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It’s Only Been Two Days Since Trump’s China Tariffs Dropped And Beijing Already Wants To Make A Deal

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The Chinese government is reportedly preparing to begin trade talks with the U.S. after President Donald Trump slapped China with a 10% tariff, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Beijing is reportedly gearing up to discuss trade relations in an attempt to ward off further tariffs from the U.S., according to the WSJ. The WSJ report comes after Trump announced on Saturday that he is implementing 10% tariffs against China as well as 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada in an attempt to crack down on illegal immigration and the trafficking of illicit drugs such as fentanyl stemming from the countries.

China’s initial trade proposal will be aimed at restoring a trade agreement that the country signed during Trump’s first term in 2020 but did not implement during former President Joe Biden’s term, anonymous sources told the WSJ. Beijing is now preparing to discuss with the Trump-Vance administration areas where China can purchase more from the U.S., the outlet reported.

When announcing the tariffs on Saturday, the White House wrote that there was an “extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl” which “constitutes a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” The White House stated in the announcement that tariffs are a “powerful, proven source of leverage for protecting the national interest.”

Beijing on Sunday denounced Trump’s tariffs, stating that fentanyl was “America’s problem,” Reuters reported. Notably, deaths in the U.S. involving synthetic opioids other than methadone — primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl — rose to 73,838 in 2022. The global fentanyl supply chain often starts with chemical companies based in China, and often passes through Mexico and then into the U.S. (Read more from “It’s Only Been Two Days Since Trump’s China Tariffs Dropped And Beijing Already Wants To Make A Deal” HERE)

Chinese Communist Party Quietly Operates Shadow Justice System In US Cities

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China is imposing its justice system on American soil using a web of U.S.-based nonprofits linked to a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence agency, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.

Located throughout California, the greater Washington, D.C. area, Hawaii, and New York, the network of more than a dozen nonprofits share information with Chinese law enforcement officials, and some also host unsanctioned courtrooms in the U.S., a months-long investigation discovered. Although the Chinese government claims it appoints law enforcement officials overseas in order to more conveniently handle mundane matters like Chinese driver’s license renewal and international divorce cases, U.S. lawmakers and intelligence analysts say China’s underground courts could easily be weaponized to punish dissidents and expand communist influence abroad.

Liu Pengyu, a Chinese Embassy spokesperson, told the DCNF that “Chinese law enforcement agencies conduct foreign law enforcement cooperation strictly in accordance with international law, fully respect foreign laws and judicial sovereignty, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of criminal suspects in accordance with the law.”

However, the DCNF found that not only are all the identified nonprofits led by individuals working with a Chinese intelligence service called the United Front Work Department (UFWD), but some of their leaders have also explicitly discussed forced repatriation operations with Ministry of Public Security (MPS) officials in China. Furthermore, several of the individuals appointed to operate overseas Chinese courts in the U.S. also belong to the nonprofit that ran a Chinese police station in New York, which the Department of Justice (DOJ) found sought to forcibly repatriate individuals back to China.

“The Chinese government’s attempt to impose its repressive legal system on U.S. soil through the CCP’s United Front network is an unacceptable assault on U.S. sovereignty and the rule of law,” Michigan Republican Rep. John Moolenaar told the DCNF. (Read more from “Chinese Communist Party Quietly Operates Shadow Justice System In US Cities” HERE)

Zelensky Calls For U.S. Troops in Ukraine

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Intensifying talk in European capitals about sending peacekeepers to Ukraine’s front lines is welcome but it won’t work without American boots on the ground, President Volodymyr Zelensky says at the Davos World Economic Forum meeting.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has been at Davos this week drumming up support, but also attempting to ingratiate himself with President Donald Trump by acting as a conduit for America First messaging to European leaders. Nevertheless, Bloomberg reports the Ukrainian “bristled” at the suggestion the United States wouldn’t put boots on the ground in Ukraine to deter further Russian aggression.

The conversation follows months of talk in Europe, particularly in capitals like Paris, Warsaw, and London, about what happens when the now apparently inevitable ceasefire comes. Preventing Russia from simply using a pause as a chance to catch its breath, re-arm, and then attack anew after a short break is the main concern and European leaders have told President Zelensky they would want to consider deploying their own armies to Ukraine to prevent Russia from renewing hostilities.

But forward-deploying NATO like this and de facto welcoming Ukraine into its protective embrace wouldn’t work, President Zelensky reportedly told Bloomberg on the side-lines of Davos, without American manpower. He is reported to have said: “It can’t be without the United States… Even if some European friends think it can be, no it can’t be. Nobody will risk without the United States.”

As well as the United States, Zelensky also expressed optimism that China might be persuaded to force Russia to peace, because so much of Russia’s economy and military supply relies on Beijing. While “President Trump is the strongest”, Xi Jinping “can push Putin for peace, I’m sure”. (Read more from “Zelensky Calls For U.S. Troops in Ukraine” HERE)

Putin and Xi Vow to ‘Deepen’ Alliance After Trump Returns to White House

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Within hours of President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Chinese and Russian leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin held a 90-minute telephone conference to “deepen strategic coordination” and look out for each other’s interests in the “current global situation.”

“This year, I am ready, together with you, to elevate Chinese-Russian relations to a new level, to counter external uncertainties by preserving stability and resilience of Chinese-Russian relations,” Xi told Putin, according to a transcript of the call posted by the Kremlin.

Putin responded by praising collaborative projects, such as a pipeline operated by Russia’s national energy company Gazprom that carries natural gas to China.

“Five years ago, we launched the Power of Siberia gas pipeline together, and today, Russia has become the leading supplier of natural gas to China,” Putin boasted.

“I believe that the past year was very good for us. It can be said confidently that our foreign policy ties and Russia and China’s joint efforts objectively play a major stabilizing role in international affairs,” he said. (Read more from “Putin and Xi Vow to ‘Deepen’ Alliance After Trump Returns to White House” HERE)

Marco Rubio Warns That If US Doesn’t ‘Change Course,’ China Will Control Every Aspect Of Our Lives

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Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio warned during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that it will take China less than 10 years to virtually control every aspect of Americans’ lives — if the U.S. fails to “change course.”

Rubio said the Chinese Communist’s Party’s (CCP) stronghold over key industries and critical materials will lead America to become “entirely dependent” on China for a wide range of products, ranging from medicine to films, in the near future. The nominee, who has repeatedly warned of the threat China poses, said the U.S. must prevent such an “unacceptable outcome” from occurring.

“If we stay on the road we’re on right now, [in] less than 10 years, virtually everything that matters to us will depend on whether China allows us to have it or not,” Rubio said. “Everything from the blood pressure medicine we take, to what movies we get to watch and everything in between, we will depend on China for it. They have come to dominate the critical mineral industry [and] supplies throughout the world. Throughout the world, they’ve now established critical mineral rights, even those who want to see more electric cars, no matter where you make them, those batteries are almost entirely dependent on the ability and the willingness of the Chinese Communist Party to produce and export it to you.”

“So if we don’t change course, we’re going to live in a world where everything that matters to us on a daily basis, from our security to our health, will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not. That is an unacceptable outcome,” he continued. (Read more from “Marco Rubio Warns That If US Doesn’t ‘Change Course,’ China Will Control Every Aspect Of Our Lives” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Chinese Drone Giant DJI Removes Geofencing That Protects White House, Airports, Wildfires

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China’s DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer, has decided to remove its long-standing geofencing feature, which previously prevented drones from flying over restricted areas such as airports, wildfires, and the White House.

The Verge reports that Chinese drone manufacture DJI has made a significant change to its flight control software, effectively removing geofencing restrictions that have been in place for over a decade. Geofencing drones effectively creates invisible walls around sensitive locations like airports, preventing drone operators from purposefully or accidentally flying their drone into an area where they shouldn’t.

The geofencing feature, voluntarily implemented by DJI, had been designed to automatically prevent drones from flying over sensitive areas such as runways, power plants, public emergencies, and critical government buildings. However, the company has now chosen to place control back in the hands of drone operators, offering only a dismissible warning instead of enforcing strict no-fly zones.

DJI’s global policy head, Adam Welsh, explained to the Verge that this decision aligns with the introduction of Remote ID technology, which publicly broadcasts the location of a drone and its operator during flight. Welsh suggests that this technology provides authorities with the necessary tools to enforce existing rules, making the geofencing feature less critical.

However, the incident involving a sub-250-gram DJI drone damaging a Super Scooper airplane during the Los Angeles wildfires has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Remote ID in preventing such occurrences. The FBI expects to rely on investigative means to identify the drone operator responsible for the incident, as these smaller models may not require Remote ID to operate. (Read more from “Chinese Drone Giant DJI Removes Geofencing That Protects White House, Airports, Wildfires” HERE)

Philippines ‘Pushed to the Wall’ as It Sends Warning to Beijing Ships in South China Sea

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Filipino officials warn that tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea are reaching a breaking point.

China’s hostility in a disputed part of the South China Sea is “pushing [the Philipines] to the wall,” according to Filipino security official Jonathan Malaya, who serves as the assistant director-general of the National Security Council.

The comments come after the Philipines Coast Guard claimed it recently discovered a large Chinese Coast Guard ship in the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

“The presence of the monster ship in Filipino waters… 77 nautical miles from our shoreline, is unacceptable and, therefore, it should be withdrawn immediately by the Chinese government,” Malaya said at a news conference alongside senior military and coast guard officials.

The spotting is among several that PCG has reported in recent months, which the Philipines views as provocation and intimidation from China. (Read more from “Philippines ‘Pushed to the Wall’ as It Sends Warning to Beijing Ships in South China Sea” HERE)

China Hacked Phones and Wants Nuclear First Strike Capability Against U.S.: Ex-Trump Aide

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A former senior aide to Donald Trump claimed China had tapped the president-elect’s phone, stolen “extraordinary” amounts of data and is preparing for a first-strike nuclear capability against the United States.

H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security adviser from 2017 to 2018, told a think tank event in Washington on Wednesday that the US has to impose “very significant costs” on China for its “massive cyber intrusions”.

“They listen to President Trump’s phone and everybody around him for six months, right? They’ve stolen extraordinary amounts of data which we found on our telecom networks,” he told the event organised by the Council on Foreign Relations. (Read more from “China Hacked Phones and Wants Nuclear First Strike Capability Against U.S.: Ex-Trump Aide” HERE)

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End of Days: Pharmacies Flooded With Panic-Gripped Crowds Rushing to Stock up on ‘Miracle Pills’ to Stave off Deadly HMPV Virus

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Pharmacies in China have become inundated with people trying to buy “miracle pills” amid the spread of the deadly HMPV virus .

RadarOnline.com can reveal the flu-like bug, which mostly affects vulnerable people and children, is spreading across the country but it remains unclear how many cases there currently are.

Chinese authorities are keeping information limited but worrying footage of chaotic overcrowding in hospitals, with patients hooked up to IV drips in waiting rooms, has only increased fears of the “mysterious virus” which continues to cause devastation.

Masked-up patients can be seen in Beijing Children’s Hospital as they battle the infectious bug. One mom was spotted trying to comfort a baby that appeared to have a drip connected to its head. . .

According to reports, some pharmacies are starting to ramp up prices of a medication named Xofluza to 300yuan (€40) a box and each box comes with two pills. (Read more from “End of Days: Pharmacies Flooded With Panic-Gripped Crowds Rushing to Stock up on ‘Miracle Pills’ to Stave off Deadly HMPV Virus” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Admiral: U.S. Military in Pacific Rapidly Gearing Up for War With China by 2027

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U.S. military forces in the Pacific are deploying large numbers of drone weapons and increasing overall force readiness in preparation for a potential 2027 war with China, according to the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command.

Adm. Sam Paparo stated in a new naval journal article that his forces are rapidly building drone weapons and armed robots for use in both air and sea as part of “Project 33,” named for Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the service’s 33rd CNO.

The strategic guidance plan calls on the Navy to increase its warfighting power “in the fastest time,” according to a Navy fact sheet, with the key goal of preparing “for the possibility of war with the People’s Republic of China by 2027.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the People’s Liberation Army to be ready to use force to annex Taiwan by 2027. U.S. defense officials said the PLA is honing its forces for a possible invasion or blockade of the self-ruled island by that date.

The second objective of the plan is enhancing the Navy’s long-term military advantages. Adm. Paparo stated that China, Russia and North Korea are all threatening stability and security throughout the Indo-Pacific. (Read more from “Admiral: U.S. Military in Pacific Rapidly Gearing Up for War With China by 2027” HERE)