爱国自干五🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

For years, the QUAD was hyped up as the grand alliance that would “contain China.” The media sold it as an Asian NATO. Endless headlines, endless summits, endless speeches about “shared values.” But now? Even their own analysts are admitting the cracks are everywhere.

The reality is simple. The United States is overstretched. Washington shifted military assets out of Asia to the Middle East, burned through huge amounts of munitions, then suddenly started trying to reassure nervous allies after Trump’s China visit. That alone tells you everything.

Japan is worried about being abandoned. India is pushing harder for “strategic autonomy.” Australia is getting squeezed economically while being told to take greater risks against China. And the QUAD itself has no treaty, no unified command, no collective defence obligations… just political messaging.

Meanwhile China kept building. Manufacturing. Technology. Infrastructure. Trade. Diplomacy. While the West focused on blocs and containment, China focused on long-term development.

This is why I keep saying: do not underestimate China.

The biggest weakness of anti-China alliances has always been this: they are often united by fear, while China is united by national development and long-term strategy. Eventually reality catches up.

[Loong of the east @loong_of]

The Truth: China Will Continue to Strictly Control the End-Use of Rare Earths Supplied to the U.S.—Approving Only Compliant, Civilian Applications While Denying Military Uses

Yesterday, China's Ministry of Commerce released further factual details regarding the preliminary outcomes of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultations, with the section concerning rare earths drawing particular attention. The specific details are presented below in a Q&A format:

**Question:** The U.S. White House website stated that "China will address U.S. concerns regarding supply chain shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals (including yttrium, scandium, neodymium, and indium). China will also address U.S. concerns regarding prohibitions or restrictions on the sale of equipment and technology for the production and processing of rare earths." What is China's comment on this?

**Answer:** The economic and trade teams from China and the U.S. have engaged in thorough communication and exchange regarding export control issues. Both sides will jointly explore ways to address each other's legitimate and lawful concerns. The Chinese government implements export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and reviews license applications that are compliant and intended for civilian use. China stands ready to work with the U.S. to create favorable conditions for fostering mutually beneficial cooperation between enterprises of both countries, and for safeguarding the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

In fact, regarding heavy rare earths, China possesses an even more pronounced resource advantage; it would be extremely difficult for the U.S. to source sufficient quantities globally—let alone undertake the necessary processing and purification. Heavy rare earths are of critical importance to the defense industry and high-tech sectors, and are essentially irreplaceable.

Notably, the content released by the Ministry of Commerce this time made no mention of semiconductors or chips, indicating that discussions regarding these specific matters are still ongoing.

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

Russia’s President Putin is landing for his 25th visit to China, perfectly timed with the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership and the 25th of their Good-Neighborliness Treaty!

This alliance isn’t some fragile thing, it’s at its absolute BEST period in history and it’s getting stronger and stronger every single day!
Xi and Putin have met over 40 times, guiding this rock-solid bond with deep mutual trust, shoulder-to-shoulder, back-to-back cooperation that no third party can touch or dictate.
The West loves to cry ‘axis of evil’ but the facts are clear: while the US throws tantrums, sanctions, interference and long-arm jurisdiction nonsense, China and Russia are pushing back HARD. They’re the pillar holding up international fairness and justice in a world the Americans keep trying to destabilise. Coordinating in the UN, BRICS, SCO – protecting the Global South and building real multipolarity.

China and Russia are true neighbors who can’t be moved. This partnership is injecting massive stability and positive energy while the US bully keeps trying to divide and conquer.
The US’s unipolar days are finished. The China-Russia machine is only accelerating. Deal with it! The multipolar world is here and it’s unstoppable.

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

🇨🇳🇷🇺UPDATE : Putin is IN Beijing RIGHT NOW, shoulder-to-shoulder with Xi Jinping on day two of this historic visit! While the US and its lapdogs are still crying about an ‘axis of evil’, the two strongest independent powers on Earth are locking arms tighter than ever. 25th visit. 30th anniversary of strategic partnership. 25th anniversary of the Good-Neighborliness Treaty. And they just kicked off the China-Russia Years of Education to train the next generation of unbreakable friendship.This isn’t diplomacy. This is a steel wall. No sanctions, no threats, no colour revolutions can break it. China and Russia are done asking permission from Washington. They’re building the multipolar world in real time, protecting the Global South, smashing unilateralism, and giving the American empire the middle finger it deserves.
The West had its unipolar moment. It’s OVER. This partnership is only getting stronger, faster, and more confident. You were warned. Now watch it happen live. #ChinaRussiaStrong #PutinInBeijing #MultipolarWorldIsHere #TheEmpireIsShaking

[Loong of the east @loong_of]

No one doubts whose orders Australia is following!

This move serves as a concrete manifestation—at the level of key allies—of Australia’s alignment with the U.S. strategy to "de-Sinicize" the global rare earth supply chain. Through a multi-dimensional interplay of policy, finance, and geopolitics, the aim is to undermine China's global influence in the rare earth sector.

Australia is viewed by the United States as the most critical partner in the diversification of critical mineral supply chains. The U.S., acting through institutions such as the U.S. Export-Import Bank, provides financial backing to Australian rare earth projects—for instance, by pledging hundreds of millions of dollars in financing to companies like Northern Minerals. Such financial support often comes with strings attached, requiring Australia to structure project equity and supply chain arrangements in a manner consistent with U.S. strategic interests—including measures to limit the influence of Chinese investors.

Through mechanisms such as the "Critical Minerals Allies and Partners Club," the United States is rallying nearly 30 nations to forge a rare earth supply chain alliance. In an effort to solidify its alliance with the U.S., Australia has adopted a tougher stance on rare earth policy; by demonstrating its "loyalty" within this geopolitical contest, it seeks to secure U.S. support in the realms of security and economics.

The United States and Australia are collaborating on rare earth refining and processing technologies—for example, by supporting Lynas Rare Earths in its efforts to boost heavy rare earth production capacity at its facility in Malaysia. Australia's restrictions on equity stakes held by investors with ties to China facilitate the smoother advancement of U.S.-led technological cooperation projects on Australian soil, thereby minimizing potential interference from Chinese interests.

Thus, while Australia may act as a "loyal" puppet, let it not forget that China remains its largest trading partner—accounting for hundreds of billions of dollars in annual procurement—whereas the United States' annual trade volume falls short of even one-tenth of that figure.

[Angelo Giuliano 🇨🇭🇮🇹 @angeloinchina]

Is Japan truly independent, or just a US vassal state serving elite agendas?

While Japan accuses China of “increasing military activities” in its upcoming 2026 defense white paper, it’s clear who’s really pulling the strings. US elites maintain tight control over Tokyo, turning Japan into a compliant vassal state that obediently advances confrontational policies >> even echoing the interests of compromised networks linked to figures like Jeffrey Epstein and the pedophile elites who wield influence in Washington.

• The thief crying “stop thief” playbook: Japan hypes China’s routine carrier drills in the Western Pacific and exercises around Taiwan >> all legal and defensive in nature. Chinese experts rightly call this distortion a pretext for Japan’s own remilitarization: boosting defense spending, developing offensive weapons, and expanding arms exports while trying to gut its pacifist constitution.

• US-directed escalation: Under American pressure and elite oversight, Japan launches drills on Okinawa’s Sakishima Islands explicitly “with China in mind,” ignoring growing domestic protests against constitutional changes and lethal weapon exports. Tokyo doesn’t act alone >> it follows Washington’s script to contain China at all costs.

• The real drivers: This isn’t about Japanese security. It’s vassal obedience to US elites who benefit from regional tension. The same power circles entangled with Epstein-style networks prioritize dominance over peace, using Japan as a forward base for provocation rather than dialogue.

This manufactured “China threat” narrative fuels instability in the Asia-Pacific, erodes trust, and serves hidden agendas far from genuine defense.

True stability demands sovereignty and negotiation >> not proxy posturing by a controlled ally.

What do you think >> is Japan breaking free, or doubling down on vassal status?

[CounterPointGlobal~DragonQuartzAudio~OlderMensHeal @mariocavolo]

Ignorance is bliss. The government of taiwan itself states that it is a province of China not a country and here's this guy Jimmy boy saying oh no no its a country，，， my god

#China #Taiwan #CounterPointGlobal

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

Donald Trump is heading to China for a state visit from May 13–15, and regardless of your political viewpoint, this is a major moment for the global economy. The fact that this visit is happening at all tells you something important: despite years of tariffs, sanctions, technology restrictions and increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both sides, the United States and China still cannot ignore each other. These are the world’s two largest economies, deeply connected through trade, manufacturing, finance, supply chains and technology, and what happens between them affects almost every country on the planet.

From China’s perspective, this visit projects confidence. Over the last several years, China has faced enormous external pressure from the US and its allies, particularly in areas like semiconductors, AI and advanced manufacturing. But instead of slowing down, China accelerated its push toward domestic innovation and industrial self-sufficiency. Chinese companies are now leading globally in sectors like EVs, batteries, solar, drones and increasingly AI. Beijing likely sees this visit as recognition that attempts to economically isolate China have not achieved the intended result, and that the US still needs to engage with China on trade, manufacturing and global stability.

From the American side, this could signal a more pragmatic shift in strategy. The reality is that many US companies still rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing capacity, rare earth supply chains and consumer demand. At the same time, inflation, supply chain instability and rising global competition have forced Washington to reconsider how far economic decoupling can realistically go. The US still wants to compete with China technologically and strategically, but there is also growing recognition that competition alone cannot define the relationship forever.

This does not mean tensions suddenly disappear. The rivalry between the US and China is still very real, especially around AI, chips, trade, military influence and global leadership. But high-level meetings like this matter because they shape the tone of the relationship moving forward. The next few days could have significant implications for tariffs, export controls, investment, manufacturing and broader market confidence.

Whether people support China, support the US, or sit somewhere in the middle, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the future global economy will not be built around one superpower acting alone. The US and China are both too large, too interconnected and too important to the modern world for that.

[Loong of the east @loong_of]

The American Public: We want to purchase products from China—such as BYD and Huawei—yet, due to trade sanctions imposed by the United States—a nation that professes to uphold a free-market economy—we are unable to freely purchase high-quality, affordable goods

[Loong of the east @loong_of]

China’s research and development of 6G technology currently holds a leading position globally and has entered a critical phase of industrial implementation.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China recently granted the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group a license to utilize 6G experimental frequencies within the 6 GHz band. This authorization supports the group in conducting 6G technology trials in select regions, focusing on technical R&D breakthroughs and verification testing aligned with the typical scenarios and key performance indicators for 6G established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The approval of these experimental frequencies marks a pivotal transition in China’s technological research—moving from the laboratory into the realm of industrial application.

As of June 2025, China accounted for approximately 40.3% of global 6G patent applications, ranking first worldwide; commercial deployment is projected to commence in 2030.

China’s proactive strategic positioning in the 6G sector aims to consolidate its dominant role in next-generation digital infrastructure. This domain is also poised to become a key arena for competition between China and the United States (given its lag in 5G technology and applications, the U.S. is currently channeling full efforts into the R&D and verification of 6G technology).

In December 2025, the United States signed the "Winning the 6G Race" memorandum, designating it as a national roadmap for securing the technological high ground. Currently, the U.S. is prioritizing the development of terminal chips (spearheaded by companies such as Qualcomm and Intel) and integrated artificial intelligence technologies. Furthermore, it has issued joint statements with multiple nations—emphasizing the security, openness, and resilience of 6G—in an attempt to construct a global telecommunications ecosystem grounded in its own values ​​while excluding China.

[Dr. Luke in China @96Stats]

Trump/Xi meeting timing is perfect. He's actually coming to China next month as the one in need for really the first time in a long time, will be very different dynamics

After years attacking China on Covid, tariffs, sanctions etc.. now Trump genuinely needs China’s help on Iran and to get back relations with other countries that they’ve lost. Interesting to see what China will be willing to help with this time, likely want to be a mediator

Which could make others see China as a necessary partner rather than a rival/competitor. Very exciting.

[James Wood 武杰士 @commiepommie]

🚨🇺🇸 US Congress IMPLODES in Rape, Cash & Suicide Scandal Tsunami, “Beacon of Democracy” Exposed as a Moral Sewer 💩

While America lectures the world on “rules-based order” and human rights, its own House of Representatives is tearing itself apart in a fresh wave of sex assaults, stolen taxpayer millions and affairs that ended in suicide. Axios just called it straight: Congress is in full “moral crisis,” teetering on the edge of collapse.

The latest domino to fall? California Democrat Eric Swalwell, once a loud #MeToo cheerleader and frontrunner for California governor, just resigned his congressional seat after multiple women came forward with credible accusations of rape, sexual assault and harassment, including against a former staffer under his supervision. He admits “poor judgment” but denies the worst of it and says he’ll fight the claims. House Ethics Committee had already opened a formal probe. Too little, too late.

At the same time, Texas Republican Tony Gonzales is filing retirement papers after admitting an extramarital affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has been hit with multiple ethics violations for allegedly funnelling $5 million in COVID relief cash straight into her own campaign, federal criminal charges already filed, she still claims innocence. Florida Republican Cory Mills is under fire for domestic violence allegations, false military record claims and more.

This isn’t one bad apple. It’s the whole darn barrel rotting. The bipartisan House Ethics Committee, equal Dems and GOP, has been dragging its feet for years on these exact cases. Swing-district Democrats are now openly furious at the “defective” process. Expulsion needs a two-thirds vote; it almost never happens. Politicians protect their own through backroom deals and voter bases that look the other way. South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace summed it up on X: “The American people deserve a Congress they can trust. The House needs a thorough cleaning.”

This is peak Western institutional decay. The same Washington crowd that obsesses over “CPC corruption” and “authoritarianism” can’t even police its own members without descending into partisan paralysis and public farce. Beijing’s anti-graft drive under Xi has taken down tigers and flies alike with real speed and results, no endless ethics theatre, no “he said/she said” shielding the powerful. China’s system, for all its flaws, delivers stability, accountability at scale and focus on actual governance instead of endless scandal cycles.

America’s “democracy” isn’t collapsing because of China. It’s collapsing under the weight of its own hypocrisy, elite impunity and structural gridlock. While DC distracts itself with this sewer, Beijing keeps building high-speed rail, lifting living standards and shaping a multipolar world that actually works for its people.

The world is watching. The contrast has never been clearer.

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

The world isn’t “talking” about moving away from the dollar anymore — it’s already happening.

And it’s happening quietly at scale. Major banks, sovereign governments, and global institutions are increasingly borrowing in Chinese yuan instead of dollars, and the numbers are now too big to ignore. In March 2026 alone, foreign issuance of Panda bonds tripled year-on-year to 27.8 billion yuan, while total yuan-denominated financing by foreign borrowers has already surged past 218 billion yuan in just the opening weeks of the year, far outpacing the entire trajectory of 2025.

What’s more telling is who’s actually making this shift. Deutsche Bank just issued the largest Panda bond ever by a foreign bank, and it was heavily oversubscribed. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank are both active in the market, while Indonesia managed to borrow in yuan at significantly lower cost than euro-denominated debt issued in the same week. At the same time, Morgan Stanley and Barclays are now repeat issuers, and even Hungary has entered the market with sovereign yuan bonds. This isn’t fringe behaviour, it’s mainstream capital making calculated decisions.

The reason: cost. China’s 10-year government bond yield sits around 1.82%, while the equivalent U.S. Treasury is closer to 4.46%. That gap — around 260 basis points makes borrowing in yuan roughly 60% cheaper. For countries and institutions that already trade heavily with China, the decision isn’t ideological, it’s mathematical. You borrow where it’s cheaper, especially when your trade flows already align with that currency.

The foundations of dollar dominance are starting to show cracks. The dollar’s share of global foreign exchange reserves has fallen to its lowest level since 1995, while China has steadily reduced its holdings of U.S. Treasuries over the past decade. More importantly, the behavior of the Treasury market itself is changing. Research has shown that the traditional “convenience yield”, the premium investors used to accept just to hold the world’s safest asset has turned negative. In simple terms, U.S. Treasuries are no longer behaving like a true safe haven.

Recent market behavior reinforces that shift. During the global bond sell-off triggered by geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices, U.S. and other Western yields spiked sharply, signaling stress. China’s 10-year yield barely moved. That relative stability is exactly what large institutions look for when deciding where to park capital.

Then you layer on what’s happening in global trade and energy flows. Following the recent ceasefire involving Iran, transit through the Strait of Hormuz is reopening, but with a new structure where fees are charged per barrel and can be paid in yuan or Bitcoin, not dollars. This is a deliberate move to bypass the dollar-based financial system, and early indications suggest that yuan settlement was already being used before the announcement. When one of the most critical energy chokepoints in the world starts accepting alternatives to the dollar, it sends a very clear signal about where things are heading.

The yuan now accounts for over a third of China’s cross-border trade settlements, up dramatically from just a few years ago. China is the largest trading partner for more than 120 countries, and when trade is increasingly settled in yuan, those countries naturally begin holding yuan as part of their reserves, and investing in yuan-denominated assets to support that. The rapid growth of both onshore Panda bonds and offshore dim sum bonds reflects exactly that dynamic.

For decades, the dollar’s dominance was built on one core assumption: there was no real alternative. What’s changing now isn’t that the dollar has suddenly collapsed, it’s that the rest of the world is no longer convinced it’s the only option. And once that assumption breaks, it doesn’t easily come back.

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

It’s actually crazy when you step back and look at this objectively.

The United States kicks off yet another geopolitical conflict, tensions spike, supply chains get shaky… and suddenly gasoline prices surge, hardest hitting the very same American consumers this policy is supposed to protect.

That’s not strategy. That’s self-inflicted damage.

it’s everyday Americans filling up their cars, watching costs climb week after week. Meanwhile, oil giants are quietly cashing in on the volatility.

While the West scrambles, China is sitting in a far stronger position than most. It’s been part of long-term planning for over a decade. Massive strategic reserves, diversified energy partnerships, and crucially, continued oil flows from Iran.

So while others are reacting, China is insulated.

This is what real energy security looks like: planning ahead, locking in supply, and not being at the mercy of your own decisions.

Meanwhile, the US?
Driving up global prices… and then paying the bill itself.

That’s not just ironic — it’s a masterclass in how to shoot yourself in the foot on a global scale.

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

NeurIPS — one of the world’s most influential AI conferences — just tried to block 800+ Chinese institutions… and then quickly apologised.

This is the conference where the biggest breakthroughs in machine learning get published. The global stage for AI. And suddenly, hundreds of Chinese institutions — including major tech and research players — were shut out overnight.

This wasn’t about rules. It was about fear.

Chinese teams have been dominating — more papers, higher impact, even overtaking places like MIT in output. Winning awards. Leading key areas of AI. So what happens? The door gets slammed shut… until the backlash forces an apology.

You don’t block nearly a thousand institutions if you’re confident. You do it when you’re losing ground.

And China’s response? No begging. Just action. Academic bodies pushed back, funding pulled, participation reconsidered. Clear message: if the system isn’t fair, we build our own.

Because you can’t ban innovation. You can’t sanction talent. And you definitely can’t stop momentum at this scale.

NeurIPS apologised because the world saw it for what it was: not about science, but about fear of competition.

China keeps moving. Faster. Stronger. And now, more independent than ever.

[Angelo Giuliano 🇨🇭🇮🇹 @angeloinchina]

Pentagon's $12.6 Billion Fixation: Who's Really Provoking Whom?

Why is the Pentagon suddenly demanding an extra $12.6 billion to watch China's every move?
To “counter an unprecedented military buildup in Asia,” Bloomberg tells us.
But isn't this a definite acceleration towards war, making conflict almost inevitable?

Why spend $1 billion upgrading offensive cyber weapons and another billion on the secretive X-37B space plane?
Because apparently only American satellites are allowed to operate without fear of being tracked.
So why fund a “Silent Bark” constellation with $528 million to hunt anyone else’s spacecraft?

Why pour $143 million into underwater sonar webs threading the South China Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea—and every choke point from Miyako to Bashi?
To “patch vulnerabilities,” we’re told.
Yet who laid the first cables, planted the first sensors, and turned international waters into a listening post decades ago?

Isn’t this the textbook definition of the thief shouting “Thief!”?
Washington inflates the “China threat” narrative—then uses it to justify the very arms race it accuses Beijing of starting.
Under Trump, expect a gradual escalation to maximum pressure; as China refuses to bend, this could ignite war—likely another proxy conflict, using U.S. vassal states in the region, fighting China to the last Asian.

How much American taxpayer money will be burned before the world sees through the oldest trick in the book?

[Barrett @BarrettYouTube]

Donald Trump just said the only thing limiting his power is his own moral code.
Not international law. Not treaties. Not global norms.

Let that sink in.

This isn’t leadership — it’s raw power politics. When a U.S. president openly claims he can ignore international law whenever he decides, that’s not “America First”… that’s rogue state behavior.

Military force, economic coercion, political pressure — all on the table, all justified by “national strength.” No rules. No guardrails. Just might makes right.

For decades, Washington lectured the world about a “rules-based international order.” Now the mask is off. If the rules only apply when convenient, they’re not rules at all.

In my opinion, this is dangerous — not just for America’s rivals, but for global stability itself. When the world’s most powerful country decides laws don’t matter, chaos follows.

History shows us exactly how this ends.

[Angelo Giuliano 🇨🇭🇮🇹 @angeloinchina]

The Great Flip: From “Crazy” to $1.5 Trillion

December 3, 2018.
Fresh from G20 photo-ops, Trump tweeted:

> “...an uncontrollable Arms Race... The U.S. spent 716 Billion Dollars [on] Military. Crazy!”

He called it crazy.
He dreamed aloud of sitting down with Xi and Putin to finally stop the madness.

That was the Donald Trump MAGA loved: the outsider who saw the Pentagon grift, who promised to end endless wars, cut the waste, and put America First.

January 7, 2026.

Same man, second term, same platform:

“Our Military Budget for 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars.”

One point five trillion.
More than double the “crazy” number he once denounced (adjusted for inflation).
The peacemaker now wants the biggest military budget in human history to build his “Dream Military.”

The faithful didn’t blink.
The ones who once raged against bloated defense spending now cheer the largest single-year appropriation ever—enough to fund healthcare, infrastructure, debt relief, and still have billions left for more missiles and carriers.

This isn’t ordinary hypocrisy.
It’s narrative jujitsu: turn restraint into costume, discard it when convenient, then convince the crowd the costume was never real.

Loyalty isn’t to principle.
It’s to the man.

The same man who called it crazy… now calls it destiny.

And just like that, the movement that swore to drain the swamp became its most lavish, trillion-dollar tributary.

Welcome to the Dream Military era.
$1.5 trillion dreams are expensive.
Amnesia, apparently, remains free.

[James Wood 武杰士 @commiepommie]

🚨🇺🇸 The Monroe Doctrine Didn’t End: It Was Rewritten and Enforced by a Power-Hungry Nation That’s Gone Mad

In late 2025 the US National Security Strategy formally introduced a “Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine” defining the Western Hemisphere as a US core interest zone and committing Washington to actively enforce dominance there. That includes blocking external powers from controlling strategic assets authorising direct intervention to secure resources and treating migration crime infrastructure and energy as national security issues.

Days later it moved from paper to practice. US forces launched an operation against Venezuela forcibly detaining President Maduro triggering international condemnation and legal backlash. US officials and Trump himself then signalled that further action was possible issuing public warnings toward Colombia Mexico Cuba and others.

This is not the old Monroe Doctrine. The original opposed European colonialism while the Roosevelt Corollary turned it into hemispheric policing and the Trump Corollary drops the moral language entirely.

It openly frames Latin America as an absolute security and resource zone tied to “America First.”

Crucially the strategy explicitly targets “non hemispheric competitors” a clear reference to China and Russia and seeks to block their access to energy ports infrastructure finance and political influence across the Americas.

This is where China and BRICS come in.

Latin America has been drifting toward China led trade finance and infrastructure networks. Venezuela Brazil Bolivia Argentina and others have explored alternatives to dollar centric systems expanded yuan trade deepened BRICS ties and welcomed Chinese investment in energy ports mining and logistics.

From Washington’s perspective that isn’t diversification it’s erosion of control.

Venezuela sits at the centre of this shift the world’s largest proven oil reserves growing cooperation with China and Russia and symbolic leadership of the Latin American left. Trump has since spoken openly about US dependence on Venezuelan oil and the need for access to it. The message is no longer subtle.

This isn’t about democracy.
It’s about resources currency leverage and who sets the rules.

What we’re witnessing is a shift from “the Americas belong to Americans” to “the Americas belong to the United States.”

Less diplomacy, less disguise and more force.

Under international law, these actions are widely regarded as illegal. Using military force against a sovereign state without UN Security Council approval or a valid self-defence claim violates the UN Charter. Domestic criminal charges do not justify invading another country or seizing its head of state and UN officials, legal scholars and multiple governments warn that this breaches Venezuelan sovereignty and the international legal order.

If the US can do this without consequences, it can do it to any country it chooses.

The Monroe Doctrine didn’t disappear; it has escalated.

[James Wood 武杰士 @commiepommie]

🇺🇸 The “Peace President” Just Launched Another War ☠️

Donald Trump loves the title “peace president.” He’s even hinted that he deserves a Nobel for it. But peace doesn’t look like this.

In the early hours of Jan 3, the U.S. launched direct military strikes on Venezuela, which involved air and missile attacks on Caracas, Tiuna Air Base, military facilities, ports and airports across multiple states. Power cut, telecoms disrupted and airspace closed.

No UN Security Council mandate, no Congressional authorisation and no international legal cover. Just force.

According to U.S. media, the operation was personally approved by Trump days earlier. Venezuelan officials say civilian and military targets were hit. President Nicolás Maduro declared a nationwide state of emergency and ordered full mobilisation.

And then came the escalation.

U.S. outlets report that Delta Force carried out a ground operation to seize Maduro and his wife, removing them from Venezuelan territory, an extraordinary act that crosses from coercion into outright regime change by force.

Predictably, condemnation followed:

- Cuba called it state terrorism
- Iran denounced a violation of sovereignty
- Russia signalled an imminent response
- Colombia raised security levels and warned of spillover

Caracas reports at least 10 sites bombed, including areas near the national parliament.

This is the lesson Beijing keeps warning about:

Don’t confuse American rhetoric with restraint. The U.S. doesn’t need permission, not from the UN, not from allies, sometimes not even from its own legislature. It simply acts whenever it wants to.

So when Washington sells itself as a guarantor of “peace” or “rules-based order,” remember Venezuela, remember Iraq, remember Libya, remember that peace, in U.S. terms, often means peace after compliance.

The U.S. are global bullies, they are warmongers, they lie, cheat and steal.