NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing’s largest exhibition venue put into operation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The newly built Capital International Exhibition and Convention Center, the largest and most functional multipurpose exhibition venue in Beijing, was officially put into service on Friday.
    The center includes an indoor exhibition area of 210,000 square meters and a conference space of 15,000 square meters, featuring nine exhibition halls, each covering approximately 23,000 square meters.
    The venue has a smart facility-guidance system that includes electronic information displays and patrolling robots to help visitors find their destinations.
    Ji Qing, executive general manager of the center, said that the venue’s inaugural event consists of the 36th China International Auto Service, Products and Equipment Exhibition and the China International New Energy Vehicle Technology, Parts, and Services Exhibition. It will cover an exhibition area of 161,000 square meters, setting a record for similar exhibitions in the north China region.
    The venue has been booked to host seven major exhibitions in the first half of this year, with a total agreed exhibition area exceeding 630,000 square meters, Ji said.
    Located in the national capital’s Shunyi District, the center is just 2 kilometers from the Beijing Capital International Airport.
    Yang Pengbo, director of the Shunyi District bureau of commerce, said the exhibition complex is expected to contribute to Beijing’s goal of becoming a global hub for international exhibitions.
    With the addition of the new center, Beijing now boasts 11 professional exhibition venues each with an exhibition space of over 10,000 square meters. The total indoor exhibition area of these 11 venues is nearly 630,000 square meters.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Investigation report on fatal road accident in China’s Shandong released

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    An investigation report on a fatal road accident that occurred in east China’s Shandong Province in 2024 has been published. The approval of the report by the provincial government was released on Friday.
    Eleven people were confirmed dead and 13 others injured after a bus ran into a crowd at the gate of a middle school in Dongping County, Tai’an City on Sept. 3, 2024.
    According to the report, the accident was caused by the driver not driving the vehicle in accordance with operating regulations, and a large crowd gathering at the scene.
    The report suggested that five people including the driver should be investigated for criminal responsibility, and other 27 people including those of the school and the transport department in Dongping County should be given Party and administrative disciplinary penalties and organizational punishment. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, US discuss key economic issues

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is also Chinese lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, held a video call Friday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on bilateral important economic issues.

    The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the implementation of consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks, and on important issues between China and the United States in the economic field.

    Both sides recognized the significance of bilateral economic and trade relations, and agreed to maintain communication on issues of respective concern.

    The Chinese side also expressed serious concerns over recent U.S. additional tariffs and other restrictive measures against China. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hong Kong improves stock settlement fee structure

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced Friday that it would enhance the securities market stock settlement fee structure to boost market efficiency.

    The improved rules removed the current minimum and maximum fee components, and adjusted the ad valorem rate to 0.42 bps for each trade. The new fee structure is expected to take effect in June this year.

    Based on HKEX data, about 77 percent of all securities trades conducted between 2019 and 2024 would benefit from lower fees under the new structure.

    HKEX Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Lau said that the change was part of the company’s ongoing initiatives to elevate the breadth and depth of the securities market, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a premier financial center.

    Hong Kong’s stock market saw widespread gains on Friday, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index surging some 4 percent to hit a new high in almost three years. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s securities regulator reaffirms zero-tolerance towards illegal market operations

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), the country’s top securities regulator, on Friday reaffirmed its zero-tolerance towards illegal operations in the capital market, and pledged to continue strengthening law enforcement to promote the healthy development of the sector.

    In 2024, the CSRC handled 739 cases and handed down a total of 592 punishment decisions, with aggregate penalties reaching 15.3 billion yuan (about 2.13 billion U.S. dollars), which was more than double the total reported the previous year, Li Ming, vice chairman of the SCRC, told a press conference.

    The regulator has also doubled its efforts to crack down on what it calls the “most intolerable” illegal operations, which include fraudulent issuance, financial fraud, the illegal reduction of holdings, and market manipulation, according to Li.

    Last year, the CSRC investigated and handled a total of 135 violations of information disclosure rules, an increase of 17 percent year on year and the highest number among all case types, he said.

    He Yanchun, an official with the CSRC, noted that listed firms are excellent representatives of Chinese enterprises, and only a very small number are involved in fraudulent activity.

    It is expected that a certain number of financial fraud cases will be uncovered in the coming period, but this will not affect the trend of the high-quality development of China’s capital market, He said. “We firmly believe that the overall quality and investment value of Chinese listed companies will continue to improve.”

    In the future, the CSRC will continue to severely punish fraudulent issuance, financial fraud, and market manipulation, and further enhance law enforcement in the capital market, according to Li. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Tongxin County cultivates renewable energy cluster for sustainable growth

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China’s Tongxin County cultivates renewable energy cluster for sustainable growth

    Updated: February 22, 2025 09:09 Xinhua
    Staff members process photovoltaic products at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. Tongxin County is cultivating a renewable energy cluster through industrial park development, expanding green manufacturing chains to power sustainable growth in arid regions. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member works on a photovoltaic panel at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff members work on a photovoltaic product at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff members assemble inverters at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member checks a photovoltaic panel at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff members assemble inverters at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member checks silicon steel lamination products usually used in the cores of motors and transformers at an industrial park in Tongxin County of Wuzhong, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Feb. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sounds from 10,000 meters underground

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Shenditake 1, China’s first scientific exploration well exceeding 10,000 meters, has reached an astounding depth of 10,910 meters. Researchers have converted seismic waves from 9,000-14,000 meters into audible sounds. Ready to hear the Earth’s deep whispers?

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Member of Cartel Enforcement Group Extradited from Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Edgar Perez Villa, an alleged member of a Tijuana-based enforcement group for the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, commonly known as CJNG, was extradited from Mexico to the United States on Thursday and made his first appearance in federal court in San Diego today.

    Perez Villa was indicted along with other alleged Mexican drug cartel enforcers in connection with their alleged violent support of heroin and methamphetamine trafficking.

    At today’s hearing, Perez Villa was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. The government asked that Perez Villa be detained on grounds that he is a significant flight risk. Judge Burkhardt scheduled a detention hearing for February 27, 2025, at 2 p.m. before Judge Michelle Pettit. The Court also set March 28, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. for a motion hearing/trial setting before U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia A. Bashant.

    The superseding indictment, returned on March 6, 2020, plus a related indictment returned on March 16, 2021, collectively charged Perez Villa, aka Cabo 89, along with other alleged cartel leaders – including Edgar Herrera Pardo, aka Caiman; Carlos Lorenzo Hinojosa Guerrero, aka Cabo 96; and Israel Alejandro Vazquez-Vazquez, aka Cabo 50, among others. They are charged with drug trafficking crimes.

    According to court documents, the defendants were leaders of a violent group of cartel enforcers known as “Los Cabos” who operated in Baja California to secure control of the region for CJNG.

    Los Cabos allegedly employed rampant violence to ensure that CJNG maintained the ability to traffic drugs through Tijuana and into the United States through San Diego. According to the indictment, investigators learned through judicially-authorized interceptions that the leaders of Los Cabos planned more than 150 murders, the majority of which took place in Tijuana, according to the filings.

    Los Cabos allegedly engaged in this violence in support of CJNG, one of the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world.  The cartel has its hands in trafficking multiple deadly substances. It is responsible for moving tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States.  CJNG is also a prolific methamphetamine producer and chemical importer, using precursors procured from China and India. CJNG is one of the most powerful Mexican cartels operating within the United States.

    “For far too long, violent cartels have inflicted untold suffering through violence and drug addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Our fight against this reign of terror will not waver.”

    “Cartels use violence and intimidation to control the areas they terrorize,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “As an alleged member of Los Cabos, Perez-Villa spent years destroying the community through drug trafficking and violence. One by one, the DEA will hold these criminals accountable and bring them to justice.”

    This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Perez Villa.

    DEFENDANT                                                                                        

    Case Number: 19CR1274-BAS

    Edgar Perez Villa, aka Cabo 89, aka Nier                Age 35                 Tijuana

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963

    Maximum Sentence: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine

    Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846

    Maximum Sentence: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force

    Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations

    Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs

    San Diego Sheriff’s Department

    *An indictment or complaint is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: America First Investment Policy

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
             THE SECRETARY OF STATE
             THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
             THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
             THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
             THE SECRETARY OF LABOR
             THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
             THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
             THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
             THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
             THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
             THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
             THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS
             THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
             THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
             THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

    SUBJECT:       America First Investment Policy
     
     
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:
     
             Section 1.  Principles and Objectives.  America’s investment policy is critical to our national and economic security.  Welcoming foreign investment and strengthening the United States’ world-leading private and public capital markets will be a key part of America’s Golden Age.  The United States has the world’s most attractive assets, in technology and across our economy, and we will make it easier for our overseas allies to support United States jobs, United States innovators, and United States economic growth with their capital.
     
             Investment by United States allies and partners can create hundreds of thousands of jobs and significant wealth for the United States.  Our Nation is committed to maintaining the strong, open investment environment that benefits our economy and our people, while enhancing our ability to protect the United States from new and evolving threats that can accompany foreign investment.
     
             Investment at all costs is not always in the national interest, however.  Certain foreign adversaries, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), systematically direct and facilitate investment in United States companies and assets to obtain cutting-edge technologies, intellectual property, and leverage in strategic industries.  The PRC pursues these strategies in diverse ways, both visible and concealed, and often through partner companies or investment funds in third countries. 
     
             Economic security is national security.  The PRC does not allow United States companies to take over their critical infrastructure, and the United States should not allow the PRC to take over United States critical infrastructure.  PRC-affiliated investors are targeting the crown jewels of United States technology, food supplies, farmland, minerals, natural resources, ports, and shipping terminals.
     
             The PRC is also increasingly exploiting United States capital to develop and modernize its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which poses significant risk to the United States homeland and Armed Forces of the United States around the world.  Related actions include the development and deployment of dual-use technologies, weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber‑enabled actions against the United States and its people.  Through its national Military-Civil Fusion strategy, the PRC increases the size of its military-industrial complex by compelling civilian Chinese companies and research institutions to support its military and intelligence activities.
     
             Those Chinese companies also raise capital by:  selling to American investors securities that trade on American and foreign public exchanges; lobbying United States index providers and funds to include these securities in market offerings; and engaging in other acts to ensure access to United States capital and accompanying intangible benefits.  In this way, the PRC exploits United States investors to finance and advance the development and modernization of its military.
     
             Sec. 2.  Policy.  (a)  It is the policy of the United States to preserve an open investment environment to help ensure that artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies of the future are built, created, and grown right here in the United States.  Investment in our economy from our allies and partners, some of whom have tremendous sovereign wealth funds, supports the national interest.  My Administration will make the United States the world’s greatest destination for investment dollars, to the benefit of all of us. 
     
             (b)  Yet for investment in United States businesses involved in critical technology, critical infrastructure, personal data, and other sensitive areas, restrictions on foreign investors’ access to United States assets will ease in proportion to their verifiable distance and independence from the predatory investment and technology-acquisition practices of the PRC and other foreign adversaries or threat actors.
     
             (c)  The United States will create an expedited “fast-track” process, based on objective standards, to facilitate greater investment from specified allied and partner sources in United States businesses involved with United States advanced technology and other important areas.  This process will allow for increased foreign investment subject to appropriate security provisions, including requirements that the specified foreign investors avoid partnering with United States foreign adversaries.  
     
             (d)  My Administration will also expedite environmental reviews for any investment over $1 billion in the United States.
     
             (e)  The United States will reduce the exploitation of public and private sector capital, technology, and technical knowledge by foreign adversaries such as the PRC.  The United States will establish new rules to stop United States companies and investors from investing in industries that advance the PRC’s national Military-Civil Fusion strategy and stop PRC-affiliated persons from buying up critical American businesses and assets, allowing only those investments that serve American interests.
     
             (f)  The United States will use all necessary legal instruments, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), to restrict PRC-affiliated persons from investing in United States technology, critical infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy, raw materials, or other strategic sectors.  My Administration will protect United States farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities.  It will also seek, including in consultation with the Congress, to strengthen CFIUS authority over “greenfield” investments, to restrict foreign adversary access to United States talent and operations in sensitive technologies (especially artificial intelligence), and to expand the remit of “emerging and foundational” technologies addressable by CFIUS.
     
             (g)  To reduce uncertainty for investors, reduce administrative burden, and increase Government efficiency, my Administration will cease the use of overly bureaucratic, complex, and open-ended “mitigation” agreements for United States investments from foreign adversary countries.  In general, mitigation agreements should consist of concrete actions that companies can complete within a specific time, rather than perpetual and expensive compliance obligations.  More administrative resources, in turn, will be directed toward facilitating investments from key partner countries.
     
             (h)  The United States will continue to welcome and encourage passive investments from all foreign persons.  These include non-controlling stakes and shares with no voting, board, or other governance rights and that do not confer any managerial influence, substantive decisionmaking, or non-public access to technologies or technical information, products, or services.  This will allow our cutting-edge businesses to continue to benefit from foreign investment capital, while ensuring protection of our national security.
     
             (i)  The United States will also use all necessary legal instruments to further deter United States persons from investing in the PRC’s military-industrial sector.  These may include the imposition of sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) through the blocking of assets or through other actions, including actions pursuant to Executive Order 13959 of November 12, 2020 (Addressing the Threat From Securities Investments That Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies), as amended by Executive Order 13974 of January 13, 2021 (Amending Executive Order 13959 — Addressing the Threat From Securities Investments That Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies) and Executive Order 14032 of June 3, 2021 (Addressing the Threat From Securities Investments That Finance Certain Companies of the People’s Republic of China), and actions pursuant to Executive Order 14105 of August 9, 2023 (Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern).  Executive Order 14105 is under review by my Administration, pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025 (America First Trade Policy), to examine whether it includes sufficient controls to address national security threats.
     
             (j)  This review will build on measures taken under my authority in 2020 and 2021 and consider new or expanded restrictions on United States outbound investment in the PRC in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, hypersonics, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, directed energy, and other areas implicated by the PRC’s national Military-Civil Fusion strategy.  Covered sectors should be reviewed and updated regularly, including by the Office of Science and Technology Policy.  As part of the review, my Administration will consider applying restrictions on investment types including private equity, venture capital, greenfield investments, corporate expansions, and investments in publicly traded securities, from sources including pension funds, university endowments, and other limited-partner investors.  It is past time for American universities to stop supporting foreign adversaries with their investment decisions, much as they should stop granting university access to supporters of terrorism.
     
             (k)  To further reduce incentives for United States persons to invest in our foreign adversaries, we will review whether to suspend or terminate the 1984 United States-The People’s Republic of China Income Tax Convention.  That tax treaty, along with the PRC’s admission to the World Trade Organization and the related undertaking by the United States to accord unconditional Most Favored Nation treatment to goods and services of the PRC, led to the deindustrialization of the United States and the technological modernization of the PRC military.  We will seek to reverse both those trends.  United States investors will invest in the future of America, not the future of the PRC.
     
             (l)  To protect the savings of United States investors and channel them into American growth and prosperity, my Administration will also:
     
             (i)    determine if adequate financial auditing standards are upheld for companies covered by the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act;
     
             (ii)   review the variable interest entity and subsidiary structures used by foreign-adversary companies to trade on United States exchanges, which limit the ownership rights and protections for United States investors, as well as allegations of fraudulent behavior by these companies; and
     
             (iii)  restore the highest fiduciary standards as required by the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, seeking to ensure that foreign adversary companies are ineligible for pension plan contributions.
     
             Sec. 3.  Implementation.  The policy set forth in section 2 of this memorandum shall be implemented, to the extent permitted by law and available appropriations, and subject to internal programmatic and budgetary processes, as follows:
     
             (a)  With respect to sections 2(a) through 2(k) of this memorandum, the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, and the heads of other executive departments and agencies (agencies) as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury, and with respect to the authorities of CFIUS in coordination with the members thereof, shall take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, to support all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, and other statutes to carry out the purposes of this memorandum.
     
             (b)  With respect to section 2(d) of this memorandum, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall carry out the purposes of this memorandum.
     
             (c)  With respect to section 2(l)(i) of this memorandum, the Secretary of the Treasury shall engage as appropriate with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; with respect to section 2(l)(ii) of this memorandum, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall provide a written recommendation on the risk posed to United States investors based on the auditability, corporate oversight, and evidence of criminal or civil fraudulent behavior for all foreign adversary companies currently listed on domestic exchanges; and with respect to section 2(l)(iii) of this memorandum, the Secretary of Labor shall publish updated fiduciary standards under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 for investments in public market securities of foreign adversary companies.
     
             Sec. 4.  Definition.  For purposes of this memorandum, the term “foreign adversaries” includes the PRC, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau Special Administrative Region; the Republic of Cuba; the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; the Russian Federation; and the regime of Venezuelan politician Nicolás Maduro.
     
             Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

                      (i.) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

                      (ii.) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

             (b)  This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
     
             (c)  This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Encourages Foreign Investment While Protecting National Security

    Source: The White House

    MAKING AMERICA THE WORLD’S GREATEST DESTINATION FOR INVESTMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) aimed at promoting foreign investment while protecting America’s national security interests, particularly from threats posed by foreign adversaries like the People’s Republic of China.

    • The NSPM establishes that welcoming foreign investment is crucial for economic growth, job creation, and innovation, ensuring that the United States leverages its world-leading financial markets to support American jobs and innovators.
    • The United States will create a “fast-track” process to facilitate greater investment from specified allies and partners, with conditions that prevent investors from partnering with our foreign adversaries in corresponding areas. The United States will also expedite environmental reviews for any investment over $1 billion.
    • The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) will be used to restrict Chinese investments in strategic U.S. sectors like technology, critical infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy, raw materials, and others.
    • The United States will protect our farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities, strengthen CFIUS authority over “greenfield” investments, and restrict foreign adversary access to U.S. talent and operations in sensitive technologies.
    • Rather than use overly bureaucratic, complex, and open-ended “mitigation” agreements for U.S. investments from foreign adversaries, more administrative resources will be directed toward facilitating investments from key partner countries.
    • The United States will establish new rules to curb the exploitation of its capital, technology, and knowledge by foreign adversaries such as China to ensure that only those investments that serve American interests are allowed.
    • The Trump Administration will consider new or expanded restrictions on U.S. outbound investment to China in sensitive technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, aerospace, and more, to stop American funds from supporting China’s Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) strategy.
    • The United States will continue to encourage passive investments from all foreign persons – this will allow our cutting-edge businesses to continue to benefit from foreign capital while safeguarding our national security.
    • The Trump Administration will protect U.S. investors’ savings and boost American prosperity by auditing foreign companies on U.S. exchanges, reviewing their ownership structures and any alleged fraud, and ensuring foreign adversary companies are ineligible for pension plan contributions.

    ENSURING AMERICA’S PROSPERITY AND SECURITY: President Trump is committed to making the United States a premier destination for investment while balancing national security interests.

    • The United States is the leading innovator of next-generation technologies, and this action makes it easier for our friends to support U.S. innovators and economic growth.
    • Certain foreign countries, including China, systematically direct investment in American companies to gain access to cutting-edge technology, intellectual property, and leverage in strategic industries, which must be countered.
      • Foreign entities and individuals hold roughly 43 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, which is nearly 2% of all land in the U.S.
      • China owns more than 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states.
    • China is exploiting our capital and ingenuity to fund and modernize their military, intelligence, and security operations, posing direct threats to United States security with weapons of mass destruction, cyber warfare, and more.
    • Chinese hackers have repeatedly targeted U.S. entities, including recently breaching the Treasury Department’s CFIUS office, the entity responsible for reviewing foreign investments for national security risks.

    SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN INNOVATION: President Trump is keeping his promise to prevent foreign adversaries from taking advantage of the United States.

    • President Trump: “We will also adopt new rules to stop U.S. companies from pouring investments into China, and to stop China from buying up America, allowing all of those investments that clearly serve American interests.”
      • President Trump also promised to “stop Chinese-owned” firms from “stealing our intellectual property, our workers’ knowledge and then sending it back to Communist China. We’re not going to let that happen.”
      • President Trump: “We have powers that haven’t really been used in terms of environmental. If you invest over $1 billion in the United States, we’re going to give expedited reviews.”
    • This NSPM builds on numerous actions President Trump took in his first term to protect American innovation, including:
      • Initiating a Section 301 investigation into China’s practices related to forced technology transfer, unfair licensing, and intellectual property policies.
      • Announcing a Department of Justice China Initiative to identify and prosecute trade secrets theft, hacking, and economic espionage – a program which the Biden Administration ended.
      • Prioritizing research and development of America’s artificial intelligence capabilities.
      • Taking action to prevent foreign malign actors from gaining access to United States information networks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Strongly Condemns Ongoing Offensives by M23 Rebel Movement in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2772 (2025)

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Security Council today strongly condemned ongoing offensives by the 23 March Movement, or M23, in the North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, deciding that M23 shall immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from areas it controls and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations in that country’s territory.

    Unanimously adopting resolution 2773 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2773(2025)), the Council — acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations — also called on the Rwanda Defence Force to cease support to M23 and immediately withdraw from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo without preconditions.  Further, it strongly urged Kinshasa and Kigali to return to diplomatic talks, supported all initiatives and contributions to this end and reaffirmed the critical role of both the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

    Through the resolution, the Council additionally called for the cessation of support provided by Kinshasa’s military forces to specific armed groups — particularly the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda, or FDLR — as well as urgent implementation of commitments to neutralize that group.  The organ also demanded that all parties facilitate the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to populations in need.  To that end, it called on all parties to urgently open temporary humanitarian corridors in North and South Kivu.

    By other terms, the Council reaffirmed its full support to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and emphasized that any attempts to undermine the Mission’s ability to implement its mandate will not be tolerated.  As well, the Council condemned the systematic illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and reaffirmed its strong commitment to that country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

    Text Sends Clear Message There Is No Military Solution to Conflict 

    Speaking after the adoption, the representative of France, the text’s author, said that it delivers a clear message:  “There is no military solution to the conflict in the east of the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo]; the offensive carried out by M23 — supported by Rwanda — must be put to an end.”  Further, Rwandan forces must withdraw from Congolese territory without delay, and MONUSCO must be able to carry out its mandate without obstruction.  Stating that the Council must speak clearly alongside regional initiatives, he welcomed that the organ “has risen to its responsibility”.

    Delegates Stress African-Led Initiatives Must Be Supported 

    On those initiatives, Algeria’s representative recalled a recent statement by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, which clearly emphasized that political settlement is the only way to end the conflict.  “As Africans who hold their continent dear”, he stressed the need to support regional mediation efforts.  Further, he said that all external actors must end their negative interventions, also noting the legacy of the bygone colonial era — as well as current “looting and plundering”.

    “The illegal exploitation of natural resources remains a key driver of instability in the region,” added the representative of Sierra Leone, urging greater adherence to relevant international frameworks to prevent the financing of armed groups.  He also joined others in underscoring that dialogue is the only sustainable path to lasting stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  On that, he observed:  “Talking to adversaries is hard — perhaps a taboo for some — but we do not make peace with friends.”

    Also underlining the importance of dialogue, Somalia’s representative pointed out that “experience has taught us that silencing the guns in Africa does not begin with finger-pointing”.  A sustainable solution must emerge through inclusive dialogue and regional cooperation, “rather than through measures that might inadvertently complicate existing peace initiatives”, he said.  Adding that the recent proposed convergence of the Luanda and Nairobi processes “represents a significant step forward in regional cooperation”, he called on the Council to ensure that international engagement “aligns with and reinforces existing African-led initiatives”.

    In that vein, the representative of China, Council President for February, spoke in his national capacity to express support for “solving African issues the African way”.  Further, he said that Council resolutions should be “designed to support regional processes” and “build synergy with mediation efforts at the regional level”.  He added: “The Great Lakes region is at a critical juncture, and to stand on the side of peace is our shared responsibility.”

    “We must not let everything unravel before our eyes,” urged Pakistan’s representative, also emphasizing that today’s text — “most importantly” — welcomes and supports regional efforts and processes to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Welcoming the consensus achieved, he said that the resolution reaffirms the Council’s commitment to that country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity and “upholds the fundamental principles of the UN Charter”.

    Resolution Supports UN Charter

    “This is a resolution in support of the Charter of the United Nations,” said the representative of the Russian Federation, stressing:  “This needs to be fulfilled by the parties without delay.”  The hostilities must end, lives must be saved, ordinary people must be able to return to their homes and Kigali and Kinshasa must, once again, sit at the negotiating table.  Adding that the parties must implement, in good faith, measures “agreed upon by Africans at the highest level”, he warned:  “Otherwise, the region will be faced with yet another brutal war, with colossal human casualties.”

    “The entire DRC is now at stake, and the situation literally stands on the brink of a full-scale regional war,” warned the representative of the Republic of Korea.  He, too, stressed that there can be no military solution to this conflict and urged both Kinshasa and Kigali to urgently return to meaningful diplomatic dialogue.  Both countries, stressed Guyana’s representative, must implement their commitments under the Luanda and Nairobi processes and abide by the decisions of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.

    For his part, Panama’s representative underlined his country’s “unwavering commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo”.  Urging M23 to immediately cease its hostilities there, the representative of the United Kingdom stressed:  “No Member States should impede this.”  He also underscored that, if the parties do not fully abide by today’s resolution, “this Council will need to consider further action”.

    On accountability, the representative of the United States reported that her Government has imposed sanctions on James Kabarebe, Rwandan Minister of State for Regional Integration, and M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, as well as two of the latter’s companies.  She added that, while it is necessary to support African solutions for African problems — and regional countries have a high stake in preventing an all-out war in the Great Lakes region — African-led responses must not preclude swift action from the Council.

    Kinshasa’s Delegate Says Council’s Paralysis for Three Weeks Gave Rwandan Defence Force ‘Free Rein’ to Illegally Occupy Democratic Republic of the Congo

    However, the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pointed out that “three weeks had to elapse for the Council to speak unanimously about this subject”.  “In this particular case,” he added, “the Council’s paralysis gave free rein to the illegal occupation of DRC territory by the [Rwandan Defence Force] and their supporters.”  Nevertheless, the Council has now acted, and he thanked the organ’s members on behalf of his Government and “all of the boys and girls of the DRC”.  He urged that today’s resolution be implemented immediately to offer respite to those in occupied areas — “they are paying the highest price and bearing the brunt of this military adventure”.

    Kigali’s Speaker Concerned by ‘Unprecedented Intimidation of African Voices’ in Council

    Meanwhile, Rwanda’s delegate expressed concern about “the unprecedented intimidation of African voices” in the Council, stating: “This speaks volumes about the [Democratic Republic of the Congo] and its belief that the solution to their inter-Congolese conflict will come from actors from outside the continent — most of whom are at the historical root cause of this conflict.”  He also urged the Council to reflect on the question: “How did we end up here?”  Any outcome that does not consider Rwanda’s security challenges and ignores the legitimate grievances of the Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese — the root of M23’s existence — will not help resolve the conflict, he stressed.

    For his part, Angola’s representative called for an immediate ceasefire and resumed dialogue, adding that there is no military solution to the dire security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  “We need to uphold and consolidate the deliverables of the Luanda process,” he stressed, welcoming the draft resolution “as a significant step in the right direction”.  The Council has a responsibility to assist the people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prevent further escalation of the conflict.  “We need to save lives and stop the bloodshed of innocent civilians,” he added, emphasizing the need to “promote African solutions to African problems”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment

    Ministry of Commerce and

    National Development and Reform Commission

    Foreign investment is crucial for promoting high-level opening-up. It plays an important role in fostering new quality productive forces and advancing Chinese modernization. We have thus formulated this action plan to intensify efforts to attract and stabilize foreign investment in 2025.

    I. Expanding self-initiated opening-up in an orderly manner

    1. Expanding pilot programs to open up the telecommunications, healthcare, and education sectors. We will support efforts of the pilot regions to publicize and implement the opening-up policies for value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, and assemble special teams to follow foreign-invested projects under discussion and help solve problems timely, and push for early implementation of these projects. We will expand pilot programs to open up the telecommunications and healthcare sectors at an appropriate time. We will study and formulate plans to expand self-initiated opening-up of the education and cultural sectors in an orderly manner, publish them at an appropriate time and implement them with steady steps.

    2. Ensuring the lift of restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector is well-implemented. For areas not on the negative lists for foreign investment access, we will administer foreign investment access in the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign investment alike. We will revise the negative lists and further reduce the listed items to expand opening-up to all types of market operators.

    3. Improving the national comprehensive demonstration zones for expanding opening-up in the services sector. We will support the leading role of the Beijing demonstration zone in expanding services liberalization to accelerate and intensify the pilot efforts. We will further expand the scope of the pilot to include new elements and tasks, and experiment with the opening-up measures in key areas in the demonstration zones first. We will conduct in-depth studies on policy measures to open up the services sector further, closely follow the progress of the pilot, and timely replicate pilot experience. We will support the standardization in the national comprehensive demonstration zones for expanding opening-up in the services sector.

    4. Advancing opening-up of the biomedicine sector in an orderly manner. We will support the participation of qualified foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) in the segmented production of biological products on a pilot basis, speed up the review of pilot programs and quality monitoring programs at the provincial level, promote the optimization of resource allocation in the biomedicine industry, and coordinate for the timely resolution of difficulties facing enterprises in the pilot process. We will study and improve the opening-up policies for the pharmaceutical sector, facilitate more rapid launch of new drugs, optimize volume-based drug procurement, and make medical device procurement more predictable.

    5. Encouraging foreign equity investment in China. We will earnestly implement the Measures for the Administration of Strategic Investment in Listed Companies by Foreign Investors, formulate and release guidelines for making strategic investment, and intensify publicity efforts targeting listed companies, overseas funds, investment institutions, etc., to encourage more high-quality long-term foreign investment in listed Chinese companies.

    II. Improving the level of investment promotion

    6. Building continuously the brand of “Invest in China”. We will deepen the institutional reform of the foreign investment promotion system as required, devise an annual implementation plan for building the brand of “Invest in China”, and meticulously design and implement a series of “Invest in China” events. Central and local governments will make coordinated efforts in organizing overseas investment promotion events to fill in the gaps in and strengthen industrial and supply chains in the manufacturing sector with foreign investment. In light of the different characteristics of China’s major sources of foreign investment, we will research and formulate differentiated investment attraction targets and strategies, work closely with bilateral joint (mixed) economic and trade committees, and fully activate bilateral investment promotion working groups to boost project matchmaking.

    7. Strengthening support for FIEs’ reinvestment in China. We will keep optimizing the business environment and ensure full national treatment for FIEs. We will research and formulate policy measures to encourage FIEs to reinvest in China and use more of their profits made in China for reinvestment. We will pilot an information report program for FIEs’ investment in China.

    8. Encouraging foreign investment in a wider range of industries. We will revise and expand the catalogue of industries where foreign investment is encouraged, optimize foreign investment mix, promote the high-quality development of China’s manufacturing sector with foreign investment, steer foreign investment to the modern services sector, and support more foreign investment flows into China’s central, western and northeastern regions.

    9. Removing restrictions on foreign-invested investment companies’ access to domestic loans. Foreign-invested investment companies will be allowed to access domestic loans for equity investment. We will make greater efforts to communicate relevant policies and provide facilitation for multinational companies to invest in and establish headquarters and similar institutions in China.

    10. Encouraging multinational companies to invest in and establish investment companies. We will refine the rules for setting up foreign-invested investment companies and provide facilitation for multinational companies to invest in and establish investment companies in China in terms of foreign exchange administration, cross-border movement of personnel and cross border data flows. Companies invested in and established in China by foreign-invested investment companies will be eligible for FIE treatment in accordance with law and regulation.

    11. Facilitating merger & acquisition (M&A) investment in China by foreign investors. The Provisions on the Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors will be amended under the framework of the Foreign Investment Law, with refined M&A rules and transaction procedures, better defined scope of administration and lower threshold for cross-border share swaps.

    12. Intensifying investment attraction in key sectors. We will encourage and ensure national treatment for foreign investment in animal husbandry-related sectors such as breeding, production of rearing equipment and production of animal feed and veterinary medicine. To create more business opportunities and cooperation space for FIEs, we will support their participation in China’s new industrialization process, with a focus on high-tech sectors. Foreign investment utilization will be encouraged in services sectors including elderly care, culture and tourism, sports, healthcare, vocational education and finance to meet consumer demand for multi-tiered services.

    13. Promoting communications on economic policies and the business environment. Press releases and briefings, interviews and expert comments will be fully utilized to showcase and explain China’s new policies, measures and highlights for expanding high-standard opening up.

    III. Strengthening the functions of opening-up platforms

    14. Deepening institutional reforms in economic and technological development zones. We will improve policy support systems and develop policy papers on deepening reforms and innovations in national economic and technological development zones, roll out new measures in guaranteeing production factors, opening up key sectors, carrying out pilot reform tasks and delegating economic management power, so as to improve the standards of export-oriented economy in national economic and technological development zones. For national high-tech industrial development zones, special customs supervision areas and various provincial development zones, we will tap into their role as opening-up platforms for stabilizing foreign investment.

    15. Implementing the strategy to upgrade pilot free trade zones. We will improve the quality and efficiency of pilot free trade zones, expand the authorization of reform tasks, accelerate the implementation of core policies for the Hainan Free Trade Port and create a highland for attracting foreign investment. We support pilot free trade zones in stepping up stress tests in sectors accessible to foreign investment and continuing to expand institutional opening up in rules, regulation, management and standards.

    IV. Redoubling efforts to enhance services

    16. Promoting the implementation of major and key foreign-invested projects. We will encourage the inclusion of more foreign-invested projects in the lists of major and key foreign-invested projects and enhance policy support and services to accelerate the implementation of projects.

    17. Establishing a system of standards for domestic products in government procurement. We will speed up developing and issuing relevant documents to specify the standards of domestic products in government procurement and ensure that products produced by enterprises of different ownerships within China participate equally in government procurement activities. We will enhance policy communication in the field of government procurement and improve the handling of complaints from FIEs.

    18. Broadening financing channels for FIEs. We will encourage financial institutions to provide financing services for FIEs, research the borrowing needs, investment and operation of key FIEs, and organize targeted bank-enterprise matchmaking events. Various types of funds will be guided to carry out equity investment cooperation with FIEs, and FIEs supported in expanding their investment and business and deepening their footprint in China.

    19. Facilitating personnel exchange. We will accelerate negotiations on mutual visa exemption agreements, and continue to expand the coverage of China’s unilateral visa-free policy in a prudent manner. Policies for port visa, visa-free transit and regional visa-free entry will be optimized to promote cross-border movements of people. A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates will be upgraded.

    20. Improving the level of trade facilitation for FIEs. We will work earnestly on issuing Certificates of Origin under preferential trade agreements to help FIEs enjoy tariff concessions from agreement partners. The inspection and regulation of complete sets of equipment imported for key foreign-invested projects will be optimized. More efforts will be made to support FIEs in obtaining the “Authorized Economic Operator” (AEO) certificate, and random inspections will be further optimized and reduced for AEOs. We will promote the adoption of inspection results of imports in an active and prudent manner, and include more qualified Chinese and foreign inspection institutions on the list of institutions whose inspection results are adopted. FIEs will be encouraged to apply for recordation of their intellectual property rights, and any infringement in the process of import and export will be resolutely combated.

    Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, all regions and relevant departments should unswervingly deepen reform and opening up, refine specific implementation measures, and innovate working methods and strengthen policy and factor support in areas including investment promotion, rights and interests protection and services guarantee, to ensure that the measures can be put in place and take effect in 2025, so as to effectively boost the confidence of foreign investors. Relevant departments should be organized to visit key regions and major FIEs to better understand the requests of FIEs and effectively respond to their concerns. The Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments and agencies to enhance guidance and coordination for effective policy communication and implementation. Significant matters should be reported in a timely manner.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs visits South Africa

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 21 — A delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs visited South Africa from Wednesday to Friday to promote cooperation between businesses of the two countries.

    The delegation, led by Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), took the elevation of China-South Africa bilateral ties to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era as an opportunity to deepen mutual exchanges.

    During the visit, Ren engaged in extensive discussions with South African officials and business representatives. He also attended the China-South Africa Economic and Trade Forum, the third China International Supply Chain Expo Promotion Conference, as well as the China-South Africa Business Networking.

    The CCPIT chairman introduced China’s high-quality development to promote the Chinese path to modernization and its adherence to high-level opening up. He welcomed the South African business community to participate in the third China International Supply Chain Expo to deepen bilateral cooperation in industrial and supply chains.

    The enterprises and institutions from both sides have conducted multiple business negotiations and exchanges, achieving fruitful results.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China acts to strengthen protection of wild animals, plants

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 — China’s forestry and grassland authority on Friday said that it will launch specific actions in the spring to protect birds and crack down on illegal activities that negatively impact wildlife resources.

    China has continuously strengthened its protection of wild animals and plants in recent years, and its populations of major protected wild animal and plant species have shown an upward trend, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

    The monitored number of overwintering waterbirds in the country reached its highest level in 2024, the administration said, noting that the illegal hunting of wild birds and animals still occurs in some places.

    The administration will work with other government departments to crack down on acts such as illegal hunting, the illegal trade of birds and the sale of prohibited hunting tools, while enhancing local governments’ leadership over the protection of wild animals and plants.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches innovation challenge event to boost computing power infrastructure

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China launches innovation challenge event to boost computing power infrastructure

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 — China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has launched an innovation challenge activity to accelerate the application of innovative technologies and products in the computing power network sector.

    The campaign aims to encourage breakthroughs in key technologies and products in six areas of computing power networks, including computing, storage, networking, and application, according to the ministry.

    The focus will include intelligent computing power management and acceleration, the deep integration between computing capacity and industry, the research of novel cooling systems and carbon emission sensing optimization, as well as the development of intelligent monitoring, and operation and maintenance robots.

    The ministry will allocate resources to support competitive enterprises, and promote the demonstration and application of relevant technologies.

    China’s intelligent computing power is set to expand rapidly in the coming years, driven by surging demand for large models and generative AI, according to a report by market research firm International Data Corporation and Chinese IT firm Inspur Information.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China provides rice aid to help Zambia tackle drought-induced hunger

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    LUSAKA, Feb. 21 — China on Friday handed over the first batch of about 460 metric tons as part of nearly 2,000 metric tons of rice to help Zambia tackle the negative effects of the 2023/2024 drought, with three subsequent batches expected to arrive.

    The handover ceremony, held at the offices of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, was attended by Wang Sheng, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, and Gabriel Pollen, national coordinator of the DMMU.

    Wang said in his speech that the successful delivery of the first batch of rice aid underscores China’s commitment to the longstanding friendship and all-dimensional cooperation with Zambia.

    “We hope that Zambia will make good use of this batch of food assistance so that its planned role of improving the living of the local people is achieved,” he said.

    Wang further said China is dedicated to implementing the consensus reached by the two leaders last September and working with Zambia to promote the modernization of the two countries. “China will deliver on its promises and continue to fully implement all measures to help Zambia develop.”

    For his part, Pollen said China’s generous donation is a testament to international solidarity and cooperation, with the timely contribution to alleviate the food insecurity of people affected by the drought, particularly in hard-hit districts.

    He noted that the donation is not only a gesture of goodwill but also a demonstration of China’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities around the world. It also reflects the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.

    Zambia experienced a severe drought during the 2023/2024 rainy season due to extreme weather conditions caused by El Nino. The drought affected crop production in 84 of the country’s 116 districts, leaving about 6 million people in need of food assistance.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier, U.S. treasury secretary hold video call on economic issues

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is also Chinese lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, held a video call Friday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on bilateral important economic issues.

    The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the implementation of consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks, and on important issues between China and the United States in the economic field.

    Both sides recognized the significance of bilateral economic and trade relations, and agreed to maintain communication on issues of respective concern.

    The Chinese side also expressed serious concerns over recent U.S. additional tariffs and other restrictive measures against China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden at ENR Hearing: Musk’s Business Dealings in China and Workforce Purge at BPA Threaten National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 21, 2025

    WATCH: Wyden’s Exchange with University of Oregon’s Presidential Chair in Science, Dr. Richmond Here 

    Washington, D.C. — During a hearing held today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., underscored that Elon Musk’s business dealings in China pose a serious threat to national security. 

    According to public reporting, Elon Musk is running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as a federal employee while remaining Tesla’s largest shareholder. Public filings indicate Tesla invested billions of dollars in China and annually produces nearly 1 million cars at a factory in Shanghai on land owned by the Chinese government.

    “According to public reporting, Tesla’s contract allows the Chinese government to revoke Tesla’s lease on the land at any time if it determines doing so is in the public interest,” Wyden said. “Now, on this committee, every one of us works for the AMERICAN public interest. And given that is our highest priority, I intend to come back and ask further questions about this in the days ahead.”

    Senator Wyden also questioned Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Presidential Chair in Science at the University of Oregon and former Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy, on the national security consequences of Musk’s decision to make drastic and abrupt workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration. Dr. Richmond emphasized that these cuts would undermine the grid’s safety and drive up energy prices for working families across America. 

    Last week, Senator Wyden demanded answers from the Trump administration in a letter regarding Musk’s workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Cotton to Director Vought: Ban DeepSeek from Government Devices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE? 

    Contact:Caroline Tabler orPatrick McCann(202) 224-2353

    February 21, 2025

    Chairman Cotton to Director Vought: Ban DeepSeek from Government Devices

    Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought asking to prohibit U.S. government agencies, departments, and employees from using DeepSeek and artificial intelligence tools developed in Communist China.

    In part, Senator Cotton wrote: 
     
    “Federal employees are tasked with researching, developing, and implementing policies critical to America’s economic and national security.  Allowing those employees to use of PRC origin artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning tools on government devices will almost certainly provide the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with U.S. government data as well as advance information on our nation’s policies.”  

    Full text of the letter may be found here and below. 

    The Honorable Russell Vought

    Director

    Office of Management and Budget

    725 17th Street, NW

    Washington, D.C. 20503

    Dear Director Vought,

    I write to urge you to immediately prohibit U.S. government departments and agencies from using and accessing Deepseek and other artificial intelligence tools that were developed in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). 

    Federal employees are tasked with researching, developing, and implementing policies critical to America’s economic and national security.  Allowing those employees to use of PRC origin artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning tools on government devices will almost certainly provide the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with U.S. government data as well as advance information on our nation’s policies. 

    As you are probably aware, the PRC’s National Security and Data Laws compel PRC companies to provide any and all data to the CCP’s intelligence agencies.  This would, of course, include any information entered into the DeepSeek application or other AI tools.  Additionally, DeepSeek’s developers did not take steps to adequately secure their own databases or implement safety guardrails.  A cloud security firm quickly discovered a massive vulnerability in DeepSeek that left data publicly accessible, including users’ chat histories and other sensitive information.[1] In fact, several of our allies have already banned the use of DeepSeek for government purposes, including India[2] and South Korea.[3]

    While AI can be a useful tool for federal agencies seeking to improve efficiency and deliver value to the U.S. taxpayer, tools that provide our adversaries with advance warning of our government’s plans and policies should be prohibited.  With this in mind, I respectfully ask for the following:

    1. Any guidance OMB has circulated regarding the use of foreign adversary origin AI capabilities by federal agencies. 
    2. Any restrictions on the use of AI tools owned by companies based in China or other foreign adversary countries.

    Sincerely,

    Tom Cotton
    United States Senator 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: First Phase of the ‘Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan’ concludes with Historic Five Guinness World Records

    Source: Government of India (2)

    First Phase of the ‘Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan’ concludes with Historic Five Guinness World Records

    First phase of the Abhiyaan saw an extraordinary response, conducting prakriti parikshan for over 1.29 crore individuals, surpassing the target of 1 crore

    Posted On: 21 FEB 2025 6:02PM by PIB Delhi

    In a historic milestone for India, Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan achieved an unprecedented five Guinness World Records, highlighting the nation’s dedication to holistic healthcare and the growing global recognition of Ayurveda. The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), with the support of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, concluded the closing ceremony marking the completion of the first phase of the ‘desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan’ on 20thFebruary 2025 at Mumbai.

    Five Guinness World Records:

    1. The most pledges received for a health campaign in one week: with 6,004,912 pledges, surpassing the minimum requirement of 14,571, setting a new global benchmark as there was no previous record holder.

    2. The most pledges received for a health campaign in one month: with 13,892,976 pledges, surpassing the previous record of 58,284 pledges held by Cigna & CMB Life Insurance Company Limited (China) in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

    3. The most pledges received for a health campaign: overall with 13,892,976 pledges, surpassing the previous record of 569,057 pledges held by Zifi FDC Limited (India).

    4. The largest online photo album of people displaying a digital certificate: with 62,525 photos, breaking the previous record of 29,068 photos held by Accenture Solutions Private Limited (India).

    5. The largest online video album of people saying the same sentence: with 12,798 videos, surpassing the previous record of 8,992 videos held by Ghe Bharari, Rahul Kulkarni, and Neelam Edlabadkar (India).

    The Guinness World Records adjudicator, Mr. Richard Williams Stenning officially announced the successful completion of all five records. He presented the certificates to the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav.

    Maharashtra’s Health Minister Shri Prakash Abitkar, Secretary of the Ministry of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Chairman of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) Vaidya Jayant Devpujar were also present on the occasion.

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav highlighted the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to the development of all Ayush healthcare systems. He detailed the various steps being taken to expand Ayurveda and Ayush practices, praising the dedication and hard work of every individual in the Ayurveda sector who contributed to the campaign’s success.

    Maharashtra’s Health Minister Shri Prakash Abitkar emphasized that this campaign was a significant step toward re-establishing Ayurveda and assured Maharashtra’s active contribution in making Ayurveda a part of mainstream public health services.

    Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Padmashri Vaidya  Rajesh Kotecha, stated that under the guidance of the Ayush Minister, the Ministry has set six world records in just two months, which is an achievement in itself. He expressed confidence that under the Minister’s leadership, the Ministry of Ayush will reach new heights of progress.

    The announcement of the launch of this campaign was made by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the occasion of National Ayurveda Day. A landmark moment during the first phase was when President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, became the first individual to undergo Prakriti assessment, inspiring widespread participation across the country. The first phase of the Abhiyaan saw an extraordinary response, conducting prakriti parikshan for over 1.29 crore individuals, surpassing the target of 1 crore. This remarkable achievement involved 1,81,667 volunteers, including 1,33,758 Ayurveda students, 16,155 teachers, and 31,754 physicians, setting a world record in itself. The participants represented various age groups, ethnicities, and backgrounds, truly reflecting the unity in diversity of the nation.

    This extensive participation underscores India’s leadership in personalized healthcare, emphasizing Ayurveda’s vital role in preventive healthcare and lifestyle management. This data-driven approach is expected to provide critical insights for evidence-based research, bridging Ayurveda with modern medicine and propelling India’s healthcare landscape forward.

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    MV/AKS

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director-General of Investment Promotion concludes visit to Japan and Korea (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Director-General of Investment Promotion concludes visit to Japan and Korea (with photos)
    Director-General of Investment Promotion concludes visit to Japan and Korea (with photos)
    *****************************************************************************************

         ​The Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Ms Alpha Lau, today (February 21) concluded her visit to Japan and Korea, which was aimed at promoting Hong Kong’s business advantages and exploring new opportunities for collaboration.           During the trip, Ms Lau met with representatives from various corporations, including leading global enterprises, long-established trading companies, influential local businesses and industry associations, as well as entrepreneurs in both countries. The discussions focused on Hong Kong business opportunities in areas such as financial services, trade, innovation and technology, advanced manufacturing, as well as opportunities arising from the Northern Metropolis development. She also took the opportunity to meet with the local media to elaborate on the latest business advantages in Hong Kong.     Ms Lau said, “Both Japan and Korea are facing the issue of an aging population. For corporates looking for growth, they have to expand into overseas markets. Hong Kong, as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’, serves not only as a gateway to the Mainland market, but also as the perfect platform for Japanese and Korean companies to expand into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the entire ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) market.           “The Hong Kong Government is committed to promoting the development of innovation and technology. With our sophisticated innovation and technology ecosystem, Hong Kong provides huge business opportunities for Japanese and Korean start-ups that want to expand overseas. At the same time, the city is actively promoting the silver economy, and Japan and Korea have solid experience in this area. We can further cooperate with Japan and Korea to address the issue of an aging population,” she added.           The President of the Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Kiichiro Takanami, said, “Hong Kong is the ideal platform for Japanese businesses to expand internationally. Apart from being the culinary and movie capital of Asia, the city also plays a vital role in the innovation development of the GBA, offering unmatched connectivity, a business-friendly environment and skilled talent. Japanese companies can leverage Hong Kong’s business advantages to scale their operations and tap into Mainland China and new markets across Asia.”           The Director General of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency in Hong Kong, Mr Jaesun Uh, said, “Hong Kong is an unparalleled gateway for Korean corporates and start-ups looking to expand globally. With its crucial role as an international financial centre, its investor-friendly policies and strategic access to the GBA, Hong Kong provides an ideal launchpad for innovation-driven businesses seeking international expansion.”           He added, “For Korean start-ups aiming to go global, Hong Kong presents an exceptional opportunity. With its vibrant start-up ecosystem, easy access to venture capital, deep connections to international markets, and a business-friendly regulatory environment, it is a strategic choice for scaling innovation.”           The visit culminated in a commitment to continue dialogues and explore further avenues for collaboration, reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as a premier business destination for corporates and entrepreneurs from Japan and Korea.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 21, 2025Issued at HKT 20:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Closes Ninetieth Session in Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today closed its ninetieth session after adopting concluding observations on the reports of Belarus, Belize, Congo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and on the exceptional report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on conflict-related sexual violence in its eastern provinces.

    The concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the countries under review will soon be available on the session’s webpage.

    In concluding remarks, Committee Chairperson Nahla Haidar said that during the challenging ninetieth session, in addition to holding dialogues with States parties, the Committee had held informal meetings with non-governmental organizations from most of the State parties reviewed and with four national human rights institutions. It was grateful to these organizations and to United Nations entities for providing it with detailed information.

    Ms. Haidar said the highlight of the session was the half-day of general discussion on gender stereotypes on 17 February, which was attended by 46 States parties and 17 non-governmental organizations. The discussions highlighted the fact that gender stereotypes were underlying causes of gender-based violence against women and posed significant barriers to women’s access to political life, education, employment and leadership positions. They marked a crucial step in developing a general recommendation to guide States parties on eliminating stereotypes.

    During the session, Ms. Haidar said, the Committee made important progress in rationalising and harmonising its working methods with those of other treaty bodies, including through changes to rationalise working groups, increase the number of lists of issues prior to reporting to be adopted over the coming two years, and to systematically raise male succession to the throne in dialogues and concluding observations, where relevant.

    Ms. Haidar welcomed the progress achieved by the Working Group on gender-based violence against women on its draft working paper on online and tech-facilitated gender-based violence against women. She also commended the convening of an illustrious group of experts and private sector representatives to discuss best practices in digital innovation and mitigation of gender gaps during the Committee’s public meeting with the Working Group on business and human rights, and further welcomed the endorsement of the Committee’s contribution to the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    Ms. Haidar said the Committee had adopted five follow-up assessments and prepared four final decisions on individual communications. It also adopted the report of Inquiry 2014/2 concerning large-scale abductions of women and girls by insurgents and other armed groups, which would be published after the expiry of the six-month period for the State party concerned to submit observations.

    During the session, Ms. Haidar said, the Committee also held informal meetings with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on climate change, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the World Health Organization.

    In closing, Ms. Haidar thanked all those who contributed to the session, including new Committee Experts Hamida Al-Shukairi (Oman), Violet Eudine Barriteau (Barbados), Nada Moustafa Fathi Draz (Egypt), Mu Hong (China), Madina Jarbussynova (Kazakhstan), Jelena Pia-Comella (Andorra), Erika Schläppi (Switzerland), and Patsilí Toledo Vasquez (Chile), as well as other Committee members, the Committee secretariat and United Nations staff. Though not an easy task, she said, the Committee had successfully delivered on its mandate to protect and promote women’s rights and gender equality.

    At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Rapporteur Brenda Akia presented the draft report of the session, which contained the draft report of the Working Group of the Whole and the provisional agenda for the Committee’s ninety-first session. The Committee then adopted the report ad referendum.

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is provisionally scheduled to hold its ninety-first session from 16 June to 4 July 2025, in which it will review the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Mexico, Monaco, San Marino and Thailand.

    In addition, from 7 to 11 April in Suva, Fiji, the Committee will hold a technical cooperation session to review the reports of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and engage with Pacific States that are not yet parties to the Convention.

    ___________

    CEDAW.25.053E

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media; not an official record.

    English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Bilateral human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English

    The 18th round of the human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China took place in Beijing on 20 and 21 February 2025. The talks, which were held in confidence, allowed for a direct, critical and open exchange on international and national human rights issues. The Swiss delegation was led by Christine Löw, deputy head of the FDFA’s Peace and Human Rights Division. Switzerland is firmly committed to the universal protection of human rights – in China and elsewhere in the world. To this end, it uses a number of multilateral and bilateral instrments, including the human rights dialogue.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Enhancing Computing Power for the Public Good

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced further details of her proposal to expand New York’s first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium. The Governor’s FY26 Executive Budget includes $90 million in capital funding to substantially increase the computing power of Empire AI, expand access for SUNY researchers, and support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The proposal will be matched by $50 million in private funding from new members and $25 million in SUNY operating funding over ten years. This investment will make the Empire AI supercomputer more powerful, leading to more research for the public good being done faster and more efficiently compared with currently available computing power.

    “The United States is in a race with China and the rest of the world in the global AI revolution, and with our first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium, New York is leading the way in research and innovation,” Governor Hochul said. “With Empire AI, we are setting the standard for harnessing the power of AI for the public good and ultimately creating a better future for New Yorkers.”

    Last year, Governor Hochul reached historic agreement with the state legislature as part of the FY25 Budget to establish Empire AI, a first-of-its-kind independent consortium to secure New York’s place at the forefront of artificial intelligence research. The consortium will leverage a $275 million state investment to create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center on the University at Buffalo’s campus. The center will be used by leading New York institutions to promote responsible research and development, create jobs and advance AI for the public good. The founding members of Empire AI include SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.

    In October 2024, only six months after Budget enactment, Governor Hochul launched the first phase of Empire AI thanks to a philanthropic contribution from the Simons Foundation. Housed at the University at Buffalo, the Empire AI Alpha system is operating at maximum capacity and has allowed over 200 researchers across the seven founding members to begin work aimed at addressing major societal challenges.

    Researchers are already using Empire AI to conduct groundbreaking research, from medical breakthroughs in treating cancer to making better weather predictions, which will make life better for everyday New Yorkers. Current projects include:

    • Developing technologies that could provide adaptive speech and language therapies to children with special needs.
    • Building models of the climate, which can help communities prepare for future impact of extreme weather events.
    • Building models to help analyze CT scans to better diagnose and treat lung cancer.

    Now, Governor Hochul’s proposed expansion will allow Empire AI to secure a future full-scale computing system that supports expanded capacity for SUNY and the addition of new members. The proposed new members of Empire AI consortium include:

    • University of Rochester, a leading research university and the largest health care system in Upstate New York, will vastly improve AI-powered medical research and give consortium researchers unparalleled access to medical technologies and information.
    • Rochester Institute of Technology, which announced the formation of its Artificial Intelligence Hub last August, has proven to be a nationwide leader developing AI solutions for teaching and learning. By joining the consortium, they are contributing academic and strategic power to Empire AI’s member schools and researchers.
    • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, one of the top medical schools in the country, the first medical school to establish a Department of Artificial Intelligence (the Windreich Department of AI and Human Health) and is ranked as number 1 in AI according to Nature AI Index, has expressed intent to join the Empire AI consortium. The School will work collaboratively with the other healthcare and public health partners to accelerate health AI research with a focus on translation, aimed at improving New York’s health care and public health infrastructure.
    • SUNY will double its participation in Empire AI’s consortium, allowing more researchers and students from SUNY’s most research-intensive campuses to access the world-class computing power.

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s vision and commitment, New York State is a clear leader in harnessing the power of AI – one of the most revolutionary technologies of this century – to improve people’s lives and promote the public good. ESD is proud of its pioneering part in its effort, and eager to work with the expanded consortium, to not only leverage AI to tackle society’s most vexing challenges, but also cultivate New York’s AI ecosystem, which will create quality jobs, attract additional investments, and further grow the state’s economy.”

    SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul, New York State is leading the nation in the use of artificial intelligence to advance the public good. SUNY’s world-class researchers are already accelerating groundbreaking work on climate change, curing diseases, and civic discourse thanks to Empire AI, and Governor Hochul’s budget proposal will help SUNY and other higher education institutions conduct research that strengthens our economic well-being and national security.”

    Empire AI Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison said, “Empire AI is advancing research in public health, environmental science, computing and countless other areas, and we’re doing it at a scale and pace that would have been unthinkable even a few short months ago. This is only possible because of Governor Hochul’s leadership and the legislature’s vision to partner with some of the state’s leading research institutions and invest in New York’s computing capabilities. And thanks to Governor Hochul, we now have the opportunity to do even more, adding new members and increasing our research capabilities to cement New York as the national leader in AI research for the public good.”

    Rochester Institute of Technology Research Vice President Ryne Raffaelle said, “Joining Empire AI would strengthen our commitment to leading the way in the higher education artificial intelligence space. Our researchers would have unique opportunities to access cutting-edge equipment, connect with other thought leaders, and engage students in work related to responsible artificial intelligence. This partnership would be valuable for our university and would escalate our state as a national leader in this area.”

    University of Rochester Research Vice President Steve Dewhurst said, “AI is rapidly changing our lives in fundamental and profound ways. That’s why we would be so excited to join Empire AI to leverage our incredible assets and strengths in AI and supercomputing. In partnership with our state’s leading experts, we could enhance how we learn, discover, heal, and create, while harnessing our collective strengths to best position New York to lead and benefit from this technology. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and vision in creating this innovative collaboration and look forward to working with our partners when it passes in the Budget.”

    Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience Director, The Friedman Brain Institute Dean for Academic Affairs, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Chief Scientific Officer, Mount Sinai Health System Dr. Eric Nestler said, “Joining Empire AI would ensure that we remain at the forefront of AI innovation and progress — where AI-driven insights enhance diagnosis, personalize treatments, and revolutionize research and practice. Together, we and members of this consortium would harness the power of AI technology to improve patient health, drive medical breakthroughs, and shape the future of healthcare.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “The Rochester region is fortunate to have nationally renowned universities on the cutting edge of technological research like Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Rochester. Today’s announcement from Governor Hochul that these institutions will be bringing their expertise to the Empire AI consortium is a win for our universities, their students, and our area as a whole. With the inclusion of RIT and University of Rochester, area researchers will be leading the way on AI innovation and helping to establish New York on the forefront of this vital work.”

    Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “Congratulations to the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester on their intention to join Empire AI consortium. This collaboration will connect the Rochester region to the world-class talent and cutting-edge technologies needed to prepare the workforce of today and tomorrow, and ensure these universities continue to lead the way in pioneering technological advancements. As Chair of Labor, I recognize that this initiative is critical to growing our economy by guaranteeing we have the expertise and qualified workforce required for nation-leading research and education.”

    Expanding Artificial Intelligence Across New York State
    Access to the computing resources that power AI systems is prohibitively expensive and difficult to obtain. These resources are increasingly concentrated in the hands of large technology companies and other global competitors, who maintain outsized control of the AI development ecosystem. As a result, researchers, public interest organizations, and small companies are being left behind, which has enormous implications for AI safety and society at large. Empire AI is bridging this gap and accelerating the development of AI centered in the public interest for New York State. Enabling this pioneering AI research and development is also helping educational institutions nurture the next generation of talent that will create AI-focused technology startups, driving job growth.

    By increasing collaboration between New York State’s world-class research institutions, Empire AI is creating efficiencies of scale not achievable by any single university, empowering and attracting top notch faculty, expanding educational opportunity, and enabling responsible innovation that will significantly strengthen our state’s economy and our national security.
    The initiative is currently funded by over $400 million in public and private investment, including a $250 million State capital grant investment and $25 million over ten years in SUNY operating funding. The project will also receive more than $125 million from the founding institutions and other private partners, including the Simons Foundation, whose Flatiron Institute works to advance research through computational methods, and Tom Secunda, co-founder of Bloomberg LP and the Secunda Family Foundation, which provides millions of dollars a year in grants to conservation, health care, scientific advancement and other causes.

    Governor Hochul’s Innovation Agenda
    Governor Hochul’s commitment to advancing New York’s leadership in artificial intelligence builds on her broader agenda to expand cutting-edge technology development in the Empire State. Last year, Governor Hochul announced that IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett would co-chair the new Emerging Technology Advisory Board (the Board) — an independent group of industry leaders tasked with informing and accelerating New York’s transformation into a hub for growth and innovation. The Board released their initial recommendations in December 2024.

    The Governor previously signed New York’s historic Green CHIPS legislation to drive semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing in New York State and announced a $10 billion partnership to bring next-generation chips research to NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex. The Governor has continued to advance a $620 million Life Science Initiative to support innovation in biomedical research. And through strategic investments like the $113.7 million Battery-NY initiative, Governor Hochul has fueled the growth of the sustainability, green technology and energy storage economies in New York State.

    The Governor’s innovation agenda has catalyzed major public and private investments, transforming New York’s economy and creating good-paying jobs of the future. GlobalFoundries recently announced an $11.6 billion investment to expand its chip manufacturing campus in New York’s Capital Region, creating 1,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. In 2022, Micron announced a 20-year, $100 billion investment to create a megafab campus in Central New York, creating 50,000 new direct and indirect jobs and unlocking hundreds of millions of dollars in community benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Suicide Drug Into the United States From Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge for illegally importing the drug Pentobarbital into the United States from Mexico for use in committing suicide.

    DANIEL GONZALEZ-MUNGUIA, also known as “Alejandro Vasquez,” 41, of Puebla, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to one count of importing a controlled substance into the United States.  The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis set sentencing for Sept. 9, 2025.

    Pentobarbital, also known as Nembutal, is a drug sold in Mexico for the purpose of euthanizing animals.  In the U.S., Pentobarbital is a controlled substance and has been used in state-sponsored executions.  Gonzalez-Munguia admitted in a plea agreement that from 2012 to 2021, he operated an online drug business that sold and distributed bottles of Pentobarbital to hundreds of individuals in the U.S. and throughout the world, including individuals in Illinois.  Many of the buyers consumed the product and died, the plea agreement states.

    The investigation by Homeland Security Investigations began in 2016 after a parcel of the drug was intercepted in a Chicago suburb.  Authorities in the U.S. and several foreign countries conducted well-being checks and recovered Pentobarbital from numerous individuals who admitted to being despondent and ordering the suicide drug online from Gonzalez-Munguia.  Law enforcement provided assistance to those individuals.

    Gonzalez-Munguia admitted that he initially shipped bottles of the drug directly from Mexico and in the manufacturer’s packaging, but thereafter disguised it as a cosmetic product and used intermediaries to transport it into the U.S. before shipping to customers around the world.

    The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Daniel Johnsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Illinois Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and law enforcement agencies in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University – Newark

    Attendees take selfies at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md., on Feb. 20, 2025. Andrew Harnick/Getty Images

    At the start of his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump declared, “The golden age of America begins right now!”

    A month later, Trump’s supporters gathered at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Oxon Hill, Maryland, from Feb. 19-22 to celebrate the advent of this golden age.

    Gold glitter jackets, emblazoned with phrases like “Trump the Golden Era,” are for sale in the CPAC exhibition hall. There, attendees decked out in other MAGA-themed clothing and accessories network and mingle. They visit booths with politically charged signs that say “Defund Planned Parenthood” and collect brochures on topics like “The Gender Industrial Complex.”

    Another booth with a yellow and black striped backdrop resembling a prison cell’s bars was called a “Deportation Center.” Attendees photographed themselves at this booth, posing beside full-size cutouts of Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan.

    Former Jan. 6 prisoners, including Proud Boys’ former leader Enrique Tarrio, have also been a visible – and controversial – presence at CPAC.

    The conference’s proceedings kicked off on Feb. 20 with an Arizona pastor, Joshua Navarrete, saying, to loud applause, “We are living in the greatest time of our era – the golden age!”

    Many subsequent speakers repeated this phrase, celebrating the country’s “golden age.”

    For many outside observers, claims of a golden age might seem odd.

    Just months ago during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump said that an American apocalypse was underway, driven by a U.S. economy in shambles and major cities overrun by an “invasion” of “illegal alien” “terrorists,” “rapists” and “murderers.”

    Now, Trump’s critics argue, the U.S. is led by a convicted felon who is implementing policies that are reckless, stupid and harmful.

    Further, these critics contend, Trump’s illegal power grabs are leading to a constitutional crisis that could cause democracy to crumble in the U.S.

    How, they wonder, could anyone believe the country is in a golden age?

    As an anthropologist of U.S. political culture, I have been studying the Make America Great Again, or MAGA, movement for years. I wrote a related 2021 book, “It Can Happen Here.” And I continue to do MAGA research at places like this year’s CPAC, where the mood has been giddy.

    Here are three reasons why the MAGA faithful believe a golden age has begun. The list begins, and ends, with Trump.

    Elon Musk holds a painting of himself during CPAC in Oxon Hill, Md., on Feb. 20, 2025.
    Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

    1. The warrior hero

    Trump supporters contend that after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attacks, which they consider a “peaceful protest,” Trump became a political pariah and victim.

    Like many a mythic hero, Trump’s response was “never surrender.” In 2023, he repeatedly told his MAGA faithful, “I am your warrior, I am your justice.”

    Trump’s heroism, his supporters believe, was illustrated after a bullet grazed his ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July 2024. Trump quickly rose to his feet, pumped his fist in the air and yelled, “Fight, fight, fight.”

    The phrase became a MAGA rally cry and, in February 2025, it has been stamped on CPAC attendees’ shirts and jackets.

    After Trump’s 2024 election victory, many Trump supporters dubbed it
    “the greatest comeback in political history.” MAGA populist Steven Bannon invoked this phrase at a pre-CPAC event on Feb. 19.

    When Bannon spoke on the CPAC main stage on Feb. 20, he led the crowd in a raucous “fight, fight, fight” chant. He compared Trump with Abraham Lincoln and George Washington and called for him to run again for president in 2028.

    This is despite the fact that Trump running for a third term would violate the Constitution.

    2. A wrecking ball

    The MAGA faithful believe that Trump is like a human “wrecking ball,” as evangelical leader Lance Wallnau said in 2015. This metaphor speaks to how Trump supporters believe the president is tearing down an entrenched, corrupt system.

    The day Trump took office, MAGA stalwarts underscore, he began to “drain the swamp” with a slew of executive orders.

    One established the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is devoted to eliminating government waste. DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has dismantled USAID and fired thousands of government workers whom MAGA views as part of an anti-Trump “deep state.”

    Musk stole the show at CPAC on Feb. 20. Speaking to a cheering crowd, Musk held up a large red chain saw and yelled, “This is the chain saw for bureaucracy.”

    Speaker after speaker at this year’s CPAC have celebrated this and other wrecking-ball achievements on panels with titles like “Red Tape Reckoning,” “Crushing Woke Board Rooms” and “The Takedown of Left Tech.”

    3. The Midas touch

    A golden age requires a builder. Who better, the MAGA faithful believe, than a billionaire businessman with a self-proclaimed “Midas touch.” This refers to King Midas, a figure in Greek mythology who turns everything he touches into pure gold.

    “Trump Will Fix It” signs filled his 2024 campaign rallies. And MAGA supporters note that Trump began fixing the country on Day 1 by “flooding the zone” with executive orders aimed at implementing his four-pronged “America First” promise. In addition to draining the swamp, this plan pledges to “make America safe again,” “make America affordable and energy dominant again” and “bring back American values.”

    These themes run through the remarks of almost every CPAC speaker, who offer nonstop praise about how Trump is securing the country’s borders, increasing energy independence, repatriating who they call illegal aliens, restoring free speech and reducing government regulation and waste.

    CPAC speakers said that Trump has already racked up a slew of successes just a month into his presidency.

    This includes Trump using the threat of tariffs to bring other countries to the negotiating table.

    Meanwhile, Trump supporters are pleased that he has been working to cut deals to end the conflict in Gaza and the war between Russia and Ukraine, while reorienting U.S. foreign policy to focus on China.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed the prevailing MAGA sentiment when he stated at CPAC that Trump “wrote the art of the deal. He knows what he’s doing.”

    CPAC attendees wear Trump-themed clothing at the four-day political conference on Feb. 20, 2025.
    Andrew Harnick/Getty Images

    American exceptionalism restored

    The golden-age celebration at CPAC centered on Trump and his mission to “make America great again.”

    Speaker after speaker, including foreign conservative leaders from around the world, paid homage to Trump and this message.

    During her CPAC speech, Liz Truss, the former prime minister of the U.K., stated, “This is truly the golden age of America.” Truss, who does not have a current political position, told the CPAC audience that she wanted to copy the MAGA playbook in order to “make Britain great again.”

    The MAGA faithful believe that Trump is restoring an era of American exceptionalism in which the U.S. is an economic powerhouse, common sense is the rule, and traditional values centered on God, family and freedom are celebrated.

    And they believe in a future where the U.S. is, as Trump said in his inaugural address, “the envy of every nation.”

    Alex Hinton receives funding from Alex Hinton receives funding from the Rutgers-Newark Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, Rutgers Research Council, and Henry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

    – ref. I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun – https://theconversation.com/i-went-to-cpac-as-an-anthropologist-to-see-how-trump-supporters-are-feeling-for-them-a-golden-age-has-begun-250219

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventeen Defendants Sentenced To Prison In Multi-State Drug Trafficking And Money Laundering Conspiracy

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dudzinski Poole and sixteen co-conspirators to federal prison terms ranging from six years, up to life, imprisonment in a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Poole was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was responsible for distributing thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl with sources of supply or distributors in California, multiple other states, and China. The organization also laundered millions of dollars in drug money. Two of Poole’s co-conspirators (Michael Chester and George King, Jr.) were convicted after a ten-day jury trial in July 2024. The rest of the defendants entered guilty pleas. A summary chart of the sentences is below:

    Name (Age, Residence)

    Charges

    Sentence

    Dudzinski Edwinn Poole

    a/k/a “Zink”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 21 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Melvin Tyrone Patterson, Jr.

    a/k/a “Goon”

    (34, Wildwood, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 18 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Andrew Woodruff, Jr.

    a/k/a “Smurf”

    (40, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 30 years’ imprisonment

    Jose Ivan Carbajal

    a/k/a “Primo”

    (35, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 40 years’ imprisonment

    Antonio Holmes

    a/k/a “Tone”

    (36, Davenport, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    		 15 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Diego Navarro- Martinez

    a/k/a “Shooter”

    (34, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 15 years’ imprisonment

    Michael Andre Chester

    a/k/a “Dre”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 Life in prison

    Samantha Tiesha King

    a/k/a “Mamp”

    (34, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment

    George Nelvin King, Jr.

    (47, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Felisha Denise Williams

    a/k/a “Lil Momma”

    (35, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 12 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Nathaniel Donnell, Jr.

    a/k/a “Bob”

    (60, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 13 years’ imprisonment

    Rodrieka Lashay Manning

    a/k/a “Drieka”

    (27, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment

    Mohammed McDowell

    a/k/a “Mo”

    (45, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Janice Denise Anderson

    a/k/a “Butter”

    (67, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 4 months’ imprisonment

    Latonya Sharee Conley

    a/k/a “Hershey”

    (47, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Oveda Denise Miller

    a/k/a “Gangsta Granny”

    (62, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Roland Richardson

    (65, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 6 years’ imprisonment

    According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, between 2017 and 2023, the DTO operated largely out of Lake County, Florida, where Poole received hundreds of shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources of supply in California, including Jose Carbajal. The drugs were transported or shipped via commercial planes and through the mail. DEA seized more than 250 pounds of drugs (mostly methamphetamine and fentanyl) during the course of the investigation.

    The defendants played various roles in the DTO, such as suppliers, distributors, couriers, and courier coordinators. The couriers would fly to California from Florida with large sums of cash to purchase drugs and transport checked luggage full of drugs back to Florida on commercial flights. The conspirators sometimes purchased tickets and checked the suitcases full of drugs or cash at the airport but did not fly on the plane. The suitcases would travel to the destination where they would be picked up by other conspirators awaiting their arrival. Nearly all the flights were between the Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and the Palm Springs Airport (PSP) or the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California. Flight records during a two-year period show more than 400 flights between California and Orlando among the various conspirators.

    The DTO also used couriers to transport large amounts of methamphetamine from Orlando to Virginia via train. In April 2022, one of these couriers was arrested at a train station in Virginia with approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine inside a suitcase.

    In addition to transporting drugs on commercial flights and trains, Poole and his associates had multiple stash houses and received hundreds of mailed packages of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California and other drugs, including fentanyl, from China. Poole’s source of supply in California (Carbajal) would ship packages that contained an average of five to ten pounds of drugs at a time. Poole would provide Carbajal various addresses to ship the drugs, including co-conspirators’ residences. Investigators identified almost 400 packages that were shipped from California as part of this conspiracy from 2019 to 2023.

    The members of this DTO also conspired with one another to engage in money laundering. Poole developed an entertainment business that he used to promote concerts with famous rap artists, whom he paid with drug proceeds. Poole then commingled the profits from the ticket sales with the drug proceeds in the same business account. Members of the conspiracy also used drug proceeds to pay for various expenses of the DTO (such as flights) or funneled the proceeds through numerous financial accounts into purchases of expensive jewelry, vehicles, residences, and payments to coconspirators.

    “This multi-state drug trafficking organization used a vast network to move methamphetamine and fentanyl to poison our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “I’m proud of the way our agents and numerous law enforcement partners worked together to bring this criminal element to justice.”

    “Greed is the biggest motivation these criminal organizations know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Motivated by money, they will try to place themselves above the law to the detriment of our communities. Fortunately, our agents and staff are extremely skilled at following the money to ensure these perpetrators face justice. We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to put a stop to these dangerous drug trafficking organizations and ensure they are held accountable.”  

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Secret Service; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Orlando Police Department’s Special Enforcement Division and Crime Center and Forensics Division; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s including the Gang Enforcement Unit; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office; the Casselberry Police Department; the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation; the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion County Sheriff’s Office; the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; the Kissimmee Police Department; the St. Cloud Police Department; the Winter Park Police Department; the St. Cloud IRS Financial Crimes Task Force; and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (California). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Callaos.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Votes Against 2025 Senate Budget Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    Republicans’ national budget will cut critical services for Coloradans, increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to billionaires

    Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments, including Hickenlooper’s amendment to prevent energy price increases 

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against the fiscal year 2025 Senate Budget Resolution:

    “The Republicans’ extreme budget proposal will cut critical services like health care to bankroll tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy,” said Hickenlooper.“We’re all for making government more efficient and cutting actual waste and abuse. This budget will not do that. It will increase inflation and our deficit, which is why I’m voting against it.”

    Hickenlooper voted “No” on the budget resolution after Republicans voted against critical Democratic-led amendments – including provisions to prevent cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act.

    Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor in support of his amendment to protect the low cost of energy by blocking Republican-led attempts to slow renewable energy development. Video of his full remarks HERE. 

    “Most of the energy that’s ready to go today is clean and affordable. Any action that blocks the rollout of [this energy] will raise prices for working Americans, it’s going to kill jobs, and cede complete control of emerging industries to China,” Hickenlooper said on the Senate floor.  

    In total, Hickenlooper introduced and joined over 20 amendments to the 2025 Senate Budget Resolution to oppose Republican provisions that would harm Coloradans, including amendments to:

    Protect Affordable, Clean Energy

    Defend Essential Health Care

    • Protecting Maternal Health: Opposes legislation that would reduce health care coverage for moms and babies covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers about 1.5 million births each year.
    • Defending Children’s Health Care: Opposes legislation that would reduce health care benefits for children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In 2024, 37 million U.S. children were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. 
    • Protecting Health Care in Schools: Opposes legislation that would reduce funding for school-based health centers. Medicaid helps fund 3,900 school health centers across the country.
    • Protecting TRICARE: Protects health care access for military families, including reinstating the TRICARE reimbursement exemption for children’s hospitals.

    Safeguard the Federal Workforce

    • Protect National Park Service Workers: Requires the federal government to maintain a sufficient workforce to support recreational access and land management on Department of the Interior lands, including for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
    • Bolstering the VA Workforce: Establishes a reserve fund to reverse workforce cuts at the Veterans Health Administration, particularly for personnel who provide care in rural areas.
    • Supporting Funding for NIH: Promotes U.S. competitiveness and innovation by protecting funding for research and development at the National Institutes of Health.

    Protect Immigrant Rights

    • Protecting Sensitive Locations from ICE: Establishes a reserve fund to prohibit school resource officers from assisting with immigration enforcement operations on children during school hours while on school property.
    • Affirming Birthright Citizenship: Hickenlooper’s amendment with Senator Rosen upholds the Constitution of the United States and affirms that birthright citizenship applies to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.

    Prevent Wildfires and Combat Western Drought:

    • Preventing Wildfire Risk: Hickenlooper joined an amendment with Senators Schiff, Bennet, Heinrich, Lujan, and Padilla to establish a reserve fund for sufficient staffing and resources for wildfire risk reduction.

    Budget resolutions guide federal spending and revenue policies for the year, but do not have the power of law. The Senate and the House must pass identical budget resolutions to start the larger budget reconciliation process.

    Budget resolution and budget reconciliation bills only require a simple majority to pass the Senate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple Intelligence comes to Apple Vision Pro in April

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple Intelligence comes to Apple Vision Pro in April

    February 21, 2025

    UPDATE

    Apple Intelligence comes to Apple Vision Pro in April

    visionOS 2.4 advances spatial computing with a powerful set of Apple Intelligence features — including Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Genmoji — and introduces Spatial Gallery, the Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone, and more

    Today, Apple announced Apple Intelligence is coming to Apple Vision Pro in April. With Apple Intelligence for Vision Pro, users will be able to proofread, rewrite, and summarize text using Writing Tools; compose text from scratch using ChatGPT in Writing Tools; explore new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground; create the perfect emoji for any conversation with Genmoji; and much more. Apple Intelligence will be available in beta on visionOS 2.4 with support for U.S. English. More features and support for additional languages will roll out throughout the year.

    visionOS 2.4 also introduces new apps and features to help users discover and share the magic of spatial computing. Spatial Gallery — a new app for Vision Pro — features a curated collection of spatial photos, spatial videos, and panoramas from artists, filmmakers, photographers, and more. The Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone offers users a new way to download apps and games from the App Store; discover experiences from Apple TV, Spatial Gallery, and more; easily find helpful tips; and quickly access information for their Vision Pro. Enhancements to Guest User make it easier than ever for users to share apps and experiences with family, friends, and colleagues using a nearby iPhone or iPad.

    “Apple Vision Pro is helping users communicate, collaborate, and experience entertainment in entirely new ways — and we’re continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in spatial computing with visionOS 2.4,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group. “With Apple Intelligence, Vision Pro users will be able to take their productivity and creativity to new heights using features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Genmoji. And we’re excited for users to discover and share incredible new experiences with Spatial Gallery.”

    Apple Intelligence on Apple Vision Pro

    Apple Intelligence offers new ways for Apple Vision Pro users to express themselves visually, simplify everyday tasks, and get things done effortlessly — all with groundbreaking privacy protections. An initial set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in April with visionOS 2.4 for users with their device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Support for more Apple Intelligence features and additional languages will roll out throughout the year.

    With Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, and third-party apps. With Rewrite, users can adjust the tone of their text to make it more friendly, professional, or concise, or specify the change they’d like to make using Describe Your Change. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure with suggested edits. Users can also select text and have it recapped in several formats with Summarize. And with Compose, users can ask ChatGPT to generate content for anything they’re writing about.

    Image Playground allows users to easily create fun and unique images from themes, costumes, accessories, and places. Users can add their own text descriptions, and can even create images in the likeness of a family member or friend using photos from their photo library. The experience is integrated directly into apps like Messages and Freeform, and is also available as a dedicated app for Apple Vision Pro.

    Users will be able to create Genmoji by simply typing or speaking a description into the emoji keyboard. Genmoji can be added inline to messages, shared as a sticker, or sent as a Tapback.

    Smart Reply in Messages and Mail identifies questions and suggests relevant replies, so Apple Vision Pro users can easily respond to texts and emails with just a few taps.

    With Create a Memory Movie in Photos, users can simply type a description, and Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc and a soundtrack. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private, and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.

    Natural language search in Photos makes it even easier for users to find a specific photo, album, or a moment in a video just by describing it.

    visionOS 2.4 also includes support for Priority Messages in Mail, Mail Summaries, Image Wand in Notes, Priority Notifications in Notification Center, and Notification Summaries. Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing to protect users’ privacy whenever possible. For requests that require even larger models, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple products into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, users’ data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill the request. Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to continuously verify this privacy promise, and are already doing so.

    Introducing Spatial Gallery

    visionOS 2.4 introduces Spatial Gallery, a new app that features a selection of spatial photos, spatial videos, and panoramas curated by Apple for Apple Vision Pro. With Spatial Gallery, users will enjoy breathtaking and intimate moments spanning art, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, nature, sports, and travel, with new content released regularly. At launch, users can discover remarkable perspectives from photographers like Jonpaul Douglass and Samba Diop; new stories and experiences from iconic brands including Cirque du Soleil, Red Bull, and Porsche; behind-the-scenes moments from Apple Originals like Disclaimer, Severance, and Shrinking; and special moments from top artists.

    The Apple Vision Pro App for iPhone

    Starting in April, Apple Vision Pro users will be able to queue apps and games to download, discover new spatial content and experiences, easily find helpful tips, and quickly access information about their device from their iPhone with the new Apple Vision Pro app. The app will appear for Vision Pro users when they update their iPhone to iOS 18.4, and it can also be downloaded from the App Store.

    The Discover page offers curated recommendations for new and noteworthy experiences available on Apple Vision Pro. Users can quickly see popular apps and games on the App Store; nearly 300 3D movies, Apple Immersive titles, and more video content on the Apple TV app; and the latest spatial photos, spatial videos, and panoramas featured in the Spatial Gallery.1 New Apple Immersive titles include “Ice Dive” from the Adventure series; “Sharks” from the Wild Life series; and Man vs. Beast. “Arctic Surfing” — the latest episode of Boundless — debuts worldwide today, while the next episode of Adventure, “Deep Water Solo,” debuts next Friday, February 28.

    On the My Vision Pro page, users will find tips for getting the most out of Apple Vision Pro; can easily access information such as their current visionOS version and device serial number; and set up Personalized Spatial Audio. Users with vision correction needs will be able to store and view the App Clip code for their ZEISS Optical Inserts in the Apple Vision Pro app.

    Guest User with iPhone and iPad

    Apple Vision Pro users around the world have loved sharing the magic of spatial computing with family, friends, and colleagues through Guest User. From Control Center, users can choose which apps their guest can see, and guests can save their eye and hand setup for up to 30 days after their last use.

    With new enhancements to Guest User in visionOS 2.4, users can start a Guest User session with their nearby iPhone or iPad. When their device is unlocked, they can choose which apps are accessible to their guest and start View Mirroring with AirPlay, making it easy to guide a guest through their Vision Pro experience.

    Availability

    • Apple Vision Pro is available in Australia, Canada, China mainland, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the U.A.E., the UK, and the U.S.
    • Apple Intelligence will be available in beta on Apple Vision Pro with visionOS 2.4. The first set of features will be available for Vision Pro users with their device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Feature availability varies by region. More features and support for additional languages will roll out throughout the year.
    • Spatial Gallery will be available with visionOS 2.4 for users in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the U.A.E., the UK, and the U.S. It can be redownloaded from the App Store for Vision Pro.
    • The Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone will be available with iOS 18.4. The app will be available to download from the App Store, and will automatically appear on a user’s iPhone once they update to iOS 18.4 and have both devices associated with the same Apple Account.
    • Customers can book a demo for free online. Demos are hosted at all Apple Store locations where Apple Vision Pro is available.
    1. 3D movie availability varies by country or region.

    Press Contacts

    Zach Kahn

    Apple

    zkahn@apple.com

    Andrea Schubert

    Apple

    a_schubert@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso Bill Ends Outdated Handouts to China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) recently introduced legislation that would end handouts to China funded by American taxpayers by removing China’s outdated designation as a “developing country” in international treaties.
    The Ending China’s Unfair Advantage Act would prohibit any American taxpayer dollars from funding a United Nations treaty known as the Montreal Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) until China is no longer defined as a developing country. China’s current designation as a developing nation under these treaties allows it to abide by a different set of rules and access funding – including American taxpayer dollars – from the multilateral funds.
    “American tax dollars have been funneled to China for decades because of special treatment from the United Nations,” said Senator Barrasso. “By maintaining its classification as a developing country, China keeps getting handouts from American taxpayers and gets to play by a different set of rules. This ridiculous and outdated policy must end now. This bill forces the United Nations to end China’s unfair advantage once and for all.”
    Cosponsors of this legislation include U.S Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.
    Background:
    Under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, developing countries are eligible for financial assistance through a special multilateral fund. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the fund, giving almost $1 billion.
    China has received nearly $1.4 billion from this multilateral fund over the years, due to their classification as a developing country under the Montreal Protocol.
    The U.S. is required to phase down production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, by 85% by 2036 and China has until 2045 to reduce HFC use by 80%. China is given an extra decade, under the Kigali Amendment, to produce HFCs. It is also allowed an extra 5% in HFC production and consumption.
    In 2023, the U.S. delegation at the 35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP35) proposed removing the PRC from the Protocol’s list of “developing countries.” Objections from the PRC and its supporters prevented its inclusion in the agenda.
    In 2022, the Senate passed an amendment declaring that China is not a developing country and that the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations should not treat China as such. It also conditioned the Senate’s ratification on the administration submitting a proposal to remove China as a developing country before the next meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
    Senator Barrasso introduced this bill in the 117th and 118th Congresses.

    MIL OSI USA News –