Tag: china

Russia-China Summit Advances Multipolar Vision, Analysts Say

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a two-day summit in Beijing on May 20, 2026, signing roughly 40 cooperation documents and adopting a joint declaration on a multipolar world order, according to state media reports [1]. The declaration rejects the idea of a single ideological center and advocates for civilizational diversity, according to analysis by Ladislav Zemanek, a non-resident research fellow at the China-CEE Institute and expert of the Valdai Discussion Club [2]. Zemanek wrote that the partnership “is not a crusade against the West. It is a revolt against unipolarity — against the idea that one civilization, one ideology, and one political model should dominate the entire planet indefinitely” [2]. The summit came just days after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump, a timing analysts described as deliberate [3].

Background of the Partnership

Russia and China first issued a joint declaration on multipolarity in 1997, according to historical records cited by analysts [2]. At that time, the Soviet Union had collapsed and American unipolarity seemed unchallenged, but both powers sensed the instability of a world organized around a single ideological center, Zemanek wrote [2]. The current partnership is rooted in opposition to unipolarity and perceived Western dominance of international institutions, officials said. Zemanek described the partnership as “a revolt against the idea that one civilization should dominate the planet indefinitely” [2].

Scholar Glenn Diesen notes that the relationship has evolved despite a historical power imbalance, including Russia’s appropriation of more than 1.5 million square kilometers of Chinese territory during the Qing Dynasty [4]. However, Diesen also observes that confrontation without established rules has spiraled from Ukraine to Syria, underscoring the need for major powers to consult on consequential issues [4]. The 2026 summit marked the 25th anniversary of the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which laid the foundation for the strategic partnership [1].

Keep reading

Viral: Humanoid Robot Kicks Chinese Kid In The Stomach During Public Demonstration

A humanoid robot demonstration has sparked safety concerns after a video circulating on social media appeared to show a Unitree G1 robot accidentally kicking a young child during a public event.

The robot, which was performing a roundhouse kick while wearing a blue clown wig, struck the child in the stomach, causing the youngster to double over in pain.

The incident has reignited debate over the safe deployment of advanced humanoid robots in crowded public settings, particularly as increasingly capable machines are showcased at exhibitions and entertainment events.

Last year, a viral experiment showed a humanoid robot overriding its safety restrictions and firing a BB gun at its owner during a role-play scenario.

Robot Safety Spotlight

A video circulating on social media has raised concerns about humanoid robot safety after a robot appeared to kick a child during a public demonstration in China’s Xinjiang region.

The footage shows what is believed to be a Unitree G1 humanoid robot, wearing a blue wig, performing a roundhouse kick that struck a young child standing nearby. The child was hit in the stomach and appeared to be in pain after the impact. According to reports from Chinese media, the child was not seriously injured.

The incident has renewed discussion about the risks associated with deploying advanced humanoid robots in public environments. Modern humanoid robots are capable of performing complex movements, including martial arts demonstrations, athletic maneuvers, and other dynamic actions, often under remote or autonomous control, reports Futurism.

The Xinjiang incident is not the first reported case involving a humanoid robot and a human injury. Earlier this year, another Unitree G1 robot reportedly lost its balance during a public performance in China. After falling to the ground, the robot’s uncontrolled limb movements struck a nearby man, causing a nose injury.

A viral experiment last year in the US raised concerns about AI robot safety after a humanoid robot named Max fired a BB gun at its owner during a role-play scenario. Although the robot initially refused requests to shoot, it complied after the command was framed as acting out a character. The incident highlighted how simple prompt changes can potentially bypass AI safety restrictions.

Keep reading

China Sends Angry Memos While Japan Builds Real Defense

China keeps sending diplomatic tantrums toward Japan, and Tokyo keeps moving.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government placed four Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel at NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine headquarters in Germany. The Ministry of Defense described the dispatch as a way to learn from Ukraine’s battlefield experience and deepen Japan-NATO cooperation.

Beijing heard all of that and reached for the complaint drawer again. Lin Jian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, accused Japan of working with NATO to stir up confrontation, as reported by Gateway Hispanic, and interfering in China’s internal affairs. 

Spokespersons from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Lin Jian , have condemned these developments as:

  • “Colluding with NATO to interfere in China’s internal affairs.”
  • “Stoking regional tensions.”
  • “Promoting confrontation.”

Beijing argues that NATO is a North Atlantic regional organization and therefore has no legitimate reason to expand its presence into the Indo-Pacific region.

Chinese officials also maintain that Japan should “learn lessons from history” rather than pursue what they describe as remilitarization.

Tensions have been further aggravated by broader diplomatic disputes, particularly those related to Taiwan .

Japan’s move grew from an offer made in April by Gen. Nakatini, then Japan’s defense minister, to Mark Rutte, NATO secretary general. The cooperation now includes cyber defense, new technologies, military teamwork, maritime security, and support for Ukraine. From Reuters:

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Sunday rejected accusations of “new militarism” by Tokyo and criticised China for rapidly expanding its military with ‌little transparency, underscoring mounting tensions between the two countries.

China continues to increase its defence spending at a high level, Koizumi said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, adding: “China’s external approach and military activities are matters of serious concern for Japan and the international community at the same time.”

Rebutting criticism that Japan was embracing new militarism, he said: “Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan ⁠has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled ‘new militarism’?”

Koizumi said Japan’s record since World War Two “speaks for itself”, citing its adherence to international law and commitment to the United Nations Charter, alongside efforts to uphold a “free and open international order.”

None of that creates a NATO war guarantee for Asia, but it does show Japan has stopped pretending the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific worlds live in separate rooms.

Keep reading

Where’s the Beef? A Long-Gone Livestock-Eating Bug Is Back, and I have a Theory As to Why.

It turns out that a flesh-eating larva, the screwworm, not seen in the U.S. since 1966, has found its way back onto livestock ranches in southern Texas, and I smell a stink badger in the perfume aisle.

The infected calf (rumors have it that a second cow has been located, but I cannot yet verify this report) is on a ranch very close to the Mexican border. Authorities have set up a 12-mile quarantine zone around the ranch.

You may recall the feds arrested three Chinese scientists spies at the Detroit airport, one of whom was busted for sneaking in a fungus that could be used to wipe out our crops, and another was caught sneaking in roundworms, which are also devastating to mammals, including livestock.  

Here’s the fun part: Texas authorities arrested six camo-clad Chinese nationals with backpacks on a ranch in Texas on May 26, allegedly with the help of Mexican cartels. Less than a week later, the first case of screwworm was discovered. Somehow, that didn’t make the big Operation Mockingbird headlines. 

We do not yet know what the authorities found in those aforementioned backpacks.

The ranch where the Chinese were discovered is about 41 miles away from the ranch where the first infected calf was located, roughly a day-and-a-half walk. Both ranches are located very close to the Mexican border, in an area where few Chinese illegal border-rushers have been apprehended in the open-border years of the Biden administration.

Keep reading

Canadian Heritage buys millions of Canadian flag pins from China despite Liberal promise

The federal government has spent more than $194,000 on Canadian flag pins and desk flags manufactured in China, according to a newly released Order Paper response tabled in Parliament.

The disclosure comes in response to Question Q-1077 from Conservative MP Arnold Viersen, which asked Canadian Heritage to detail its purchases of Canadian flags, flag pins and related products since January 2022.

Records show Canadian Heritage purchased three million plastic Canadian flag lapel pins from a Chinese manufacturer in September 2024 at a cost of $143,400. The department also bought 44,117 floating metal flag pins from China in January 2023 for $14,999.78, another 72,400 metal flag pins in November 2024 for $20,996, and 8,770 desk flags made in China for $14,996.70.

In total, Canadian Heritage spent $194,392.48 on Chinese-made flag-themed merchandise while simultaneously purchasing most of its full-sized Canadian flags from Canadian manufacturer L’Étendard.

The department spent more than $2.5 million on Canadian-made full-size nylon flags between 2022 and early 2026, including orders ranging from 9,700 to 30,100 flags. It also purchased paper hand flags from Canadian suppliers Broadway Import Export and Tobermory Press.

When asked why foreign-made products were selected instead of Canadian manufacturers, Canadian Heritage offered a brief explanation.

“For purchase of products manufactured outside of Canada, purchases were made pursuant to current Government of Canada procurement processes,” the department stated.

The revelation stands in contrast to a longstanding Liberal commitment to source Canadian flag merchandise domestically.

In 2005, then-Liberal Public Works Minister Scott Brison pledged to end the practice of purchasing Canadian flag pins made in China after media reports highlighted the contradiction. At the time, the federal government announced it would seek Canadian suppliers for the patriotic merchandise distributed by MPs and government departments.

More than two decades later, millions of Chinese-made Canadian flag pins are still being purchased with taxpayer dollars.

The Order Paper response was signed by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller and released on June 3, 2026.

Keep reading

Michelle Bachelet, Who Helped Cover Up Uyghur Genocide, Visits China to Campaign for U.N. Chief

Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng on Wednesday, touring the country amid her campaign to become the next U.N. Secretary General.

Bachelet, a radical leftist, served as president of Chile before completing her term and taking over the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). She served two terms as president in the country, from 2006 to 2010 and, later, from 2014 to 2018. Her time leading the OHCHR spanned from 2018, shortly after the end of her time as president, through 2022, when she chose not to run for a second term amid global disgust and calls for her resignation for her poor handling of the Chinese genocide of Uyghurs and other Turkic people in the country.

Bachelet notably visited China in 2022 shortly before stepping down and, far from condemning the ongoing genocide, praised China’s human rights record and claimed that the concentration camps the Chinese Communist Party had been caught using to imprison as many as 3 million people were no longer functional.

Bachelet is one of five official candidates running to replace Antonio Guterres as the secretary-general of the United Nations. The other candidates are former General Assembly leader María Fernanda Espinosa, former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi. Bachelet initially enjoyed the endorsement of her country under leftist former President Gabriel Boric, but Chile withdrew its support after the inauguration of conservative current President José Antonio Kast.

Campaigning for the position is often less overt than a traditional political role, involving private meetings with the most powerful actors at the United Nations. Bachelet appears to have traveled to Beijing seeking support from China, though Chinese state media reports did not overtly describe her visit as a formal campaign stop.

Chinese government television networks published images of Bachelet receiving a warm welcome from Wang, the nation’s top diplomat.

Keep reading

China Begins Banning AI Videos That ‘Vulgarize’ Regime-Approved Media

China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced on Monday that the state-run China Central Television (CCTV) has overseen the deletion of some 8,000 AI-altered videos from online platforms.

The videos were censored because they “distort, parody, or vulgarize classic Chinese films and television dramas and animated works.”

China’s state-run Global Times unironically relayed the triumphant announcement by two organs of the oppressive Communist government congratulating each other for doing a great job at censorship:

The NRTA has instructed major online audiovisual platforms to further strengthen their primary responsibility, enhance routine monitoring and screening efforts, and focus on removing non-compliant AI-altered videos that alter or distort classic film and television works based on the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, historical themes, revolutionary themes, and exemplary heroic figures. 

Platforms have also been directed to remove various forms of disturbing or inappropriate animated content to continuously foster a healthy online audiovisual environment, CCTV reported. 

According to the NRTA, the campaign specifically targets three categories of non-compliant videos including the AI-altered content that seriously distorts the original spirit and character portrayals of the source material, content that promotes graphic violence or vulgarity, and content that misappropriates or alters Chinese cultural elements in ways that lead to distorted historical understanding. 

The Global Times gave the example of Lin Daiyu, the main character from an 18th-century romance novel called Dream of the Red Chamber, being inappropriately portrayed as a “violent combat character.”

Keep reading

Facebook Is Accused Of Fostering Ethnic Enclaves At Headquarters

Tech advocacy group blames visa programs for enabling corporate tribalism.

A terminated software engineer is accusing Facebook parent company Meta of allowing Chinese migrants to take over entire departments while American employees face systematic exclusion and layoffs, Neil Munro of Breitbart News reported.

Jeremy Bernier, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2012, lost his software engineering job at the company and has gone public with allegations of widespread discrimination. “At Meta, 90% of my coworkers were Chinese, and non-Chinese were routinely excluded, disadvantaged, and targeted for layoffs,” Bernier said. He continued that “6 out of the 7 layoffs I observed targeted non-Chinese despite non-Chinese being the vast minority. Certain org[anizations] like ads and MRS [Meta Recommendation Systems for prioritizing Facebook posts] are notorious for being Chinese dominated.”

The former employee shared his account through multiple social media posts. “On Wednesdays and Fridays I’d often be the only non-Chinese person on my team in the office, and they’d all get lunch together without inviting me,” Bernier recounted.

Keep reading

US Bill Would Prevent Chinese Connected Cars In Canada From Entering United States

Two U.S. lawmakers are set to introduce a bill aimed at preventing Chinese-connected vehicles from entering the United States via Canada and Mexico, amid growing concerns over Chinese-made electric vehicles entering the Canadian market.

U.S. Representative Haley Stevens and Senator Elissa Slotkin, both Democrats, announced the Protecting America from Chinese Cars Act last week at a conference in Michigan.

The bill would prohibit connected vehicles from China and other “adversarial nations” from entering the United States, including vehicles made or designed in China, as well as vehicles made by a Chinese company or an entity more than 15 percent owned by Chinese companies, according to a May 28 press release from Stevens’s office.

It would also establish a process for vehicle manufacturers to apply for specific authorization to allow otherwise prohibited vehicles to enter the United States. Authorization would only be granted under “strict conditions, with both transparency and congressional oversight.”

Federal authorities in Canada have also raised concerns that connected vehicles could pose security and privacy risks if the data they collect falls into the wrong hands.

In a memo, Public Safety Canada said Canada must expand its economy in response to a changing geopolitical environment, but warned that opening its markets to “new players” could also “amplify the presence of high-risk vendors.”

The department said unauthorized access to data and connected vehicle systems “could be used to establish patterns of life or conduct surveillance on sensitive sites.” It also said national security laws in countries such as China can compel manufacturers and suppliers to share data with their home governments or police, increasing the risk that Canadian data could be exploited.

A one-page readout on the U.S. bill says connected vehicles would threaten U.S. national security if the information collected “were to fall into the hands of our adversaries.”

“Vehicles today can collect and transmit massive amounts of data – geolocation of drivers, mapping of critical infrastructure, full-motion video, and more,” the readout says.

Connected vehicles could also be “remotely accessed and tampered with,” presenting a “tremendous” risk to U.S. safety and security, the readout says, noting the Chinese auto industry is heavily subsidized, allowing Beijing to “undercut competitors and quickly flood new markets.”

“The Chinese Communist Party should never have access to sensitive information about American drivers, roads, or critical infrastructure,” Stevens said in a statement, adding that the bill would “close dangerous loopholes” that currently allow Chinese connected vehicles to enter the United States through Canada and Mexico.

Keep reading

US Moves To Further Restrict China’s Access To Advanced AI Chips

The U.S. Department of Commerce has issued new guidance to prevent Chinese companies from obtaining advanced U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) chips, such as Nvidia’s most sophisticated Blackwell processors, through overseas subsidiaries.

The May 31 guidance clarifies that export licenses are required for entities headquartered in China or Macau, regardless of where their affiliates are located.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said that licensing requirements for advanced computing items destined for China- or Macau-headquartered entities were first established in November 2023 and remain in effect.

The agency said the requirement applies even when those entities are located outside China or Macau.

The clarification follows confusion over a May 2025 announcement by the BIS that it would not enforce certain parts of the Biden-era AI diffusion rule.

The rule was designed to restrict sales of advanced AI chips to strategic rivals while allowing broader access for U.S. allies.

The BIS said the policy change did not remove existing licensing requirements for exports involving Chinese or Macau-based customers, meaning companies must still obtain licenses unless an exemption applies.

The guidance also states that legitimate data center operators can continue to use, maintain, store, or replace advanced AI chips and equipment they already own.

The clarification does not require companies to shut down or remove existing systems.

Nvidia’s sales of advanced AI chips to China remain subject to U.S. export controls.

The Trump administration created a framework in 2025 allowing certain chips, including the H200, to be sold to approved Chinese customers under Commerce Department oversight.

Trump said in a Dec. 8, 2025, post on Truth Social that sales would be permitted subject to a 25 percent fee benefiting the U.S. government and limited to approved Chinese customers.

Keep reading