bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Zhou Xiaoming

Once, according to Chinese legend, there lived a county magistrate by the name of Ye Gong who loved dragons. Ye had them engraved on the columns of his house, painted on the walls, and etched on his bed.
Moved by Ye’s adoration, a dragon decided to descend from the heavens to pay him a visit. However, at the first sight of the dragon at his window, Ye was almost frightened to death before running for his life.
Ye has long gone, but his spirit lives on – perhaps rather surprisingly in the Biden administration.
When the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea were first reported last September, the White House alleged that Russia was behind the attack. To many, the move signified the Biden administration’s readiness to embrace an investigation into the incident.
Such an inquiry would do much to substantiate its accusation. However, at a recent United Nations Security Council session in New York, the US fiercely opposed a resolution calling for a UN-led inquiry into the explosions.
The debate at the UN was prompted by a report on February 8 by Seymour Hersh, an American Pulitzer Prize winner, claiming that Washington was involved in the incident. It provided supposed details of the planning of the covert operation, alleging that US Navy divers planted the explosives that destroyed the pipelines.




Hersh’s claims have caused considerable controversy. They are credible, according to Professor Jeffery Sachs at Columbia University, a former adviser to three UN secretaries general. He said the US is one of a few countries that have both the motive and capacity to carry out the attack.
The Biden administration, however, dismissed the accusations as “complete fiction”. For its part, Russia called for a UN-led inquiry into the explosions.
Currently, Norway and Sweden are conducting their own investigation into the explosions. But some claim these countries are tainted by their associations with the US and Nato – one being a Nato member, the other an active applicant.
Moreover, the exclusion of Russia in the investigation points to a lack of transparency. Apparently, an independent international investigation is essential for finding out what actually happened. It is also critical if the findings of any enquiries are to be credible. Already, there are growing doubts that the world will ever get to know the truth of the explosions.
And yet, the pipeline explosions have global consequences. They were an environmental disaster, which released an estimated 778 million cubic metres of methane – the biggest burst of the potent greenhouse gas on record.
In addition, by pushing up energy prices by four times or so, the bombing of the pipelines has made many Europeans poorer and EU firms less internationally competitive. Its shock waves went far beyond the European continent, wreaking havoc in the global energy market.

The attack also has serious implications for security globally. It elevated the geopolitical contest to the domain of cross-border infrastructure, threatening its security even at peace time.
In this regard, the attack has created a dangerous precedent. If the egregious act is to be repeated or followed, attacks on adversaries’ civilian infrastructure could become a new normal. Consequently, no public infrastructure, be they seabed cables or satellites, would be safe.
The costs would be significant. An enormous amount of resources would, for example, have to be diverted to prevent potential sabotage. Therefore, it is extremely important for the world that those responsible for the explosions be held accountable so that the buds of a new version of state-sponsored terrorism can be nipped.
In opposing a UN-led investigation, the Biden administration maintained that UN resources should be preserved. However, if a small bottle of white powder, as presented by then US secretary of state Colin Powell before the UN Security Council in February 2003, was expected to justify the US invasion of Iraq, an incident of this magnitude certainly warrants a UN-led investigation.


Indeed, UN resources would be well spent on a mission aimed at uncovering the truth about attacks that even Denmark and Sweden deemed to “endanger international security and give cause for our deep concern”. The White House’s objection to the inquiry is nothing short of incomprehensible, especially when it was quick to act in shooting down a Chinese balloon.
On the contrary, the White House should welcome the international investigation. A UN-led inquiry would be a good opportunity for it to vindicate its claim of innocence while belying Russian “disinformation”.
As the Chinese saying goes, a man with a clear conscience would not be stirred by knocks on the door at midnight. To obstruct the international investigation would leave the world with the impression that the White House has something to hide.
Great powers sleepwalked to war in 1914. They are doing it again now
In fact, there would no more effective way to raise suspicion over the Biden administration’s claims of innocence, which would surely undercut the credibility of the US as a responsible international player.
In truth, Ye Gong was merely fond of the dragon’s images, rather than of the dragon itself. Similarly, the Biden administration seems to be enthusiastic about investigations of others, but never of itself, especially when they might expose its own wrongdoings.
Zhou Xiaoming is a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing and a former deputy representative of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva


If the US is not behind Nord Stream explosions, it should have no reason to block a UN investigation

This photo released by the Danish Defence Command shows the gas leak at the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as seen from the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm, on September 27, 2022. Photo: Danish Defence via AFP

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a meeting with foreign media heads in Moscow on February 15. Lavrov accused Denmark and Sweden of not responding to Russian requests to discuss the explosions. Photo: EPA-EFE

Opinion

Comment

World

News

China

An incident with such grave environmental, energy and security implications should be properly investigated with the guilty party held accountable
Having appeared to blame Russia for the explosions, the US should welcome an international investigation – unless it has something to hide


An incident with such grave environmental, energy and security implications should be properly investigated with the guilty party held accountable. Having appeared to blame Russia for the explosions, the US should welcome an international investigation – unless it has something to hide.


United States

US-Russia relations

United Nations

Energy

European Union

Russia

Nato

Joe Biden

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Opinion | If the US is not behind Nord Stream explosions, it should have no reason to block a UN investigation

An incident with such grave environmental, energy and security implications should be properly investigated with the guilty party held accountable Having appeared to blame Russia for the explosions, the US should welcome an international investigation – unless it has something to hide

An incident with such grave environmental, energy and security implications should be properly investigated with the guilty party held accountable

Having appeared to blame Russia for the explosions, the US should welcome an international investigation – unless it has something to hide