Daily Archives: July 17, 2020

2020-07-17: News Headlines

Richard Horton (2020-07-18). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19 and the dangers of Sinophobia. thelancet.com One of the most productive experiences editors at The Lancet have had during the past 6 months has been the intense collaborations with medical and public health scientists in mainland China and Hong Kong. Cooperation began early in the pandemic. During the last week of January, The Lancet published five research papers from mainland China and Hong Kong describing the clinical presentation of patients with COVID-19, human-to-human transmission, genomic relatedness to the SARS coronavirus, and the risks of a global pandemic.

Tony Cartalucci (2020-07-17). Hong Kong Security Law Is Common Sense, Not Controversial. globalresearch.ca China's special administration region of Hong Kong saw the passing of a security law outlawing acts universally recognized as criminal and threats to any nation's security and sovereignty. | Despite what would appear to be common sense legislation, the Western media …

Danny Haiphong (2020-07-17). The great American firewall: On the question of censorship. mronline.org It should not surprise anyone that China would take protective measures against the threat of U.S. imperialism in the realm of cyber technology.

Scott Ritter (2020-07-17). America Declaring China's Territorial Claims Illegal Is All Bark & No Bite. The US Is Militarily & Economically Impotent. globalresearch.ca Mike Pompeo's statement that Beijing's claims in the South China Sea are unlawful was seen by some as a dramatic step toward war. But it's little more than bluster as the US knows it is not yet capable of taking …

Peter Koenig (2020-07-17). China's Economy and Globalization: A Look into the Future. globalresearch.ca After the corona crisis, may the world be facing a monumental paradigm shift of power towards a more balanced civilization — more social justice and equity? The global almost total lockdown, chosen by most governments around the globe in response …

Richard Falk (2020-07-17). Will China be the New Russia? zcomm.org The Future of American Geopolitics…

_____ (2020-07-17). Modi's 'New' India: Notch Or Knot On China's Belt (And Road Initiative). popularresistance.org File it in the rapidly-brimming "biggest-stories-of-2020-you-haven't-heard-about" folder. | Amidst the madness merger of pandemic and protests — both of which Trump's minions have blamed on China — there's been scant attention paid to a brewing conflict between two of the world's nine nuclear-armed powers (accounting for some 430 warheads between them). One is a rather flighty proxy — India — that Washington has long pursued with the oft-hopeless passion of a smitten suitor. The other, an "enemy" of "freedom," America, and apple pie everywhere: a Chinese dragon to whom new cold war enthusi…

_____ (2020-07-17). Losing the Plot Again… Trump's Anti-EU Rant Has Dangerous Implications for China. strategic-culture.org It was a barnstorming speech even by President Donald Trump's dubious standard when he gave a press conference this week from the White House Rose Garden. | In typical self-promotional style, he lashed out at everyone and everything under the sun, it seemed, from his Democrat presidential rival Joe Biden to China, from coronavirus to illegal immigrants, and much more besides. Here's the It would be charitable to call Trump's electioneering rant "entertaining" so replete was it with vitri…

_____ (2020-07-17). Why Laos, Vietnam & China Have Beaten the Virus and India, Brazil and the U.S. Have Not. strategic-culture.org Vijay Prashad explores the differences between the pandemic responses of a few countries with socialist governments and others in the capitalist order. | Vijay PRASHAD | Too little has been made of the fact that countries like Laos and Vietnam have been able to manage the coronavirus; there are no confirmed deaths from Covid-19 in either country. Both of these Southeast Asian states border China, where the virus was first detected in late December 2019, and both have thriving trade and tourist relations with China. India is separated from China by the high Himalaya Mountains, while Brazil and the United States ha…

Tyler Durden (2020-07-16). The Dollar "Has Us by the Throat": Chinese Party Official Urges Decoupling. anti-empire.com With all eyes on Trump's Tuesday evening Rose Garden speech which unveiled that he'll sign new and punitive measures indirectly targeting China — namely the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, a bipartisan measure to penalize banks that work with Chinese officials found to be interfering in Hong Kong affairs — it remains that arguably the most important recent statements out of China came not from current government officials, but from Zhou Li, the 65-year-old former deputy head of the Chinese Communist Party's International Liaison Department. He's considered an important voice who echoes the outside the box thi…

Matthew Ehret-Kump (2020-07-16). The Fall of Oligarch Vlad. Plahotniuc. New Hope for Moldova? Towards a Multipolar Alliance with Russia and China? globalresearch.ca In June 2019, the small landlocked nation of Moldova found itself in a life or death struggle between two opposing futures: Oligarchs like the notorious Vladimir Plahotniuc had worked diligently for years to bring this nation into the hull of …

Gary Leupp (2020-07-16). Tweedledee, Tweedledum, COVID-19, and China in the U.S. Election. dissidentvoice.org Trump's Main Crime is Criminal Negligence Trump cannot turn back time and re-do February and early March. He cannot undo the damage caused by his inaction on the virus. The fact is, tens of thousands of people in this country became infected while the president pooh-poohed the problem. He showed ignorance and indifference, acting belatedly—as …

Do Thi Thu Huong (2020-07-16). Vietnam's Success Against COVID-19. globalresearch.ca While other countries are still lifting quarantine or planning to re-open public activities, Vietnam — a small, developing country that has about 1,400 km of land, river and stream and borders with China — has been opened up for more …

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-16). Britain Caves to US, Bans Huawei from 5G Network Build-Out, More US Anti-China Sanctions Coming. globalresearch.ca Trump regime hardliners are pushing a diabolical full-court press to weaken and isolate China on the world stage — wanting its economic, industrial and technological development undermined. | I stressed these points in earlier articles, stressing as well the risk that …

RT (2020-07-16). 'China's goal is to replace you': AG Barr warns Hollywood, Big Tech & US academia not to 'kowtow' to Beijing. rt.com Attorney General William Barr just hardened the Trump administration's line on China, accusing Beijing of wanting to replace the US as the dominant economic and political global power, with the help of America's own institutions. | China is engaged "in an economic blitzkrieg, an aggressive, orchestrated, whole-of-government — indeed, whole-of-society — campaign to seize the commanding heights of the global economy and to surpass the US as the world's preeminent technological superpower," Barr said on Thursday in a speech at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum in Michigan. | The Chinese Communist Part…

Alan Macleod (2020-07-15). Trump Fires Latest Salvo in US-China Sanctions War. mintpressnews.com Trump's new law, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, places mandatory sanctions on officials or organizations (including businesses) that the White House views as helping Beijing clamp down on political freedoms.

WSWS (2020-07-15). US secretary of state denounces China over South China Sea. wsws.org The Trump administration formally adopts the 2016 Hague ruling against Chinese claims in the sensitive, strategic waters, as it ramps up US naval provocations there.

Denis Doherty, Hannah Middleton (2020-07-15). Australian government ramps up anti-China campaign, spends billions on weaponry. peoplesworld.org SYDNEY—In announcing $270 billion ($189 billion USD) for the military on July 1, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had the task of convincing Australians that the exorbitant spending was necessary. He turned to fear as his chief weapon, evoking the rise of Nazism and World War II and describing…

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Coronavirus claims more lives in Oman, Bahrain. yenisafak.com Local health authorities on Wednesday recorded eight deaths from the novel coronavirus in Oman and another three in Bahrain. In a statement, the Omani Health Ministry said 1,679 additional cases were registered, raising the total count to 61,247, including 281 deaths, and 39,038 recoveries.In Bahrain, three people died from the virus over the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry.The Gulf state's tally now stands at 34,078 cases, including 114 deaths, and 29,753 recoveries.Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions. The US, Brazil…

sputniknews (2020-07-15). Skin Rash Should Be Added to Official Coronavirus Symptom List, Researchers Say. sputniknews.com Study authors say that although COVID-19 is seen as a disease that primarily affects the respiratory system, rashes have been reported as symptoms in some severe cases in which patients were hospitalised in China and Europe. The Covid Symptom Study is the first to gather data about skin rashes in milder cases of COVID-19.

sputniknews (2020-07-15). Video: Chinese Jets Flex Aerial Combat Prowess in Rare Recording of J-10 Dogfight. sputniknews.com New air combat training footage from China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) provides viewers with a firsthand perspective of what it is like to operate a Chengdu J-10 single-engine, lightweight, multirole fighter jet during an aerial showdown.

RT (2020-07-15). Toying with China? Pompeo photo of dog & Winnie the Pooh teddy bear sparks online speculation. rt.com A tweet from Mike Pompeo has led to much speculation about whether the back and forth with China is now getting personal, as the picture includes a reference to a derogatory nickname for the Chinese president. | US Secretary of State Pompeo posted a photo of his dog, Mercer, surrounded by all her "favorite toys" to his Twitter page on Tuesday evening, kicking off numerous conspiracy theories thanks to the inclusion of a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal. | Mercer and all of her favorite toys! üê∂

The Canary (2020-07-15). Trump takes credit for convincing UK to ban China's Huawei. thecanary.co Donald Trump has appeared to take credit for having "convinced many countries", including the UK, not to use Huawei after Boris Johnson ordered a ban on the Chinese firm with the country's 5G network.The US president said, "I did this myself, for the most part", as he spoke of having worked to pressure nations to not use Huawei, adding: "If they want to do business with us, they can't use it." | In a major U-turn provoking criticism from China, the prime minister

Paul Huang (2020-07-15). Taiwan's Military Is a Hollow Shell. anti-empire.com As threats of military aggression from China Even as the military refits itself with flashy

Liu Xuanzun (2020-07-15). China to Sanction Lockheed Martin, Cut It Off From Its Rare Earths. anti-empire.com China will impose sanctions on US-based arms producer Lockheed Martin, the main contractor of the recertification of its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) air defense missiles of the island of Taiwan. | The sanctions will likely feature the cut-off of material supply including rare earths, which are crucial to advanced weapons production, and business restrictions on Lockheed Martin's suppliers that have business in the Chinese mainland, Chinese aviation industry experts said on Tuesday. | The US on Thursday announced the approval of an arms deal to Taiwan involving the recertification of PAC-3 air defense mi…

_____ (2020-07-15). Deluded Britain Rows in Behind U.S. Gunboat Diplomacy on China. strategic-culture.org America's trusty British lieutenant has weighed in to stoke tensions in the South China Sea with reports that Britain is to deploy its two new aircraft carriers to the Pacific region. The carrier strike groups which include frigates, destroyers and nuclear-powered submarines, are to join with U.S. and Japanese warships to conduct naval drills. | Beijing has already

RT (2020-07-15). 'Fully committed': IOC determined to stage rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. rt.com Olympic organizers remain committed to staging the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo next summer, and are currently working to prepare for a number of potential scenarios to ensure the Games can go ahead. | Japan and the IOC agreed to postpone the Tokyo Games scheduled for this summer until 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. | The Games, which were due to commence on July 24, will now undergo a simplification process that will strip down some elements of the events to help maintain athletes' safety. | Speaking on a conference call, IOC president Thomas Bach said there had been "very good work in…

sputniknews (2020-07-14). Trump Signs Measures Holding China Accountable for 'Repressive' Hong Kong Actions. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump signed a bill and an executive order on Tuesday related to Hong Kong in the aftermath of Beijing passing a new national security law. The measures end the city's preferential treatment by Washington and levy sanctions against Chinese individuals responsible for implementing the security law.

RT (2020-07-14). Trump signs executive order and bill targeting China over Hong Kong, strips city of preferential treatment. rt.com US President Donald Trump has signed legislation he said would punish Beijing for "oppressive acts" in Hong Kong and an executive order ending all preferential treatment for the territory, including special trade arrangements. | Trump announced the signing of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act during a press conference on Tuesday, a law he said will sanction Chinese individuals and organizations involved in "extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom." | The bill is joined by a new executive order stripping Hong Kong of its special status, with Trump saying the territory "will now be treated the same as mainland China — n…

_____ (2020-07-14). Secretary of State Pompeo Says He Wants to Defend Human Dignity. But He Is Selective. strategic-culture.org In the past year there have been protests in Hong Kong that were aimed locally and at the Beijing government. There were two deaths: one of a student who

Patrick Cockburn (2020-07-14). Boris Johnson Should not be Making New Global Enemies When His Country is in a Shambles. counterpunch.org Antagonising China may not be wise, particularly as it's clear that dysfunctional leaders like Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro could not control an outbreak of acne.

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Chinese ships intruded into Malaysian waters 89 times in four years: report. yenisafak.com Chinese coastguard and navy ships intruded into Malaysian waters in the disputed South China Sea 89 times between 2016 to 2019, and often remained in the area even after being turned away by the Malaysian navy, the government said in a report on Tuesday.The report comes amid escalating tension between the United States and China over Beijing's claims to most of the resource-rich South China Sea, which is also a major trade route.The Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan have their own claims that overlap in part with China's and, in some cases, with each other's.Malaysia has sent six diplomatic protes…

RT (2020-07-14). 'If they want to do business with us, they can't use it': Trump says he PERSONALLY badgered US allies into ditching Huawei. rt.com US President Donald Trump has said he was the driving force behind the ultimatum to Washington's allies: ban China's telecom company Huawei from their 5G networks or face the prospect of no more business with the US. | "We convinced many countries, and I did this myself for the most part, not to use Huawei," Trump said in a speech at the Rose Garden on Tuesday. | The Chinese telecommunications giant has vehemently denied Trump's allegations that it was taking orders from Beijing. In response, the US president doubled down, saying that he sees Huawei as a "big security risk." | Those US allies who would have da…

Wayne Madsen (2020-07-14). Donald Trump's Genocidal Acts Against Humanity. thealtworld.com In 1979, United Nations Committee on Human Rights rapporteur Abdelwahab Bouhdiba cited the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia as an example of "autogenocide," the carrying out or enabling of mass deaths among one's own nation. Previously cited examples of genocide at the time Bouhdiba's coined the word autogenocide, were Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The former's genocide of Eastern European Jews, Romani, Slavs, and other non-Germans also included German Jewish and other citizens, making it a practitioner of both genocide and autogenocide. The genocide of Chinese by Japanese military oc…