Nine Dragons
@ninedragons.bsky.social
Exclusively posting here now about HK/China and global events/issues. Occasional nonsense.
Pinned
January 2026's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. December 2025's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
December 2025's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. November 2025's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
February 2026's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. January 2026's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
Only about 6% of China's high speed rail is profitable. That's around 3,000km.
The EU looks like the more sensible model to follow.
The EU looks like the more sensible model to follow.
"In December, China reached 50,000km of high-speed rail, enough track to circle the globe, compared with 8,500km in the whole of the EU as of 2023." And the UK? www.ft.com/content/3c15...
China’s high-speed rail network accelerates world’s largest human migration
Lunar new year travel is taking place faster than ever
www.ft.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:46 AM
Only about 6% of China's high speed rail is profitable. That's around 3,000km.
The EU looks like the more sensible model to follow.
The EU looks like the more sensible model to follow.
Very surprising this. I would have thought that China was able to produce weapons of roughly Russian quality, at a lower price, and deliver faster & more reliably. So I thought that they'd be eating into Russian arms exports big time. Apparently not.
www.thewirechina.com/2026/02/15/c...
www.thewirechina.com/2026/02/15/c...
China's Arms Sales Hit A Snag - The Wire China
As Noah Berman reports in this week's Big Picture, China’s weapons exports are in decline even as other countries ramp up sales.
www.thewirechina.com
February 16, 2026 at 3:27 AM
Very surprising this. I would have thought that China was able to produce weapons of roughly Russian quality, at a lower price, and deliver faster & more reliably. So I thought that they'd be eating into Russian arms exports big time. Apparently not.
www.thewirechina.com/2026/02/15/c...
www.thewirechina.com/2026/02/15/c...
While they shouldn't have shut it, the burden of aid on the US was genuinely unfair, at around 40%(?) of the global total. China's aid totals are comparable to NORWAY, a country of ~5.5 million people.
No one, absolutely no one, rushed to fill the niche left by Trump and Musk and Rubio murdering USAID, and that should tell us a lot about other governments.
February 14, 2026 at 6:10 AM
While they shouldn't have shut it, the burden of aid on the US was genuinely unfair, at around 40%(?) of the global total. China's aid totals are comparable to NORWAY, a country of ~5.5 million people.
The biggest difference between HK & the US is that judges in the US are mostly continuing to uphold the law & throw out such idiotic charges, whereas in HK these kind of cases result in years in jail. Government intent is the same in both places: suppression.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Judge throws out case against LA protester accused of assaulting officer with a cloth hat
Judge says US government acted in ‘bad faith’ against TikTok content creator Jonathon Redondo-Rosales, who was jailed for six months
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:30 AM
The biggest difference between HK & the US is that judges in the US are mostly continuing to uphold the law & throw out such idiotic charges, whereas in HK these kind of cases result in years in jail. Government intent is the same in both places: suppression.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Historic Google Streetview lining things up nicely.
February 10, 2026 at 7:37 AM
Historic Google Streetview lining things up nicely.
So, China's genius plan to relentlessly attack Sanae Takaichi went well then, definitely didn't backfire completely.
February 9, 2026 at 2:05 AM
So, China's genius plan to relentlessly attack Sanae Takaichi went well then, definitely didn't backfire completely.
No word on where such tourists are coming from, and I can't for the life of me imagine.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
February 7, 2026 at 2:12 AM
No word on where such tourists are coming from, and I can't for the life of me imagine.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
"Just wait til November, then we'll show them how upset we are at the ballot box!" say the do nothing idiots who STILL don't realise the situation they're in and think their elections will be free and fair.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Trump suggests Republicans should ‘take over’ elections to protect the party
President claims idea to ‘nationalize’ elections in 15 states before midterms is to prevent rare noncitizen voting
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:13 AM
"Just wait til November, then we'll show them how upset we are at the ballot box!" say the do nothing idiots who STILL don't realise the situation they're in and think their elections will be free and fair.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
February 2026's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. January 2026's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
January 2026's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. December 2025's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
December 2025's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. November 2025's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
February 3, 2026 at 2:48 AM
February 2026's China quarrel thread begins here, to keep track of the various arguments, incidents & threats being made by & against China. January 2026's thread below.
bsky.app/profile/nine...
bsky.app/profile/nine...
The "dig the fucking hole" meme come to life.
February 3, 2026 at 2:39 AM
The "dig the fucking hole" meme come to life.
NB. Taiwan was already SIGNIFICANTLY richer than the Mainland's richest province (Beijing) on a per capita basis and is actually pulling away.
One key reason the PRC is obsessed with crushing Taiwan is that it shows that another model is not only possible, but is FAR more successful.
One key reason the PRC is obsessed with crushing Taiwan is that it shows that another model is not only possible, but is FAR more successful.
Taiwan's GDP grew by a whopping 8.63% in 2025, largely due to huge demand for AI hardware.
4th quarter GDP grew 12.68%, the largest y-o-y increase for a quarter since 1987
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
4th quarter GDP grew 12.68%, the largest y-o-y increase for a quarter since 1987
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Taiwan’s Economy Grows at Fastest Pace in 15 Years on AI Boom
Taiwan’s economy expanded at the fastest quarterly pace since 1987, propelled by unquenchable demand for the tech goods needed to develop AI.
www.bloomberg.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:09 AM
NB. Taiwan was already SIGNIFICANTLY richer than the Mainland's richest province (Beijing) on a per capita basis and is actually pulling away.
One key reason the PRC is obsessed with crushing Taiwan is that it shows that another model is not only possible, but is FAR more successful.
One key reason the PRC is obsessed with crushing Taiwan is that it shows that another model is not only possible, but is FAR more successful.
When bro sees someone asking if there'll be pizza:
"OMG, it's so obvious that there's child sexual abuse happening here!"
When bro sees someone say they were forced to perform oral sex on Trump around age 13-14:
"This is very cryptic, hard to decipher... probably nothing."
"OMG, it's so obvious that there's child sexual abuse happening here!"
When bro sees someone say they were forced to perform oral sex on Trump around age 13-14:
"This is very cryptic, hard to decipher... probably nothing."
February 2, 2026 at 1:55 AM
When bro sees someone asking if there'll be pizza:
"OMG, it's so obvious that there's child sexual abuse happening here!"
When bro sees someone say they were forced to perform oral sex on Trump around age 13-14:
"This is very cryptic, hard to decipher... probably nothing."
"OMG, it's so obvious that there's child sexual abuse happening here!"
When bro sees someone say they were forced to perform oral sex on Trump around age 13-14:
"This is very cryptic, hard to decipher... probably nothing."
Ok, WHAT is bro driving? His SUV took a direct hit from an RPG and just... drove off. That car company should lead with this in their advertising.
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
CCTV captures moment mayor's car is hit by rocket in Philippines
A mayor in the Philippines has survived a rocket launcher attack on his vehicle in broad daylight.
www.bbc.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Ok, WHAT is bro driving? His SUV took a direct hit from an RPG and just... drove off. That car company should lead with this in their advertising.
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
Current situation of the British right, as far as I can tell:
Reform: Tories but with Farage
Tories: Reform but without Farage
Reform: Tories but with Farage
Tories: Reform but without Farage
January 29, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Current situation of the British right, as far as I can tell:
Reform: Tories but with Farage
Tories: Reform but without Farage
Reform: Tories but with Farage
Tories: Reform but without Farage
Reposted by Nine Dragons
UK cinemas being paid to play Amazon's pro-Trump propaganda film to near empty rooms
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
January 27, 2026 at 6:59 AM
UK cinemas being paid to play Amazon's pro-Trump propaganda film to near empty rooms
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Just stepped outside and the pollution is disgusting today. You can see it, smell it, taste it.
January 27, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Just stepped outside and the pollution is disgusting today. You can see it, smell it, taste it.
It is known some of the insurrectionists are armed. This proves that Mossad are involved.
The Minnesota regime change riots are a CIA-backed colour revolution!
January 26, 2026 at 8:19 AM
It is known some of the insurrectionists are armed. This proves that Mossad are involved.
The Minnesota regime change riots are a CIA-backed colour revolution!
January 26, 2026 at 4:31 AM
The Minnesota regime change riots are a CIA-backed colour revolution!
Yep.
Next year will be significantly worse, as the post-COVID birth bump vanishes, and total deaths continue to rise due to the aging population.
January 20, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Yep.
"Yi Fuxian, a demographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said births in 2025 were “roughly the same level as in 1738, when China’s population was only about 150 million”."
China's 2025 year-end population is already below the United Nations' 2024 5th-percentile projection of China's mid-year 2026 population, and below their median projection for 2028
January 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM
"Yi Fuxian, a demographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said births in 2025 were “roughly the same level as in 1738, when China’s population was only about 150 million”."
I knew the figures were going to be bad, but these are absolutely terrible.
China’s population in 2025 decreased by 3.4 million to 1.405 billion, as its birth rate fell to its lowest level since 1949, at just 5.6 births per 1K population. The number of newborns in 2025 fell an astonishing 17% compared to 2024
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
January 19, 2026 at 9:45 AM
I knew the figures were going to be bad, but these are absolutely terrible.
The tankies got so mad when I said thousands had been killed (even tho the post was primarily about Trump's narcissism, not this obvious fact). And yet...
January 19, 2026 at 9:41 AM
The tankies got so mad when I said thousands had been killed (even tho the post was primarily about Trump's narcissism, not this obvious fact). And yet...
It's gonna be everyone except Russia isn't it...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Trump threatens tariffs against those who oppose him taking Greenland
President raises pressure on European allies as US envoy says deal to take island ‘should and will be made’
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:57 PM
It's gonna be everyone except Russia isn't it...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Amazing how this post - which was primarily about Trump's narcissism - has brought out the furious tankies.
A lot of:
- no evidence of protesters being killed
- but anyway, those protesters deserved to be killed
- it's all a foreign/CIA/MI6/Mossad plot
- no I didn't say what I just said
A lot of:
- no evidence of protesters being killed
- but anyway, those protesters deserved to be killed
- it's all a foreign/CIA/MI6/Mossad plot
- no I didn't say what I just said
The Iranian protests have been mostly crushed through the murder of thousands. With no chance of them overthrowing the regime, Trump is now trying to claim the end of the protests as some kind of personal victory.
January 16, 2026 at 4:47 AM
Amazing how this post - which was primarily about Trump's narcissism - has brought out the furious tankies.
A lot of:
- no evidence of protesters being killed
- but anyway, those protesters deserved to be killed
- it's all a foreign/CIA/MI6/Mossad plot
- no I didn't say what I just said
A lot of:
- no evidence of protesters being killed
- but anyway, those protesters deserved to be killed
- it's all a foreign/CIA/MI6/Mossad plot
- no I didn't say what I just said