Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on the U.S., Canada, the Philippines, CCP
News (1)
Former Democrats Kennedy Jr., Gabbard join Trump transition team
Reporter : Li Haoyue / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318910.htm / Image : On 15 August 2024, US Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump held a press conference outside Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent third-party presidential candidate who recently announced his endorsement of the former president, and the former Commonwealth of Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was named by Trump to his presidential transition team.
On Tuesday (27 August 2024), Brian Hughes, Trump’s senior campaign adviser, said in a statement, “As President Trump’s broad coalition of supporters and endorsers continues to expand across party lines, We are proud to have Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard join the Trump-J.D. Vance transition team, and we look forward to their strong voices on the team as we help restore America's greatness."
Gabbard announced her support for the former president while attending a rally of the Michigan National Guard Association on Monday (26 August 2024). She said that Trump "can serve as our commander in chief again." Trump also spoke at the meeting.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 and has since become a frequent guest in conservative media. She has participated in the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign and has experience in debates with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Gabbard is currently preparing for next month's debate between Trump and Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent presidential campaign on Friday (23 August 2024) and instead endorsed Trump. He said that his name will still appear on the ballot in most red and blue states but he withdrew from 10 battleground states that could decide the election.
In a recent interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Kennedy Jr. revealed, "I've been asked to join the transition team, you know, to help select the people who will run the government, and I'm looking forward to it."
Asked how he planned to spend his time before Election Day, which is now just 70 days away, Kennedy Jr. told Carlson he would work to get Trump elected.
Trump announced the leadership of his transition team earlier this month, which will lay the groundwork for personnel and policy initiatives after his victory in November.
Kennedy Jr. and Gabbard join a transition team that also includes Linda, the co-founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment who served as administrator of the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) during Trump's first term. ‧Linda McMahon, billionaire Howard Lutnick, CEO of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
Trump's running mate, Senator Vance, will serve as honorary chairman, as will Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and second son, Eric Trump.
News (2)
Kennedy Jr. announces suspension of campaign to endorse Trump
Reporter / Editing : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/23/n14316856.htm / Image : On 23 August 2024, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, announcing that he would suspend his 2024 presidential campaign and support former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Trump. (Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images)
On Friday (23 August 2024), American independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that he would suspend his campaign, supporting Republican candidate Trump (Trump).
Kennedy Jr. spoke in Arizona on Friday. He said he has met with Trump and his aides multiple times and reached consensus on issues such as border security, free speech and ending wars.
"We still have very serious differences on many issues and approaches but we are united on other key issues," Kennedy Jr. said at a news conference.
It was expected that he would suspend his long-shot presidential campaign. It is unclear whether and how much his endorsement will help Trump. Trump will compete with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris for the chance to enter the White House on 5 November 2024.
Earlier on Friday, Kennedy Jr. said in a court filing in Pennsylvania that he would support Trump.
Kennedy Jr. said at a news conference in Arizona that he will withdraw his name from the ballot in 10 battleground states that may determine the election outcome but will continue to be a candidate in other states.
Kennedy Jr. is an environmental lawyer and nephew of former Democratic President John F. Kennedy. His father is the well-known political figure and Democratic Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Kennedy Jr. ran as a Democrat in the 2024 election and then became an independent. According to a November 2023 Reuters/Ipsos poll, in a three-way competition with Biden and Trump, Kennedy Jr. received 20% support.
By mid-July, Kennedy Jr.'s approval rating had dropped to about 8%. As Biden dropped out of the race and passed the baton to Harris, Kennedy Jr.'s average poll rating fell to 5% within days.
An Ipsos poll in early August showed that Kennedy Jr.'s national approval rating had dropped to 4%. Reuters said that this is a small number, but in the current fierce showdown between Trump and Harris, this number may still be meaningful.
Kennedy Jr.'s withdrawal and endorsement also adds uncertainty to the impact on the 2024 election and adds another twist to the already tight campaign.
Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination on Thursday. During the Democratic National Convention, the Kennedy family took the stage to speak in support of Kamala.
After Kennedy Jr. expressed his endorsement of Trump, several members of the Kennedy family issued a joint statement expressing support for Kamala.
Trump celebrates JFK Jr.'s endorsement at campaign event in Las Vegas. "I want to thank Bobby (referring to JFK Jr.). That's great," Trump said. "He's a great guy, respected by everyone."
Democrats were unimpressed with Kennedy's statement.
"Rather than receiving an endorsement that would help build support, Trump inherited a failed fringe candidate," Democratic National Committee senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill said in a statement. burden."
William Rosenberg, a political science professor at Drexel University, said the move was unlikely to have an impact on the campaign given Kennedy Jr.'s low poll numbers.
"If he had done this three months ago, maybe it would have had a different impact," Rosenberg said.
Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio believes that in battleground states, JFK’s supporters will support Trump more than Harris.
"This is good news for President Trump and his campaign," Fabrizio wrote in an analysis.
JFK Jr. hopes to pursue a role in the Trump administration, a member of his super PAC told Reuters on Wednesday.
(This article is partly based on reports from Reuters)
News (3)
Former Democrat who participated in the 2020 presidential election has endorsed Trump
Reporter / Editing : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/26/n14318259.htm / Image : On 31 July 2019, the second day of the second round of the Democratic Party debate, the third from the right is former Hawaii Congressman Tulsi Gabbard, and the fifth from the right is then California Senator Kamala Harris. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
On Monday (26 August 2024), former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard announced that she is endorsing former President Trump in the election.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022. She has participated in the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign and has experience debating on the same stage with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Gabbard made the announcement Monday while attending a Michigan National Guard Association rally where Trump also spoke.
"This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than ever before," Gabbard said.
"This is one of the main reasons why I am committed to doing everything I can to return President Trump to the White House so that he can once again serve as our commander in chief," Gabbard added.
Gabbard ran in the Democratic presidential primary in 2020. She subsequently quit Congress, left the Democratic Party, and attended events such as the Conservative Political Action Conference.
The former congresswoman has been with Trump in recent weeks as he prepares for next month's debate with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
Gabbard debated with Kamala Harris on the same stage when she was running for president in 2020.
A few days ago, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stopped running for president independently and endorsed Trump.
News (4)
After Trump said the debate rules were agreed upon, Harris' team denied it
Reporter : Li Haoyue / Editor : Ren Zijun / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318955.htm / Image : The picture shows (left) Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in Washington on 18 March 2024. (Right) Former President Donald Trump in Mason City, Iowa, on January 5, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker; Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
On Tuesday (27 August 2024), Trump posted on the social media platform confirming that he will meet with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris The first presidential televised debate will be held on 10 September 2024.
The former president posted on the "Truth Social" platform that he had reached an agreement with the Democratic Party to debate Kamala Harris.
However, Trump's claims were denied by Harris' campaign. Reuters quoted an official from Harris' campaign on Tuesday as saying the issue was still being negotiated with the organizer, ABC.
The debate will be held on Tuesday (10 September 2024) on ABC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Trump revealed in the post that the debate rules will follow the rules used in the June 27 debate, that is, when one candidate speaks, the other candidate's microphone will be muted. Previous debates also stipulated that there could be no live audience in the studio.
On Monday (26 August 2024), the campaign teams of both parties were still in a deadlock over whether to mute the microphones.
The Trump campaign believes the debate rules should be similar to those followed during Trump's June debate with President Joe Biden on CNN, which required each candidate's microphone to be removed when it was not their turn to speak. All should be muted.
However, Harris' campaign said it disagreed with the rules and asked that the microphones be kept open throughout the event. Harris campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement on Monday that Kamala was prepared to face the possibility that Trump would interrupt her during the debate.
Trump said on Tuesday that the rules for the debate would be the same as when he and President Joe Biden debated on CNN in June. He emphasized that "it seems to be good for everyone" and that the debate will be "standing style" and candidates will not be allowed to bring notes or "cheat sheets."
Trump said in the post, "ABC has also assured us that this will be a 'fair and impartial' debate and that neither side will get questions in advance." He revealed that Kamala has not yet agreed to participate in Fox News on 4 September 2024 but the date "will remain open" in case Harris changes her mind.
The Trump campaign's aggressive push to mute microphones has gained recognition, with the BBC quoting Republican strategist Ford O'Connell saying that because this was the rule originally proposed by the Democratic campaign, it should Send the message "We let you make the rules, and we stick to the same rules."
O'Connell emphasized that "the debate on September 10 may be the most important moment between now and Election Day."
Former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her endorsement of Trump on Monday, has just been included in Trump's presidential transition team. Gabbard has participated in the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign and has experience debating on the same stage with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Currently, Gabbard is working with Trump to prepare for the upcoming debate.
News (5)
Trump faces death threats during visit to southern border, man arrested
Reporter : Janice Hisle/Compiled by Qiusheng / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/23/n14316862.htm / Image : On 22 August 2024, Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Sierra Vista, Arizona. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
On Thursday (22 August 2024), as former President Donald Trump (Trump) prepared to leave Cotchi, Arizona Cochise County police are arresting a man suspected of making death threats against the presidential candidate.
Police identified the suspect as Ronald Lee Syvrud, 66 years old, from Benson.
The former president said he was unaware police were looking for suspects while campaigning in areas along the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Cochise County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Carol Capas told The Epoch Times that the threats were made on social media. But Capas did not say whether police found evidence that the suspect intended to carry out the threat.
The Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook that Sifrud was charged with two counts of threats for his posts about Trump. He also faces a felony warrant out of Graham County, Arizona, for failure to register as a sex offender. On the evening of August 22, he was still being held in the Cochise County Jail, awaiting the court's decision.
Earlier in the day, about four hours before Trump's scheduled border visit, the county Sheriff's Office posted an announcement on its Facebook page asking for the public's help in locating Sifrud, who was wanted on other warrants and Wanted for "investigative leads on threats to kill presidential candidate."
The county police later updated the announcement on Facebook, saying that someone reported to the Sheriff's Office on 21 August 2024 "a threatening message on social media... targeting candidate Donald Trump."
Image : A custody photo released on 22 August 2024, of Ronald Lee Syvrud, 66, who was charged with making death threats against former President Donald Trump on social media. detention. (Courtesy of the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office)
"The message contained language that indicated an intention to cause physical harm to the candidate," police said. Police added that investigators found a second post from Sifrud threatening Trump on 22 August 22.
"As part of an action plan to protect candidate Donald Trump from visiting... locating this individual is a top priority," the Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
After learning that Sifrud might be in a small community called St. David, officers immediately went to the location. Officers spotted Sifrude in the area around 2:16 p.m. and arrested him without incident.
Capas said Sifrud was arrested around 2:30 p.m. local time. At this time, about an hour has passed since the former president finished speaking at a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Cochise County and answered questions from reporters.
When asked by a reporter around 1:15 pm if Trump was aware of the ongoing manhunt to neutralize death threats against him, or whether there would be any danger in his visit to Cochise County, Trump responded, "I I heard it’s very dangerous there, but I also have work to do.”
Regarding the specific threat, he said, "I haven't heard of it. They may want to hide it from me."
He said jokingly, "Then let's get out of here now."
Trump acknowledged that some people did not want him to make the border visit because of concerns about his safety. He added, "I've heard that this trip is very unsafe, and the reason is that what I want to do is very harmful to bad people."
Trump's visit took place in undeveloped desert terrain near the Coronado National Memorial, after his running mate, Senator JD Vance (Ohio), visited there on 1 August 2024.
Ahead of Trump's visit, police blocked nearby roads to no one except pre-approved press staff, guest speakers, campaign staff and invited guests. Secret Service officers conducted inspections of all news media personnel, including their belongings, equipment and vehicles.
As Trump spoke, snipers were stationed on a nearby elevated platform.
The former president said he saw additional barriers erected along the wall. He said the thick metal panels will prevent people on the Mexican side of the border from seeing border event attendees. He told dozens of reporters that the security measure was also to protect them.
The former president repeatedly praised Secret Service officers following the July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"I'm very grateful to the Secret Service and the work they did, including a month and a half ago when they jumped on me with bullets flying," he said.
Trump also apparently addressed ongoing concerns about security lapses at the Butler event. "Although they made mistakes, they learned from their mistakes and I respect them very much," he said.
Original text: Man Arrested for Death Threats Against Trump During Arizona Border Visit was published in the English Epoch Times.
News (6)
Trump supporters rallied in front of the court to protest against the politicization of the law
Reporter : Zhao Fenni / Editor : Chen Minqi / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/26/n14317772.htm / Image : As Trump was about to be sentenced in New York, a group of Trump supporters protested in front of the state Supreme Court. (Provided by the organizer)
In the afternoon of 25 August 2024, a group of Trump supporters from different ethnic groups spontaneously came to the door of the New York State Supreme Court, waving American flags and shouting Shout "Trump" and "USA" to protest the unfair lawsuit against Trump and express support for the Republican presidential candidate.
Chen Gang, a physician from Brooklyn who participated in the protest, said that according to the plan, September 18 is the day of Trump’s sentencing in the New York court. He is worried that Trump will be unfairly sentenced, so he calls on people to stand up. Come out to express your support for Trump and protest against the injustice of justice. Protester Yang Hanqing said that he also hopes to convey everyone’s voice on behalf of Trump supporters this time.
Li Ziqing, from the Chinese small landlord group, believes that the New York justice system is unfair to Trump. He cited the constant emergence of rent bullies in New York as an example. He said that small landlords work hard to pay taxes every year. When encountering a rent bully, it is not only difficult to recover the rent, but also you have to pay the renters to get them to move out. Therefore, he suggested that people vote for Trump to uphold legal justice.
Trump supporters who participated in the protest that day included not only Chinese representatives from Brooklyn, but also Westerners engaged in import trade, retired elders from Manhattan and financial professionals from Staten Island.
News (7)
Trump: Musk doesn’t have time to be in the cabinet, but he can be an adviser
Reporter : Li Xin / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/25/n14317632.htm / Image : Trump said Musk may not have time to serve as a member of his Cabinet if he is re-elected as president, but could serve as an adviser. The picture shows Elon Musk speaking at the Milken Institute's Global Conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on 6 May 2024. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)
Former US President Trump said that if he is re-elected as president, Elon Musk may not be able to A cabinet member in his government because the multi-company billionaire is very busy and may only be able to serve as an adviser.
In an excerpt from an interview with the Shawn Ryan Show podcast that aired on Sunday (25 August 2024), Trump said of the possibility of Musk entering the Cabinet: "He wants to be involved. Come in. Now look, he's running big businesses and all that, so he can't, really, I don't think he can be in the cabinet."
Trump told host Sean Ryan, a former Navy SEAL: "Of course I would put him in the Cabinet, but I don't know how he can do that because he has so much on his plate. Do."
But Trump also said the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX could serve as an adviser to influence government operations.
"He can, as the saying goes, consult with the country and give you some very good ideas," Trump said.
Trump's comments came days after he said he would consider Musk as a cabinet member or adviser. Trump told Reuters last Monday (19 August 2024) that if he wins the US election in November, he would consider appointing Musk to a senior position in his administration.
Trump was asked the same question in the interview last Monday, when he said: "He (Musk) is a very smart man. If he wanted to, of course I would consider it. He is a talented person."
During this election cycle, Trump and Musk have gradually put aside their past differences and become allies. On 13July 2024, Trump was attacked at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. After the incident, Musk quickly endorsed Trump and said he would fully support the former president's return to the White House.
Musk has also expressed an interest in providing consulting services to the government. Earlier this month, he said in an interview with Trump on the social media platform X that he owns: "I think it would be great if there was a government efficiency committee. I would be happy to help such a committee."
News (8)
The U.S.-CCP China Game in the 21st Century: Kamala Harris and Trump compete in strategy
Reporter : Han Jiang / Editor : Sun Yun / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/24/n14317262.htm / Image : File photo of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Trump. (Brendan Smialowski and Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP)
At the Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris vowed to let the United States defeat the CCP in the 21st century. Republican presidential nominee Trump has also expressed the same desire. Of the two contenders to become the 47th President of the United States, who has the better strategy to defeat the CCP?
In the evening of 22 August 2024, after being officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, Harris Harris said that "the United States, not China (Chinese Communist Party), will win the competition in the 21st century. We (must) strengthen, rather than abandon our global leadership position.”
She said that as president in the future, she will defend the security and values of the United States. "In the protracted battle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand - and I know where the United States of America belongs."
This echoes what Biden said in a speech to Congress in April 2021: "We are competing with China and other countries to win in the 21st century."
In that speech, Biden laid out an ambitious plan to strengthen the nation, ranging from free college education to increased investment in research and development. The goal is simple—to resist the challenge from the Chinese Communist Party.
Since the end of the 20th century, the United States has helped China economically and technologically, provided technical training to China, granted China most-favored-nation status, and supported China's accession to the World Trade Organization. However, in recent years, the United States has regarded the CCP as its biggest opponent.
In October 2022, the National Security Strategy released by the Biden administration stated that the CCP is the only competitor of the United States because the CCP “has both the intention to reshape the international order and an increasing number of economic, diplomatic, military and technological strength to achieve this goal".
In May 2020, the Trump administration released a strategic document on China explaining the reasons for the change in the U.S. position. The document said that China's rapid economic development and increased external interactions have not led China to a citizen-centered, free and open society as the United States hoped. On the contrary, the CCP takes advantage of free and open international rules and seeks to change the international order to conform to the CCP’s interests and ideology. The CCP continues to expand its use of economic, political and military power to force countries to acquiesce in its actions, harming the vital interests of the United States and undermining the sovereignty and dignity of countries around the world. In response to Beijing's challenges, the Trump administration has adopted a strategy of competing with the CCP.
On 15 July 2024, Trump was officially nominated as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election; on 22 August, Kamala Harris was officially nominated as the Democratic candidate. So far, what strategies have the two parties adopted on the main issues of defeating the CCP?
Reduce trade with China
Trade is arguably the most critical issue on the U.S. policy agenda toward China, and the anti-communist stance has bipartisan support. Both parties agree to reduce the trade deficit with China and reduce dependence on Chinese imports. But their agendas differ in their strategies for achieving bipartisan goals.
Trump: Cancel China’s most-favoured-nation status
Trump has adopted broader and more comprehensive trade barriers compared with the more targeted strategy adopted by the Biden administration. A central goal of his trade strategy is to bring manufacturing jobs lost to China back to the United States.
In his 2024 campaign materials, Trump proposed universal baseline tariffs on most imported foreign goods and a mechanism to gradually increase tariffs on countries deemed to have devalued their currencies or engaged in other unfair trade practices. The Trump administration has previously labeled China a currency manipulator.
Trump also promised to "end dependence on China" by adopting a series of trade barriers, the most extreme of which is to cancel China's most-favored-nation status. The proposal has the support of bipartisan agencies such as the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Communist Party of China (CCP).
In addition to considering revoking China's most-favored-nation status, Trump has pledged to adopt a four-year plan to "phase out imports of all essential goods" from CCP China, including "everything from electronics to steel to pharmaceuticals."
Biden and Kamala: China's electric vehicle tariffs increased to 100%
The Biden administration is as determined as the Trump administration to curb trade with China, but Biden's approach is more targeted. Biden seeks to target certain strategic areas such as renewable energy, critical materials, semiconductors and healthcare products.
In May 2024, the Biden administration increased tariffs on 14 categories of imported goods from China. These include quadrupling tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles to 100% and doubling tariffs on goods such as semiconductors and solar cells to 50%.
Harris' public remarks indicate that she basically holds the same position as the Biden administration on trade issues with China. In an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation," she said that U.S. policy toward China is "not about decoupling, but about de-risking," indicating that she supports reducing dependence on China.
Containing the CCP’s scientific and technological development
Tech development has become another key battleground in U.S.-China relations under the Trump and Biden administrations. The United States claims that China has gained unfair competitive advantages through forced technology transfer and corporate espionage and threatens U.S. national security. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have taken steps to curb China’s technological and military developments.
Biden-Harris administration: Implement export restrictions on Chinese semiconductors
The Biden-Harris administration has arguably gone further than Trump in curbing China’s technological capabilities. In October 2022, he implemented comprehensive export restrictions on China's advanced computing semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and supercomputing products.
The export restrictions are intended to curb China’s ability to acquire semiconductor manufacturing equipment necessary to produce advanced integrated circuits needed for next-generation advanced weapons systems, as well as develop and produce high-end advanced computing semiconductors.
In addition to restricting technology exports to China, the Biden-Harris administration is pressuring allies to do the same. In January 2023, Japan and the Netherlands announced export controls on Chinese semiconductor equipment after reaching an agreement with the United States.
Biden continues to expand his blacklist. As of May 2024, 319 more Chinese companies have entered the entity list.
Harris has close ties with Silicon Valley. But so far, her platform is not well known to the outside world. Most expectations are that Harris will continue Biden's China and technology policies.
Trump: Catch university academic spies
In 2018, Trump launched the "China Initiative" as part of his national security strategy. This is a counterintelligence measure targeting Chinese academics and researchers working in the United States. The China Initiative allows the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate and prosecute academic spies, such as Chinese researchers in laboratories, universities, and defense bases, "who are solicited to engage in technology transfer contrary to U.S. interests."
However, civil rights groups criticized the initiative for racial profiling and discrimination against Asian Americans and "promoting intolerance and bigoted rhetoric." In 2022, the Department of Justice under Biden abandoned the "China Initiative."
Trump harshly condemned the Justice Department's decision to shut down the program. He said if he wins the election, he will expand efforts to curb Chinese Communist espionage.
In addition to counterintelligence policy proposals, Trump also promised to enact "radical" new regulations that would limit CCP China's ownership of vital infrastructure such as energy, technology, medical supplies and telecommunications, and force Chinese companies to sell their holdings.
During his term, Trump added more than 300 Chinese Communist companies to the "Entity List", including major Chinese technology companies ZTE, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation and Huawei. This blacklist makes it almost impossible for American companies to sell to them.
Trump also said he would impose visa sanctions and travel restrictions "to prevent China from obtaining U.S. secrets." In May 2020, Trump suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese graduate students with ties to universities affiliated with the People's Liberation Army. Biden maintained the decision to suspend visas, with Chinese students still being denied visas until 2023.
Geopolitics and foreign relations
In terms of foreign relations, both Trump and Biden have a tough attitude towards the CCP. But Trump prefers one-on-one diplomacy, while Biden emphasizes cooperation with allies and confrontation with the CCP.
Trump: America first
Trump has taken a tough stance against CCP China on the South China Sea issue and advocated increasing the U.S. naval presence in the region. In July 2020, his administration announced it would reject nearly all of China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, citing Beijing's "bullying behavior" in the disputed waters.
On the Taiwan issue, Trump has the courage to break the "red lines" set by the Chinese Communist Party. In 2016, Trump became the first U.S. president or president-elect to have direct dialogue with the president of Taiwan since 1979. He has increased U.S. Navy patrols in the Taiwan Strait and pushed for more weapons sales to Taiwan but he said Taiwan should pay for U.S. protection.
"Taiwan should pay us for our defense," Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek in July. "You know, we're no different than insurance companies."
He also expressed dissatisfaction with Taiwan's dominance in chip manufacturing, claiming that Taiwan "takes away our business."
This reflects Trump's "America First" thinking in diplomacy. Another example of "America First" is Trump's threat to withdraw from NATO unless member states pay enough dues. About one-third of NATO's 32 member states currently spend less on defense than the alliance's target of 2% of GDP or more.
Biden-Harris administration: Unite allies to fight the CCP
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not afraid to challenge the CCP on the South China Sea and Taiwan issues.
In May 2022, the U.S. State Department updated its fact sheet on Taiwan, deleting the content acknowledging the "one China" position and not supporting Taiwan independence. At a press conference in Tokyo in May 2022, Biden expressed his willingness to use military means to defend Taiwan. In April this year, Biden signed a bill that included US$8 billion in military aid to Taiwan and some Asia-Pacific countries. In June of this year, Biden reiterated in an interview with Time that the United States would not rule out the use of force to defend Taiwan. Harris also supports the United States in continuing to provide military assistance to Taiwan.
The party platform adopted by the Democratic Party on Monday (19th) stated that President Biden will be unswervingly committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is in line with the "One China" policy of the United States - based on the "Taiwan Relations Act" and "Three Joint Communiqués" and the "Six Guarantees" as guidance - to continue to ensure that both parties will not unilaterally change the status quo.
In addition, Kamala attended the US-ASEAN Summit in September 2023 and met Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She said the United States defends the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the South China Sea.
Biden advocates uniting allies to fight against the CCP. For example, soon after he came to power, he held four-party talks with Australia, Japan, and India to rebuild alliances with Asian democracies and with European democracies through NATO. On his first trip to Europe, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the United States' commitment to NATO at NATO headquarters: "We have an unshakable pledge: The United States is fully committed to NATO."
Biden believes that the competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party is not purely a power struggle, but a quasi-ideological struggle between a democratic government system and an authoritarian ruling system.
News (9)
Kamala Harris’s tax increase and tax reduction plan has taken shape
Reporter : Qiusheng / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318976.htm
According to a report by the "Wall Street Journal" on Tuesday (27 August 2024), U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris's tax proposal will succeed the Biden-Harris administration's unfinished business, pushing to raise taxes on corporations and high-income households while keeping tax rates flat or lower for most Americans.
Although Kamala has yet to discuss her tax plan in depth, campaign aides said she supports President Biden's tax increase proposals and his pledge to protect families making less than $400,000 from tax increases.
Under her plan, taxes on some high-income families would rise significantly, with top marginal tax rates reaching their highest level since 1986.
The wealthiest investors and company founders would face substantial capital gains taxes that they would not face under current law.
She introduced a child tax credit expansion earlier this month that goes beyond Biden's agenda.
2017 Tax Law
If Harris wins the election, her government will begin difficult tax negotiations with Republicans in 2025. If Congress fails to act, major provisions of the 2017 tax law will expire at the end of 2025, an outcome that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle hope to avoid.
According to the Tax Foundation, about 62% of households will see their taxes increase by 2026 if the president and Congress take no action.
Trump wants to extend all expiring tax cuts, cutting taxes by a total of $4 trillion over ten years. He also proposed further tax cuts on this basis, lowering the corporate tax rate and making tips and social security benefits tax-free.
His running mate, Sen. Vance (Ohio), has also talked about expanding the child tax credit.
Trump will also impose tariffs to make up for some lost tax revenue, but will also increase costs for consumers.
Tax increase plan
Harris wants to do more than address expiring tax cuts, and her campaign has backed all of the tax increases proposed in Biden's latest budget.
Under the plan, the top marginal personal income tax rate would climb to 44.6% on almost all types of income, compared with the current lower top rates (capital gains tax rate of 23.8%, some business income tax rate of 29.6%, payroll tax rate of more than 39%) . High earners will still pay lower tax rates on part of their income, however the highest marginal tax rates are important because they influence investment decisions.
Tax on unrealized gains
Harris would adopt Biden's plan to create a new system that would tax unrealized capital gains on people with a net worth of more than $100 million. Currently, capital gains are not taxed until the asset is sold, and there is no income tax on death, creating an incentive for people to hold on to assets and pass them on to their heirs.
Under Kamala Harris' plan, the top 0.01% of households would pay a minimum annual tax of 25% of their income (using a broader definition of income), including unrealized gains.
Last week, Trump told an event at a Las Vegas restaurant that Democrats would eventually seek to expand taxes on unrealized gains. "(It) will soon apply to small business owners and you will be forced to sell your restaurant immediately," he said.
Under Harris' rules, capital gains for households earning at least $1 million would be taxed as ordinary income. Unrealized capital gains in excess of the $5 million per person exemption will be taxed at death. Home businesses, residences and personal property are exempt.
Increase corporate tax rate
Companies will face a tax rate of 28%, up from the current 21%, and large companies will pay a minimum tax rate of 21%, instead of the current 15%.
The RATE Coalition, a group of companies that includes Target and Altria, said in a statement that "Vice President Harris' campaign promise to raise the federal corporate tax rate to 28% will have devastating consequences, driving up prices. Rising wages, declining employment opportunities.”
No tax increase for households making less than $400,000
Despite her disagreement with Trump, Harris also promised not to raise taxes on families earning less than $400,000 and to extend most of Trump's expiring tax cuts.
She would also reinstate the expanded child tax credit enacted in 2021, providing $3,000 for most children and $3,600 for those under 6. She would also add another tier for newborns, with a tax credit worth $6,000 that year.
Although Harris' tax proposal would change the rules that apply to capital gains at death, Harris has not said how she wants to handle the estate tax exemption. If Congress takes no action, the per capita exemption, currently $13.6 million, will be cut in half in 2026.
Editor in charge: Ren Zijun#
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News (9)
Zuckerberg regrets censoring COVID-19 information during pandemic
Reporter : Stephen Katte / Compiled by Wang Junyi / Editor : Li Muen / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/28/n14319082.htm / Image : On 23 October 2019, in the House Office Building in Rayburn, Washington, Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg examines and testifies before the House Financial Services Committee about "Facebook and its impact on the financial services and housing industries."(Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that its social platform Facebook had been pressured and forced by the federal government to censor COVID-19 content, and he now regrets bowing to those demands.
In a letter sent to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan on Tuesday (26 August 2024), the tech billionaire wrote that senior Biden-Harris administration officials imposed sanctions on his social media company to bow to pressure to review COVID-19 information.
"In 2021, senior Biden administration officials, including the White House, have repeatedly pressured our team for months to review certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and stated when we disagreed," he said. Very dissatisfied.”
"Ultimately, the decision about whether to remove this content is in our hands, and we have the power to make that decision, including the changes we make to our COVID-19-related enforcement efforts under this pressure," Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg gave no further examples or revealed what types of information the federal government is trying to suppress.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms, including Facebook, censored content they believed to be misinformation about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, lockdown measures or vaccines, or otherwise violated their policies.
Zuckerberg believes that based on hindsight and new information, he believes he would not make the same decision now. He claimed that the platform was ready to fight back if the government tried to interfere again.
"I think the pressure from the government is misplaced and I regret that we haven't been more vocal about it," he said.
"I firmly believe that we should not lower our content standards because of any pressure from the government. If something like this happens again, we are ready to fight back."
During the last election, the billionaire donated $400 million through his philanthropic enterprise, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, to support election infrastructure.
"The idea is to ensure that local election jurisdictions across the country have the resources they need to help people vote safely during a global pandemic," he wrote in the letter.
Zuckerberg added that he would not donate to support election infrastructure in this year's election lest it "somehow play a role or even appear to play a role" in the November vote.
The Epoch Times contacted the White House about Zuckerberg’s accusations but had not received a response as of press time.
Original text: Zuckerberg Says He Regrets Demoting COVID-19 Content was published in the English Epoch Times.
News (10) to (13) / Reporter : Isaac Teo/Compiled by Li Ping / Editor : Wen Fang / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318956.htm Image : File photo of the Chinese Communist Embassy in Ottawa. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
News (10)
Canadian think tank research: The CCP severely harasses and intimidates Chinese Canadians
A latest survey report by the Canadian think tank SecondStreet.org revealed that the CCP interference problem in Canada is serious, and Chinese people in Canada are being harassed by the CCP for their beliefs and political speeches. Harassment and intimidation are becoming increasingly common, and the Canadian government should take action to protect Canadians.
The report pointed out that most of the 26 Chinese Canadians interviewed believed that they were targeted by the CCP because of their Falun Gong practice, Christian beliefs, pro-Hong Kong words and deeds, or even just democratic speeches. He was stabbed, his family was threatened when he returned to China, etc.
Dom Lucyk, the author of the report and communications director of SecondStreet.org, said on Monday (August 26) that Chinese people living in Canada should not worry about being harassed by the tyranny of their mother country.
To protect the privacy and safety of the parties involved, the report withheld the specific names of the interviewees. Lucyk praised these interviewees for "bravely coming forward to expose the CCP's conspiracy." Lucyk also said that the survey is not a simple random sampling, but a qualitative survey, conducted through cultural, religious and political organizations, targeted advertising on social media or personal connection recruitment, among those who have shared their experiences of persecution in the media interview for more details.
Speech banned on WeChat and phone harassment
The survey included 5 questions: describe the harassment, intimidation or other interference in daily life experienced since immigrating to Canada; the frequency of harassment by the CCP; the personal reasons for harassment; whether the CCP’s harassment of Chinese Canadians is widespread; and what the Canadian government should do response.
Among the 26 interviewees, 21 said that they were harassed by the CCP because of their personal beliefs, either because of political beliefs such as supporting Hong Kong or supporting democracy, or because of personal religious beliefs such as practicing Falun Gong or believing in Christianity; 25 people believed that the CCP Harassment of Chinese Canadians is common. Seven of them mentioned that if their personal views are not in line with the CCP, they will often be harassed.
Among them, a Christian described how the CCP uses Chinese digital platforms such as WeChat to target Chinese Canadians. He said that after he published a post in support of the "anti-extradition bill" movement in 2018, he was restricted by the platform. All Chinese people with Chinese mobile phone numbers in the WeChat group could not see his posts, except for a few. People with Canadian mobile phone numbers can see it. Since then, his political activities in Canada and his Bible studies with Chinese believers have been seriously affected by this.
A Falun Gong practitioner in Ottawa revealed that since the Chinese Communist Party began its full-scale persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, the phone at home has been receiving harassing calls, all of which are automatically played harassing messages, either propaganda speeches that hate Falun Gong, or endless broadcasts praising the Chinese Communist Party. Red song. In 2002, after she participated in an event in Geneva calling for an end to the persecution, she received a phone call from a man who spoke Mandarin. The man claimed that he had complete control over her trip and then sexually harassed her over the phone.
Another Falun Gong practitioner revealed that one day in 2002, he returned home and found a large branch cut off and placed on the kitchen table with a knife next to it. The report stated that anyone receiving such a threat would be frightened and on tenterhooks.
News (11)
CCP agents stalk, violently attacks, threatens family members
In October 2023, the Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC) released a 143-page report, and updated the report again in July this year. The report reveals that the CCP is increasingly using people of other ethnic groups to monitor and interfere with Canadian Falun Gong practitioners and their daily activities.
The report revealed in detail that Falun Gong practitioners were photographed by unknown persons when they held a peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canada. The Chinese Communist Party used the collected photos and personal information to intimidate and threaten the people involved.
At the same time, Lucyk's report also revealed that among the 26 interviewees, a Calgary Falun Gong practitioner revealed that an unknown man took photos of him last fall and followed him three times in Chinatown, and continued to follow him. Home. Later, it was discovered that whether at home, at a bus stop or in a parking place, people of different ethnic groups were being followed, monitored and eavesdropped, including Chinese, Indians, blacks and whites, and even minors among them, and their mobile phones and computers were also Being monitored and listened to.
Lucyk's report also revealed that when another Falun Gong practitioner interviewed was protesting in front of the Chinese Communist Consulate, he was attacked by several thugs hired by the Chinese Consulate. His banner was cut to pieces, he was beaten, and he was threatened with a gun. Not only that, the CCP also sent spies to collect information about him and harass his family members in China. The family members were forced to sign a "guarantee" guaranteeing that if he did anything the CCP did not like overseas, all their property would be confiscated.
Eight other interviewees also mentioned that their family members in China have encountered different forms of harassment and targeting by the CCP.
News (12)
CCP threatens and freezes bank accounts
One interviewee revealed that in 2005, while working as a freelance journalist in the Chinese community in Ottawa, he was intimidated by officials from the Chinese Embassy. At that time, Hu Jintao, the former leader of the Communist Party of China, visited Canada. He talked with an Epoch Times reporter in the press room of the Parliament Building. After the conversation, the Epoch Times reporter left. Immediately after, a neatly dressed man who looked like a Chinese Communist soldier sitting in front of him turned around and asked for his name and the name of the media. He didn’t answer. Instead, he asked about the other person’s identity, but the other person avoided it. Answer, and continued to question him. After a stalemate for a while, the other party finally admitted that he was from the Chinese Consulate.
There are also interviewees who were threatened by the Chinese Communist Party via phone calls from the Hong Kong police’s national security department. One interviewee revealed that he was harassed and threatened twice by phone in January and February this year. When asked why he was targeted by the CCP, the interviewee's answer was: colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, subverting national power, insulting the national flag, etc. And just in March this year, the CCP passed the new National Security Law, which was criticized as destroying the last remaining freedom in Hong Kong.
Another interviewee pointed out that the CCP wants to control everyone born in China and will not hesitate to use all economic means to achieve its goal. This interviewee revealed that he was banned from the Internet and was not allowed to make any comments critical of the CCP. His bank account in China was frozen, his house in China was demolished, and his property was misappropriated.
Another interviewee is a leader of the Canadian democracy and human rights movement. He often publicly criticizes the CCP and has therefore become a target of attacks by the CCP, especially the CCP’s media mouthpieces. He pointed out that the CCP’s usual methods are to send people to follow people, make unknown calls and then hang up to harass them.
News (13)
Canadian politicians become a thorn in the CCP’s side
The CCP’s targets are not limited to Chinese Canadians, but also extend to Canadian politicians, such as the federal Conservative Party’s Chinese-American MP Michael Chong. The SecondStreet.org report mentioned that Michael Chong encountered a targeted campaign of falsification and slander, which was probably carefully planned by the Chinese Communist Party.
One interviewee revealed that in a city by-election in 2022, the CCP interfered in the election because of his anti-communist views. On some Chinese websites targeting the Chinese community and focusing on Chinese candidates, his name was either written incorrectly, translated incorrectly, or even deleted in his personal introduction.
Respondents called on the Canadian government to fulfill its governmental responsibilities and take effective measures to protect Canadians targeted by the CCP. If a CCP agent registration system is established to control the CCP-controlled WeChat Chinese application, CCP agents found guilty of harassment should be expelled or criminally prosecuted.
News (14)
CCP China launches “drug war” and illegal fentanyl harms American youths
Reporter : Summer Lane / Compiled by Jiang Linda / Editor : Jialian / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318331.htm / Image : The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found that 6 out of 10 illegal pills contained a fatal dose of fentanyl; a lethal dose of fentanyl is 2 milligrams, which is equivalent to the powder on the tip of this pencil. (DEA)
With the proliferation of drugs, more and more young Americans are dying due to accidentally eating or being exposed to drugs and fake poisons.
Across the United States, fentanyl has become the deadliest drug in history
Major Manning, a 17-year-old from Mountain House, California, took a painkiller called "Percocet," but he didn't know it was laced with the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl. Tiny, the drug ended up taking his life. And this is not an isolated case, similar tragedies are becoming more and more common in California.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, in July this year, a 22-year-old Los Angeles woman, Jestice James, was charged with two counts of murder after her three-year-old twin sons were exposed to fentanyl at home. Queen Ni died.
That same month, a parent in Apple Valley, Southern California, was arrested after allegedly exposing their young daughter to fentanyl.
The fentanyl crisis in California has also caused concern from all walks of life. In the first half of 2024 alone, nearly 7 million fentanyl pills and 3,725 pounds of fentanyl powder have been seized in California.
Across the United States, fentanyl has become the deadliest drug in history. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, synthetic opioids killed nearly 38,000 Americans in the first half of last year. Data from the UCLA Medical Center also shows that in 2022, nearly 22 high school students in the United States died from drug overdose every week, most of them from accidentally taking counterfeit medicines containing fentanyl.
"This has become a plague," said Rhonda Manning, the mother of fentanyl victim Major. After her son's death, Manning founded the nonprofit "A Major Movement" to educate Parents and students understand the dangers of fentanyl drugs.
Manning emphasized the dangers of taking painkillers from unknown sources. She told an Epoch Times reporter: “In today’s society, you can’t just take anything because everything is potentially fatal and you don’t even know what you are actually taking.”
For teenagers, counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl are the most deadly: A child may think they are buying a generic drug, but it is actually a counterfeit drug laced with fentanyl or made directly from fentanyl. medicine.
There have been too many tragedies in California before, such as: a 17-year-old baseball player in Los Angeles County lost his life due to fentanyl poisoning; a 16-year-old boy died from accidentally ingesting "Xanax" anti-anxiety pills containing fentanyl; A 15-year-old female student at a Hollywood high school died on campus after accidentally taking fake "Percocet" painkillers laced with fentanyl.
Precursor chemicals are produced in China with support from the Chinese Communist Party
The California Department of Public Health notes that the drug is at least 50 times more potent than heroin and more addictive. Many people question: Why has this drug become so common in the United States? Why do drug dealers dare to be so brazen?
"The problem we face is that the precursor chemicals for these synthetic drugs are produced in China," said Cindy De Silva, the San Joaquin County narcotics prosecutor and deputy district attorney. It is supported by China (Chinese Communist Party)...and then smuggled from China to Latin America.”
She noted that when Mexican drug cartels obtain the chemical precursors needed to make synthetic drugs, they mix them with other powders and substances to create counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
"China (the Chinese Communist Party) did this on purpose," De Silva said. Fentanyl is highly addictive and can make users instantly addicted. "They deliberately created addictive drugs... to ensure lockdown." A lifelong customer base."
She also said the fentanyl crisis is likely to continue to worsen as long as drug cartels have easy access to the U.S. drug market through the largely unsecured southern border. According to the National Immigration Forum, most fentanyl is smuggled into the United States through ports of entry.
"This is not one of the minor issues, this is the root of the problem," De Silva said.
After months of investigations, the U.S. Congressional Committee on the Communist Party of China announced on April 16 this year the role of the Chinese Communist Party in the proliferation of fentanyl in the United States. This blockbuster investigative report reveals how the Chinese Communist Party secretly facilitates the export of fentanyl materials and other synthetic drugs through direct subsidies and incentives. The investigation report stated that this was a "drug war" used by the Chinese Communist Party against the United States.
America's children are suffering deeply from this "war on drugs." Children may unknowingly purchase counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl from social media, or they may be exposed to fentanyl drugs at home.
"It threatens families, it threatens children."
DeSilva noted that while accidental exposure to fentanyl is not fatal, inhaling or ingesting it is. A curious child might take a pill at a friend's house and die.
Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal. As a result, Jennifer Burruel, the mother of a fentanyl victim, said, "I really don't agree with people describing these deaths as overdoses."
About two years ago, Burrull's 29-year-old son died from fentanyl poisoning. An autopsy conducted by authorities found that he had the anti-anxiety drug "Xanax" and fentanyl mixed in his system.
"I knew the job he was doing was very stressful, so I thought he might have gotten a pill from someone he trusted," Boruer told The Epoch Times.
Since her son's death, Burrull now spends a lot of time educating teenagers about the dangers of fentanyl and posting photos of victims of the drug's deaths on billboards to raise awareness. She also held community gatherings to distribute free Narcan, an emergency drug that can relieve the toxicity of opioids.
"People know this is not just a problem for drug addicts," Boruer said. "It affects more than just drug addicts. It threatens families, it threatens children."◇
Original text: Illicit Fentanyl Acutely Impacts California Children, Say Parents, Experts was published on the English Epoch Times website.
News (15)
The conflict between China and the Philippines escalates. US commander: Escorting Philippine ship is a reasonable option
Reporter ; Zhang Ting / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/8/27/n14318813.htm / Image : On 27 August 2024, Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said that in accordance with the U.S.-Philippines Defense Treaty, the option of the U.S. military to provide escort for Philippine ships is completely reasonable. The picture shows Philippine President Marcos Jr. meeting with Paparo at the Presidential Palace in Manila on August 27. (Francis R. Malasig/POOL/AFP)
The conflict between the Philippines and the CCP over the supply issue in the South China Sea is increasingly intensifying. Will the Philippines seek help from its treaty ally the United States to deal with CCP China? The conflict has attracted much attention from the outside world. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, clarified the U.S. position on Tuesday (August 27) that it is a "completely reasonable option" for U.S. warships to escort Philippine ships on supply missions in the South China Sea but it requires the U.S. negotiations with the Philippines.
If the United States and the Philippines finally reach a consensus and ask the US military to escort Philippine ships in the South China Sea, it will sharply heat up the already tense relations between the United States and China.
Asked at a military forum organized by the Indo-Pacific Command whether the United States would consider providing escort for the Philippines, Paparo replied, "Of course, in the context of consultations, there are mutual defense issues between two sovereign states. Each option, including one ship escorting another, is a "completely reasonable option" within the scope of the (U.S.-Philippines) Mutual Defense Treaty."
Paparo's remarks gave the outside world a glimpse into the attitude of one of the top military commanders outside the United States on this matter.
Philippine President meets with Paparo
Philippine President Marcos Jr. met with Paparo on Tuesday. The president said he believed the two sides would meet more frequently.
On May 3 this year, Paparo took over the responsibilities of commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command from John C. Aquilino at a transfer of command ceremony.
Marcos welcomed the new Indo-Pacific commander during a meeting on Tuesday.
"Welcome to Manila. Welcome to the Philippines. Since your new appointment, I will definitely see you more. I will come to see you and you will come to see us." Marcos Jr. said, "We have There are many issues to discuss and many decisions that must be made for the United States and the Philippines.”
He also said that Paparo's planned visit to multiple Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations will allow the U.S. delegation to understand the real situation.
According to a statement released by the Office of the President of the Philippines, Marcos Jr. and Paparo talked about ensuring the continuity of the important defense and security partnership between the United States and the Philippines.
Conflicts between China and the Philippines are becoming increasingly frequent. Philippine Defense Secretary: The Philippines-US defense treaty must be interpreted more broadly
Ships of the Chinese Coast Guard, navy and suspected militia often clash with Philippine ships during supply missions, resulting in injuries to Philippine sailors and damage to ships. In the past week, tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea have further escalated, with a series of maritime and air confrontations taking place.
In the August 25 collision, the Philippines accused a Chinese vessel of ramming a Philippine Fisheries Service vessel carrying food, fuel and medical supplies to fishermen. The Philippines also condemned China's use of water cannons to attack the ship. The Chinese Communist Party countered that the Philippine ship deliberately rammed a Chinese coast guard ship.
On 26 August 2024, Chinese and Philippine ships clashed again in the South China Sea. The Philippines said that when they were carrying out a supply mission to ships stationed at Sabina Shoal, they were blocked by 40 Chinese ships, and stated that China deployed "excessive force" here; the Chinese Coast Guard said It counter-claimed that Philippine ships illegally entered the waters of Xianbin Reef without China's permission, prompting China to take control measures.
With conflicts becoming more and more frequent, whether the Philippine government will invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines has attracted much attention.
The United States and the Philippines signed the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) in 1951. The treaty stipulates that when either party's homeland or island territories, troops, ships or aircraft in the Pacific are attacked by force, both parties will jointly take action to respond to the danger.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. said the Philippines will try all options, all available avenues, and when "we can do it ourselves, we will do it." But if the Philippines finds itself constrained from doing it on its own, it will look for alternatives.
"This may not only include cooperation with the United States, but also cooperation with other like-minded countries," he said.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the Philippines-US defense treaty must be interpreted more broadly to deal with "dynamic and sophisticated adversaries."
"The greatest danger we face is narrowing...the scope of our operations, which may be counter to the expansion of potential aggressors," he said, adding that the Philippines must develop sufficient deterrence militarily, either through cooperation or on its own, to threaten China has made it clear that the Philippines is serious about protecting its sovereignty and will fight for it.
Teodoro also said that the CCP is the "biggest destroyer" of peace in Southeast Asia and called on the international community to more severely condemn the CCP's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.
In May this year, U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander John Paparo vowed that the U.S. military is ready to defend the region from the threat of China’s aggression in the South China Sea.
Paparo said that the US Indo-Pacific Command will work with allies and partners to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
After the change of command of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Paparo said in his speech: "We must be prepared to respond to the PRC's (Communist China) claims of increasing intrusion and expansion in the Indo-Pacific region."
News (16)
Analysis: The CCP is rotten to the core, and everyone is just waiting for the result
Reporter : Tang Zheng / Editor: Li Quan / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/08/28/a103908881.html / Image : Currently, China is in a huge political, economic and social crisis. The picture shows a schematic diagram. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)
Currently, the CCP’s political and economic situation is in crisis, China’s real estate market has collapsed, a large number of companies have closed down, unemployment has risen, local governments are heavily in debt, and officials and citizens are "lying flat"... Veteran media person Yan Chungou said that the CCP officialdom is unbearable and social contradictions are rapidly deteriorating. Now the CCP is rotten to the core, and no one can save it. Everyone is just waiting for the result.
In August this year, a Chinese online article revealed that a 33-year-old girl who graduated from Beijing’s top university "211 University" starved to death in a rental house, shocking the outside world. The article also triggered heated discussions among the public on the true situation of China's economy, the psychological quality of young people, and possible unfairness in the civil service recruitment.
A video circulated online showed that in first-tier cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, where the economy is relatively wealthy, a large number of unemployed or unemployed young people were forced to sleep under bridges and live a hard life because they had no money to pay rent.
According to a Reuters report on 21 August 2024, the term "rotten tail baby" has quickly become popular on social media this year, which is similar to the tens of millions of unfinished "rotten tail buildings" that have plagued China's economy since 2021.
According to official data released by the Chinese Communist Party, this year's college graduates reached 11.79 million. The report said that CCP China's youth unemployment problem is serious, and millions of college graduates have difficulty finding jobs. Some unemployed young people even return to their hometowns to become "full-time children" and rely on their parents' pensions and savings to live.
At present, China's real estate market continues to decline, sales have collapsed, construction has almost stagnated, and a large number of vacant houses in various places cannot be sold even at a reduced price.
At the same time, there is fierce infighting among the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, and the phenomenon of official inaction is serious, and many officials choose to "lie flat." The "throwing egg" card game is popular in the political and business circles of the Chinese Communist Party. In August this year, the official media of the Chinese Communist Party published articles in succession to bombard the "throwing egg" game and issued a ban on officials from playing "throwing egg".
In the past period of time, "throwing eggs", "lying flat", "youth nursing homes" and "historical garbage time" have become hot topics in Chinese society. This also reflects the pessimistic attitude of the Chinese people towards the economic prospects.
On 28 August 2024, Yan Chungou wrote on his Facebook that all the problems in today's Chinese society are entangled together. In the final analysis, it is a problem of the system. If the system is not solved, all problems will be unsolvable. What we see now is a process of the collapse and disintegration of the CCP, "because the CCP has been rotten to the bone, no one can save it, we are just waiting for that result."
In December 2023, Jin Hua (pseudonym), an executive of a well-known Chinese media group, revealed to the Epoch Times that the vast majority of officials in the CCP system he had contacted were dissatisfied with the authorities' policies and the current economic recession.
Liu Junning, a former researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, used the term "historical garbage time" to describe the countdown to the change of regimes in the media in February this year. He said that during this period, no one can reverse the course of history. What ordinary people can do is to try to survive this period, that is, "lie down."
Wang Youqun, a former official of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and an expert on China issues, once wrote that in recent years, the leaders of the Communist Party of China have repeatedly issued warnings of "party demise" and are worried that the Communist Party of China will face the situation of "the motherland is unbearable to look back at the moonlight." Today, the Communist Party of China is facing serious internal and external troubles. It is already in a precarious situation, the building is about to collapse, and everyone is "lying down collectively". Even many officials within the Communist Party system are looking forward to and waiting for the eve of major events turnover.
News (17) to (19) / Reporter : Li Li / Editor: Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/08/26/a103908513.html
News (17)
After coming to the United States, a woman who walked the line in Henan joined the anti-communist camp: not only for herself
Image : Ms. Li Xiaoyan participated in the awakening of 400 million people and quit the CCP party, league, and team activities. (Provided by Ms. Li Xiaoyan)
The CCP's totalitarian rule, wantonly tramples on human rights, and brainwashes the people, making the people hate the United States. After Henan woman Li Xiaoyan walked the line to the United States, she truly saw the evil of the CCP and actively joined the anti-communist camp. On 24 August 2024, Ms. Li Xiaoyan accepted an interview with a reporter from New Tang Dynasty and talked about her mental journey of transformation.
Ms. Li Xiaoyan said that she joined the China Democratic Party and received a party membership card. As long as there are anti-communist activities, she will try her best to participate.
She introduced that she had participated in the celebration of 400 million people quitting the CCP, and learned about the evil deeds of the CCP persecuting the Chinese people. Last year, she also participated in an event to welcome the President of the Republic of China, Tsai Ing-wen, and held a sign to support the White Paper Movement of young people in China against the Chinese Communist Party authorities.
Li Xiaoyan said that in mainland China, people including her were suppressed and persecuted by CCP China, and could only endure it silently. They did not know that people had basic rights, let alone that human rights were universal values in the world.
News (18)
Two generations in her family were victims of the CCP's family planning policy
When Li Xiaoyan talked about her experience, she said that as an adult woman, the most common persecution she had suffered in China was the inhumane family planning policy, and two generations in her family were victims of the CCP's family planning policy. However, when she was in China, she felt that this kind of thing was very common and normal. She thought it was a fantasy to say that a person had the final say if he wanted to have a child.
She introduced that she was born in 1982 and her mother gave birth to three children. At that time, because of the CCP's one-child policy, she was "unplanned" and was fostered at her grandmother's house and did not dare to go home. Because her mother had more children than allowed, the money in the family was taken away by the local CCP family planning personnel, and it was difficult to eat.
When Li Xiaoyan grew up, she got married in 2005 and gave birth to a daughter in 2007. In 2008, she became pregnant again and was found by the family planning office staff. They forced her to pay a fine. When she could not pay, they threatened to demolish her house, take away her food, and force her to have an abortion.
She said that people around her had experienced this. One of her neighbours was found by family planning office staff when she was 7 or 8 months pregnant. Several people held the pregnant woman, forced her into a car, and took her to the hospital for an abortion.
Li Xiaoyan said that the CCP treats the people like animals, regardless of whether they live or die.
News (19)
Threatened by the police for speaking up for her children in a WeChat group
Li Xiaoyan said that the CCP's arbitrary behavior was most prominent during the epidemic. She introduced that during the 2020 epidemic, the CCP implemented strict lockdown and control, and her eldest daughter was locked in school (boarding high school) and could not see her family for 3 months.
At that time, a high school student in Ruzhou, Henan was reported to have died in the school lockdown. She said that the WeChat group was circulating videos about this high school student. She saw this child lying in the school dormitory, shaking constantly. However, the school staff did not allow the child to go to the hospital for treatment on the grounds of epidemic control, which eventually led to the child's death.
The experience of this high school student made Li Xiaoyan worry about the safety of her child. Therefore, she called on other parents in the WeChat group of parents to pay attention to the safety of their children and report to the school so that the school would relax the control and parents could see their children. Immediately, the school where her child was studying called her and threatened her to delete the information.
She said that the local police station found her, the police took her mobile phone, disbanded all WeChat groups, deleted all contacts, and prevented her from speaking. The police also threatened her with her child, saying "If you are not quiet again, call on parents again" and "rebel", her child will not be able to go to school.
Li Xiaoyan said that China is very unsafe. After the mysterious disappearance of Hu Xinyu, a middle school student in Jiangxi, many parents knew about the organ harvesting. Although the official Chinese Communist Party said that Hu Xinyu committed suicide, the people did not believe it at all. She was very worried about the safety of her children. She said that so many children were missing and could not be found, which made people feel suspicious and scared.
There were cameras all over the road but the missing children could not be found.
She wanted to take her children abroad, but she did not expect that the children were unwilling to come out and opposed her coming to the United States. The children said that the United States was not good.
Li Xiaoyan introduced that the textbooks that the children studied in school all talked about how bad the United States was. At school, after dinner, the children watched the "7 o'clock news" of the Central Television Station in the classroom on time at 7 o'clock in the evening. She said, "This is a fixed class and cannot be missed." The news of the Central Television Station of the Communist Party of China is all negative news from foreign countries.
Li Xiaoyan said that after coming to the United States, she came into contact with many Chinese who came through the line, and only then did she know that these people were persecuted by the Communist Party of China. She understood the evil of the Communist Party of China, so she joined the anti-communist activities without hesitation.
Image : Ms. Li Xiaoyan joined the China Democratic Party to oppose the Communist Party of China. (Provided by Li Xiaoyan)
She said, "It is not only for myself, but also for the Chinese who are still persecuted by the Communist Party of China in mainland China."
News (20)
The CCP publicized that the free medical ship arrived in South Africa. Netizens asked: When will it come to China?
Editor : Li Chengyu / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/08/27/a103908782.html / Image : In August 2024, the CCP party media publicized that the Navy’s free medical ship visited South Africa, and Chinese netizens mocked, “When will it come to China?” (Web screenshot)
The CCP party media has been vigorously promoting the Navy’s medical ship to provide free medical care in South Africa. At the same time, a large number of Chinese people committed suicide or were kicked out of the hospital because they had no money to see a doctor. Netizens mocked, “When will this hospital ship come to China?”
Recently, many party media publicized that a large hospital ship of the CCP Navy, the “Peace Ark”, docked in Cape Town, South Africa on 22 August 2024, and began to carry out a week-long “mission of free treatment of South African patients”. As of the 27th, 1,300 local residents have been treated and 17 cataract surgeries have been performed.
The party media also boasted that the "Peace Ark" has a displacement of 14,000 tons and is equipped with the same level as a domestic tertiary-level A-level hospital. As of June this year, it has visited 45 countries and provided medical services to 290,000 people.
The official propaganda has aroused the disgust of Chinese netizens. Everyone left a message: "May I ask when you will come to China?" Some netizens used irony to mock the CCP: "Which country's people are so great? I guess their country must be peaceful and prosperous."
Image : Chinese netizens left their messages. (Webpage screenshot)
In recent years, China's economy has continued to decline, and the survival pressure of the grassroots people has become increasingly greater. The mainland hospitals have been transformed by the CCP into a tool for making money to slaughter the people, and a large number of patients have given up treatment because they have no money. On mainland social media, videos of patients falling from buildings in hospitals have been circulated intensively.
Image : News of patients falling from buildings in mainland hospitals is often reported on social media. Netizens denounced the CCP for "spending money". (X screenshot)
There are reports online that many families have abandoned their terminally ill family members in hospitals because their family assets have been emptied, including children. Some hospitals provide these patients with "the most basic medical care" and let them die.
A video has been circulating online recently, which is said to be a hospital carrying out patients with no money and throwing them on the green belt on the street. The security guards carrying people in the video are wearing "Fengxin Security" uniforms, and it is suspected that the incident happened in Qingdao, Shandong but it is not certain whether it was the hospital that threw the patients.
Public information shows that there is a "Qingdao Fengxin Security Service Co., Ltd." in Qingdao.
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