Tag: china

Disney Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter to Chinese ByteDance To Stop Use of Copyrighted Characters in New Seedance 2.0 AI Video Generator

ByteDance reportedly is vowing to comply.

The release of the revolutionary Seedance 2.0 AI video generator has sent Hollywood into a frenzy, with the Motion Picture Association and several class organizations firing on all cylinders against the Chinese company ByteDance.

Now, Disney has gone one step further and sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, accusing it of ‘using Disney characters to train and power the AI generator without permission’.

Reuters reported:

“Disney said ByteDance had pre‑packaged Seedance with a pirated library of copyrighted characters from franchises including Star Wars and Marvel, portraying them as if they were public-domain clip art, the person said.

The letter alleges Seedance is reproducing, distributing and creating derivative works featuring Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and other characters, the person added.”

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Jury Convicts Chinese National in $2M Scheme Targeting Elderly Bank Customers

A federal jury has convicted a Chinese national of using his role as a bank employee to access confidential client information to target elderly customers and create a scheme to steal their money and then use it for his personal benefit.

After a five-day trial in front of U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese, Yue Cao, 36, was found guilty on 10 counts of bank fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering.

Court documents and evidence presented before the jury showed that Cao was a quant analytics manager at an Ohio-based bank who was hired to help protect customers from fraud. 

Instead, from about 2022 to 2023, he used his access to steal the identities and money of elderly customers who had not enrolled in the bank’s online services. 

He did this by first using an offshore service to create email addresses in the names of more than 100 victims. 

Then, he used these emails to enroll the victims in online banking—all without their knowledge or authorization. Additionally, Cao directed the victims’ bank statements and other notifications to the email addresses he created. Because he controlled their online banking, he transferred the victims’ money directly to his personal bank and credit card accounts.

He also used the victims’ identities to open accounts in their names without their knowledge and transferred their money into them. Some of these were brokerage accounts, where he then engaged in options trading using their money. He even arranged trades between the unauthorized accounts he set up and his own brokerage account.

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Feds charge 11 in Florida for marriage fraud scheme targeting US service members

Federal authorities have unsealed a sweeping indictment charging 11 people in connection with a marriage fraud conspiracy that allegedly recruited U.S. military service members, particularly Navy personnel, to enter sham marriages with Chinese nationals to evade immigration laws and provide illicit benefits, including unauthorized access to military installations. 

The three-count indictment, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, alleges the conspiracy operated from March 2024 through February 2025 and spanned multiple states, with fraudulent weddings staged in Florida, New York, Connecticut and Nevada.  

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Red Defection: CIA deploys new video seeking to lure Chinese soldiers to U.S. amidst PLA turmoil

he CIA deployed a new recruitment video in the Mandarin language, hoping to lure Chinese soldiers to defect amidst significant turmoil inside the People’s Liberation Army where two generals have been removed by President Xi Jinping.

The new video, entitled “The Reason for Stepping Forward: To Save the Future,” follows a series of videos dating to late 2024 that the Agency said have been successful in encouraging some Chinese to defect or cooperate with the United States.

The prior videos had some “success” in getting around Chinese Internet censorship, prompting CIA Director John Ratcliffe to make the new one, a senior U.S.official told Just the News, “If the videos didn’t work we wouldn’t be making more of them.”

The new video “illustrates the real gulf between the Chinese elites who want what is best for their banks and the Chinese citizens who want what’s best for their country,” the official said,

The new video which debuted on YouTube, portrays a Chinese military officer who contacts the CIA after becoming disillusioned with his country’s leadership and thinking of his young daughter’s future. 

“This is the world I know, defending the homeland and protecting the people. But day after day, the truth becomes increasingly obvious. What leaders are really protecting is their own self interest,” the narrator states.

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AOC Falls Apart on the World Stage When Asked a Simple Foreign Policy Question at Munich Security Conference

This was painful to watch.

Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez completely fell apart on the world stage when asked a simple question about foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Many speculated that AOC’s decision to speak on foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference was her way to signal a possible 2028 run.

AOC spoke on two different panels on Friday: “Vox Populi? Responding to the Rise of Populism” and “Breaking (With) the Past: Seismic Shifts in US Foreign Policy.”

The moderator asked AOC if the US should commit troops to defend against China and she turned into a stuttering mess.

Of course, AOC would hang Taiwan out to dry, but she could not string together a sentence.

“Would and should the US actually commit US troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?” the moderator asked AOC.

“Um, you know, I think that, uh, this is such a, uh, you know, I — I think that this is a, umm, this is of course a, uh, a very longstanding, um, policy of the United States – uh and I think what we are hoping for is we want to make sure that we never get to that point,” AOC said.

“And we want to make sure that we are moving all of our economic research and global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise,” she said.

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State Department Says Far Left Group ‘Code Pink’ is Linked to the Chinese Communist Party

The State Department has just reported to Congress that the far left group ‘Code Pink’ is linked to the Chinese Communist Party. This should come as a surprise to no one.

Code Pink began making a nuisance of themselves during the presidency of George W. Bush. They portrayed themselves as an anti-war group. Of course, once Obama became president and continued most of Bush’s foreign policy and the wars, they became curiously silent. Some of them were even guests at Obama’s inauguration.

Now that Trump, a Republican, is president again, they are back to their old tactics of showing up in places where they were not invited and being generally annoying.

This move by the State Department has the potential to change the game.

The New York Post reports:

State Department identifies Code Pink and other far-left groups as vectors of Chinese influence operations

The State Department transmitted a report to Congress Tuesday linking lefty nonprofits Code Pink and the People’s Forum to Chinese influence operations.

“Partisan hacks spent years peddling the phony Russia collusion hoax while turning a blind eye to the sprawling web of far-left activist organizations who push the agendas of the Chinese Communist Party,” Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers said in a statement provided to The Post.

“Organizations like Code Pink and the People’s Forum denigrate the United States, whitewash the violence of Marxist regimes, and run cover for China while enjoying an influx of cash from a donor network with connections to the Chinese Communist Party,” Rogers added.

“The State Department will pursue complete transparency for the donor and NGO networks that lobby for our adversaries and seek to weaken the resolve of the United States.”

The report on “Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference” alleges that China “spreads propaganda through influence campaigns run by nonprofit organizations like Code Pink, the People’s Forum and groups linked with the notorious Singham network.”

This has been a long time coming.

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Report: CCP Official Tied to 26 Babies in CA Surrogacy Scam Wanted One of His Offspring to Eventually Become U.S. President

A senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official who was allegedly involved in a massive surrogacy scam in California had an obsession with one of his children eventually becoming president of the United States, according to a new report.

Guojun Xuan and his partner Silvia Zhang allegedly took advantage of California’s wild west surrogacy industry to have at least 26 children via surrogates using Xuan’s sperm and an anonymous egg donor, The New Yorker detailed. The pair amassed more than two dozen children by creating their own agency, called Mark Surrogacy, which was located at their multimillion dollar home in Arcadia (seen above.)

Employees who worked at the couple’s home said Xuan was a “rich man who wants a lot of kids” by any means necessary, according to the New Yorker. 

Other employees claimed Xuan was obsessed with having as many children as possible in the hopes that one would eventually become president of the United States, per the report. 

“Several of the children were named after prominent US politicians and foreign leaders — which Song suggested was out of jealousy, since Xuan isn’t a ‘natural-born’ American and cannot run for president,” the New York Post detailed. Song had been an aide to the couple.

Xuan and Zhang allegedly posed as an unmarried couple who wanted to give their daughter a sibling — a claim which attracted dozens of women who agreed to be surrogates for the couple. None of the women were aware of the other surrogates when they entered into agreements, according to the report.

Xuan’s alleged surrogacy scam was revealed after a two-month-old infant under his care was hospitalized with head injuries in May 2025. Officials discovered the more than two dozen other children in his care, ranging from infants to teenagers. The couple is out on bond while a state child abuse investigation is ongoing, according to the report. 

Since the pair was arrested, at least five more of their surrogates have given birth, according to reports cited by The Post. Some surrogate mothers are fighting for custody of the children after discovering the alleged scheme. Xuan and Zhang have filed lawsuits against at least two expecting surrogates who have allegedly cut off contact with the couple since their arrest, per the report.

The New Yorker piece alleges that Xuan’s behavior had become more chaotic in recent months, including actions such as carrying around business cards claiming to be a “Trump Doge Member,” “an Official Trump Cabinet Member,” and a “Trump Advisor,” although he appears to have no ties to the Trump administration.

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State Department Hones In On Left-Wing NGOs As Vectors Of Chinese Influence Operations

It appears the Trump administration is finally getting serious about dark money-funded NGOs that are sowing chaos on America’s city streets, with apparent links to foreign influence operations. More alarmingly, these same nonprofits appear to sit at the center of the protest industrial complex and are actively amplified and promoted by prominent members of the Democratic Party. This highly organized and well-funded protest machine has waged an endless decade-long color revolution-style operation of chaos against President Trump.

The New York Post reports the State Department has sent a report to Congress connecting the left-wing nonprofits Code Pink and the People’s Forum to Chinese propaganda influence operations, mostly because of their direct association with China-based Marxist Neville Roy Singham, who operates the so-called “Singham network” of nonprofits.

The Post wrote:

“Partisan hacks spent years peddling the phony Russia collusion hoax while turning a blind eye to the sprawling web of far-left activist organizations who push the agendas of the Chinese Communist Party,” Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers said in a statement provided to The Post.

“Organizations like Code Pink and the People’s Forum denigrate the United States, whitewash the violence of Marxist regimes, and run cover for China while enjoying an influx of cash from a donor network with connections to the Chinese Communist Party,” Rogers added.

“The State Department will pursue complete transparency for the donor and NGO networks that lobby for our adversaries and seek to weaken the resolve of the United States.”

And continued:

The report on “Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference” alleges that China “spreads propaganda through influence campaigns run by nonprofit organizations like Code Pink, the People’s Forum and groups linked with the notorious Singham network.”

The so-called “Singham network” are nonprofits funded by tech mogul Neville Roy Singham, whose wife is a co-founder of Code Pink.

Singham, an American expat living in China, “works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide,” the New York Times reported in 2023.

“Chinese diplomats, state media, and pro-China influencers use social media, content-sharing agreements, and local partnerships to publish pro-CCP propaganda,” the report continues. “China invests in [public diplomacy], exchanges, reporting tours, and educational and cultural initiatives to boost its image.”

“The Department assesses that China, Iran, and Russia aggressively use state media, proxies, and digital platforms to spread propaganda and falsehoods, undermine U.S. credibility and policies, and expand their influence.”

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Trump Vows to Block US-Canada Bridge Until Canada Treats the US with ‘Fairness and Respect’

Warning that cozying up to China will spell disaster for Canada, President Donald Trump says he will block the opening of a bridge connecting Ontario and Michigan until Canada undergoes a long-overdue attitude adjustment.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge has been scheduled to open early this year, according to Politico.

It connects Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, and could allow vehicle, bicycle and foot traffic between the U.S. and Canada.

“As everyone knows, the Country of Canada has treated the United States very unfairly for decades. Now, things are turning around for the U.S.A., and FAST!” Trump wrote in a post Monday on the Truth Social social media platform.

“Canada is building a massive bridge between Ontario and Michigan. They own both the Canada and the United States side and, of course, built it with virtually no U.S. content,” Trump wrote.

Trump wrote that the deal to build the bridge is reflective of the woeful leadership of former President Barack Obama.

“President Barack Hussein Obama stupidly gave them a waiver so they could get around the BUY AMERICAN Act, and not use any American products, including our Steel. Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!’” Trump wrote.

“What does the United States of America get — Absolutely NOTHING! Ontario won’t even put U.S. spirits, beverages, and other alcoholic products, on their shelves, they are absolutely prohibited from doing so,” Trump wrote.

Trump warned that Canada’s flirtation with China will mean that China “will eat Canada alive. We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so.”

Trump then wrote that once China gets its hooks into Canada, nothing will be the same.

“The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup,” he wrote.

Turning to economic issues, Trump wrote that, “Tariffs Canada charges us for our Dairy products have, for many years, been unacceptable, putting our Farmers at great financial risk.”

Based on that history, Trump wrote, “I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve. We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY.”

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Female lawmaker was romanced by attentive Chinese man… who she did not realize was a SPY

A Chinese man who swept a California politician off her feet and helped fund her campaign has been sentenced to four years in prison for being a spy. 

Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang was previously engaged to Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, who was jailed on Monday for acting as a political operative for China. 

He pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.

In 2022, he helped his then-fiancée, Wang, win a seat on Arcadia’s city council and worked as her campaign consultant. 

Her campaign’s financial records also showed that Sun paid for some of her travel expenses and his last-registered address was a home owned by Wang, according top the complaint seen by the Daily Mail.

Sun also previously served in China’s Army, according to the filing, where the FBI was able to obtain photos of him and his co-conspirator John Chen in military uniforms. 

First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli celebrated Sun’s imprisonment on Monday, saying in a statement: ‘Federal law enforcement will not allow hostile foreign nations to infiltrate the governance of our nation’s political bodies. 

‘The relentlessness of PRC intelligence operations in our country must be met by equal relentlessness on our part to secure, protect, and defend the United States.’ 

Prosecutors said Sun exploited his role during the campaign to ‘undermine our political processes and democratic institutions for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party.’ 

‘When Americans vote for elected officials, they expect them to represent the interests of their constituents – not those of a foreign adversary like the Chinese government,’ Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division said. 

It appears Wang was unaware of the conspiracy, and will keep her political office. The Daily Mail has reached out to Wang for comment. 

From 2022 to 2024, Sun worked as an operative for China without telling the US government, which is required by law. 

While working undercover, he also surveilled the then-Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen during her April 2023 visit and reported her movements to China, prosecutors said. 

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