Tag: USA

China to Send More Pandas to US, Jump-Starting New Era of ‘Panda Diplomacy’ 

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BEIJING —  China’s Wildlife Conservation Association is working with the National Zoo in Washington in an arrangement that could bring more pandas back to the United States, signaling improving diplomatic relations between the two superpowers. China has lent its beloved bears to zoos in various countries over the years as goodwill animal ambassadors and also fostered a modern Sino-U.S. “panda diplomacy” with the gesture. “Relevant Chinese institutions have signed agreements with the Madrid Zoo in Spain and the San Diego Zoo in the United States on a new round of…

US Moves to Shore Up Ports from Cyberattacks

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The White House is moving forward with reforms aimed at shoring up cybersecurity at U.S. ports, some of which may already be in danger of falling under the sway of hackers linked to China. President Joe Biden Wednesday is set to issue an executive order assigning responsibility for cybersecurity at ports and other maritime facilities to the U.S. Coast Guard, with the goal of making sure minimum security requirements are put in place as quickly as possible. The order also will allow the Coast Guard to conduct cyber safety inspections…

US Sees China Taking ‘Concrete Steps’ to Counter Drug Trade

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washington —  A high-level meeting between the top U.S. homeland security official and his Chinese counterpart is giving Washington reason to hope that current talks may eventually help stem the flow of drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong in Vienna on Sunday for talks focused on stopping the spread of fentanyl and the chemicals used to make the powerful synthetic opioid. A U.S. readout of the meeting with the People’s Republic of China official…

China Rekindles Sister City Ties as Relations Remain Strained

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Austin, Texas —  As Washington and Beijing move cautiously to mend frayed relations, China is working to boost people-to-people ties, which saw a dramatic decline during the COVID pandemic. Since last fall, China has hosted mayors from more than two dozen sister cities amid a renewed push to rebuild contacts with the 284 cities and states that Beijing says it maintains. The push kicked off with a visit by California Governor Gavin Newsom to China and began picking up steam around the time of last year’s meeting between President Joe…

Top White House Asia Aide Moves to State Department as US-China Challenges Heat Up 

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washington —  The Biden administration is now focusing on implementing its goals for the Indo-Pacific, said analysts, as a White House strategist who initiated policies for the region moves to the State Department. Kurt Campbell, who served as Indo-Pacific coordinator for the White House National Security Council, initiated strategies that moved allies and partners to cooperate on challenges across the region, from counterbalancing China’s rise to offsetting North Korea’s threats. He is going to a new position at the State Department. He takes on the role of the deputy secretary…

Volkswagen Cars Blocked By US Customs Over Part From China

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Berlin —  German automaker Volkswagen said Wednesday several of its models had been refused entry into the United States, after it emerged that a Chinese-made component may have breached labor laws. “We are working to rectify a delay in delivering certain Volkswagen Group vehicles from ports to dealers due to a customs issue,” Volkswagen said in a statement. The trouble related to a “small electronic component,” which was “in the process of being replaced,” Volkswagen said. The part, said to be from “western China,” was found to be in breach…

China’s Economic Woes May Give US Chance to Pressure North Korea, Some Experts Say

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Washington —  Some Asia experts are calling for tough new economic sanctions on China, arguing that the nation’s economic downturn makes it particularly vulnerable to pressure to crack down on North Korea’s ability to make and launder money for its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Other analysts argue the opposite, saying new sanctions now would make Beijing less receptive to U.S. efforts to get it to help curb Pyongyang’s weapons programs. “Beijing is worried that a long or deep recession would lead to political unrest,” and “that worry gives Washington…

Senate Fails to Add Compact Funds to Aid Package

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washington —  A last-minute bipartisan effort to add key funding aimed at countering China in the Pacific has failed in the U.S. Senate even as a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan moved forward. A renewal of the 20-year agreement known as the Compacts of Free Association or COFA was signed late last year, but $7 billion dollars to fund it is still struggling to find a path forward in the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers tried to add funds for COFA to the aid package but no amendments…

Biden Campaign Joins TikTok, Despite Security Concerns 

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washington —  President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign Monday defended its new TikTok account as a vital way to boost its appeal with young voters, even as his administration continued to raise security concerns about whether the popular social media app might be sharing user data with China’s communist government. The campaign’s inaugural post featured the president being quizzed on Sunday’s Super Bowl — and included a reference to the latest political conspiracy theory centering on pop superstar Taylor Swift. “The president’s TikTok debut last night — with more than 5…

US, Japan Accelerate War Drills to Deter China 

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washington —  The U.S. and Japan wrapped up a joint command post exercise late this week that analysts said was aimed at improving the coordination of their capabilities in dealing with threats from China. The Keen Edge 24 computer simulation exercise was intended “to practice responses in the event of a crisis or contingency,” said the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it began the exercise on February 1 and ended Thursday. It is part of an annual bilateral exercise that alternates with field training exercises Keen Sword. The Australia Defense Force…