Sputnik described this as a “globalist attack” against Russia, accused TikTok of being “co-opted” by the US’” deep state”, and even shared a meme on X of their brand shooting TikTok’s.
Yes, that's the word I'd been looking for while reading this. I don't really understand the nuances of the (financial) mechanics but I'm afraid this is disturbing.
The US taking the world off the Gold Standard and forcing all countries to use it's Fiat money with the Fed and IMF in control gives it most of its leverage. Right now the US is stealing the Gold other countries have put in US, UK and other Empire controlled banks. That weakens these countries control over their own purchasing power, but the Empire is also forcing, has forced, countries to give their natural resources and wealth to Empire. Ukraine has sold US and BlackRock most of it's soil and other valuable resources to pay for it's War debt. Ukraine citizens loose their lives (estimate of 600,000), Zelenski and his enablers gain palaces or is it dachas, along with shipments of cash.
Wars are the biggest grift and all that greedy people like him, Millieu of Argentina have to do is sit back and rake in US tax dollars. The citizens don't even know how much of their money belongs to the War Machine, only that services are getting cut and taxes on everything are going up and up. It's NOT immigrants that are taking our money (US disinformation and misdirection project since the 1920s) it's the War Machine. The War Machine includes Congress critters, Media, the Military industry, Isrealhell, the list is long and can't be all that inclusive.
The US Empire is exceedingly and too powerful. So when it comes to Isrealhell or any country committing Genocide, the US ultimately controls that too.
My thought on this Empire dying out is that it's tremendous greed will choke it to death, (like those intoxicated dinner patrons that without thinking try to swallow huge chunks of steak) not that any outside force will do it in. Imagine a force big enough to try the Heimlich Method on it ; ).
"Chew has emphatically told Congress that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government.
However, like most other Chinese companies, ByteDance is legally compelled to establish an in-house Communist Party committee composed of employees who are party members.
Zhang Fuping, the vice president and editor-in-chief of the company’s Chinese operation, serves as its secretary of the party committee. The committee often holds sessions to study the party and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. One session in 2018 was joined by Zhang Yiming and his management team, according to the Beijing government.
Also, like its competitors, ByteDance has had to allow the Chinese government to take a so-called “golden share” in one of its key subsidiaries."
They did have to agree to have CIA and US NSA staff their "watch the free speech" departments on in a deal to prevent the US from forcing them to sell the company.
The empire of lies becomes more repulsive & intrusive by the day. It really does want to be the worlds dictatorial hegemon. The biggest threat to world peace all while the majority of its ignorant populace don't even realise its own rotten deep state corruption consumed with paranoiac casus belli intent.
Do you know the expression, 'taking coal(s) to NewCastle.'? How about
'preaching (or singing) to the choir'?
There's nothing wrong with that but you shouldn't expect it to be met as revelation with the same enthusiasm you might find elsewhere. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense; it's just to say you might find your revelations more enthusiastically welcomed for what they are (revelations) somewhere else, where they might indeed be revelations.
It’s correct to call out tiktok, but it’s a bit to soon for me to call out the culpability of other stakeholders by mere association to the accused. Anyway, I am still learning a lot from your articles. Thanks for the thoughtful pieces thus far.
You're welcome, and thanks. To your point, I find it inconceivable that China's globally renowned social media platform would defy what's (IMO wrongly) presumed to be state policy by censoring Russia's top media.
China's banks already stopped payments to and from Russia for the most part and that one energy company pulled out of Russia's flagship LNG project under US pressure so there's a clear pattern of behavior.
I can’t claim to be an expert of alternative financial plumbing. From my sources, I believe Chinese entities are setting up temporary shell companies to facilitate payments, then close these shell companies later. US is effectively in a whack-a-mole trying to shut down these temporary shell companies that are enabling sino-russia payment. There is enough profitable arbitrage to sell high in the west and source cheaply in the east to offset the cost of these shell companies with very short life spans.
Some workarounds will definitely be created, but the fact that even minor Chinese banks are informally sanctioning Russia contradicts a lot of what both media camps (mainstream and alternative) claimed about their ties.
Yeah, smaller Chinese banks can’t play the shell-game unfortunately due to their disadvantaged size (no economies of scale). It does create lots of inconveniences including supply chain and payment frictions between russia and china, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for their partnership, so long as the benefits are in excess of frictions. Who are paying for these benefits, it is the west thus why the west is experiencing higher inflation. Both China and Russia are having growth rates in excess of their rate of debt accumulation. Can’t say the same for the West.
That's good to learn and I wish them the best of luck but if, as Ellen (above) points out, they've been obliged to "have CIA and US NSA staff..." mightn't they just as well stand with hand on heart every morning, like in school, to recite a little Yankee Doodle oath in chorus?
We hardly read or learn of the difference in the Chinese ruling elite even though it is well known to China experts. From what I have read the CCP has long been divided between a pro-American wing that is mostly based in Shanghai and a more sovereignist grouping represented by Xi Jinping. Apparently both wings peacefully coexist which suggests compromises are made to keep both sides united. Given China's still humongous dependence on trade with the USA, the Shanghai wing, which represents the major industrialists and financiers, must be pressuring the Party and government to make compromises and concessions to meet American extra-territorial demands. What this Tik-Tok ban on RT and Sputnik proves is the Chinese are not immune to American pressure and l\are not independent of their globalist tentacles. Unlike Russia, China iwill be reluctant to militarily stand up to America when push comes to shove.
I have been saying this since 2022 that China is horrible ally of Russia. Just look at how some of the Chinese banks refuse to trade with Russia, how they don't give weapons and drones to Russia, and now this. China is NOT an ally.
TikTok is not a Chinese company and as its CEO carefully explained to the US Congress, it is independent of China and based in Singapore. At least, that is the public face. TicToc is also under considerable threat from the US security state and it probably caved to US force, thinking that if it can please the bully, the bully won't beat it up.
China and Russia must navigate this period of change such that a China is able to prepare for the 2026'ish SCS conflict (https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2024/september/prize-law-can-help-united-states-win-war-2026) the US will wage. China will not give the US an opportunity to speed the conflict up. This situation benefits both Russia and China in the medium run, though in the short term, there are serious difficulties.
Of course, U$a is pulling every string it can to prevent its fall as world giant. As world giant it has lots of strings everywhere. Surely Chinese businesses, banks & just about everything else are tied in some way to U$a & UK. All of this heightened animosity is fairly new, the worst in the last three years or so. So, it takes time to "de-risk." Both Russia & China know this. While there will be tensions & flare-ups in reaction to various compromises, both also know the strategy is to divide. They know that is suicide for them, so, they will find ways to patch up differences. They will work on BRICS until a real alternative exists knowing full well it will be attacked in every way until the giant finally falls.
This is alarming in that the US Empire appears to be able to crush BRICS, too. Makes me uncertain if any country can get around US Hegemony/Dictatorship. They have already stolen many countries Gold and other valuable assets. I was really hopeful that these group of countries could weaken Empire's grip on the whole world. The US is creating division, it's major tool, between BRICS, other Country's relationship, US and other country's population and populations against their own governments.
Of course, we can expect U$a to do this to its full ability. It is the desperate pulling of strings & straws that we all do when we feel we are losing something of existential value. It provides some relief for a while but cannot stop the ultimate slide. BRICS will persevere.
I truly hope you're right. I live in the seat of this Empire and I know my family won't escape the impact of a dying Empire, but I want it to happen. I hate what this Empire is doing. It didn't have to go down this polluted road.
There is just as much money to be made in peace and even influence, maybe not the cruel adrenaline, dopamine and testosterone dominating power Empires get Hard On, but altruism feels good too. Altruism supplies dopamine and other kinds of highs Countries can enjoy, plus actual friendships and help in times of crisis.
There's more, though I don't know all the list of perks of being good and honest are. That's why education in humanities, integrity and philosophy are, to me, more important and should be started in the first years of a child's life and schooling. Maybe, if 1800s Big Business didn't run the Public Education Dept. from the beginning of it's inception... Government's have always known control of education equals control of thought.
Just look at what is happening in the States in all the schools starting with the Fascist Florida Governor. Germany knew and Isrealhell knows this, being fascist governments that practiced/practice thought control from before children can talk (in Isrealhell's case).
There must be hope and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Cuba, Columbia and so many others that are paving the way are giving us all the Light. They are the true "Shining Cities on the Hill" to rip a lie from the West's narrative and apply it properly.
Humanity is experiencing a massive paradigm shift from "I, ME, MINE," to "WE, US, OURS." If we look at it from a personal point of view, each of us knows how powerful "owning" something can be. We are driven to violent reactions to defend, protect or retaliate when we feel we are losing something, whether material or social, such as prestige. We must "play this out" on the large screen for all of us to see. This is the consequence of mass-murder to own "our" land. We've been doing this for centuries, always being "superior" & "destined." Now we are being called upon to see it for what it is. Homicide is suicide. We are one.
If Mr. Putin or some factions inside Russia had not seen through what PRC is, hopefully this event is enough. I am sure Chinese money also buys a lot of Russian politicians. After all, Russia is a democracy and one can always buy a couple of elected representative if the price is right.
No, it's the might of the US empire. It's huge and had been at it for at least a century. Look at the divisions it creates even amongst populations like the US. They've got us fighting each other on dumb culture stuff, when we really love this country more than the CIA criminal organization that runs drug and human trafficking, money laundering and other illegal operations that turn out to enrich CIA, DEA, FDA, ATF and other HS, all kinds of Alphabet agencies. These operations also create and reenforce their reason to exist by busting doctors and patients for taking Tramadol.
Cheney's 9/11 helped purge of the Deep State for his own agenda/ideology and create all these Military style control over the US and the world. I think it's on this video that Dr. Gilbert Doctorow reveals this, but I'm not sure. https://www.youtube.com/live/yEZ_X0YtE9A?feature=shared
I need to review that video for Dr. Doctorow's opinions. He is always respectable, at least to me. However, I think this case is simpler: TikTok, like so many other Chinese mega companies, and even state companies, have secret stock holdings or controls of senior CCP officials. And these guys' personal assets are in USA or where USA power can reach. The same even for Xi's brothers and sisters. Selective sanctions can directly target CCP officials to change policies. In comparison, broad tariff would impact large scope of trade with unforeseen consequences (at least some of the donors' financial benefits are at risk.) As for USA being controlled by the "security state" and the infighting among the various factions of the "swamp", yes, I think they have always been there. However, over time, the better spooks have died out and the younger generations are more greedy and less skillfully.
Thank you, I didn't take in to account all the levers. There is a decidedly drop in IQ in the Deep State since the purge that I hadn't quite acknowledged or recognized.
Maybe they are reflecting Cheney's personal greed. Cheney may have introduced his biases and general inconsideration of consequences accidentally into the make up of his Deep State. It might be like the fact that scientist or researchers have discovered that creators of AI programs will accidentally introduce prejudices and biases and that they find it very hard (nearly impossible) to correct this problem.
Yep. Place your bets on India. Shambolic chaotic India. Still the biggest and most truly (even if not very much) democratic state in the world. With untapped unlimited potential. Though how to tap it I don't know but I'm sure it is there and the view of India's tumultuous millions fills me with more joy and hope than the view of China's - what ? 'levelled' ? 'processed' ? millions.
"... this represents a disturbing pattern ..."
Yes, that's the word I'd been looking for while reading this. I don't really understand the nuances of the (financial) mechanics but I'm afraid this is disturbing.
The US taking the world off the Gold Standard and forcing all countries to use it's Fiat money with the Fed and IMF in control gives it most of its leverage. Right now the US is stealing the Gold other countries have put in US, UK and other Empire controlled banks. That weakens these countries control over their own purchasing power, but the Empire is also forcing, has forced, countries to give their natural resources and wealth to Empire. Ukraine has sold US and BlackRock most of it's soil and other valuable resources to pay for it's War debt. Ukraine citizens loose their lives (estimate of 600,000), Zelenski and his enablers gain palaces or is it dachas, along with shipments of cash.
Wars are the biggest grift and all that greedy people like him, Millieu of Argentina have to do is sit back and rake in US tax dollars. The citizens don't even know how much of their money belongs to the War Machine, only that services are getting cut and taxes on everything are going up and up. It's NOT immigrants that are taking our money (US disinformation and misdirection project since the 1920s) it's the War Machine. The War Machine includes Congress critters, Media, the Military industry, Isrealhell, the list is long and can't be all that inclusive.
The US Empire is exceedingly and too powerful. So when it comes to Isrealhell or any country committing Genocide, the US ultimately controls that too.
My thought on this Empire dying out is that it's tremendous greed will choke it to death, (like those intoxicated dinner patrons that without thinking try to swallow huge chunks of steak) not that any outside force will do it in. Imagine a force big enough to try the Heimlich Method on it ; ).
Yeah, I'd say that (above) pretty much sums it up.
The question is, 'How is any other 'force' or 'power' going to avoid doing more or less the same thing?'.
'Animal Farm': the Exceptional are always more equal and deserving than others who may be equal to serve them.
The might of the dollar runs through the global, hierarchal network of GSIBs and correspondent banks that are supported by central bank swap lines.
https://www.fsb.org/2023/11/2023-list-of-global-systemically-important-banks-g-sibs/
https://www.bis.org/bcbs/gsib/index.htm
TikTok isn’t a China state-owned company. It’s hq is in US and Singapore, no?
TikTok is a private company, but let's not gaslight that it's not under any degree of state influence.
They didn't have to censor Russian media like Meta and others are doing. This is a disgrace and deserves to be called out.
"Chew has emphatically told Congress that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government.
However, like most other Chinese companies, ByteDance is legally compelled to establish an in-house Communist Party committee composed of employees who are party members.
Zhang Fuping, the vice president and editor-in-chief of the company’s Chinese operation, serves as its secretary of the party committee. The committee often holds sessions to study the party and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. One session in 2018 was joined by Zhang Yiming and his management team, according to the Beijing government.
Also, like its competitors, ByteDance has had to allow the Chinese government to take a so-called “golden share” in one of its key subsidiaries."
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/tech/tiktok-bytedance-china-ownership-intl-hnk/index.html
They did have to agree to have CIA and US NSA staff their "watch the free speech" departments on in a deal to prevent the US from forcing them to sell the company.
This is what Roger Waters said on an interview that included statements about Isrealhell's US's censorship operation last year. Here's one article that backs up what Waters said and there's a bunch more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tiktok-says-biden-administration-pressuring-it-to-sell-company-as-security-concerns-grow
They're still fighting that in court right now.
The empire of lies becomes more repulsive & intrusive by the day. It really does want to be the worlds dictatorial hegemon. The biggest threat to world peace all while the majority of its ignorant populace don't even realise its own rotten deep state corruption consumed with paranoiac casus belli intent.
Yeah, nothing new (t)here, Martin.
Do you know the expression, 'taking coal(s) to NewCastle.'? How about
'preaching (or singing) to the choir'?
There's nothing wrong with that but you shouldn't expect it to be met as revelation with the same enthusiasm you might find elsewhere. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense; it's just to say you might find your revelations more enthusiastically welcomed for what they are (revelations) somewhere else, where they might indeed be revelations.
In any case, you're on the right track!
So what does anyone propose to do about it?
It’s correct to call out tiktok, but it’s a bit to soon for me to call out the culpability of other stakeholders by mere association to the accused. Anyway, I am still learning a lot from your articles. Thanks for the thoughtful pieces thus far.
You're welcome, and thanks. To your point, I find it inconceivable that China's globally renowned social media platform would defy what's (IMO wrongly) presumed to be state policy by censoring Russia's top media.
China's banks already stopped payments to and from Russia for the most part and that one energy company pulled out of Russia's flagship LNG project under US pressure so there's a clear pattern of behavior.
I can’t claim to be an expert of alternative financial plumbing. From my sources, I believe Chinese entities are setting up temporary shell companies to facilitate payments, then close these shell companies later. US is effectively in a whack-a-mole trying to shut down these temporary shell companies that are enabling sino-russia payment. There is enough profitable arbitrage to sell high in the west and source cheaply in the east to offset the cost of these shell companies with very short life spans.
Some workarounds will definitely be created, but the fact that even minor Chinese banks are informally sanctioning Russia contradicts a lot of what both media camps (mainstream and alternative) claimed about their ties.
Yeah, smaller Chinese banks can’t play the shell-game unfortunately due to their disadvantaged size (no economies of scale). It does create lots of inconveniences including supply chain and payment frictions between russia and china, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for their partnership, so long as the benefits are in excess of frictions. Who are paying for these benefits, it is the west thus why the west is experiencing higher inflation. Both China and Russia are having growth rates in excess of their rate of debt accumulation. Can’t say the same for the West.
Yes, some of that has been going on, but the minor banks that used to be involved in this are now complying with the US' sanctions per RT:
https://www.rt.com/business/603586-russia-china-us-sanctions-payments/
Haven't they just (recently) been shaken down by the US Congress, and had to swear some sort of allegiance to the American flag forever and ever?
They're actively fighting those moves in court right now.
That's good to learn and I wish them the best of luck but if, as Ellen (above) points out, they've been obliged to "have CIA and US NSA staff..." mightn't they just as well stand with hand on heart every morning, like in school, to recite a little Yankee Doodle oath in chorus?
ByteDance is own 60% by Americans, 20% by founders and 20% by employees (including 7 thousand in the US):
https://usds.tiktok.com/who-owns-tiktoks-parent-company-bytedance/
So, if you are an investor/owner and you had to choose between being banned in the US and
banning RT/Sputnik, which one would you choose?
I can't remember who said it: "countries don't have friends, only interests".
We hardly read or learn of the difference in the Chinese ruling elite even though it is well known to China experts. From what I have read the CCP has long been divided between a pro-American wing that is mostly based in Shanghai and a more sovereignist grouping represented by Xi Jinping. Apparently both wings peacefully coexist which suggests compromises are made to keep both sides united. Given China's still humongous dependence on trade with the USA, the Shanghai wing, which represents the major industrialists and financiers, must be pressuring the Party and government to make compromises and concessions to meet American extra-territorial demands. What this Tik-Tok ban on RT and Sputnik proves is the Chinese are not immune to American pressure and l\are not independent of their globalist tentacles. Unlike Russia, China iwill be reluctant to militarily stand up to America when push comes to shove.
I have been saying this since 2022 that China is horrible ally of Russia. Just look at how some of the Chinese banks refuse to trade with Russia, how they don't give weapons and drones to Russia, and now this. China is NOT an ally.
TikTok is not a Chinese company and as its CEO carefully explained to the US Congress, it is independent of China and based in Singapore. At least, that is the public face. TicToc is also under considerable threat from the US security state and it probably caved to US force, thinking that if it can please the bully, the bully won't beat it up.
TikTok is based in Singapore and cooperates with the US, including staffing American secret police in 'trust and safety'. Ex: https://www.mintpressnews.com/nato-tiktok-pipeline-why-tiktok-employing-national-security-agents/280336/ Tiktok is not a component of Chinese soft power, or whatever.
China and Russia must navigate this period of change such that a China is able to prepare for the 2026'ish SCS conflict (https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2024/september/prize-law-can-help-united-states-win-war-2026) the US will wage. China will not give the US an opportunity to speed the conflict up. This situation benefits both Russia and China in the medium run, though in the short term, there are serious difficulties.
Of course, U$a is pulling every string it can to prevent its fall as world giant. As world giant it has lots of strings everywhere. Surely Chinese businesses, banks & just about everything else are tied in some way to U$a & UK. All of this heightened animosity is fairly new, the worst in the last three years or so. So, it takes time to "de-risk." Both Russia & China know this. While there will be tensions & flare-ups in reaction to various compromises, both also know the strategy is to divide. They know that is suicide for them, so, they will find ways to patch up differences. They will work on BRICS until a real alternative exists knowing full well it will be attacked in every way until the giant finally falls.
This also indicates that US sanctions are having an impact on China.
This is alarming in that the US Empire appears to be able to crush BRICS, too. Makes me uncertain if any country can get around US Hegemony/Dictatorship. They have already stolen many countries Gold and other valuable assets. I was really hopeful that these group of countries could weaken Empire's grip on the whole world. The US is creating division, it's major tool, between BRICS, other Country's relationship, US and other country's population and populations against their own governments.
Of course, we can expect U$a to do this to its full ability. It is the desperate pulling of strings & straws that we all do when we feel we are losing something of existential value. It provides some relief for a while but cannot stop the ultimate slide. BRICS will persevere.
I truly hope you're right. I live in the seat of this Empire and I know my family won't escape the impact of a dying Empire, but I want it to happen. I hate what this Empire is doing. It didn't have to go down this polluted road.
There is just as much money to be made in peace and even influence, maybe not the cruel adrenaline, dopamine and testosterone dominating power Empires get Hard On, but altruism feels good too. Altruism supplies dopamine and other kinds of highs Countries can enjoy, plus actual friendships and help in times of crisis.
There's more, though I don't know all the list of perks of being good and honest are. That's why education in humanities, integrity and philosophy are, to me, more important and should be started in the first years of a child's life and schooling. Maybe, if 1800s Big Business didn't run the Public Education Dept. from the beginning of it's inception... Government's have always known control of education equals control of thought.
Just look at what is happening in the States in all the schools starting with the Fascist Florida Governor. Germany knew and Isrealhell knows this, being fascist governments that practiced/practice thought control from before children can talk (in Isrealhell's case).
There must be hope and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Cuba, Columbia and so many others that are paving the way are giving us all the Light. They are the true "Shining Cities on the Hill" to rip a lie from the West's narrative and apply it properly.
Humanity is experiencing a massive paradigm shift from "I, ME, MINE," to "WE, US, OURS." If we look at it from a personal point of view, each of us knows how powerful "owning" something can be. We are driven to violent reactions to defend, protect or retaliate when we feel we are losing something, whether material or social, such as prestige. We must "play this out" on the large screen for all of us to see. This is the consequence of mass-murder to own "our" land. We've been doing this for centuries, always being "superior" & "destined." Now we are being called upon to see it for what it is. Homicide is suicide. We are one.
If Mr. Putin or some factions inside Russia had not seen through what PRC is, hopefully this event is enough. I am sure Chinese money also buys a lot of Russian politicians. After all, Russia is a democracy and one can always buy a couple of elected representative if the price is right.
No, it's the might of the US empire. It's huge and had been at it for at least a century. Look at the divisions it creates even amongst populations like the US. They've got us fighting each other on dumb culture stuff, when we really love this country more than the CIA criminal organization that runs drug and human trafficking, money laundering and other illegal operations that turn out to enrich CIA, DEA, FDA, ATF and other HS, all kinds of Alphabet agencies. These operations also create and reenforce their reason to exist by busting doctors and patients for taking Tramadol.
Cheney's 9/11 helped purge of the Deep State for his own agenda/ideology and create all these Military style control over the US and the world. I think it's on this video that Dr. Gilbert Doctorow reveals this, but I'm not sure. https://www.youtube.com/live/yEZ_X0YtE9A?feature=shared
I need to review that video for Dr. Doctorow's opinions. He is always respectable, at least to me. However, I think this case is simpler: TikTok, like so many other Chinese mega companies, and even state companies, have secret stock holdings or controls of senior CCP officials. And these guys' personal assets are in USA or where USA power can reach. The same even for Xi's brothers and sisters. Selective sanctions can directly target CCP officials to change policies. In comparison, broad tariff would impact large scope of trade with unforeseen consequences (at least some of the donors' financial benefits are at risk.) As for USA being controlled by the "security state" and the infighting among the various factions of the "swamp", yes, I think they have always been there. However, over time, the better spooks have died out and the younger generations are more greedy and less skillfully.
Thank you, I didn't take in to account all the levers. There is a decidedly drop in IQ in the Deep State since the purge that I hadn't quite acknowledged or recognized.
Maybe they are reflecting Cheney's personal greed. Cheney may have introduced his biases and general inconsideration of consequences accidentally into the make up of his Deep State. It might be like the fact that scientist or researchers have discovered that creators of AI programs will accidentally introduce prejudices and biases and that they find it very hard (nearly impossible) to correct this problem.
Cheney’s 9/11?
Yep. Place your bets on India. Shambolic chaotic India. Still the biggest and most truly (even if not very much) democratic state in the world. With untapped unlimited potential. Though how to tap it I don't know but I'm sure it is there and the view of India's tumultuous millions fills me with more joy and hope than the view of China's - what ? 'levelled' ? 'processed' ? millions.