Tag: china

The Case for Pessimism in Sino-American Relations

On September 11, the Chicago Tribune published an op-ed by the director of the Asia Engagement Program at Defense Priorities and director of the China Initiative at Brown University, Dr. Lyle Goldstein, on the need for Washington to work to improve its relations with Beijing.

Formerly a research professor at the U.S. Naval War College for two decades, Dr. Goldstein retains nothing but respect from this author—referencing him at several points in The Fake China Threat and Its Very Real Danger regarding the security situation around the Taiwan Strait.

However, I could not but remark upon a few key passages that stood out to me in reading his generally worthy commentary from last week.

First, regarding the notion that the selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz, who spent time teaching in China in his youth and has visited the country many times, as the Democratic vice presidential nominee offers evidence that the party “now understand the stakes in this most pivotal bilateral relationship,” seems wanting for evidence of this recognition.

From Politico to the The New York Times, NBCto TIME—what mattered was his ability to appeal to key demographics in the handful of states in play in the election without alienating other key constituencies in the Democrat’s confused big-tent coalition; he is a white, middle class guy, a veteran and gun owner who also supports all the key pillars of the progressive gospel, from climate change to gun control to abortion access. Zero mention of his expertise regarding China.

And even if Walz had some ideas as to what might be done, if the Pentagon and beltway securocrats disagreed, which they certainly would if his inclination were toward moderation, we already know from Donald Trump’s undermined attempted reset of relations with Russia that it isn’t going to happen.

On top of which, as Dr. Goldstein acknowledges, despite criticizing Trump’s bellicose first-term China policy from the sidelines, once in office the Joe Biden administration simply carried on the policy.

Much like going along with the previous administration’s Iran policy, one suspects it is simple cowardice in the face of the political calculation that being called “weak” on national security, true or not, would be more electorally damaging that making the right call geopolitically.

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GAIN OF FUNCTION research on viruses from bats, birds and monkeys funded with U.S. taxpayer money and nefariously created in Chinese Communist Party labs

As an American, one should expect that taxpayer money goes directly to helping this country and its citizens prosper, including top-notch public education; fully functional roads, tunnels and bridges; and a strong military in all aspects, among other services. Without feeling like a conspiracy theorist, nobody should have to question whether our taxpayer money might be used to outright harm Americans, and what’s worse, in ways that we would all, on the surface, believe are helping us.

That’s where the White Coat Waste Project comes into play, with a recent investigation that exposed how the USDA collaborates with the Chinese Communist Party and their Academy of Sciences to fund and create gain-of-function viruses to make viruses that normally only infect animals now infect humans. Sounds insane, right?

18 Members of Congress now demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding millions of dollars spent creating new deadly viruses

Who are the creators of these new viruses intending to kill? What other purpose could there possibly be for scientists to be creating “novel” viruses that leap from animals to humans and create pandemics? It’s obviously to create more biological weapons of mass destruction, going against the Geneva Convention and every ethical and moral obligation that modern medicine could violate.

The letter from Congressional members to USDA boss Tom Vilsack reads, “We are disturbed by recent reports about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on bird flu research. This research, funded by American taxpayers, could potentially generate dangerous new lab-created virus strains that threaten our national security and public health.”

It’s a fact that Covid-19 gain of function virus was made in the Wuhan lab using U.S. taxpayer funds that Anthony “Insidious” Fauci directed to them by the millions. That man should be in prison for life without parole for mass murder, but instead, new research is being funded to make MORE deadly viruses that can leap from bats, birds and monkeys to humans so we can all experience more plandemics soon.

The White Coat Waste Project used the Freedom of Information Act to uncover USDA documents revealing this latest Bird Flu collusion between the U.S. and Communist China. Previously, under oath, the Secretary of Agriculture swore that the U.S. was NOT colluding with the CCP to make Bird Flu have gain of function ability, saying “It’s really not a collaboration per se… To my knowledge there is not [data] sharing…all of this is basically walled off, so everything we’re doing stays with us, it doesn’t necessarily go to the UK or to China.”

Never forget, the original story of the origins of Covid-19 was that some Chinamen were eating some bat soup that was infected or contaminated, and they somehow got infected themselves. You can’t make this stuff up (well, they did). Now, the U.S. is funneling millions to CCP labs to make new pandemic-style viruses they can “accidentally” release or claim terrorists stole from their labs and released. Either way, it wouldn’t happen, nor have happened, if these scientists weren’t being handed millions in grant money to work on it all. Period.

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CCP Tried to ‘Steal’ Assembly Seat, NY Dem Politician Claims

Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim has come forward with explosive allegations of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interference in New York’s political landscape. 

The Korean-American politician claims that CCP-affiliated groups attempted to unseat him in the recent Democratic primary, raising alarm bells about foreign influence in local elections.

Kim, who narrowly won his primary battle in the 40th District by just 443 votes, told New York Post reporters, “There were clear patterns of foreign influence trying to dictate the outcome of the election — groups with ties to mainland China and the CCP.”

“They were trying to steal the Flushing seat.”

The assemblyman’s revelations come on the heels of a high-profile arrest that has sent shockwaves through New York’s political circles. 

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SURPRISE! Tim Walz Championed a Group With Ties to the WUHAN LAB in China

Tim Walz’s weird obsession with communist China is already well documented, but it only gets worse the more that comes to light.

It has now been revealed that as governor of Minnesota, Walz championed a group called the Hormel Institute, which has ties to the Wuhan Lab in China.

That would be the same Wuhan Lab of Covid-19 fame.

Breitbart News reports:

Tim Walz Championed Group That Partnered with Wuhan Lab in China

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has championed a group that partnered with China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology — the organization at the center of the coronavirus lab leak theory — even pushing for more federal funding.

Over the years, Walz has promoted a group based in his state — the Hormel Institute — which has a history of teaming up with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. According to the Washington Examiner, “For over a decade, Walz has held meetings with the Hormel Institute and toured the research center, which has thanked Walz for securing it millions of dollars in funding, records show.” Further, he helped the institute accrue millions in funding during his time in Congress, pushing for millions more in federal funding for the organization as far back as 2008, per reports.

According to the Examiner, the organization been involved with the Wuhan Institute of Virology as well:

In recent years, researchers at the Hormel Institute have teamed up with the Wuhan Institute of Virology on a variety of projects, including in 2020 for a COVID-19 study and as recently as this year on structural biology research.

Did anyone in the Democrat party even vet Walz? Every week, we learn something worse about him.

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Democratization as Regime Preservation

When in the 1970s it became increasingly clear Taipei and its allies in the United States were no longer going to be able to postpone Washington’s recognition of the Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing, the longtime dictator of Taiwan, Chiang Kai-shek, grasped for a solution to the problem of how his regime was to survive de-recognition as the official government of China.

The answer? Democratization.

This strategy, which his successors embraced and ultimately fulfilled over the course of the 1980s and 1990s, proved far-sighted.

Taiwan’s democratization process began in the late 1970s, marking a significant shift from decades of authoritarian rule under the Kuomintang (KMT). The death of Chiang Kai-shek in 1975 and the ascension of his son, Chiang Ching-kuo, initiated gradual political liberalization. In the late 1970s, internal and external pressures, including Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation following the United Nations’ recognition of the People’s Republic of China, forced the KMT to consider reforms.

In 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was formed, despite the ongoing martial law. This was a critical moment, as it was the first opposition party allowed in Taiwan since the KMT’s rule began. In 1987, Chiang Ching-kuo lifted martial law, which had been in place since 1949, signaling the beginning of a more open political environment.

Following Chiang Ching-kuo’s death in 1988, his successor, Lee Teng-hui, further advanced democratic reforms. Under Lee’s leadership, Taiwan saw the end of the “Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion” in 1991, which had allowed the KMT to govern without elections. Lee also oversaw the first direct presidential election in 1996, in which he won, solidifying Taiwan’s transition to a full democracy.

By the late 1990s, Taiwan had established a multi-party system with regular, competitive elections, marking a successful transition from one-party rule to a vibrant democracy.

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Chinese Agents Infiltrating US Institutions

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in the first three months of this year, 24,376 Chinese nationals were apprehended crossing the U.S. Southern Border, while about 1,000 have been crossing the northern border monthly. Under the National Intelligence Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), all Chinese citizens and entities are required to assist the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in intelligence gathering. The threat from China is real, pervasive, and growing, as Beijing exploits America’s open borders and freedoms to plant spies within the U.S. government, military, research labs, and institutions.

In September 2024, Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, was arrested for acting as an undisclosed agent for the Chinese government. She is accused of leveraging her position to further Chinese interests by influencing state policies and facilitating meetings between Chinese and U.S. officials. Sun’s case reflects a broader strategy by China to infiltrate U.S. political systems by targeting state and local officials. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) often exploits naturalized U.S. citizens with ties to China, using business opportunities and family connections to gain influence. Sun’s arrest underscores China’s efforts to influence rising political figures and manipulate policies, including those concerning Taiwan, through covert operations.

The Annual Threat Assessment from the U.S. Intelligence Community identifies China as the top espionage threat to the United States. The FBI’s China Threat Report highlights that counterintelligence and economic espionage activities by the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pose a significant danger to U.S. economic security and democratic values. China’s goals include influencing U.S. policy to benefit its interests while striving for global dominance through tactics such as intellectual property theft, cyber intrusions, and predatory business practices. These efforts span various sectors, including business, academia, and government, necessitating a coordinated response from both the U.S. government and private industry to effectively address the threat.

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Kathy Hochul aide charged with acting as agent for Chinese Communist Party

Federal prosecutors disclosed in a comprehensive indictment on Tuesday that a former deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) had been allegedly acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, the United States Attorney’s Office of Eastern District New York said in a press release.

Linda Sun, 41, of Manhasset, New York, and her husband, Chris Hu, 40, were arrested Tuesday morning at their $3.5 million residence on Long Island. Sun held a variety of positions in the New York state government before rising to the position of Gov. Hochul’s deputy chief of staff.

Sun is alleged to have acted on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), per the Department of Justice (DOJ). She has been accused of blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to high-level officials in New York state, altering state governmental messaging on issues related to the Chinese government, and attempting to facilitate a trip to China for a high-level politician in New York, among others.

Sun has been charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Her co-defendant husband, Christopher Hu, has been charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification, according to federal prosecutors.

“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP, said US Attorney Breon Peace. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars. Our Office will act decisively to prosecute those who serve as undisclosed agents of a foreign government.”

FBI Acting Assistant Director Curtis said that while Sun had been acting as an agent for the PRC and CCP, Christopher Hu “facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain.”

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Blacklisted Huawei posts record profits despite U.S. sanctions — Chinese tech giant raked in $7.7B in net profit in 1H 2024

As a high-tech giant whose capabilities span from ‘almost’ fundamental research to end-user consumer products, Huawei has been targeted by the U.S. government’s sanctions for quite a while amid suspicions of ties with the Chinese military. However, according to data from the Chinese Business Network (CBN), the company has adapted to sanctions as its consumer business revived in the first half of the year.

Before we dive into details, which are hard to do without knowledge of what we do know so far, we should know that what we do know is based on third-party reports.

Huawei’s revenue for the first half of 2024 reached CNY 417.5 billion, representing a 34.3% increase compared to last year. The company also achieved a net profit of CNY 55.1 billion, an 18.2% year-on-year rise, marking the best performance in its history for this period. These record figures show that after the U.S. started to impose sanctions against Huawei in mid-2020, its business took a significant hit, so, before 2024, the company’s record financial results were achieved in the first half of 2020.

Huawei’s revenue for the first half of the year exceeded the CNY 401.3 billion reported in the first half of 2019 and is second only to the CNY 454 billion posted in the first half of 2020.

Furthermore, this is the first time that Huawei’s net profit for the first half of the year has exceeded CNY 50 billion (up from CNY 46.6 billion last year), with the profit margin reaching 13.2%.

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Military Threat: China’s AI Robots

Last week, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organized the World Robot Conference – where they showcased the latest advancements that China’s robotics industry has produced over the past several years.

According to the CCP, China’s humanoid robots are “catching up fast with global rivals,” with advances such as the incorporation of AI into some of its robots that have military capabilities.

We’re picturing mindless robot patrols enforcing the next ‘welded in’ pandemic lockdown, with deadl(ier) results.

As Anders Corr notes in The Epoch Times, China’s humanoid robots on display at the conference could easily be equipped with weapons and probably already have been. The People’s Liberation Army has demonstrated armed flying drones and quadruped AI robots that resemble dogs with machine guns mounted to their backs. The killer robot dogs can reportedly fire their weapons autonomously.

China’s rapid rise in robotics is state-directed and subsidized to the tune of over $1.4 billion, according to an official announcement in 2023. In 2012, China installed fewer than 15 percent of industrial robots globally. By 2022, that number increased to over 50 percent, with China installing over 250,000, the most in the world. By comparison, Japan and the United States installed just about 50,000 and 40,000, respectively.

In 2016, a Chinese company bought Germany’s Kuka, one of the world’s three leading industrial robot makers. The other two are Japan’s Fanuc and Switzerland’s ABB. Tesla is also a leading robot maker. It plans to deploy 1,000 humanoid Optimus robots in Tesla factories in 2025. Given the close connections of all four of these companies to China, there is a significant risk of technology transfers and IP theft, further driving China’s rapid rise in the robotics space.

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RFID cards could turn into a global security mess after discovery of hardware backdoor

WTF?! Chinese-made chips used in popular contactless cards contain hardware backdoors that are easy to exploit. These chips are compatible with the proprietary Mifare protocol developed by Philips spin-off NXP Semiconductors and are inherently “intrinsically broken,” regardless of the card’s brand.

Security researchers at Quarkslab have discovered a backdoor in millions of RFID cards developed by Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics (FMSH). When properly exploited, this backdoor could be used to quickly clone contactless smart cards that regulate access to office buildings and hotel rooms worldwide.

According to French researchers, “Mifare Classic” cards are widely used but have significant security vulnerabilities. These chip-based contactless cards have been targeted by various attacks over the years and remain vulnerable despite the introduction of updated versions.

In 2020, Shanghai Fudan released a new variant that provides a compatible (and likely cheaper) RFID technology through the Mifare-compatible FM11RF08S chip. It featured several countermeasures designed to thwart known card-only attacks, but introduced its own security issues.

Quarkslab analyst Philippe Teuwen discovered an attack capable of cracking FM11RF08S “sector keys” within a few minutes, but only if a specific key is reused across at least three sectors or three cards.

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