.
Many people additionally believe that Kovrig was arrested, without
charges or justification, in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei
CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested after a multi-year investigation
alleging that Meng conducted massive counts of bank fraud in order to
violate US sanctions against Iran.
The fact that Meng was charged with multiple real crimes, while Kovrig
was arrested without any justification is just one of the differences
between the two cases.
A second difference is the Meng was immediately given access to her
family and a lawyer, and was told what the charges were. Kovrig has
completely disappeared, and is given access to no one.
Third, Meng was tried in a real court, where her lawyer could defend
her. If Kovrig's case is typical, he'll be thrown into jail,
tortured, and forced to confess to a crime he knows nothing about.
China is just being consistent as a criminal nation. Meng is being
tried in a fair court procedure. China's abduction of Kovrig is
criminal. China's activities in the South China Sea are criminal.
China's theft of other countries' intellectual property is criminal.
China's repeated violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules is
criminal. China's repeated destruction of Christian churches is
criminal. China's incredible actions sending a million Uighurs to
"re-education camps" where they can be beaten, tortured, raped or
killed for not reciting the party line is not only criminal, it's one
of the stupidest and most insane policies in the history of mankind.
And China is being led by president Xi Jinping who is terrified by
Winnie the Pooh because they look the same. Can you imagine Donald
Trump or any other world leading being terrified by a cartoon like
Winnie the Pooh?
Almost every day something new happens that makes China appear to be a
country falling apart at the seams. This is not good, as it will lead
to a great deal of bloodshed and a world war. Toronto Star and South China Morning Post and Canadian Broadcasting
****
**** US State Dept considers stronger travel warning for China
****
Michael Kovrig's arrest without charges or justification, apparently
in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Meng, has raised alarm that any
Westerner in China is now subject to arbitrary arrest without charges
or justification.
There are reports that the US State Department is considering
toughening its travel warning for people considering travel to China.
However, the State Dept's existing travel warning is already pretty
tough, and shows that Kovrig's unjustified rest is pretty common in
China:
<QUOTE>"Chinese authorities have the broad ability to
prohibit travelers from leaving China (also known as ‘exit bans’);
exit bans have been imposed to compel U.S. citizens to resolve
business disputes, force settlement of court orders, or facilitate
government investigations. Individuals not involved in legal
proceedings or suspected of wrongdoing have also be subjected to
lengthy exit bans in order to compel their family members or
colleagues to cooperate with Chinese courts or investigators.
U.S. citizens visiting or residing in China have been arbitrarily
interrogated or detained for reasons related to “state security.”
Security personnel have detained and/or deported U.S. citizens for
sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese
government."<END QUOTE>
It's pretty clear from this State Dept. warning that things like
arresting and burying Michael Kovrig are a fairly common occurrence in
China. US State Dept.
****
**** How Michael Kovrig infuriates the Chinese
****
Michael Kovrig is a fluent Mandarin speaker and an analyst for the
International Crisis Group. I was curious to see what he's written,
and I found his most recent article on the ICG web site, "China
Expands Its Peace and Security Footprint in Africa." It's a lengthy
article, and here are some excerpts:
<QUOTE>"[O]fficials from 53 African countries and the African
Union (AU) [came] to Beijing for meetings that culminated in a
resolution to continue strengthening ties and a renewed pledge of
billions of dollars in Chinese loans, grants and investments. Over
the past decade China’s role in peace and security has also grown
rapidly through arms sales, military cooperation and peacekeeping
deployments in Africa. ...
A more controversial sign of China’s military footprint is the
36-hectare Djibouti facility that the PLA established in 2017 with
a ten-year lease at $20 million annually. The PLA describes it as
a support base for naval anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of
Aden, peacekeeping in South Sudan and humanitarian and other
cooperation in the Horn of Africa, but has also used it to conduct
live-fire military exercises. ...
Less noticeable to outsiders but broader in impact is China’s
direct defence and security cooperation with African
counterparts. This takes place through a growing number of joint
exercises, naval patrols and exchanges. In the first half of 2018
alone, the PLA Navy’s 27th and 28th anti-piracy escort task forces
reportedly visited ports in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria,
while PLA units conducted drills in the same countries, and its
medical teams did work in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and
Zambia. Mere months after Burkina Faso’s May decision to switch
diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the PLA is already
working to develop military ties that will likely emphasize
counter-terrorism cooperation. ...
The political and defence relationships fostered by these programs
grease the wheels for weapons sales. Data compiled by the
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows
that China has become the top supplier of arms to sub-Saharan
Africa, accounting for 27 per cent of the region’s imports over
the four year period from 2013-2017, an increase of 55 per cent
over 2008-2012. Some 22 countries in the region have procured
major arms from Chinese suppliers in recent years, key among them
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia. In June, China’s State
Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National
Defence reported that Beijing now has defence industry, science
and technology ties with 45 African countries. ...
China’s own expanding economic interests are a further driver.
Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009, China increasingly
counts on the continent for natural resources and markets to
maintain its own growth and social stability. ...
Moreover, roughly a million Chinese are estimated to live and work
in Africa, and China’s leaders have a domestic political
imperative to ensure their safety. Beijing has already contended
with evacuations from Libya, South Sudan and Yemen, and incidents
of violence and property damage elsewhere. The 2017 Chinese
blockbuster action movie Wolf Warrior II brought home a
Rambo-esque fantasy version of these concerns. Set in a nameless
African country that descends into chaos, it closes with the
hubristic message that China’s government will protect its
citizens wherever they go."<END QUOTE>
China's politicians are people that become infuriated by Winnie the
Pooh, so it's not surprising that this criminal nation would be
infuriated by this kind of analysis. It's quite possible that they've
been planning to arrest and bury Michael Kovrig for some time, and the
arrest of Meng Wanzhou provided the perfect opportunity. International Crisis Group (24-Oct)
****
**** Canada releases Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on bail
****
There was a burst of applause on Tuesday afternoon in the Vancouver
Supreme Court courtroom when the court granted bail to Huawei CFO Meng
Wanzhou.
Meng is not scheduled to appear in court again until February 6, at
which time a hearing will be held to determine whether Meng should be
extradited to the United States for a setting up a complex
international financial system, defrauding banks in several countries,
in order to violate US sanctions laws with regard to Iran.
The judge said that Meng's husband Liu Xiaozong would pledge a total
of $15 million — including the value of two Vancouver homes and $7
million in cash — and live with her to ensure she obeys court
conditions. Meng must also report to a bail supervisor, maintain good
behavior, live at a house owned by her husband, and stay in that house
between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. She must also surrender her
passports, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet on her ankle and
live under surveillance 24/7.
However, these people are billionaires, and this money means nothing
to them. I don't believe anyone will be too surprised if Meng doesn't
show up at the February 6 court hearing, and investigation shows that
she eluded the police by wearing a turban, a long fake beard, and a
Sikh chola, carrying a pair of swords.
Apparently what convinced the judge is that four other friends were
willing to guarantee that she would not skip bail. He told the
courtroom he believed "the risk of her non-attendance in court can be
reduced to an acceptable level" under the bail conditions.
There is an unconfirmed suspicion that the arrest of Michael Kovrig in
the criminal nation China was a factor, since not granting bail to
Meng could mean torture and additional detention for Kovrig. Even
with bail, the suspicion is that the fate of Kovrig is directly
dependent on the fate of Meng in the Vancouver courtroom. Toronto Star and Canadian Broadcasting
Related Articles:
- Arrest of Meng Wanzhou of China's Huawei has increasingly serious implications (08-Dec-2018)
- Canada arrests the chief financial officer of China powerhouse Huawei (07-Dec-2018)
- Mike Pence's China 'containment' speech signals more contentious US-China relations (26-Oct-2018)
- Australia passes foreign influence laws, targeting China (29-Jun-2018)
- Xi Jinping invokes the 1840s Opium Wars to justify military action for China's 'rejuvenation' (21-Mar-2018)
- Huawei scandal exposes potential 'Cyberwar Pearl Harbor' from China (14-Oct-2012)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, Huawei, Meng Wanzhou,
Michael Kovrig, Canada, Vancouver, Liu Xiaozong
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
