Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on disease control, aviation management , aviation disaster, CCP, Ukraine, U.S., Hong Kong
News (1)
"XE" variant invades Taiwan, WHO: Infectiousness may be 10% higher than BA.2
Editor : Zhou Zixin / https://news.tvbs.com.tw/world/1756756 / Image : Taiwan on 2 April 2022 reported an overseas immigration case of a new variant "XE". (Schematic diagram/shutterstock Dazhi Image)
The Central Epidemic Command Centre announced on 2 April 2022 that the first inbound case of the new covi variant "XE" in Taiwan has occurred. According to the latest report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 29 March 2022, the infectivity of the XE variant may be 10% higher than that of Omicron (Covi29) BA.2. However, the WHO also said that this data is only an initial estimate and still needs to wait for further observation to confirm.
Image : Covi29 BA.2 has greatly increased the number of diagnoses worldwide, but there has been no new wave of XE variant infections. (Schematic diagram/Dazhi Image Reuters)
According to foreign media reports, the World Health Organization first mentioned the XE variant virus in its report on 22 March 2022, and classified it as a "recombinant variant" of Covi29 BA.1 and BA.2 variants. According to the report, the XE variant first appeared in the UK on 19 January 2022, and the cumulative number of infections in the UK has so far been less than 650, accounting for less than 1% of the infection cases.
The World Health Organization reported on 29 March that early data assessment showed that the growth rate of the XE recombinant variant in the community was about 10% higher than that of the BA.2 variant, but emphasized that this data still needs to be further confirmed. Organizations are continuing to observe and assess the risks that XE may pose.
It is understood that there is little research on XE mutants in the world. The UK, who was the first to discover this variant, also admitted that although there is evidence that XE has spread in the community, it currently accounts for less than 1% of the total, and there is not enough evidence to prove the infectivity, severe illness, death, or death from XE. The vaccine escape characteristics are higher than other mutants.
News (2)
The first case! Taiwanese woman returning from Czech was diagnosed with "new covi mutant XE" with high amount of virus
Reporter : Xu Zhijia / https://news.tvbs.com.tw/world/1756756
The latest recombinant variant XE found by the UK is now in Taiwan! Luo Yijun, deputy head of the medical response team of the command center, pointed out that there has been one case of XE variant detected in Taiwan, a female of Republic of China nationality who entered the Czech Republic on 18 March 2022. However, it belongs to asymptomatic infection, and international data have not yet clearly shown the spread and severe rate of XE, and continuous observation is required.
The latest recombinant mutant XE was found in the UK. It is a combination of Omicron's original strain BA.1 and Omicron's sister BA.2, and it spreads faster than BA.2. Although there is no evidence that it may cause more serious symptoms, it only accounts for the overall less than 1% of new cases have been detected but 637 cases have been detected in the UK.
The Taiwanese who is infected by XE entered Taoyuan from the Czech Republic on 18 March. Her test was positive on the ground, and the CT was collected at the quarantine station. The value is 15, there are no symptoms, and there is no moderate or severe disease. At present, there are relatively few international data, and it is not clear about the relevant transmission and severe disease rate, and continuous observation is required.
News (3)
Thailand confirms its first case of XE infection
Thailand has confirmed its first case of XE infection.
Thailand's Star Siam News reported that the newest medical genomics centre at Ramati Bodhi Hospital detected the XE strain in the entire genome of an infected covid patient and also detected another patient with Deltacron using "Massarray genotyping" technology.
The report said that the case of XE detected at Ramati Bodhi Hospital is being uploaded and shared in the global covi database "GISAID", and the referring doctor has been urgently notified for more information.
The report did not reveal the identify of the XE covid patient and where the patient was infected.
News (4) to (6) / Reporter : Ning Haizhong / Editor : Lin Congwen / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/31/n13685194.htm
News (4)
How deep is the epidemic prevention in Shanghai? Zhang Wenhong's disappearance, the leftist struggles for the line
Image : Health workers in protective gear prepare equipment before testing people for covid at a compound in Shanghai, 23 March 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)
The epidemic situation in Shanghai continues to deteriorate, and the political wrangling behind the epidemic prevention policy is of concern. Zhang Wenhong, an epidemic prevention expert who once advocated coexistence with the virus, has not appeared at the Shanghai epidemic prevention and control conference for several days, and is suspected to have been completely replaced by relevant officials. Some leftists have publicly called this a line struggle.
News (5)
Zhang Wenhong is suspected of being replaced by Shanghai officials, leftists clamor for "line struggle"
In the morning of 31 March, attending the Shanghai Epidemic Prevention and Control Conference were Ma Chunlei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, Wu Jinglei, Director of the Municipal Health Commission, Liu Bin, Deputy Director of the Municipal Transportation Commission, and the Municipal Leading Group for Epidemic Prevention and Control. Wu Fan, member of the expert group and vice president of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University.
Zhang Wenhong, who often appears in Shanghai epidemic prevention and control conferences, has been absent from several press conferences since 26 March.
The information verified by the Epoch Times reporter shows that Zhang Wenhong attended the Shanghai epidemic press conference last on 25 March and his official title was "Shanghai Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Medical Treatment Expert Team Leader". Zhang Wenhong did not attend the press conference on the 28th, and Wu Jinglei, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, appeared for the first time as the "head of the medical treatment team of the Shanghai Epidemic Prevention and Control Leading Group".
Also present on the day were Gu Jun, head of the material security team of the Municipal Epidemic Prevention and Control Leading Group and Director of the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and Wu Fan, a member of the expert group of the Municipal Epidemic Prevention and Control Leading Group and Deputy Dean of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University.
As for the Shanghai epidemic conference on the 29th and 30th, another group of people attended, including Ruan Qing, Deputy Director of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Wu Ganyu, a first-level inspector of the Municipal Health and Health Commission, and others. Wu Jinglei, Zhang Wenhong and Wu Fan, who often appeared at press conferences on the epidemic, did not show up.
China expert Yokogawa said in the video program that it seems that Zhang Wenhong has indeed been replaced by Wu Jinglei. Wu Jinglei used to specialize in pediatric cardiovascular and intensive care, but since 2004, he has been the director of the Fudan Hospital Management Office. It is a political appointment that replaces experts with party leaders. This shows that Shanghai's epidemic prevention model is likely to change from a unique "precise prevention and control" to a dynamic reset closer to the nationwide lockdown.
Zhang Wenhong has always been an authoritative figure in Shanghai's epidemic prevention, often expressing opinions on epidemic prevention on behalf of the government. At the end of July 2021, Zhang Wenhong put forward the view of "co-existence with the virus" in line with the world, and was subsequently criticized by a group of official background figures such as former CCP Health Minister Gao Qiang. It was later reported that he was purged.
Hong Kong's "Economic Daily" reported on 30 March that the Shanghai epidemic press conference changed people, that inspired the "leftists" and believed that this was a "signal".
The report said that after the outbreak of the Shanghai epidemic, strong attacks against the Shanghai prevention and control team emerged on the mainland Internet, especially Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Zhang Wenhong, head of the Shanghai Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Medical Treatment Expert Team, and Shanghai Epidemic Prevention and Control Team member Wu Fan. The three members of these expert groups have been criticized in various ways, demanding that the authorities remove them from their posts, silence them, or even arrest them.
The report quoted Xiang Ligang, founder of Feixiang.com, a left-leaning website, as saying that since the outbreak of the epidemic, there has been a "two-line" struggle in China. One is to adhere to scientific precision and dynamic clearing; the other is the "comprador capital route".
In the past, Xiang Ligang caused controversy by publicly criticizing "not watching the news network is a low-class person".
Another microblog V "Shiwei Weibo" suggested that the Shanghai authorities explicitly deny the theory of coexistence and lay flat, replace those who should be replaced, and strengthen foreigner management.
News (6)
Analysis: Shanghai's epidemic prevention involves political wrestling
On 31 March 2022, Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission of the Communist Party of China, introduced that on 30 March, Shanghai added 355 local confirmed cases and 5,298 local asymptomatic infections. This may also involve withholding data.
Officials have previously denied rumours of a lockdown. Shanghai officials suddenly announced in the evening of 27 March that Shanghai is divided into Pudong and Puxi districts with the Huangpu River as the boundary. Pudong is closed from 5 am on the 28th until 1 April while Puxi starts the lockdown in the early morning of 1 April until the early morning of 5 April. During the lockdown period, a nationwide nucleic acid test must be carried out.
Yokogawa, an expert on China, said that Shanghai officials were still undecided about whether to take more drastic measures to close the city. Some experts even said that the closure of the city was not feasible. He does not know if the expert was Zhang Wenhong, or if he did not agree with the lockdown. was replaced by the city.
Yokogawa believes that after the emergence of the Omicron variant, it was a good opportunity to abandon the zero-covid policy and adopt the policy of coexistence with the virus, because the infection of Omicron is mild and spreads quickly, so it is better to treat it as a natural vaccine. Yes, the side effects are smaller than the vaccine. The result was not the coexistence of the Shanghai pilot program, but instead, the Shanghai school was locked down across the country. This is a typical example of the victory of politics over science.
Tang Jingyuan, a self-media person with a medical professional background, said in the program that, judging from the current chaotic and one-size-fits-all seals and controls in Shanghai, it is a sure thing that the authorities must implement the "clearing" policy deployed by Xi Jinping himself. Scope's strategy of quietly experimenting with coexistence with the virus has been halted.
Tang Jingyuan said that Xi Jinping's top priority now is to be re-elected this fall. Before reaching this goal, he must not make any mistakes that can be blamed, and the clearing model he personally deployed and directed cannot be allowed to be considered to have lost to the co-existence model.
The performance of Li Qiang, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, in this wave of epidemics is also of concern. The report that he visited Zhang Wenhong's laboratory last year was interpreted by the outside world as Li Qiang's platform for Zhang Wenhong. However, Shanghai's epidemic prevention is obviously unable to withstand the pressure from the central government. Xi Jinping instructed on 17 March 2022 to insist on dynamic clearing.
At night of 27 March, Li Qiang said at the Shanghai epidemic prevention and control conference that "we must resolutely implement" Xi Jinping's "important speeches and instructions." At night of the 30th, Shanghai held a city-wide meeting of leading cadres. Li Qiang once again emphasized the need to resolutely implement Xi Jinping's "important speech and instructions".
Tang Jingyuan said that Sun Chunlan, Vice Premier of the State Council of the Communist Party of China, went to the scene to supervise the battle in areas where the epidemic broke out in recent years but she is the only one who did not go to Shanghai. Because Li Qiang, who is in charge of Shanghai, is a close associate of Xi, and is likely to be promoted to the Standing Committee of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, if Sun Chunlan rashly goes to Shanghai when the situation is unclear, will she support precise prevention and control, or will she put pressure to zero? It is not good either way.
He believes that the Shanghai epidemic is special due to its involvement in too many infighting factors, not only involving Xi Jinping's political authority, but also his personnel card battle at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
News (7) to (11) / Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor: Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/01/a103389017.html
News (7)
Shanghai Pudong unblocked hopeless. Medical professionals: The epidemic exceeded expectations
Image : On 1 April 2022, a street scene in Yangpu District, Shanghai, was closed. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
Shanghai Puxi is locked down, Pudong has no hope of unblocking, and continues to be fully closed. Shanghai medical professionals said that the epidemic in Shanghai has continued to exceed expectations, and it is expected that it will be difficult to close the city for only 7 days like Shenzhen.
News (8)
Severe epidemic in Shanghai, complete lockdown of the city
On 1 April, Shanghai Puxi is locked down and starts a new round of nucleic acid screening. The video posted on the Internet shows that the viaducts and various streets and alleys in Puxi suddenly stopped.
Pudong, which was originally unblocked on the 1st, announced on 2 April 2022 that according to the nucleic acid test results, the entire district is a closed or controlled area. The closed control area implements "regional lockdown, staying at home, and door-to-door service", and the control area implements "people do not leave the community, and gatherings are strictly prohibited". This means that Pudong's unblocking has failed, and the city continues to be closed.
Some netizens said, "Fortunately, I bought the vegetables yesterday, and I won't let them deliver them today. Alas, when are they going to be bad?"
Some netizens also said, "It is equivalent to the fact that the whole Shanghai is closed for 11 days. Are you satisfied?"
Some netizens ridiculed the authorities, "When it was announced that the test would be closed for 4 days. People in Shanghai believed that the test would be opened in 4 days. When the 4 days arrived, it was announced that there were three levels of closed management plans to be implemented, and the abnormal closures were opened according to the plan. Fingers and counts: Huh? Continue to seal it! Co-author with the root, head and tail, and continue to be 'crazy'."
Some netizens questioned, "Since the whole district is closed or controlled, why is there still no area in Shanghai in high-risk areas?"
News (9)
Authorities: Shanghai epidemic is in a period of rapid increase
On 1 April, the press conference held by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council of the Communist Party of China stated that the epidemic in Shanghai is in a period of rapid increase and has spread to other provinces, and the number of infected people is expected to continue to increase in the near future.
Netizens questioned the official's concealment of the truth about the Shanghai epidemic, "It was blocked a few days ago, yesterday was a turning point, and today it is rising rapidly, all with one mouth."
On 2 April, a press conference on the epidemic in Shanghai reported that there were 6,311 new cases of infection in Shanghai on 1 April. Since the CCP has been covering up the truth of the epidemic, the actual number of infected people may be higher.
Wu Ganyu, a first-level inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Health and Health Commission, said at a news conference on the epidemic that the number of positive infections announced today has increased compared with the previous two days, because the screening scope has been wider. He said frankly that the current epidemic situation is severe and complex, and the task of prevention and control is arduous.
Netizens questioned, "So if all are locked down, Pudong and Puxi will be tested together, and the number of confirmed cases will exceed 10,000."
News (10)
The Jiangsu Provincial Medical Team takes over the Pudong square cabin hospital
Due to the surge in the number of infections, Shanghai's medical system has been overwhelmed, and foreign medical staff have been stationed in Shanghai to support. CCTV news reported that in the afternoon of 1 April, the first batch of medical teams from Jiangsu Province to Shanghai departed from Nanjing and Nantong respectively and arrived in Shanghai by bus.
This batch of medical teams consists of five tertiary hospitals including Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital, Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, and Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as medical staff from Nantong, with a total of 1,026 people. The medical team will take over some patients in Pudong Lingang Fangcai Hospital. Area.
CCTV news reports that a 13,800-bed square cabin hospital has been built in the Pudong Lingang Free Trade Zone. Jiangsu Province is expected to have more than 2,000 medical staff stationed in the Shanghai makeshift cabins one after another.
News (11)
There is no hope of unblocking, and the people of Shanghai are complaining
At present, in a street in Shanghai, as long as there is one case of infection with a positive nucleic acid test, the surrounding community is closed for seven days. In fact, there is almost no possibility that people on a street in Shanghai are all negative. In fact, some communities in Shanghai have been under lockdown for more than 20 days. There is no hope for these communities to lift the lockdown, and people are complaining.
Mr. Zheng, a resident of a community in Jiading, Shanghai, told Radio Free Asia that since his community was closed on 12 March, he has undergone 11 nucleic acid tests in the 20 days since then.
He said, "Puxi was closed on the first day today. There are epidemic prevention personnel in white clothes at the entrance of the corridor of our community. They do nucleic acid tests one by one according to the house number. These people gather to do nucleic acid tests and are most likely to be infected. As long as there is a positive case, those who are further behind will definitely be infected."
Hui Weining, a medical person in Shanghai, told Radio Free Asia that the epidemic in Shanghai is complex and out of control. Pudong, which was originally unblocked, continues to be closed, and even some residents who were blocked in early March are still in isolation.
"My uncle sealed it in on 9 March, and it hasn't come out yet. I have friends who have been sealed since March 5, and they have been released two times one after another, and they have been sealed again after a day or two."
Hui Weining believes that the epidemic in Shanghai has continued to exceed expectations, and it is expected that it will be difficult to lock down the city for only 7 days like Shenzhen.
News (12)
The epidemic in Jiangsu Province has resumed, Wuxi is prohibited from going out, and Nantong buses suspend service
Editor : Li Jinfeng / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/03/31/a103387978.html / Image : On 18 February 2022, people in Lianyungang, Jiangsu lined up for nucleic acid testing. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
On 30 March 2022, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province reported that positive cases were found in Wuxi that afternoon. The authorities requested Changtai International Community (South A District), Yunlin Street, Xishan District, Wuxi City, Meilin Lake Garden Community, Chunmanyuan Community, Shunke Village Jiangxiang, Qianqiao Street, Huishan District, Wanda Apartment, Heqi Street, Binhu District, Huadi International Building, Xinan New Village, Xibei New Village, Jiangsu Information Vocational and Technical College, etc. are closed and controlled areas, and residents stay at home.
Citizens in the city are required not to go out unless necessary, and not to leave the city unless necessary, and undergo nucleic acid testing.
At the same time, all schools in the city are required to suspend offline teaching except for the third grade. All off-campus training institutions (including nursery institutions) and trustee institutions in the city suspend offline training (care) activities.
Except for supermarkets, farmers' markets, medical institutions, pharmacies, and catering companies (only providing takeaway services) that are necessary for life, the rest of the city's business premises and stores are temporarily closed.
Wuxi temporarily suspends all operating vehicles (including subways), including passenger lines, chartered tours, city buses, freight logistics, taxis, and online car-hailing.
Starting from 0:00 on March 31, the city will close all cemeteries, columbarium (Taling) and other places for ashes, except for the needs of burial (release), and suspend sacrifice and sweeping activities.
On the 31st, Nantong, Jiangsu Province also issued a notice, asking the public not to leave unless it is necessary, and not to come in unless it is necessary.
All primary and secondary schools in Nantong City stopped offline teaching, kindergartens (nursery institutions) stopped entering kindergartens, colleges and universities closed management, and various off-campus education and training institutions suspended offline training activities.
All long-distance bus passenger transport in Nantong and all bus lines in the above-mentioned areas are suspended.
Indoor cultural venues such as Nantong cultural centers, art galleries, libraries, indoor sports and fitness venues such as gymnasiums and swimming pools, entertainment venues such as theaters, chess and card rooms, Internet cafes, KTV karaoke halls, and various bathing venues that are not necessary for daily life are all suspended. "Delay for red matters and simple matters for white matters", all catering service establishments suspend dine-in.
All organizations, enterprises and institutions, residential quarters, public places, etc. are fully controlled.
Video
Zhang Wenhong was quietly dismissed from office, and the inside information is very deep. A Weibo Cause Big Disaster? Zhang's personal fate is unpredictable. Shanghai lockdown. | #670 New Vision 20220331 R01 V01
News (13) to (16) / Report by : Yang Wei / Editor : Gao Yi / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/31/n13685042.htm
News (13)
The CCP voluntarily gave up the opportunity to ease with the West
Image : On 30 March 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov (left) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Tunxi, Huangshan, Anhui. (STR/CCTV/AFP via Getty Images)
On 30 March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Chinese Communist Party’s statement still did not mention participating in mediation, nor did it talk about armistice; He avoided whether he was willing to be the guarantor of the Russia-Ukraine peace agreement. The CCP claims to support "peace talks" and the "cooling down" of the situation, but this is not the case. This move once again sends a signal to the West that the CCP has no intention of seizing the opportunity to ease relations with the West.
The China-EU summit on 1 April 2022 is probably the last window of opportunity. CCP leaders may slow down their speech, but it should be difficult to really change their stance on the Russian-Ukrainian war. If EU leaders fail to see the change of attitude of the CCP, China-EU relations are likely to undergo fundamental changes.
News (14)
China would rather offend Europe than deal with Russia
Whether in interpersonal or international interactions, when someone faces a crisis or threat, the attitudes and actions of the people around them will leave a deep impression on the person involved, and will significantly affect the next step of the relationship. If someone can lend a helping hand, or express comfort and support in a crisis, they will be regarded as a true friend by the person concerned; while those who pretend to be neutral, secretly gloat in misfortune, speak slanderous words, or even stand on the opposite side will be disgusted by the person concerned, try to distance themselves, even may be the enemy. Europe is facing a serious security threat, and the CCP plays the role of the latter.
After Wang Yi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tunxi, Anhui, the CCP statement said at the beginning, Wang Yi said, "Sino-Russian relations have withstood the new test of the changing international situation, maintained the correct direction of progress, and demonstrated a tenacious development momentum." The two sides have a firmer willingness to develop bilateral relations and a firmer confidence in advancing cooperation in various fields."
Russia, which is currently under severe sanctions, is caught in the quagmire of the Ukraine war and urgently needs to hold the CCP to support its facade. Lavrov said, "At a critical moment in the development of the international situation, the heads of state of Russia and China maintain strategic communication." "The Russian side is willing to work with the Chinese side (CCP) to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and continue to strengthen high-level strategic coordination."
The CCP gave Russia the much-needed solidarity in a timely manner, and Europe and the United States should have a general grasp of whether it has given some substantive help in private.
Wang Yi claimed that he "has always advocated the maintenance of the purposes of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations", but he did not urge Russia to stop the war, nor did he condemn the Russian military's aggression, but continued to say that "the Ukraine issue has complex historical latitudes and ins and outs" and "is a Cold War mentality. The result of confrontation with the group".
Such a statement follows the line of thinking of Xi Jinping's call with Biden on 18 March, when Xinhua's statement said that "a slap doesn't make a sound." In the face of direct warnings from the United States and concerns from European countries, the CCP is still blaming NATO and the United States for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Europe is in a heightened tension of war warnings, and the CCP's constant sarcastic remarks should stimulate Europe a lot.
News (15)
The CCP is not willing to engage in diplomatic mediation
Wang Yi said he supported "peace talks" and the "cooling down" of the situation, but he did not express his readiness to participate in peace talks or engage in diplomatic mediation.
At the press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China on 30 March, a reporter from the Russian TASS news agency asked, "As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, can China be the guarantor of the Russia-Ukraine peace agreement?"
Spokesman Wang Wenbin avoided the question, saying only that "I am happy to see the dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine" and "will continue to play a role in its own way."
It can be seen that the CCP does not really hope that the "peace talks" will be successful or that the situation will "cool down". The CCP also expects Russia to continue to cause chaos in the United States and Europe. How can it really support the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war as soon as possible?
On 20 March 2022, Qin Gang, the CCP ambassador to the United States, said in a live interview with the US CBS television network that it was "naive" to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is estimated that most politicians in the United States and Europe will no longer be "naive" to the CCP. .
At the press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China on 30 March, another reporter asked, "China refuses to condemn Russia. What are its expectations for the outcome of the China-EU leaders' meeting to be held this Friday?"
After Wang Wenbin repeated a large number of clichés, he threw out another sentence, "About the 'condemnation' issue", "To dwell on this issue any more is to fall behind the situation."
From Qin Gang's "naive" to Wang Wenbin's "lagging behind the situation", the CCP's sarcastic remarks show that it is ready to fight the United States and Europe to the end.
Another reporter asked, "During the meeting between the foreign ministers of China and Russia, did China ask Russia to stop the war with Ukraine? Wang Wenbin only said, "I have answered relevant questions just now."
Before the meeting between the leaders of China and Europe, the CCP once again made its position public. Not only did it continue to avoid condemning the Russian invasion, it also did not even plan to respond to calls for a truce.
News (16)
CCP's current attitude is an obstacle to the China-EU summit
The top leaders of the CCP should know that the current attitude will become an obstacle to the China-EU summit. On the same day, Xinhua News Agency issued a one-sentence report, "Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Sino-Russian Relations are Non-Aligned, Non-Confrontational, Not Targeted at Third Parties." This report should try to show that the CCP-Russian relationship is not aimed at Europe but after the meeting between Xi Jinping and Putin on 4 February, the joint statement of the two sides directly stated that they "oppose NATO", and it is too late for the CCP to play word games. .
On 24 March, the NATO summit statement urged Russia to cease fire immediately, and at the same time asked the CCP not to aid Russia, and named the CCP to “stop spreading lies for Russia.”
The European Council's statement on the EU-China summit said "the main focus of the summit will be the war in Ukraine, the international community's support for Ukraine" and "the severe humanitarian crisis caused by Russian aggression, its disruptive nature of the international order and its inherently global nature. influence".
An EU official told the media that the summit would be a "defining moment for EU-China relations." If Beijing sided with Russia, it would have negative consequences for itself.
The CCP’s initial calculation should be that after Russia creates big trouble for NATO, the United States and Europe will have no choice but to ask the CCP to help mediate, and the CCP can take the opportunity to ask the United States and Europe to make concessions. As a result, both Russia and CCP China are in big trouble.
The United States saw through the CCP's tricks, and from the very beginning, the United States demanded the CCP to make a clear statement and stand in line, and then gave a direct warning. The CCP rides a tiger in a difficult situation. Not only is it afraid of being jointly and severally sanctioned by the West, but it also wants to help Russia stand up and continue to create chaos. The CCP has no choice but to play vague word games but a lot of propaganda that praises Russia and degrades Ukraine is quickly smashed one by one.
After the 9/11 incident in the United States, the CCP pretended to express its support for Western counter-terrorism in exchange for the benefits of large-scale globalization. Today, Europe is facing the most serious security threat since the Cold War. NATO is strongly revived, and the West is closely cooperating. The CCP has voluntarily given up the opportunity to ease with the West, and is also trying to create more chaos. The leaders of the CCP at this time probably did not have much hope for the China-EU summit. However, the CCP may not have foreseen what kind of changes China-EU relations may face, and the mystery is about to be revealed.
News (17)
Heavy evidence emerges that the CCP helped Russia invade Ukraine
Report by : Li Zhengkuan / Editor : Gao Yi / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/4/2/n13690548.htm
On Friday, 1 April 2022, the EU-China Summit was held by videoconference. Chinese Communist Party Leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang held talks with EU leaders. "Russia-Ukraine War" is the number one theme of the summit. The EU said that the views of the EU and China on the Russian-Ukrainian war are obviously "opposite".
During the summit, EU leaders pressured China to actively work to end the war, rather than supporting Russia economically or militarily, The Wall Street Journal reported. However, the CCP remains as always opposed to Western sanctions against Russia.
At the meeting, the CCP authorities expressed the importance of a "peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict" to China, and even claimed that they "did more behind the scenes to push for an end to the conflict than it appears on the surface." However, when asked what efforts they were doing, Xi and Li were speechless and offered no details.
So, what did the CCP do behind the scenes during the Russian-Ukrainian War? The British newspaper The Times gave a timely answer during the EU-China summit.
On 1 April, The Times reported that, according to an intelligence memo provided by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in the run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China carried out a massive cyberattack on Ukrainian military and nuclear facilities.
The Ukrainian Security Service said that hackers coordinated by the Chinese Communist Party carried out thousands of attacks on more than 600 websites, including the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and other agencies, which began before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, peaked and ended on 23 February, the day before Russia invaded Ukraine
Cybersecurity experts told The Times that the timing of the Chinese cyberattack appeared to confirm that Moscow gave CCP China advance notice of its planned intrusion.
According to The Times, U.S. intelligence has confirmed that information about CCP China’s cyberattack on Ukrainian government facilities before the Russian invasion was accurate.
What’s more, SentinelOne, an American cybersecurity firm, told The Times that on 22 March, during the Russia-Ukraine war, it also discovered a separate, relatively small-scale cyberattack against Ukraine, also from China.
The heavy revelations of the Ukrainian Security Service mean that the CCP is an accomplice and accomplice of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Think about the fact that the CCP authorities also acted as the "peacemaker" of the Russian-Ukrainian war at the EU-China summit - this must be said to be a huge irony on April Fool's Day but this fully explains why the CCP has been opposed to the sanctions imposed on Russia by the international community.
The CCP may never have dreamed that Ukraine could have such a strong defense and detection capability against cyber attacks, and it has also obtained real evidence that the CCP has done evil. This is mainly because the CCP did not know that as early as last October, the United States sent private Silicon Valley contractors and soldiers from the Army Cyber Command to Ukraine to strengthen Ukraine’s cyber defense.
During the war between Russia and Ukraine, European and American leaders invited the CCP to come forward as a "peacemaker" in the Russian-Ukrainian war. On the one hand, they still had some illusions about the CCP and did not recognize the evil nature of the CCP; on the other hand, they may be able to force the tiger out of the CCP and let the world see it clearly in the process of expressing its position.
Today, the CCP has not only completely collapsed the “personality” of the “neutral”, but also completely exposed itself as an accomplice of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A major test for appeaseers who seek skin with tigers, and whether or not to "sanction the CCP" is the touchstone.
News (18) to (21) / Reporter : Xu Manyuan / Editor : Yang Yihui / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/29/n13681599.htm
News (18)
China Eastern Boeing repairs documentary exposure, industry insiders are surprised
Image : The documentary "Pickle Fork Repair of China Eastern Technology Yunnan Branch", engineers independently developed technologies and tools to repair the picture of the aircraft overcoming the "mismatched tools" and the picture of the "precise positioning" method of the aircraft. (The Epoch Times Cartography)
All 132 people on board China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 have been confirmed dead. The company's system and various flight safety issues have also been widely discussed by the public.
A CCTV documentary with a total length of nearly 5 minutes and titled "Repair of Pickle Fork of China Eastern Airlines Yunnan Branch Company Technology" surfaced recently, and was first forwarded on the Internet by Jiang Feng, a senior self-media person. Currently, the original report on the website of mainland media The Paper has been removed. The film, produced by China Eastern Airlines, promotes the company's process of repairing the Boeing 737-800NG forks on its own, but it also shows the potential problems of China Eastern's maintenance team.
Sky, who has nearly 20 years of experience in flying aircraft, has a pilot's license (ATPL) and currently lives in California, said that because he graduated from a professional aviation university, he has more time to study than ordinary pilots and has a wider range of knowledge. He personally owns two small planes, and he also conducts maintenance on his own, so he has a certain understanding of aircraft maintenance.
After watching the promotional video of China Eastern's self-maintenance, Sky felt a little "surprised" and raised several doubts.
Image : Sky (left) describes the properties of metals in aircraft parts. (Xu Manyuan/Epoch Times)
News (19)
China Eastern Airlines conducts self-maintenance and self-promotion
The documentary quoted a 2019 CCTV news report at the beginning, saying that Boeing recalled about 50 aircraft with "fork" cracks globally, and two Boeing 737-800NGs of China Eastern Airlines were also in need of repair. However, it will take at least six months for the plane to be sent to Boeing's maintenance depot in Victorville, California. After evaluating the economic losses and operating costs, China Eastern decided to repair it on its own.
Boeing's public information did not consult the information authorizing China Eastern Airlines to carry out maintenance. However, in the self-recognition and publicity documentary of China Eastern Airlines, it was mentioned that the repair project was highly recognized by Boeing support engineers, and Boeing approved the China Eastern Airlines project as a self-developed maintenance plan.
From the documentary, we can see the picture of China Eastern's maintenance team making every effort to prepare and operate.
News (20)
Sky: Manual "step-by-step reaming" method is rare
In 2019, airlines in Indonesia, South Korea, Australia and other places successively discovered "fork" cracks caused by metal fatigue in the fuselage and wings of Boeing 737-800NG. Therefore, Boeing conducted global inspections and removed all cracks. The plane was sent back for maintenance.
Sky said that the issuance of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) to recall the aircraft for inspection and maintenance is a very serious problem, but because Boeing has the corresponding maintenance capabilities, the repair will not cause problems and accidents, and the Boeing 737-800NG is relatively Mature models are also aircraft models that are considered quite safe by the industry.
Image : Sky explains the importance of precision and professionalism in aircraft maintenance. (Xu Manyuan/Epoch Times)
There is a "fork" crack, and the parts that need to be repaired and replaced are near the flank of the aircraft. The difficulty lies in the positioning of the new parts and the drilling of two key structures. This replacement procedure is complex, requires a lot of engineering work, and also requires an aviation sheet metal team for the "exclusive" aircraft.
According to the explanation of China Eastern's promotional video, when making 25.43mm holes, because there were no "supporting" tools, the China Eastern Engineering team adopted the self-developed manual "step-by-step reaming" method to ream the holes. Sky said that the manufacturing of the aircraft is very precise, and each hole must withstand a lot of pressure. If there is an error in the hole spacing, it will definitely affect the pressure that the aircraft can withstand during flight.
He said that most aircraft manufacturers use computerized instruments to accurately measure the data, and use precise drills to drill holes, which is rare "by hand" but because he did not see the real thing, he could not judge whether the drilling was accurate, or whether it was safe, but it was indeed different from the way he was exposed to aircraft maintenance.
Sky said, "My small aircraft will be repaired by myself, using screwdrivers but I have never seen a large passenger aircraft." Whether the manual operation can achieve the drilling accuracy required by the aircraft is worrying. Because the distance between holes for aircraft assembly must be accurate, he said for example: "It's like genuine Lego blocks, the tenon is very strong, but if you buy other copycat brand blocks, it will be different."
The fork is a suspension system that connects the fuselage to the wings and withstands stress and torque loads that bend the structure during operation. It is designed to withstand 90,000 life cycles - the entire lifespan of a Boeing 737-800NG.
Sky said that every small part of the aircraft needs to withstand a lot of pressure, not ordinary aviation materials, especially the aircraft structural parts, and even the screws connecting the fuselage and the wings.
Sky further explained that these parts as a whole have to withstand at least an average maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 174,200 pounds for an excessively hard landing, so most of the aircraft parts come from Boeing's original factory, because there are few factories in the world that can produce parts that meet the standards. Once an accident occurs, the qualified production factory will also bear a lot of responsibility.
News (21)
The materials and technologies used in aircraft repair must be up to standard
A CCTV documentary commended China Eastern for completing the repairs while the tools and equipment fell behind the Boeing team but Sky believes that the backwardness of tools and equipment is only a superficial problem, and whether the aircraft materials and engineers used by China Eastern Airlines can reach the level of Boeing is the key.
Sky said, "Aircraft safety is very important, hundreds of lives, no joke!" Aviation metal used in aircraft has the characteristics of hard and light weight, a small piece of load-bearing accessories may cost thousands or more than 10,000 U.S. Dollars and there is advanced aviation sheet metal. There's a reason why a division's salary is very different from the average car sheet metal worker.
He added, "The aviation sheet metal engineer of this structure is a little more difficult than the general aviation sheet metal engineer. They not only need to be familiar with aerodynamics but also need to understand the structure of the aircraft and need to pass the exam to obtain the certificate." China Eastern Airlines repairs Boeing by itself. The 737-800NG may really reduce operating costs and expenses, but he has reservations about whether it can achieve the required level of safety and professionalism.
Although Liu Xiaodong, director of China Eastern's propaganda department, issued a statement on the question of the accident of China Eastern flight MU5735 and the hidden danger of "shift fork assembly" maintenance, he said that the aircraft maintained by China Eastern had withdrawn from the fleet on 8 September 2020, not this accident aircraft B1791.
According to the famous rule of American safety engineer Herbert William Heinrich "When an enterprise has 300 hidden dangers or violations, it is very likely that 29 minor injuries or malfunctions will occur, and there will be 1 serious injury or death accident." all major security incidents are not sudden, but cumulative, with many symptoms accumulated.
Sky said that the MU5735 air crash actually has many omen. In order to avoid such a tragedy from happening again, airlines and relevant units should put forward the maintenance and repair records of the aircraft so that experts in the industry can make professional judgments and let the public fly more safely.
News (22)
The senior pilot is the co-pilot, and the pilot configuration of China Eastern Yunnan Airlines is doubtful
Image : Video Screenshot
The disaster of China Eastern Yunnan flight MU5735 shocked the world. Although the two black boxes have been found, officials have yet to announce the conclusion of the investigation. According to analysis by industry insiders, the pilot configuration of the crashed plane is counterintuitive, and the source is likely to point to the company management problem of China Eastern Yunnan Airlines.
There were three pilots on the China Eastern Yunnan accident flight, their positions were captain, co-pilot and pilot. Public information shows that captain Yang Hongda, the son of a China Eastern pilot, has steadily risen through the ranks of the airline. However, among the three, the oldest is not the captain Yang Hongda, but the co-pilot Zhang Zhengping.
Gao Fei, a senior pilot who has flown in China and has extensive experience in flying Boeing 737-800, said that there are major doubts about the configuration of the crashed pilots.
Senior pilot Gao Fei: (Zhang Zhengping) once served as the captain and instructor of 737 for a long time. He is a very qualified pilot, known as 'Grandfather', 'Old Senior', etc. According to his In terms of seniority, he shouldn't just be a co-pilot.
Public information shows that the co-pilot Zhang Zhengping, 59 years old, has been flying for 40 years and has accumulated more than 30,000 safe flight hours. He was once the "five-star captain" of China Eastern Airlines Yunnan Company. The captain, Yang Hongda, was 32 years old and had just over 6,000 hours of flight time. At best, he was Zhang Zhengping's apprentice or grandson. It is understood that Zhang Zhengping, who was about to retire, was flying on duty almost every day before the crash.
Senior pilot Gao Fei: This is quite unusual. Generally, when you reach this age, you won't fly too much. Because you are old, as a corporate culture, you should respect the old and love the young. Those with such qualifications should be More respectful, teach other people's experience and knowledge to the new generation. Bring a new generation of pilots, rather than work hard in the front like young people.
News (23)
Senior pilots were ignored or demoted after China Eastern Yunnan Airlines was formed
"Global Travel Training" reported in 2008 that after Yunnan Airlines was merged with China Eastern Airlines to form China Eastern Yunnan Airlines (officially known as China Eastern Airlines Yunnan Company) in 2002, the treatment of pilots dropped from the highest in the industry to the middle and lower levels. Many old captains were ignored or even demoted, causing strong dissatisfaction among the former Yunnan Airlines pilots. Zhang Zhengping was one of them.
Gao Fei said that Zhang Zhengping, a "meritorious pilot", was demoted to co-pilot, so it cannot be ruled out that his emotions caused a safety hazard.
Gao Fei believes that many pilots want to change jobs in the face of chronic injustice. With Zhang Zhengping's qualifications, any airline would be willing to hire him with a high salary, but he is afraid it would be difficult for him to escape. According to the regulations issued by the CAAC in 2005, pilots who change jobs must pay huge compensation to the original unit. Zheng Hongzhi, a pilot from the Southeast Yunnan branch, was once sued for 12.57 million RMB for changing jobs.
News (24)
China Eastern imposes flight taxes on Yunnan pilots
Not only that, since 2008, China Eastern Airlines has required the pilots of the Yunnan Company to pay 20% to 30% of the flight hourly fee as taxes, which may become the last straw that crushes the spirit.
Gao Fei said that he and several pilots have analyzed that the emotional and mental state of the pilots may be one of the reasons for the accident when the maintenance of the crashed aircraft is not faulty and the weather on the day of the accident is not abnormal. The CCP official can disclose the real investigation results and respond to external doubts.
News (25)
U.S. investigators in China Eastern Airlines crash get Chinese visas and are expected to leave this week
Reporter : Han Fei / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/02/a103389811.html
It has been nearly two weeks since the major crash of MU5735. Although the two black boxes have been found, it is still unclear as to the cause of the crash. Since the aircraft involved was designed and manufactured in the United States, according to international agreements, the National Transportation Safety Board has the right to participate in the investigation. The latest news is that the committee's experts have left on Friday (1 April 2022) to go to China to help investigate the cause of the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the board's investigators, the Air Traffic Control Administration and Boeing's technical advisers were all granted visas.
Current affairs critic Jiang Feng believes that even if international experts participate in the investigation, what they can actually find is doubtful.
Jiang Feng, a current affairs critic, commented, "Everyone knows that in Liaoning, there was a Masanjia Forced Labor Camp, which was tortured and persecuted back then. It became a political secret. After the international investigation came, nothing could be seen. Ah, brand new building, clean, nothing. On the concentration camps in Xinjiang, didn’t they also invite international agencies to investigate? The Uyghurs sang and danced there and performed there. Where it looked like persecution, where it looked like a concentration camp. International investigation of the origin of the covi, Among the members of the WHO investigation team recognized by the CCP is Peter Daszak, an American virus expert. Daszak himself has cooperated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology for 15 years. There are deep interests, so if you don’t invite international experts, it means fairness.”
Before the crash, the air traffic controllers found that after the MU5735 plane descended sharply, the air traffic controllers in many areas had repeatedly called the crew but they did not get any response.
Many parties have paid attention to whether the pilot in the crash had issued a distress signal before the crash? Gao Fei, a veteran pilot who has flown in China and has extensive experience in the Boeing 737-800, said that the signals sent by the pilots in the air are equivalent to radio broadcasts and are not encrypted. However, the CCP official has not released the last phone call before the accident, and the reason is questionable.
Senior pilot Gao Fei said, "But as a mainlander, what I find strange is that you can put the last 10 minutes of calls on the Internet for everyone to listen to. These are what many people are concerned about. What is the last 10 minutes, 15 minutes? What are they talking about in minutes? Did the pilots talk normally before? This kind of relatively public thing is usually recorded in the control center and saved as a thing. This is ready-made. Basically, it can be disclosed to everyone. But now we haven't let everyone know yet, and it's quite speculative."
At present, both black boxes have been found, and the cockpit voice recorder has been sent to Beijing for decoding but Gao Fei worries that even if the CCP official finds the black box, it is bound to censor the content first.
Senior pilot Gao Fei said, "When our pilots were discussing, we all thought the same, either stalled or man-made. If the cabin sound is recorded, I am worried. In the cabin sound record, they will listen to what it is first. If found that it was not good for them, so I smashed it with two stones and set it on fire, and then nothing could be read. Then I took it to the Boeing experts and said, 'There is nothing, the impact is too big and it is broken.' , it's hard to tell."
Gao Fei hopes that the officials can release the maintenance records of the crashed plane, the pilot's call records, as well as the real data and investigation results of the black boxes to respond to outside doubts.
News (26) to (29) / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/01/a103389397.html
News (26)
Concerned about Chain Woman, lawyer Lu Tingge calls for information disclosure
Hebei human rights lawyer Lu Tingge, again on 31 March 2022, reported to the General Office of the State Council of the Communist Party of China that the Jiangsu Provincial Government did not perform its duty of information disclosure, violated the applicant's rights to obtain information and supervise the government, and asked the State Council of the Communist Party of China to supervise, investigate and punish the government. correct.
News (27)
Shanghai closed city, vegetable prices skyrocketed, Pudong citizens took to the streets to protest
Shanghai closed the city, and vegetable prices skyrocketed. On March 29, residents of Haitangyuan Community, Gaohang Town, Pudong New Area, tried to buy cheap food on their own. Residents were taken away. On the evening of the 30th, dozens of residents of the community ignored the warning, rushed out of the community and took to the streets to demonstrate.
News (28)
Jilin's video of posing for food delivery went viral, and the photographer was detained
A video exposing Jilin government personnel "posing for photos to deliver food" has gone viral on the Internet a few days ago. In the video, staff wearing protective clothing went to the community to deliver food to residents, but after posing at the door, they brought the food to the next household. people. On March 31, the Changchun police issued an announcement saying that the video shooter had been detained for distributing false videos and suspected of picking quarrels and provoking trouble. The news sparked doubts among netizens, who accused the authorities of not addressing the problem, but addressing those who raised the issue.
News (29)
Young son becomes CCP hostage, human rights award winner lost contact
Shandong human rights activist Li Yu recently won the 9th Academy Award for Freedom and Human Rights. She disappeared in February this year and her whereabouts are unknown. Her friend Jie Lijian accepted the award on her behalf, and said that in order to persecute Li Yu and prevent her from spreading the truth, the CCP kidnapped her young son as a hostage and tortured her to the point of being bruised.
News (30)
Senators release bank records showing payments to Hunter Biden from China
Reporter : Zachary Stieber, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
Newly released bank records show that payments were made to President Joe Biden’s son from a Chinese Communist Party-linked company.
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) presented the records on the Senate floor on 28 and 29 March 2022.
One showed a wire payment of $100,000 to Owasco, one of Hunter Biden’s firms, from CEFC China Energy, a now-defunct company closely associated with the Chinese regime,
Another showed a wire transfer of $5 million to Hudson West, a company Hunter Biden invested in and managed, from Northern International Capital, a business that partnered with CEFC. A contract also made public by the senators showed $500,000 went to Hunter Biden as a “one-time retainer fee.”
Two others showed a $1 million payment made to Hudson West by CEFC and a transfer of $1 million from Hudson West to Owasco, with the money appearing to go to Hunter Biden for the purposes of representing Patrick Ho, a Chinese businessman who has helped CEFC gain advantages through bribery.
The receipts are just some of the records that “undeniably show strong links between the Biden family and communist China,” Grassley said.
The $100,000 transaction was dated Aug. 4, 2017; the $5 million transfer was dated Aug. 8, 2017; the two other payments were made on Nov. 30, 2017, and March 22, 2018, respectively.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer did not respond to requests by The Epoch Times for comment; the White House also did not respond to an inquiry.
For years, Grassley and Johnson have been probing Hunter Biden, who is under federal investigation, producing a report in 2020 that exposed connections between the younger Biden and Chinese nationals connected to the Chinese regime and military.
Among them is Ye Jianming, a Chinese oil tycoon who founded CEFC. Ye was put under investigation by Chinese authorities in 2018 and has not been seen since then.
The senators discovered that Hunter Biden made millions from Ye and his company and millions more from Dong Gongwen, a financier and business associate of Ye. Messages later obtained by The Epoch Times showed Hunter Biden had a close relationship with Ye, including being the first guest at the Chinese businessman’s new apartment, while other messages listed Joe Biden and Dong as “office mates.”
Andrew Bates, who at the time was representing Joe Biden’s campaign, claimed the Senate report was using taxpayer dollars to launch “an attack founded on a long-disproven, hardcore right-wing conspiracy theory.” Bates is now a White House spokesman.
Acknowledging their efforts have drawn criticism, Grassley told colleagues on 28 March that the report was largely based on records from the Obama administration and almost a dozen interviews with government officials.
News (31)
Matt Gaetz enters Hunter Biden laptop data into Congressional record
Reporter : Ken Silva, The Epoch TIMES PREMIUM
“I seek unanimous consent to enter into the record on this committee the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop, which I am in possession of.”
This request from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) briefly brought the House Judiciary Committee to a standstill March 29, before chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) relented and allowed the laptop data to become congressional record—archiving the business deals, pornographic images, and illicit data said to be on the infamous hard drive.
Gaetz’s surprise move followed a heated exchange with Bryan Vorndran, the assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division. The Florida representative asked numerous questions about the Hunter Biden laptop, only to have Vorndran profess ignorance to each one.
“In December 2019, they turned over the laptop to the FBI. And now you’re telling me as FBI’s assistant director of cyber, you don’t know where this is after it was turned over to you three years ago?” Gaetz asked.
“Yes sir, that’s an accurate statement,” Vorndran responded.
Gaetz said he found Vorndran’s response shocking. The FBI official argued that investigations into the laptop are not his responsibility.
Gaetz then asked whether anyone within the FBI’s cyber division has assessed whether Hunter Biden’s laptop has created a security vulnerability for the country.
“We can do this back and forth for the next couple of minutes. I don’t have any information about the Hunter Biden laptop,” Vorndran said.
Gaetz pressed further: “But should you? You’re the assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division,”
Vorndran said that, according to FBI HR flowcharts, no he should not have any information. But he also declined to say who within the FBI would.
Gaetz asked if the FBI would brief Congress on the laptop. Vorndran said he’d relay the request, but was non-committal as to whether a briefing will happen.
“Is Congress worthy of such a briefing?” Gaetz asked, referring to Vorndran as the Chris Webber of the FBI—a reference to a basketball player who made a mistake that cost his team the NCAA championship.
“So you don’t have it, you don’t know who has it, you don’t know where it is. Earlier this hearing, you were talking about whether you were the Grant Hill or Christian Laetner of the FBI,” Gaetz said. “It sounds like you’re the Chris Webber, trying to call time outs when you don’t have any.”
Vorndran appeared to be short of temper by the end of the interchange.
“I’m not going to answer that question!” the FBI official said in response to Gaetz’s repeated requests for a briefing. “The invitation says, ‘oversight of the FBI’s cyber division.’”
Gaetz then silenced the chamber when he asked to enter the laptop’s contents into the congressional record. Only murmurs could be heard as chairman Nadler consulted with a staffer.
“We will object, pending further investigation,” Nadler said.
“What’s the basis for objection?” Gaetz asked.
“It’s a unanimous consent request, and I object,” Nadler responded. “It may very well be entered into the record after we look into it further.”
About 10 minutes later, after another representative questioned Vorndran, Gaetz again motioned to enter the laptop contents into the record.
“After consultation with majority staff, I seek unanimous consent to enter into this committee content from, files from, and copies from Hunter Biden’s laptop,” he said.
This time, no one objected. Gaetz was also allowed to enter the receipt Hunter Biden allegedly signed at the Mac store.
News (32) to (33) / Reporter : Zachary Stieber, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
News (32)
Trump: Fines paid by Clinton Campaign, DNC show corruption
The fines paid by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) show corruption, former President Donald Trump says.
Clinton’s campaign and the DNC agreed to pay a combined $113,000 to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), according to documents made public on March 30, after the commission found probable cause that the entities violated federal law by describing payments that ultimately went to the Fusion GPS research group as going toward legal services and consulting.
Fusion used the funds, funneled through the Perkins Coie law firm, to pay for the compilation of a dossier riddled with unsubstantiated claims that Trump and his campaign had ties to Russian actors ahead of the 2016 election.
Clinton was the Democrat nominee in the election while Trump, the Republican nominee, won the presidency.
The operation “was done to create … a hoax funded by the DNC and the Clinton campaign,” Trump said. “This corruption is only beginning to be revealed, is un-American, and must never be allowed to happen again.”
“Where do I go to get my reputation back?” he added.
The Clinton campaign and the DNC have not responded to requests for comment.
According to conciliation agreements the parties entered into with the FEC, they did not admit to misreporting the expenditures that funded the dossier’s creation. But they agreed to, in the future, abide by federal law that mandates reporting and accurately describing the purpose of disbursements of more than $200 per year.
Additionally, the election commission may, on the request of anyone filing a complaint, review compliance with the agreements. If the commission comes to believe the agreement has been violated, it can trigger a civil action in federal court.
Trump recently filed a federal suit against Clinton, the DNC, and others who helped create and disseminate the dossier, such as former government employee Bruce Ohr and Glenn Simpson, an ex-Wall Street Journal reporter who co-founded Fusion.
Dan Backer, an attorney who lodged the complaint with the election commission against the Clinton campaign and the DNC, told The Epoch Times that it’s the first time Clinton “has actually been held accountable for misconduct,” calling the fines “a great step for accountability.”
The amount of the fines was tied to the amount of money disbursed through Perkins Coie, or just over $1 million.
Federal law prohibits making false statements to the government, with violators facing up to five years in prison, but there are no signs at this time that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is pursuing charges, though the DOJ has charged a lawyer who represented Clinton’s campaign.
“What they did was very straightforward—they wanted to pay somebody to do some bad stuff, and they didn’t want anybody knowing that they were doing it and so, rather than disclose the payment as they’re required to do under the law, they hid it and reported it as something else,” Backer said. “That is a violation of federal law. And the DOJ is regularly prosecuting individuals and organizations for this exact act. But for the Democrats, the rules are different.”
News (33)
Clinton Campaign, DNC agree to pay fines for payments of Steele Dossier
Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) likely violated federal law by not accurately describing payments made to a law firm that funneled the money to ex-British spy Christopher Steele, federal officials have ruled.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) determined that there was probable cause to believe that the Clinton campaign and its treasurer, Elizabeth Jones, and the DNC and its treasurer, Virginia McGregor, misreported the purpose of certain spending and violated federal law, according to documents made public on March 30.
The probable violations concern the $1 million payment that the law firm Perkins Coie, retained by the parties to provide legal services ahead of the 2016 election, made in 2016 to the company Fusion GPS.
The Clinton campaign paid $175,000 to Perkins Coie in mid-2016 for what it described in disclosure reports as “legal services.” The DNC paid $849,407 to the law firm at roughly the same time for what it described as “legal and compliance consulting.”
Federal law requires political campaigns to report the name and address of each person that they pay more than $200 per year and define the purpose of the payment.
Complaints lodged with the FEC stated that the Hillary for America campaign (HFA) and the DNC stated in 2018 that the parties made sure to hire operatives through Perkins Coie to shield their conduct from scrutiny.
“By intentionally obscuring their payments through Perkins Coie and failing to publicly disclose the true purpose of those payments, HFA and the DNC were able to avoid publicly reporting on their statutorily required FEC disclosure forms the fact that they were paying Fusion GPS to perform opposition research on Trump with the intent of influencing the outcome of the 2016 presidential election,” the Coolidge Reagan Foundation stated in one complaint.
The foundation released the FEC’s determination on March 30 ahead of the agency’s own release of the documents. An FEC spokesperson didn’t dispute the authenticity of the documents.
“The FEC has up to 30 days following notification of the parties to an enforcement matter to prepare and place the relevant documents on the public record,” the spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. “Until then, we cannot provide comment or disclose any information.”
Instead of going toward the purposes listed on disclosure forms, the payments actually went to fund the creation of the infamous dossier compiled by Steele—an ardent opponent of Clinton’s rival Donald Trump—with the assistance of Fusion operatives.
Perkins Coie acknowledged the arrangement in a letter (pdf) sent to Fusion in 2017 and published by media outlets.
The dossier was rife with salacious, unsubstantiated claims, many of which have since been debunked by federal officials, including Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
The FEC found probable cause that the payments were misreported. That prompted the Clinton campaign and the DNC to agree to enter into conciliation agreements with the FEC.
The agreements stipulate that the parties will pay penalties—$8,000 for Clinton’s campaign and $105,000 for the DNC—and won’t violate the laws that they appear to have violated in the future.
The commission, upon the request of anyone filing a proper complaint concerning the matters at issue, may review compliance with the laws. If there’s a belief that any of the laws are being violated, a civil action may be started in federal court.
Trump filed a lawsuit against Clinton and others involved with the dossier on 24 March.
The campaign and the DNC did not admit to wrongdoing. The parties did not respond to requests for comment.
“This may well be the first time that Hillary Clinton—evidently one of the most corrupt politicians in American history—has actually been held legally accountable, and I’m proud to see the FEC do its job for once,” Dan Backer, counsel for Coolidge Reagan, who authored the FEC complaint, said in a statement. “Let’s hope this is only the beginning for accountability, not the end.”
DNC officials have said before that the party didn’t know about the arrangement between Perkins Coie and Fusion. Brian Fallon, a former spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said he wished he had known about the payments to Steele because he would have volunteered to go help him. Fallon has also said Clinton “may have known” about the research, but “the degree of exactly what she knew is beyond my knowledge.”
The FEC also determined that others did not violate federal laws: Steele, Fusion, Perkins Coie, and former Perkins Coie attorney Marc Elias.
News (34)
Two senior British judges cut their seats in Hong Kong after refusing to endorse the CCP
Editor : Meng Xinqi / Interview : Yi Ru, Tony / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/01/a103389382.html
The President and Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom announced on 30 March that they would resign from their positions as non-permanent judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. The reason is that due to the CCP's implementation of the "National Security Law" in Hong Kong, they have unable to perform their duties. Nor is it willing to endorse a regime that has betrayed political freedom and free speech.
On 30 March 2022, British Supreme Court President Robert Reed announced that he and Vice President Patrick Stewart Hodge had resigned as non-permanent judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
In a statement, Wayne said he had concluded after consulting with the British government that "Supreme Court justices cannot continue to serve in Hong Kong, otherwise it would be like supporting a government that deviates from the values of politics and freedom of speech, which are the The Supreme Court upheld."
Lin Song, PhD in Australian Political Science: As a matter of fact, everyone knows that the legal system in Hong Kong has completely changed from the previous Hong Kong we know, so these judges are unwilling to do it again.
Xi Haiming, chairman of the Inner Mongolian People's Party: I think their consideration is that they can't smear the Communist Party, and they can't take the blame for them. They have to bear the facts of their own crimes, and they can't let them trample on the rule of law in the name of the rule of law.
On the same day, the British government issued a statement in support of the resignation of two British judges.
The statement pointed out that over the past years, British judges have played an important role in supporting Hong Kong's judicial system. However, since the implementation of the 2020 Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, the CCP has used the law to undermine the basic rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people, including restricting freedom of speech, suppressing dissenting voices, and criminalizing dissent.
Lin Song: In recent years, the CCP has not mentioned their commitments at all, and then indulged its own media to attack why Hong Kong has these foreign judges to try cases in Hong Kong, but these media did not dare to mention it. Beijing was negotiating between China and the UK back then. At the time, it was the CCP’s own promise, and it was allowed by the CCP, but now it seems to have forgotten everything.
The statement criticized that the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law violated the high degree of autonomy of executive legislation and independent judicial power enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. After reviewing the situation in Hong Kong, the British Supreme Court and the British government concluded that the practice of British judges serving as Hong Kong Supreme Court judges is no longer valid.
Lin Song: The current situation in Hong Kong is changing more and more severely. The change has completely made Hong Kong part of mainland China. Now the change in Hong Kong is also towards the rule of man, so the British government sees this situation and has no way to support it. British judges continue to work in Hong Kong and cannot support it either.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also issued a statement on the same day, welcoming and supporting the decision of the British Supreme Court.
Lin Song: The CCP is a dictatorship. The so-called 'one country, two systems' and the Sino-British Joint Declaration are all gone. It's just a blank piece of paper. If it is abolished, what about the Basic Law? Is there still a Basic Law? It seems that there is on the surface, but there is no more. The "National Security Law" has been replaced by the "Basic Law". Now the point of the "National Security Law" is that if he says you are guilty, you are guilty.
The Hong Kong government has refuted the British accusation, claiming that Hong Kong's so-called judicial independence remains stable after the implementation of the National Security Law, and that eminent judges from other common law jurisdictions are welcome to serve as non-permanent judges.
But Xi Haiming, chairman of the Inner Mongolia People's Party, said that now under the rule of the CCP, Hong Kong has become a province in China, with no freedom and judicial independence at all.
Xi Haiming: Freedom is the soul of Hong Kong, and the soul of Hong Kong has been strangled. In reality, the Hong Kong Governor (Hong Kong Chief Executive) is no different from the Communist Party Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. You feel that you want to restore or maintain something as much as possible but under this premise, it is unrealistic.
Xi Haiming said that if Hong Kong wants to restore the soul of freedom, it must get rid of the CCP.
News (35) to (39) / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/4/2/n13690935.htm
News (35)
Ukrainian official: Russian missiles hit two cities in central Ukraine
Russian missiles hit two cities in central Ukraine on Saturday, damaging infrastructure and residential buildings, according to the head of the Poltava region.
"Poltava, during the night, a missile hit one of the infrastructures," Dmitry Lunin said on Telegram.
"Kremenchuk, a lot of missiles hit the city (Saturday) morning," Lunin added.
Russian forces attacked the refinery in Kremenchuk, destroying facilities for storing gasoline and diesel, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a briefing on Saturday. Gasoline and diesel fuel were supplied to troops in eastern and central Ukraine.
Lunin said three Russian planes carried out the attack around 6 am local time on 2 April.
News (36)
EU is preparing for more sanctions as it increases pressure on Russia
EU Economic Commissioner Gentiloni said the bloc was working to increase pressure on Russia with further sanctions, but said any additional measures would not affect the energy sector, Reuters reported.
Germany and Austria announced plans to take precautionary measures for gas rationing to avoid possible disruptions to Russian supplies.
Gentiloni told a conference in Cernobbio, Italy, that the war in Ukraine certainly means slower growth in Europe, but recession is not inevitable.
"The EU has decided to respond to this war by supporting the countries under attack rather than participating in (the war)," he said. "This must continue and not succumb to extortion; but this response comes at a cost, and we need deal with it together.”
"The EU, along with its international partners, has imposed tough sanctions on Russia. Our goal is to put pressure on the Kremlin," European Council President Charles Michel told a news conference after the EU-China summit on Friday. To end the war. These sanctions also have a price for us in Europe, but it is the price of defending freedom and democracy.”
News (37)
Russia threatens to end Russian cooperation with ISS
Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space agency, tweeted on Saturday that Russia may end cooperation on the International Space Station (ISS) due to Western sanctions.
"I believe that normal relations between the ISS and partners in other joint projects will only be possible after the full and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions," Rogozin tweeted.
Rogozin warned that Roscosmos would be ready to "make concrete proposals to our country's leaders" on the possibility of ending cooperation with the space agencies of the United States, Canada, the European Union and Japan on the International Space Station.
News (38)
U.S. will help send Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine
The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, said the White House would help allies send Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine to support Ukrainian defenses in the country’s eastern Donbass region.
The official told The Times that shipments would begin soon but he declined to say how many tanks would be sent or which countries they would come from.
The tanks will enable Ukraine to conduct long-range artillery fire on Russian targets in the Donbass, the report said. The decision, which marks the first time the United States has helped transfer Soviet-made tanks that Ukrainian troops know how to use in a war, was in response to Zelenskyy's request, the official said.
News (39)
Zelenskyy: Sanctions on Russia are working but should be strengthened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Fox News on 1 April that sanctions on Russia are working but need to be strengthened.
"Sanctions are definitely working, Russia is definitely afraid of sanctions. It makes them uncomfortable. It hits their economy. But one question is how sanctions work. We are showing US and European leaders and telling them that everyone has to be quick cooperation," Zelensky said.
"They (sanctions) must have an impact on the oligarchs, the Russian president, all political parties and the country as a whole. If the United States wants the negotiations to be successful, the United States should continue to work on (strengthening sanctions)."
News (40)
Xi Jinping avoids talking about Russia at EU-China summit, French media: Deaf dialogue
Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor: Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/04/02/a103389987.html / Image : On 1 April 2022, Xi Jinping attended the EU-China Video Summit. (Olivier Matthys/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
At the EU-China summit on 1 April 2022, Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping remained silent on the EU's concern about how to resolve the Ukraine issue, and barely mentioned Russia. French media said that the summit was fruitless and was a dialogue of the deaf.
On the same day, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held video talks with Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang respectively. But the two sides did not issue a joint statement after the meeting, let alone any deliverables.
The French newspaper Le Monde said the summit was a "dialogue of the deaf". The EU wants Beijing to be involved in finding a solution to the Ukraine problem, but Beijing is silent; the EU wants the CCP not to help Russia, but it does not get the tiniest bit of assurance from China.
European Council President Michel Michel told reporters after the meeting that it was not a "business as usual" summit, but a "wartime" summit. "We call on China to help end the war in Ukraine. China cannot turn a blind eye to Russia's violations of international law."
European Commission President von der Leyen said they stressed to Chinese leaders that "international law and Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the Chinese Communist Party has a special responsibility."
However, in the relevant report of the CCP's official Xinhua News Agency after the meeting, Xi Jinping hardly mentioned Russia, let alone made any commitment to support or not support Russia.
Voice of America believes that the summit is a "chicken and duck talk", and the CCP is not keen on the Ukraine crisis that Europe is concerned about.
In fact, from before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine until now, China has accused NATO and the United States of being responsible for the Ukraine war, not Russia.
David C., senior director of the Global China Center at the Atlantic Council of the United States. David Shullman told VOA that he did not expect much from the EU-China summit and was not surprised by the CCP's reaction.
However, he believes that Xi is a bit "overconfident" that he can continue with Europe without any changes. Because "the Ukrainian war was definitely a turning point in how Europeans viewed China".
Schulman believes that the CCP's inaction on the Russian issue has made many Europeans see clearly what kind of Chinese government they are dealing with, and will be more cautious about establishing more partnerships with the CCP in the future.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has greatly changed the world pattern, not only bringing the United States and the European Union closer together, but also making Europe more united. The United States and Europe have shown unprecedented solidarity in sanctions against Russia and aid to Ukraine.
In a sense, VOA said, Russian President Vladimir Putin helped "activate" NATO and the European Union.
CCP China has so far refused to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and abstained in a vote on a UN Security Council resolution condemning Moscow. In addition, Beijing has repeatedly publicly opposed Western sanctions against Russia.
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