It's not just China knowledge, it's a couple of other observations:A lot of people are wondering how western politicians are so unaware that China could punch back. It could be that they are really that ignorant.
A lot of info we know on this forum we take for granted. We have subject matter experts who keep us updated on the latest trends of China in semiconductors, ai, finance etc etc thanks to the specific threads.
Western politicians main focus area of knowledge is about themselves not China. So unless they were a China knowledge expert before, you can't expect them to know much.
Think tanks are supposed to give the info to them. But the problem is many think tanks don't even have Chinese people who can read Chinese. I've tried searching about many subjects related to China in English, it just does not work. All the info is in Chinese and even then a lot of time the info isn't there openly and you need to spend a lot of time digging for it.
- 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.
That's ironic considering Israeli model for Taiwan would mean Gaza treatment for Taiwan.
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 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 "" 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 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!
These excuses are in themselves extremely damaging to European economy and they don't even realize it.More spinning and excuses for why they stole Nexperia.
Emergency measure at Nexperia after theft of British trade secrets
The minister's tough intervention at chip producer Nexperia was the only option to prevent the European branch of the company from being dismantled, insiders say.
Stole IP from his own fully owned company. West sure has a strange understanding on what ownership rights of a company mean
By calling Nexperia Dutch, or Nexperia's IP "British trade secret", implies they fundamentally believes the 2018 deal to sell 100% of the company to Wingtech was a successful theft of money rather than trade, that while they accepted the money, they never intended or even comprehended the idea of exchanging for the thing they claimed to sell.
It implies all European business inherently consider theft as Plan A, as their default mode of operation, that it's practically impossible to conduct any commercial transaction with Europe because European culture doesn't even comprehend the idea of commerce.
Its correct that China is ghosting Europe, their cultural inability to understand basic concept of law makes it impossible for any civilized nation to interact with them on good faith.