abc.net.au

CosmoNova , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

I think this is what the surprised Pikachu meme was created for.

GreatAlbatross , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China
@GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk avatar

I can't see how anyone involved with allowing this isn't complicit.
What possible reason did the police of a foreign nation need to be physically there for, other than physically removing someone?

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

Ms Wang's whereabouts are unknown. She may still be in China or she may have faced trial and since returned to Australia, as have some of the 16 Australian-based Fox Hunt targets who returned to China since 2014 to face trials there.

It looks like it's been catch-and-release once the Chinese embezzler returns enough stolen money.

As criminal prosection goes, that's incredibly cushy. Far nicer than what a drug importer would expect.

And it appears to be reciprocal, as Australians are known to flee to China to evade arrest as well.

sheogorath ,

But isn't punishment for embezzlement in China death? Ohh I just did a cursory search and it's only for serious cases.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/china-sentences-top-banker-to-death-for-corruption-and-bigamy

Lai Xiaomin, previously chairman of one of China’s “big four” state-controlled asset management firms, China Huarong Asset Management Co, had pleaded guilty to the dozens of charges. He had been accused of soliciting almost 1.79bn yuan ($276.7m) in bribes over 10 years, a period when he was also acting as a regulator.

A high ranking state official who extorted over a quarter billion dollars got the death penalty.

The death sentence for Lai, in one of China’s biggest financial crime cases, was handed down without a two-year reprieve – a commonly added caveat that allows death sentences to be commuted to 25 years, or life in prison after two years.

TheEighthDoctor , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

They do it because they can and there are no consequences, it's not the wolf's fault for eating the sheep, its the shepherd who left the door open.

Decoy321 ,

Nah it's still the wolf's fault, even when the shepherd is terrible. Take the wolf out of the equation, and the sheep live regardless of the shepherd's capabilities.

AppleTea ,

Deer populations have doubled

AppleTea ,

Rabbit populations have octupled

AppleTea ,

Local flora has decreased

AppleTea ,

Desertification has increased

Decoy321 ,

Fun hyperbole, but this all assumes wolves are the only predators.

AppleTea ,

And your metaphor was a fun oversimplification.

Red_October , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

"Escort back to China" sure is a weird way of saying they kidnapped her.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

Traditionally, countries will have extradition agreements that facilitate arrest of criminals in flight.

Thanks to break down in relations between China and Western states, it has become increasingly common for Chinese embezzlers and con-artists to flee abroad with cash assets in hopes of evading arrest.

Of course, this works both ways with Australian felony suspects hiding in China to the same effect.

In 2017, the Turnbull government abruptly withdrew from parliament a proposed Chinese extradition treaty following significant backbench discontent.

Since then, the Australian government has resorted to various agreements with MPS and other Chinese security agencies as a means of cooperating with China on criminal matters.

So this becomes an end run for both countries to seek "voluntary" extradition, primarily by threatening potential accomplices and family property in the original country.

And it exists for good reason. You generally don't want your country to become a haven for fraudsters because they'll keep committing fraud in their new country.

Yvette Wang, accused of being an accomplice of exiled and indicted Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, pleaded guilty in New York last week to defrauding many investors out of over $1 billion in "a complex scheme," prosecutors said.

zephyreks ,

Fraud in China has far worse consequences than fraud in Australia. Even if I were to be arrested, I'd prefer it to happen in Australia where I can get off with a slap on the wrist.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

Even if I were to be arrested, I’d prefer it to happen in Australia

https://nit.com.au/05-02-2024/9636/roebourne-regional-prison-cells-still-without-air-conditioning-in-extreme-heat

On Monday, as the temperature soared to 43 C in Roebourne, the Service revealed the "distressing outcome" is that prisoners are still living in cells without air-conditioning, in "conditions that could prove fatal from heat stress or heat stroke".

Enjoy yourself, I guess.

barsquid ,

How much you want to bet that jail has even a single white collar criminal in it exposed to 43 C heat?

Aradina ,

Fraudsters aren't being shipped to a regional prison in one of the most remote areas of the country lol

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

True. White collar crimes getting the white glove treatment isn't unusual in the West, no matter how many lives are ruined.

nomous ,

I'll take 43C/109F to a forced labor internment camp but you do you.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

I’ll take 43C/109F

I would pass on it.

nomous ,
UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

Oasis agriculture in the Tarim Basin occupies a large part of the population

In the Tarim Basin, July temperatures average about 80 °F (27 °C)

...

After the Cultural Revolution, political and economic policies were moderated, leading to widespread improvement in the livelihood of farmers and pastoralists and to relative stability and economic growth in the region. This was accompanied—especially from the late 1990s—by increased economic investment in Xinjiang, as well as by an influx of Han from other parts of China.

Sounds awful. Enjoy your Australian prison.

nomous ,

And you enjoy your Chinese internment camp, maybe your organs will fetch a nice price for the apparatchik.

Or maybe westerners will look and point drunkenly at your plasticized, dissected body for entertainment.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

Premier Exhibitions Inc is an Atlanta, Georgia-based company that organizes traveling exhibitions.

The Chinese of Atlanta Georgia?

nomous ,

The one I saw was in Las Vegas but every single body was Chinese.

The reality is I'd rather sit in a Aussie prison in 46/115 heat than in a Chinese prison at a nice balmy 25/77.

Do you think the Chinese prison system is a better place than the Australian prison system?

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

I’d rather sit in a Aussie prison in 46/115 heat than in a Chinese prison at a nice balmy 25/77.

I'm sorry if Chinese people make you feel so uncomfortable that you'd rather broil than be near them

nomous ,

I have no issue with Asian people. It's the prison system that's the issue, but you know that and just want to cry racist because claiming the Chinese prison system is preferable is laughable at best, nice try tankie.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

It’s the prison system that’s the issue

The Chinese prison system. Whereas the Australian prison system that kills people with heat stroke isn't a problem, because...

the Chinese prison system is preferable is laughable

Of course. Its doing all the progressive-y policies that big liberal states like California rolled back under the Reagan Era. Rehabilitation, job training, quality health care, and public reintegration are all policies the US system dismantled a generation ago, because it was seen as "Hugs for Thugs" and "Soft on Crime".

nomous ,

You're going to believe whatever you do tankie, the rest of us know reality.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

believe whatever you do

It helps to base beliefs on sound data and observational evidence.

the rest of us know reality

Shouting "tankie" at your computer monitor is not a sign of strong reality-based reasoning.

nomous , (edited )

I'm the only one that's posted any links to any data or "observational evidence" (tips fedora lol neckbeard). All you've done is vaguely hint at Chinese prisons being preferable to Aussie ones.

I've never really gotten to see one of you in the wild.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

I’m the only one that’s posted any links to any data

Ah, so you're delusional. Cool.

nomous ,

Fascinating.

Ever visted?

TachyonTele ,

They're not saying they want to go to prison in Australia. They're saying it would obviously be better than going to prison in freaking China.

I feel like you're a Chinese prison salesman or something.

UnderpantsWeevil ,
@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world avatar

They’re not saying they want to go to prison in Australia.

No, they're just hanging their hat on "China Always Worse".

you’re a Chinese prison salesman

That's a sane and logical conclusion

TachyonTele ,

they’re just hanging their hat on “China Always Worse”.

Compared to Australia? Yes, going to prison in China would be worse.

TokenBoomer ,

Thanks. That’s what I needed to know.

mycathas9lives , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

I am not supplies

Erdgeist ,

Surprised

wick ,

You callin' him a liar? >_>

Treczoks , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

There must have been some kind of cooperation, Australia has custom offices and border controls at airports and harbours. They won't let her out without looking at her passport, etc.

x0chi ,

Read the news better..

grue ,

Maybe they shoved her in a diplomatic pouch.

Mango , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

Sounds to me like China is asking for a bomb. Australia should give them one. You don't come steal my cat after asking for pets unless you want me to show up at your door and shoot you in the face.

irreticent ,
@irreticent@lemmy.world avatar

!iAmVeryBadass

Mango ,

Would you do less for your cat?

randint , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China
@randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz avatar

Kinda glad where I live there's absolutely no way our government would allow CCP police to reach me. (unless the CCP police goes undercover and kidnaps me)

index ,

Sure about it?

AeonFelis ,

If they talk about the USA - then yes. Not because the government loves its citizens and respects their rights - simply because it hates China.

nomous ,

Depends, are we talking about Chinese nationals or immigrants? They a naturalized citizen? I remember some reports about Chinese people being harassed by Chinese police here in the U.S. just last year.

index ,

Still If there's someone they need in china they would probably trade you over

dumblederp ,

USA doesn't pay enough attention. A few CCP spies with a van and a blackjack could grab someone in USA 100% and you're deluded if you think otherwise.

randint ,
@randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz avatar

Pretty sure there's no way my government would allow it. Sure, secretly kidnapping me might not be too difficult, but my government would never officially give permission to the CCP police to have a talk with me (as the Australian govt. did in this article). I live in Taiwan btw.

CoffeeJunkie , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

Chinese Communist Party's....anti-corruption drive. Next up, we've got prostitutes fucking for virginity. 🤪

GiddyGap , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

Why the heck would Australia even allow Chinese police on their soil? Isn't this usually done by requesting extradition? Makes no sense.

wick , to World News in Chinese police were allowed into Australia to speak with a woman. They breached protocol and escorted her back to China

4 years without a headline. The AFP didn't even consider this objectionable. The AFP are scum.

autotldr Bot , to World News in Chinese nationals are trying to get to Australia by boat over a weak economy and political oppression at home

🤖 I'm a bot that provides automatic summaries for articles:

Click here to see the summary

But as the sun set on the fourth day, strong winds and huge waves saw the group still floating on the ocean, with Li feeling nauseous and hopeless.

What happened next hit national headlines, reviving a fierce debate about border security and boat arrivals that has vexed successive federal governments for decades.

Their fishing boat, carrying six Chinese men on board — including an alleged smuggler — was intercepted by Indonesian authorities as they tried to make their way to Australia.

It's rare to see people from China — a middle-income country — opting for illegal migration pathways to leave, according to Victor Shih, an associate professor in Chinese political science at the University of California, San Diego.

"The latest figure [from the Central Bank] also just simply reveals that people don't find a lot of opportunities for making investments in China at this moment," Professor Yang said.

As the men barely spoke any English, they communicated with officers from the centre through mobile translation apps, and when they had meetings with police and the immigration department, there was an interpreting hotline set up for them.


Saved 93% of original text.

ohwhatfollyisman , to Fuck Cars in How moving freight by rail rather than road could help Australia reduce carbon emissions - ABC News

rails would help hold the load against the bottom of the world. i don't understand how the cars don't just fall off.

ChicoSuave ,

Magnets

nickwitha_k ,

A gentleman's hobby.

Sparhawk87 ,

Reverse hover cars the fans blow up.

Bookmeat , to Fuck Cars in How moving freight by rail rather than road could help Australia reduce carbon emissions - ABC News

These guys have been watching Utopia.

someguy3 , to Fuck Cars in How moving freight by rail rather than road could help Australia reduce carbon emissions - ABC News

The why:

  • Trains pay for their infrastructure, trucks don't pay for the road.

  • Time. Shipping by rail means lots of sitting and shunting into different trains. Trucks can just go.

  • First and last mile. Because we have set up industry and commence to work off road, that means to go by rail has a first and last mile that has to be truck anyway. So double/triple handling adding to cost. I wonder if we'll redo some.

Setting up rails to be autonomous single cars powered by overhead electrical lines that can just go from one location to the next could solve a lot of this.

mondoman712 ,

Your first point isn't exactly true for the rails relevant to the article. Outside some mining railways, the track is owned by the Australian federal government, like the roads. I don't know how the usage fees and tax structures compare between the two modes.

With regards to your second point, it depends on the cargo as to whether that matters. A lot of the cargo will also travel by ship for some of its journey, and that will take a lot more time, so the land side journey time doesn't really matter.

Autonomous pod bullshit doesn't help here. One of the major advantages of rail freight is the economies of scale. You load up a big efficient train full of stuff because you have so much stuff heading in one direction.

The article actually has a quote that sums up the why:

"It's largely due to the inefficiencies of a fragmented national rail network, ailing infrastructure and government policy and investment that favours road over rail."

The answer is just to invest in rail and incentivise its use.

someguy3 , (edited )

That's pretty interesting to hear about the government owning the rail. Wasn't aware anyone did that. Depends on the fees for each but for the ones I'm aware of truck fees are negligible.

This article was talking about "across the country", the example being between Melbourne and Sydney.

Autonomous trains are a legitimate idea. Yes it gets a lot of attention from 'innovators' which make it sound like a scam, but it's legit idea. It has a lot of hurdles to get through. It solves some problems like not having to shunt and move individual cars around which can be a real problem. The economy of scale of one long train is a double edge sword, it introduces a lot of arrangement, assembly, moving individual cars around at the start and finish, and time (cost of inventory in transit is very real). Also it allows one crew (people are expensive) for many cars. I don't think there's a fundamental reason we can't do both on the same system. When you get down to it the benefit of rail is that steel on steel has lower rolling resistance, lower wear and tear, and cheaper infrastructure.

mondoman712 ,

Government owned infrastructure is common outside North America.

Autonomous trains work in sealed environments (e.g. a metro tunnel) and make sense when you're running trains every few minutes or less (e.g. a metro system). For freight the ideas are thrown around to scare workers into agreeing to worse terms under the threat of losing their jobs to automation.

drkt ,
@drkt@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

That’s pretty interesting to hear about the government owning the rail.

Isn't that the norm? Denmark also owns its rails.

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