‘They are in no hurry’: Beijing plays the long game as Canadians languish in China’s prisons
 
The “Two Michaels,” Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, have garnered international attention. Their arrests in December 2018 were widely seen as retaliation for the arrest of Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou by the RCMP in Vancouver at the behest of the United States.

But when Kamila Telendibaeva hears the Michaels’ names mentioned repeatedly by political leaders and journalists, she has mixed emotions.

“I feel sorry for the Michaels, I feel really sorry,” she says. “But when I hear the Michaels’ case, I always think: ‘Where’s Huseyin’s case? Why they don’t want to bring it up? Why they don’t want to raise it?’ It hurts. He’s a Canadian.”
 
Source: Global News #May08

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#Canadians #China #Michaels

First astronauts arrive at China's space station

The first astronauts arrived at China's new space station on Thursday in the country's longest crewed mission to date, a landmark step in establishing Beijing as a major space power.The trio blasted off on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China's Gobi desert, and their craft docked at the Tiangong station around seven hours later, where they will spend the next three months.State broadcaster CCTV showed a live feed from inside the spacecraft during the journey, with the three astronauts lifting their helmet visors after it reached orbit as one smiled and waved at the camera.Around seven hours after lift-off, space officials confirmed that the craft had docked with Tianhe, the core module of the country's new space station.The Shenzhou-12 craft has "successfully docked with the forward port of the core module" of the Tiangong station, said the China Manned Space Agency, as state TV showed live footage.At a ceremony before blast-off, the three astronauts, already wearing their space suits, greeted a crowd of supporters and space workers, who sang the patriotic song "Without the Chinese Communist Party, there would be no new China".The mission's commander is Nie Haisheng, a decorated air force pilot in the People's Liberation Army who has already participated in two space missions. The two other members are also members of the military.This is China's first crewed mission in nearly five years.Huang Weifen of the China Manned Space Program said the astronauts will perform two spacewalks during the mission, both lasting around six or seven hours.The launch represents a matter of huge prestige in China, as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive propaganda campaign.The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the end of next year, including three more manned missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members. (AFP)

2021-06-17 17:49:36

Mysterious Origins of COVID-19 Raise Some Alarming Possibilities

By: Victor Davis Hanson

READ: https://theepochtim.es/3cMpZXO

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New US bill to sanction Chinese health officials; Mine accident in China: 11 dead, 2 missing

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Eleven dead and two missing. That's the latest update from a #MineAccident in Northern #China. The country has confirmed over ten mining accidents so far this year.

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#TikTok can now collect facial and #VoiceData without users' consent. Its new #PrivacyPolicy says that the app can do it automatically.

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Eleven dead and two missing—that's the latest update from a #MineAccident in North #China's Shanxi Province as of Wednesday.

Chinese authorities said the search and rescue work is extremely difficult.

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Two U.S. lawmakers are introducing a bill that looks to ramp up pressure on the CCP. The bill would slap #sanctions on top #ChineseHealthOfficials until Beijing allows for an independent investigation into the #origins of the CCP virus.

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If you’re vaccinated, #France welcomes you.

But only if you got one of four EU-approved #vaccines. Updated regulations say Chinese-made vaccines don't make the cut.

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Bill Seeks to Block Foreign Adversaries from Buying Land Near US Military Bases

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The CCP Is Brainwashing the West With Its Covert Global Propaganda Front

By: He Qinglian

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Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Make US Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Less Dependent on Foreign Countries Like China

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NASA Researcher Sentenced For Concealing China Ties

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Newsom Recall, a Referendum on China

By: Lloyd Billingsley

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US general plays down chance of Taiwan invasion

The top US general said on Thursday there was a low probability that Beijing would try to take over Taiwan militarily in the near-term as the mainland has some way to go to develop the capabilities needed.While there has been increasing concern in Taiwan and among some US lawmakers about mainland military activity near the island, like flying jets in Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ), US military officials have said that such moves are not overly concerning.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley told lawmakers that while Taiwan was still a core national interest of Beijing, "There's little intent right now, or motivation, to do it militarily.""There's no reason to do it militarily, and they know that. So, I think the probability is probably low, in the immediate, near-term future," Milley said during a Congressional hearing."My assessment in terms of capability, I think China has a ways to go to develop the actual, no-kidding capability to conduct military operations to seize through military means the entire island of Taiwan, if they wanted to do that," he added.The United States is Taiwan's strongest international backer and main source of arms, which angers Beijing.Beijing says the democratically ruled island is part of "one China" and routinely denounces foreign involvement as an interference in its internal affairs.Democratic and Republican members of the US House of Representatives will introduce legislation this week seeking to boost US support for Taiwan, part of an effort in Congress to take a hard line in dealings with China.Nato leaders, encouraged by US President Joe Biden, warned at a summit on Monday that China presents “systemic challenges,” taking a more forceful stance towards Beijing.Earlier this week, twenty-eight mainland air force aircraft, including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers, entered Taiwan’s ADIZ, the largest reported incursion to date.Like most countries, the United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. (Reuters)

2021-06-18 01:37:12 (1)

US calls for release of Apple Daily executives

The United States on Thursday strongly condemned the arrest of five executives of pro-democracy Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily and its parent company and suggested the action was politically motivated.Police carried out the raid on Thursday morning in an operation involving some 500 officers. Officers said the investigation centred on articles featuring calls for foreign sanctions on Hong Kong and Beijing officials."We strongly condemn the arrest of five senior executives from Apple Daily and its parent company ... and we call for their immediate release," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a telephone briefing."We are deeply concerned by Hong Kong authorities' selective use of the national security law to arbitrarily target independent media organisations."The charges of 'collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' appear to be entirely politically motivated."The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier hit out at foreign politicians and western media who have been critical of the police raid. (Reuters/RTHK)

2021-06-18 03:10:57 (1)