China says it upholds human rights, opposes ‘slanderous attacks’ over Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet

https://hongkongfp.com/2021/02/24/china-says-it-upholds-human-rights-opposes-slanderous-attacks-over-hong-kong-xinjiang-tibet/

I was on the WHO team that went to Wuhan to study coronavirus’ origins. Here’s what we found
https://scroll.in/article/987599/i-was-on-the-who-team-that-went-to-wuhan-to-study-the-origins-of-coronavirus-heres-what-we-found

US senators revive 'Chinese censorship' bill

A bipartisan group of US senators will revive legislation as soon as Wednesday to counter Chinese censorship in the United States, a new effort by Congress to hold Beijing accountable for its growing efforts to stifle criticism beyond its borders, Senator Jeff Merkley told Reuters.US officials have complained that the Chinese government has increasingly sought to suppress opposition to its ruling Communist Party by coercing US companies – from hotel chains and airlines to Hollywood film producers – to take pro-Beijing stances."We must monitor and address the impacts of China's censorship and intimidation of Americans and our companies, so we can create a strategy to safeguard this bedrock freedom and hold those accountable who suppress and destroy it," Merkley, a Democrat leading the effort who will soon be chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said in emailed comments.The bill is co-sponsored by Republicans Marco Rubio and John Cornyn, as well as Democrat Elizabeth Warren. A similar bill was introduced in 2019, but stalled.The new censorship bill would direct the president to set up an interagency task force under the National Security Council to monitor and address China's censorship or intimidation of Americans and US companies.It would mandate a report with recommendations for "industries in which freedom of expression issues are particularly acute, including the media and film industries," according to a copy of the proposed legislation seen by Reuters.The censorship bill is among a barrage of legislation to confront China, as deeply divided Democrats and Republicans in Congress find common ground opposing Beijing. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday he had directed lawmakers to craft a package of measures to counter China's rise.Former US Attorney General William Barr said last year that Hollywood companies routinely caved to pressure and censored their films to "appease" China, which last year overtook the United States as the world's largest film market. Entertainment companies did not respond to Barr's allegations at the time.National Basketball Association games were taken off the air in China for a year in 2019 following a tweet from a Houston Rockets manager backing Hong Kong democracy protests.In 2018, the Chinese government compelled global airlines and hotel chains to change their online references to Taiwan to imply the self-ruled democratic island is part of China.A Democratic Senate aide involved with the bill said drafters recognised it was a sensitive issue for companies, and did not want to make bad guys out of "victims of economic coercion.""We want to help provide focus in the US government to address this problem," the aide said. "In a certain sense, we are trying to help insulate companies from pressure rather than raise the temperature further."Some in Congress argue that a task-force approach is not sufficient and call for a stronger response, such as making it easier for US employees to sue if fired based on pressure from China, or requiring US universities to disclose financial ties to Confucius Institutes, which are Chinese government-backed cultural centres.American allies have also warned of Chinese censorship playing out at home. Germany said on Tuesday that China had tried to intimidate Hong Kong residents living in the country since pro-democracy protests broke out in the city two years ago.President Joe Biden, who has voiced concern about China's "coercive and unfair" trade practices, and endorsed a Trump administration determination that China has committed genocide in its Xinjiang region, has signalled his administration will maintain pressure on Beijing. (Reuters)

2021-02-24 08:15:49

A Nominee of US Commerce Secretary Said: Huawei is Not Credible and has No Reason to Lift the Sanction

US Secretary of Commerce Designate Gina Raimondo made her first clear statement to Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei. She indicated that there is no reason to move out Huawei from the sanction list of US and cancelled the sanctions. She also described Huawei as “untrusted”, threatening national security in the US. Therefore, the US will cooperate with other allies to exclude untrustworthy Chinese companies from the construction of telecommunication networks.

When Raimondo attended the congressional nomination confirmation hearing last Tuesday, she did not state whether to continue to block Huawei. She made a written supplement to Congress this Thursday, indicating that she could not see any reason to remove Huawei from sanction list. “Regarding Huawei, let me make it clear: it is a security threat for the US and our allies if we use untrustworthy suppliers to produce telecommunication equipment.”

Source: Apple Daily #Feb06

https://hk.appledaily.com/international/20210206/R55RKCQ2HJDU5PPKJ4DZLZYUAQ/

#Huawei #China #UnitedStates #US #Raimondo #Telecommunication #NationalSecurity #Untrusted #Sanction

Myanmar protesters accuse China of backing coup plotters

Activists allege Beijing setting up ‘great firewall’ and call for boycott of Chinese products.

Since a week ago, Myanmar social media has been alight with rumours after a series of cargo flights confirmed by flight tracker websites from the Chinese city of Kunming landed in Yangon when the country’s airspace was restricted.

Protesters have speculated that the flights contained internet-blocking information technology software, or Chinese soldiers.

Anti-coup demonstrators have massed outside the Chinese embassy in Yangon over the past week, holding placards attacking Beijing or showing President Xi Jinping dangling senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the junta chief, by marionette strings.

Source: FT #Feb17

https://www.ft.com/content/43e6ecfe-081a-4390-aa18-154ec87ff764

#MyanmarCoup #ChinaBackMyanmarCoup #ChinaFireWall

The bully is flexing its muscles at #Taiwan AGAIN.... 🙄🙄🙄🙄
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#china #ccp #fighterjets #military #airforce #aircraft #english #diyms #meme