Translation Updated on 14 November 2024 : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on CCP, the U.S.
News (1) to (4) / Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor: Zhu Xinrui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/11/13/a103929166.html / Image : Recently, Chinese Premier Li Qiang suddenly ordered the lifting of public holiday ban on "Lunar New Year's Eve", and announced that there will be a holiday every year on "Lunar New Year's Eve" in the future. Some analysts pointed out that Li Qiang's move sent a strong political signal, indicating that the power status of the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping may be challenged. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)
News (1)
Li Qiang has ordered the lifting of public holiday ban on Lunar New Year's Eve, and rumours of Xi's loss of power have been raised again
Recently, Chinese Premier Li Qiang suddenly ordered the lifting of the ban on "Lunar New Year's Eve", and announced that there will be a public holiday every year on "Lunar New Year's Eve" in the future, which triggered heated discussions across the Internet. Some analysts pointed out that Li Qiang's abnormal move sent a strong political signal, indicating that the power status of the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping may be challenged.
On 10 November 2024, Li Qiang issued Order No. 795 of the State Council of the Communist Party of China: "Decision of the State Council on Amending the National Holidays and Memorial Days Regulations" has been adopted at the 45th Executive Meeting of the State Council on 8 November 2024, and is hereby promulgated and will be implemented from 1 January 2025.
According to the news released on the Chinese Communist government website on 12 November 2024, from 1 January 2025, the statutory holidays for all citizens will be increased by 2 days, and Lunar New Year's Eve and May 2 will be included in the statutory holidays. Except for some special circumstances, the Chinese New Year will be a holiday for 8 days from Lunar New Year's Eve.
On the same day, the news that "Lunar New Year's Eve will be a holiday in the future" rushed to Baidu's hot search, triggering heated discussions across the Internet. The reading volume of related news on Weibo's hot search also reached 460 million, and netizens welcomed it.
Beautiful2478067: "Lunar New Year's Eve is finally a holiday!!!"
purple-lavender: "Finally our cries are heard."
DHZFR: "I hope that all traditional festivals can be added so that the next generation will know and pass it on."
News (2)
"Lunar New Year's Eve" is homophonic with "Chu Xi" and was once banned in China
In fact, as early as 2007, the Chinese Communist Party officially gazetted "Lunar New Year's Eve" as a legal public holiday but it was cancelled in 2013 when the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, came to power. There was no public holiday for Lunar New Year's Eve since 2014.
Since 2015, Lunar New Year's Eve has been restored as a legal holiday. From 2016 to 2023, the Lunar New Year holidays include Lunar New Year's Eve. However, on 25 October 2023, the State Council of the Communist Party of China released the 2024 New Year holiday arrangement, and unexpectedly there was no public holiday for New Year's Eve (February 9), which caused people's surprise and dissatisfaction: "Without Lunar New Year's Eve, the Lunar New Year is not considered the New Year." "How important is Lunar New Year's Eve? Is it reasonable not to have a holiday?"
People speculated that the reason why the authorities canceled the statutory holiday for "Lunar New Year's Eve" is probably because "Lunar New Year's Eve" and "Chu Xi" are homophones, which violated the taboo of Xi Jinping, the leader of the Communist Party of China. This is similar to Yuan Shikai's cancellation of the Lantern Festival that year, because the homophone of "Yuan Xiao" is "Yuan Xiao", so Yuan Shikai cancelled the Lantern Festival.
Some analysts pointed out that from the cancellation of the Lunar New Year's Eve holiday, it can be seen that Xi Jinping really cares that the homophone of "Lunar New Year's Eve" is unfavourable to him. "Chu Xi" sounds very unlucky.
News (3)
Tang Jingyuan: The lifting of the ban on Lunar New Year's Eve sends a strong political signal
This year is coming to an end. Li Qiang suddenly broke his usual habit and publicly announced that there will be a public holiday on "Lunar New Year's Eve" every year in the future, which attracted attention from the outside world. Some analysts pointed out that this may mean that the rumoours of Xi Jinping's loss of power are not groundless.
Tang Jingyuan, a current affairs commentator living in the United States, said in an interview with NTD on 13 November 2024, "'All holidays after Lunar New Year's Eve' is a strong political signal, indicating that Xi Jinping's position in the party has been seriously challenged."
Tang Jingyuan said that the CCP claims to be completely atheist on the surface, but in fact the top leaders of the CCP have always been very firm in their belief in various taboos. "For example, Jiang Zemin never went to Zhenjiang, and Xi Jinping banned New Year's Eve holidays, etc., because Lunar New Year's Eve and 'Chu Xi' are homophones, which are considered very unlucky, so 'no holiday on Lunar New Year's Eve' has in fact become an indicator of whether Xi Jinping's power is stable or not."
Before this, the public had a very strong response, hoping for a holiday on Lunar New Year's Eve but the authorities had always ignored it. Tang Jingyuan believes that this time, Li Qiang announced in a legal form that there would be a day off on Lunar New Year's Eve from 2025, which is equivalent to releasing a signal from one side that Xi Jinping's power status has undergone a huge change.
He said, "The taboos of the leader of the Communist Party of China are the same as the ranking rules of Communist Party of China officials. Under normal circumstances, there is no possibility of any change. Only when the power status of the person concerned changes, it is possible to reflect the change in ranking or the breaking of certain taboos."
There are also some opinions on the Internet that the authorities' announcement of a holiday on Lunar New Year's Eve may be related to the recent series of tragic incidents of revenge against society, and the authorities are trying to relieve pressure by giving a public holiday on Lunar New Year's Eve.
However, Tang Jingyuan believes that if the Communist Party of China is worried about civil unrest and wants to relieve civil pressure, there are many ways to do it, and there is no need to offend Xi Jinping's taboos.
He analyzed that "the biggest political significance of Li Qiang's announcement of a public holiday on Lunar New Year's Eve is that Xi Jinping's power has declined, and major changes have occurred within the Communist Party of China, and this change is likely related to the rumours that Xi Jinping had a stroke at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee."
News (4)
Xi suspected of "soft coup" and his confidants in the military were "cut on the skirt"
Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, Xi Jinping has shown signs of weakening power. For example, Xi has recently missed important military meetings, and the meetings were chaired by Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Military Commission. Since June 2024, Zhang Youxia has made more than ten high-profile appearances, especially during his visit to Vietnam, where he was met with extraordinary meetings by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lin, President Luong Cuong, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Some commentators analyzed that this seemed to give people a feeling that Xi's "power has fallen into the hands of others."
In addition, Xi Jinping's military confidants also showed signs of being "cut off". On 11 November 2024, Yao Cheng, a former lieutenant colonel of the Chinese Navy Command, said on the overseas X platform that the internal struggle of the Chinese Military Commission has escalated and become public, and Miao Hua, a member of the Military Commission and director of the Political Work Department, was taken away for investigation. Miao Hua has always been regarded as Xi Jinping's confidant.
Yao Cheng revealed, "Last month, when Qin Shengxiang, director of the CCP Military Reform Office, Yuan Huazhi, political commissar of the Navy, and Qin Shutong, political commissar of the Army, were investigated, Miao Hua had already been charged and is currently under formal double-regulation. The above three people were all brought out by Miao Hua from the former 31st Army. The outside world is most concerned about who is cleaning them up."
The news of Miao Hua's investigation has not yet been officially confirmed. According to the CCP's practice, when senior military generals get into trouble, it usually takes a while before it is announced, such as the former Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu.
Wang Youqun, a former official of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, wrote an article in The Epoch Times on 4 November 2024, analyzing that Xi has offended too many senior officials in his 12 years in power. Xi is too suspicious and does not trust anyone. He is always worried that someone will "grab his power, take his position, and take his life." In this case, Xi dare not give up power easily.
Wang Youqun judged that if Xi's health is really in trouble, it is not impossible for him to encounter a "soft coup" and be forced to hand over power under this situation.
News (5)
Gong Kai: China has no future if the Communist Party is not eradicated
Editor : Li Hong / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/11/13/a103929186.html / Image : On 21 April 2024, Gong Kai, a Chinese who quit the CCP, spoke at a rally commemorating the 25th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners' "April 25" peaceful appeal. (Dai Bing/The Epoch Times)
On 3 November 2024 (Sunday) North American time, the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP held a rally in Flushing, New York, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Epoch Times series of editorials "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" and celebrate the 438 million people who have quit the CCP, the League, and the Young Pioneers (Three Quits) organizations. Gong Kai, who came to the United States from mainland China, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. The full text is as follows:
China has no future if the Communist Party is not eradicated
Hello everyone, my name is Gong Kai.
I believe that many of the friends present are like me, walkers/illegal immigrants. In the United States, we need to make one thing clear: No matter what type of asylum you choose, everyone is telling the American immigration judge about their tragic past because everyone has their own history of suffering!
Who has engraved this suffering on our brows and hearts?
Who makes us unable to return to our country and home?
Who makes us unable to see our wives and children in China and stay together for the rest of our lives?
The answer is obvious: the Chinese Communist Party!
The Communist Party's persecution of me began before I was born: Because of the evil policy of "one-child policy", I was almost aborted by the family planning office. I hid from place to place until I was 8 years old before I returned to my biological parents' home, and before that I was not allowed to go to school.
After entering university, I accidentally obtained the "Freegate" firewall software and read "Nine Commentaries" with my roommates. After that, they never participated in the activities of the Communist Youth League again, and never paid a penny of membership fees. The roommates who were preparing to become members of the Communist Party did not attend party classes. Our dormitory actually reached a 100% withdrawal rate from the league and the party. This is the power of "Nine Commentaries".
Each commentary of the Nine Commentaries exposes the CCP’s historical crimes and contemporary sins, telling everyone that the CCP must be eradicated, because as long as it is not eradicated, China will have no future.
Overseas Chinese compatriots, although we were brainwashed by the evil party day after day in the past, now we must actively “quit the CCP” and mobilize people around us and our relatives and friends in China to “quit the CCP”. Only by “quitting the CCP” can we ensure safety, and only by “quitting the CCP” can the people and governments of free countries realize that:
The CCP is not the choice of us Chinese;
We overseas Chinese are not CCP spies or secret agents, and we are not people who destroy democracy and freedom.
The CCP’s autocratic rule has entered the “garbage time of history”, and the CCP’s leaders are destined to be spurned by future generations like Empress Dowager Cixi!
The Qing Dynasty is over, and the CCP is also over! “Quit the Party, the League, and the Youth League, and Quit the Party to ensure safety.”
News (6)
No mercy! He and Musk join the cabinet together and will trigger a major earthquake in the US government
Ramaswamy and Musk join Trump's cabinet together: We will not be lenient
Editor: Fang Xun / Source: Wall Street Journal, World News Network / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1113/2129264.html / Images : Ramaswamy and Musk Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Samuel Corum/Getty Images
On 12 November 2024, President-elect Trump announced that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would be led by tech mogul Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who once competed in the Republican primary. Musk also responded personally on social media.
Trump said in a statement earlier, "I am very happy to announce that the great Musk will work with American patriot Ramaswamy to lead the Government Efficiency Department. These two outstanding Americans will work together to pave the way for my government to dismantle government bureaucracy, cut unnecessary regulation and wasteful spending, and reorganize federal agencies, which is crucial to the "Save America" movement." In response, Musk also responded on X, "This will cause a strong shock in the system, especially for those involved in government waste, and there are many such people!" Ramaswamy also said, "We will not be soft." Musk then forwarded a netizen's post to explain that "all actions of the Government Efficiency Department will be made public on the Internet to increase transparency. As long as the public thinks that we are cutting important things or not cutting wasteful things, please feel free to tell us! We will have a ranking list of who spends people's tax money the stupidest. It will be tragic, but it will also be fun."
The Wall Street Journal reported on the 12th that Trump said in a statement on Tuesday night that Ramaswamy and Musk will lead what he called the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).
Trump said DOGE will operate outside the federal government and will work with the White House Office of Management and Budget to implement the recommendations made by the department. Musk is not expected to become a formal government employee because holding public office will likely require him to cut ties with his business empire.
Trump set a deadline for Musk and Ramaswamy to complete their work by 4 July 2026, when the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary and the midterm elections are only a few months away.
"A smaller, more efficient, less bureaucratic government will be the perfect gift to the United States on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence," Trump said. "I believe they will succeed!"
However, some senior government employees from both parties said that closing a federal agency is easier said than done. This requires congressional action, and it may be difficult to do even if Republicans continue to control the House of Representatives. The Republicans will hold a majority in the Senate next year.
News (7)
Chinese soldiers have entered the United States through the illegal route and may become the first batch of deportees under Trump
Reporters : Li Yun, Qiu Yue, and Wang Yanqiao / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/11/13/a103929149.html
In recent years, the number of Chinese people coming to the United States through the illegal route has exploded, including a large number of Chinese soldiers. It is reported that after Trump takes over as the U.S. president, the first batch of illegal immigrants to be deported will include Chinese men of military age.
On 8 November 2024, Todd Bensman, a senior national security researcher at the Center for Immigration Studies, said at a seminar of the "Committee on Dealing with the Current Danger of the Chinese Communist Party" that nearly 80,000 Chinese have entered the country in the past year or so, mostly single adults.
Their typical characteristics are well-equipped, rich in resources, holding a lot of cash, and well-trained.
Bensman believes that this is a spy threat. The Chinese Communist Party will definitely transfer military personnel here through the illegal route. The United States needs to deport illegal immigrants entering the United States on a large scale.
Su Ziyun, director of the Strategic and Resource Institute of the Taiwan National Defense and Security Research Institute: "This large-scale illegal immigration of tens of thousands of people is not like a general public security incident, but a potential intelligence security problem. There may be people from the Chinese Communist Party's national security department, that is, intelligence units."
Previously, there were reports that a large number of Chinese Communist soldiers "took the line" to enter the United States. Three Chinese were sentenced for trespassing into US military bases.
Gong Xiangsheng, an associate researcher at the Taiwan National Defense and Security Research Institute: "If they may enter the United States as Chinese Communist soldiers, they may first help China collect intelligence, and then they may collect intelligence on the current situation of the U.S. military or technological development. They may also increase their secret police or infiltrate various organizations in American society to operate and develop."
Trump told the media on 8 November 2024 that after he took office, he would launch the "largest-ever" illegal immigrant deportation operation, including Chinese men who are of military age and live illegally in the United States.
U.S. President-elect Trump: "Last year alone, more than 70,000 illegal immigrants from China crossed our border. You know, many of them are soldiers. There are 70,000 a year. This is almost becoming a military territory."
News (8) to (9) / Reporter : Lin Yan / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/12/n14369885.htm
News (8)
News: Worried about Trump’s pro-Russian strategy to alienate China, Zhongnanhai cannot sleep at night
Image : On 7 July 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked during the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump’s victory has made Beijing even more nervous, not only because the potential threat of tariffs may bring more serious consequences to the weak Chinese Communist economy. As painful as it is, the bigger concern is that the United States is pursuing a pro-Russian strategy to distance itself from CCP China and keep Moscow away from Beijing.
"Wall Street Journal" senior reporter Wei Lingling wrote an article on Tuesday (12 November 2024) that based on previous interviews with people close to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, party leader Xi Jinping is worried that Trump's election as president will destroy his "brotherhood" with Putin. Putin is a strategic partner that Beijing has courted in the confrontation between CCP China and the United States.
In his latest column, Wei Lingling said losing Russia could deal a huge strategic blow to Xi Jinping's security-focused agenda, meaning he loses a powerful partner to challenge Western countries.
During his first term in the White House, Trump repeatedly tried to bring the United States closer to Russia. After Biden took office, the top leaders of the United States and Russia never spoke on the phone as Russia invaded Ukraine and the Kremlin became increasingly dependent on Beijing to help Russia bypass Western sanctions and sustain the war.
Now, Trump is about to return to the White House with an overwhelming election victory, and his Republican Party is expected to win both houses of Congress.
Trump has said he is planning to negotiate with Putin to resolve the Ukraine war.
Trump also said that if he were elected, he would "break up" the CCP China-Russia alliance. At the end of October, while participating in the campaign, he publicly stated that the alliance between CCP China and Russia was "dangerous." He also added that he was confident that he could achieve the goal of "breaking up" the CCP China-Russia alliance.
“These signals alone are enough to keep Xi’s leadership awake at night,” Wei Lingling wrote. “A U.S. push to end the war could pave the way for detente between Washington and Moscow, potentially putting Beijing in a difficult position.”
Former national security adviser Robert O'Brien said in an interview with China Daily in the past, "If the war problem is solved, (the White House) can try to find a way to explain to Russia, and with a country that thinks Russia has tens of millions of territory is not in their best interest to keep countries so close to each other."
In the 1960s, CCP China and the former Soviet Union had territorial disputes, which led to Sino-Soviet military confrontation.
News (9)
Dissatisfied with Russia's economic report, Xi Jinping's instructions are "complete nonsense"
Shortly after Trump took office as U.S. president in early 2017 and before the trade war began, Xi Jinping made the strategic decision to align with Moscow.
"Informed sources told me that a report submitted by Xi Jinping's alma mater, the famous Tsinghua University, concluded that the Russian economy has no future, which means that establishing closer ties with Russia has little benefit to China." Wei Lingling revealed, "Xi Jinping said in the report "It's nonsense," he said in the margin.
Against the backdrop of Trump’s trade war with China, Beijing has drawn closer to Russia. Sanctions against Russia during the Biden-Harris administration have accelerated the close political and economic ties between CCP China and Russia.
Since Biden withdrew from the election and Vice President Kamala Harris took over the campaign, some people in Beijing and the U.S. business and academic circles hope that she can soften U.S. policy toward China and help reshape U.S.-China bilateral relations.
Wei Lingling said that with the Democrats defeated, Beijing may now face its worst nightmare.
News (10)
The wonderful drama has just begun!
Editor : Wang He / Source: X / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1112/2128758.html
Kunlun: What should the CCP do? Marco Rubio becomes US Secretary of State: The shoe has dropped, and Marco Rubio has confirmed that he will serve as U.S. Secretary of State.
A profound moment of adjustment of the international order has arrived. The most important cabinet member in the US government, the fifth in line to the U.S. President, Secretary of State, is held by senior Senator Marco Rubio. This is the most important position in the framework of the new U.S. government, representing the direction and actions of the U.S. government on global affairs.
Marco Rubio is a typical American first concept and a representative congressional hardliner on China.
On 11 May 2021, Rubio spoke in the U.S. Congress. He bluntly stated that the 21st century will be defined by U.S.-China relations, and believed that this was the last chance to ensure the balance of U.S.-China relations. Rubio supports the U.S. Congress to promote a number of China-related bills to compete with China in an all-round way.
On 17 August, Rubio urged US President Biden to ban the development of TikTok, a short video application software under China's ByteDance, in the United States.
As of 11 August 2020, the 11 Americans sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party include five Republican senators, including Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Josh Hawley, and Republican Congressman Smith.
Now the question is, how should CCP China deal with the sanctions against Rubio?
Image : Rubio profile photo
Cai Shenkun: The New York Times said that Rubio will become the U.S. Secretary of State! Rubio is obviously tougher than Pompeo in foreign policy, and he also knows the harm of the communist regime to human society, especially the threat to the United States! If Rubio becomes Secretary of State, how should the Chinese Communist Party cancel the sanctions against him? The wonderful drama has just begun!
News (11)
Breaking news! Rubio will serve as Trump’s Secretary of State
Editor : Zhongkang / Source: China Times News Network / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1112/2128603.html
The New York Times and Reuters quoted people familiar with the matter in the evening of 11 November 2024 as saying that Trump is expected to appoint Latino Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio is seen as a pro-Taiwan congressman who holds a hawkish stance on China and Iran.
Reuters reported that Rubio, 53, is the toughest candidate on Trump's list of candidates for Secretary of State. He has advocated a strong foreign policy against the United States' geopolitical rivals, including China, Iran and Cuba, for many years. The Ukrainian crisis is also a focus of Rubio's attention. He believes that Ukraine should seek a negotiated solution with Russia rather than focus on regaining the territory seized by Russia in the past decade.
Trump appointed Rubio not only because of his ability in international diplomatic affairs, but also for domestic significance. A large part of the reason why Trump was able to defeat Kamala Harris this time is that he won the support of Latino voters. In the past, Latino voters preferred the Democratic Party but in recent years more and more Latinos have turned to support the Republican Party. Therefore, Trump's appointment of Rubio further consolidated the support of the Latino community for him and made it clear that Latinos have a place in the highest levels of his government.
Rubio has a very tough stance on China. In 2019, he asked the Treasury Department to conduct a national security review of TikTok’s acquisition of Musical.ly, which prompted the subsequent investigation and sale order. In addition, as the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he pressured the Biden administration this year to impose a blanket ban on sales to Huawei after the sanctioned Chinese technology company released new laptops with Intel artificial intelligence processor chips.
Most importantly, Rubio is a pro-Taiwan congressman. In June, Trump made a widely discussed statement that Taiwan should pay "protection fees." In July, at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rubio was asked about Trump's comments on Taiwan and told reporters that Taiwan faced an "existential threat" and suggested that Taiwan should increase its defense spending.
Rubio believes that if Trump returns to the White House, he will continue to support Taiwan. Although Rubio cannot represent Trump's position after returning to the White House, he said: "I have no concerns about the United States supporting Taiwan and doing its best to prevent China from invading."
News (12) to (16) / Editor : Fang Xun / Source : RFA / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1113/2129007.html
News (12)
Zhuhai incident: Xi’s rare instruction was criticized. The CCP may use this as an opportunity to purge the entire society
The Zhuhai Air Show kicked off its grand opening ceremony on Tuesday (12 November 2024), showcasing China's independently developed cutting-edge fighter jets and naval equipment but a day before the exhibition, a serious social revenge incident occurred in Zhuhai, causing the largest number of casualties in recent years. Chinese Communist President Xi Jinping rarely gave instructions on the incident, claiming to strengthen source prevention and control. Comments criticized that the economic downturn and social instability under Xi Jinping's rule were the main reasons for "loyalty".
An incident of revenge against society that caused dozens of deaths and injuries at the Zhuhai Sports Center on Monday night (11th) cast a shadow on the Zhuhai Air Show. At around 7 o'clock that night, an off-road vehicle hit the crowd walking and running at night in the venue at high speed. According to the scene captured by eyewitnesses, a large number of casualties fell to the ground, leaving many pools of blood and broken limbs, and the whole scene was shocking.
News (13)
A large number of police rushed to the scene and the official once blocked the Internet news
After the incident, a large number of police, including special police armored vehicles, rushed to the scene. Afterwards, the authorities blocked the spread of online news for a time, and even some grassroots community party organizations intentionally led the incident to the public opinion that "it is not ruled out that foreign forces deliberately caused chaos."
On Monday night, the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau Xiangzhou Branch issued a vague notice, downplaying the incident as "a car hit several pedestrians in the center of Zhuhai Stadium and drove away. The police arrived at the scene and sent the injured to the hospital for emergency treatment." The notice also stated that the 62-year-old driver Fan had been controlled by the police.
As of noon on Tuesday, this station called the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau Xiangzhou Branch to inquire about the specific number of casualties and the situation of the criminal suspect; the other party refused to tell directly and said that the Zhuhai Branch would issue the latest notice.
The police from the Xiangzhou Branch of the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau said: "If you want to know what happened, you can pay attention to our Zhuhai announcement or the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau. The announcement from the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau shall prevail, okay?"
News (14)
The incident caused at least 35 deaths and 43 serious injuries
At about 6 pm on Tuesday, the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau issued another notice, stating that "the off-road vehicle collision incident that occurred on Monday has caused 35 deaths and 43 serious injuries. The perpetrator also used a knife to injure himself at the time of the incident and fell into a coma. He has been sent to the hospital for medical treatment and is still being treated. He is temporarily unable to accept public security interrogation." The notice also stated that "this case was triggered because the suspect was dissatisfied with the result of the property division after the divorce."
News (15)
Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the Zhuhai hit-and-run incident and makes "important instructions"
China's major official media broadcast a press release on the same day, saying that Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the Zhuhai hit-and-run incident and makes "important instructions". Xi Jinping said that "the nature of the incident is extremely bad, requiring all-out efforts to treat the injured, to comfort the injured and their families, and to punish the murderer in accordance with the law."
Xi Jinping also asked all regions and relevant departments to "learn lessons deeply, draw inferences from one instance, strengthen risk source prevention and control, resolve conflicts and disputes in a timely manner, strictly prevent extreme cases, and do their best to protect people's lives and social stability."
News (16)
Comment: Xi Jinping is the root of the problem. Changes need to start with reform
French current affairs commentator and independent film director Wang Longmeng also commented on this. He pointed out that Xi Jinping is the reason for the rampant violence in Chinese Communist society.
Wang Longmeng said, "Xi Jinping issued instructions to control the source of risks, but isn't the source himself?! His perverse actions have led to the decline of private enterprises, the flight of foreign enterprises, the collapse of the entire Chinese economy, and the people's livelihood, so the Xianzhong incidents continue to occur."
Wang Longmeng also believes that the CCP is very likely to use this "Xianzhong incident" to carry out another major purge of the entire society but the result of doing so will stimulate more "Xianzhong" to emerge.
Wang Longmeng said, "After Xi Jinping issued instructions this time, I believe that the CCP authorities will carry out a major purge of the entire society, identify a new batch of social instability factors, and strictly control them. The more severe the CCP's control of society, the more likely it is that "Xianzhong" will disappear."
He said that to change the status quo, it should start with political and economic reforms, restore economic development and people's confidence in the future, and it is possible to change the current situation of rampant violence.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang also issued instructions, saying that "we must do our best to rescue the wounded, properly handle the aftermath, find out the facts of the case as soon as possible and punish the murderer in accordance with the law. We must combine prevention and control, and do a good job in investigating and resolving risks and social contradictions to ensure the stability of the overall social situation."
Xi Jinping's "Zhijiang New Army" member, Huang Kunming, the current Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, also presided over a meeting on Tuesday afternoon to convey "learning Xi Jinping's instructions on the Zhuhai incident" and promised to severely punish the murderer in accordance with the law, carry out risk investigation and rectification in the public security field, and comprehensively strengthen the management and services of key ethnic groups and social security prevention and control.
In addition, the Japanese Embassy in China issued a security alert on Tuesday about the incident, during which it noted that a series of attacks had occurred in China recently, urging Japanese citizens in China to be vigilant, avoid going out alone at night, and pay attention to the surrounding environment during the day, and once again called on not to speak loudly in Japanese. On the anniversary of the September 18th Incident this year, a 10-year-old Chinese-Japanese boy from Shenzhen Japanese School was stabbed to death by a stranger on his way to school. The authorities have not yet explained the details of the case.
News (17) to (19) / Host : Tang Hao / Publisher : Crossroads of the World / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/11/13/a103929168.html
News (17)
Trump predicts the seven sins of the CCP, and the U.S. and Taiwan join forces to fight the CCP
After Trump won a landslide victory in the US election, the world has paid attention to the future direction of US-China-Taiwan relations. The Financial Times of the United Kingdom was the first to disclose that Taiwan has contacted Trump and proposed a military procurement case worth US$15 billion (more than NT$480 billion), which has caused a lot of discussion. How much effect does this military purchase case have on Taiwan's efforts to win Trump's support? What other tricks does Taiwan have to strengthen Trump's determination to protect Taiwan? In addition, why will Trump not "sell out Taiwan" after returning to the White House, but may join hands with Taiwan to end the CCP regime? This episode will discuss with you.
In last week's U.S. election, Trump won a landslide victory and will return to the White House in January next year. Now governments around the world are actively responding to the arrival of the "Trump 2.0" era. In particular, what changes will occur in the trilateral relationship between the United States, China and Taiwan after Trump returns to office? Is the United States still willing to help Taiwan resist the CCP's aggression? Before Trump gave a clear answer, Taiwan made a move first.
The Financial Times of the United Kingdom revealed that Taiwan has been in contact with Trump and is preparing to propose a military procurement case worth US$15 billion, equivalent to more than NT$480 billion, hoping to purchase a batch of advanced weapons, including 60 F-35 fighters, 4 E2-D early warning aircraft, 10 retired U.S. warships and 400 Patriot air defense missiles, etc.
After the news was exposed, the response from the Presidential Office was also very subtle. It neither admitted nor denied it, but only said that "there is no new stage of discussion at present." Translated into vernacular, it is true that this happened, but everything is still in progress and the details are still unclear.
Trump 2.0 era
Well, regardless of whether this arms purchase case will be successful in the end, I think Taiwan has made a very good move. It is an important stepping stone for Taiwan to sail from the "Biden era" to the "Trump 2.0 era." Why?
1. The United States and Taiwan join forces to resist the CCP's security alliance
First, Taiwan clearly responded to Trump's request for Taiwan to pay "protection fees" or "insurance fees", which is equivalent to telling Trump that we attach great importance to what you said, and Taiwan also hopes to continue to fight side by side with the United States to resist the CCP's military expansion in the Western Pacific. Simply put, this is a demand for a "security alliance."
Secondly, as everyone knows, Trump attaches great importance to trade exchanges and fairness between countries and the United States. In the past, the CCP created a huge trade surplus with the United States, which allowed Trump to launch a trade war to counter it until today. What about Taiwan? From January to August this year, the trade surplus with the United States reached 35.6 billion US dollars, a record high. If this continues, will Taiwan become a "focus of concern" after Trump takes office? Definitely.
2. The U.S. economy benefits, Taiwan strengthens national defense, and interests are allied
Therefore, now Taiwan has taken the initiative to launch a $15 billion arms purchase, which is equivalent to a "gift to the throne" for the incoming Trump. Not only can Trump help the United States to get a large order, it can create GDP and employment opportunities, and it can also reduce part of the trade deficit. To put it bluntly, this order can not only bring economic benefits to the United States, but also give Trump face, and at the same time bring Taiwan advanced weapons that it could not buy before, which is mutually beneficial. This is called "interest alliance".
Another important point is that Taiwan's initiative to spend a lot of money and buy advanced weapons is equivalent to expressing to Trump Taiwan's iron will to resolutely resist the CCP to the end, and also shows that Taiwan's national defense work will be strengthened by its own efforts and investment, rather than relying on a large amount of free aid from the United States and Europe like Ukraine.
This is very important, because if you know Trump, you will know that he attaches great importance to two traditional values of American society: brave adventure and self-reliance. So why does Trump hate socialism so much? It is because socialism, through high taxes and high welfare systems, corrodes people's fighting spirit and sense of responsibility for life, and finally they can only live in a muddle-headed way relying on government handouts, and at the same time, they become slaves of the government, and they cannot resist socialism's move towards dictatorship.
Therefore, Taiwan's initiative to propose arms purchases is exactly what Trump wants, telling Trump that Taiwan is also willing to take risks and be self-reliant, and not to wait for the United States to give relief; and Trump used to be known for his "strong character" in the business world, that is, tough, so he particularly appreciates tough people.
3. Bravely take risks, be self-reliant, and form a value alliance
Since Lai Ching-te took office, he has not only not been afraid of pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, but has publicly questioned and challenged the Chinese Communist Party many times, leaving the Chinese Communist Party speechless. Now he has taken the initiative to propose a 15 billion arms purchase to the United States. In Trump's eyes, he will agree that the Taiwanese government does have a consensus with him on many values, which is very tough. This is called a "value alliance."
So I say that Taiwan's arms purchase is a good move, because it conveys the demands of "security alliance", "interest alliance" and "value alliance" to the United States, and it is a proactive response before Trump further pressures. This should give Trump a more positive impression of Taiwan and help the US-Taiwan relationship continue to be friendly.
However, if Taiwan still wants to further establish a good relationship with the Trump administration, I personally have a few additional suggestions:
First, invite Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump to visit Taiwan, let Ivanka inspect the real situation of the Taiwanese government, enterprises and the people, and let her see that Taiwanese society not only has American-style constitutional democracy and capitalism, but also preserves many traditional values and traditional culture, which is very close to the values Trump wants. So that Ivanka can provide more first-hand information and observations to Trump.
Second, in the past few years, the vast majority of Taiwanese media have been misled by the left-wing media in the United States, and have adopted more negative and biased reports and wording on Trump. These reports actually affect Trump's staff's judgment of Taiwan, and even doubt whether Taiwan is linked to the American left. In particular, a certain media group's newspapers in the United States almost scolded Trump every day before the election. These negative reports from Taiwanese media, the Taiwanese government may need to make some clarifications with the Trump camp to dispel misunderstandings.
Third, do not forget the famous saying of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: "If there is trouble in Taiwan and Japan, it is also equivalent to trouble in the US-Japan alliance." Abe had a very close relationship with Trump during his lifetime. Not only did he meet with Trump many times and play golf with him, he also gave Trump many suggestions on international relations strategy. For example, the well-known US-Japan-India-Australia "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" (Quad) was proposed by Abe and established after Trump agreed.
Abe attached great importance to Taiwan's security during his lifetime, because as long as Taiwan is occupied by the CCP, Japan will become the next victim, and the entire Pacific Ocean and the United States will also enter the CCP's threat circle. Therefore, Taiwan may kindly remind Trump that Abe's original proposal was that Taiwan was also willing to work with the United States and Japan at the forefront of the first island chain to resist the CCP's expansion and protect the national security of the United States, Japan and Taiwan.
Well, when it comes to how the relationship between the United States, China and Taiwan will evolve after Trump takes office, the CCP officials and some Taiwanese media people claim that Trump is a profit-seeking businessman who can trade anything. As long as a deal is reached with Beijing, Trump will sell Taiwan.
For this point of view, I can only say that this is a misunderstanding or half-understanding of Trump. Although Trump is a businessman, and a businessman who is good at negotiating and trading, what he values most is the interests of the United States. If Taiwan is occupied by the CCP, not only Japan will have problems, but the United States will also have problems. In this way, can the interests and security of the United States still be guaranteed?
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Trump will definitely try to keep Taiwan
I think Trump will definitely try to keep Taiwan. As for the reasons, we have talked about it several times in the past. You can find past programs to watch, and I will not repeat it here. Moreover, I think that Trump's return to the White House this time will not only put "America first" and "save Taiwan", but also very likely launch a "revenge" against the CCP and defeat the CCP. Why? Several reasons:
1. The CCP concealed the epidemic and dragged down Trump's re-election failure
First, Trump's economic performance in his first term was very good, but it collapsed in the last year. Why? Because the COVID-19 epidemic spread to the United States. So where is the source of the COVID-19 epidemic? China. Who covered up the truth about the epidemic? The CCP.
So one of the main reasons for Trump's failure to be re-elected is that he was held back by the CCP's concealment of the epidemic. This lesson will inevitably make Trump launch tougher pressure and sanctions on the CCP.
2. Trump firmly opposes communism and socialism
Secondly, Trump has always been firmly opposed to communism and socialism since he was young. Whether from his early works "Time to Get Tough" and "Great Again" to his later speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, he has consistently criticized socialism for bringing disasters to mankind.
US President Trump (September 19, 2017): "From the Soviet Union to Cuba and Venezuela, whether they adopted socialism or communism, the result was pain, collapse and defeat. Those who promote these creeds that insult human dignity only increase the suffering of those who live under this cruel system."
Does Trump's words sound like he is talking about the leaders in Beijing?
3. Xi Jinping's repeated deceptions have disappointed Trump
Next, who disappointed Trump the most during his first term? Xi Jinping. Trump received Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago in 2017 and had a secret conversation for more than four hours. Then Trump kept praising Xi Jinping and praising him. But he also severely criticized communism and socialism. Isn't this very contradictory? After all, Xi is the leader of the Communist Party.
Yes, it is indeed contradictory, but a reasonable speculation is that Xi Jinping may have said something to Trump. At that time, Trump may have found that Xi wanted to change the CCP system, so he wanted to give him a push, so he praised him and said that he had a good relationship with him, while at the same time severely bombarding communism. He used this soft and hard strategy to promote China's "peaceful evolution" and disintegrate the CCP from within. Trump later used this strategy on Kim Jong-un, but Kim Jong-un also lacked the courage to make the final move.
Later, Xi disappointed Trump very much. Before leaving office, Trump once said that he used to be very close to Xi, but not so close now, because he was deceived by Xi in many things. So this time Trump will come back and will definitely use more and tougher strategies to contain the CCP.
4. The CCP escalates its security threats to the United States
In addition, in the past four years when Trump was absent, the national security threats posed by the CCP to the United States have been escalating, making Trump very vigilant.
For example, the CCP has taken many Americans hostage in the name of counter-espionage, trying to pressure the United States to negotiate; the CCP has also secretly operated an "overseas police station" in New York to infiltrate and subvert the United States; the CCP has also continuously sent many spies to military bases across the United States to spy on confidential intelligence. Of course, everyone remembers that the CCP's spy balloons also flew over the United States and directly invaded the United States. Think about it, if you were Trump, what would you do?
5. The CCP challenges the status of the United States and subverts the international order
Finally, the CCP is challenging the United States and wants to subvert the current international order and rewrite it into a "community of shared future for mankind" with the CCP as the core, which is also unacceptable to Trump.
Although Trump emphasizes "America first" and does not care much about other countries, what the CCP wants is to dominate the world. What they need to challenge and impact most directly is the national interests and security of the United States. To put it bluntly, the CCP's "community of shared future for mankind" is actually "knock down the United States and let the CCP dominate"; and Trump wants "America first" or "America great again", and it must be "America dominates" to achieve it. After all, if you have an opponent who can defeat you at any time, can you still call yourself "great"?
Therefore, after Trump returns to office, the United States and China will inevitably engage in more intense confrontation and competition because the United States is a stumbling block to the CCP's global hegemony, and the CCP is a stumbling block to the United States' greatness again. At the 2019 United Nations General Assembly, Trump also publicly named the CCP's seven major mistakes that harmed American interests.
US President Trump (2019.9.24): "Huge market barriers, large amounts of state subsidies, currency manipulation, product dumping, forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and large-scale commercial theft."
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Trump will not abandon Taiwan but will increase his efforts to fight against the CCP
Therefore, I think that after Trump returns to office, he will not only not abandon Taiwan, but will increase his efforts to fight against the CCP. It is very likely that he will put extreme pressure on the CCP through expanded economic and technological sanctions or blockades, causing the CCP to waver and cause chaos, and finally disintegrate the CCP from within. After all, the Chinese Communist Party is already the biggest cancer in the world today, and the fundamental source of chaos behind Russia, Iran and North Korea. Only by disintegrating the CCP can all threats to the United States be disintegrated, and the United States and the world can be safe again.
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Xi Jinping failed to issue important instructions twice and turned his attention to Musk
Reporter : Tang Ning / Editor : Zhongkang / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1112/2128675.html
After Trump's victory, the Biden-Harris administration has stated that it will smoothly transfer power and there will be no social unrest in the United States. Professor Yuan Hongbing, a famous legal scholar living in Australia who often discloses the inside story of the CCP's top leaders, revealed to "China Watch" that the CCP has actually made great efforts to use this U.S. election to mess up American society and cause another split in American politics. "Before this, Xi Jinping had at least twice issued instructions to the CCP's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Front Work Department, asking them to pay full attention to the U.S. election and use the results of this U.S. election to once again cause social and political divisions in the United States, ideological divisions, and ethnic divisions.
However, it is obvious that all of Xi Jinping's united front conspiracies now seem to have completely failed. The reason for the failure is that Xi Jinping did not realize the strong vitality of democratic politics, and he did not foresee that democratic politics has a strong ability to correct errors.
However, Yuan Hongbing also quoted the judgment of people of conscience within the CCP and further disclosed: "Xi Jinping will definitely adopt a major united front strategy. The content of this united front strategy is to increase the united front buy-out of Musk. Xi Jinping and the CCP's United Front system will take advantage of the opportunity when Musk, Trump's big moneybag, enters Trump's cabinet and use Musk as a Trojan horse hidden in the U.S. government. Previously, Musk had made clear statements that extremely belittled the international political status of free Taiwan in order to obtain the protection of the CCP's tyranny for its economic interests in China.
Then the CCP believes that Musk's remarks are enough to prove that Musk has a dirty businessman's heart. So, they foresee that Musk will definitely use Trump's trust and favour in him to have a negative impact on the strategic alliance relationship between the United States and Taiwan that actually exists.
News (21) to (45) / Host : Qin Peng / Reporters : Xia Yu, Lin Yan, Zhang Ting, Cheng Jing, Li Yan / Publisher : Qin Peng Observations / Editors : Li Hao, Li Huanyu, Lin Yan, Li Yuanting / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14369980.htm, https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370660.htm, https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370648.htm, https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370666.htm, https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370646.htm, https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370645.htm / Video : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjix7du7PHahnSJm8dctzDA / Updated on 14 November 2024
News (21)
Establishing the most hawkish cabinet, Trump targets the CCP
Image : Trump’s new policy targets the CCP: Appointing a large wave of hawkish cabinet members will restart investigations into four major cases. Half of the nine top priorities are related to the CCP; however, will Musk and his son be the new weak spots? (Provided by "Qin Peng Observation")
Today’s focus: Trump’s new policy targets the CCP: a large wave of hawkish cabinet members will be appointed and investigations into four major cases will be restarted. Half of the top nine priorities are related to the CCP.
However, some people are worried that Musk and his son may become Trump's new weakness. Is this true?
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A large wave of hawkish cabinet ministers have been announced, leaving Zhongnanhai unable to sleep
Trump, who is about to become president for the second time, has more than 60 days to go until he officially starts working in the White House. He has already begun to intensively release policy directions and appoint cabinets and other important officials. And some of the latest appointments have made the outside world sigh again and again: Hawk. Zhongnanhai will not be able to sleep now.
First of all, the new U.S. National Security Advisor, which is now Sullivan’s role, will be filled by Congressman Mike Walz. Walz served in the U.S. Army Special Forces Green Hats and also served in the White House and Pentagon. He served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years and was deployed in combat multiple times, for which he received four Bronze Star Medals, including two Medals for Valor.
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Trump: Mike Walz a huge champion for American pursuit of peace through strength
Trump praised in his appointment statement: "Mike has been a strong advocate of my America First foreign policy agenda and will be a huge champion for our pursuit of peace through strength!"
The U.S. National Security Advisor is an advisory position that does not require Senate approval. He is responsible for coordinating all high-level U.S. national security agencies and must report national security status to the President at all times. This is a very influential position. When Mike Walz takes office, he will be at the forefront of a series of national security crises - from continuing efforts to provide arms to Ukraine and pushing for ceasefire negotiations to dealing with the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to Iranian proxies Continuing attacks in the Middle East and pushing for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Walz has served as chairman of the House Military Readiness Subcommittee, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Standing Select Committee on Intelligence, and a member of the House China Task Force. He is considered one of the most hawkish members of the U.S. Congress towards the CCP. He claimed in 2021 that "we are in a cold war with the Chinese Communist Party."
While in the House of Representatives, he worked with Republican lawmakers on many occasions to formulate policies toward China, including proposing legislation to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese minerals and proposing to defend Taiwan. In 2022, he is also the first member of Congress to advocate a comprehensive boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States. He also condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s genocide against the Uyghurs.
In May of this year, Walz said that the United States must take more measures to prevent the CCP from expanding its influence in the Caribbean and Latin America. "The Chinese Communist Party's growing influence in our Western Hemisphere is a wake-up call," he said.
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Trump nominates Rubio as the next Secretary of State
The second important hawkish official is now confirmed to be Senator Rubio as Secretary of State. Trump officially picks him to be the U.S. next Secretary of State on 13 November 2024 Singapore time.
Image : On 13 November 2024 (Wednesday), U.S. President-elect Trump (Trump, left) announced his nomination of Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (right) as Secretary of State. (Photo by Saul Loeb and Angela Weiss/AFP)
Rubio is a conservative congressman and a hawk on the CCP, Iran, and Cuba.
"I am honored to announce the nomination of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a respected leader and a powerful voice for freedom, to serve as Secretary of State," Trump said in a statement.
"He will be a staunch advocate for our country, a true friend to our allies, and a fearless warrior who will never back down from his adversaries," the statement said.
Trump said, "I look forward to working with Marco to make America and the world safe and great again!"
Trump made the announcement while flying back to Florida from Washington, DC, after meeting with President Joe Biden.
Rubio is on China’s sanctions list.
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Rubio: A huge responsibility to achieve peace through strength
Rubio responded in a previous post shortly after Trump announced the appointment, saying it was a "huge responsibility." He said, "I am honored to have President Trump's trust in me."
"As secretary of state, I will work every day to implement his (Trump's) foreign policy agenda," he said.
"Under President Trump's leadership, we will achieve peace through strength and always put Americans and American interests first," Rubio added in the post.
Democratic Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, quickly issued a statement praising Rubio.
"I have worked with Marco Rubio on the Intelligence Committee for more than a decade, especially over the past few years when (Rubio) was vice chairman, and we have a close relationship. While we don't always see eye to eye, he is smart, resourceful and talented. He will provide a strong voice for American interests around the world," Warner said in a statement.
The 53-year-old Rubio has extensive foreign policy experience. He has transformed from Trump's opponent to a close ally and was one of the final candidates for Trump's vice presidential running mate. If confirmed by the Senate, Rubio would become the nation's top diplomat, the first Cuban-American and the first Latino to serve as Secretary of State.
According to reports, Trump considered Rubio, Senator Bill Hagerty, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell and former national security adviser Robert O'Brien as Secretary of State candidates.
After Trump won the U.S. election last week, Rubio said on 6 November 2024 that the United States would pursue a more "pragmatic foreign policy." He pointed to the growing alliance between North Korea, Iran, the Chinese Communist Party and Russia.
While serving as a senator on Capitol Hill, Rubio was vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has been pushing for a tougher stance against the CCP, proposing multiple anti-CCP bills, making confronting the CCP his top priority, pointing out that Beijing attempts to overturn the U.S.-led international rules and order through intellectual property theft and economic coercion.
"China (the Chinese Communist Party) has huge potential influence on the United States and the West. They now have the ability to disrupt our economy because we are so dependent on them for both basic raw materials and the production of finished goods, and this dependence is growing." Rubio said in an interview with EpochTV's "American Thought Leaders" program in 2022.
Rubio once heard an aircraft manufacturer complain that it was losing Chinese customers to a European supplier because of U.S. tariffs. Because of this profit-oriented mentality that exists across all industries, Beijing’s economic influence over the United States is enormous.
However more important than the interests of one company or one industry is the overall picture of the country, he said, noting: "We have all kinds of industries" that benefit from slaves and forced labor in Chinese production chains, "because it's cheaper".
"Our job is to act in the best interests of the United States," he added.
On that front, he worked with the House Select Committee on China to introduce a bicameral bill that would ban U.S. tax laws from rewarding investment in China and urge other federal departments to take action on national security concerns about Chinese Communist companies.
Rubio also criticized the social media app TikTok, saying Beijing could demand access to TikTok's U.S. user data at any time. He also asked the Pentagon to blacklist CATL.
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Concerns about the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of human rights,
Rubio proposes "Falun Gong Protection Bill"
Rubio proposed a bill on 31 July 2024, aiming to prevent the atrocity of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners supported by the Chinese Communist authorities.
The "Falun Gong Protection Act" would require the United States to avoid cooperation with China in the field of organ transplantation and force Beijing to end "any state-sponsored organ harvesting activities."
According to the bill, the President of the United States is required to provide relevant congressional committees with a list of foreigners deemed to have "knowingly and directly participated in or assisted involuntary organ harvesting within the territory of the People's Republic of China."
Those on the list face sanctions that prohibit them from entering or engaging in transactions with the United States. Any visas they currently hold will become invalid. The bill imposes civil penalties of up to $250,000, as well as criminal penalties of $1 million and 20 years in prison for violators.
The Falun Gong Protection Act has been passed by the House of Representatives.
On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the June 4th Tiananmen massacre in 2021, Rubio sponsored Resolution 260 to condemn the Chinese Communist government’s continued deprivation of people’s basic rights and freedoms.
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Rubio holds a very tough stance on the CCP, Iran and Cuba
Rubio's parents are refugees who fled to the United States from Cuba. He was born in the United States and holds a very tough stance on the CCP, Iran and Cuba. He has served as co-chairman of the US Congressional and Executive Committee CECC for many times and is the toughest senator against the Chinese Communist Party. He initiated and participated in promoting the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, sanctioned Hong Kong and CCP officials, criticized the CCP’s suppression of human rights in Tibet and Xinjiang, etc. Therefore, he was sanctioned twice by the CCP.
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Noem bans mask-wearing at the height of the covid epidemic and says the CCP is "our enemy"
The third China hawk who may take office is South Dakota Governor Kristi L. Noem. According to people familiar with the matter, Trump has selected Noem to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2020, Noem became famous in the United States because she banned the mandatory wearing of masks across the state during the epidemic, but achieved victory in preventing the epidemic and restoring social operations. In 2022, she won an overwhelming victory and was re-elected as governor.
She advocates banning Chinese people from purchasing American land and once publicly said, "The Chinese Communist Party is not our friend, but our enemy."
If confirmed, Noem will lead the Department of Homeland Security's 260,000 employees, a massive agency with broad responsibilities including maintaining border security, combating terrorist threats and cybersecurity. The CCP is undoubtedly the target of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s focus on preventing and combating.
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Homan claims 57,000 Chinese Communist soldiers have entered the U.S. illegally
Another hawk on the CCP, Trump also officially appointed "Border Czar" Tom Homan to be responsible for combating illegal immigration. Homan once said publicly that without the cooperation of the CCP, there would not be so many Chinese wire runners! He also said that the CCP put 57,000 Chinese soldiers of military age into the United States. Let's take a look at this paragraph.
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Stefanik renews calls to defund the UNRWA, criticizes the WHO as "the mouthpiece of China"
On 11 November 2024, Trump also announced that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik would be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. This woman is also a classic hawk. During Trump's last term, Haley served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the United States withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is controlled by the CCP, Russia and others. Stefanik has previously criticized "the Human Rights Council, which is composed of some of the world's worst human rights violators." Recently, she renewed her calls to defund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the East, saying the agency promotes anti-Semitism and supports Hamas.
Stefanik also criticized the World Health Organization as "the mouthpiece of China." In an April 2020 press release, she wrote, "The Chinese Communist Party deliberately withheld important information about the threat of COVID-19 and resulted in thousands of deaths as a result of its attempts to cover up the virus."
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Lighthizer focuses more on reshoring manufacturing and protecting American workers
In addition, former U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer is also believed to be recalled by Trump and will continue to serve as trade representative or secretary of the Treasury.
During Trump's first term, Lighthizer was the manipulator of the U.S.-China trade war and an important figure in Trump's renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada. He participated in pushing the United States to shift its trade policy from purely pursuing commercial interests to focusing more on reshoring manufacturing and protecting American workers.
News (32)
Trump nominates Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general
Image : On 30 November 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Rep. Matt Gaetz (Republican of Florida, center) spoke at a press conference on UFO transparency. (From left) Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Missouri), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.). (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
U.S. President-elect Trump nominated Representative Matt Gaetz to serve as Attorney General.
Trump said in a statement on Wednesday (13 November 2024): "I am extremely honored to announce that Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been nominated to be the Attorney General of the United States."
"Getz is a talented and tenacious attorney, a graduate of William & Mary Law School. He has distinguished himself in Congress with his focus on pushing for desperately needed reforms at the Department of Justice."
"Getz will end the weaponization of government, secure our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore Americans' deeply broken trust and confidence in the Department of Justice," Trump said.
"We at the Department of Justice must be honest, honest and transparent," the statement said. "Under Gates' leadership, all Americans will once again be proud of the Department of Justice."
"There is nothing more important in America than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system," Trump said.
If confirmed, Gaetz will lead the Justice Department after Trump is sworn in for a second term in January.
Early contenders for the job include current U.S. senators, former Justice Department personnel and at least one senior White House adviser from Trump's first term.
Gaetz, 42, has long been one of Trump's most loyal allies in Congress, but few expected him to win the nomination.
Trump first announced his nominee in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday.
Later, Gaetz responded on social media X: "It will be my honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General!"
Trump's statement also mentioned Gaetz's service on the House Judiciary Committee. He said Gates "played a critical role" in "defeating Russia, the Russia hoax" and exposing what Trump called "shocking systemic government corruption and weaponization."
"He is a defender of the Constitution and the rule of law," Trump said.
Matt Whitaker, Trump's former acting attorney general, told Fox News last week, "He's going to want someone that he knows, likes and trusts. He's going to want that person. He's been with him since the beginning."
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Trump appoints Gabbard as director of national intelligence
Image : The picture shows that on November 4, 2024, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard was at the rally waving to attendees while speaking. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)On Wednesday (13 November 2024), U.S. President-elect Trump announced more personnel appointments after visiting the White House . He issued a statement saying that former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard will serve as the director of national intelligence in the new government.
"For more than two decades, Tulsi has been fighting for our country and the freedom of all Americans. As a former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, she has broad support on both sides of the aisle — and she is now a a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearlessness of her distinguished career to our intelligence community to defend our constitutional rights and achieve peace with strength. We're so proud!" Trump said in a statement.
Gabbard played a major role in Trump's campaign. Gabbard quit the Democratic Party in 2022. She was one of Kamala Harris's many competitors in the 2020 presidential election. The two have had several high-profile confrontations during Democratic primary debates, where Gabbard proved to be a formidable rival to Kamala.
Gabbard was once considered one of Trump's potential running mates. In October of this year, she gave a speech at Trump’s campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, and announced her joining the Republican Party.
Gabbard explained at the time that she made the decision because the Republican Party welcomes "independent-thinkers" like her who uphold the U.S. Constitution and freedoms.
In February of this year, Gabbard gave a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), praising Trump as "a fighter."
"His (Trump's) strength and resilience can only come from one place...his genuine love and concern for the future of our country," she said.
In August of this year, Gabbard officially supported Trump's presidential campaign.
Gabbard is a National Guard veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East. She noted that Trump "promised to end wars, not start them."
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What did the “shocking” U.S. defense secretary-elect say?
Image : The picture shows Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth arriving at Trump Tower on 15 December 2016, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a media person to serve as the US Secretary of Defense. This move shocked the Pentagon and many American media, expressing surprise at this "non-traditional option."
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Trump nominates his "Shocking" U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Pentagon officials question his qualifications
Trump on Tuesday nominated "Fox News" television host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. "Pete has been a soldier for our military and our country his entire life. Pete is strong, smart, and believes in America first," Trump said in a statement.
"With Pete at the helm, America's enemies will know - our military will be great again and America will never back down."
Voice of America said the news left many in Washington confused and incredibly worried because Trump abandoned some senior national security heavyweights and chose to speak in conservative circles on "Fox & Friends Weekend". ” an Army National Guard captain best known as the show’s co-host.
Hegseth, 44, is a Minnesota native, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard University, and an Army National Guard veteran who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Hegseth has been writing for Fox News since 2014 and developed a friendship with Trump, who frequently appears on his show.
Reuters said Trump's choice shocked the Pentagon, and officials privately questioned Hegseth's qualifications. A senior U.S. military officer who requested anonymity said this raised concerns: Does he have the practical experience to run a large department with a huge budget?
Washington state Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said that while Hegseth's combat experience is an advantage, running the Pentagon requires many other skills and his nomination will take some time to consider.
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Hegseth was "extremely capable"
However, some Republican lawmakers reacted lukewarmly to the news of the nomination. Others either called Hegseth's combat experience an asset or said he was "extremely capable."
Many of Hegseth's views are similar to Trump's. For example, he said, the CCP is building an army "specifically designed to defeat the United States." He said in a podcast last week: "They (the Chinese Communist Party) have a comprehensive, long-term view, not only to dominate the region, but to dominate the world... but we can't hold our heads high."
Hegseth has also been critical of the United States' European allies. He said in the book he wrote, "Maybe NATO countries will really pay the price for their own defense. They are just clamoring to abide by the rules while reducing their troops and asking the United States for help. ."
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Calling for Pentagon reform, Hegseth once said to fire "woke" generals
Hegseth's selection could bring significant changes to the U.S. military. "The next president of the United States needs to overhaul the Pentagon's senior leadership so that we are ready to defend our country and defeat our enemies," he said in his book "The War on the Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the People Who Set Us Free." Should be fired."
In June, Trump encouraged supporters at a rally in Las Vegas to buy Hegseth's book, promising that if he won, "that 'woke' thing will be gone within 24 hours." . I can tell you.”
The so-called woke culture (Woke) is the name that Americans have used for the left-wing political movement of people of color, the gay community, and female identity since the 2010s.
Hegseth made it clear in programs and interviews that he, like Trump, strongly opposes the "awakening plan to promote equity and inclusion." He also questioned the role of women in combat and advocated for amnesty for service members accused of war crimes.
During the campaign, Trump promised to ban transgender people from serving in the military and to dismantle "diversity" and "inclusion" policies in the government.
Hegseth said in an interview on the podcast "The Shawn Ryan Show" that allowing women to serve in combat would hurt the military's combat effectiveness. "Mixed service will make the situation more complicated and the fighting more complex, which means more casualties."
While Hegseth also said the military's diversity is a strength, he said it's because minorities and white men "can perform similarly," but the same cannot be said for women.
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Trump is said to set up a committee to fire incompetent generals
Bloomberg said that the Pentagon has always prided itself on being "apolitical" (politically neutral), but the second Trump administration may try to "completely reform" the Pentagon.
The Trump transition team is considering a draft executive order that would create a Warrior Council of retired senior military officers, giving it the power to review three- and four-star officers and recommend removal of anyone deemed unfit for leadership roles.
A draft order seen by The Wall Street Journal shows that if Trump approves it, it could quickly remove generals and admirals found to lack necessary leadership qualities. Trump previewed the move at a campaign event in October.
The draft executive order says its purpose is to establish a review system focused on leadership, strategic preparedness and commitment to military excellence, but does not specify what officers would need to do or show to demonstrate whether they meet those standards.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, declined to comment on the draft executive order, but said that the American people overwhelmingly re-elected President Trump, giving him the mandate to fulfill his campaign promises, and he will fulfill his promises.
According to people familiar with the policy discussions, the creation of the committee is consistent with Trump's call to remove generals he believes have failed, including those involved in the chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2021. Trump has said he will ask all generals involved in the withdrawal to resign by noon on Inauguration Day.
The U.S. Department of Defense has a budget of more than $800 billion and has approximately 1.3 million active-duty military personnel, plus an additional 1.4 million National Guard, Reserve and civilian employees stationed around the world.
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Reopening four major cases will trace the origin of the covid virus and reveal the truth
Trump’s new term is expected to restart four major cases, including: 1. Tracing the origin of the covid virus; 2. Investigating the truth about the 2020 election and the events on January 6; 3. Thoroughly investigating the truth about the failed troop withdrawal in Afghanistan; 4. There may also be an investigation into the truth behind the mandatory use of covid vaccines. This is also one of Kennedy's dreams of joining the Trump team.
Currently, Trump supporters, including Musk, are calling on Trump to sue Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief epidemic adviser under Trump and Biden, after he is re-elected. They accuse Fauci of trying to withhold information about the origins of the covid virus (CCP virus) and that he led funding for virus-enhancing research that triggered an epidemic that killed millions. The eye of the storm is CCP China's Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Trump has recently announced that he will withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization. In his speech, he also accused the CCP of its crimes during the pandemic:
“The World Health Organization has become a corrupt globalist scam. Paid for by the United States but owned and controlled by China. The World Health Organization shamelessly covered up China when the China (CCP) virus reached our shores three years ago. Every step of the Communist Party’s footsteps.”
"So, I have the great honor of terminating the United States' relationship with the World Health Organization. The United States used to pay the WHO $500 million a year. I quit the WHO for 330 million people, even though China only paid the WHO $40 million, But they have 1.4 billion people, and we have 340 million people, and they have 1.4 billion people, but we pay 10 times more than they do.”
Once the virus traceability establishes strong criminal evidence of the CCP, it is expected to trigger a greater conflict between CCP China and the United States. The media will continue to track the specifics.
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Half of the nine priorities involve the CCP
Judging from various information, Trump will focus on these nine policy directions in his second term:
First, reorganize international relations. The basic goal is to achieve peace in the Middle East and Europe, redirect the United States' main military resources to the Indo-Pacific region, and target the CCP.
Second, solve the problem of illegal immigration and expel illegal immigrants on a large scale, including a group from China. As I mentioned above, the United States suspects that the CCP is involved in manipulating a group of illegal immigrants to invade.
Third, expand energy extraction and reduce regulations to reduce inflation.
Fourth, trade and tariffs. The CCP is also the first to bear the burden. During the election campaign, Trump demanded a minimum tariff of 10% to 20% on all imported goods, and as high as 60% on goods imported from China. It is generally believed that in order to reduce losses, Europe may join forces with the United States to fight against the CCP.
Fifth, tax cuts. Trump has promised to extend the tax cuts passed during his first term, which are set to expire at the end of next year, and further reduce corporate income taxes.
Sixth, currency and exchange rates, will use Bitcoin as the U.S. reserve currency and maintain a strong dollar. In the process, the CCP may be accused of currency manipulation, leading to a financial war between the United States and China.
Seventh, climate. It is expected to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement again. Trump believes that the two major emitters are China and India, and they cannot be allowed to take advantage of the United States and take away hundreds of billions of dollars.
Eighth, health care reform, the core goal is Obamacare, which is expected to be significantly reformed rather than cancelled.
Ninth, relax regulation. This is related to Musk's Federal Efficiency Commission, which will significantly slim down government agencies and significantly reduce government spending. It will improve the efficiency of the U.S. government and businesses, and greatly promote the innovation of American companies. Among them, Musk’s SpaceX plan to land on Mars and Tesla’s self-driving cars, industry-disruptive innovations, will benefit greatly.
As you can see, more than half of these nine priorities are related to the CCP. Therefore, during Trump’s second term, the conflict between the United States and its allies and the CCP will inevitably intensify, and the world’s economy, technology, finance, geopolitics, etc., will be reorganized on a large scale. These all deserve our continuous and high attention.
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It is suspected CCP will use Musk's economic relationship with China to interfere with the U.S.' attack on the CCP
However, since Trump won the election, there have been voices suspecting that the CCP will use Musk's economic relationship with China to interfere with the United States' attack on the CCP.
This concern is particularly serious in Chinese circles, especially after Musk’s mother recently visited Shanghai and received a high-profile reception from the CCP.
Scott Kennedy, senior advisor and director of the China Business and Economic Director Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington think tank, also said: "In the past few months, the Chinese people have been generally curious about whether Musk will become the new Kissinger, who would help broker deals between Washington and Beijing.”
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Confronting the CCP is a national policy of America
However, I think there is no need to worry too much, because the most important thing now is: Times have changed. 80% of the people in the United States now have a bad opinion of the CCP. Only by opposing the CCP can the two parties in the U.S. Congress reach a consensus. After Trump’s first term and the presidential election, In the eight years since taking office, the United States has turned confronting the CCP into a national policy. Now, the new Trump administration has also included a large number of hawks. No one person can reverse this change alone.
Moreover, from Musk's personal perspective, during his participation in the U.S. election, we have also seen that he has his own values and is a patriot. Moreover, his major corporate interests are mainly outside China. It is impossible for him to risk being held accountable and really help the CCP tide over the danger.
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Musk is not a modern-day Kissinger
Dewardric McNeal, an American financial consultant and senior policy analyst, also said, "While China does occasionally use influential Americans as unofficial channels, it is a stretch to regard Musk as a modern-day Kissinger."
He said that for these unofficial intermediaries, the main obligation is to shareholders, not to national interests. If diplomacy fails, active participation in politics could create conflicts of interest and be subject to intense scrutiny.
McNeil gave the example that during Trump’s first term, the CCP had tried to establish secret channels with well-known American businessmen, including entrepreneur and real estate developer Steve Wynn, in the hope of influencing policy, but It had little effect and led to a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to register Wynn as a foreign agent.
McNeil believes that Musk may open some doors but not any doors of pragmatic diplomacy. "Pinning diplomatic hopes on someone whose main loyalty is to his own business may be a miscalculation."
News (44) to (45) / Reporter : Li Yan / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370645.htm / Image : On 13 November 2024, Washington, DC, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at the House Republican meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Elon Musk listens. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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How will Musk lead the Department of Government Efficiency after being appointed by Trump?
As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, he appointed Elon Musk to form a team aiming to improve the efficiency of government operations. While Trump has said little about how it will work, Musk has previously set a goal of cutting $2 trillion in spending.
As the world's richest man, Musk will co-lead the Department of Government Effectiveness (D.O.G.E.) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. According to Reuters, you can understand how Musk will operate this newly established group from the following aspects:
What Musk and Trump think of the panel
Trump said in a statement on Tuesday that the panel would "provide advice and guidance from outside the government" to streamline government, cut regulations, reduce spending and reorganize federal agencies.
Trump wants to give control of schools to states and crack down on the "deep state."
Trump and Musk said the group was able to slash spending. But generally, large budget actions fall within the purview of Congress. They can listen to the advice of external groups like efficiency departments, or they can ignore it.
Musk said that in order to maintain transparency, the group will make its "actions" public to solicit opinions.
"If the public thinks we are cutting something important, or not cutting something wasteful, please feel free to tell us!" he said on X.
He also mentioned a list of "silly" expenses, which he noted were "very interesting."
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Musk wants to cut spending
At a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in October, Musk said the federal budget could be reduced by "at least" $2 trillion. According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, total federal spending in fiscal year 2024 is $6.75 trillion, of which discretionary spending (including defense spending) is expected to be $1.9 trillion.
Musk, whose companies include electric car maker Tesla and commercial space company SpaceX, has deep knowledge of NASA and the Pentagon, with which he has contracts for rockets, satellites and other space businesses. Extensive contracts.
He also has dealt with the Department of Transportation’s regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has a say in SpaceX’s rocket launches, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is investigating Tesla Autonomous driving capabilities of electric vehicles.
Ramaswamy founded the pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences, which has worked with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2023, he posted on the social media website X criticizing the FDA's problematic regulations and actions.
Efficiency group precedent
Former President Ronald Reagan announced in February 1982 that he would form a group of private sector experts to recommend ways to eliminate inefficiencies and waste. In June of the same year, he issued an executive order establishing the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, which was chaired by former CEO of W.R. Grace and Co. ‧J. Peter Grace, hence the name "Grace Commission".
Grace raises funds through a foundation to support the work. About 150 business leaders volunteer to serve on an executive committee that oversees 36 Grace Commission working groups that review various agencies or functions.
The committee issued a report in January 1984 with some 2,500 recommendations, and various working groups also issued their own reports.
"Most of these recommendations, particularly those that required congressional legislation, were never implemented," the Reagan Library said.
In March 2017, Trump signed an executive order aimed at improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of federal agencies and "eliminating or restructuring unnecessary federal agencies." The order requires each federal agency to submit a reorganization plan. He also signed a separate executive order calling for the creation of "regulatory reform" task forces and officials within federal agencies.
Trump also tried, but failed, to close at least 19 agencies during his first term. He called for the elimination of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which promote private investment in foreign development projects, and sought to cut funding for Amtrak and rural air service. subsidies and funding from Special Olympics International.
Musk’s cost-cutting experience
After Musk acquired social media app Twitter (now known as X), hundreds more employees subsequently resigned.
Musk's success in space has been even more significant. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has dramatically reduced launch costs through reusability, created a new satellite market and enabled the company's fast-growing Starlink satellite network, which has upended the satellite communications industry, helped shape modern military strategy and made SpaceX a major defense contractor.
Basis for rules
The panel may operate under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. The law ensures that the panel's advice is timely, objective and available to the public. It also requires cost control and record-keeping for the approximately 1,000 committees and their approximately 60,000 members who advise the President and the executive branch at all times.
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Cotton joins Senate Republican leadership as No. 3
Reporter : Zhang Ting / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370643.htm / Image : The picture shows that on July 16, 2024, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton delivered a speech during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
On Wednesday (13 November 2024), Republicans in the U.S. Senate held a closed-door meeting to elect multiple leadership positions by secret ballot. Senator Tom Cotton defeated his opponent Joni Ernst and was elected chairman of the Republican Conference, becoming the third-ranking figure in the Republican Party.
Cotton will succeed Senator John Barrasso. Barrasso was elected as the Republican whip in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday. The whip position ranks second in Republican leadership.
Barrasso will succeed John Thune. Thune was elected Senate Republican leader in a closed session on Wednesday.
Cotton's rival Ernst previously served as chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. After former Senator Roy Blunt retired, Ernst served in the post for two years, succeeding Blunt.
Cotton has long been a bridge between Senate leadership and the more conservative wing of the Republican Party. He also has some influence in President-elect Trump’s circle.
According to Axios, Cotton was once a strong contender for a top job in the Trump administration, but he decided to stay in the Senate.
The Republican conference chair's job is to lead and shape the party's political message, often providing guidance to colleagues on how to approach the hot-button issues of the day.
Cotton is considered a strong communicator in the media, and his election as Republican conference chair will serve as a key messenger for Senate Republicans.
Senate Republicans also selected other leaders Wednesday. Shelley Moore Capito will serve as Republican Policy Committee Chair; James Lankford will serve as Republican Conference Vice Chairman; Tim Scott will serve as Republican Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
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With Trump's support, Johnson wins Republican speaker nomination
Reporter : Zhang Ting / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370688.htm / Image : The picture shows that on 10 September 2024, Speaker Johnson of the United States House of Representatives spoke at the "Congressional Gold Medal" ceremony held in the Capitol Building. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
House Republicans nominated current Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday (13 November 2024) to continue to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the next Congress. Johnson will still face a vote challenge in the full House early next year.
Multiple media reported that House Republicans unanimously nominated Johnson as speaker of the next House of Representatives by voice vote.
As of Wednesday, "The Hill", Reuters and CNN respectively announced that the Republicans had gained control of the House of Representatives. This paves the way for Johnson to serve as the next speaker of Congress, and also allows the Republican Party to control the White House, Senate and House of Representatives at the same time, which will help promote President-elect Trump's agenda.
Although Johnson easily won the nomination for speaker at a closed-door Republican meeting on Wednesday, he will face challenges in the full House vote on January 3 next year. Johnson will then need the support of more than half of MPs to continue serving as speaker. Republicans hold only a slim majority in the House, meaning he will need near-unanimous support from Republicans to continue leading the chamber.
Johnson expressed optimism on Tuesday about his chances of retaining power in the House of Representatives next year. He said he was confident of winning the speakership in the first round of voting in January next year.
"I'm confident. I'm talking to everyone," he said. "I think there will be complete unity within the party."
Johnson has been seeking to stay in office since taking over from former Speaker Kevin McCarthy on 25 October 2023.
Shortly before House Republicans voted Wednesday, Johnson received President-elect Trump's endorsement. This was a big boost for him.
People familiar with the matter told The Hill that in a meeting with House Republicans on Wednesday morning, Trump called Johnson a "good guy" and said, "I have always supported him."
In a closed session on Wednesday, Republicans also elected House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to continue serving as party leader in the next Congress; Majority Whip Tom Emmer Emmer also continued to serve as party whip in the new Congress.
Johnson served as a Louisiana representative from 2015 to 2017, during which time he was appointed vice chairman of the state House Judiciary Committee.
In the December 2016 election, he was elected to the House of Representatives, representing Louisiana's 4th District. Before becoming speaker last year, Johnson served as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference. He is also a Trump ally.
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Sullivan praises Trump's appointment of new national security adviser
Reporter : Li Yan / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370665.htm / Image : On 13 May 2024, in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke at the daily briefing. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Although the two people may not have the same worldview, outgoing U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that he is very optimistic about his successor Mike Waltz.
Earlier this week, U.S. President-elect Trump invited former Army Special Forces officer and Florida Republican Congressman Mike Walz to serve as the White House National Security Advisor in the new administration.
"He's someone I've interacted with in the past," Sullivan said of Walz in front of reporters. "I respect the service he provided to this country in the military, risking his life."
"I also respect his service in Congress. We obviously won't see eye to eye on every issue, but I very much look forward to speaking with him over the next 60 days."
Walz served as a defense policy adviser to Defense Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates during the George W. Bush administration and was elected to Congress in 2018. He is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on military logistics and a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Walz is considered one of the most hawkish members of Congress on China. After entering Congress in 2019, he participated in drafting multiple bills to contain China. In 2021, he once asserted, "We are in a cold war with the Chinese Communist Party."
Walz and former Pentagon strategy expert Matthew Kroenig co-authored an article in The Economist in early November, saying that the biggest beneficiary of the United States’ recent foreign policy is not the United States’ friends, but the Chinese Communist Party.
A loyal supporter of Trump, Walz was a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces "Green Berets" and served in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, and served as a colonel in the National Guard.
The article points out that the failure of the deterrence policy adopted by the United States in conflicts in Europe and the Middle East has made Communist China the biggest beneficiary. This matter is very important but has received little attention.
Before the election, he publicly wrote an article calling on "the new president to take immediate action to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the conflict in the Middle East as soon as possible, and ultimately focus strategic attention on dealing with the greater threat from the Chinese Communist Party."
News (49) to (50) / Reporter : Lin Yan / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/11/13/n14370526.htm / Image : On 13 November 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden met with US President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
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Biden and Trump met in the Oval Office for 2 hours, the atmosphere was relaxed
On Wednesday (13 November 2024), U.S. President-elect Trump returned to the White House and met with current President Biden in the Oval Office . Both Biden and Trump appeared at ease when meeting with the media.
Biden called Trump the president-elect and former president in the Oval Office. "Welcome back," he said, and congratulated Trump. At the same time, Biden said he was looking forward to a smooth transition and could discuss some of it with Trump.
Trump expressed his gratitude. He said: "Thank you very much. Politics is hard and in many cases it is not a very nice world, but today is a good day and I appreciate it very much. The transition has been very smooth and everything will go as smoothly as possible. I am very grateful to you, Joe."
Biden responded, "You're welcome."
After a brief public conversation, the two began meeting behind closed doors.
Wednesday's private meeting was part of the ceremonial peaceful transition of power in the United States. Of course, the sit-down scene between the two was still filled with drama. Because Trump left the White House at the beginning of 2021, this part of the process was missing when Biden took over. This time, Biden returned power to Trump.
Trump completed his political comeback with a resounding victory in last week's election, making him once again the undisputed leader of the Republican Party. He traveled to Congress earlier Wednesday before heading to the White House.
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White House: Trump and Biden talked for two hours, focusing on the Middle East and Ukraine
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre introduced at a regular meeting on Wednesday that Biden and Trump had a "substantive meeting" in the Oval Office for about two hours.
She said they discussed domestic and foreign policy issues, and Biden also raised important topics on Congress' to-do list, such as funding the government's operations and providing disaster relief funding.
Jean-Pierre told reporters, "They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the country and the world. The meeting was indeed very friendly, cordial and very substantive."
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that Biden believes that supporting Ukraine is good for U.S. national security because a strong and stable Europe will keep the United States from being drawn into a war.
Trump promised to quickly end the Russia-Ukraine war but did not specify how.
Trump told the New York Post that he and Biden "talked a lot about the Middle East" during their conversation. The New York Post quoted Trump as saying: "I wanted to know what he (Biden) thought about where we were. He told me all of that, and he was very open."
Biden, a Democrat, defeated Trump in the 2020 election but dropped out of the 2024 race in July after a disastrous debate with Trump, a Republican. Vice President Kamala Harris became the candidate but lost to Trump.
Biden also emphasized to Trump that the transition would be orderly and power would be transferred peacefully.
Before the meeting between the two sides, Jean-Pierre told the media that Biden was committed to "making sure that this transition is effective and efficient."
"This is the norm and the right thing for the American people," she said.
"He believes in norms, he believes in our institutions, he believes in the peaceful transfer of power," Jean-Pierre said of Biden's decision to invite Trump to the White House.
National Security Advisor: Complete responsible transfer of presidential power
Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said they would complete "the responsible transition from one president to the next, which is in the best traditions of our country."
"They will discuss the most important issues - domestic and foreign policy issues - including what's happening in Europe, Asia and the Middle East," Sullivan told CBS.
"The president will have an opportunity to explain to President Trump how he views these matters ... and discuss with President Trump how he will consider addressing these issues once he takes office," he added.
"Two American presidents show unity for America"
Independent journalist Kylena Becker said on X, look at Joe Biden, he could not be happier. "Two American presidents are showing unity for America," he wrote.
Signs of the impending transfer of power are evident outside the White House gates. After Trump takes office on January 20 next year, a parade will be held, and the VIP stands are already under construction.
The Trump team has announced some members of the incoming presidential cabinet but has not yet signed agreements that would cover office space and government equipment, as well as access to government officials, facilities and information, according to the White House.
"Trump-Vance transition lawyers continue to engage constructively with Biden-Harris administration lawyers on all agreements contemplated by the Presidential Transition Act," said Brian Vance, a spokesman for the Trump transition team. He was referring to the laws governing the transfer of power.
Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Partnership for Public Service's Presidential Transition Center, said the agreement emphasizes that America has one president at a time and commits to an ethics agreement not to profit from information provided during the transition. .
"That agreement needs to be signed in order to start interacting with federal agencies," she said. "Everything depends on that."
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