China's escalating tensions with Taiwan, possible war threats. Environmental damage in the Philippines, corporate militias in China. Privacy concerns in Hong Kong, facial recognition technology. Literary banter, McDonald's expansion in China. Food experiences at KFC and McDonald's, political challenges in Hong Kong. US ports' security risks, Chinese-made cranes replaced by US ones.
Taiwan-China tensions escalate with recent incidents reflecting invasive tactics.
Chinese state-owned corporations developing militias raise security questions internally and externally.
Environmental and ethical concerns arise from Chinese cyanide fishing, setting transparency precedents for violations.
Deep dives
China's Tension with Taiwan Escalates
Recent incidents between Chinese fishermen and the Taiwanese Coast Guard have heightened tensions, reflecting China's aggressive actions to encroach upon Taiwan. The involvement of Chinese civilian aviation moving closer to Taiwan adds another layer of concern, signaling a potential military strategy to surveil and control the region.
Expansion of China's Maritime Militias
Chinese state-owned corporations are developing their own militias, potentially posing a security risk. The dual control by these militias under both corporations and the Communist Party raises questions about their true intentions and implications for internal stability and external relationships.
Environmental Concerns in South China Sea
The issue of cyanide fishing near the Philippines by China has raised environmental and ethical concerns. The destructive fishing practice not only harms marine life but also damages coral reefs. The Philippines government's transparency in highlighting such actions sets a precedent for exposing environmental violations.
Hong Kong's Surveillance Expansion
Plans to install 2,000 surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology in Hong Kong raise privacy and security concerns. The integration of such extensive surveillance could infringe on civil liberties and potentially compromise sensitive military installations, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance.
US Infrastructure Security Initiative
To address security risks posed by Chinese-made cranes at US ports, the Biden administration allocates $20 billion from the infrastructure bill. The decision to replace Chinese cranes with non-Chinese ones aims to enhance national security and protect critical infrastructure from potential vulnerabilities.
China has been warning for years that it will take control of Taiwan, an independent, democratically-ruled island off of China's eastern coast. China has been using a number of grayzone warfare tactics to try to get it to surrender voluntarily, but so far it hasn't worked. A recent incident in Taiwan's waters has made the possibility of a war very real, and China has been stepping up its encroachment into Taiwan's territory ever since. In this just us episode of China Unscripted, we discuss China's latest provocative moves, McDonald's plans to expand in China, and how Chinese-made shipping cranes might be spying on us.
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