In another reckless expansionist provocation, the Philippine government has delimited the so-called "baselines of the territorial sea" of China's Huangyan Dao, a move that flagrantly violates China's sovereignty and international law and is doomed to fail.

For @parisreview, Karl Ove Knausgaard writes about Lars von Trier’s The Idiots and Edvard Munch’s The Sick Child (1885–1886), two works bonded by provocation and controversy. Discover this week’s essential film finds in the latest Rushes.

Reuters: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting today that Australia regards China’s recent missile test in the Pacific as destabilizing, and expressed serious concern over the recent South China Sea incident between China and the Philippines. She also said Australia is concerned about “some of the aggression” it is seeing in the South China Sea, and that countries in the region have a choice to make about how to respond. What is China’s response? Lin Jian: China has made its position clear on the Philippine personnel’s malicious attack on Chinese law enforcement personnel. Relevant countries turned a blind eye to the sheer facts of the Philippines’ infringement activities and provocations, made groundless accusations against China, and rehashed “the South China Sea Arbitral Award,” which is illegal, null and void. China firmly opposes such actions. With the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. The root cause of the tension at sea lies with the deliberate infringement activities and provocation of the Philippines. Relevant countries are not parties in the South China Sea, and are in no position to interfere in the maritime issues between countries concerned. Apparently, whenever something happens at sea, the same few countries immediately point their fingers at China regardless of who exactly is at fault. Are they trying to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable, or simply to destabilize? I think the answer is quite clear. We urge relevant countries to stop hyping up tensions and sowing confrontation, and earnestly respect regional countries’ effort for peace and stability in the South China Sea. China will continue firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, rights and interests in accordance with the law, properly handling maritime disputes with parties concerned through dialogue and consultation, working with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and moving forward consultations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea so as to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. On the test launch, China has made clear its position more than once. The launch is a routine training activity of China’s military. It is not directed at any specific country or target. The Chinese side had notified relevant countries including Australia beforehand, as is consistent with international law and customary international practice.

Ren’ai Jiao, as part of Nansha Qundao, is China’s territory. On May 9, 1999, the Philippines illegally grounded a warship there, calling it “stranded.” China requested the Philippine side on multiple occasions to tow away the warship, and the Philippines promised many times to China that it would be removed. But 27 years have passed and the commitment remains unfulfilled. China remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge the Philippine side to earnestly fulfill its commitments, stop at once provocations at sea and the spread of disinformation, and rein in its personnel at the site. Otherwise, all consequences thereof shall be borne by the Philippine side.

Amsterdam, November 2, 2004. The autumn air is crisp as Theo van Gogh—the fiercely provocative great-nephew of the iconic painter Vincent van Gogh—cycles down Linnaeusstraat. He is a man who weaponized free speech, completely unaware that his latest creation has marked him for death. His short film, Submission, had just broadcasted a blistering, visual critique of the mistreatment of women, projecting verses onto the bodies of abused actresses. It was a provocation the radical underground refused to tolerate. Suddenly, a figure steps from the shadows. Mohammed Bouyeri, armed with a handgun and fueled by extremist rage, opens fire. Van Gogh is struck, stumbling from his bicycle, pleading for mercy. But there is no mercy in the theater of terror. Bouyeri closes the distance, firing repeatedly. As Van Gogh lies dying on the pavement, the assailant draws a massive knife, savagely slitting the filmmaker's throat in a near-decapitation. With terrifying deliberation, Bouyeri stabs a second, smaller knife deep into Van Gogh's chest. Pinned to the blade is a five-page manifesto—a chilling warning aimed squarely at the West, free speech, and Somali-born activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who penned the film's script. In broad daylight, European democracy is shaken to its absolute core, sparking a furious, global wildfire over the deadly price of artistic expression.

#FMSays# When asked to comment the decision adopted at the 79th #WHA# not to include #Taiwan-related# proposals from its agenda, and that it marks the tenth consecutive year that the WHA has rejected such proposals, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that it has been the 10th year in a row that WHA has rejected the so-called proposal concerning Taiwan, and this fully demonstrates the unshakable international consensus in support of the one-China principle and the unquestionable authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. Having suffered ten failures over a decade, the DPP authorities clinging to their separatist "Taiwan independence" stance is doomed to failure, and their political farce of seeking separatist provocations to pursue "independence" should come to an end. China will achieve complete reunification, and Taiwan region will return to the embrace of the motherland, Guo said.