Thread by @jinpeili

Lin Zhibao, chief of the People’s Daily, Sichuan Bureau, has written a real whopper of a rant defending China's support of Russia in Ukraine.

Predictably he cites Nazis and Nato, Jews and the US, but there's more, much more.

David Cowhig's original post:
gaodawei.wordpress.com/2022/04/26/lin…

"Thoughtfulness" was published 2022-04-24.

David Cowhig points out that "public intellectuals" are among targets of blame, yet one truly mourns the loss of their influence if this piece is indicative of the second-rate claptrap that has replaced thoughtful debate in China.

The author sees in the Ukraine quagmire a hopeful extension of "China’s strategic opportunity period."

"Due to the sanctions and embargoes imposed by the US and the West on Russia, the vacated Russian market space will be conducive to China’s development of overseas markets"

There is also some quasi-philosophical reasoning of what makes this "bad" war a "good" war, for it will augur in a new era and give rise to a new world order in which China will prevail.

It might not be legal, but it's "heaven-sent."

Lin Zhibo's talking points taken from the working translation on Cowhig's blog, direct phrases in quotes.

"The Russia-Ukraine conflict has provided China with lessons and it is learning in how to resolve the Taiwan issue and how to deal with U.S. and Western sanctions."

"The United States refuses to send troops, revealing its weakness and fear of war — it is losing its reputation as the 'Eldest Brother who takes the lead'”

If "Eldest Brother" did take the lead, what then

Can't win. It's like a bar argument.

"France, Germany and Italy strongly feel that following the US will not only bring no benefits but also entail huge material costs. This means that the alliance between Europe and the US can neither be strong nor long-lasting"

CCTV echoes this point

@polijunkie_aus @DemesDavid

"China, India, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Pakistan, ASEAN, AU, and LAS countries...are not on the side of the US but on the side of neutrality or sympathy for Russia, which would be more prominent without the obscenity of U.S. hegemony."

Iran, Turkey, Cuba, Belarus also cited

"Although the U.S. and the West are manipulating international public opinion, Russian revelations (have) wide international impact, and more and more countries and people are initially seeing the source of the coronavirus and the evil nature of the US."

CCTV echoes this too.

When the public intellectuals "overthrew the pro-Russian elected president Yanukovych at behest of the US, Ukraine’s doom inevitably arrived. Subsequent elected presidents, without exception, were all pro-American Jews who pursued pro-American and anti-Russian policies."

wtf?

"There is even the possibility of Ukraine being dismembered. This is a huge price for Ukraine’s anti-Russian and pro-Americanism and pro-nazification forces and is a national tragedy for Ukraine."

Vision? Veiled threat?
Or just cockamamie theorizing?

"In fact, if Ukraine had not pursued a pro-American and anti-Russian policy, there would not have been a Russian-Ukrainian conflict."

That sounds like peace through submission and forced compliance, but, hey, China is neutral, judicious and peace-loving!

Isn't it?

"Pro-Russian or anti-Russian sanctions marches took place in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, and Greece."

Any sign of disagreement within the West is taken for proof positive of China's pro-Russia argument, not recognized as tolerance for diversity and debate

"The outlook for Europe is not optimistic...they are dissatisfied with American hegemony, manipulation and underhandedness, and their thoughts of seeking autonomy are often overflowing."

Any such "overflow" is sure to get coverage in China which is worried about a united EU.

"In the case of Russia’s war against Ukraine, they are even ignoring the strategic malice of the United States towards Europe, and they are dancing to the American baton at the expense of their own economy...and their stupidity is almost to the extent of brain damage."

"European Commission President von der Leyen, a gynecologist by training, claimed to have found a good way to sanction Russia: creating an account controlled by the EU while importing Russian energy...Its childishness and ridiculousness is evident."

Gynecologist?

"Sanctioning Russia does Japan no good, so why does it do it? The reason is to take the opportunity to express loyalty to its U.S. master; the second is to deliberately create tensions in order to seek an excuse to amend the peace constitution."

-CONCLUSION: "We are experiencing a great change that has never been seen in a century. The so-called big change is that the righteous forces of humanity, led by China and Russia, will break the U.S. hegemonic order."

Strong echoes of Xi Jinping
#chinadream

"The prerequisite for maximizing and realizing the significance of this war is for China and the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America to provide assistance to Russia at present, cooperate with Russia...and join forces in the struggle against U.S. hegemony."

"Russia...has a large number of public intellectuals and U.S. fifth columnists who oppose Putin and the special military operation against Ukraine under banner of peace and anti-war, and have launched demonstrations in dozens of cities."

Discredit antiwar forces to bolster war.

"In the worst case scenario, pro-U.S. forces would seize power in Russia, in which case China and the world’s anti-hegemony forces would face enemies not only from the U.S. and the West, but also from a Russia that has become pro-U.S. We absolutely cannot allow this to occur."

Lin Zhibo concludes by saying Western values such as "presumption of innocence, respect for human rights, freedom of speech, journalistic independence, sanctity of private property...are all false and can no longer be observed" for in practice they tend to favor US supremacy.

He sees the "naked, discredited capitalist hegemony and its ruling order as...falling apart in an unstoppable trend."
"Strangle China!" he adds, is "the consensus of the donkey and the elephant." That is to say it's "the overriding international strategy" of the United States.

Deploying yet another animal metaphor, he says "the United States is a paper tiger, but we must at the same time pay attention to the enemy tactically, and see the United States as a real tiger."

Okay, whatever.

"China must be vigorous, follow the right strategic guidelines, unite all unitable forces, launch a great struggle and march toward a happy and beautiful new world!
This is China’s providential mission!
May Heaven bless China! Justice will prevail!"

Heaven?
Justice?

Whatever

CHINA: WHY WE INCITE
China's official position on Ukraine is feigned neutrality and concern for peace, but its media parrots Kremlin propaganda and blames the war on the US and NATO.

A CCP editor explains the method to the madness:

@threadreaderapp unroll