Robert Rust
@rrucs.bsky.social
China Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists Global Security Program.
US-China relations, especially on nukes, arms control and the like. Views my own, likes/RTs ≠ endorsements. I'm not here representing Hardbodies.
US-China relations, especially on nukes, arms control and the like. Views my own, likes/RTs ≠ endorsements. I'm not here representing Hardbodies.
Pinned
Little-known fact about Marshal Nie Rongchen: he knew how to put it on
December 12, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Little-known fact about Marshal Nie Rongchen: he knew how to put it on
Reposted by Robert Rust
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
My blog on China's new arms control white paper. Short on arsenal details, long on sticking to the same nuclear thinking. Interesting bits include focus on developing countries' right to emerging tech for development and risk reduction with Chinese characteristics. blog.ucs.org/robert-rust/...
How Should We Read China’s First White Paper on Arms Control in 20 Years?
China's government says it remains open to arms control, characterizing the expansion of its nuclear arsenal as consistent with a defensive military posture.
blog.ucs.org
December 11, 2025 at 7:45 AM
My blog on China's new arms control white paper. Short on arsenal details, long on sticking to the same nuclear thinking. Interesting bits include focus on developing countries' right to emerging tech for development and risk reduction with Chinese characteristics. blog.ucs.org/robert-rust/...
China MFA response to Trump approving H200 chips for sale to China. "We've noted the relevant report. China has always advocated that both sides can win through cooperation." www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_f...
美批准向中国出售英伟达H200人工智能芯片，外交部回应_大国外交_澎湃新闻-The Paper
12月9日，外交部发言人郭嘉昆主持例行记者会。 彭博社记者提问，美国总统特朗普称将批准向中国出售英伟达H200人工智能芯片。请问中方是否会允许购买这些H200芯
www.thepaper.cn
December 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
China MFA response to Trump approving H200 chips for sale to China. "We've noted the relevant report. China has always advocated that both sides can win through cooperation." www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_f...
I’m trying China’s weird hybrid food concoctions so you don’t have to. This morning I had a tamarind Americano. Extremely foul.
December 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
I’m trying China’s weird hybrid food concoctions so you don’t have to. This morning I had a tamarind Americano. Extremely foul.
First thing Norwegian news outlets do when a natural disaster happens is find a random Norwegian on site to say "yep, the ground shook for real"
December 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
First thing Norwegian news outlets do when a natural disaster happens is find a random Norwegian on site to say "yep, the ground shook for real"
The Trump NSS is kind of Chinese in the sense that it doesn't really name specific countries in the general summaries ("foreign actors," "adversarial powers") kind of like China saying 个别国家 when it means the US.
December 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The Trump NSS is kind of Chinese in the sense that it doesn't really name specific countries in the general summaries ("foreign actors," "adversarial powers") kind of like China saying 个别国家 when it means the US.
Professor Li Bin (2001) on the risks of China responding to MD efforts by growing its arsenal. Of course, few would think in 2001 that China's economy would be on the verge of $14k/GDPPC in 2025. Thus, if you have more money and concerns about survivability persist, you end up with arsenal growth.
December 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Professor Li Bin (2001) on the risks of China responding to MD efforts by growing its arsenal. Of course, few would think in 2001 that China's economy would be on the verge of $14k/GDPPC in 2025. Thus, if you have more money and concerns about survivability persist, you end up with arsenal growth.
Well this seems pretty unambiguous
December 5, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Well this seems pretty unambiguous
Most storefronts on Meituan (China's online food delivery++ app) are either called like Mr. Li's Dumpling Shop or If These Fried Noodles Aren't The Best You've Ever Had In Your Life So Help Me God I Will Come To Your Office And Personally Apologize
December 4, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Most storefronts on Meituan (China's online food delivery++ app) are either called like Mr. Li's Dumpling Shop or If These Fried Noodles Aren't The Best You've Ever Had In Your Life So Help Me God I Will Come To Your Office And Personally Apologize
The question is not if I will taste the forbidden spam, the question is when
November 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The question is not if I will taste the forbidden spam, the question is when
Reposted by Robert Rust
Europe’s antitrust chief Teresa Ribera has unleashed a blistering attack on Trump administration, accusing Washington of using “blackmail” to strong-arm the EU into watering down its tech rules
“It is blackmail,” the Spanish commissioner told POLITICO
“It is blackmail,” the Spanish commissioner told POLITICO
Top EU official accuses US of ‘blackmail’ in trade talks
Renewed U.S. pressure for the EU to recalibrate its digital rules is unacceptable, says Teresa Ribera.
www.politico.eu
November 27, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Europe’s antitrust chief Teresa Ribera has unleashed a blistering attack on Trump administration, accusing Washington of using “blackmail” to strong-arm the EU into watering down its tech rules
“It is blackmail,” the Spanish commissioner told POLITICO
“It is blackmail,” the Spanish commissioner told POLITICO
> Open podcast app
> "Interview with a Special Forces-turned Palantir nat sec VP"
> Close podcast app
> "Interview with a Special Forces-turned Palantir nat sec VP"
> Close podcast app
November 27, 2025 at 4:29 AM
> Open podcast app
> "Interview with a Special Forces-turned Palantir nat sec VP"
> Close podcast app
> "Interview with a Special Forces-turned Palantir nat sec VP"
> Close podcast app
Happy Thanksgiving, China's State Council just dropped a white paper on "China's arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation in the new era." Will post more in this thread as I work through it: military.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1127...
国务院新闻办公室发布《新时代的中国军控、裁军与防扩散》白皮书--军事--人民网
新华社北京11月27日电国务院新闻办公室11月27日发布《新时代的中国军控、裁军与防扩散》白皮书。白皮书指出，进入新时代，在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引下，中国坚定不移推进中国式现代化建设，积
military.people.com.cn
November 27, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Happy Thanksgiving, China's State Council just dropped a white paper on "China's arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation in the new era." Will post more in this thread as I work through it: military.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1127...
Reposted by Robert Rust
The Trump admin will tear down the entire human rights system--and treat the most respected jurists like terrorists--to protect Israel's leaders from accountability for what essentially the whole world recognizes to be terrible crimes. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
The Trump admin will tear down the entire human rights system--and treat the most respected jurists like terrorists--to protect Israel's leaders from accountability for what essentially the whole world recognizes to be terrible crimes. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Per the online conversation some months ago about the lying commies stealing the Nationalists’ thunder in war commemoration, here are a few pics from 上海四行仓库纪念馆, a Shanghai museum dedicated to a company of KMT soldiers who defended a warehouse from the Japanese during the battle of Shanghai in 1937.
November 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Per the online conversation some months ago about the lying commies stealing the Nationalists’ thunder in war commemoration, here are a few pics from 上海四行仓库纪念馆, a Shanghai museum dedicated to a company of KMT soldiers who defended a warehouse from the Japanese during the battle of Shanghai in 1937.
The Last Days of Hitler/The Hermit of Peking. Hugh Trevor-Roper had the juice.
Ok BlueSky: what are your favorite history books in terms of sheer page-turning, narrative propulsion? Thinking along the line of Killers of the Flower Moon, etc. Nonfiction chronicles that read like novels or movies.
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 PM
The Last Days of Hitler/The Hermit of Peking. Hugh Trevor-Roper had the juice.
“One more thing: price of the fish going down.”
Here we go - China has told Japan it will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, according to a Kyodo News report citing a government source.
This thing is spiralling big time
This thing is spiralling big time
Developing | Beijing tells Tokyo it will suspend Japanese seafood imports: Kyodo News
People’s Daily commentary says the withdrawal of Sanae Takaichi’s words and deeds is the ‘only correct approach’ for Japan.
www.scmp.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:58 AM
“One more thing: price of the fish going down.”
Value-brand Hermann Fegelein.
Bovino: "We're ratcheting operations up in Chicago. That's a very corrupt system in Chicago. Whether it's those elected leaders like Pritzker or those out of control judges, Chicago needs some attention. You're gonna see some very dynamic operations."
November 14, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Value-brand Hermann Fegelein.
Been enjoying the daily salaryman shuttle with my suited brethren on the Tokyo subway. Variety is the horseradish-mustard sauce of life.
November 14, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Been enjoying the daily salaryman shuttle with my suited brethren on the Tokyo subway. Variety is the horseradish-mustard sauce of life.
Alan Dershowitz the one person on here listed under a nickname
What do we make of this email, sent from Epstein to himself a week before he was arrested with the subject line “List for Bannon Steve” with just a list of names.
November 13, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Alan Dershowitz the one person on here listed under a nickname
