Steal steal steal is Chinese mottoPrasad wrote:That Harris Falcon iii is a software defined radio. The Chinese are going all out to get their hands on every bit of tech from everywhere.
Heard from a Prof in a Texas Univ. There is an unofficial ban in admitting Chinese students in sensitive tech areas.(Bloomberg) -- Xi Jinping’s goal of bringing Taiwan under his control moved further out of his grasp as the island’s voters re-elected a president who has vowed to defend its sovereignty, raising questions about the success of China’s Taiwan strategy.
Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen won a landslide victory over China-friendly opposition challenger Han Kuo-yu to clinch a second term in elections Saturday. Her victory, an emphatic public mandate with a record number of votes, is the fourth time since 2000 that her Democratic Progressive Party -- which advocates for Taiwan’s formal independence -- has secured the presidency.
The DPP also held onto its majority in the legislature, albeit with a reduced margin.
Tsai has vowed that Taiwan will never be unified with China as long she is in power. Meanwhile Han, of the Kuomintang party, had struggled to find a consistent message on China. Taiwan’s complex relationship with China is the main political fissure in its society, though issues like wages, housing and air quality were also important to voters.
In a victory address in Taipei, Tsai said voters had “put democratic values into practice” and that the world should see Taiwan as a partner, not an issue. She urged Beijing to resume cross-strait dialogues and negotiations as equals, and said she hoped the two sides could build a “sustainable and healthy” approach for exchange.
“This election is about having democracy and freedom, and not having democracy and freedom,” she said.
Tsai was swept to victory by a resilient economy and stock market and protests against China’s grip in neighboring Hong Kong, which have confronted Taiwanese voters with the potential perils of closer ties with the mainland.
“I voted for Tsai Ing-wen because I don’t want to lose Taiwan’s freedom,” Rita Huang, a 34-year-old public servant, said after voting in Taipei.
China Question
Beijing has stepped up its strategy of offering an array of threats and incentives in the hope of persuading Taiwanese to begin the process of unifying with its giant neighbor in the four years since Tsai first came to power, and voters in the world’s only Chinese-speaking democracy faced pressure to pick sides in a global battle for influence between the U.S. and China. But the island’s inhabitants have proven largely immune to China’s coercion.
“China has failed to shift public opinion in favor of eventual unification, and many of its coercive measures have been counterproductive, pushing the Taiwanese people away,” said Natasha Kassam, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney who studies Taiwan and Chinese politics. “The more that China has attempted to impose a Chinese identity on Taiwan, the more that the people have identified as Taiwanese, rather than Chinese.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo congratulated Tsai on her victory and said in a statement that Taiwan had demonstrated the strength of its democratic system, making it “a model for the Indo-Pacific region and a force for good in the world.”
Chinese president Xi has reaffirmed his desire to use the same “one country, two systems” framework by which Beijing governs Hong Kong to bring the democracy of 23 million people back under its control. Tsai rejects the prospect, and her victory Saturday likely means four more years of no talks between the two sides on one of the region’s main potential flash points, a disappointment for those who had cast their votes for Han.
China’s official state Xinhua news agency responded to Tsai’s win by reiterating its insistence on the “one country, two systems” model for Taiwan.
“I support closer and more peaceful ties with China and am against independence for Taiwan,” Betty Chang, a 60-year-old accountant, said at a Taipei polling station. “If we choose independence, China will attack us for sure.”
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US tech backlash forces China to be more self-sufficient
Beijing embracing open-source collaboration and wooing scientists from overseas
January 15, 2020 5:00 am by Yuan Yang in Beijing
The acrimony between China and the US over technology transfers has created plenty of losers during the past year. There are the US companies which have missed out on business as a result of sanctions, and the Chinese groups that have had to find alternative supplies. But there is one group that has emerged as a winner: the security hawks who say they saw it coming and who are now pushing Beijing to be more self-sufficient.
Since the start of 2019, Washington has used sanctions to cut Chinese companies out of US supply chains, denting the telecoms group Huawei, China’s supercomputer groups and eight of the country’s leading artificial intelligence surveillance companies.
For many policymakers in Beijing, the inevitable trend is towards more decoupling of the two countries’ tech supply chains. A truce in the trade war is unlikely to diminish the Trump administration’s drive to place controls on exports of advanced technologies.
The result has been a decisive shift in China’s approach to the industry. Beijing is accelerating its drive for technological “autonomy” to boost its control over its own supply chain in the face of political risks, such as further US embargoes.
To achieve technological autonomy, Beijing is pursuing strategies that often tread an uneasy balance between increasing its engagement with the outside world and shutting it out. For all the accusations China has faced about stealing other countries’ technology, Beijing is now embracing international open-source, or free to use, collaborations.
China is also tapping overseas markets for talent, investing more in countries other than the US.
This acceleration of decoupling will not only affect US groups that rely on China’s custom, it will also start to reconfigure the world’s tech supply chain, as Chinese companies turn to countries they view as safer allies. The two superpowers are already bullying countries they buy from, and sell to, to take sides.
China's recent pledge to make infrastructure projects in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) clean, green and financially sustainable has not convinced key influencers within the Asean region, according to the results of a survey released today by the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute.
Distrust of the Asian power is growing despite widespread recognition that it has the biggest clout in the region.
According to The State Of South-east Asia: 2020, an online survey of 1,308 South-east Asian nationals in research, business, the public sector, civil society and media, 63.6 per cent of respondents have little or no confidence that Beijing's new approach to the BRI will give their respective countries a fairer deal.
Critics of the BRI, which aims to connect regional economies through a network of China-backed projects, allege that it is a debt trap that will make recipient countries beholden to a Beijing which is, at the same time, vigorously asserting its dominance against rival territorial claimants in the South China Sea.
The sense of distrust towards China was most palpable in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, noted authors Tang Siew Mun, Hoang Thi Ha, Anuthida Saelaow Qian, Glenn Ong and Pham Thi Phuong Thao from the think-tank's Asean Studies Centre.
Even in BRI recipient countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos, the majority of respondents remained sceptical.
In recent years, as the United States led by President Donald Trump backs away from multilateral institutions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to support and strengthen multilateral cooperation.
Yet, some 60 per cent of respondents had either "little confidence" or "no confidence" that China will "do the right thing" to contribute to global peace, security, prosperity and governance.
This level of distrust is an almost 10-percentage-point jump from last year, when the same question was posed to respondents.
Distrust heightened across all Asean member states except in Cambodia, one of China's closest allies in the 10-nation bloc.
Just over 52 per cent of respondents felt China was the most influential political and strategic power in South-east Asia, compared with 26.7 per cent for the US.
"While China can take gratification from the region's recognition of its growing political and strategic clout, it should do so with some grain of salt," noted the authors. "Among those who view China as having the most political-strategic influence in South-east Asia, 85.4 per cent registered their concern over this matter."
The authors added: "It bears reminding that recognising China's power is not the same as accepting the new reality. In fact, if not handled with due diligence, this may elicit counter-balancing forces to prevent China from becoming the region's hegemon."
Among respondents who hold a positive view of their countries' relations with Beijing, most see "China's growing economic dominance and political influence" in their respective country as the most important factor that could derail relations.
Their second-and third-biggest concerns were China's "strong-arm tactics in the South China Sea and the Mekong" and its use of "economic tools and tourism to punish their countries' foreign-policy choices".
As Asean member states hedge against uncertainty brought about by US-China rivalry, Japan and the European Union have stood out as the region's most preferred and strategic partners.
Some 61 per cent of respondents expressed confidence that Japan will "do the right thing" to provide global public goods.
The EU was ranked first by respondents for "maintaining the rules-based order and upholding international law".
Meanwhile, the survey found that Samsung was the overall telecommunications provider of choice to develop 5G networks in the region.
"Given its potential security ramifications, the award of the 5G contract can be seen as a vote of confidence and trust in the developer's country," the authors write.
Respondents were asked: "In which company/companies do you have the highest level of confidence to build your country's 5G Internet infrastructure network?"
Samsung, a South Korean conglomerate, emerged the top choice overall, with 38.5 per cent of votes.
Chinese companies such as Datang Telecom, Huawei and ZTE were the top choices in Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.
In Singapore, the biggest group of respondents - 25.7 per cent - chose Samsung, followed by Ericsson of Sweden (22.5 per cent), and the Chinese providers (19.4 per cent).
If China is so confident of the financial viability of these projects they should take a 49% equity stake with minimal loan component in the project. Let them put their money where their mouth is. The host country's stake can be contributed via locally sourced goods and labour and other services.SSridhar wrote:Many not sold on Beijing's new stance on Belt and Road Initiative: Survey - Straits TimesChina's recent pledge to make infrastructure projects in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) clean, green and financially sustainable has not convinced key influencers within the Asean region, according to the results of a survey released today by the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute.
Distrust of the Asian power is growing despite widespread recognition that it has the biggest clout in the region.
According to The State Of South-east Asia: 2020, an online survey of 1,308 South-east Asian nationals in research, business, the public sector, civil society and media, 63.6 per cent of respondents have little or no confidence that Beijing's new approach to the BRI will give their respective countries a fairer deal.
Critics of the BRI, which aims to connect regional economies through a network of China-backed projects, allege that it is a debt trap that will make recipient countries beholden to a Beijing which is, at the same time, vigorously asserting its dominance against rival territorial claimants in the South China Sea.
The sense of distrust towards China was most palpable in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, noted authors Tang Siew Mun, Hoang Thi Ha, Anuthida Saelaow Qian, Glenn Ong and Pham Thi Phuong Thao from the think-tank's Asean Studies Centre.
Even in BRI recipient countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos, the majority of respondents remained sceptical.
In recent years, as the United States led by President Donald Trump backs away from multilateral institutions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to support and strengthen multilateral cooperation.
Yet, some 60 per cent of respondents had either "little confidence" or "no confidence" that China will "do the right thing" to contribute to global peace, security, prosperity and governance.
This level of distrust is an almost 10-percentage-point jump from last year, when the same question was posed to respondents.
Distrust heightened across all Asean member states except in Cambodia, one of China's closest allies in the 10-nation bloc.
Just over 52 per cent of respondents felt China was the most influential political and strategic power in South-east Asia, compared with 26.7 per cent for the US.
"While China can take gratification from the region's recognition of its growing political and strategic clout, it should do so with some grain of salt," noted the authors. "Among those who view China as having the most political-strategic influence in South-east Asia, 85.4 per cent registered their concern over this matter."
The authors added: "It bears reminding that recognising China's power is not the same as accepting the new reality. In fact, if not handled with due diligence, this may elicit counter-balancing forces to prevent China from becoming the region's hegemon."
Among respondents who hold a positive view of their countries' relations with Beijing, most see "China's growing economic dominance and political influence" in their respective country as the most important factor that could derail relations.
Their second-and third-biggest concerns were China's "strong-arm tactics in the South China Sea and the Mekong" and its use of "economic tools and tourism to punish their countries' foreign-policy choices".
As Asean member states hedge against uncertainty brought about by US-China rivalry, Japan and the European Union have stood out as the region's most preferred and strategic partners.
Some 61 per cent of respondents expressed confidence that Japan will "do the right thing" to provide global public goods.
The EU was ranked first by respondents for "maintaining the rules-based order and upholding international law".
Meanwhile, the survey found that Samsung was the overall telecommunications provider of choice to develop 5G networks in the region.
"Given its potential security ramifications, the award of the 5G contract can be seen as a vote of confidence and trust in the developer's country," the authors write.
Respondents were asked: "In which company/companies do you have the highest level of confidence to build your country's 5G Internet infrastructure network?"
Samsung, a South Korean conglomerate, emerged the top choice overall, with 38.5 per cent of votes.
Chinese companies such as Datang Telecom, Huawei and ZTE were the top choices in Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.
In Singapore, the biggest group of respondents - 25.7 per cent - chose Samsung, followed by Ericsson of Sweden (22.5 per cent), and the Chinese providers (19.4 per cent).
Washington could further restrict supplies to Chinese telecom gear maker Huawei...
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” – Sun Tzu
“Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy’s terms.” – Sun Tzu
Donald Trump is really rubbing the chinese nose into the dirt.”The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.” – Sun Tzu
The deadly animal virus epidemic spreading globally may have originated in a Wuhan laboratory linked to China’s covert biological weapons program, according to an Israeli biological warfare expert.
Radio Free Asia this week rebroadcast a local Wuhan television report from 2015 showing China’s most advanced virus research laboratory known the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Radio Free Asia reported.
The laboratory is the only declared site in China capable of working with deadly viruses.
Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who has studied Chinese bio warfare, said the institute is linked to Beijing’s covert biological weapons program.
“Certain laboratories in the institute have probably been engaged, in terms of research and development, in Chinese [biological weapons], at least collaterally, yet not as a principal facility of the Chinese BW alignment,” Mr. Shoham told The Washington Times.
Work on biological weapons is conducted as part of a dual civilian-military research and is “definitely covert,” he said in an email.
Mr. Shoham holds a doctorate in medical microbiology. From 1970 to 1991 he was a senior analyst with Israeli military intelligence for biological and chemical warfare in the Middle East and worldwide, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Rony wrote:Virus-hit Wuhan has two laboratories linked to Chinese bio-warfare program
The deadly animal virus epidemic spreading globally may have originated in a Wuhan laboratory linked to China’s covert biological weapons program, according to an Israeli biological warfare expert.
Radio Free Asia this week rebroadcast a local Wuhan television report from 2015 showing China’s most advanced virus research laboratory known the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Radio Free Asia reported.
The laboratory is the only declared site in China capable of working with deadly viruses.
Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who has studied Chinese bio warfare, said the institute is linked to Beijing’s covert biological weapons program.
“Certain laboratories in the institute have probably been engaged, in terms of research and development, in Chinese [biological weapons], at least collaterally, yet not as a principal facility of the Chinese BW alignment,” Mr. Shoham told The Washington Times.
Work on biological weapons is conducted as part of a dual civilian-military research and is “definitely covert,” he said in an email.
Mr. Shoham holds a doctorate in medical microbiology. From 1970 to 1991 he was a senior analyst with Israeli military intelligence for biological and chemical warfare in the Middle East and worldwide, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel.
China coronavirus spread is accelerating, Xi Jinping warnsThe authorities reported 15 new deaths in Wuhan, the center of a virus outbreak, including a medical professional in his 60s.
RIGHT NOWSchools in Hong Kong and the mainland postpone classes
Here’s what you need to know:
China moves to restrict travel, including tours abroad.
Schools in Hong Kong and the mainland postpone classes
Fifteen more deaths are reported, including a medical specialist.
Why is there so much panic?
Xi Jinping, China’s leader, says the nation will ‘beat the epidemic.’
Beijing’s response highlights longstanding tensions between national and local officials.
U.S. orders the evacuation of American consulate employees.
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I think this is sensationalism. I this virus can be quarantined and no of deaths will be restricted.Kati wrote:What I've heard from China, especially the financial markets, is that the coronavirus is going to be a disaster. It will easily shave off half of the Chinese GDP for 2020.
The chinese heartland and its main economic zones are in danger, and the economy is sure to take a hit. Disrupted supplies, access, the losses will pile up.VinodTK wrote:Coronavirus Live Updates: China Suspends Tours Abroad as Xi Warns of ‘Grave Situation’China coronavirus spread is accelerating, Xi Jinping warnsThe authorities reported 15 new deaths in Wuhan, the center of a virus outbreak, including a medical professional in his 60s.
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The longer it goes bigger the impact on Chines economy and global economy
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Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, is one of China's largest industrial hubs and home to its steel industry. The $9.4 billion Chinese automotive company Dongfeng Motor Corp, which is joint venture partners with Nissan and Honda, resides in this city.
Several suppliers and international business operations are based in Wuhan. For example, massive car factories for General Motors, Nissan, Honda, and other corporations are there. Wuhan is home to the business operations for international corporations like Renault SA, PSA Group's Peugeot, IBM, HSBC, Siemens, Walmart, Ericsson and more. The beverage company Anheuser-Busch InBev SA also brews beer in Wuhan.
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The deadly animal-borne coronavirus spreading globally may have originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan linked to China’s covert biological weapons program, said an Israeli biological warfare analyst.
Radio Free Asia last week rebroadcast a Wuhan television report from 2015 showing China’s most advanced virus research laboratory, known the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The laboratory is the only declared site in China capable of working with deadly viruses.
Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who has studied Chinese biological warfare, said the institute is linked to Beijing’s covert bio-weapons program.
“Certain laboratories in the institute have probably been engaged, in terms of research and development, in Chinese [biological weapons], at least collaterally, yet not as a principal facility of the Chinese BW alignment,” Mr. Shoham told The Washington Times.
Work on biological weapons is conducted as part of dual civilian-military research and is “definitely covert,” he said in an email.
Mr. Shoham holds a doctorate in medical microbiology. From 1970 to 1991, he was a senior analyst with Israeli military intelligence for biological and chemical warfare in the Middle East and worldwide. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel.
China has denied having any offensive biological weapons, but a State Department report last year revealed suspicions of covert biological warfare work.
It is time to start a separate thread to follow this event. I believe that if this really gets out of hand, communities themselves would need figure out a way to quarantine themselves until solutions show up. It would also serve as a repository of information to protect our families should the proverbial black swan pandemic arrivesamitverma wrote:Coronavirus may have originated in lab linked to China's biowarfare program
The deadly animal-borne coronavirus spreading globally may have originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan linked to China’s covert biological weapons program, said an Israeli biological warfare analyst.
Radio Free Asia last week rebroadcast a Wuhan television report from 2015 showing China’s most advanced virus research laboratory, known the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The laboratory is the only declared site in China capable of working with deadly viruses.
Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who has studied Chinese biological warfare, said the institute is linked to Beijing’s covert bio-weapons program.
“Certain laboratories in the institute have probably been engaged, in terms of research and development, in Chinese [biological weapons], at least collaterally, yet not as a principal facility of the Chinese BW alignment,” Mr. Shoham told The Washington Times.
Work on biological weapons is conducted as part of dual civilian-military research and is “definitely covert,” he said in an email.
Mr. Shoham holds a doctorate in medical microbiology. From 1970 to 1991, he was a senior analyst with Israeli military intelligence for biological and chemical warfare in the Middle East and worldwide. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel.
China has denied having any offensive biological weapons, but a State Department report last year revealed suspicions of covert biological warfare work.
The US has charged a Harvard professor and two Chinese researchers based in Boston with assisting the Chinese government.
Harvard department chair Charles Lieber is accused of lying about his connections, while the researchers were charged with being foreign agents.
Mr Lieber allegedly accepted more than $1m in grant money from the Chinese government.
Harvard University called the charges against him "extremely serious".
In a statement, the university added: "Professor Lieber has been placed on indefinite administrative leave."
Who else was charged?
Prosecutors said Yanqing Ye, a Boston University robotics researcher, concealed the fact that she was in the Chinese army.
Ms Ye is accused of falsely identifying herself as a student and also continuing to work for the People's Liberation Army, while completing a number of assignments in the US.
Cancer researcher Zaosong Zheng was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport with 21 vials of biological samples in his bag. Prosecutors allege he was planning to return to China to continue his research there.
What were the alleged connections?
Court documents allege Mr Lieber, who has worked as the head investigator at the Lieber Research Group at Harvard University, received more than $15m (£11.5m) in grants from the US National Institute of Health and the US Department of Defence.
However in 2011, allegedly without Harvard's knowledge, Mr Lieber joined Wuhan University of Technology in China as a scientist.
According to the court papers, he also participated in the Thousand Talents Plan, a programme that aims to attract foreign research specialists. The US has flagged the programme as a security concern in the past.
From his role at Wuhan University of Technology, Mr Lieber was given a monthly salary of $50,000, in addition to living expenses of up to $158,000.
The filings say he was also given more than $1.5m to establish a research lab at Wuhan University of Technology and, in return, was expected to work for the university, applying for patents and publishing articles in its name.
Andrew Lelling, US attorney for the district of Massachusetts, said in a press conference: "This is a very directed effort by the Chinese government to fill what it views as its own strategic gaps."
'Hysteria' or 'non-traditional espionage'?
By Zhaoyin Feng, US Correspondent, BBC Chinese
China says its Thousand Talents Plan is designed to keep "high-end talent" at home, in order to prevent a brain drain. The country has been losing talent to places like the US and the UK, where hundreds of thousands of Chinese attend top universities and subsequently settle down.
But the US view is that China is repeating a notorious tactic in its development playbook: intellectual property theft. For decades, Washington has accused Beijing of stealing science and technology from the US in order to gain an competitive advantage.
The FBI warns that the Thousand Talents Plan could be used by Beijing as a channel to conduct "non-traditional espionage", though many reported cases are not related to spying, but violations of ethics, such as not fully disclosing financial conflicts of interest.
Washington has increased its scrutiny on China's Thousand Talents Plan since 2018, when the two countries started to be locked in a trade battle, and Beijing has reportedly refrained from talking publicly about the program.
Chinese state tabloid Global Times labelled the American scepticism as "hysteria".
Since 2008, more than 7,000 researchers and scientists based outside of China have participated in the Thousand Talents Plan, many of whom are of Chinese descent.
Many warn that Washington's crackdown efforts must not give way to racial profiling. David Ho, a renowned Taiwanese-American HIV researcher, suggested in an earlier media interview: "If you want to implement policies, you should implement for all, not just the Chinese scientists."
It will be a miracle if growth is positive this year. This will have deep and wide ramifications in all sectors of the Chinese economy (save face masks and containment suits).Kati wrote:China’s yearly growth rate could fall below 2%, economist warns
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/04/chinese ... warns.html
Probably a few CIA operations we don't know about. But suffice it to say there will be no real challenger to the United States for the foreseeable future. I don't think Cheen were ever that close (US warships and aircraft operate off Cheen's coastline) but they certainly won't be after a few more years of this. lolKati wrote:Call me a CTheorist, but look at the sequence of events:
1. DT initiating the trade disputes with Panda, with an iron fist approach
2. Forcing the US manufacturers to relocate
3. Catching a record number of Panda scientists, students, scholars in the US over the last 4 years who have been engaged in IP theft.
4. A sustained campaign in Hong Kong against mainland Panda interference.
5. A landslide win for Tsai Ing-Wen, - the DPP candidate with vocal independence stance
6. The latest C-virus outbreak which now all poised to slash Panda GDP growth to 3%, and stall armament production.
......
Let me know if I'm missing something.