Interests in common: Should China join the Global SOF Network?

[Bill Moore]

A potential opening, but I don't recommend anyone placing bets on combined operations anytime in the near future. Still, any progress could be positive over time.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/...ref=world&_r=0

For Obama and Xi, Fight Against Islamic State a Brief Moment to Agree

Both countries have flagged that President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping will discuss the issue when they meet on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing.

Much more in the article, but this addresses the rub between China and the U.S., who are terrorists? and what is the appropriate response?

"The United States stands by its decision to designate ETIM a terrorist organization by executive order in 2002. Furthermore, we support the U.N. designation of ETIM," Daniel Russel, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told Reuters.

QUID PRO QUO?

Russel, however, noted that Chinese government measures in Xinjiang "stoke discontent" and dismissed the idea that there was a shift to lend Beijing's policies more credence in return for less criticism from China on U.S. operations in Syria in Iraq.

[davidbfpo]

A Tweet by Professor Bruce Hoffman, a CT SME, following a NYT article (behind a pay wall):

Chinese diplomats suggested that China’s experience in tackling terrorism could even be usefully shared with other countries.” Expect this argument to become more prevalent in a world where the values of Western liberal democracy are derided & undermined.

Link:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/w...-nations.html?

The linked Reuters report lists you signed, all are paragons of virtue:

As well as Saudi Arabia and Russia, the letter was signed by ambassadors from many African countries, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Belarus, Myanmar, the Philippines, Syria, Pakistan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Link:https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ch...-idUKKCN1U721L