Thanks for all the detailed info. WE all must be prepared for more actions to come until we meet that dreaded 2049 Date of the 100 year plan!!

Australia is a minnow, and the latest shot re Cotton imports to China is only the beginning. I still think we should ask USA to adopt us as the 52nd state (forget DC and Puerto Rico!). That way we might gain some protection and offer the USA a stronger foot in SE Asia.

That way, the Australian Republican movement can get rid of the Queen AND we don't have to create a 4th lucrative swamp in Government with a President and its associated club of ex polies and staffers.

Any supporters?

Yes, the Cold War is happening, as it should given what the CCP stands for.

War would be a disaster, the very worst case scenario, but the West still has the might and influence to win non-conflict tussles.

Apparently Germany, having observed China's behaviour towards Australia, is calling for an EU strategy to address the rise of China.

Even if China was the most powerful single nation, it would be opposed by most other major powers and economies.

China has been wageing a real cold war against the US and the West since the release of the China virus. You would have to be pretty dozy not to realise that. This one is worse than the one with Russia because stupid, or greedy, or corrupt Western politicians, including those in Australia, have entwined us in trade with China. These idiots have sold us out, and bribed us with cheap imports. Now the CCP is using our exports to them to control us. Bans on barley, now coal. The list will grow. There is already talk of cutting off medical supplies that we no longer produce in the West while our politicians bray, like the asses that they are, about returning to domestic manufacturing, when they don't have the faintest idea how to go about that.

With the help of the enemy within Australia and other Western countries - the Left Fifth Column of traitors - China is set to win the war.

Here you guys go again with your China bashing.

Can't you find something useful to do, just like I plan to do in setting myself up as a cash for visa consultant for Chinese migrants affiliated with the CCP?

Good honest work for good honest pay.

Here he goes agin. Mr Opinion going 0ffer the same old stories about poor old CCP.... sound just like what he does to defend these gentle, kind, humanitarian, peaceful fascists'/communist's (same thing really).

Chiana may win this global wargame, but I doubt it and when you add guarded West and the insanity of the Islamic states like Iran... Orwell's 1984 framework, might not be too far off. Given Facebook/twitters now blatant [partisanship), they seem to already given us Newspeak that will match TicToks behavior. As I was born in 1960, I'm not sure I want to make 100 year old, Will King Charles/William send me a letter or the Chair of the CCP?

Mr Opinion,why not give is a classic Fact Check on the authors article rather than slinging muck at others

ps Mr Opinion and the others out there who love Chiana, climate change clan, Joe Biden, Albo and the heads of all the despots who head basket case countries like Iran, Venezuela, the Palestinians. Why is that so? Perhaps they all like Chiana too

In a war the first casualty is the truth. Even a cold war.

A cold war is a precarious position to maintain for all participants. And one wrong move, taking that one step too far could easily see a cold war suddenly become very hot. Will the CCP sit still for a new recognition of Taiwan? And reentry into the UN? What other choice do they have?

Perhaps they may come to their senses and realise that they are the problem, not the solution! And decide that they will catch far more flies with a teaspoon of honey than a whole jar of vinegar! And clearly not doing anything remotely like that in (nothing to see here) Hong Kong, the South China seas, the North West provinces!

The next war will likely leave an uninhabitable planet! You think a sabre-rattling CCP is unaware of that?

Our strategy needs to remain to be an island of sanity in a world gone mad! Trade with all and any in a cash and carry template.

Apart from that we need to become a nuclear powered, nuclear power, ASAP, able to retaliate with just enough force to be an eternal deterrent

Need to beef up suurvalience and intell gathering capability!

Understand the primary targets of any future war will be the civilian population and production capacity!

Better to die on your feet fighting for your freedom and human rights, than on your knees begging for them!

Can we avoid a hot war?

One would hope so and hope that some nut job never ever gets his/her hands on the levers of power/the nuclear button? Then the only chance for the whole human race is the extermination of that identity ASAP, regardless of who and where! Then set about sane de-escalation with any who will contennce this sane approach! Nobody has to love it to do it!

A step back from the brink of guaranteed self-destruction is smarter than taking a step over its edge! It's difficult to shake hands with clenched fists! Agree?

Anyone for tea?
Alan B.

A.J. Not an unpalatable idea at first glance.

But then what would happen to our trade with our biggest trading partner? And would that improve our self-defence position?

I'm not sure we'd gain much in the bargain? Other than trade one sabre-rattling dictatorial mega-power partner for another?

Nor do we need to become involved in the race hate division that is the current state of the, gun-totting, United States of America!

Better to beef up our self-reliant independence as much as we're able, thereby killing two birds with one stone, i.e., massively turbocharge a recovering economy and seriously beef up our self-reliant defense capability to the point of unconquerable! And because that's what we actually need to do!

I mean, if we allow it, they'll just move in and take what they want, at bargain basement prices that remove us and ours from the loop! Unless it's the (nudge nudge, wink, wink) sale of visas with shorter wait times/larger fees?

If they can no longer do that and just can't beat us in a war? I mean, they tried for thousands of years to take Vietnam. And they fought with SFA! Just unquenchable resolve!

We surely can match that resolve, should we need to and vastly outperform them on any production paradigm?

On second thoughts maybe not, given the Vietnamese had warrior generals like Ho Chi Ming at the helm! We've got, marketing guru, Morrison!
Alan B.

Alan I would prefer Trump or another US President (max 4 year sunless you believe the democrats who worry he will go on and on and on) over a local home grown quango of leaches we would get here... Hewson, Rudd, Gillard, Turnbal....etc

WE would get define and I am sure plenty of other world powers with growth in mind would buy are resources. Hey and maybe, the US would invest in Oz to start making steel again, rather than shipping the cheap raw material to CHIANA!

Earlier this week China started to cut back on Australian coal and today it's cotton all with the obvious intention of affecting the Australian economy and weakening Australia's position in the western Pacific with a view to getting Asian and Pacific nation-states to turn to China for finance and trade as well as military alliance.

How many Australians are now finally waking up to the Chinese threat.

And the crazy part is that Australia took in millions of Chinese migrants during the Great Asianization Period (1980-2020) in Australian history thinking that the Chinese would become just like us.

What are you going to do now that the enemy is already inside the gate?

If I had my way I would cancel all of their visas and send them packing.

Clearly China is our enemy.
Clearly there are so many parallels with Hitler and the processes that preceded the second world war.
But America is something of the past, a spent force in decline that cannot lead this coming war. India will be the likely leader instead.
Nevertheless, with or without America, we in Australia should be clear on which side we are on: we must not side with evil.

Recognition of Taiwan and weaning ourselves from China-trade are overdue. Let our steel and coal not fuel the Chinese oppressive military machine.

---

Dear Mr. Opinion,

«Earlier this week China started to cut back on Australian coal and today it's cotton...»

This man was unwell with a strange illness, so he went to the doctor.
After inspecting him the doctor asked: "looks like you've been to this Chinese prostitute, isn't it?". "Yes", replied the man. "Well," replied the doctor, "we have no cure, it needs to be cut!".

The man, obviously unhappy, sought the advice of several other doctors, but they all said the same: "it needs to be cut".

Finally a friend suggested: "since this was a Chinese prostitute, why don't you go to a Chinese doctor?", so the man did.
The Chinese doctor asked: "looks like you've been to this Chinese prostitute, isn't it?". "Yes", replied the man. "well then," replied the doctor, "go home". Overjoyously the man asked: "Wow really, no need to cut?". "Oh certainly not," replied the doctor, "it will fall by itself!".

Yuyutsu,

Did you hear the one about the guy who went to see the doctor:

Looking up from the desk the doctor said 'God you look terrible!"

'I know, I know! But I feel fantastic! What's wrong with me doc?"

"I haven't got a clue. Better look it up in the book. Let's see. Feels fantastic, looks terrible .......... Got it! You're a ____."

:-) I bet you never saw that one coming?

To Mr Opinion- I think many don't understand your sense of humor. :)
--
But I liked your post- "Posted by Mr Opinion, Friday, 16 October 2020 3:05:56 PM"

Thanks for the article Chin Jin.

A.J. Sympathise with your view. Biden will likely win because he isn't Trump? Not because he's the visionary leader we now need to reunite a dangerously fractured democracy!? reopen and rebuild the economy.

Yuyusitu. Haha! Talking about doctors. An old dear went to see her Dr complaining of an enormous wind problem. But with one consultation, at least there was no smell.

I see said the Dr his nose wrinkling up toward his forehead in a desperate effort to escape. Bent over, wrote a script, said, take these and come back and see me in a fortnight.

A fortnight later she was back complaining, it's worse than ever and smells to high heaven. Well, replied the doctor, that's got the nose fixed, now let's see what we can do about the wind.
Cheers, Alan B.

Looks terrible, feels fantastic? Got it, you're a self-deluded pathological liar?
Alan B.

Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks the Chinese are getting ready to take over Taiwan.

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/trump-s-national-security-adviser-urges-taiwan-to-build-military-for-possible-chinese-invasion/ar-BB1a72OS?ocid=msedgntp

Alan B.,

Going on your comment I don't think you get the joke.

Taiwan would be a PR issue for China. Taiwan is the new Paris- better to capitulate- but Maoist's are not German's. I pity the Taiwanese and Hong Kong-ese but the US is not going to go to war for Taiwan. I'm suspicious that there is an ancient stream of Chinese thought from the Warring States Period (and Communist) ideology that believes that genocide (and scorched earth of the worst kind) is part of politics.
They seem to be very sensitive to the seeds of dissent- and will act according to cryptic ideology. While the US Communists "talk" of restraint.

Even at it's worst the west has rarely degenerated to this level. Even the Catholic Church and the Roman's despite their perceived tyranny used a federated system.

A.J. Yes to making steel again. And for us that actually means MSR thorium and or, MSR nuclear waste burners. Given the latter would allow us to earn mucho plenty as a suppository for the world's nuclear waste. As annual billions we'd earn for providing the service.

And use this new money, annual billions, to do/pay for, the required modest R+D, given we do not have to junk any previous R+D. And would mean we could have a few research reactors up and running in just a few months! What stands in the way? A few hopelessly incompetent politicians with conflicting interests?

This sane approach would enable commercial power prices of below a cent PKWH! As soon as we'd solved a few minor issues.

And enough waste heat to crack the water molecule to make copious and cheap, cheap hydrogen. Hydrogen we could use as transport fuel and as the basis for green steel! That given a serious level of automation,also the cheapest steel made by anyone, including the Chinese. And shouldn't stop there given this cheapest possible power, would underpin a huge manufacturing capacity and renaissance.

Moreover, MSR thorium would enable the production bismuth 213 and with that production, the quite massive regeneration of the rural and regional economy! Via massive medical tourism! And make the joint drought-proof!

And I don't need to tell you what power as cheap as envisaged would allow as pertaining to water security/desalination and pumping capacity/moving water/affordable, cost-effective/broad-scale irrigation. And the recycling industry!

As for Trump? Well given he has trashed just about every conservative tradition and convention? Can't say I'm too excited about his winning by any means, a likely outcome?

That said you're free to vote any way you choose! It's a free country! God bless these "united states"of America.

You'll have a nice day now y'hear.
Alan B.

Canem Malum,

Nicely said.

But I don't agree with you that the US wouldn't be drawn into a war over Taiwan.

Xi probably thinks you're right on this which might explain why he has no qualms about getting the PLA armed and ready - I assume to invade Taiwan.

Problem I see is that if China takes control of Taiwan without resistance from the US it will move on to take control of SE Asia, the Western Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

If you think I'm talking nonsense then keep in mind that Japan took control of Formosa (Taiwan) prior to trying to extend its empire to SE Asia, Australia and the Western Pacific.

Is it a case of history repeating itself?

Mr Opinion, The world has moved on since 1930s Firstly, Social media which makes sudden changes almost instantly apparent world wide. Second, US ( particularly Under Trump) won't want to go into a War. Biden, the Clintons, Kennedys... The left will willingly be too happy to start a war, its a Democrat right of passage as far as History goes!. Third, war technology is very different. The real worry for the West and initially SE Asia is hacking, finance ( eg Belt'n'Road and economic leverage.

Institutions like UN, WHO, ICCP, NNESCO, IMF are just 'gravy-cruiseships' for the elites and often corrupt members of the world global elite "bluffocrats".

As for Trump mania, I have to smile at you haters' f the mans work. As a person, he is indeed not someone I would chose to befriend, but then I would have wanted to share the same breathing space with the Kennedy Clan ( particularly the Irish old gun runner Joe). Having said that he is getting US troops out of the Middle east, has moved Israel/Arab peace more than any democrat of Republican, he has taken on China, he has shaken up European funding in NATO. He has wiped out ISIS ( as best anyone could at least), nailed the Iran deal, left the WHO, snubbed the gravy boaters in the ICCP and until Covid-19 had rebuilt the US Economy and attitudes. He has even got more blacks and Hispanic in Jobs. Finally he has sorted out the dept of Vet affaires which was a disgrace that know democrat cared about. There is more in education, infrastructure Oil, Shale......

So Alan B anda all you would be Democrats (and I assume Green/Labour here in Oz), stop being so "STOOPEDE" as the Don would say. now that they realize he is playing the media nd you and your own game and winning. Maybe he will loose with the help of CNN et al and Facebook/MSN/Twitter global moguls backing. I have a bet with others and hope to win a god bottle of Red on 3rd Novem(US time)

Alison Jane,

Your arguments do not make sense in the light of what history teaches us about the nature and predictability of war.

I think you want to downplay the chance of China invading countries and expanding its territories is simply because you are sticking your head in the sand and do not want to face the reality of an invasion from the Chinese.

You are like the British followers of Neville Chamberlain who allowed Hitler to have his own way as long as Hitler guaranteed them peace in Europe. They could have prevented WW2 but like you they chose to ignore the writing on the wall.

Come On Mr Opinion, where is you fact checking from Melbourne Unis and the ABC... you must be an American democrat, cos' they would respond to the Supreme Court Packing.... happy weekend

Alison Jane,

Are you alright?

Better than you old chap... As for your British slurs', I assume you think Chamber lain was right and that Whitlam was a Saint!.... we would be speaking Japanese or German, worst still Italian or Arabic. Check your history mate.. try not to be a smart arse... or you might look like Kamal Hharris in the VP debate. Hope the lightning ain't scaring you.

China will agress... it whether the West will respond... I guess you will be in a bunker with greenies hugging vials of precious species seed/sperm/eggs

Enjoy the rain if you live in Sydney.

Alison Jane,

Be a good girl now and one day Squadron Leader West (aka Hasbeen) will take you for a jaunt in his imaginary fighter plane from his imaginary aircraft carrier.

Whoopee doo!. You are such a plonker. I gave up trying to being funny at Grammar School, that a school where you have to win a place and learn history, latin, French, German... before you are allowed to focus on Science like I did. may be one day in your "la la land safe pace" you might be Enlighted. Your silly jokes are cruel to new posters. Grow up and Still I say enjoy the rest of the weekend and "Be Happy"

Just when you think things can't get any worse look at this hot off the web news sites:

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/china-equips-army-with-missile-for-a-possible-invasion-of-taiwan/ar-BB1aaFiF?ocid=msedgntp

Plus Australia, the US, India and Japan are going to have major naval exercises in China's backyard the South China Sea.

Talk about poking a stick into a hornets nest.

Poor old Australia: caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. We need the US to defend us but also need all the cashed up Chinese we can siphon off from the Asian mainland.

Alison Jane,

It's good to see you had an opportunity to get introduced to the Arts subjects but did you study Latin, German and French at university, where it really counts?

You really are a smart-arse. Only to 16 year old, but at a Proper Grammer School in the UK.... So that's probably Uni level where you must have studies!

Have a nice day! and Bonjour, Auf Weidersen petal!

Ps "vale" (if I recall, in latin Mr Opinion.

Alison Jane,

What, you don't recall if you did Latin at university?

That's an odd thing to say.

I remember studying Latin and Greek at university to supplement my studies in ancient history.

Spent a lot of time memorising hundreds of case tables and now I can't remember any of them.

Need glasses Mr O...too many late nights reading history books and memoirs of Whitlam et al!

No my Latin ended at 13, as I clashed with geography and Geology. Not much use for Latin in my "real world"... My why would you do it at Uni, unless you were doing Roman History?, If so, why do that, as we all smirked at School, "Latin is a dead language and now its killing me"

ps Mr O, just to pre-empt you complaining about the abbreviated form of school boy/girl humor, the full version was " Latin is a dead, dead Language, it killed the ancient Romans and now its killing me!".

Perhaps you might demonstrate the value of you Uni education in Latin and translate it into Latin for me, as my old-fart/tart memory would put me past that!

Alison Jane,

Some of us like knowing about all that stuff.

Most don't or just don't have what it takes to be a scholar.

Most are just happy to be workers and never study the Arts things like history, sociology, archaeology, anthropology, philosophy, etc. The Forum is full of them.

Odd thing though is that all those people who have never studied the Arts things at university like SL West, pseudo-mouth, shadyminister, etc put themselves up as people who know all about that stuff. I find that very confusing.

Come on Mr Opinion, show us the value of us educating you in Latin at UNIVERSITY level, and translate that prase form my last comment to you!

PLEASE SIR!

To Mr Opinion- "But I don't agree with you that the US wouldn't be drawn into a war over Taiwan."

Answer- Thanks for your comments Mr Opinion. I guess we will all see what happens with Taiwan- I don't think we will have to wait long.

I respectfully disagree with Alison Jane- I think that the Democrats would be less likely to go to war with China in this case (than the Republicans)- as the far left is mostly supportive of China- for example in the case of Hong Kong.

However Alison Jane is probably correct in her history.

There is much in which I agree with Alison Jane- at least on this thread

Found this interesting article posted yesterday on the web showing how China seems to be on the back foot in Europe:

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-171-initiative-stalls-amid-security-concerns-and-broken-promises/

China is becoming increasingly isolated in the wake of the pandemic and a souring of relations with the West.

I saw where the US is not giving visas to Chinese students on the grounds that it believes that they are Chinese agents. Yet Soot Morrison and his disciples want to force our international border open at any risk to bring in millions of cashed up Chinese into Australia but I never see Soot questioning the nature of the immigrants in the same way the US is doing.

So what's going on? Why don't we just open the floodgates and let the Chinese pour in? Sydney is for all intents and purposes a Chinese city so a few more million Chinese on its streets won't make any difference.

Thanks for the link. Interesting.

Re your query, " what's going on ...", do remember, humour is a two way street and sarcasm is weak trait. We no Lantin translation of the " Latin is a dead dead language, it killed the ancient romans and now its killing me"

Alison Jane,

I don't think Soot Morrison wanting to force open the international border with the aim of swamping Australia with cashed up Chinese constitutes a joke or sarcasm.

For me, large-scale Chinese migration = parasites, spies, and environmental degradation. Sounds like a good title for a book.

Soot is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea: he wants to bring in millions of cashed up Chinese but also needs the US to protect Australia from the Chinese.

Talk about a contradiction!

Question is can we be Chinese and not be Chinese at the same time?

As a migrant from UK, I have been in Oz (and now a dual citizen) more than UK.

All overeats borders are a risk what with global m24/x365-6 travel ( 1o million in air every day if I recall. When I first came here ( my post PhD conf tour reward from my mean supervisor we were all anti bacterial/pesticide(/ or what ever it was)sprayed before landing an even at the mid stop off point. Why not now?

Also come on give me the translation in Latin.

Alison Jane,

I have forgotten all the Latin and Greek I learnt so I'm the last person you want to be getting a translation from.

Like everything, if you don't use you lose it.

I only studied languages to supplement my primary studies.

Also did German, French, Italian which is alright because I can follow some SBS shows and read stuff which is handy when travelling in Europe.

Also did some Japanese (I still don't know why) and could write in katakana and some hiragana but now couldn't put two characters together.

Things people do in their youth.

But I'm definitely not learning Chinese that's for sure.

To Mr Opinion- Thanks for the link on the Chinese "17+1 Initiative" in Central and East Europe (CEE).

I also came across the term DIME yesterday that was new to me...

http://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2018/6/20/dime-not-dime-time-to-align-the-instruments-of-us-informational-power

"Donald M. Bishop
June 20, 2018

The officers I teach at Marine Corps University have long absorbed that American power has at least four elements—diplomatic, informational, military and economic. They use the shorthand DIME."

"All these adversaries, however, propagate ideas that challenge the norms that undergird peace, stability, order, democracy, and prosperity.[2] Ideas must engage ideas, so it’s time for the parts of the U.S. government that deploy informational power to work together.[3] Unifying them is a bridge too far. Something more simple—aligning—would be a good start."

"The informational power of the United States mostly derives from higher education, the media, entertainment and film, advertising,

Unlike American military and diplomatic power, however, this informational power is not controlled, directed, or guided by presidential administrations, national security agencies, or military commands."

"Unaligned, U.S. informational power will be defeated in detail, pushed back by aggressive information adversaries."

The Medici's are also interesting representing the economic power of Florence in the 1400-1500's- they integrated with Western European royalty- eg. English King Charles II. The Medici's originally a banking economic empire eventually developed military capabilities and used science and art as diplomatic power

For those who think China = CCP only and does not = the Chinese people then have a look at this.

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/xi-says-china-will-not-let-security-sovereignty-interests-be-undermined/ar-BB1ajlLE?ocid=msedgntp

It is pretty obvious to me that Xi has the Chinese nation behind him and not just the members of the political elite.

And if you read between the lines it looks like China is getting ready to flex its military muscle - I assume at Taiwan.

This is probably a good time to do it given that the West is occupied with its fight against the Covid pandemic.

Which begs the question Did China unleash the virus on the world with the intention of affecting the world's willingness to stop an invasion of Taiwan?

Just found this current news item saying the US is going to deploy Coast Guard vessels in the Western Pacific to counter the Chinese activities in the region:

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-23/us-to-base-coast-guard-cutters-in-western-pacific-in-response-to-china

Apparently this will include having permanent patrols of the South China Sea which as we all know will be a violation of Chinese territorial claims.

China would be insane to invade Taiwan. They would immediately become international pariahs and exports/ trade would be severely curtailed. I suspect they will play a longer term siege game by isolating Taiwan through interference, eg blocking maritime trade routes with their expanding navy. Basically needling Taiwan into submission. Gaming Taiwan’s political system and installing a more pro-China leader in Taiwan would also be on the cards.
Going back to the international pariah concept, I think China is very concerned about that. They went absolutely off the charts when it was proposed that an international enquiry into the origins of Covid be initiated. I do hope that is pursued. No doubt in my mind the findings will be damning and create a united trove of nations willing to put China back in their box and become a responsible global citizen. No war required, just the facts on the origins of the most catastrophic events we have ever faced.

Don't be so naive.
1. China has trashed the transition agreement signed with those nasty evil imperialist ( UK) . Since 1997, the bureaucracy has been purged of hong kongers and replaced with mainlanders and puppets.
2. They don't invade a territory that the UN has declared NOT to be a State.
3. Qantas and lots of other great Aussie companies have bent the knee to Xi and removed any ref to Taiwan from its organisation!

Say no more!

ViolentEntropy,

Yes, that is one way things might unfold.

But does China have enough time up its sleeve to do things that way?

I don't think so.

Nor do I think that China is too worried about what the rest of the world will think of it if it invades and annexes Taiwan.

I see China as a predator that is on a path to gobbling up adjoining nations all to the benefit of a new Chinese empire ruled by its communist elites.

Begs the question as to how long it might take to gobble up Australia?

Why do you think China has been so eager to populate Australia with its nationals over the past several decades? Think about it.

Yyyyyyaaaaauuuuuppppp! now is that you being straight or sarcastic Mr O

and here is the Chinese ( simplified) version of the School kids grafftti:-
"Latin is a language,
Dead as Dead Can Be,
First it Killed the Romans,
Now It's Killing Me"

Just for you when in 2049, Chiana will complete its 100 strategic plan for world domination! unfortunately OLO poster converts it into computer code!

拉丁是一种语言
死如死，
首先它杀死了罗马人，
现在，它正在杀死我。
Lādīng shì yī zhǒng yǔyán
sǐ rú sǐ,
shǒuxiān tā shā sǐle luómǎ rén,
xiànzài, tā zhèngzài shā sǐ wǒ.

Alison Jane,

If you want to catch some Latin in action I suggest watching the 6 part TV series 'Barbarians' currently streaming on SBS.

Also keep in mind that Latin is alive and well in modern cultures like French, Italian and Spanish and makes up a lot of the English language.

You can even get a copy of Harry Potter printed in Latin.

Up unto the 19th century it was the lingua franca of the scientific community.

It's just unfortunate who didn't progress beyond a secondary education.

Mr O, while I stooped being taught how to read, write and speak latin at 14 years old, and my elder sisters became linguists (French and German) and then teaches, I di have to do French and German till 16 years old ( UK O levels. While we all giggled at the latin is a "dead dead language". it help me thru German and English language O levels, after that Science ruled my A levels and Uni and career.. But I still have my latin-english dictionary and tattered text book.

And as I recalled to a friend last night over a wine or two while watching the rain, we got on to Wilfred Owen and i still could recall one of his finest pieces " Dulce et decorum est". Strong deep words in this "Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" full of self pity and hubris!

ps Mr O... while " dulce et decorum est" is so relevant today " the phrase almost as famous "pro patria mori," is something I was once prepared to hold, but would not now as our society is so selfish and short-sighted.

Alison Jane,

What area of science are you in?

China probably already controls Taiwan using business.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan#Economy

10% of Taiwan residents work in PRC.

This is interesting...

"
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the economic ties between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China have been very prolific. As of 2008, more than US$150 billion[243] have been invested in the PRC by Taiwanese companies, and about 10% of the Taiwanese labour force works in the PRC, often to run their own businesses.[244] Although the economy of Taiwan benefits from this situation, some have expressed the view that the island has become increasingly dependent on the mainland Chinese economy. A 2008 white paper by the Department of Industrial Technology states that "Taiwan should seek to maintain stable relation with China while continuing to protect national security, and avoiding excessive 'Sinicization' of Taiwanese economy."[245] Others argue that close economic ties between Taiwan and mainland China would make any military intervention by the PLA against Taiwan very costly, and therefore less probable.[246]

Taiwan's total trade in 2010 reached an all-time high of US$526.04 billion, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Finance. Both exports and imports for the year reached record levels, totalling US$274.64 billion and US$251.4 billion, respectively.[247]
Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbours in the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Unlike its neighbours, South Korea and Japan, the Taiwanese economy is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, rather than the large business groups. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy co-ordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. Due to the relocation of many manufacturing and labour-intensive industries to the PRC, unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis. This became a major issue in the 2004 presidential election. Growth averaged more than 4% in the 2002–2006 period and the unemployment rate fell below 4%.[250]"