A fortnight ago, Vijay Gokhale observed that China sees Indian democracy as a long-term ideological problem. The Chinese commentary that followed went to lengths explaining why India does not matter, why Indian democracy is a curse, and why Indian aspirations exceed Indian means. That vehemence is a tell in itself. Indifference does not produce it. That India even manages to function at this scale, with this civilisational depth, absorbing its contradictions with a democratic polity, worries Beijing far more than it is willing to admit. Even after decades of neutralising democratic experiments in China's near abroad (read Hong Kong), the CCP has no template to explain India to its own citizens. A short breakdown of Beijing's anxiety in my Sharp for @SwarajyaMag — rb.gy/kmq1q7

This is Taiwan. Taiwan is a country.

America’s data centers are colliding with American communities over electricity, water, land, prices, and infrastructure. That is an American problem. A dying grid problem. A billionaire land-grab problem. A tech industry externalizing costs problem. A political system unable to plan basic infrastructure problem. What does this have to do with China? Even NPR admits the evidence for a coordinated Chinese campaign is thin. Independent researchers say they “haven’t found much.” OpenAI itself says the campaign had limited impact and did not create the debate. The debate already existed. Because real Americans are looking at gigantic AI data centers moving into their communities, consuming massive power, stressing local infrastructure, and threatening higher costs — and they are saying no. But Silicon Valley cannot process that. So local opposition becomes “foreign influence.” Citizens become “cells.” Community anger becomes “China-linked.” How convenient. When Americans oppose wars, it is foreign influence. When Americans oppose tariffs, it is foreign influence. When Americans oppose data centers, it is foreign influence. Apparently the American people are allowed to suffer, but not allowed to notice. Domestic failure. Foreign scapegoat. Now with AI.

Taiwan’s central bank governor said foreign investors pulled out at least $5 billion on a net basis.

The case was the Feb 2018 murder of Poon Hiu-wing (Amber Poon) by her boyfriend Chan Tong-kai in Taiwan. He strangled her during an argument on a trip, disposed of her body, and returned to Hong Kong. Hong Kong had no extradition treaty with Taiwan and no jurisdiction to try the murder (committed abroad), so the government cited it to justify amending the fugitive offenders law for case-by-case transfers—including to Taiwan and Mainland China. That broader proposal triggered the 2019 protests. Chan was convicted in Hong Kong of money laundering (related to her assets) and sentenced to 29 months. He served time (remand sentence, released Oct 2019 after reductions). He was never extradited or tried for the murder in Taiwan.

Bro. This is humiliating. What is even the deal with America? After years of pressuring allies to decouple from China, it is now going hat-in-hand to China to beg for rare earth for those same allies. And is Japan even a sovereign country? Was it even consulted or is it just getting negotiated over without even being in the room? How credible is the Japanese-Filipino defence pact to counter China if Japan doesn't even have enough juice to even ask China directly without hiding behind America's skirt? (The answer from Beijing was 'no' by the way)

“Japan continues to be seen as NZ’s closest friend in Asia, closest defence and security partner, & most trusted power in Asia, surpassing New Zealanders' trust in the United Kingdom for the first time. Singapore was the next most trusted power in Asia…” rnz.co.nz/news/chinese-engli…

China Railway is one of many state owned enterprises of the Communist Party of China. With an annual revenue of $178B, $1.35T in assets, and 4 billion annual riders, China Railway accounts for 75% of the entire world’s high speed rail and is not run for profit but for people.