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China Makes Threat After U.S. Arms Deal with Taiwan

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Beijing, China – China has issued a stern warning following the U.S. approval of a $2 billion arms deal with Taiwan, which includes the sale of the advanced National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). The deal, announced on Saturday, marks Taiwan’s first acquisition of the cutting-edge air defense system, sparking immediate outrage from Beijing.

The NASAMS system, known for its effectiveness in intercepting short- and medium-range missiles, gained prominence after its deployment in Ukraine, where it played a pivotal role in countering Russian missile threats. Taiwan’s acquisition of this technology is seen as a significant enhancement to its military capabilities.

In response to the deal, China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S., stating, “China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged serious protests with the U.S.” The ministry emphasized that the country would implement “resolute countermeasures” to safeguard its national sovereignty and security.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry reacted to China’s threats by asserting its commitment to self-defense. “In the face of China’s threats, Taiwan is duty-bound to protect its homeland and will continue to demonstrate its determination to defend itself,” a spokesperson said.

China’s state-run Global Times accused the U.S. of exploiting the situation for economic gain, claiming that the arms deal was part of an American strategy to “economically extort Taiwan” while benefiting U.S. arms dealers. The publication sought to downplay the significance of NASAMS, asserting that it would have a “limited role” in Taiwan’s air defense and would not pose a threat to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Tim Walz Welcomed Chinese Communist Party Officials Into His Nebraska Classroom

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, welcomed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials into his Nebraska classroom while working as a teacher in the 1990s, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.

In February 1996, a delegation of three “educators” from southeast China visited Walz’s Alliance High School social studies class “to study the education system,” according to an unearthed Alliance Times-Herald article. However, the delegation included CCP officials who at the time worked for an institute serving a Chinese influence and intelligence agency, according to a DCNF review of Chinese government records.

Walz’s longstanding relationship with China has come under increased scrutiny following Vice President Kamala Harris’ August selection of the two-term governor as her running mate. Media reports have since revealed Walz not only misrepresented key details about his China travels, but also appointed a member of a political faction loyal to the CCP to Minnesota’s executive branch.

Neither Walz’s office nor the Harris-Walz campaign responded to multiple requests for comment.

Republican lawmakers have been demanding answers from federal authorities about the governor’s ties to the communist nation. (Read more from “Tim Walz Welcomed Chinese Communist Party Officials Into His Nebraska Classroom” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Report: Communist China’s Spying ‘Expanded Rapidly’ Across 20 States Under Biden and Harris

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Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spying in the United States “expanded rapidly” under the Biden-Harris administration’s watch, according to a congressional report released Thursday.

Published by the House Homeland Security Committee’s House Committee On Homeland Security’s Subcommittee On Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, And Intelligence, the assessment details how cases of “CCP-related espionage and acts of transnational repression” have significantly increased since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office. The analysis was first reported by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“Beijing has continually encroached upon American sovereignty to spy, intimidate, and harass not only defectors, but even American citizens,” Committee Chair and Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn. said in a statement. “It is important we remain clear-eyed about the threat the CCP poses to the security of the American people so we are prepared to counter its malign influence at every turn.”

According to the report, there have been more than 55 “CCP-related espionage cases in 20 states” from January 2021-October 2024. These have included incidents related to “transmission of sensitive military information to [the People’s Republic of China] PRC,” “stealing of trade secrets to benefit the PRC,” “transnational repression schemes to target PRC dissidents,” and “obstruction of justice.”

As The Federalist previously reported, there have been numerous cases throughout the past year alone in which foreign nationals have attempted to breach U.S. military installations. In March, officials apprehended a Chinese male who was reportedly attempting to gain access to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, California. (Read more from “Report: Communist China’s Spying ‘Expanded Rapidly’ Across 20 States Under Biden and Harris” HERE)

Blow to China’s Military Plans After New Nuclear Submarine ‘Sinks’

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China’s newest nuclear attack submarine has sunk in a shipyard accident, in a setback to the country’s attempts to overtake the United States in a naval arms race, according to US officials.

The sinking of the first of a new Zhou-class of nuclear-powered submarines triggered a scramble for Beijing to cover up the incident, officials told The Wall Street Journal.

The newly built vessel, which features a distinctive X-shaped stern, was sighted on satellite images alongside a pier at Wuchang Shipyard as it was being equipped for sea in late May.

It is claimed to have sunk later that month or in early June. Suspicion was said to have been raised when floating cranes were seen at the site soon afterwards.

Brent Sadler, a former submarine officer at Washington’s Heritage Foundation think tank, said: “The sinking of a new nuclear sub that was produced at a new yard will slow China’s plans to grow its nuclear submarine fleet. This is significant.” (Read more from “Blow to China’s Military Plans After New Nuclear Submarine ‘Sinks’ HERE)

An American Pastor Held in a Chinese Jail for Nearly Two Decades Is Finally Home

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A pastor who the United States says was wrongfully detained in a Chinese prison for nearly two decades has been released, according to the State Department, ending a case that the Biden administration said was a top priority in efforts to stabilize relations with Beijing.

David Lin, 68, was detained in China in 2006 after helping to construct an unapproved church building. He was later sentenced to life in prison for contract fraud, a charge he denied.

Lin was one of three Americans deemed by the US State Department to have been wrongfully detained in China. Businessmen Kai Li and Mark Swidan are still held behind bars, on espionage and drug-related charges respectively.

“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” a spokesperson for the US State Department said in a statement Sunday. (Read more from “An American Pastor Held in a Chinese Jail for Nearly Two Decades Is Finally Home” HERE)

China Able to Spy on US With Intelligence-Gathering Devices on Seaport Cranes, House Report Finds

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A Chinese company installed intelligence gathering equipment on cranes used at seaports across the US that could allow Beijing to spy on Americans and cripple key infrastructure, according to a new congressional report.

The Republican majorities on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and House Homeland Security Committee found that the Shanghai-based, state-owned ZPMC engineering company had pressured American port authorities to allow remote access to its cranes, “with a particular focus on those located on the West Coast.”

“If granted, this access could potentially be extended to other [People’s Republican of China] government entities, posing a significant risk due to the PRC’s national security laws that mandate cooperation with state intelligence agencies,” adds the report, the outcome of a yearlong investigation.

The devices found attached to the cranes include cellular modems that were “not requested by US ports or included in contracts … [and] constitute a significant backdoor security vulnerability that undermines the integrity of port operations,” the report said.

“These unknown modems were believed to be installed under the auspices of collecting usage data for the equipment,” the report said, citing contract documents and statements from port operators. “These modems – although not necessary for the operation of the cranes – created an obscure method to collect information, and bypass firewalls in a manner that could potentially disrupt port operations.” (Read more from “China Able to Spy on US With Intelligence-Gathering Devices on Seaport Cranes, House Report Finds” HERE)

China Halts Foreign Adoption of Children Amid Demographic Crisis

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The Chinese government on Friday announced that it will no longer allow foreign families to adopt Chinese children, ending a program that has found homes overseas for more than 160,000 children since 1992. While Beijing refused to clearly explain its decision, most observers suspected it was a response to declining birth rates in China.

The cutoff of foreign adoptions was so abrupt that families with pending cases had no idea if their adoptions would go forward. When the U.S. State Department sought clarification, Chinese officials said they “will not continue to process cases at any stage.”

“We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoption, and we sympathize with their situation,” the State Department said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry mumbled something about bringing foreign adoptions into line with “the spirit of relevant international conventions.”

This might have been a vague reference to Denmark and the Netherlands saying earlier this year that they will no longer allow overseas adoptions. Both of those decisions were prompted by bureaucratic irregularities and allegations of fraudulent paperwork, after a sharp decline in foreign adoptions during the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. (Read more from “China Halts Foreign Adoption of Children Amid Demographic Crisis” HERE)

Look Who’s Using Social Media to Impersonate American Voters and Spread Divisive Narratives

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A new report has found Chinese operatives are using social media platforms to impersonate American voters and spread divisive narratives about issues in the U.S., particularly social issues, and political conversations around the 2024 presidential election.

Graphika, a company that analyzes online social media behaviors, published their report titled “The #Americans” Tuesday, detailing how Spamouflage – a Chinese state-linked influence operation – has become increasingly aggressive on social media platforms, using personas disguised as Americans to sew divisive narratives.

Spamouflage is an influence operation first monitored by Graphika in 2019. Active on over 40 online platforms, it uses inauthentic accounts to promote pro-China and anti-Western narratives. Graphika determined the origins of the operation are linked to the Chinese government.

Graphika’s ATLAS intelligence reporting, which analyzes real-time intelligence and data, identified over a dozen accounts claiming to be American citizens, fifteen Spamouflage accounts were found on X, while one account was found on TikTok.

These accounts all claim to be American citizens, and have been found to be sowing doubt in the U.S. electoral process, while also targeting social issues like gun control, racial inequality, and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Analysts state much of the content was likely generated through the use of artificial intelligence. (Read more from “Look Who’s Using Social Media to Impersonate American Voters and Spread Divisive Narratives” HERE)

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Bombshell Indictment: Top New York Democrat Aide Worked as Agent of Influence for China, Communist Party

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A former top aide to New York Govs. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Kathy Hochul (D) used her high-ranking position in the state’s government to peddle influence for China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while profiting millions in the process, an unsealed federal indictment alleges.

On Tuesday, federal prosecutors unsealed the indictment against 41-year-old Linda Sun, born in China and a naturalized American citizen, and her husband, 40-year-old Chris Hu. The indictment charges the couple with operating a money laundering and bank fraud scheme thanks in part to Sun’s allegedly acting as an agent of influence for China while working in Cuomo and Hochul’s administrations.

The couple were arrested and arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on Tuesday.

The 64-page indictment is far-reaching, detailing Sun’s alleged work as an agent for China and her husband’s subsequent illegal business dealings in China. In particular, the indictment lays out how Sun allegedly acted on behalf of the CCP while working for Cuomo, who is called “Politician-1,” and Hochul, who is called “Politician-2.” The indictment states:

The defendant LINDA SUN acted at the order, direction, or request of representatives of the [People’s Republic of China (PRC)] government and the CCP to engage in political activities intended to influence the public, including the [New York State (NYS)] government, with respect to the political or public interests of the PRC government and the CCP. (Read more from “Bombshell Indictment: Top New York Democrat Aide Worked as Agent of Influence for China, Communist Party” HERE)

Look Who’s Stirring up Trouble Between Russia and China

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Taiwan’s president is stirring up trouble between allies Russia and China, after he stated on Taiwanese media that China should take back land from Russia if Beijing truly believes Taiwan being in China’s control is about territorial integrity, according to the Straits Times.

During the Quing dynasty, China’s last royal dynasty, China signed the Treaty of Aigun in 1858 which turned over a huge swath of land to Russia – a treaty modern-day China has referred to as “unequal.”

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, who has been labeled a “separatist” by China, mentioned this tidbit during his interview, and dismissed China’s claim it wants control of Taiwan because of “territorial integrity.”

“China’s intention to attack and annex Taiwan is not because of what any one person or political party in Taiwan says or does. It is not for the sake of territorial integrity that China wants to annex Taiwan … If it is for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn’t it take back the lands occupied by Russia that were signed over in the Treaty of Aigun? Russia is now at its weakest right?” Lai said.

Lai said the intentions of China are clear, it wants to change the international order and establish a hegemony.

(Read more from “Look Who’s Stirring up Trouble Between Russia and China” HERE)