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RUMOUR doing the rounds – Emergency Kremlin meeting called. Putin announcement set for 0200 local time.

  
Analysis, Politics

That is the chatter getting some play about the place.

I have NO IDEA as to its veracity but it would be remiss of me not to pass it along. Of course, if I can find any confirmation I’ll pass that along. For now, trade this (or not) with due care – its only a RUMOUR, K?
Its just after 1am in Moscow. I have no idea why Putin would be making an announcement at 2am. He’d be more likely to make an announcement after some action had been taken (I’m assuming this rumour is related to Ukraine affairs).
ukraine russia

There is no breakthrough to report on Biden-Xi meeting – senior US official

  
Analysis, Politics

Reuters with the headlines, citing a senior US administration official

  • Nothing new established on Taiwan in terms of guardrails
  • Biden stressed importance of China fulfilling trade agreement commitments
  • Biden, Xi had extended discussion on Taiwan
  • Biden was direct about concerns about Beijing’s behaviour on Taiwan Strait
  • We were not expecting a breakthrough, there are none to report
  • Beijing Winter Olympics did not come up in talks
  • Human rights came up multiple times in the meeting
  • Biden, Xi did not just stick to the script; meeting was respectful, open
Different day, same story. A whole lot of talk with nothing really being said and no real takeaways essentially. Well, were we really expecting anything else? *snooze*

China statement says Xi and Biden spoke about strategic, fundamental issues

  
Analysis, Politics

Chinese statement following the virtual summit between China President Xi and US President Biden.

‘Fundamental’ issues is likely referring to fundamental differences the two have over the status of Taiwan (at a guess). China sees the island of Taiwan as a part of China, not an independent state. The US sees Taiwan as an independent democracy.
Anyway, that’s it for now, I’m sure there will be further to come from both sides on how the meeting went.
taiwan china map

China’s President Xi and US President Biden are meeting Monday evening (US time)

  
Analysis, Politics

Its a virtual meeting, Monday US time and Tuesday China time.

Top level meetings like this 99.99% of the time result in bland sort of readouts. Still, there may be something. Its not like the two sides are in agreement on issues such as Taiwan.
I’ve been unable to find a start time. But the meeting is apparently scheduled to last 3 hours.
These two have spent hours together as Vice Presidents in the past:
biden xi

China warns of a ‘heavy attack’ if Australian forces came to the defence of Taiwan

  
Analysis, Politics

Editor-in-chief Hu Xijin of Chinese tabloid The Global Times on Saturday is a mouthpiece of the Chinese authorities:

He tweeted:
  • ‘If Australian troops come to fight in the Taiwan Straits, it is unimaginable that China won’t carry out a heavy attack on them and the Australian military facilities that support them’
  • ‘So Australia (had) better be prepared to sacrifice for Taiwan island and the US.’
Late last week the Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton hinted Australian troops would join US allies if Taiwan was attacked by China.
Hu Xijin is not backing down, this from a few minutes ago on Twitter:
Editor-in-chief Hu Xijin of Chinese tabloid The Global Times on Saturday is a mouthpiece of the Chinese authorities:
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Tensions between the US and China over Taiwian come and go. At present they seem o be escalating but China is a ways off invading Taiwan, thankfully.

China media highlight “signs of better communication between the world’s two biggest economies”

  
Analysis, Politics

Via Caixin this report on the meeting in Switzerland between China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi snd U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

The meeting was held on Wednesday

Says Caixin:

  • the latest sign of improved communication between Beijing and Washington. 
  • The two sides discussed areas where the U.S. and the China have an interest in working together to address vital transnational challenges, and ways to manage risks in bilateral relationship, according to a readout published by the White House. 
  • The meeting followed up a phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden on Sept. 10. 
Link to the piece is here (may be gated). The key takeaway is of course a little more communication between the two. US President Biden and China’s President Xi have subsequently agreed to a summit meeting (virtual) later in 2021.
Via Caixin this report on the meeting in Switzerland between China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi snd U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. 
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Yang Jiechi is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs.

Fumio Kishida formally announced as Japan’s new prime minister

  
Analysis, Politics

Kishida succeeds Suga after winning the ruling party election last week

Kishida

The announcement here is but a formality after his victory last week here. From last week:

Among his promises is more spending but to also steer away from neoliberalism in order to provide more support to the middle/working class. But if anything else, the once dubbed Abe heir apparent is not likely to bring about drastic change to the Japanese political and economic landscape.

Weekend – China flew nearly 100 military planes into Taiwan airspace over the long weekend

  
Analysis, Politics

The US expressed concern about what it said is China’s “provocative military action”.

Over the Friday – Sunday long weekend the Chinese military flew
  • 38 warplanes into the area on Friday
  • 39 on Saturday (the most in a single day since Taiwan began releasing reports on the flights in September last year)
  • 16 warplanes on Sunday
Statement from the US State Department:
  • “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan”
  • warned of the risk of miscalculation
  • said the flights undermine regional peace and stability
The US expressed concern about what it said is China's "provocative military action".

German election outcome still uncertain – could be weeks of wrangling ahead

  
Analysis, Politics
Conveying this from a note via ING, bolding is mine for emphasis but read the whole paragraph:
  • The current result also means that there will now be long coalition talks. Germany doesn’t have a prefab mechanism for these coalition talks and the strongest party does not have an automatic right to lead the next government. In fact, all parties can have exploratory talks in whichever combination they want until they have found a constellation which would have a parliamentarian majority. In the past, there were actually two national elections after which the largest party did not lead the government coalition. With the current results, three coalitions would be possible: a SPD, Greens and FDP coalition, a CDU, Greens and FDP coalition, or another revival of the grand coalition but then under the leadership of the SPD. The option of a left wing coalition of SPD, Greens and Left Party is no longer possible.
That last sentence likely means less probability of a much higher taxing government. EUR is little changed so far here in early Asia hours:
Earlier posts are here, its a cliffhanger:
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