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US intel: Chinese spy balloon part of wider surveillance program

February 8, 2023

According to senior U.S. officials who spoke with The Washington Post, the Chinese spy balloon shot down over the weekend was part of a vast surveillance program ran by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Those officials say the program has been going for several years, partly out of the Hainan province off China’s south coast.

China has used the surveillance program to collect information on military assets in nearby countries like Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. Spy balloons have also been spotted over five different continents.

The Post report contradicts China’s claim that the spy balloon was actually a weather balloon that was blown off course. The U.S. has widely rejected that claim.

“When it comes to what we’ve heard from the PRC, I’m just not going to give that too much oxygen,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said earlier this week. “Let me see if I can state it as clearly as I can. The PRC knows precisely what this was. The PRC knows precisely why this was in our airspace. The PRC knows precisely what this was doing over the United States, and ultimately the PRC knows precisely why we did what we did.”

The surveillance program report comes as a team of FBI engineers at a government lab in Quantico, Virginia, have begun poring over the remnants of the recovered spy balloon. The U.S. has also begun sharing information with diplomats around the world.

Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman briefed nearly 150 foreign diplomats across 40 embassies. The U.S. embassy in Beijing also gathered foreign diplomats on Monday and Tuesday to present U.S. findings about the balloon.

The diplomats at the Beijing briefing said they were told the solar panels on the balloon meant it needed more power than a weather balloon, and its flight path did not conform with natural wind patterns. U.S. officials have said the balloon was equipped with rudders and propellers.

“Based on the U.S. briefing, our own understanding about such balloons and the fact that China has so far refused to name the company or entity that owns this balloon, we find it hard to believe it is a civilian weather balloon,” a Beijing-based Asian defense diplomat told Reuters.

CNN contributed to this report.
China criticizes Western media coverage of ‘zero-COVID’ reversal

January 19, 2023

An editorial published in China’s state-controlled newspaper People’s Daily Thursday took aim at “some Western media” outlets over how they covered the reversal of the country’s ‘zero-COVID’ policy. Without naming any outlet specifically, the paper described the reports as “completely biased hype, smear and political manipulation with ulterior motives.”

After defending ‘zero-COVID’ for months, China began dismantling the policy last month. The abrupt decision followed economic pressure and street protests that broke out in Beijing and other major cities. Earlier this month, China took the further step of eliminating the requirement that those arriving from abroad quarantine upon arrival.

The ending of ‘zero-COVID’ led to a sharp rise in cases, leaving some hospitals and crematoriums overwhelmed. Since the initial wave of new cases, life in much of China has largely returned to normal.

“Thanks to meticulous medical preparations, sufficient production capacity reserves, and strong organizational planning and equipment, China has smoothly passed the adaptation period after the ‘transition’ and ‘shift’ of the epidemic prevention policy,” the People’s Daily editorial said. Addressing Western media outlets reporting on China’s ‘zero-COVID’ policy, the editorial added “all parties should focus on fighting the epidemic itself, avoid any words or deeds that politicize the epidemic, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and work together to defeat the epidemic.”

The editorial added that many cities have “passed the peak of the epidemic, and production and life are speeding up to return to normal.” Despite this, officials remain concerned about a further spread of the virus with the Lunar New Year travel rush now underway.

“Hong Kong, Macao, maybe Taiwan and a few other Asia-Pacific countries which are closer to China, we call the short-haul to medium-haul travel, may see quite a lot of tourism, tourists traveling to these destinations from China,” Haiyan Song, a professor of international tourism at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said. “But after that, you will see leisure travel to most of the destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, and even beyond.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
PM rundown: NJ gun law paused, China retaliates against travel restrictions

January 10, 2023

China retaliates against travel restrictions; New Jersey’s gun law on hold and the Golden Globes are back. These stories and more highlight your midday rundown for Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

New Jersey gun law hits legal roadblock

New Jersey’s gun law, signed in December, was immediately met with legal challenges that are now playing out in court. A federal judge has ruled that some gun restrictions that are part of that law infringe on a person’s Second Amendment right.

The law prohibits guns from being carried in “sensitive places” like libraries, museums, nursing homes and bars, even if a person has a concealed carry permit. The judge ruled it required too much guesswork for gun owners to know where they can and can not carry.

Other concealed carry restrictions of New Jersey’s gun law remain in effect.

China retaliates against travel restrictions

In an effort to prevent a global COVID-19 surge, several countries put travel restrictions in place for visitors from China as case numbers there have spiked. China isn’t happy with the decision and calls the restrictions “discriminatory.”

South Korea stopped issuing tourist visas for those coming from China. Japan is canceling some flights where the plane is coming from China. The Chinese government is now blocking visas for visitors from South Korea and Japan in retaliation.

Nearly 90% of people in one of China’s most populous areas are infected with COVID-19. That’s about 88 million people in one province.

World Bank warns of recession

Recession isn’t only a threat to the U.S. this year. According to the World Bank, the global economy faces similar uncertainty.

While the U.S. faces many woes of 2023, the World Bank warned we will likely see just a .05% point of growth. It predicts trouble in the form of a global recession, which matches the sentiment of other economists.

“For most of the world economies, this is going to be a tough year. Tougher than the year we leave behind. Why? Because the three big economies, U.S., E.U. and China are all slowing down simultaneously,” said the Head of International Monetary Fund Kristina Georgieva.

Rock ‘N Play sleeper recalled twice

A popular Fisher-Price baby-sleeper is being recalled for the second time. The first came in 2019. Since then, more infant deaths have been reported. The company is reissuing the warning to parents.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said unrestrained infants in Rock ‘N Play sleepers were dying after rolling over from their back to their stomach or side.

In the last several years, more than 100 baby fatalities were reported to have occurred from the product. Another 8 infants have died since the initial recall.

Golden Globe Awards return

The Golden Globes are back.

Tuesday night, one of Hollywood’s biggest nights returns after a one-year hiatus due to a boycott based on the lack of diversity among the organizers behind the awards. After a year of “reform,” they’re ready to welcome the world’s biggest stars back to Beverly Hills. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Steven Spielberg are all up for awards.

During the ceremony, there will be a message from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ratings for award shows have decreased dramatically in recent years. Critics often call them politicized.
China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang praises US in string of tweets

January 3, 2023

A series of tweets from China’s new foreign minister seem to signal a possible softening in China-U.S. relations. Qin Gang, a trusted aide to leader Xi Jinping and outgoing Chinese ambassador to the U.S., offered enthusiastic praise of the U.S. on Tuesday.

“Going forward, I will continue to care about and support the growth of China-US relations, encourage dialogue, mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples, work for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between our two countries,” Qin tweeted.

I have been deeply impressed by so many hard-working, friendly and talented American people that I met.

— Qin Gang 秦刚 (@AmbQinGang) January 3, 2023

The sentiment comes at a time when relations between the two countries are relatively strained, from Taiwan to trade. Talks between the two powerhouses frosted over following former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August, an island Beijing hopes to eventually control. Beijing responded to Pelosi’s visit by conducting military drills near and around the island.

Repeated U.S. statements of support for Taiwan have contributed to “the biggest tinderbox” in bilateral relations, Qin told NPR. President Joe Biden has said the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense if faced with an “unprecedented attack” by China.

As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken readies for his visit to China in January, he said he has already connected with Qin on “maintaining open lines of communication” they experienced during Qin’s ambassadorship.

As for trade, while the U.S. imports more from China than any other country, relations there have continued to stiffen; from tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump and sustained by Biden; to the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at lessening reliance on Chinese goods, particularly semiconductors.

At least in public statements, it appears China is seeking a more stable relationship with the U.S. this year. To close out the more tumultuous 2022, Qin wrote in an op-ed, “China-U.S. relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side out-competes the other or thrives at the expense of the other.”
China’s COVID reopening will drag on growth, could cause 1 million deaths

December 8, 2022

Three years in, people in China are finally feeling freedom from the country’s most rigorous COVID-19 protocols. But some worry that freedom is sending COVID-19 cases surging, putting pressure on subpar health care systems with the potential to stall growth. What then happens to the world’s second largest economy?

For the first time, people in China with mild cases will be allowed to isolate at home instead of at a quarantine center. People visiting many public places will no longer need to prove they tested negative or inform whether they’ve been in an area with high risk of infection. With less stringent testing protocols, official COVID-19 cases are going down, but experts predict the actual rate of infection is rising behind the scenes.

Before the newly-announced reopening – which China claims has nothing to do with widespread protests – economists expected growth to start picking up. Now, economists say growth will lag behind expectations, significantly missing its target of 5.5% for this year and dragging for the first half of next year. At this time, economists’ consensus is that China’s gross domestic product will grow 3.2% in 2022, the slowest rate of growth since the 1970s excluding 2020.

President Xi Jinping’s “zero-COVID” pivot has caught the country by surprise. Beijing is reportedly already running out of even the most basic medical supplies, like ibuprofen, while new modeling analyzed by the Financial Times shows China risks one million COVID-19 deaths with a winter wave.

China’s failure to fully vaccinate millions of elderly Chinese and its refusal to use more effective mRNA vaccines is in sharp focus now as it tests reopening. Previous stringent restrictions may have kept case numbers low, but it also prevented the public from developing natural immunity. While “zero-COVID” clearly harmed China’s economy, the abandonment ahead of a winter surge is fueling uncertainty around Asia’s powerhouse.
China to ease ‘zero-COVID’ policy after protests

December 1, 2022

China’s “zero-COVID” policy is one of the most stringent in the world. Things could soon change, however, for China’s 1.4 billion residents.

For the last week, unprecedented protests have occurred in at least 23 cities across China, including Shanghai and Beijing.

The protests started after a fire on Nov. 24 killed 10 people and injured 9 others. It’s believed that because of COVID-19 lockdown procedures, rescue crews couldn’t get inside the building to put out the flames.

Protesters want to end the “zero-COVID” policy, and some are even calling for Chinese President Xi Jinping to step down.

In an apparent response to the protests, some leaders in China are signaling their willingness to ease COVID-19 restrictions. Proposed measures include a reduction in mass testing and allowing people who test positive for COVID-19, or were in close contact with a person who tested positive, to quarantine at home instead of in a government-run isolation facility.

It’s a dramatic shift from previous policies which saw entire communities locked down for weeks after just one positive case. The exact timeline for the ease in restrictions is unclear, but Reuters reported the measures would be unveiled soon.

On Thursday, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, who oversees China’s COVID-19 efforts, said the virus was “weakening in its ability to cause disease, allowing China to improve prevention efforts.”

This week, authorities in at least seven Chinese districts said they were also lifting some lockdown measures. One district said schools, restaurants and movie theaters could also reopen.

China’s strict methods for containing COVID-19 impacted both China’s and the international economy, causing supply chain disruptions in a number of sectors. With the apparent easing in COVID-19 restrictions though, there is growing optimism China may reopen its borders at some point early next year.

Reuters contributed to this report.
VP Harris visits Philippines as China tensions loom

November 21, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris has landed In the Philippines. She is Looking to shore up U.S. ties with the country.

The archipelago nation is located between the Philippine Sea in the east and the South China Sea in the west, sitting at the center of multiple territorial disputes and tensions between Washington and Beijing. The U.S. already maintains a military presence in and around the region, but with Harris’ visit, the U.S. is looking to expand that presence in the Philippines.

“An armed attack on the Philippines armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitment,” Harris said.

Filipino officials said the U.S. is seeking to construct military facilities in five more areas in the northern Philippines. Two of those areas are in the northern Cagayan Province, across from Taiwan.

The Associated Press reported these locations could serve as a crucial outpost in case tensions worsen between China and the self-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

The plan came just a day after China’s coast guard forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris that Filipino navy personnel found and were towing back to land. China claimed it did so cordially. The Philippines said that’s not what happened, demonstrating growing tensions in the South China Sea.

The Philippines is a former U.S. colony and one of America’s oldest allies in the region. This visit makes the vice president the highest-ranking Biden official to visit the country.
Rise in COVID-19 cases sparks unrest as China eases curbs

November 16, 2022

Crowds of people in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou crashed through barriers and marched down streets in a show of public resentment over China’s COVID-19 curbs. Videos widely shared on Twitter showed people in Guangzhou’s Haizhu district charging down streets and clashing with workers in white hazmat suits.

“It was quite tense out there last night. Everyone made sure their doors were locked,” a Guangzhou resident who uses the name Chet said Tuesday. “When it happened so close to me I found it really upsetting. I couldn’t sleep last night after watching those images.”

A breakout of infections at a manufacturing facility in Guangzhou had barred the surrounding community from leaving their homes. The whole country of China is dealing with outbreaks, reporting the most daily cases since April on Tuesday.

Among the latest COVID-19 outbreaks in China, Guangzhou’s is the largest. New daily infections of COVID-19 have topped 5,000 for the first time, fueling speculation that localized lockdowns could widen.

“The infection curve of Guangzhou is tracking the pace of Shanghai’s March-April outbreak, raising the question of whether a city-wide lockdown will be triggered,” JPMorgan analysts wrote. “It would become a testing point regarding the government’s determination to push for the relaxation of COVID control measure.”

The unrest in Guangzhou comes just days after Beijing announced it would try to reduce the impact of its “zero-COVID” strategy. China planned to ease curbs by shortening quarantine for travelers arriving from abroad, and several Chinese cities began cutting routine community COVID-19 testing.

“This will help making epidemic prevention and control more scientific and accurate, better protect people’s safety and health, and minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development,” China’s National Statistics Bureau spokesperson Fu Linghui said Tuesday. “With the effective implementation of these measures, normal production and living order will be better maintained, market demands and economic cycles will be resumed and unblocked.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

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