Reposted by MW Hyde
2019 "Japan Times" article by me, "Taiwan's Democracy is worth Defending," which points out that long-term ties between Taiwan and Japan transcend colonial nostalgia and Cold War era geopolitics, reflecting strong civil society relations. web.archive.org/web/20190807...
November 14, 2025 at 11:47 PM
2019 "Japan Times" article by me, "Taiwan's Democracy is worth Defending," which points out that long-term ties between Taiwan and Japan transcend colonial nostalgia and Cold War era geopolitics, reflecting strong civil society relations. web.archive.org/web/20190807...
Reposted by MW Hyde
This would be the most brazenly corrupt and obvious guilt ridden thing he has ever done out of thousands of other corrupt acts. Even a huge % of his hardcore MAGA cult members will revolt against this and finally realize he is involved. But I am quite sure he is desperate enough to do it anyway.
Trump just told reporters on Air Force One that he hasn’t ruled out a pardon for Ghislane Maxwell
November 15, 2025 at 12:26 AM
This would be the most brazenly corrupt and obvious guilt ridden thing he has ever done out of thousands of other corrupt acts. Even a huge % of his hardcore MAGA cult members will revolt against this and finally realize he is involved. But I am quite sure he is desperate enough to do it anyway.
Reposted by MW Hyde
All the clickbait here!
"sparking tensions!" "Beijing's ire"
Guys, stop carrying water for Beijing by predicting futures that may not occur -- why should Beijing threaten anyone, when Semafor is doing for them? Just STFU until Beijing actually registers anger. Then -- amazing concept! -- report.
"sparking tensions!" "Beijing's ire"
Guys, stop carrying water for Beijing by predicting futures that may not occur -- why should Beijing threaten anyone, when Semafor is doing for them? Just STFU until Beijing actually registers anger. Then -- amazing concept! -- report.
November 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
All the clickbait here!
"sparking tensions!" "Beijing's ire"
Guys, stop carrying water for Beijing by predicting futures that may not occur -- why should Beijing threaten anyone, when Semafor is doing for them? Just STFU until Beijing actually registers anger. Then -- amazing concept! -- report.
"sparking tensions!" "Beijing's ire"
Guys, stop carrying water for Beijing by predicting futures that may not occur -- why should Beijing threaten anyone, when Semafor is doing for them? Just STFU until Beijing actually registers anger. Then -- amazing concept! -- report.
LOL
Close to 1 in 4 visitors to Japan are Chinese, so Beijing's travel warning should go a long way to helping Japan's overtourism concerns. japantoday.com/category/nat...?
China urges citizens to avoid visiting Japan over PM's Taiwan remarks
The Chinese government urged its citizens on Friday to avoid visiting Japan as recent remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Japan's potential involvement in a Taiwan contingency grow into a wider diplomatic row. China's Foreign Ministry said provocative comments by Japan's leader have caused "the atmosphere surrounding people-to-people exchanges…
japantoday.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:06 AM
LOL
Reposted by MW Hyde
The premise is not wrong, the conclusion that we should open our arms to the CCP is a wild conflation. But I mean, the institution paying his bills is none other than Yale of Beijing.
The only way we will win a better world is not only leftism for America, but internationalism. “Researchers who have anything to do with China should have their careers ended” is a bipartisan position, and it can’t be anymore. If we live in a fragmented world, it will burn in our lifetime
November 14, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The premise is not wrong, the conclusion that we should open our arms to the CCP is a wild conflation. But I mean, the institution paying his bills is none other than Yale of Beijing.
Lots to unpack here, not least the close similarity of results of Taoyuan and Tainan, despite one being a pragmatic swing electorate filled with military families and the other a beating heart of nativist politics.
Survey results of Taiwan's 6 main cities
#Taipei
I: 41%
SQ: 29%
U: 16%
#NewTaipei
I: 39%
SQ: 23%
U: 11%
#Taoyuan
I: 50%
SQ: 22%
U: 15%
#Taichung
I: 40%
SQ: 30%
U: 12%
#Tainan
I: 52%
SQ: 26%
U: 5.6%
#Kaohsiung
I: 50%
SQ: 23%
U: 14%
Average for the other 16 cities/counties
I: 44%
SQ: 23%
U: 18%
#Taipei
I: 41%
SQ: 29%
U: 16%
#NewTaipei
I: 39%
SQ: 23%
U: 11%
#Taoyuan
I: 50%
SQ: 22%
U: 15%
#Taichung
I: 40%
SQ: 30%
U: 12%
#Tainan
I: 52%
SQ: 26%
U: 5.6%
#Kaohsiung
I: 50%
SQ: 23%
U: 14%
Average for the other 16 cities/counties
I: 44%
SQ: 23%
U: 18%
November 14, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Lots to unpack here, not least the close similarity of results of Taoyuan and Tainan, despite one being a pragmatic swing electorate filled with military families and the other a beating heart of nativist politics.
I suspect that the sampling for this survey was biased toward Taipei respondents. A 14% support rate for instant surrender does not accord with decades of identity polling by the NCCU, which places pro-CCP sentiment at around 5% or less.
The latest #Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation #survey shows that more people desire #independence (44.3%) than the combined supporters of status quo (24.6%) and unification (13.9).
The foundation cites this to refute mainstream media claiming an "overwhelming support for cross-strait status quo."
The foundation cites this to refute mainstream media claiming an "overwhelming support for cross-strait status quo."
November 14, 2025 at 7:34 AM
I suspect that the sampling for this survey was biased toward Taipei respondents. A 14% support rate for instant surrender does not accord with decades of identity polling by the NCCU, which places pro-CCP sentiment at around 5% or less.
"Taiwanese independence". What the fuck does this Economist blurb even mean?
Lazy, lazy stuff, using the language of dissemblers.
Lazy, lazy stuff, using the language of dissemblers.
Some experts argue that China could advance long-held goals by appealing to Donald Trump’s pride at being a peacemaker.
Maybe, at a future summit, the American president could be persuaded to publicly oppose Taiwanese independence
Maybe, at a future summit, the American president could be persuaded to publicly oppose Taiwanese independence
Beijing insiders’ plan to play Donald Trump
They see America’s president as a golden opportunity for China
econ.st
November 14, 2025 at 7:31 AM
"Taiwanese independence". What the fuck does this Economist blurb even mean?
Lazy, lazy stuff, using the language of dissemblers.
Lazy, lazy stuff, using the language of dissemblers.
Reposted by MW Hyde
The amazing thing about the Bill Clinton trial in retrospect is that both he and Ken Starr were friends with Epstein, the entire ruling class was in on it and in reality unified against you
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Any other time, any other President, and "the dude was in a global conspiracy to fuck them kids" would have been 24/7 coverage. Even Dubya.
I remember the fucking Lewinsky coverage. Our media have become craven hacks carrying water for rich pedophiles and I feel insane typing that but there it is.
I remember the fucking Lewinsky coverage. Our media have become craven hacks carrying water for rich pedophiles and I feel insane typing that but there it is.
“a nothing burger” lol
November 14, 2025 at 7:03 AM
The amazing thing about the Bill Clinton trial in retrospect is that both he and Ken Starr were friends with Epstein, the entire ruling class was in on it and in reality unified against you
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Reposted by MW Hyde
A great initiative from my favorite search engine.
Today, we're launching SlopStop: Community-driven AI slop detection in Kagi Search.
Join our collective defense against AI-generated spam and content farms:
blog.kagi.com/slopstop
Join our collective defense against AI-generated spam and content farms:
blog.kagi.com/slopstop
November 14, 2025 at 1:22 AM
A great initiative from my favorite search engine.
Reposted by MW Hyde
Nikkei interviews new KMT chair Cheng Li-wun. Cheng simply repeats KMT ideological positions dating back two decades -- green terror, 1992 Consensus, all is DPP fault -- any interview of a KMTer would produce same nonsense. Truly a party bereft of ideas.
asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/po...
asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/po...
Taiwan defense buildup can't ensure security: New KMT boss Cheng Li-wun
'Unification goddess' pans Trump-driven spending, blames Lai for China tensions
asia.nikkei.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Nikkei interviews new KMT chair Cheng Li-wun. Cheng simply repeats KMT ideological positions dating back two decades -- green terror, 1992 Consensus, all is DPP fault -- any interview of a KMTer would produce same nonsense. Truly a party bereft of ideas.
asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/po...
asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/po...
Reposted by MW Hyde
Important piece from @heldavidson.bsky.social tracking a shift from Beijing's military warfare to political warfare against Taiwan, as military activity in the Taiwan Strait hit their current threat salience limit just short of a kinetic event.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy
A series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing’s stance over the island, analysts say
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Important piece from @heldavidson.bsky.social tracking a shift from Beijing's military warfare to political warfare against Taiwan, as military activity in the Taiwan Strait hit their current threat salience limit just short of a kinetic event.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by MW Hyde
They’re screaming about ‘broken ambiguity,
but ambiguity was a convenient excuse for people who wanted to do nothing while China rewrote the region.
Takaichi’s stance ripped away the illusion:
If Taiwan goes down,
Japan is next.”
but ambiguity was a convenient excuse for people who wanted to do nothing while China rewrote the region.
Takaichi’s stance ripped away the illusion:
If Taiwan goes down,
Japan is next.”
November 14, 2025 at 3:59 AM
They’re screaming about ‘broken ambiguity,
but ambiguity was a convenient excuse for people who wanted to do nothing while China rewrote the region.
Takaichi’s stance ripped away the illusion:
If Taiwan goes down,
Japan is next.”
but ambiguity was a convenient excuse for people who wanted to do nothing while China rewrote the region.
Takaichi’s stance ripped away the illusion:
If Taiwan goes down,
Japan is next.”
If countries like the US, Japan, Canada, Australia and the UK, as well as the EU, took cross-strait deterrence seriously they would immediately retaliate over this.
Instead we just get the same waffle or silence.
Instead we just get the same waffle or silence.
Violating international conventions in an attempt to convince the global community that it holds jurisdiction over #Taiwan, the CCP's transnational #repression tactics will not only target legislators but may soon extend to the broader #Taiwanese public in the future. www.mac.gov.tw/en/News_Cont...
November 14, 2025 at 6:21 AM
If countries like the US, Japan, Canada, Australia and the UK, as well as the EU, took cross-strait deterrence seriously they would immediately retaliate over this.
Instead we just get the same waffle or silence.
Instead we just get the same waffle or silence.
Reposted by MW Hyde
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Reposted by MW Hyde
Hegseth has a memorial to Black Soldiers who fought in World War II removed from an American military cemetery in The Netherlands. Pure racism. www.cnn.com/2025/11/13/p...
Display about Black soldiers in World War II removed from US military cemetery | CNN Politics
Decades ago, as some of the bloodiest fighting in World War II ramped up in Europe, 19-year-old 1st Lt. Jeffersons Wiggins, along with hundreds of other Black soldiers in, were tasked with burying the...
www.cnn.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Hegseth has a memorial to Black Soldiers who fought in World War II removed from an American military cemetery in The Netherlands. Pure racism. www.cnn.com/2025/11/13/p...
Chen "but he's such a nice man" Hong defames Australian intelligence professionals:
"Australia’s intelligence agency has long been driven by ideology, repeatedly engaging in baseless smears and attacks against China."
I hope his pathetic friends in Oz are squirming.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
"Australia’s intelligence agency has long been driven by ideology, repeatedly engaging in baseless smears and attacks against China."
I hope his pathetic friends in Oz are squirming.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
China lodges complaint over ‘irresponsible’ ASIO speech
China’s Foreign Ministry has lodged complaints over ASIO Director Mike Burgess for calling out Beijing for state-sponsored hacking.
www.smh.com.au
November 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Chen "but he's such a nice man" Hong defames Australian intelligence professionals:
"Australia’s intelligence agency has long been driven by ideology, repeatedly engaging in baseless smears and attacks against China."
I hope his pathetic friends in Oz are squirming.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
"Australia’s intelligence agency has long been driven by ideology, repeatedly engaging in baseless smears and attacks against China."
I hope his pathetic friends in Oz are squirming.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
In any case, a Chinese attack on Taiwan would almost certainly include attacks on US interests in Japan and possibly remote Japanese bases, so "striking back decisively" would already have been rendered nonsensical.
I couldn't help but laugh
Because Chinese threats do reliably increase Japanese support for stronger defense capabilities, including things once considered taboo (like nuclear-powered submarines). simultaneously weakening the voices of pro-China factions, anti-war advocates, and pacifists
Because Chinese threats do reliably increase Japanese support for stronger defense capabilities, including things once considered taboo (like nuclear-powered submarines). simultaneously weakening the voices of pro-China factions, anti-war advocates, and pacifists
November 13, 2025 at 12:55 PM
In any case, a Chinese attack on Taiwan would almost certainly include attacks on US interests in Japan and possibly remote Japanese bases, so "striking back decisively" would already have been rendered nonsensical.
Reposted by MW Hyde
I would add that @michaelturton.bsky.social's columns are a living proof that one can unequivocally and fiercly support Taiwan without failing to criticize its government or its society when criticism is warranted.
I somehow missed Monday’s (always excellent) Notes from Central Taiwan column. Low wages and an extremely toxic ‘boss’ culture are major issues in Taiwan that never genuinely get addressed by the government-at least not in any meaningful way. @michaelturton.bsky.social @royngerng.bsky.social
Notes from Central Taiwan: The DPP needs to raise wages for workers - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
share.google
November 13, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I would add that @michaelturton.bsky.social's columns are a living proof that one can unequivocally and fiercly support Taiwan without failing to criticize its government or its society when criticism is warranted.
Reposted by MW Hyde
If **Jeffrey Epstein** thinks you're a evil and demented sociopath, the odds are overwhelming that you are, in fact, an evil and demented sociopath.
November 13, 2025 at 2:18 AM
If **Jeffrey Epstein** thinks you're a evil and demented sociopath, the odds are overwhelming that you are, in fact, an evil and demented sociopath.
Reposted by MW Hyde
It’s time to proscribe these psychos as a terrorist organisation.
It’s intolerable to imagine that they could register a Nazi party in Australia today & the only thing standing in their way is they can’t use an obscene name.
It’s intolerable to imagine that they could register a Nazi party in Australia today & the only thing standing in their way is they can’t use an obscene name.
Bloody hell.
A 17 year old Canberra boy (a nazi) was planning a chemical weapon attack in Canberra.
He wanted to attack non-white homeless people with chlorine gas, and live-stream it.
He said “white revolution is the only solution.” 😳
Fuck me.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
A 17 year old Canberra boy (a nazi) was planning a chemical weapon attack in Canberra.
He wanted to attack non-white homeless people with chlorine gas, and live-stream it.
He said “white revolution is the only solution.” 😳
Fuck me.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Teen Nazi planned to livestream gas attack, police allege
Isolated young Australians are being groomed online by Nazis into plotting terror attacks on home soil.
www.smh.com.au
November 13, 2025 at 2:36 AM
It’s time to proscribe these psychos as a terrorist organisation.
It’s intolerable to imagine that they could register a Nazi party in Australia today & the only thing standing in their way is they can’t use an obscene name.
It’s intolerable to imagine that they could register a Nazi party in Australia today & the only thing standing in their way is they can’t use an obscene name.
Reposted by MW Hyde
Wow, it's almost as if the supposedly crazy conspiracy theory that mainstream media wouldn't touch - that the Kremlin has kompromat on Donald Trump through his ties to pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and this explains his tepid support for Ukraine - is actually true.
November 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Wow, it's almost as if the supposedly crazy conspiracy theory that mainstream media wouldn't touch - that the Kremlin has kompromat on Donald Trump through his ties to pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and this explains his tepid support for Ukraine - is actually true.
He is the consummate buffoon. As contemptible as they come, but in his own way a child, crawling around a sandbox trying to find his toys. Completely out of his depth, and a real albatross for the legislature.
In short, a model late-era KMT leader.
In short, a model late-era KMT leader.
This stance by KMT Legislature Speaker Han Kuo-yu (President Lai should retract his remark that China is "a foreign hostile force") echoes Stephen Wertheim's recent piece in Foreign Affairs (or maybe it's the other way around).
This amounts to saying that acknowledging the threat is a provocation.
This amounts to saying that acknowledging the threat is a provocation.
President, legislative speaker exchange barbs on China threat to lawmaker - Focus Taiwan
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) should retract his remark that China is "a foreign hostile force" and remove a clause in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) charter that advocates Taiwan indepe...
focustaiwan.tw
November 13, 2025 at 1:50 AM
He is the consummate buffoon. As contemptible as they come, but in his own way a child, crawling around a sandbox trying to find his toys. Completely out of his depth, and a real albatross for the legislature.
In short, a model late-era KMT leader.
In short, a model late-era KMT leader.
Reposted by MW Hyde
English version omits some interesting data about indigenous population growth:
As of October 2025, Taiwan’s indigenous population stood at 624,159—up 14,989 (+2.46%) from a year earlier and 967 (+0.16%) from the previous month. 2.68% of the total population.
www.ris.gov.tw/app/portal/346
As of October 2025, Taiwan’s indigenous population stood at 624,159—up 14,989 (+2.46%) from a year earlier and 967 (+0.16%) from the previous month. 2.68% of the total population.
www.ris.gov.tw/app/portal/346
中華民國內政部戶政司 - 人口統計資料
人口統計資料
www.ris.gov.tw
November 13, 2025 at 1:11 AM
English version omits some interesting data about indigenous population growth:
As of October 2025, Taiwan’s indigenous population stood at 624,159—up 14,989 (+2.46%) from a year earlier and 967 (+0.16%) from the previous month. 2.68% of the total population.
www.ris.gov.tw/app/portal/346
As of October 2025, Taiwan’s indigenous population stood at 624,159—up 14,989 (+2.46%) from a year earlier and 967 (+0.16%) from the previous month. 2.68% of the total population.
www.ris.gov.tw/app/portal/346
Reposted by MW Hyde
A whole lotta liberals who were willing to take Epstein’s money turning off their phones tonight.
November 13, 2025 at 12:39 AM
A whole lotta liberals who were willing to take Epstein’s money turning off their phones tonight.