China & Sudan: financial promiscuity

Oh no, more about China?? ‘fraid so, folks…but I can’t apologize, it’s my blog and as such I get to choose the topic, as my reader, you choose to read it and I am very humbly thankful to you for that always : )

But, today’s China rant, well, instead of airing US bedroom news, let’s talk about that ‘minor’ issue in Sudan instead. Just for a minute, just today’s entry. When dealing with China, there’s a lot to cover (told you yesterday) and I will get to it all, (I hope) just give me time and ocassional breaks, peeps, just a little bit of time…another promise: not one nation will go unnoticed, eventually…

Let me be succint: efforts to end the ‘Darfur conflict’ is totally outwieghed by – guess what – oh yes, that: dirty sexy big big money and that requires doing business as usual. It’s no secret that China and Sudan have ‘intimate economic ties’ (yes, they’re in the sack together also, there’s a whole lot of financial promiscuity going on in this world).

I like how the Chinese pretend to be – who, Switzerland(?) – with that stance of believing in ‘non-interference’ and ‘respect for national sovereignty’ oh yes, and that’s particularly easy to uphold when your the one supplying the arms for this current conflict, a three year ‘conflict.’ Apparently, it’s easy to turn a blind eye when it’s necessary to continue ‘business as usual.’ …and the s**t just gets deeper, 70% of Sudan’s income generated by oil sales is spent on arms, and China plays a ‘direct’ role in supplying said arms, that’s a total WTF?!

I guess it’s also no secret that for 10+ years China has been the cheek to cheek economic partner of Sudan’s, China being the leading developer and purchaser of Sudanese oil. China also plays a huge role in agriculture, mining, as well as in the medical and education arenas, yes and the capper is the fairly recent 1.15billion contract to build a major railway, how in bed can you get?? (I just love all the sexual innuendo in this rant, meooow)

Common sense as well as conventional wisdom is apparently suggesting that China ’should’ make it clear to Sudan that if they continue to obstruct progress towards peace it will damage China-Sudan relations, up to and including breaking trade and investments ties, hmm, hahaha, oh reeeaaallllly, no biz as usual, NOT bloodly likely. Nobody’s booting anybody out of bed over this, c’mon now, don’t be naive…

They ’should’ also suspend all arms sales and military cooperation until the genocide, the atrocities stop, again, not bloody likely, what and leave so much cash on the table? Are you mad?! Oh yes, and the words billiions, trillions, gazillions have a certain ring to them, don’t they?

I like this best: China ’should’ publicly acknowledge mass killings, human suffering and the displacement of so many Sudanese people, oh that sounds so very warm and fuzzy, but I’ll repeat, not bloody likely, ain’t going to happen, sorry but don’t shoot the messenger…

And if you’d like to give your two on the subject, click on commments and have at it, I welcome your thoughts/opinions : )

PS - listen, I’ve decided that since I’ve been paying homage to Hump Day (Wednesday’s) it would be a great day to lighten up and talk about sex and/or oh no ‘relationships’ (the men will be taking a powder on this one, hahaha, I’ll try to keep it interesting if I go that route ok, dudes? Don’t go getting nervous…)

I’ve had a few requests for the topic and I enjoy the banter so…it’s coming your way manana

Beijing, China…and the 2008 Olympics

The Chinese are finally feeling the wrath others have felt from their historical olympic ‘boycotts,’ here’s the refresher on that:

1956 CHINA boycotted Melborne (Taiwan issue), 1960 CHINA boycotted Roma (Taiwan issue), 1964 china boycotted Tokyo (Nuclear test), 1968 CHINA boycotted Mexico (Taiwan issue), 1972 CHINA boycotted München (Taiwan issue), 1976 CHINA boycotted Montreal (Taiwan issue), 1980 CHINA boycotted Moscow (Afghanistan issue). Hmmm – 2008: Our Turn??

And below, a telling video, and the words are form the mouth of the artist who designed the ‘Birds Nest‘ building, the centerpoint of all of the 2008 Beijing, China Olympic games…

Yes, and now apparently the Chinese government is pressuring US hotels in Beijing to monitor their internet traffic on the run-up to the Olympic games this summer. Congressional Human Rights Activists are calling on President Bush and other U.S. leaders to boycott the opening ceremonies that are now less than 100 days away. The activists blasted China’s record on human rights, reciting allegations of torture, religious and free-speech abuse of their own citizens, oppression of Tibetans, military and economic support of genocide in Sudan, torture and execution of North Koreans and backing of the dictatorship in Myanmar.

Hmmm, yeah, they seem to be involved in a lot of nasty things…why was China chosen to host the Olympics anyway, you have to wonder what that process is, who would OK this choice given the above info to work with?

OK, that’s it! The subject for Monday or maybe Tuesday’s blog if the info gathering proves extensive is…drum roll…the Olympic location selection process – stay tuned : )

Have a great weekend!