this post was submitted on 31 Dec 2025
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Thoughts?

Is this imperialism by China, a country which is supposed to be left-wing? Leftists are normally anti-imperialism. Wouldn't it be better to let Taiwan democratically decide whether they want to be part of China or not?

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

China will give Trump something to look the other way when they re-take Taiwan, and he'll do it. There will be a huge outcry from both sides, but he will order Hegseth to stand down, and since he's Commander-In-Chief, Hegseth will do it.

There might be an impeachment, but no conviction, and the American people don't know or care enough about Taiwan to want to go to war against China, and eventually it will blow over, and leave another black mark on Trump's legacy, which he won't care about because he got a plane, or a boat, or a pile of money, or permission to build a Trump Tower in Taiwan, or something.

[–] hietsu@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This would be the course if TSMC would have a fab in the US. But since all the tech bros visiting Trump have convinced him that the fabs there are vital for the US silicon hegemony, he will not surrender Taiwan. So it’s the old US can’t afford to lose it, China cannot afford to not have it stalemate until someone somewhere is able to build some modern fabs.

Unless he really is the russo-chinese agent he appears to be. Then all bets are off.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 3 points 1 day ago

We've already seen this scenario over and over, in Syria, in Qatar, etc. He is up for sale, and EVERYBODY knows it.

In Trump's world, there's a price tag on EVERYTHING, and China can afford it. They know that this would be their easiest chance to get it, and I doubt they'll let that opportunity pass.

If the only issue is chips, they'll promise him access to the chips, as well as the bribe. He'll take that without hesitation, they'll renege on their promise, but it will be too late to do anything about it.

Isn't it just such a fucking coincidence you have all these assholes coming to the same conclusions at the same time?

Putin invaded Ukraine and would love to Hitler his way across Europe in the name of "unity."

Trump invades Venezuela, yet pretends to be an antiwar isolationist only taking necessary action to protect the U.S. from the flow of fentanyl (which has never been coming from Venezuela, but why let facts get in the way of a shitty narrative).

Now China will invade Taiwan and the U.S. will refuse to get involved because Trump is totally an "isolationist." (At least when it comes to other continents).

Yep. Totally a coincidence and not a shared strategy for a global fascist takeover by a new axis of evil.

[–] Loco_Mex@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Chinese imperialists will stop at nothing to hurt working class people. Luckily Taiwan isnt intimidated by bullies.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

WW3 all the imperialists are acting at once

[–] Aljernon@lemmy.today 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does this mean Lai Ching-te is gonna to be the president of One China?

Leftists are normally anti-imperialism

You've apparently never spoken to a Marxist-Leninist though some would argue they are not Leftists.

[–] Croquette@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There is a second axis between libertarian and autoritarian.

[–] Aljernon@lemmy.today 1 points 16 hours ago

Ok, that's not Left-Right though. Left-Right is no kings and kings which over time go expanded into a political spectrum with Anarchy on the Far Left and Absolute Monarchy/Dictatorships on the Far Right.

[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

IMO china is making a mistake here. there's one way to poison yourself and that is to eat something that does not want to be eaten. and the same is the case here. china is a successful country and they could just call that a win and leave it at that. instead, they (think they) have to swallow taiwan, and they will poison themselves. they will get a lot of people into their country that do not want to become a part of china, and they will seek to destroy china from the inside, which is much easier to do than from the outside, and this could become a real danger to china. china should not seek to conquer taiwan against the will of its people.

[–] drmoose@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

China has some really big domestic issues right now with record unemployment rates so naturally their drumming up nationalism to distract people. Though AI boom is carrying China through and I really hope they back down.

From what I see on Tiktok right now the propaganda machine is in full swing. Every video on Taiwan is spammed by bots saying "Taiwan is China". With Taiwan's opposition blocking defense budget it 100% seems like China will go through political offense first before invading.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I understand your point, but they seem to have subjugated Hong Kong pretty successfully. I would agree with you more if that hadn't recently happened.

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[–] plyth@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago

IMO china is making a mistake here.

Are they going to conquer or are they just pretending?

The USA has killed the USSR by forcing them into an arms race. China already has the bigger production capabilities. All the bases and aircraft carriers cost resources that cannot be used elsewhere while China still has several hundred million people who seek employment.

[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Now is the perfect time for them to do it, I can see why! America may not even respond.

Yes, I know we are an ally and we're supposed to immediately go to war. So what? We promised to defend Ukraine from Russia, too. Look what happened.

[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Japan has openly vowed to defend Taiwan if China invades.

[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago

How will that stop China? Japan's military is very limited (by design).

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[–] plyth@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The perfect time is in 10 years when China is so technological advanced and culturally leading that the majority wants to join voluntarily.

[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago

As it is now, I don't think there would be any armed resistance to China without American opposition.

China is already backing Russia though, the safer course would be to just wait it out until the dollar collapses. On the other hand, such a war may be the last straw on the camel's back for the USA.

[–] PumaStoleMyBluff@lemmy.world 35 points 2 days ago (2 children)

China, a country which is supposed to be left-wing

Uhh, citation needed? Communism by name only does not a left wing country make

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[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

There is an expression in science that needs to be used more in polysci 'all models are wrong" The right wing vs left wing political spectrum is a model of political ideologies and a very simplistic one at that. It is also used interchangeably for fundamentally different political tenants. Large government-small government, authoritarian - libertarian, capitalist - socialist. Models are only as good as their ability to predict reality and they are always wrong, they are just simplified models of reality. The moment you are confused saying "but if this country is X-wing, why are they Y" You are either misunderstanding the model, misapplying the model, or are misunderstanding the actual value of a model.

[–] homura1650@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The full expression is "all models are wrong, but some are useful"

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[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 17 points 1 day ago (6 children)

For the first time ever in my life, I see someone claiming that China is left-wing. Left and authoritarian are usually at the opposite spectrums.

[–] drapermache@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago

That is what Animal Farm was talking about - that authoritarianism can take over any political ideology. It isn't a anti-communism book, but anti-authoritarianism.

[–] moderatecentrist@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Communism is supposed to be a left-wing position right? But I'm saying I'm not sure I would see China as properly leftist given their behaviour. Wanting to take external territory potentially by force seems imperialist to me, and I would see imperialism as a right-wing behaviour.

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[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 48 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (12 children)

Xi Jinping is an evil scumbag whose goal is to destabilize the world. China needs and deserves Taiwan just as little as Russia needs Crimea.

Taiwan's sovereign status should be ratified in UN asap.

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[–] bunchberry@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

We still posting "news" like it's 1921.

I'd be amazed if China didn't take advantage of the current inept and corrupt American government.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

maybe fix your population crisis, and your HCOL, and the oversaturated degrees leading to low job prospects in your country before trying to distract the populace with "invading taiwan"

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Whomp there goes another treaty

[–] nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

it really sucks for the 90%+ of Taiwanese people who don't want to become part of China

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[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 64 points 2 days ago (7 children)

China hasn't exerted any political authority over Taiwan in 80 years and Taiwan declared itself a separate nation long ago, supported by the will of the people of Taiwan. Anything else is the will of a conqueror.

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[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

One sentence that fell during the Merkel phone spying affair:

Countries don't have friends, they only have interests.

Don't think of countries as people; people have morals and one direction they go. This to some of the comments here.

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