Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on Hungary, Canada, CCP, U.S, Taiwan, Mexico
News (1) to (5) / Reporter : Wang Yixiao / Editor : Zhou Ren / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073977.htm
News (1)
Fudan University Foundation project stalled, Hungary launches investigation
Image : In 2021, as soon as the news of Fudan University's establishment of a branch in Hungary was announced, it triggered large-scale protests by the Hungarian people. (Ferenc Isza/AFP via Getty Images)
The "Fudan University Foundation" is a university project foundation jointly planned by the Chinese Communist Party and Hungary. The project has been controversial since its public announcement. and protests. Investigators recently discovered that the foundation was empty and had become a "ghost foundation." Hungarian police have launched an investigation.
News (2)
The ghostly existence of Fudan University Foundation
In July 2023, Hungarian left-liberal politician Márton Tompos wanted to visit the Fudan University Foundation, but he only found an empty office in Budapest, where the Fudan University Foundation was supposed to be located. Now the building is empty.
Coincidentally, a Hungarian television crew is also pursuing the whereabouts of the Fudan University Foundation. Because so far, it is reported that 14 billion Forints (approximately 36 million Euros) of public funds have been invested in the project. Similarly, the TV crew only found an empty house. The foundation sign was still there, but there were no staff, no office furniture, and even the building doorman did not know where the tenants had gone.
This has also attracted the attention of the Hungarian police, who have launched an investigation into the foundation on behalf of the Budapest Prosecutor's Office. Later, news came out that the Fudan University Foundation had simply changed its location. According to Hungarian media, a small piece of paper with an email address was posted under the foundation's sign, which was considered the foundation's explanation for changing its address.
The school building plan was halted and the foundation’s operations were shrouded in mystery.
The Fudan University Foundation recently responded to an inquiry from the Hungarian pro-government media "Mandiner". When asked how to use that considerable amount of public funds, the foundation said that its current focus is on the establishment of university courses and academic development. No further details were available.
However, Fudan University Hungary does not exist at all. In 2021, the project triggered large-scale public protests in Hungary as soon as it was announced, and the government could only temporarily shelve the plan to establish a branch campus. Therefore, the so-called investment in building schools will not start at all.
Where these expenditures have gone, and why funding continues to be received, the current status of this project, which has been temporarily suspended by the Hungarian government, is completely unclear. The Fudan University Foundation was supposed to report on its activities last year, but the deadline for publishing the report was pushed back to the summer of 2024.
The extension not only stalls the police investigation but also means that a referendum on the project cannot be held for now. The proposal for a referendum was initiated by the mayor of the relevant region, Krisztina Baranyi, and the subject of the referendum was on the use of land for the construction of Fudan University campus. Barany's region openly opposes the establishment of a branch campus and advocates the establishment of a Hungarian student city in the corresponding area.
Barani was asked this question two months ago. She said that Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, explained at a government meeting on 25 February 2023 that the Fudan University branch project fell into the category of investment freeze, which was related to the current economic crisis. The minister said that due to the investment freeze, Fudan University Hungary has made no progress and everything is empty, but its foundation is still operating.
Barani emphasized that the investment was clearly not being halted for financial reasons. After all, the project will be entirely funded by China. She believes there must be political reasons behind this. "They could restart the project at any time if there is sufficient political will," she told ATV television channel.
News (3)
Hungarian public worries about CCP’s “Spy University”
Fudan University's charter clearly states that it serves the Chinese Communist Party. Therefore, many people view the CCP’s investment as setting up a “spy university” or a European mouthpiece for the CCP’s propaganda. The Hungarian public’s strong protest against the Fudan University branch also reflects their guard against and antipathy towards the CCP.
Another reason for popular resistance is fear of the risk of indebtedness to the Chinese Communist Party. The university will be built entirely with Chinese loans and cost more than 1.29 billion Euros. Hungarian people are worried that there will be a heavy price to pay for this free lunch.
News (4)
Fudan University suspected of organ harvesting and trade by the CCP
A Hungarian expert on China issues also pointed out that there is a close connection between Fudan University and the CCP’s organ harvesting program.
The expert's video appeared on a popular Hungarian Facebook channel during street protests against the Fudan University campus. The video revealed that the Affiliated Hospital of Fudan University was involved in the CCP’s systematic organ harvesting business that has existed for many years.
One hospital in particular was mentioned: Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. As early as 2006, doctors at the hospital told undercover investigators that only organs from Falun Gong practitioners would be used for transplants.
For decades, Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted and tortured by the Chinese Communist Party. A large number of international investigations and reports also show that the Chinese Communist Party continues to harvest organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. It is precisely because of such a large-scale "living organ bank" that Chinese hospitals can allow patients to "reserve organs" and perform transplant operations within a week.
News (5)
Hungarian medical students went to CCP China to study organ transplantation in medical institutions that may relate to organ harvesting
The video also pointed out that Hungarian medical students had gone to many universities in China to study organ transplantation, and that these university medical institutions may be related to the crime of organ harvesting. The China expert obtained this information from a list of Chinese hospitals that work with Hungarian doctors. It is said that three Chinese hospitals on the list "often participate in organ harvesting."
However, the Hungarian medical community remains silent on this issue. So far, Hungary has not been able to find a single relevant publication on the CCP’s organ harvesting from living persons. As the Hungarian people strongly resist the CCP, perhaps things will change in the near future.
News (6) to (10) / Reporter : Andrew Chen / Compiled by : Zhou Xing / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073984.htm
News (6)
Canada investigates CCP interference, two MPs strengthen contact with CCP institutions
Image : Senator Victor Oh recently met with the head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). (Epoch Times)
As the federal government prepares to publicly investigate the CCP’s interference, two Canadian senators are strengthening their ties with CCP institutions.
Senator Victor Oh recently met with the head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). Senator Yuen Pau Woo spoke at the agency's "high-level meeting" and criticized Canada for currying favor with Western allies and confronting China.
Victor Oh visited China in early September 2023 and met with Luo Zhaohui, director of CIDCA. A press announcement issued by CIDCA showed that Victor Oh and his wife took a photo with Luo Zhaohui.
At the meeting on 4 September 2023, Luo Zhaohui praised Hu Xiu’s “remitting efforts to promote China-Canada friendship.” Luo Zhaohui served as the Chinese ambassador to Canada from May 2014 to September 2016. He also thanked Victor Oh for his support during this period.
The Epoch Times contacted Victor Oh for comment but he did not respond.
CIDCA is an agency directly under the State Council of the Communist Party of China. In a press announcement issued in 2018, CIDCA stated that its purpose is to manage, strengthen and coordinate the central government’s foreign aid initiatives in support of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Critics believe that the Belt and Road Initiative is a tool for the Chinese Communist Party to expand its global geopolitical and economic influence. Some people warn that the Belt and Road Initiative is the CCP’s “debt trap” diplomacy.
News (7)
Senators praise CCP China's global policies
Hu Yuanbao remotely participated in CIDCA's "high-level meeting" on 10 July 2023 and delivered a speech, praising the Chinese Communist government's policy of expanding participation in global development and criticizing some "advanced" and "powerful" countries for adopting so-called "nationalist policies and discriminating against the world." a large part of the world, especially in developing countries.”
The Epoch Times contacted Hu Yuanbao and asked him to clarify which countries he was referring to in his speech.
Yuen Pau Woo responded via an email, "Many countries, including the United States and China, are focused on national security and technological nationalism, which poses a major challenge to international cooperation."
He did not respond to a question about whether Canada is among the advanced Western countries that he said have adopted "nationalist policies."
Although Yuen Pau Woo did not name countries that he believed had adopted nationalist policies in his speech, several of the policies he criticized were similar to measures implemented by Canada and its allies, such as technology or resource export bans, restrictions on international research cooperation and investment limit. Canada and other democracies believe these policies can protect national security and address increasingly obvious challenges from the Chinese Communist regime.
Among the issues discussed, Yuen Pau Woo also criticized Western companies for emphasizing the concepts of "friends" and "de-risking" in supply chain restructuring, claiming that these practices are "largely for political reasons."
In December last year, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland gave a speech in Washington, proposing the concept of "friends", which is to transfer trade from hostile countries such as China to like-minded allies. Many federal cabinet ministers and members of Parliament have also publicly called on Canada to pursue a policy of decoupling from China.
News (8)
Victor Oh and Yuen Pau Woo criticize Canada's stance on CCP's human rights issues
Both Victor Oh and Yuen Pau Woo have criticized Canada for taking a tough stance on the Chinese government's human rights record.
In April 2022, Hu Yuanbao said that Canada should not criticize the CCP’s violations of human rights of ethnic minorities, and said that Canada has also abused indigenous peoples in its history. He was criticized in Canada for his remarks.
Hu Yuanbao posted on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) in 2021, expressing happiness that the two Canadians were released in China. It is widely believed that the Chinese Communist Party held the two Canadians as hostages in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
However, Hu Yuanbao went on to say that Canadians should take this opportunity to "reflect on the lessons learned." To this end, he shared a tweet with a link to a "Toronto Star" op-ed that quoted former U.S. Ambassador Chas Freeman, alleging that the United States and Canada first detained Meng Wanzhou as hostage.
News (9)
Victor Oh and Yuen Pau Woo oppose Foreign Agents Registry in Canada
Both Hu Xiu and Hu Yuanbao oppose the establishment of a foreign agents registry in Canada. The registry is designed to increase transparency in the work of those lobbying on behalf of foreign entities.
Calls for the registry have surged over the past year amid reports citing national security sources that CCP China is engaged in interference activities in Canada. The two senators have argued on multiple occasions that the Foreign Agents Registry is "unfair" to Chinese Canadians and equated it with Canada's long-repeated Chinese Exclusion Act.
Hu Xiu and Hu Yuanbao actively promoted and led the protest held on Capitol Hill on 24 June, which was promoted as commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. However, before the event began, the two participated in a series of events in the Chinese community to promote the protest and a petition (which ended on 13 July 2023) opposing the establishment of the Foreign Agents Registry. At an event in Montreal on 12 June, Hu Xiu said that the registration office would become a modern version of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
News (10)
The Chinese community in Canada: Establish a Foreign Agent Registry to counter CCP
Now, another petition initiated by the Chinese community (https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4534) is still in progress, urging the Canadian government to establish a foreign agent registry, Counter the interference and influence activities of the Chinese Communist regime.
News (11)
Musk compared Taiwan to Hawaii, criticized
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073625.htm / Image: File photo of Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. (Central News Agency)
Elon Musk said in a recent interview that Taiwan is like Hawaii or similar places and is an integral part of China. The remarks sparked controversy and drew harsh criticism from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Musk, the owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tesla electric vehicle company and Starlink satellite network, made the remarks at the All-In Summit 2023 conference in Los Angeles.
In the interview, Musk said, "For half a century or more, their (Chinese Communist Party's) policy has been to unify Taiwan with China."
"From their (Chinese Communist Party's) standpoint, maybe Taiwan is like Hawaii or something like that, an integral part of China," Musk said.
He said that the reason why Taiwan has not been reunified by the Chinese Communist Party is "mainly because the U.S. Pacific Fleet has used force to prevent any form of reunification efforts."
In response, Wu Zhaoxie, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan of the Republic of China, posted (link) on the X platform on 13 September 2023 in response: "I hope Musk can ask the Chinese Communist Party to open social media X to the people."
"Maybe he thinks banning it (X platform) is a good policy, just like shutting down Starlink to thwart Ukraine's counterattack against Russia," Wu said. "Listen, Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan cannot be sold!”
Taiwan's democratically elected government has strongly opposed China's sovereignty claims and said only the Taiwanese people can determine their future.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Liu Yongjian once again emphasized at a regular press conference on Thursday (14th) that "Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China."
Liu Yongjian criticized that Musk ignored the fact that China has no freedom of speech, Internet freedom and Chinese people still cannot use the X social platform, and blindly curry favour with Beijing.
"If this statement is made for commercial interests, such remarks are not worthy of attention, and the speaker does not deserve respect," Liu Yongjian said. "We don't know whether Musk's free will can be bought or sold, but Taiwan is very clear that it is not for sale."
This is not the first time Musk has angered Taiwan. In October 2022, he suggested incorporating Taiwan into a "special administrative zone" of China and handing over some control to Beijing to resolve tensions across the Taiwan Strait, which also drew strong condemnation from Taiwan.
In addition, Musk compared Taiwan to Hawaii, which attracted criticism from many American experts.
Helen Raleigh, a Chinese-American entrepreneur and columnist for the American political magazine "The Federalist", wrote on X (link): "His (Musk's) comments show that he neither understands Chinese history doesn’t understand American history either. It’s only a matter of time before the CCP bans Tesla in China, just like they did with the iPhone.”
The local monarchy in Hawaii was overthrown by a rebel force led by Americans at the end of the 19th century, and Hawaii subsequently became a U.S. territory. In contrast, although the Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over Taiwan, the government of the People's Republic of China has never actually ruled Taiwan.
Donald Clarke, a professor at George Washington University Law School, believes that Musk’s remarks actually inadvertently damaged Beijing’s image.
He tweeted on X, "In trying to curry favour with China, Musk made the critical mistake of comparing Taiwan to Hawaii. So let's go with what he means, a formerly independent island was annexed by a large land neighbour. "”
Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, commented on X (link): “Musk praises China but never criticizes the CCP or its activities of hostility to the United States. This time he once again acted as a loudspeaker for China’s claims against Taiwan.”
News (12)
Georgia judge rejects motion and refuses to try 19 defendants in election case together
Reporter : Li Xin / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073847.htm / Image : The presiding judge ruled on 14 September 2023, refusing to try all 19 defendants in the 2020 U.S. election interference case in Georgia together. The picture shows that on 31 August 2023, in the Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia, Judge Scott McAfee presided over a hearing on the 2020 U.S. election interference case in Georgia. (Arvin Temkar/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The presiding judge in Georgia’s 2020 U.S. election interference case rejected the prosecutor’s request on Thursday (14 September 2023) and refused to quickly issue a hearing in October 2023. The two defendants in the case were tried at the same time as 17 other co-defendants, including former President Trump.
In an order issued Thursday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said there were inevitable "procedural and logistical problems" in trying the remaining 17 defendants separately and does not rule out the possibility that "more separate trials" may be needed in the future.
"This court joins some federal courts in expressing skepticism that a refusal to separate trials always ensures efficiency, particularly in a 'megatrial' like this," the judge wrote.
McAfee's ruling means that Trump will not go to trial on 23 October 2023 with two co-defendants who have been approved for a speedy trial.
This is a major blow to Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, who has repeatedly asked McAfee to try all 19 defendants together. Given that the defendants in the case, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, will be tried next month, a joint trial means that Trump’s trial will also be brought forward, which is why Trump is strongly opposed to it because he believes it will interfere with his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump has been seeking delays in all four criminal cases he faces, saying he will not be ready for a trial before the end of October.
McAfee also said in Thursday's ruling that separate trials are "absolutely necessary" regardless of each defendant's special needs.
“The Court’s ability to guarantee each defendant’s due process rights and ensure adequate pretrial preparation on the current accelerated trajectory is shaky, factors that largely, if not decisively, support the split trial ruling. ” he wrote in the order.
The judge also raised numerous logistical issues, including that the court "simply does not have a large enough courtroom to accommodate all 19 defendants."
McAfee also said that any defendant who did not waive his right to a speedy trial by 23 October 2023 would be added to the trial "immediately." Trump has waived his right to a speedy trial.
McPhee has not yet set a trial date for Trump and 16 other co-defendants or set a timetable for resolving the dispute over what evidence will be presented to the jury. He ordered the prosecution and defense to file other types of pretrial motions by December 1, but no hearings have been scheduled to hear those requests. The dates he listed in Thursday's court order mean the remaining defendants will nott go to trial until at least December.
The judge ordered the investigation and evidence collection to begin before 6 October 2023.
According to McAfee's schedule, the federal court will have some time to process appeals filed by some defendants in this case to transfer the prosecution to federal court. Several defendants have filed the motion, most notably former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark. Trump also formally notified the judge last Thursday that he may seek to transfer the charges against him in the case to federal court.
News (13)
The White House responds to the CCP’s “iPhone ban” for the first time
Reporter : Xia Yu / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073399.htm / Image : The picture shows Kirby speaking at the White House daily press conference in Washington, DC, on June 26, 2023. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
On Wednesday (13 September 2023), the U.S. White House responded for the first time to the Chinese Communist Party’s boycott of Apple’s iPhone. The White House said the move was retaliation against the United States.
News broke last week that the CCP has expanded its ban on iPhone use to government-supported institutions and state-owned enterprises, and some Chinese institutions have begun instructing employees not to bring iPhones to work.
At the White House press conference on Wednesday, a reporter asked about the Beijing authorities claiming that they found security threats in these mobile phones (iPhones). White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded: "Obviously, we are watching this with concern. This is something we have seen in the past where China (PRC, CCP) has been aggressive and inappropriate toward American companies. This is a part of an act of revenge. That's what it seemed like."
He added, "The reality is that we don't fully understand what they are doing and why they are doing it, and we would certainly call on them to be more transparent about what they are seeing and what they are doing."
Kirby said the U.S. was watching the matter as closely as possible and it was concerning.
Also on Wednesday, Mao Ning, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, responded to reporters’ questions at a regular press conference and said, "China (the Communist Party of China) has not issued laws, regulations and policy documents prohibiting the purchase and use of foreign brand mobile phones such as Apple but we did notice recently that some media exposed security incidents related to Apple mobile phones."
Mao Ning's comments on the security incident were slightly different from the official English translation of the press conference. The translation, issued simultaneously by the ministry at the scene, omitted reference to media "reports." CCP China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefings are often tightly controlled, with spokespersons’ responses often scripted in advance and consistently translated.
Last Sunday, U.S. President Biden visited Vietnam. At a press conference in Hanoi, Biden also mentioned the CCP’s iPhone ban. Biden said recent measures taken by Chinese officials to restrict the use of Apple iPhones by state employees amounted to an attempt to "change some of the rules of the trade game."
Over the past few months, an increasing number of U.S. and international consulting firms have become involved in China’s intensified efforts to crack down on so-called national security risks. In March, Chinese authorities closed the Beijing office of U.S. due diligence firm Mintz Group and detained five local employees. The company was later fined approximately $1.5 million.
In April 2023, the police questioned staff at the Shanghai office of global consulting giant Bain & Company; in May, the Chinese Communist Party’s national security department also raided multiple offices of Capvision, an international due diligence company.
Apple is a leader among American technology hardware manufacturers, and it is also a multinational enterprise deeply involved in the Chinese market. China remains Apple's largest production base. According to reports, more than one million people work on Apple's product production lines or in related positions in one city in China alone.
News (14) to (21) / Reporter : Wu Xianglian / Editor : Sun Yun / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073391.htm
News (14)
Leaders of both parties in the U.S. House of Representatives discuss the strategic competition between the United States and China
Image : On 11 September (Monday), the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives held a seminar on "U.S.-China Strategic Competition". Guest speakers include Mike Gallagher (left), chairman of the House Special Committee on Strategic Competition between China and the United States; Ranking member Raja Krishnamurthy (center), moderator Mike Froman, chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations (right). (Wu Xianglian/The Epoch Times)
On 11 September 2023 (Monday), the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee held a seminar with the theme of "U.S.-China Strategic Competition". Democratic leaders discussed the decoupling of U.S.-China relations, how China’s ambitions affect U.S. strategic interests, and how the U.S. should be positioned to compete favorably in areas such as trade, technology development, manufacturing and the military.
The symposium was moderated by Council on Foreign Relations Chairman Mike Froman. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., chairman of the House Select Committee on China-U.S. Strategic Competition, and senior Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoor of Illinois, senior member of the House Select Committee on China-U.S. Strategic Competition. Raja Krishnamoorthi attended the meeting as the keynote speaker.
News (15)
The CCP’s totalitarian ambitions force the United States to fight back
When talking about the role of the Chinese Communist Party in the world, Gallagher said: "I very much hope that the Chinese Communist Party will stop what I think is its totalitarian ambition. I think it definitely wants to become a regional hegemon, which will inevitably mean cutting us off from our allies and partnership. I think it will take over Taiwan at some point. This is Xi Jinping’s lifelong ambition.”
"I think its ambitions go beyond that. If China's economic growth is a means to that end, or if economic growth is just a way to fill the coffers of the Chinese Communist Party and invest in some of the things we're seeing now way, then this is the largest sustained military buildup in peacetime since World War II. If you think about these numbers, it's chilling. We've been racking our brains thinking about how to expand the size of the U.S. Navy, and China not only owns the world The largest navy in the world has 41 more (ships) than our navy, and the gap with our average navy is getting wider and wider, and (their equipment) is also newer than ours."
He said some people say it's not a big deal because the U.S. Navy is more capable. But "if you take into account the Coast Guard and the Maritime Militia, China actually has, by some meaningful measures, the three largest maritime forces in the world. Not to mention the greatest threat it poses to our Navy, is their The Rocket Force, is the anti-naval force. They have been carefully equipping this force over the past 20 years," he said.
Gallagher pointed out that another challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party is, "using its economic power to coerce American companies, foreign companies, and that is the problem. We are working hard to prevent this kind of behavior... But if the Chinese Communist Party continues its current behavior route, I think we have no choice but to selectively decouple, reduce risk, or diversify in key areas."
Krishnamoorthy believes that the CCP is carrying out economic aggression against the United States. He said: "The part that we are very worried about is the economic aggression... We are talking about intellectual property theft, we are talking about the use of dumped products at a price lower than the production cost. We have companies and entire industries going bankrupt, we're talking about cyber hackers, we're talking about all the bad tactics that the Chinese Communist Party uses to gain an advantage economically and in other industries abroad."
He gave an example: "What's serious here is that towing companies are on the verge of bankruptcy because Chinese competitors are dumping so much product on the market that they simply can't survive...Unfortunately, that's what we're competing against." situation, they take action, and we have to fight back. We must work with our partners, allies and friends to apply multilateral pressure on China to stop further economic aggression.”
He pointed out that internationally, "there must be economic rules that we all agree on. What we are seeing now are practices that my constituents, and most Americans, will not tolerate, and these practices will continue to undermine this (U.S.-China) relationship." stability. I think that’s why it feels so fragile now. Because about 80% of Americans don’t view the CCP as a friend or a competitor, but as a hostile force.”
News (16)
China’s economy slows, the CCP may take greater risks
Gallagher noted that as China's economy slows, some believe China is unlikely to take action against Taiwan. "I don't know if that's true or not," he said. "I think as the CCP faces serious economic and demographic problems, Xi Jinping may take greater risks, may become more unpredictable and do things that Some really stupid things happen. … It's the nature of that system, because it doesn't have a strong feedback mechanism, so they're cut off from certain information.
"That's really one of the questions we're going to dig into today. What are the systemic risks? What are the risks to the global financial system if Xi Jinping invades Taiwan, imposes a blockade, or does something lower-level? I think we should start with Approach this issue with great caution.”
News (17)
The direction of U.S.-China relations: from short-term to long-term goals
Regarding the direction of U.S.-China relations, Gallagher believes that the immediate goal is clear, which is to prevent the outbreak of war.
He said, "A conflict with the Chinese Communist Party on the Taiwan issue will bring catastrophic damage. The human cost is almost incalculable... The destruction of just one aircraft carrier is equivalent to the losses of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for 20 years. I mean Yes, it would be crazy not to consider the economic and financial costs. Therefore, I believe that deterrence through strategy to prevent the outbreak of World War III is the near-term goal.
“The mid-term goal, and I think it’s in our interest for the United States to do this, is that we and our allies control the high ground of critical technologies. We can talk about that. But there are some things that are obvious, which are artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear technology.
"The long-term goal is... we should seek to maintain our dominant position internationally, and I think the United States is the dominant superpower, leading a more peaceful and just world. Obviously, part of the reason why we are in this position is Not least because we are quickly acquiring a fantastic network of allies and partners in the new Cold War."
Gallagher called the current U.S.-China relationship a new Cold War. He said: "I call it a new Cold War. It has both differences and similarities (with the Cold War)... We have never considered selectively engaging with the Soviet Union. Decoupling, because our economy did not interact with the Soviet Union, unlike with the Chinese Communist Party, which we have been digging into, is that we are conjoined twins in many areas, which makes the relationship so difficult to unravel.”
News (18)
The United States should strengthen its military deterrence against the CCP
Krishnamoorthy believes that the CCP will use any means to compete internationally. He said: “Our Chinese competitors do not necessarily abide by basic (international) principles. You can see this in the South China Sea, where they claim sovereignty over the entire South China Sea and its nine-dash line... They also impose sanctions on India on the other side of the Himalayas. Pressure. Of course, there is also Taiwan that we all know.”
"The CCP should be told that on the military front, Mike and I are on the same page, and I think overall we are not doing enough to equip Taiwan to deter the CCP. Unfortunately, we know what needs to be done, but we are not doing enough. Fast. Even though there are people in Washington, D.C., who want to move faster, that’s not happening yet. So it’s what needs to be done,” Krishnamoorthy said.
Gallagher believes that when jointly resisting the Chinese Communist Party’s military expansion, “allies and partners are an important part of our strategy. In my opinion,” he said: “closer partnerships should be established with countries such as India and the Philippines. .The Philippines is obviously already a treaty ally...We need to build a stronger team to counter the Chinese threat...I think the Chinese Communist Party will continue to fail as long as it is led by Xi Jinping.
He believes that the hard power component of U.S. strategy is most important in the short term. "Our best deterrent is strong, smart investment and hard power."
He believes that the initial failure of the United States to deter Russia on the Ukraine issue proved to a certain extent that soft power deterrence is disconnected from hard power, such as through vague threats of sanctions or stern statements from the State Department. Doesn't work because "your adversaries don't believe you have a credible military deterrent."
News (19)
The U.S. should selectively and strategically decouple from the CCP
Gallagher believes that the United States should selectively and strategically decouple from the CCP. He said: "I do believe that we have to have selective strategic decoupling, and I know that the correct term is derisking decoupling... We should not be financing (adversaries) that destroy themselves. Some of us here may disagree with me. Regarding the idea that there should be some level of restrictions on U.S. capital flows to China. … But I think, at the lowest level, we should not allow the American people, especially pension funds, to invest in Chinese companies that make artillery shells, aircraft carriers, and fighter jets.”
Krishnamoorty believes that legislation is needed for foreign investment. Through legislation, people can transition to a new regulatory system and reduce many worries. "Congress needs to step up legislation on this issue so that we're not bouncing back and forth between different executive orders and different structures," he said. "I think so far, I think in my short time in New York, I've heard The most important thing is that those in the financial community who are not as hawkish about the CCP as I am, what they want most is certainty and predictability, clarity.”
He pointed out: "We should not fund the construction of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Today, we have index funds in the Federal Savings Plan. I'm sure you are one of them. I am, and maybe Mike is too. There are index funds that are financing the Chinese aviation industry. Funding. AVIC has manufactured the fifth-generation PLA fighter jets that will be used to invade Taiwan. Not only that, but many other military companies are also receiving our funding."
News (20)
Technology export controls on the CCP is a good strategy
Gallagher believes that imposing technology export controls on the CCP is a good strategy. "In fact, we worked together with the Dutch and Japanese, and the (control) intensity was greatly improved," preventing the CCP from effectively obtaining chips.
"This is one of the most important things we hear... This is where congressional committees can play a constructive role," he said. "So I think our export control regime can be very strong if it evolves based on new information." , and be actually implemented.”
"If we have the ability to enforce these provisions, I think it will have a greater impact... we can deny critical technologies to adversaries," he said, because adversaries will use these technologies to achieve their goals.
But in terms of pure economic competition, Gallagher said, technology export controls "are about buying time so that we can innovate and compete. Ultimately that's our winning strategy." "In fact, from tradition We attract some of the best and brightest people in the world to come here, work here, and invent things. I think that's our winning economic and technology strategy for the long term."
"I believe these export controls are going to hurt [China] because that's their number one issue," Krishnamoorthy said. "They want us to change [the controls] immediately, so they feel the pressure, and Xi Jinping hates it... So I think it has some effect.”
News (21)
Introducing high-skilled immigrants is the key to winning competition
Krishnamoorthy believes that in the global competition with the CCP, the U.S. immigration system should be repaired and the introduction of high-skilled immigrants is the key to winning this competition.
“Because we’re doing everything we can to prevent China from using our technology to compete with us in ways that we don’t want, but unless we have people here to innovate, we don’t have a chance… So I think this is an issue that we should be bipartisan on "
Gallagher agreed, "The principle is obvious to me, and I think most Americans would support it... From a broader perspective, we are in a global war for talent." "We are in a global war for talent. We should want the most talented and hard-working people to start businesses here...including those from China."
Krishnamoorty continued, "Our Chinese-American scientists, scholars, innovators, industry leaders, and more, are among the most talented people in our country."
He accused the CCP of setting up police stations in the United States to monitor and threaten Chinese Americans. He said: “In New York City, the Chinese Communist Party has set up a police department. I’m sure you all know about the FBI raids... (the Chinese Communist Party) specifically goes after critics or dissidents, and goes after Chinese-American students in various universities... This It's a very, very troubling issue because we want to attract the best and the brightest from China and we need to protect them from this threat."
News (22)
Li Shangfu was missing for 17 days and was ridiculed by the U.S. ambassador to Japan for the second time
Reporter : Ning Haizhong / Editor : Li Muen / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073873.htm / Image : On 15 August 2023, in Kubinka on the outskirts of Moscow, Li Shangfu, Minister of Defense of the Communist Party of China, delivered a speech at the Moscow International Security Conference. (Alexander Nemenova/AFP via Getty Images)
Li Shangfu, the Minister of National Defense of the Communist Party of China, has been "missing" for 17 days. This matter has become a topic of international concern. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel once again ridiculed Li Shangfu's invisibility, saying that he might be under house arrest, and said that "something is rotten."
On the morning of 15 September 2023, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel ridiculed Li Shangfu in a post for weeks. Second: He didn't show up for the Vietnam trip. Now: He missed a scheduled meeting with the Singapore Navy chief because he's under house arrest???...it might get crowded there. The good news is I heard the mortgage to Country Garden Real Estate Developers has been paid off.”
Rahm Emanuel also wrote on the Qin Gang disappearance, then the Rocket Force commander disappearance, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu has not been seen in public for two weeks. Who will win this unemployment contest? China’s youth or Xi Jinping’s cabinet?
General Li Shangfu, who was promoted to Defense Minister by Xi Jinping in March 2023, last made a public appearance when he attended the plenary session of the 3rd "China-Africa Peace and Security Forum" in Beijing on 29 August 2023 and delivered a speech. He has then disappeared for 17 days so far.
Since Qin Gang, the former foreign minister of the Communist Party of China, was announced to have been removed from office after a month of disappearance, and his subsequent movements were unknown, Li Shangfu's whereabouts quickly attracted international attention.
On 11 September 2023, Mao Ning, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, was asked at a press conference whether Li Shangfu was under investigation. Mao Ning did not answer directly and said, "I don't understand the situation you are talking about." This is very similar to when foreign media asked about Qin Gang's whereabouts earlier. However, this part of Mao Ning's response was deleted from the official content.
Reuters quoted three Vietnamese officials with direct knowledge of the matter as saying on 14 September 2023 that Li Shangfu was originally scheduled to attend the annual defense cooperation conference hosted by Vietnam on the China-Vietnam border from 7 to 8 September 2023. However, a few days before the meeting, Beijing Tell Hanoi to cancel the meeting, saying Minister Li Shangfu is in "poor health".
Li Shangfu is the second generation of the Communist Party of China. Before taking over as the Minister of National Defense in March, he served as the Minister of Equipment Development for nearly five years.
On 26 July 2023, the CCP Military Commission issued an announcement requiring relevant personnel to report corruption clues in arms procurement tenders since October 2017. The time of the back investigation was just after Li Shangfu succeeded Zhang Youxia as director of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission in September 2017.
News (23) to (27) / Editor : Li Hao / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14074038.htm
News (23)
Nuclear submarine sinks? Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense: Extremely high and absolutely secret!
Earlier, there were rumors on the Internet that the Chinese Communist Army’s nuclear submarine No. 093 had a serious explosion accident in the Taiwan Strait last month, in late August, and all the hundreds of officers and soldiers on board were killed.
Although the spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense of the Communist Party of China, Wu Qian, came out to refute this statement, saying that it was "pure rumours."
However, recently, some families of Chinese navy officers and soldiers have been anxiously seeking help from the outside world, saying that their family members have not returned home after taking leave. This seems to have slowly turned the "so-called rumors" into a "distant prediction."
In addition, family members also testified that the ship that may have been involved in the accident was the "Long March 15" in the northern theater, and the accident location should have been in the Yellow Sea, not the Taiwan Strait as everyone thought before.
In response, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense revealed that the matter was "a very high level of absolute confidentiality" and could not be disclosed.
According to Qin Yue, the Type 093 that was rumored to be involved in an accident is the second-generation attack nuclear submarine of the Chinese Communist Party. Its main mission is anti-submarine warfare and protection of ballistic missile nuclear submarines. The news was first reported by Sutton, a U.S. Navy submarine military expert, who posted on Twitter, It was said that a "Type 093 nuclear-powered submarine" of the Chinese Communist Army had a serious accident near the Taiwan Strait, and all crew members were killed. However, he also said that this news had not been confirmed by evidence.
On 31 August 2023, the Ministry of National Defense of the Communist Party of China came forward to refute the relevant rumors. It was thought that the incident would calm down. However, Taiwan's "Shangbao" quoted news from Beijing on September 8 as saying that the Ministry of National Defense of the Communist Party of China only refuted the "location of the incident" rather than stating No accident occurred. The "Report" stated that on August 20, the Type 093 nuclear submarine "Long March 15" belonging to the northern theater of the Communist Party of China set off from Qingdao and was conducting an underwater weapons test firing exercise near the Yellow Sea. The ammunition suddenly exploded in the launcher, causing The submarine sank. According to estimates, there were about a hundred officers and soldiers on the submarine, including about 30 officers, and all were killed.
The news said that the submarine was supposed to return to the base at the end of August because the officers and soldiers on the submarine were on normal leave at the beginning of September. However, the family members could not wait for anyone, so they inquired everywhere, causing the news of this matter to leak out.
Whether this accident is true or not, the "Shangbao" report believes that the movements of Wang Dazhong, commander of the Northern Theater Navy, can be used as an observation indicator. According to news from Beijing, after the accident, the army secretly launched an internal investigation and accountability. Some theater political commissars believed that this was improper management training and demanded that Wang Dazhong bear the greatest responsibility. Wang Dazhong accused the submarine accident of hardware failure or even poor design, and the General Armament Department should bear full responsibility.
Yao Cheng, a former lieutenant colonel and staff officer of the Chinese Communist Navy, said in an interview with the media that what he learned is that the Chinese Communist submarine did indeed have an accident but it was not an explosion of the nuclear submarine as reported by the outside world, but a problem with the air circulation system in the submarine. Leading to hypoxia and death, the submarine urgently surfaced, which attracted the attention of other countries, including the arrival of U.S. nuclear reconnaissance aircraft.
There are two more circumstantial evidences. First, the news of the CCP’s nuclear submarine crash came out on 22 August 2023. A week later, on 29 August 2023, the CCP held its first “military equipment quality work conference.” Although the CCP did not say this was the first time, public records show that in the past, it held an "army-wide equipment work meeting." This time it was "equipment quality," with the addition of the word "quality." It was approved by Xi Jinping.
What is the purpose of the meeting? Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the CCP Military Commission, said at the meeting that the quality of equipment must be improved with a responsible attitude towards the lives of officers and soldiers. Such expressions are very rare. There are two possibilities, one is to prepare seriously for actual combat; the other is that an accident really happened.
Then on 4 September 2023, the People's Liberation Army Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's military website, published an article with the title "Tighten the safety valve tighter and firmer." It said that once a safety accident occurs, it will affect the normal work of the army and its morale. Safety was mentioned 33 times in one article. This shows that the Chinese Communist Party has indeed raised the issue of the safety of its officers and soldiers to an unusually high level recently.
So are these three circumstantial evidences enough to prove that the submarine had an accident? I think there are still 2 question marks. The first question mark is that if a major accident occurs, the military branch will generally suspend training and carry out rectification but throughout late August, the Chinese navy continued to conduct exercises in the South China Sea, the Yellow Sea and other places. Why?
The second question mark is that on 16 April 2003, a mechanical accident occurred on the CCP submarine No. 361, resulting in the death of all 70 officers and soldiers. The CCP announced the news half a month later and held a public memorial service but this time, there has been no movement. Why?
However, can these two question marks mean that there was no accident? No. There are two reasons. First, the CCP’s behaviour has changed in recent years.
For example, in the border conflict between China and India in 2020, fallen Chinese soldiers were buried in secrecy, and the death toll was concealed for a long time; secondly, after rumours of a submarine accident attracted international attention, the Chinese military did not refute the rumours until 31 August. If nothing happens, why wait more than a week? So I can sum up the whole incident is confusing.
The Epoch Times obtained heavy insider information, saying that Xi Jinping believes in prophecies very much, and that his operations such as "one pot" of the Rocket Force and arrests are all because he is afraid that some prophecies will come true. And prophecy actually includes the correspondence between celestial phenomena and major events in the world. Is this incident related to some prophecies or signs? Will this exacerbate Xi’s concerns?
The decline of the military and the crumbling of the regime cannot stop the CCP’s determination to develop a technologically powerful country. CCP is so stubborn. A few days ago, a so-called "innovative and independent" new phone from mainland China was released, but with it, concerns also came.
News (24)
CCP clears obstacles for Huawei, suppresses iPhone 15 launch
Huawei, which was sanctioned by the United States and unable to obtain 5G chips, released the smartphone Mate 60 Pro without warning at the end of August. Whether the 7-nanometer chip equipped with the new phone is "innovative and independent" or there is another shortcut has aroused great attention from the outside world. focus on.
However, at the same time, Apple also released the iPhone 15 series of mobile phones in the early morning of the 13th. Like previous years, it attracted great attention from netizens in China, with Weibo readings exceeding 2.4 billion times; but what is different from previous years is that Sina Weibo immediately Removed the topic "Apple Press Conference" from the hot search list. This is another clear sign that is detrimental to Apple after China's public agencies and state-owned enterprises restricted the use of iPhones.
Netizens said that in mainland China, “They don’t want anything except Apple’s industrial chain, just like Tesla.” Some netizens also pointed out that Apple and Tesla’s supply chains will slowly move out of China. Many people will lose their jobs.
Qin Peng asked, "The iPhone launch event received 2.47 billion views on Weibo, but it was suppressed on Sina Weibo and did not become a hot search on Weibo? Why?"
Fuyao said, "There is a saying that the early release of Huawei Mate 60 was Xi Jinping’s idea? Is the CCP behind Huawei?"
Tang Hao commented, "As a mathematician, nearly 20% of Apple’s global sales came from China. What do you think of the iPhone’s expected future sales? Do you think the Chinese are really willing to switch to Huawei as a whole?"
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China responded that the Communist Party of China has not issued regulations or policy documents prohibiting the purchase and use of iPhones, but stated that "there have been security incidents involving iPhones."
News (25)
Wang Huning makes another crooked move, Fujian launches "Cross-Strait Integration Demonstration Zone"
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, known as the "National Advisor of the Three Dynasties", gained another title on 11 September 2023: President of the China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification.
Wang Huning helped the three leaders of the Communist Party of China Jiang, Hu, and Xi build their ideologies. He unexpectedly remained as a member of the Politburo Standing Committee at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and later served as chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Foreign media revealed that one of his main tasks while remaining in office is to assist Xi Jinping in completing the united front work on Taiwan and write the "strategic theory" of the united front in Taiwan.
One day after Wang Huning was elected, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued a document announcing their support for exploring "cross-strait integrated development" and "building a cross-strait integrated development demonstration zone" in Fujian. Specific measures include canceling the temporary residence registration of Taiwanese in Fujian to facilitate the exchange of Taiwanese people, and encouraging Taiwanese to purchase houses in Fujian.
However, at the same time, the Chinese Communist Army launched a rare large-scale operation. The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, more than 20 other warships, and dozens of military aircraft gathered in the Western Pacific around Taiwan to conduct military exercises. The number of warships dispatched by the CCP this time and the extent to which the aircraft carrier is approaching Taiwan are unprecedented.
Fuyao reacted, "Wang Huning is making a move again. What kind of medicine is being sold in this 'Fujian Cross-Strait Integrated Development Demonstration Zone'?
Tang Hao commented, "While the CCP is launching a seemingly 'warm-hearted' cross-strait integration demonstration zone, it is also increasing its use of force to intimidate Taiwan. What is its intention?"
News (26)
Mexico’s Congress displays 2 alien remains, causing global sensation*
On Wednesday (13 September 2023), the Mexican Congress exhibited two "alien remains" at a public hearing, attracting global media attention.
These creatures have only three fingers and elongated heads. They were not found in a crashed UFO, but in 2017, they were found in fossilized diatom (algae) minerals in Peru. Carbon-14 dating conducted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico puts them between 700 and 1,800 years old.
News (27)
Osmium found on the alien remains
DNA analysis also found that more than 30% of the genetic makeup is unknown. X-ray scans revealed eggs inside one of the bodies. Both corpses were implanted with the rare metal osmium. Osmium is a hard, brittle metal with a distinctive bluish-white luster. It is the densest element in nature, higher than gold.
Reuters reported that the purpose of this hearing is to debate the wording of UAP (Unidentified Phenomena) in the Air Space Protection Law. If the law is approved, Mexico will become the first country to officially admit that extraterrestrials have existed on Earth. However, many people have always suspected the existence of aliens.
At this hearing, Ryan Graves, a former U.S. Navy pilot and executive director of the American Safety Aviation Organization, also testified. Previously, the U.S. Congress held two hearings, and Graves also testified, accusing the U.S. military of concealing many truths. If information about aliens is fully disclosed, what impact does it have on mankind?
News (28)
Poll: Americans believe Trump can better improve economy
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/15/n14074136.htm / Image : On 10 June 2023, former US President Donald Trump arrived at the Convention and Trade Center in Columbus, Georgia, to deliver a speech at the Georgia Republican Convention. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The latest poll shows that nearly 70% of Americans believe that the economic outlook is not optimistic, and only 20% believe that the U.S. economy is improving. Many people are reining in spending. When it comes to improving the economy, Americans' trust in Trump is 11 percentage points higher than in Biden.
On Thursday (14 September 2023), Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Business and USA Today released a joint poll (PDF). The results found that although the U.S. job market is strong and the inflation rate has dropped from more than 9% in June 2022 to 3.7% last month, Americans are still not optimistic about the economy.
84% of the respondents believe that the cost of living is rising and the prices of daily necessities are rising. Nearly half (49%) of respondents believe food prices will rise the most, followed by housing costs (16%), utility bills (11%) and transportation costs, including petrol (11%).
A vast majority of Americans say they are cutting back on spending. More than 71% said they ate out less frequently. They are spending less on clothing (68%), groceries (53%), vacations (58%) and canceling or postponing home renovations (57%).
At the same time, 69.8% of Americans said they felt the economy was getting worse, while only 22.3% thought it was getting better. 7.9% of people are undecided on this issue.
Respondents were asked who they believed could do more to improve the economy. 47.2% of the respondents said they trust Trump more to solve economic problems, and 36.3% said they trust Biden more to solve the problems.
The survey also showed that only 34.4% of respondents approved of Biden's handling of the economy, while 59.4% disapproved.
David Paleologos, director of the Center for Political Studies at Suffolk University, said in a statement (link): “This poll shows that the Biden administration’s description of the economy is incompatible with the majority of U.S. There’s a real disconnect in how people think about the economy.”
Paleologos said many Americans "need to cut spending in almost every category." This undoubtedly poses a huge challenge to President Biden.
"There are a lot of Americans, especially low-income families, who don't expect to have a happy holiday season this year," he added.
According to the survey, nearly 44% of all respondents said they would reduce holiday spending this year. Nearly 40% said their household's total debt had increased, and 30% said they had been forced to cut back on savings to pay bills.
The vast majority of low-income households say they are cutting back on everything: food, clothing, utilities, travel, health care and more.
The release of these figures comes as the White House vigorously promotes "Bidenomics". However, consumers appear to continue to suffer from stubborn inflation and the pressure from the Federal Reserve's ever-increasing interest rates.
Last week, a CNN poll (link) also showed that 58% of Americans believed that Biden’s policies had worsened the U.S. economy, compared with those who believed that his policies had improved them. Economic status of respondents only accounted for 24%.
News (29)
Hunter Biden indicted on felony gun charge
Reporter : Tom Ozimek / Compiled by Li Yan / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/14/n14073955.htm / Image : On 18 April 2022, Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, attended the Easter Egg Roll event held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was charged with possessing a felony firearm on Thursday (14 September 2023) and was sued in federal court in Delaware.
Court documents (pdf) filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on Thursday show that Hunter Biden has been charged with three counts. He was charged with making false statements to a gun dealer and possessing a firearm while under the influence of drugs.
Two of the counts involve Hunter Biden "knowingly making false and fictitious written statements with the intent and likely to deceive" a firearms dealer when he attempted to purchase a firearm in October 2018.
The indictment reads that (Hunter) Biden “provided a written statement on Form 4473 certifying that he did not illegally use any stimulants, narcotic drugs, or any other controlled substances, nor was he addicted. But in fact, As he knew, this statement was false and fictitious."
The third count involves Hunter Biden possessing a Colt Cobra 38PL revolver while "knowing that he was illegally using and addicted to stimulants, narcotic drugs and other controlled substances." This, like the other two counts, violates the relevant provisions of Chapter 18 of the United States Code.
The first and third counts are the most serious and carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of post-release supervision.
The indictment was signed by special prosecutor David Weiss, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead the investigation.
An instruction filed on 14 September calls for a subpoena to be issued to Hunter Biden for his first appearance in court, but no further details about a court date are provided, according to a defendant information sheet (pdf).
Hunter Biden's legal team did not immediately respond to the indictment.
The Epoch Times contacted Hunter Biden’s lawyer for comment, but had not received a reply as of press time.
Background
On 6 September 2023, Weiss’ team stated that prosecutors planned to ask a grand jury to indict Hunter Biden within a relatively short period of time.
"The Speedy Trial Act requires the government to obtain a grand jury indictment no later than Friday, September 29, 2023. The government intends to seek the return of an indictment in this case by this date." Weiss 's team told a federal court in Delaware.
Initially, prosecutors agreed to allow Hunter Biden to sign a pretrial diversion agreement that could have allowed him to avoid jail time but the agreement fell through.
Multiple media reports stated that Hunter Biden owned a gun in 2018. His then-girlfriend Hallie Biden (the widow of his brother Beau) threw the gun into the trash and was later found by authorities. He said in his autobiography that he took crack cocaine that year.
Hunter Biden's lawyer Christopher Clark earlier issued a statement to the media.
"I know Hunter feels it's important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during this chaotic, addictive phase of his life," Clark said. "He's looking forward to continuing to recover and move forward."
Earlier, the White House issued a statement saying that President Joe Biden supports his son as he faces legal difficulties.
White House spokesman Ian Sams told The Epoch Times in an email: "The president and first lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment."
News (30)
Speaker of the US House of Representatives launches impeachment of Biden, stressing that the federal government will not shut down
Reporter : Shang Jing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/09/15/a103785745.html
The U.S. Republican Party has launched an impeachment investigation against President Biden. House Speaker McCarthy said that the fiscal budget will be passed as soon as possible and the government will not be shut down.
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he plans to keep the House in session until the House passes appropriations so that the government can continue to receive funding before September 30 to avoid a federal government shutdown.
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: "So I told my members, we're not leaving. We're going to get this done, and no one wins with a shutdown. I know it's not easy to change Washington. I know people are going to argue, Or trying to use it as leverage for something else. I will continue to focus on doing the right thing for the American people."
Just this Tuesday, McCarthy announced the launch of an impeachment investigation against US President Biden. President Biden responded on Wednesday, criticizing Republicans that the purpose of impeachment was to shut down the government.
But the conservative Freedom Caucus said impeachment and the budget are two different things.
Republican hardliners have vowed not to support the budget until McCarthy agrees to cap 2024 spending at $1.47 trillion in 2022, a $1.59 trillion compromise he reached with Biden in May. plan, $120 billion lower.
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