Changing Politics & Economics of Western Countries vs The Pariah

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https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-senate-votes-to-ban-tiktok-app-on-government-devices_3453170.html">US Senate Votes to Ban TikTok App on Government Devices



WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to approve a bill banning federal employees from using video-sharing app TikTok on government-issued devices, amid threats from the White House to ban the company.



The app has come under fire from U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration over national security concerns because China's ByteDance owns the technology. The company currently faces a deadline of Sept. 15 either to sell its U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp or another U.S. firm or face an outright ban.



Sources previously told Reuters that ByteDance executives value all of TikTok at more than $50 billion.



Under a Chinese law introduced in 2017, companies have an obligation to support and cooperate with the country's national intelligence work.



"I'm encouraged by the bipartisan support we have seen in this body to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable and that includes ... holding accountable those corporations who would just do China's bidding," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who sponsored the bill, said in a statement.



"And, if I have anything to say about it, we won't be stopping here," Hawley added.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-senate-votes-to-ban-tiktok-app-on-government-devices_3453170.html">US Senate Votes to Ban TikTok App on Government Devices



WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to approve a bill banning federal employees from using video-sharing app TikTok on government-issued devices, amid threats from the White House to ban the company.



The app has come under fire from U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration over national security concerns because China's ByteDance owns the technology. The company currently faces a deadline of Sept. 15 either to sell its U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp or another U.S. firm or face an outright ban.



Sources previously told Reuters that ByteDance executives value all of TikTok at more than $50 billion.



Under a Chinese law introduced in 2017, companies have an obligation to support and cooperate with the country's national intelligence work.



"I'm encouraged by the bipartisan support we have seen in this body to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable and that includes ... holding accountable those corporations who would just do China's bidding," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who sponsored the bill, said in a statement.



"And, if I have anything to say about it, we won't be stopping here," Hawley added.

That won't happen here.

[cc]

It will if T gets a second term. With ratification he will use it strongly where he thinks it affects US security in any way



If Biden won he's probably demand shares in it and force US competitors out

[Thiel]

Seems we have 100% losers with no exception running Canada

At least they are consistent.

[cc]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-signs-executive-order-to-reduce-us-reliance-on-china-for-medicine_3453091.html">Trump Signs Executive Order to Reduce US Reliance on China for Medicine



.......... WASHINGTON—In response to supply disruptions caused by the pandemic, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 in Clyde, Ohio, to ensure that essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment are made in the United States.



Speaking at Whirlpool Corporation's manufacturing facility in northwest Ohio, Trump said, "We'll end reliance on China just like we did with the washers and dryers."



"During the course of the next four years, we will bring our pharmaceutical and medical supply chains home," Trump said. "We cannot rely on China and other nations across the globe."



In order to prevent medical supply chain disruptions in the future, Trump signed the executive order called "Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs are Made in the United States."



The broad executive order covers medicines as well as medical supplies, including masks, gloves, and goggles, and medical equipment such as ventilators.



It has three components, which include the "Buy American" order to ensure that government agencies, including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Defense, buy American products.



The order aims to increase government demand for U.S.-made products to help create a market for manufacturers to invest and to produce in the United States.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-signs-executive-order-to-reduce-us-reliance-on-china-for-medicine_3453091.html">Trump Signs Executive Order to Reduce US Reliance on China for Medicine



.......... WASHINGTON—In response to supply disruptions caused by the pandemic, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 in Clyde, Ohio, to ensure that essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment are made in the United States.



Speaking at Whirlpool Corporation's manufacturing facility in northwest Ohio, Trump said, "We'll end reliance on China just like we did with the washers and dryers."



"During the course of the next four years, we will bring our pharmaceutical and medical supply chains home," Trump said. "We cannot rely on China and other nations across the globe."



In order to prevent medical supply chain disruptions in the future, Trump signed the executive order called "Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs are Made in the United States."



The broad executive order covers medicines as well as medical supplies, including masks, gloves, and goggles, and medical equipment such as ventilators.



It has three components, which include the "Buy American" order to ensure that government agencies, including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Defense, buy American products.



The order aims to increase government demand for U.S.-made products to help create a market for manufacturers to invest and to produce in the United States.

That is very good news, but Joe Biden may not honour it..



And I don't expect Justin Trudeau to repatriate our essential medical supply chain.

[Thiel]

Trump Signs Executive Order to Reduce US Reliance on China for Medicine



.......... WASHINGTON—In response to supply disruptions caused by the pandemic, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 in Clyde, Ohio, to ensure that essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment are made in the United States.



Speaking at Whirlpool Corporation's manufacturing facility in northwest Ohio, Trump said, "We'll end reliance on China just like we did with the washers and dryers."



"During the course of the next four years, we will bring our pharmaceutical and medical supply chains home," Trump said. "We cannot rely on China and other nations across the globe."



In order to prevent medical supply chain disruptions in the future, Trump signed the executive order called "Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs are Made in the United States."



The broad executive order covers medicines as well as medical supplies, including masks, gloves, and goggles, and medical equipment such as ventilators.



It has three components, which include the "Buy American" order to ensure that government agencies, including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Defense, buy American products.



The order aims to increase government demand for U.S.-made products to help create a market for manufacturers to invest and to produce in the United States.

That is very good news, but Joe Biden may not honour it..



And I don't expect Justin Trudeau to repatriate our essential medical supply chain.

Biden says he will bring back jobs, but that is just to steal votes from industrial workers away from Trump. Biden is fine with the United States at the mercy of China in the next pandemic.

[cc]

[Won't change anything, but at least they all take a stand - Wasn't that way before T took China on, forcing the others hands]



https://www.theepochtimes.com/five-eyes-states-criticize-hong-kong-government-for-disqualifying-candidates-delaying-elections_3455232.html">Five Eyes States Criticize Hong Kong Government for Disqualifying Candidates, Delaying Elections



The Five Eyes countries on Sunday urged the Hong Kong government to uphold Hong Kong's democratic process and hold the Legislative Council elections as soon as possible.



The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and the U.S. secretary of state issued a joint statement on Sunday, expressing concerns over the "unjust disqualification of candidates and disproportionate postponement of Legislative Council elections."



"These moves have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong's stability and prosperity," they said in a statement. "We express deep concern at Beijing's imposition of the new National Security Law, which is eroding the Hong Kong people's fundamental rights and liberties."



The ministers urged the Hong Kong government to reinstate the eligibility of disqualified candidates and not delay the elections, which were scheduled to be held on Sept. 6 but have been postponed by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to Sept. 5, 2021.



Also - https://globalnews.ca/news/7260937/canada-hong-kong-elections/?utm_source=NewsletterNational&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=2020">https://globalnews.ca/news/7260937/cana ... paign=2020">https://globalnews.ca/news/7260937/canada-hong-kong-elections/?utm_source=NewsletterNational&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=2020

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https://www.theepochtimes.com/tiktoks-parent-company-employs-ccp-members-in-its-highest-ranks_3451561.html">TikTok's Parent Company Employs Chinese Communist Party Members in Its Highest Ranks



More than 130 employees at ByteDance, the Chinese owner of video-sharing application TikTok, are part of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) committee embedded in the company. Many of the employees work in management positions, an internal document reveals.



The extent of CCP membership among ByteDance management further demonstrates the company's ties to the Chinese regime, fueling security concerns about TikTok.



By law, Chinese companies are required to set up Communist Party units within their offices to ensure that business policies and employees toe the Party line. ByteDance, founded in March 2012, set up its Party committee in October 2014.



According to Party regulations, companies' committee members are appointed at political conferences. Members serve five-year terms.



It's unclear exactly how many Party members or committee members are among ByteDance's 60,000 employees across 230 global offices; the list obtained by The Epoch Times is only a partial listing of committee members at its Beijing headquarters.



At the headquarters office, at least 138 employees—mostly in management positions or technical roles—are in the company's influential Beijing Party committee, according to the internal list. Sixty on the list are classified as having a managerial role.



The document details each committee member's full name, gender, birthday, date they joined the CCP, ID numbers, and type of position in the company, such as managerial or technical.



The revelations come as the U.S. government intensifies scrutiny of TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps on national security grounds. U.S. officials have repeatedly sounded the alarm that American personal data collected by TikTok could be accessed by Beijing, as Chinese companies are beholden to the CCP.



Trump on Aug. 6 issued executive orders to ban U.S. transactions with ByteDance, and Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. The ban will take effect in 45 days. Trump has also given ByteDance until Sept. 15 to sell TikTok to Microsoft or another American firm. Microsoft confirmed that it's in talks to buy the app.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/tiktoks-parent-company-employs-ccp-members-in-its-highest-ranks_3451561.html">TikTok's Parent Company Employs Chinese Communist Party Members in Its Highest Ranks



More than 130 employees at ByteDance, the Chinese owner of video-sharing application TikTok, are part of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) committee embedded in the company. Many of the employees work in management positions, an internal document reveals.



The extent of CCP membership among ByteDance management further demonstrates the company's ties to the Chinese regime, fueling security concerns about TikTok.



By law, Chinese companies are required to set up Communist Party units within their offices to ensure that business policies and employees toe the Party line. ByteDance, founded in March 2012, set up its Party committee in October 2014.



According to Party regulations, companies' committee members are appointed at political conferences. Members serve five-year terms.



It's unclear exactly how many Party members or committee members are among ByteDance's 60,000 employees across 230 global offices; the list obtained by The Epoch Times is only a partial listing of committee members at its Beijing headquarters.



At the headquarters office, at least 138 employees—mostly in management positions or technical roles—are in the company's influential Beijing Party committee, according to the internal list. Sixty on the list are classified as having a managerial role.



The document details each committee member's full name, gender, birthday, date they joined the CCP, ID numbers, and type of position in the company, such as managerial or technical.



The revelations come as the U.S. government intensifies scrutiny of TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps on national security grounds. U.S. officials have repeatedly sounded the alarm that American personal data collected by TikTok could be accessed by Beijing, as Chinese companies are beholden to the CCP.



Trump on Aug. 6 issued executive orders to ban U.S. transactions with ByteDance, and Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. The ban will take effect in 45 days. Trump has also given ByteDance until Sept. 15 to sell TikTok to Microsoft or another American firm. Microsoft confirmed that it's in talks to buy the app.

I knew that about Chinese companies.

[cc]

https://nypost.com/2020/08/06/hollywood-studios-are-censoring-movies-for-chinese-market-report/">Hollywood censors movies to please Chinese government: report



Hollywood filmmakers are self-censoring to avoid angering leaders in China, where US-made flicks rake in billions of dollars annually, according to a bombshell report.



The makers of big-budget films — including  "Iron Man 3," "World War Z" and "Top Gun: Maverick"— are pandering to the country's authoritarian government by cutting characters and dialogue that aren't pro-China, according to PEN America, a non-profit that promotes free speech.



Authors of the report say Tinseltown honchos are censoring themselves to ensure better movie release dates and advertising deals from the country.



"Filmmakers cannot reduce their work to the lowest common denominator of only content that is deemed acceptable by one of the world's most censorious regimes," the report states. "Hollywood's approach...is setting a standard for the rest of the world."



In one example, Paramount Studio bosses allegedly demanded that dialogue about how a virus had originated in China be removed from the apocalyptic action thriller "World War Z," starring Brad Pitt, according to the report.



An executive from the company later admitted the edit was made to pass China's movie review process, according to the entertainment news site The Wrap.

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https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-regime-targeting-us-election-infrastructure-with-cyberattacks-obrien_3455346.html">Chinese Regime Targeting US Election Infrastructure With Cyberattacks: National security adviser Robert O'Brien



National security adviser Robert O'Brien said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is targeting U.S. election infrastructure with cyberattacks leading up to the November election, suggesting a more active level of CCP interference.



His comments came after a statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that the CCP is trying to expand its influence on the election.



"They'd like to see the president lose," O'Brien said on CBS' "Face the Nation," referring to the CCP.



"China—like Russia, like Iran—they've engaged in cyberattacks and phishing and that sort of thing with respect to our election infrastructure, with respect to websites and that sort of thing," the adviser said on Sunday.



In response to a question from CBS' Margaret Brennan that both the Kremlin and the CCP have attempted to access state websites to collect data, O'Brien responded, "It's a real concern ... But it's not just Russia, Margaret, it's the Chinese don't want the president reelected."

[Anonymous]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-regime-targeting-us-election-infrastructure-with-cyberattacks-obrien_3455346.html">Chinese Regime Targeting US Election Infrastructure With Cyberattacks: National security adviser Robert O'Brien



National security adviser Robert O'Brien said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is targeting U.S. election infrastructure with cyberattacks leading up to the November election, suggesting a more active level of CCP interference.



His comments came after a statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that the CCP is trying to expand its influence on the election.



"They'd like to see the president lose," O'Brien said on CBS' "Face the Nation," referring to the CCP.



"China—like Russia, like Iran—they've engaged in cyberattacks and phishing and that sort of thing with respect to our election infrastructure, with respect to websites and that sort of thing," the adviser said on Sunday.



In response to a question from CBS' Margaret Brennan that both the Kremlin and the CCP have attempted to access state websites to collect data, O'Brien responded, "It's a real concern ... But it's not just Russia, Margaret, it's the Chinese don't want the president reelected."

I always thought China was more likely to interfere in American and Canadian elections than Russia..



They have the diaspora to make it a reality.

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https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-administration-to-detain-clothing-made-in-prisons-in-china_3460467.html">Trump Administration to Seize Clothing Made in Prisons in China



Trump's administration announced this week that customs officials will detain important merchandise if it's made by companies linked to prison labor in China.



Effective immediately, all garments produced by the Hero Vast Group, which includes a number of companies, will be detained, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced.



The order is based on information that indicates the companies are using prison labor to produce items.



"China's use of forced labor to make goods is illegal and wrong. Their serious human rights abuses cannot stand. DHS remains committed to using every tool available to identify and prevent products made with forced labor from entering the United States," acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement.



CBP is an office inside the DHS.



"The use of forced labor is not just a serious human rights issue, but it also brings about unfair competition in our global supply chains. CBP's goal is to ensure that goods made by forced labor never reach U.S. consumers," Brenda Smith, an executive assistant commissioner at CBP, added.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-administration-to-detain-clothing-made-in-prisons-in-china_3460467.html">Trump Administration to Seize Clothing Made in Prisons in China



Trump's administration announced this week that customs officials will detain important merchandise if it's made by companies linked to prison labor in China.



Effective immediately, all garments produced by the Hero Vast Group, which includes a number of companies, will be detained, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced.



The order is based on information that indicates the companies are using prison labor to produce items.



"China's use of forced labor to make goods is illegal and wrong. Their serious human rights abuses cannot stand. DHS remains committed to using every tool available to identify and prevent products made with forced labor from entering the United States," acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement.



CBP is an office inside the DHS.



"The use of forced labor is not just a serious human rights issue, but it also brings about unfair competition in our global supply chains. CBP's goal is to ensure that goods made by forced labor never reach U.S. consumers," Brenda Smith, an executive assistant commissioner at CBP, added.

Not a peep about this from progs like Trudeau, the NDP or the democRATs.