China
China banned Australian coal imports because an Australian official called for an investigation into the origins of the Wuhan Coronavirus. So the Oz coal ships sat in Chinese harbors for months, then many diverted to other countries. But much of the Australian coal still sits—stranded in Chinese ports. China has now been paying much more for coal and China is overly dependent on coal power. Production at power plants has been slowed down and, in many cases, shut down. Blackouts are common. Electric prices are soaring. China’s economy is suffering. And worldwide inflation is accelerated. Oz will not apologize and continues to push for the investigation. And, as in the Game of Thrones, Winter is coming…
Just recently, China balked, backing down in part to their Australian overlords, and they are now unloading what remains of the stranded Aussie coal at the Chinese ports. China is in a seriously weakened state now. And they’ve been humiliated by a bunch of huge-steak* and blooming onion-eating surfers (whose version of football most definitely lacks a targeting rule). The latest I’ve found says China is trying to save face by saying the ban on Aussie coal is still on—despite the Chinese rapidly unloading the stranded Australian coal sitting in Chinese ports.
Oz 1
CCP 0
Global Inflation 2
*In Brisbane, I once had a grilled steak that covered the entire plate and drooped over the sides. It was a rump cut, which we use for roasts here in the US. It was good though and very filling.