Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 2, 2017

Simon Tisdall, The Guardian: China tears up promises to UK and shows the world who is in charge

Xi Jinping offered no concessions on civil liberties during his visit to Hong Kong

Xi Jinping’s tough talk in Hong Kong reflects growing self-confidence in China’s ability to shape world events and browbeat or ignore less powerful countries such as Britain.

The Chinese president could have thrown a bone to the pro-democracy movement. He could have offered a sop on civil liberties and political rights to western opinion. Instead, he told Hong Kong who’s boss.

Xi the hard man laid down the law according to Beijing. His message: fall into line, or else.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 2, 2017

The Crumbling ISIS Caliphate -- David Ignatius, RCP/Washington Post

Mosul’s fall won’t stop Islamic State spreading fear -- Mohamad Bazzi, Reuters

Iraq: The Battle to Come -- Joost Hiltermann, New York Review Of Books

The 80th anniversary of Japan’s invasion of China -- Jeff

Kingston, Japan Times

South Sudan's million-strong refugee crisis is a test for the World Bank -- Larry Elliott, The Guardian

Macron’s Russia Reset -- Fabrice Pothier, Atlantic Council

Macedonia’s Trump Spammers Fear Golden Age is Over -- Sinisa Jakov Marusic, Balkan Insight

Spain’s lost generation -- Mark Nayler, The Spectator

5 faces of crisis in three months of Venezuela unrest -- Alexander MARTINEZ, AFP

How the rise of Canada is in some ways greater than even America’s -- Conrad Black, National Post

Poland 1st: Why Trump visits ex-communist nation before UK -- Vanesa Gera, AP

Trump’s in a Corner With China. Here’s How He Can Get Out -- Patrick Smith, Fiscal Times

The price of fighting with Trump -- Byron York, Washington Examiner

Why the media has broken down in the age of Trump -- Michael Goodwin, NYPost

Can Bitcoin’s First Felon Help Make Cryptocurrency a Trillion-Dollar Market? -- Brian Patrick Eha, Fortune

Are cryptocurrencies about to go mainstream? -- Edward Helmore, The Guardian