Techno‑feudalism is calling for its own international organization, and Trump seems all too eager to oblige.
Pascal Lottaz comments on Trump’s latest feudal fantasy, the so‑called “Board of Peace,” whose permanent membership will cost each state one billion dollars. Clearly, it is an expensive pay‑to‑play scheme.
“Peace Building” — the stated goal of this Billionaires’ Club — appears to mean mostly “building” things and doing business, with little actual peace to be expected.
It seems that the Wild West version of the Multipolar Era belongs to the bold and the shameless. @LauraRuHK ➡️ https://substack.com/home/post/p-185145123

In 1848, Marx and Engels opened The Communist Manifesto with a Gothic trope: "A spectre is haunting Europe — the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Pope and Tsar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and German police-spies."
Today, that spectre has shape-shifted. It no longer announces itself as communism in red banners, but as unease in boardrooms and quiet dread among the Davos crowd. BlackRock's Larry Fink, standing at the World Economic Forum's podium in 2026, speaks of capitalism's "crisis of legitimacy," of wealth accruing to "a far narrower share of people than any healthy society can ultimately sustain," and of artificial intelligence as the decisive test: whether the system can evolve to make more people "owners of growth—instead of spectators watching it happen." These are not the words of a Marxist revolutionary, but of a guardian of capitalism fearing that capitalism would fall under the weight of its own contradictions, not from external revolt alone. AI will accelerate the polarization between a shrinking capitalist class, that is a small elite who owns AI models, data, and infrastructure, and an impoverished proletariat that includes white-collar workers.

As Marx warned, "The monopoly of capital becomes a fetter upon the mode of production... Centralization of the means of production and socialization of labour at last reach a point where they become incompatible with their capitalist integument. This integument is burst asunder. The knell of capitalist private property sounds. The expropriators are expropriated."

Fink and its ilk (managing trillions in assets) talk change to maintain control and power. When they say "we believe prosperity should reach further" they actually envisage a society living off the crumbs that fall from their table. And to pick up those crumbs you need to be on your knees with a digital collar around your neck. @LauraRuHK

On Greenland, Trump’s playbook is unmistakable: launch aggressive, maximalist demands— the outright acquisition or control of the territory—backed by economic coercion, with tariff threats aimed at European NATO allies unless Denmark complied. The pattern is familiar: threaten disproportionate pain, trigger market chaos and diplomatic panic, then extract concessions while claiming victory, retreating just enough to declare a “deal.”
After bombastic declarations and not-so-veiled warnings, Trump announced a vague “framework” on Greenland and the Arctic, withdrew the tariffs, and watched markets rebound. Classic art‑of‑the‑deal theater.
Europe’s response laid bare its structural weakness. Geopolitically and militarily feeble, EU states remain deeply dependent on the US protection racket known as NATO. Energy reliance has shifted to Washington after abandoning cheaper Russian supplies, while digital and technological dependence compounds the vulnerability: American platforms dominate cloud infrastructure, AI models, semiconductors, and data flows, giving Washington leverage far beyond tariffs.
When Trump weaponizes trade, Brussels and national capitals lack equivalent asymmetric tools; retaliatory tariffs risk self‑harm more than punishment, and military pushback is unthinkable.
The EU is left to negotiate the terms of its subordination—chiefly by increasing military spending to ease Washington’s burden. The EU is faced with the choice of being an unhappy vassal or a miserable slave, to paraphrase Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. It's a grim choice, but European sovereignty, in fact, does not exist. Nor does its strategic autonomy; otherwise it would not have alienated Russia and would not have gotten its hands dirty in Ukraine. European sovereignty ends where Washington’s leverage begins. The power asymmetry couldn't be more obvious. @LauraRuHK

Sul dossier Groenlandia, Trump ha riproposto il suo copione abituale: pretese massimaliste — l’acquisizione o il controllo diretto del territorio — accompagnate da minacce di dazi contro gli alleati europei della NATO. Lo schema è collaudato: generare reazioni mediatiche, un po' di panico, poi ritirarsi quel tanto che basta per proclamare di avere un “accordo”.
Dopo dichiarazioni roboanti e avvertimenti non troppo velati, Trump ha accennato a un vago accordo con il segretario della NATO Rutte su Groenlandia e Artico, ritirato i dazi e assistito al rimbalzo dei mercati. Tipico Art-of-the-deal trumpiano.
La reazione europea ha messo in luce fragilità strutturali: geopoliticamente e militarmente deboli, i paesi UE rimangono profondamente dipendenti dal racket di protezione statunitense noto come NATO. La dipendenza energetica si è spostata su Washington dopo aver rinunciato alle forniture russe a basso costo, mentre quella digitale e tecnologica aggrava la vulnerabilità: le piattaforme americane dominano l’infrastruttura cloud, i modelli di intelligenza artificiale, i semiconduttori e i flussi di dati, dando a Washington un potere che va ben oltre i dazi. Bruxelles non dispone di strumenti asimmetrici equivalenti: i dazi di ritorsione colpirebbero più l’Europa che Washington, e una risposta militare è impensabile.
L’UE resta così costretta a negoziare i termini della propria subordinazione, aumentando la spesa militare per rispondere ai desideri di Washington che vuole concentrarsi sulla crescita americana e destinare forze militari e risorse economiche ad altre zone del pianeta (America e Asia Pacifico). L’UE si trova di fronte alla scelta tra essere un vassallo infelice o uno schiavo miserabile, per parafrasare il Primo Ministro belga Bart De Wever. È una prospettiva cupa, ma la sovranità europea di fatto non esiste. E neppure la sua autonomia strategica, altrimenti non avrebbe alienato la Russia e non si sarebbe sporcata le mani in Ucraina. @LauraRuHK

Rabid IPAC dogs have renewed their calls for the EU's executive arm to revoke Hong Kong's special trade status, and to sanction the city's chief executive and officials, in line with existing US sanctions. The anti-China lobby intends to protest against the conviction of Jimmy Lai on national security charges. In case the name doesn't ring a bell, Lai was one of the chief instigators and sponsors of the failed attempts to destabilize Hong Kong through colour revolutions plotted in Washington. @LauraRuHK

One of my Substack subscribers recently contacted me after discovering that we had a mutual friend, Mike Davis, the legendary author of City of Quartz, who sadly passed away in 2022. It's always touching when a reader connects the dots. Mike Davis and I first brushed shoulders in Northern Ireland in the early Eighties, thanks to his Irish girlfriend. Decades later our paths crossed again. By then he had become a towering figure in critical urban studies, one of the most lucid critics of the neoliberal production, representation and consumption of space, and i was conducting a semiotic analysis of the very same urban spaces of inequality in Hong Kong, focusing on how gated communities and symbolic landscapes encode class divisions, myth-making, and neoliberal fantasies.
He invited me to contribute a chapter to his co-edited anthology Evil Paradises. My case study of a gated community analyzed Hong Kong's fantasy California as a prime example of imported dreamworlds and neoliberal space production. Mike really embodied what Gramsci called the organic intellectual of the working class and, like me, was very critical of the academic establishment. After years of militant activism and odd jobs which had shaped our political consciousness and deepened our instinctive distrust of power structures, we both found ourselves teaching at universities. But we never forgot where we came from and our values. When I told Mike I wanted to leave that job, he fully supported my decision, drawing a parallel to his own days working in a slaughterhouse and adding that it was easier to unionize meatpackers than academics.
@LauraRuHK

Russian senator Dmitry Rogozin writes: Europe has long and diligently convinced itself that it could live without Russian oil. That the "green transition" was almost complete, that tankers carrying our oil were a relic of the past, and that energy independence was just about to be achieved. But reality, as usual, turned out colder than the slogans. And darker. And hungrier. Fresh data paints an intriguing picture: shipping companies from G7 countries have suddenly and quietly returned to transporting Russian oil. In the first half of January 2026, nearly a third of Russia's seaborne crude exports—around 3 million barrels per day—were handled by tankers registered in these countries. According to ship-tracking data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea (January 1–14, 2026), G7-flagged, owned, or operated tankers (or those insured by Western P&I clubs) took 31.9% of Russia's crude exports of about 3 million b/d, up from 27.1% in December and 24.4% in November. Western tankers didn't return because anyone had a moral change of heart. It's because economics is a stubborn thing. Russian oil, now at discounted prices (with Urals plunging to lows around $30–34/b in recent months before a slight rebound), has once again become acceptable—even if publicly framed as a "forced measure." It turns out you can't feed people with principles. Especially in winter. Especially when cheap feedstock is missing, factories start shutting down, logistics costs soar, and talk of a bright post-carbon future suddenly starts sounding like late-medieval life: cold homes, expensive candles, and dung in the stove. Without Russian oil, the European economy begins to creak dangerously. And that creaking is audible even through the loud political statements. So the current situation is neither a victory for sanctions logic nor a triumph of principles. It's a moment of quiet reflection—when ideology retreats before the refrigerator, and geopolitics before real energy demand. Meanwhile, a far harsher and more cynical reality is building around Russian oil and Russian seaborne exports in general than the pretty talk of "freedom of navigation." As of January 2026, 924 vessels are already under sanctions, with more than half facing restrictions from multiple countries—and nearly three-quarters of this fleet consists of tankers, the very ships carrying oil, gas, and petroleum products that fill the budget. No coincidences here: they're hitting exactly where it hurts most. Formally, all this is covered by international maritime law: the UN Convention, zones of responsibility, right of passage, exclusive economic zones—the system looks neat and civilized on paper. In practice, however, some coastal states increasingly interpret the rules expansively and, frankly, selectively. Any ship with the "wrong" cargo or "wrong" flag can easily be stopped under pretexts like sanitary concerns, anti-smuggling efforts, or a suddenly discovered national security threat. The particular cynicism lies in the fact that some of the main moralizers aren't even bound by the key norms of maritime law. The US, for example, has never ratified the 1982 UN Convention, yet that doesn't stop it from lecturing others on how to interpret international rules. Sanctions, meanwhile, are used not as a last resort but as an everyday tool of pressure, where law is bent to fit political expediency. As a result, Russia is forced to act pragmatically: plot routes avoiding the territorial waters of unfriendly countries, strengthen coordination with neutral states, think about insurance, vessel escorts, and even armed protection (we should raise the price for pirate seizures of tankers—shoot down a few British helicopters if they attempt to board our ships). I won't elaborate on maritime private military companies or Russian Navy marine units. The issue is urgent, but is not for public discussion. All of this is no longer exotic—it's the new normal in global trade.
@LauraRuHK
https://t.me/rogozin_do/8075

Il senatore russo Dmitry Rogozin scrive: L’Europa si è convinta a lungo e con grande impegno di poter vivere senza il petrolio russo, che la “transizione verde” fosse ormai quasi compiuta, che le petroliere cariche del nostro petrolio fossero un relitto del passato e che l’indipendenza energetica stesse per bussare alla porta. Ma la realtà, come al solito, si è rivelata più fredda degli slogan. Più buia. E più affamata. I dati più recenti dipingono un quadro curioso: le compagnie di navigazione dei paesi del G7 sono tornate improvvisamente e in silenzio a trasportare petrolio russo. Nella prima metà di gennaio 2026, quasi un terzo delle esportazioni russe di greggio via mare – circa 3 milioni di barili al giorno – è stato gestito da petroliere registrate proprio in questi paesi “non amici”. Secondo i dati di tracciamento navale di S&P Global Commodities at Sea (1-14 gennaio 2026), le petroliere con bandiera, proprietà o gestione G7 (o assicurate da P&I occidentali) hanno caricato il 31,9% delle esportazioni russe di greggio, pari a circa 3 milioni di barili/giorno, in aumento rispetto al 27,1% di dicembre e al 24,4% di novembre. Le petroliere occidentali non sono tornate perché qualcuno ha avuto un’improvvisa crisi di coscienza. Sono le fredde leggi dell’economia. Il petrolio russo, a prezzi scontati (con l’Urals che è crollato fino a 30-34 dollari al barile nei mesi scorsi, prima di un lieve rimbalzo), è tornato appetibile. Si scopre che con i principi non si sfama la gente. Soprattutto d’inverno. Soprattutto quando mancano materie prime a buon mercato. Le fabbriche iniziano a fermarsi, la logistica diventa carissima e il luminoso futuro senza combustibili fossili improvvisamente riporta alla mente la vita tardo-medievale: case fredde, candele costose e letame nella stufa. Senza il petrolio russo, l’economia europea inizia a scricchiolare pericolosamente. E questo scricchiolio si sente anche attraverso le dichiarazioni politiche più roboanti. Quindi la situazione attuale non è una vittoria delle sanzioni né un trionfo dei principi. È un momento di silenziosa riflessione – quando l’ideologia si ritira davanti al frigorifero e la geopolitica davanti alla reale domanda di energia. Nel frattempo, attorno al petrolio russo e in generale alle esportazioni russe via mare si sta costruendo una realtà molto più dura e cinica di quanto non lascino intendere le belle chiacchiere sulla “libertà di navigazione”. A gennaio 2026, 924 navi sono già sotto sanzioni, più della metà soggette a restrizioni da parte di più paesi contemporaneamente – e quasi tre quarti di questa flotta sono petroliere, cioè proprio le navi che trasportano petrolio, gas e prodotti petroliferi che riempiono il bilancio. Non ci sono coincidenze: colpiscono esattamente dove fa più male. Formalmente tutto è coperto dal diritto marittimo internazionale: Convenzione ONU, zone di responsabilità, diritto di transito, zone economiche esclusive – sulla carta il sistema appare ordinato e civile. Nella pratica, però, alcuni Stati costieri interpretano sempre più le norme in modo estensivo e, diciamolo chiaramente, selettivo. Qualsiasi nave con il “carico sbagliato” o la “bandiera sbagliata” può essere fermata con pretesti come controlli sanitari, lotta al contrabbando o una minaccia alla sicurezza nazionale. Il cinismo particolare sta nel fatto che alcuni dei principali moralisti non sono nemmeno vincolati dalle norme chiave del diritto marittimo. Gli Stati Uniti, per esempio, non hanno mai ratificato la Convenzione ONU del 1982, eppure questo non impedisce loro di insegnare agli altri come interpretare le regole internazionali. Le sanzioni, nel frattempo, non sono usate come extrema ratio, ma come strumento quotidiano di pressione, dove il diritto viene piegato alla convenienza politica. (1/2) Continua qui ➡️ https://t.me/LauraRuHK/10884

(2/2) Continua da ➡️ https://t.me/LauraRuHK/10883 Di conseguenza, la Russia è costretta ad agire in modo pragmatico: tracciare rotte che evitino le acque territoriali dei paesi ostili, rafforzare la coordinazione con Stati neutrali, pensare a assicurazioni, scorte navali e persino alla protezione armata (bisogna far aumentare il prezzo per la cattura piratesca delle petroliere, tipo abbattere qualche elicottero britannico se tenta di abbordare le nostre navi). Non mi dilungherò su compagnie militari private o reparti della Marina russa. La questione è ugente, ma non si discute in pubblico. Tutto questo non è più l'eccezione: è la nuova normalità del commercio globale.
@LauraRuHK ➡️ https://t.me/rogozin_do/8075

Trilateral talks involving Russia, the US and Ukraine are currently underway in Abu Dhabi, UAE. These discussions represent the first known direct meeting of delegations from all three parties since the escalation of the conflict in 2022. The Russian delegation is led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the head of the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces), Russia's military intelligence agency. Kostyukov, a veteran officer with extensive experience across multiple countries, brings deep expertise in military strategy, tactics, and operational realities on the ground. Kostyukov leading the delegation is a clear sign that not only do military and territorial issues dominate the agenda but they also remain the most difficult ones to tackle. The Abu Dhabi talks serve as a testing ground for whether future diplomatic engagement can bridge deeply entrenched divides. Parallel to the trilateral talks, separate bilateral discussions between Russian and American representatives are addressing economic dimensions of a potential peace settlement. Kirill Dmitriev is engaging with US envoy Stephen Witkoff. These conversations are expected to cover critical postwar issues such as the possible lifting of Western sanctions on Russia, the unfreezing of frozen Russian assets abroad, and potential economic cooperation or reconstruction initiatives that could follow any agreement.
@LauraRuHK

Ad Abu Dhabi, negli Emirati Arabi, sono attualmente in corso colloqui trilaterali tra Russia, Stati Uniti e Ucraina. Queste discussioni rappresentano il primo incontro diretto tra tutte e tre le parti dall'escalation del conflitto nel 2022. La delegazione russa è guidata dall'ammiraglio Igor Kostyukov, capo del GRU, l'agenzia di intelligence militare russa. Kostyukov, che ha una vasta esperienza in numerosi paesi, porta con sé una profonda competenza in strategia militare, tattiche e realtà operative sul campo. La scelta di Kostykov come capo delegazione è un chiaro segno che non solo le questioni militari e territoriali dominano l'agenda, ma rimangono anche quelle più difficili da affrontare. I colloqui di Abu Dhabi fungono da banco di prova per verificare se un futuro impegno diplomatico possa colmare divisioni profonde proprio in merito a queste questioni. Parallelamente ai colloqui trilaterali, si svolgono discussioni bilaterali separate tra rappresentanti russi e americani per affrontare le dimensioni economiche di un potenziale accordo di pace. Kirill Dmitriev sta dialogando con l'inviato statunitense Stephen Witkoff. Queste conversazioni potrebbero riguardare questioni cruciali nel periodo post-bellico come la revoca delle sanzioni occidentali alla Russia, lo sblocco degli asset russi congelati all'estero e potenziali iniziative di cooperazione economica o di ricostruzione. @LauraRuHK

By the end of 2025, Russia's gold exports to China surged dramatically, reaching a record $3.29 billion—an increase of nearly 15 times compared to the previous year, according to data from Chinese customs cited by RIA Novosti. The physical volume of these shipments rose ninefold to 25.3 tons, marking historic highs for both value and quantity in bilateral trade.

Gold's sharp price increase is also making additional Russian deposits economically viable for extraction, potentially unlocking further production capacity.

The development reflects broader shifts in global commodity flows and reserve strategies in light of the US dollar's declining dominance as the global reserve currency.

It's amazing how quickly the ground is shifting under the old financial order. Whether you are in Hong Kong, Moscow, Beijing, or anywhere else tuned into these currents, it's hard not to feel their strength. Hong Kong, for example, is developing into an international gold trading centre, building gold storage facilities, and strengthening support services in insurance, testing and certification, as well as logistics.

@LauraRuHK

Michael Parenti passed away on January 24, 2026, at the age of 92. Born in New York to working-class Italian-American parents, Parenti earned his Ph.D. from Yale and taught at various universities, though his uncompromising critiques of power often cost him academic positions. He paid the price for refusing to soften his analysis or conform to academic orthodoxy. Parenti authored over two dozen books, each one of them a testament to his moral integrity, analytical lucidity and political passion. In them he eviscerated and criticized US foreign policy as ruthless imperialism driven by capitalist needs for markets, resources, and profit, dismantling myths of democracy promotion and detailing the massive human and environmental costs borne by the Global South. He revealed, before Chomsky, how corporate-owned media invent a parallel reality and manufacture consent for elite power. His fiery lectures introduced generations to radical political economy, anti-imperialism, and class analysis.

The best way to honour his memory is to switch off your phone, pick up one of his books https://www.michael-parenti.org/books, sit comfortably and engage in a silent conversation with its author. His voice endures wherever power is questioned and the oppressed defended. So, follow his example, support organizations advancing economic justice, anti-imperialist solidarity, or independent media as these causes were central to his life's work. @LauraRuHK

Hong Kong plays a crucial role in China's financial system as the mainland's premier international gateway, offshore financial laboratory, and bridge to global capital markets. Under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong maintains a separate currency (Hong Kong dollar, pegged to the US dollar), independent legal system, free capital flows, and open financial markets. This distinction allows Hong Kong to perform functions that would be difficult or impossible on the mainland. Which is exactly why Washington tried to destabilize this unique administrative region of China by orchestrating a colour revolution, first attempted in 2014 and then in 2019. Thankfully, both attempts failed and Hong Kong is now emerging as a key hub for both renminbi (yuan) internationalization and international gold trading. In a major boost to offshore yuan liquidity, China's central bank (PBOC) has pledged full support for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to double its renminbi business funding facility to 200 billion yuan (approximately US$28.8 billion), effective February 2, 2026. The expanded facility will allow more Hong Kong banks to tap into the pool for extending yuan-denominated loans to international clients, while the PBOC plans additional sovereign yuan bond issuances in the city to satisfy global demand. https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341220/chinas-central-bank-support-hkma-doubling-yuan-liquidity-hong-kong-lenders?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage Parallel to the yuan push, Hong Kong is accelerating its ambition to become a leading global gold trading hub. Recent milestones include a cooperation agreement signed with the Shanghai Gold Exchange to build a joint gold trading ecosystem and enable cross-border clearing. Authorities are advancing plans for a government-led gold central clearing system, with trial operations targeted for 2026, alongside the establishment of a dedicated gold industry association and expanded storage capacity. These initiatives backed by rising global gold prices leverage Hong Kong's strategic time zone, world-class infrastructure, and deep mainland connections to attract refiners, traders, and investors. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341191/foreign-mainland-chinese-firms-and-start-ups-hong-kong-hit-record-highs-11-surge?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage In a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, not only didn't Hong Kong suffer the fate predicted by Western media and analysts (remember titles such as "The National Security Law is the death knell for Hong Kong"?), the city's role as an international hub keeps growing. @LauraRuHK

Iran to hold talks with Turkey on establishing joint free economic zone.
According to Mehr news agency, this measure will encourage economic cooperation between the two countries, boost trade, simplify transit processes, create new jobs, and develop border regions.
Eight free economic zones are currently operating in Iran: Kish, Qeshm, Chabahar, Aras, Anzali, Arvand, Maku, and Imam Khomeini Airport. Seven more are at the stage of construction. @LauraRuHK

What do we do before Chinese New Year? We embark on a military-style operation known as 大扫除, dà sǎo chú, that involves all family members. Homes are scrubbed from top to bottom: floors, walls, windows, and furniture. Clothes and household items that are broken, worn out, or beyond repair are typically discarded.
This traditional practice is believed to remove energy stagnation, foster renewal, clear space for new belongings and lead to prosperity. XI Jinping is engaging in a similar clean‑up campaign as part of his long war on corruption. Yesterday the People’s Liberation Army Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese military, wrote an editorial mentioning the fall of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, stating, “No matter how many are involved, we will investigate everyone, and no matter how deeply entangled, we will dig until the end.” This comes as five out of seven members of the Chinese military leadership have fallen, suggesting the possibility that efforts to uproot Zhang Youxia’s influence will continue in China ahead of forming the next leadership. PLA Daily stated, “There are no no-go zones in punishing corruption; it is applied comprehensively, and the principle of zero tolerance is maintained.” The newspaper described the latest cleaning operation of the Augean stables as “system purification,” saying, “Politically, we will correct the roots; ideologically, we will remove toxins; and organizationally, we will excise rotten flesh to allow new flesh to grow.” 2026 is highlighted as a critical year (start of the 15th Five-Year Plan and key period for military modernization), calling for stricter self-governance, institutional checks on power, and deeper ideological/political discipline — especially among senior leaders — to ensure the military remains loyal to the Party Central Committee. There is no need to speculate on the type of violations of discipline and law committed by those who are currently under investigation. Details will be provided to the public when these officers are put on trial. For the time being, be wary of the insinuations made by Western media and those who repeat them. They don't know the facts and have a clear interest in spreading lies. @LauraRuHK

Che cosa facciamo prima del Capodanno cinese? Ci impegniamo in un’operazione quasi militare nota come 大扫除 (dà sǎo chú), che coinvolge tutti i membri della famiglia. Le case vengono pulite da cima a fondo: pavimenti, pareti, finestre e mobili. Gli abiti e gli oggetti rotti, logori o irrimediabilmente danneggiati vengono solitamente buttati via.

Si ritiene che questa pratica tradizionale serva a rimuovere la stagnazione, favorire il rinnovamento, liberare spazio per nuovi beni e portare prosperità. Xi Jinping sta conducendo un'operazione di pulizia simile, nell'ambito della sua lunga guerra contro la corruzione. Ieri il People’s Liberation Army Daily, il quotidiano ufficiale dell’esercito cinese, ha pubblicato un editoriale che menzionava la caduta di Zhang Youxia e Liu Zhenli, affermando: «Non importa quanti siano coinvolti, indagheremo su tutti, e non importa quanto siano profondamente radicati, scaveremo fino in fondo.»

Questo avviene mentre cinque dei sette membri della leadership militare cinese sono stati epurati, suggerendo la possibilità che gli sforzi per sradicare l’influenza di Zhang Youxia continueranno in vista della formazione della prossima leadership. Il PLA Daily ha dichiarato: «Non esistono zone franche nella punizione della corruzione; vige il principio della tolleranza zero.»

Il giornale ha descritto l’ultima operazione di pulizia delle stalle di Augia come una “purificazione del sistema”, affermando: «Politicamente, correggeremo le radici; ideologicamente, rimuoveremo le tossine; e a livello organizzativo, taglieremo la carne marcia per permettere alla nuova di crescere.»

Il 2026 è evidenziato come un anno cruciale (inizio del Quindicesimo Piano Quinquennale e periodo chiave per la modernizzazione militare), che richiede una più severa autodisciplina, controlli istituzionali sul potere e una più profonda disciplina ideologica/politica — soprattutto tra gli ufficiali di alto rango — per garantire che l’esercito rimanga fedele al Comitato Centrale del Partito.

Non c’è bisogno di speculare sul tipo di violazioni della disciplina e della legge commesse da coloro che sono attualmente indagati. Al momento nessuno le conosce e, come succede normalmente, esse saranno rese pubbliche durante il processo. Per il momento, diffidate delle insinuazioni dei media occidentali e di chi le rilancia. Non conoscono i fatti e neppure i dettagli delle accuse, ma hanno tutto l'interesse a diffondere falsità e voci prive di fondamento. @LauraRuHK

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun spoke with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov via video link on Tuesday.

Noting that this year marks both the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, Dong expressed China's readiness to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, enhance strategic coordination, enrich the content of cooperation, improve exchange mechanisms, and jointly enhance the ability to cope with various risks and challenges to inject positive energy into global security and stability.

Belousov said Russia is ready to strengthen strategic consultations between the two militaries, deepen practical cooperation in areas such as joint operations and personnel training, and push bilateral strategic cooperation to a higher level. “Since our last meeting in June last year, many events have occurred that have significantly influenced the international situation. The examples of Venezuela and Iran require our departments to organize a constant analysis of the situation in the field of security and take appropriate actions,” noted the head of the Russian defense department.
(Source: CGTN et al.) @LauraRuHK

Il ministro della Difesa cinese Dong Jun ha avuto martedì un colloquio in videoconferenza con il ministro della Difesa russo Andrei Belousov.

Dong ha sottolineato che quest’anno ricorre sia il 30º anniversario dell’istituzione del partenariato strategico di coordinamento tra Cina e Russia, sia il 25º anniversario della firma del Trattato di buon vicinato e cooperazione tra i due Paesi. In tale occasione, ha espresso la disponibilità della Cina a lavorare con la Russia per attuare il consenso raggiunto dai due capi di Stato, rafforzare il coordinamento strategico, arricchire i contenuti della cooperazione, migliorare i meccanismi di scambio e accrescere congiuntamente la capacità di affrontare rischi e sfide, al fine di immettere energia positiva nella sicurezza e stabilità globale.

Belousov, da parte sua, ha dichiarato che la Russia è pronta a intensificare le consultazioni strategiche tra i due eserciti, approfondire la cooperazione pratica in settori come le operazioni congiunte e la formazione del personale, e portare la cooperazione strategica bilaterale a un livello superiore.
«Dalla nostra ultima riunione, tenutasi nel giugno dello scorso anno, si sono verificati molti eventi che hanno influenzato in modo significativo la situazione internazionale. Gli esempi del Venezuela e dell’Iran impongono ai nostri dipartimenti di condurre un’analisi costante della situazione nel campo della sicurezza e di adottare le misure appropriate», ha osservato il capo del dipartimento della Difesa russo.
(Fonte: CGTN et al.) @LauraRuHK

Starmer comes knocking on China's door

Britain’s economy is contracting, unemployment is growing, inflation remains higher than projected and ordinary Britons feel even more miserable than they normally do in winter due to the high cost of heating their homes. Forecasts for the year are grim. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has embarked on a visit to Beijing, the first by a UK leader in eight years. He is accompanied by senior executives from Airbus, AstraZeneca, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover, and other corporate heavyweights. They are all turning to China in search of trade, investment, and a desperately needed boost.

London hopes to secure market access in finance, biotechnology, creative industries, and advanced manufacturing, while drawing Chinese investment to support growth. British officials believe new deals could deliver tangible prosperity at a time of global uncertainty, from volatile transatlantic relations to the threat of fresh US tariffs. Starmer, left with little choice, is moving away from the confrontational stance of past Conservative administrations, which froze relations over bogus claims about Hong Kong, Huawei, Xinjiang and espionage. London now argues that China is “too powerful to ignore” and insists that sustained engagement can make Britain “safer and richer.”
Domestic weakness demands urgent action, and few markets offer the scale and opportunity that China does.

Whether the trip produces concrete results remains to be seen. But the symbolism of this visit is unmistakable. Economic necessity has forced London to knock on a door it had previously slammed shut. @LauraRuHK