China just declared war. Not with missiles. With lawyers.
“Chinese interest in Venezuela will be protected by law.”
Read that again. Beijing didn’t threaten military action. They announced something far more dangerous to American power: They’re going to make regime change uninsurable.
Here’s what 99% of analysts are missing: This isn’t about $19 billion in Venezuelan loans. This is about $1.3 TRILLION in Belt and Road debt across 150 countries. Every dollar China has lent to Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific—all of it is secured by the same legal fiction: that sovereign leaders can sign contracts that successor governments must honor.
The US just kidnapped a sitting president from his bedroom and flew him to Manhattan. If that precedent stands, every Belt and Road loan is worthless paper. Every port deal. Every railway. Every power plant. Gone. China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t issue a protest. They issued a statement of existential necessity.
They WILL pursue international arbitration. They WILL invoke bilateral investment treaties. They WILL take this to every court from The Hague to Singapore. They WILL make the legal cost of American regime change so catastrophic that the next president thinks twice. Not for Maduro. For the entire architecture of Chinese overseas lending.
Trump told Fox: “There won’t be a problem with Xi.” Xi just answered: There will be 10,000 lawyers. Watch the next 90 days. If China successfully enforces a single contract claim against a post-Maduro government—just one—they’ve established that American regime change doesn’t void Chinese debt. That’s not a victory for Venezuela. That’s a restructuring of global power.
The 21st century won’t be decided by aircraft carriers. It will be decided by who writes the contracts. And who can enforce them after the coup.
Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
canisgallicus 