Ben
@benjaminqiu.bsky.social
Lawyer, author; co-chair, Asian Affairs Comm, NYC Bar; former board member, Shanghai Foreign Correspondents Club; youth basketball and track coach
Reposted by Ben
1/14
This very good Robin Harding article points out that the purpose of trade should be the exchange of goods, and not the mercantilist accumulation of assets abroad.
www.ft.com/content/f294...
This very good Robin Harding article points out that the purpose of trade should be the exchange of goods, and not the mercantilist accumulation of assets abroad.
www.ft.com/content/f294...
China is making trade impossible
Europe has nothing to offer and difficult decisions to make
www.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
1/14
This very good Robin Harding article points out that the purpose of trade should be the exchange of goods, and not the mercantilist accumulation of assets abroad.
www.ft.com/content/f294...
This very good Robin Harding article points out that the purpose of trade should be the exchange of goods, and not the mercantilist accumulation of assets abroad.
www.ft.com/content/f294...
Reposted by Ben
There is never any daylight between the positions of Russia and JD Vance.
November 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
There is never any daylight between the positions of Russia and JD Vance.
Guess which of these two is threatening to recall the other to active Navy duty, and to be prosecuted under military law for urging troops to disobey illegal orders.
November 26, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Guess which of these two is threatening to recall the other to active Navy duty, and to be prosecuted under military law for urging troops to disobey illegal orders.
Suburban middle school joke just heard — Why don’t the Chinese believe in Santa Claus? Because all toys are made there.
November 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Suburban middle school joke just heard — Why don’t the Chinese believe in Santa Claus? Because all toys are made there.
Reposted by Ben
At least one insurrectionist goes to jail
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
Bolsonaro to Start Serving 27-Year Sentence Over Coup Plot
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:45 PM
At least one insurrectionist goes to jail
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...
I stand with Mark Kelly.
November 25, 2025 at 2:11 AM
I stand with Mark Kelly.
Today’s America resonates with China ~2013-2018 when independent institutions disappeared one after another, but there was still money to be made, and much naive optimism remained… before Xi declared permanent chairmanship, Hong Kong got murdered, and the remaining nonconformists got rounded up.
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Today’s America resonates with China ~2013-2018 when independent institutions disappeared one after another, but there was still money to be made, and much naive optimism remained… before Xi declared permanent chairmanship, Hong Kong got murdered, and the remaining nonconformists got rounded up.
Reposted by Ben
JD Vance and Peter Thiel are running a sustained operation out of the White House designed to acquire Greenland, either voluntarily or by force. Thiel has laid out plans for what he intends to do with the island nation in past writings. It doesn't entail the consent of the Greenlanders for anything.
November 23, 2025 at 8:52 PM
JD Vance and Peter Thiel are running a sustained operation out of the White House designed to acquire Greenland, either voluntarily or by force. Thiel has laid out plans for what he intends to do with the island nation in past writings. It doesn't entail the consent of the Greenlanders for anything.
Reposted by Ben
President Zelensky: "We are facing one of the most dangerous periods in Ukrainian history, a choice between losing our dignity and freedom and losing US support. We choose dignity. My answer is my oath of office. I did not betray Ukraine in Feb 2022 and we won’t betray in now."
November 22, 2025 at 12:43 PM
President Zelensky: "We are facing one of the most dangerous periods in Ukrainian history, a choice between losing our dignity and freedom and losing US support. We choose dignity. My answer is my oath of office. I did not betray Ukraine in Feb 2022 and we won’t betray in now."
Reposted by Ben
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
America abandoning its leadership of the free world, even undermining the latter by teaming up with Russia, is powerful signal for China to do what it wants.
Expected. Although, the headline should have been "US threatens to cut intel, weapons to press Ukraine to surrender" Because that peace deal is nothing but capitulation.
November 21, 2025 at 4:37 PM
America abandoning its leadership of the free world, even undermining the latter by teaming up with Russia, is powerful signal for China to do what it wants.
Reposted by Ben
Behind this important reversal is a member of the Coast Guard who saw what was happening and had the courage to leak it to the press. That person deserves serious praise.
November 21, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Behind this important reversal is a member of the Coast Guard who saw what was happening and had the courage to leak it to the press. That person deserves serious praise.
Beijing really does not understand.
November 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Beijing really does not understand.
Reposted by Ben
There is nothing more American than standing up for the Constitution. And that's something Donald Trump will never understand.
November 21, 2025 at 3:41 AM
There is nothing more American than standing up for the Constitution. And that's something Donald Trump will never understand.
Shame on Vanderbilt and the University of Texas to even consider partially accepting the Trump administration’s “compact.”
@uarizona.bsky.social Rejects Compact, Others Leave Options Open
Monday’s deadline to provide feedback on the Trump administration’s proposed deal passed with no signatories and silence from some university leaders invited to join. https://bit.ly/3Wk8cOe
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
Monday’s deadline to provide feedback on the Trump administration’s proposed deal passed with no signatories and silence from some university leaders invited to join. https://bit.ly/3Wk8cOe
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
November 21, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Shame on Vanderbilt and the University of Texas to even consider partially accepting the Trump administration’s “compact.”
Reposted by Ben
I guess one way to distract people from your friendship with a sex criminal is to claim that you are friends with a political murderer.
November 21, 2025 at 2:36 AM
I guess one way to distract people from your friendship with a sex criminal is to claim that you are friends with a political murderer.
Apparently no joke. As with financial corruption of the White House family, anything goes.
November 21, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Apparently no joke. As with financial corruption of the White House family, anything goes.
The Big Lebowski has a quote for every frame of reference.
November 21, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The Big Lebowski has a quote for every frame of reference.
A risk of China in effect banning its people from traveling to Japan for leisure, is that the Japanese tourism industry might find itself doing fine without Chinese visitors.
November 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM
A risk of China in effect banning its people from traveling to Japan for leisure, is that the Japanese tourism industry might find itself doing fine without Chinese visitors.
How federal agents used to deal with local protestors.
November 20, 2025 at 3:01 PM
How federal agents used to deal with local protestors.
And now again Team Trump asks Ukraine to to capitulate to a Russian “peace plan.” Shameful.
Following the Russian missile strike on Ternopil, 26 people have been confirmed killed and 22 remain missing. Search and rescue efforts are still underway.
November 20, 2025 at 1:10 PM
And now again Team Trump asks Ukraine to to capitulate to a Russian “peace plan.” Shameful.
Time for Japan to dig into its archives for documents of the Chinese Communist Party's collaboration with the Imperial Army during WWII.
November 20, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Time for Japan to dig into its archives for documents of the Chinese Communist Party's collaboration with the Imperial Army during WWII.
Not sure whether to be more troubled by Larry Summers’ buddy relationship with J Epstein, by his sexual relationship with Keyu Jin, daughter of a CCP leader and polished propagandist for Beijing under the guise of academia in London, OR by the two code-naming an Asian woman “peril.”
November 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Not sure whether to be more troubled by Larry Summers’ buddy relationship with J Epstein, by his sexual relationship with Keyu Jin, daughter of a CCP leader and polished propagandist for Beijing under the guise of academia in London, OR by the two code-naming an Asian woman “peril.”
It you listened to this (yet another insightful) episode of Drum Tower, and hear the naive statements by a German CDU politician and member of Bundestag that “China is not USSR” and “this is no Cold War 2.0” (which appears to be the mainstream of its politicians), you’d see why Germany is screwed.
In the latest Drum Tower podcast, I'm joined by former co-host @dsorennie.bsky.social to ask if Germany's big bet on China is turning into a costly mistake. We also reminisce about the VW Santana and hear from Johannes Volkmann, German MP & grandson of Helmut Kohl. www.economist.com/podcasts/202...
China shock 2.0: why Germany is worried
Our weekly podcast on China. This week, could Germany’s big bet on China turn into a costly mistake?
www.economist.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
It you listened to this (yet another insightful) episode of Drum Tower, and hear the naive statements by a German CDU politician and member of Bundestag that “China is not USSR” and “this is no Cold War 2.0” (which appears to be the mainstream of its politicians), you’d see why Germany is screwed.