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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Slams White House for Underfunding Veterans After Giving Millions to Taliban and China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – After a report revealed the Biden-Harris administration underbudgeted promises to veterans by $15 billion, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran, blasted the White House for handing over $293 million to the Taliban and having no clue how many millions it gave to Chinese labs for risky research.
    After the Biden-Harris administration lost track of tax dollars being sent to mad scientists in China, Ernst is introducing the Chinese Laboratory Accountability and Watchful Spending (CLAWS) Act, which would require the Office of Management and Budget to annually disclose all taxpayer-funded research conducted in China.
    “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are undervaluing our heroes and underwriting our adversaries,” said Ernst. “When you ask why there are millions for the Taliban and China but not enough for veterans, it appears the cat has this administration’s tongue. We can claw back taxpayer dollars by ending support for terrorist groups, exposing all funding for batty experiments in China, and giving our veterans the highest quality of care.”
    “Taxpayers have a right to know how much of their money is being recklessly shipped to Chinese animal labs that butcher beagles, poison puppies, and supercharge viruses in cruel and dangerous experiments. As the organization that first exposed Fauci’s funding for the Wuhan animal lab and ongoing U.S. government funding for dog tests and dozens of other animal labs in China, we applaud Senator Ernst and Representative Langworthy for introducing the common-sense CLAWS Act to crack down on Uncle Sam’s wasteful spending in China’s unaccountable animal labs,” said Justin Goodman, White Coat Waste Project Senior Vice President.
    Background:
    Over the past four years, Ernst has led the charge in conducting oversight investigations exposing the millions of taxpayer dollars being paid to laboratories and institutions in China and led the successful effort to defund and debar China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.
    She is the sponsor of the Accountability in Foreign Animal Research (AFAR) Act banning taxpayer funding of animal research in Chinese, Russian, and Iranian labs.
    Last month, Senator Ernst blasted the White House for sending $293 million to the Taliban and amended her TRACKS Act to track and publicly disclose any tax dollars the Pentagon sends to the Taliban or any other foreign adversary.
    Last week, she championed the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for a Veterans Benefits Administration budget shortfall of $15 billion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 09.25.2024 ICYMI: Cruz-Kelly Chips Permitting Reform Bill Passed Congress with Widespread Bipartisan Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. –– In case you missed it, earlier this week, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Mark Kelly’s (D-Ariz.) semiconductor plant permitting reform bill cleared the House after unanimously passing the Senate last December. The bill, S.2228 as replaced by the Kelly-Cruz full substitute amendment, is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation would expedite the process to construct semiconductor manufacturing plants by removing burdensome environmental reviews and permits for microchip projects.
    The Kelly-Cruz chips permitting reform bill received widespread bipartisan support, including from Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The legislation is a critical step in decreasing dependency on China and creating more jobs and incentives for investment in Texas.
    Watch the interview and read more about the legislation below.
    Local News Live: Congress passes bill to streamline federal process for chip manufacturing projects in America
    CLICK HERE TO WATCH
    “Congress passed a bill this week that will streamline federal reviews for some microchip manufacturing projects in America.
    “The Building Chips in America Act passed in the House on Monday and is now on its way to President Joe Biden’s desk.
    “The bill streamlines the environmental review process for semiconductor manufacturing facilities that were incentivized by the CHIPS and Science Act.
    “Several projects are in the works but supporters of the bill have said that they have been delayed because of government red tape.
    “The bipartisan bill was authored in the Senate by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
    “Cruz said that the passage of the bill will benefit communities across the country where the projects are happening like his home state of Texas.
    “‘What this is going to mean is new manufacturing plants will be built in Texas much faster. It will mean billions more dollars invested in the economy in Texas, and it will mean thousands more high-paying jobs in Texas. It’s a great victory for jobs in Texas,” said Sen. Cruz.
    “The senator also said the bill will also make America safer by manufacturing the chips domestically.”
    The Texas: U.S. House Passes ‘Kelly-Cruz Amendment’ to CHIPS Act, Sent to Biden’s Desk
    “The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill on Monday aimed at streamlining permitting laws to facilitate the domestic construction of semiconductor factories.
    “The bipartisan legislation passed by a vote of 257 to 125, with 49 members not voting, and now moves to the president’s desk for approval.
    “The bill passed the Senate last year, and was passed in the House of Representatives this week as the “Kelly-Cruz substitute amendment.”
    “Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) submitted the amended text of their Senate bill in December 2023.
    “When a bill passes as a “substitute amendment” in Congress, the original text is entirely replaced with new content. This new version of the bill, offered as an amendment, becomes the text that is voted on and passed.
    “It aims to accelerate the construction of U.S. semiconductor facilities, as the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022 has made over $50 billion available to promote domestic production and innovation.
    “It will also streamline federal permitting by designating the Department of Commerce as the lead agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, exempting certain projects from NEPA, providing the Secretary of Commerce with greater authority to expedite reviews in coordination with state and local governments, and limiting court challenge timelines.
    “Cruz and Kelly celebrated the amendment’s passage in a joint statement after the House passed it this week.
    “‘My number one priority in the Senate is delivering jobs for Texans. When soon signed into law, the Kelly-Cruz legislation will mean tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and hundreds of billions in new investments for the Lone Star State,” wrote Cruz.
    “‘I’m proud to have led this effort with Senator Mark Kelly to streamline environmental permitting for semiconductor factories, a crucial step in onshoring jobs and making our country less dependent on China for semiconductors critical to national defense.”
    “Cruz continued to exchange jabs with Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX-32), who voted to pass the most recent act, over the past year regarding Cruz’s “no” vote on related legislation last year.
    “At the time, Cruz supported one portion of the CHIPS Act but disagreed with another.
    “Cruz explained in 2023 that the CHIPS Act consisted of two key parts: the Facilitating American-Built Semiconductors (FABS) Act, offering a tax credit to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing investment, and the CHIPS Act itself, providing billions in direct subsidies to companies. While Cruz co-sponsored the FABS Act, he voted against the CHIPS Act due to his opposition to direct subsidies, favoring the more indirect incentive of the tax credit.
    “Following this week’s passage of the Building Chips in America Act, Samsung celebrated by saying that the bill is “ensuring U.S. innovation continues to surge!”
    “Texas has seen businesses flocking to the state over the past few years, and semiconductor manufacturers have already started construction on facilities in towns like Taylor and Sherman.
    “The ongoing battle for semiconductor supremacy between China and the U.S. is intensifying as both nations invest heavily in domestic chip production and innovation, with the global semiconductor industry projected to reach a value of approximately $1 trillion by 2030.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham Introduces Bill To Restrict Birthright Citizenship

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today introduced a bill that would restrict one of the biggest magnets for illegal immigration into the United States. Graham’s Birthright Citizenship Act of 2024 stops the practice of granting citizenship to both the children of illegal immigrants and the children of non-immigrants in the U.S. on temporary visas.
    The exploitation of birthright citizenship is a major pull factor for illegal immigration and a weakness for our national security. The United States is one of only 33 countries in the world with no restrictions on birthright citizenship. In 2018, Senator Graham supported President Trump’s executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants on American soil.
    “It is long overdue for the United States to change its policy on birthright citizenship because it is being abused in so many ways,” said Senator Graham. “One example is birth tourism, where wealthy individuals from China and other nations come to the United States simply to have a child who will be an American citizen. When you look at the magnets that draw people to America, birthright citizenship is one of the largest. It is time for the United States to align itself with the rest of the world and restrict this practice once and for all.”
    The Biden-Harris Administration’s catch-and-release policies let migrants come into the U.S. illegally and stay for years, while enjoying many of the benefits of living in America.
    Illegal immigration has skyrocketed under the Biden-Harris Administration.
    In the last 3.5 years, there have been over 8.3 million encounters with illegal aliens at the southern border.
    Our adversaries are taking advantage of our laws.
    Recently, two individuals from California were found guilty in a “birth tourism” scheme. Predominantly Chinese clients paid the operators of a “maternity hotel” tens of thousands of dollars to come to the U.S. to give birth. Clients were coached on how to lie during the admissions process.
    A 2022 Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee report found a birthing company catering to the wives of Russian oligarchs, celebrities, athletes, and public figures.
    The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2024:
    Specifies who can receive citizenship by virtue of their birth in the United States, including children born to at least one parent who is either:
    A citizen or national of the U.S.,
    A lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or
    An alien performing active service in the armed forces.
    This bill only applies to children born after the date of enactment.
    To read the full bill text, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Closer China-ASEAN cooperation boosts regional high-quality development

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

    NANNING, China, Sept. 25 — Visitors arriving at this year’s China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) will encounter an intriguing blend of fresh innovations and familiar attractions. A new section spotlights emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and lithium batteries, while longstanding crowd favorites, like durian, longan, and rice, continue to draw attention.

    This evolving landscape mirrors the deepening partnership between China and ASEAN. China’s commitment to expanding high-standard opening-up and the rapid industry upgrading in ASEAN nations has fostered stronger economic ties between the two sides. Together, these efforts drive regional high-quality development while sharing China’s development opportunities with ASEAN.

    EMPOWERING ASEAN SMES

    Stepping into the Thai Pavilion at CAEXPO, visitors are greeted by the distinct aroma of durian mingling with the herbal scent of Zam-buk, a popular Thai remedy for insect bites. A booth showcasing the collaboration between TOPTHAI and China’s e-commerce leader, JD.com, drew significant interest.

    TOPTHAI store on leading e-commerce platforms is an initiative launched by the Thai Department of International Trade Promotion this year. It aims to help Thai small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expose their products to more overseas markets, among which the Chinese market is a crucial destination, said Dr. Nisachol Thaithong, a Thai trader and researcher in China-Thailand cross-border e-commerce.

    For SMEs and small-scale farmers in ASEAN countries, participating in e-commerce with China has transformed their businesses.

    “It (CAEXPO) is moving forward dynamically in terms of the more areas of cooperation, in terms of engaging wider stakeholders,” said Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of ASEAN, in an interview on the sideline of CAEXPO and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS). “Now they are involved in the Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), for example. MSMEs are really the backbone of the economy on both sides. We have to get them involved, in addition to the big cooperations. I think this is the right direction that we are taking.”

    Frequent exchanges between China and Malaysia leadership have set a positive tone for SMEs, said Ravenna Chen, the CEO of TusStar Malaysia, an innovation and entrepreneurship platform.

    Huang Aimin, chairman of the first council of the Guangxi Cross-border E-Commerce Association, said cross-border e-commerce has the potential to be a critical platform for promoting in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN.

    Collaborating with China has sped up modernization in Laos. For instance, working with China to digitize businesses and develop e-commerce skills has been advantageous for both businesses and young individuals in Laos, according to Thanongsinh Kanlaya, Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

    UPGRADING AGRIBUSINESS

    At a durian orchard in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, Kosai, the 32-year-old owner and a Chinese social media influencer, was promoting durians to Chinese netizens through the live streaming e-commerce platform Tmall.

    Kosai is proud that his orchard is a smart orchard jointly built by the Commercial Association for Sustainability of Agriculture in Thailand and the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

    The Internet of Things installed by the Chinese side in Kosai’s orchard, which includes meteorological, water level, and soil moisture monitoring, could provide data support for the scientific cultivation of durian and the improvement of fruit quality.

    Modern farming is a sector with a promising future for cooperation between Malaysia and China, said Low Kian Chuan, president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia.

    Despite the difference in size and population between Brunei and China, CAEXPO and CABIS have offered a platform for Brunei enterprises to conduct win-win cooperation with Chinese peers, said National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei Darussalam President Haji Abdul Saman bin Haji Ahmad.

    Platforms like CAEXPO and CABIS incentivize Brunei SMEs to grow “more resilient and more proactive” by exposing their products and services to the Chinese market, said Saman, adding that he sees particularly promising opportunities for Brunei’s halal food.

    GREEN TRANSITION

    Leading Chinese renewable energy firms are working closely with ASEAN enterprises and investing in new facilities to produce innovative, locally adapted products, thus actively contributing to ASEAN’s green transition.

    In July, BYD opened an electric vehicle plant in Thailand, the automaker’s first Southeast Asian factory, a fast-growing regional EV market. The same month Eve Energy announced a plan to build a new factory in Kulim, Kedah state, Malaysia to meet the fast-growing demand for energy storage and consumer batteries in the South East Asia region.

    In August, Gotion High-tech announced that a battery assembly plant project in Malaysia is under negotiation, in addition to its assembly plants in Indonesia and Thailand. The battery manufacturer’s Vietnam factory is expected to begin production in October this year.

    Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link under the Belt and Road Initiative is expected to drive economic development in the east coast areas and promote more balanced development among regions within the countries, said Anthony Loke Siew Fook, the minister of transport of Malaysia.

    As outlined in the National Automotive Policy 2020 and National Energy Transition Roadmap, Malaysia is developing its renewable energy battery sector and welcomes leading battery manufacturers to invest in it, said Loke.

    Malaysia encourages Chinese companies to form partnerships with local companies to further promote the use of electric and hybrid vehicles in Malaysia, not only in terms of car manufacturing but also in the entire ecosystem, from charging networks to battery manufacturing, said Zalina Zainol, deputy chief executive officer of investment development at Malaysian Investment Development Authority.

    Malaysia highly encourages such cooperation to further create high-skilled jobs in engineering, research and development, and advanced manufacturing, thereby boosting economic growth here, Zainol added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, U.S. agree to maintain communication on law enforcement

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

    China, U.S. agree to maintain communication on law enforcement

    BEIJING, Sept. 25 — Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong had candid, professional and pragmatic exchanges with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas via video link on Wednesday.

    Wang said that the two sides earnestly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, adhere to mutual respect, dispute management and mutually beneficial cooperation, and have achieved many visible outcomes in areas such as drug control, repatriation of illegal immigrants and cooperation on individual cases.

    China is willing to maintain communication with the U.S. at all levels, and push for steady and long-term law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. The U.S. side should attach importance to addressing China’s concerns, demonstrate sincerity with concrete actions, and remove obstacles for deepening cooperation, Wang noted.

    The two sides agreed to stay in communication on important issues in the field of law enforcement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chang’e-6 lunar samples to be displayed at 15th Airshow China

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 25 — Lunar samples collected by China’s Chang’e-6 mission from the far side of the moon will be on display at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced Wednesday.

    The Chang’e-6 return capsule will also be showcased, allowing the public to witness the advancements of China’s space industry, said Li Yang, an official with the agency.

    The airshow is scheduled for Nov. 12-17 in Zhuhai, a city in south China’s Guangdong Province, and will feature various types of aircraft and carrier rockets.

    According to Hao Changfeng, spokesperson for China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the company will present nearly 200 high-tech products, including first-time exhibits such as the Chang’e-6 probe and the Long March-8A carrier rocket. “About 150 items will be debuting, with new exhibits making up 75 percent of the display,” said Hao.

    Wu Jiwei, spokesperson for the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, announced that the company will showcase more than 260 products, emphasizing advancements in new quality productive forces.

    Since its inception in 1996, Airshow China has become an important window for showcasing advanced aviation and aerospace technologies and equipment from home and abroad. It has also become an international platform for promoting business cooperation in aviation and aerospace technologies and equipment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Readout of President Joe  Biden’s Meeting with General Secretary Tô Lâm of  Vietnam

    Source: The White House

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with General Secretary Tô Lâm of Vietnam in New York. President Biden celebrated the one-year milestone of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reinforced the United States’ commitment to a strong, prosperous, resilient, and independent Vietnam. Both leaders reflected on the lasting legacy of the late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and his indelible mark on the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship.

    The two leaders underscored our joint commitment to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and expressed enthusiasm for bringing momentum into its second year – especially as we prepare to mark important bilateral milestones in 2025,including 50 years since the end of the war in Vietnam and 30 years since the normalization of ties.

    President Biden raised opportunities to advance cooperation on a range of  economic, technology, security, and diplomatic issues. President Biden underscored the important work under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework; progress in our cooperation on cybersecurity including for undersea cables, next steps toward building secure and resilient semiconductor supply chains and strengthening our technology partnership. The two leaders discussed the importance of working together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and combatting environmental and non-traditional security challenges across the Mekong sub-region. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – especially in the South China Sea. President Biden also emphasized the United States’ commitment to ASEAN centrality and respect for human rights.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rubio Responds to WSJ on U.S. Trade with China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    ICYMI: Rubio Responds to WSJ on U.S. Trade with China

    Sep 25, 2024 | Press Releases

    Letter to the Editor: On U.S. Trade Policy with China

    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)

    September 25, 2024

    Wall Street Journal

    …When our leaders established so-called free trade with state-subsidized Chinese companies, 2.4 million Americans lost their jobs…. It took policy makers over a decade to catch up with reality, but their efforts to stem Beijing’s anti-market onslaught are now accepted as common sense.

    Mr. Furman hearkens to a different era. He asserts that the Biden administration “was wrong to keep and add to the tariffs Mr. Trump placed on China” and celebrates how Vice President Kamala Harris “doesn’t seem enthusiastic” about tough trade policies. Does Mr. Furman mean for us to ignore the past 25 years?

    Allowing China to acquire supply-chain dominance clearly threatens U.S. national security. The Chinese regime hasn’t been shy about this: …Last month it began cutting America off from antimony, a metal crucial to the construction of bullets, missiles and nuclear weapons. Mr. Furman offers no solution to this threat.

    Those who favor re-establishing so-called free trade with China are welcome to make their case. But the burden is on them to show it is in America’s interest to let a communist dictatorship run rampant over the U.S. economy….

    Read the rest here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Challenges Ukraine Narrative, Blasts Biden-Harris Administration for Prolonging the War

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    “The Biden-Harris Administration needs to negotiate a peace agreement now . . . or there will be disastrous consequences coming in the very near future”
    WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) delivered a floor speech criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for prolonging the unwinnable war in Ukraine at the expense of American taxpayers. Sen. Tuberville also discussed why the history of NATO is inconvenient for the Biden-Harris administration’s narrative. In the speech, Sen. Tuberville highlighted that Ukraine is becoming desperate, which could have dire consequences.
    Read the speech below or watch it here.
    “Mr. President, 
    I rise today to talk about the un-winnable war in Ukraine, which has already cost American taxpayers billions of dollars. 
    Now, anyone who dares question the Uni-Party’s narrative on the war in Ukraine is obviously going to get criticized. That’s OK. The media has been complicit in pushing this narrative. Think about [it]: when was the last time you saw live footage on the ground in Ukraine? It’s rare because Ukraine is losing and is losing badly.
    This comes after we just gave Ukraine $60 billion dollars more of taxpayer money earlier this year to prolong this war. 
    I see President Zelensky, a Uni-Party puppet, is here begging, begging for more money on [the] campaign trail with Kamala Harris. It feels like he’s here every other month demanding more and more taxpayer money. That’s because he knows that the money spigot will cut off if Kamala Harris doesn’t win in November.
    Look, this subject is too important to go unaddressed. Over the last several months, I’ve asked multiple high-ranking members of the Biden-Harris administration to articulate what it is trying to accomplish in Ukraine. Just tell us. Tell us what it will cost and how we plan to achieve these results. Basically, I’m asking: what is our game plan? Not one official in this administration has answered my questions clearly. Not one. 
    One of the most interesting responses I received was from Secretary Austin himself, Secretary of Defense. He says, ‘We want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign, independent and democratic state that has the ability to defend itself in its territory and deter aggression.’ Ok. Secretary Austin continued, stating that it is the administration’s goal to bring Ukraine into NATO while simultaneously blaming Russia for NATO’s past expansion. 
    Now, here’s when the DC establishment really, really gets upset. I’m going to review a few undeniable facts about NATO’s history. Predictably, the Uni-Party will accuse me of spewing Russian propaganda. But these are the facts and that’s what we have to go by. We can’t shy away from them. 
    NATO was formed 75 years ago in 1949 as a defensive alliance to counter the communist Soviet Union. It was wildly successful in that it maintained peace through deterrence throughout the cold war. NATO helped us win the Cold War and dissolve [the] communist Soviet Union. When the Cold War ended in 1991, Ukraine instantly became the world’s third-largest nuclear power. Ukraine. Following a series of negotiations, Ukrainians agreed to give up their nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from both Russia and NATO. Territorial integrity and political independence.
    These efforts were successful because they included assurances by many, many heads of state, including our own, that would no up-eastward expansion of NATO towards Russia would ever happen. It was over. At that time, there were 16 NATO members. Today, 33 years later, after this agreement, there are 32 NATO members. Even though in 1991 we agreed to no more eastward expansion, we broke the agreement. We, NATO and the United States. NATO has expanded eastward seven times since that agreement in 1991. The largest expansion in 2004 included two countries that share a border with Russia: Estonia and Latvia. Today, NATO includes three countries that border Russia. Six NATO members are former Warsaw Pact members. The bulk of this expansion happened before Russia annexed Crimea and invaded part of Ukraine in 2014.
    Again, these are all the facts. All play a part in the NATO story and Russia’s response to it. Here’s another fact: NATO’s expansion was on NATO’s terms, separate and apart from any Russian input or activity. Let me read that again. NATO expansion was on NATO’s terms, separate and apart from any Russian input or activity—contrary to Secretary Austin’s claims. Ask yourself: How would the U.S. react if China or Russia entered a mutual defense organization with Mexico or Canada? How would we react? What if they started basing troops or participating in military exercises just miles from our homeland?
    Having covered a brief history of NATO, let’s ask logical follow-up questions that we should always ask before involving ourselves in any armed conflict. First, how far are we willing to take this proxy war with Russia? How far are we? Did we think about that before we got into this? Are we [as] committed to winning as Russia’s President is? Vladimir Putin? Are we committed to winning? What happens if the momentum turns? What happens if it turns against Ukraine and Russia starts making real gains, as it appears is happening today. Will the U.S. send more taxpayer money? More weapons? Will NATO send troops? Will the United States send troops? What’s the plan? 
    War is a serious business. We should understand that by now. You don’t half-ass your way into one and certainly don’t half-ass your way out of one. That doesn’t seem to resonate around here.
    Since the Russian offensive began, we have sent more than one $174 billion taxpayer dollars to Ukraine, one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Recently, the Biden-Harris administration announced their intent, their intent, to send an additional $700 million taxpayer dollars to Ukraine in cash. Are you kidding me? Why on earth would we give cash to the most corrupt country on the face of the planet? 
    So, after all that, after the last two and a half years of funding billions of taxpayer dollars, getting hundreds of thousands of people killed, what do we have to show for it? The war has only gotten worse. Hundreds of thousands are dead. Ukraine is becoming more desperate, as its forces are [experiencing] widespread insubordination and even mass desertion. We don’t hear that on TV. We don’t hear that in this propaganda media. Over six million Ukrainians have fled the country, have run, have left their country.
    Ukraine is playing with fire, now seeking to conduct offensive operations deep inside Russia. Why? You can’t win. Most recently, Ukraine launched a drone attack that struck in Moscow. What are we trying to do— start World War III? Most recently, Ukraine launched a drone attack that struck several other office buildings in Moscow. Adding to the uncertainty of this situation, this administration’s current policy towards Ukraine has all the hallmarks of every Biden-Harris foreign policy decision that has preceded it: weak planning, disastrous results, zero leadership. This administration never considered the consequences of Ukraine losing. How can that ever happen?
    This is really sad. It’s sad for the United States of America. It’s sad for the taxpayers. It’s sad for our military. It’s sad for our allies and it’s sad for NATO. Some of [his] Democratic colleagues have said, ‘Joe Biden never made a correct decision in foreign policy in forty years.’ Well, he hadn’t broke that. 
    Biden-Harris administration has dumped billions of dollars also into the lap of Iran. Removed the terrorist designation from the Houthis, who by the way, we’re fighting against right now, but they’re ‘not terrorists.’ Alienated one of our most important friends, Saudi Arabia. And they’ve executed the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal that unnecessarily cost the lives of Americans. All this weakness was a direct signal to our adversaries: ‘Now is the time to make your move.’ And that’s exactly what our adversaries China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea are doing.
    China today tested another ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. They’re preparing. Russia now has pounced on Ukraine. Whatever you hear in the media, it’s not true. It is a slaughter. Iran has released its proxies and terrorized the Middle East. Our ally Israel is fighting for its life against Hamas following the gruesome October 7th attack almost a year ago. The Houthis, the Houthis, are a bunch of people that live in the mountains, have been emboldened to attack ships, which has negatively impacted global trade. We can’t even beat the Houthis and we’re trying to create more wars. China has stepped up its aggression in the China Sea. We’re losing influence across the globe, especially in South America and Africa where the Chinese and the Russians are taking over. We’re leaving leaps and bounds.
    So, let’s be very clear. Despite the administration’s incompetence, I still believe Putin was wrong to invade Ukraine. I think we all do. He should have withdrawn his forces immediately after it started. Putin is responsible for his actions, and he has made no secret of the fact that he sees Ukraine as historically a part of Russia. 
    At the same time, I do not think that Ukraine’s border is more important than ours—not even close—which we have been completely […] neglecting the last three and a half years.
    We have been overrun, [at the] southern border, northern border, and from airplanes all over the world flying into our cities. It’s an embarrassment.
    We do not need the administration to enable Ukraine to use offensive weapons and strike deep into Russia. That cannot happen. We are on the cusp of a nuclear war. Nobody seems concerned: ‘It won’t happen.’ Yes, it will happen. Putin has told us it will happen if you continue this. This would only escalate this conflict to an entirely new level that none of us can ever imagine. Do you think this offensive would convince Putin to come to the table and negotiate a peace agreement? Well, I would hope we would go, but we do not seem to want to make a peace agreement. We had better and we’d better do it in the very near future. This will provoke him to [use] even more deadly weapons if we continue to attack within their borders, costing more and more lives. NATO and the U.S. would be forced to respond as a result. We’re trying to create a war. 
    We must consider these questions thoroughly before we involve ourselves in another one of these crazy conflicts that should never happen. Improvising won’t cut it. Now is the time for the U.S. to lead and negotiate a peace to the end of this bloody war. I keep hearing people say, ‘well, we’re building equipment for our military.’ Yeah, right. Or our men and women are not losing their lives. We’re getting close to it. We’re getting very close.
    Now look, I come from a military state in the state of Alabama. We build everything. We have thousands of troops. I want it to be well-funded and well-equipped if we ever have to fight a war. We need a lethal killing machine to deter other aggression. That’s what a military is about. This is not about defunding our military. I want our military laser-focused on protecting Americans and not woke DEI initiatives. And it’s not about abandoning our allies either. We need to support our allies.
    It’s about this administration funding a proxy war with no plan, zero, no plan on how to stop it, or how to win it. The Biden-Harris administration needs to negotiate a peace agreement now. Immediately, or there will be huge, disastrous consequences coming in the very near future. 
    Mr. President, I yield floor.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Hassan Move to Extend Fentanyl Analogue Scheduling Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Drug Caucus Co-Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and caucus member Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are seeking to extend through December 31, 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s temporary order classifying fentanyl-related drugs as Schedule I. Congress has passed this extension multiple times since 2018; the current order is set to expire on December 31 of this year. 
    “Prior to 2018, it was near impossible to combat fentanyl look-a-likes. The DEA’s emergency restrictions have helped law enforcement identify these deadly drugs and prevent them from reaching our communities. We can’t afford to let our guard down by allowing these critical restrictions to sunset. Meanwhile, lawmakers, researchers and others will keep working towards permanent solutions,” Grassley said. 
    “New Hampshire knows all too well the devastating effects of the fentanyl crisis on our communities,” Hassan said. “This commonsense bipartisan bill will extend prohibitions against fentanyl-related substances so that law enforcement can continue to investigate and interdict these harmful substances as we continue to combat the fentanyl epidemic on all fronts.”
    Grassley and Hassan are joined by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). 
    Background: 
    Fentanyl is a controlled substance, meaning U.S. statute prohibits its use. However, illicit drug manufacturers and traffickers, often in China and Mexico, are sidestepping the law by producing fentanyl analogues – drugs that are substantially similar to fentanyl, but tweaked ever so slightly – to push potent substances that can slip into the U.S. on a technicality.
    To keep pace with rapidly evolving drugs and combat opioid-related deaths, DEA in 2018 temporarily restricted all fentanyl analogues. This legislation would extend that 2018 restriction. Grassley and Hassan also teamed up on the SIMSA Act, a long-term solution that would stiffen criminal penalties against those who manufacture, export and import fentanyl analogues and equip law enforcement with effective tools to crack down on cartels and other drug threats.  
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McCaul on House Passage of the STOP CCP Act

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    Washington, D.C. — House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCaul (R-TX) issued the following statement after the House passed Rep. Lisa McClain’s (R-MI) H.R. 3334, the Sanction Tyrannical and Oppressive People within the Chinese Communist Party (STOP CCP) Act of 2024, which sanctions top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials responsible for threatening Hong Kong and Taiwan, violating human rights in China, and infringing upon the sovereignty of Tibet.

    “Weakness invites aggression. The Biden-Harris administration’s failure to confront the malign actions of the CCP has emboldened Chairman Xi and the perpetrators of territorial aggression across the Indo-Pacific to commit egregious human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. Earlier this year, I met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India and learned firsthand about the abuses the CCP has committed against the Tibetan people, as well as CCP efforts to undermine Tibetan culture, language, and religious beliefs. When the U.S. projects strength through action like this, the world listens.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s message to the High-Level Meeting on International Cooperation on Capacity-building on Artificial Intelligence [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    His Excellency Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China,

    His Excellency Mr. Felix Mutati, Minister of Technology and Science of the Republic of Zambia,

    Excellencies,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    I thank the Governments of China and Zambia for organising this High-level Meeting on International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence.

    We stand at a truly pivotal moment. Artificial Intelligence is developing at an unprecedented rate, transforming our world in ways we are only beginning to comprehend.

    It has the potential to help rescue the SDGs and usher in a more durable and equitable future. Recent studies show us that AI can help accelerate nearly 80 per cent of the SDGs.

    Yet, we face a stark reality: AI opportunities are not evenly shared.

    Today, AI capacities are concentrated in a handful of powerful companies – and even fewer countries. The leaders of these companies are exclusively men, and the algorithms they are building risk reinforcing gender and geographic biases.

    Meanwhile, too many countries face significant challenges in accessing AI tools, and too many women and girls lack access to education that could be a platform for careers in this emerging field.

    Excellencies, 

    To truly harness AI’s potential, we need international cooperation – and solidarity. We must urgently bridge the AI capacity gap for developing countries and for women and girls. The risks posed by AI are equally uneven.

    Without adequate guardrails, AI could further exacerbate inequalities and digital divides – once again disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.

    Excellencies,

    Technology should benefit everyone. 

    AI should be a tool for closing the developmental divide, the digital divide, and the gender divide.

    As we build AI capacity, we must also develop shared knowledge and digital public goods.

    This can be achieved through networks where expertise and AI training data are pooled and made available to everyone who needs them. 

    Interconnected AI centres across different countries and continents can accelerate the advancement of AI, promote data diversity and inclusivity, and foster cooperation rather than competition.

    Last week, the Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Body on AI issued its final report, with a series of recommendations including:

    •    Creating an AI Capacity Development Network to connect AI centres and provide expertise and training data especially for developing countries; 

    •    Establishing a Global Fund on AI for the Sustainable Development Goals.

    •    And developing a Global Data Framework, so that local AI ecosystems can flourish.

    Many of the recommendations from this Body have been integrated into the recently agreed Global Digital Compact – a landmark agreement that will advance global digital cooperation.

    The Compact includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of Artificial Intelligence.

    It also supports networks and partnerships to build capacity on AI in developing countries:

    Commits governments to establish an independent international Scientific Panel on AI; 

    And it represents the first collective effort to reach agreed interoperability standards.

    Excellencies,

    The United Nations is uniquely placed to promote digital cooperation and support the global exchange of best practices for AI capacity building.

    I urge you all to promote a collaborative AI, and to engage in flourishing partnerships – in line with the Global Digital Compact.

    Together, let us develop innovative and inclusive tools for AI governance and cooperation – and build a more sustainable and equitable future for all, where no one is left behind.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Introduces Five Bills to Combat Chinese Communist Party Influence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    September 25, 2024
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, introduced five pieces of legislation aimed at combatting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in America’s agriculture and financial sectors.
    “The CCP is the single greatest threat to America’s national security and financial independence,” said Senator Ricketts. “A CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. These bills move us closer to that.”
    The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our domestic food and agriculture supply chains and reduces America’s reliance on foreign adversaries.
    The Protecting Endowments from our Adversaries Act disincentivizes endowments from investing in adversarial entities flagged by the U.S. Government as threatening to our national security.
    The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act eliminates tax breaks for investments made in companies based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus.
    The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act prevents Wall Street firms from using Americans’ investment dollars to effectively underwrite the CCP’s human rights abuses and aggression.
    The No China in Index Funds Act prevents index mutual funds from holding Chinese stocks.
    The bills were first covered by Fox News here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Securing American Agriculture Act – The PRC’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chain poses a serious national security threat. In recent years, the PRC gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production and up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed.
    Losing access to these key inputs could drastically reduce agricultural productivity, increase food prices, and undermine domestic food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that, if left unchecked, the PRC’s domination of the amino acids market would destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs and reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our food production supply chain.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains.
    Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from the PRC and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.
    U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MI).
    A one-pager on the bill can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act (PEOAA) – U.S. University endowment dollars have helped fund technology behind the CCP’s surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in China. Many endowment fund portfolios own Chinese stocks listed on American exchanges, either directly or indirectly. Tax-advantaged endowment dollars are supposed to be used to lower tuition costs and improve education, not to fund our adversaries.
    Specifically, the bill:
    Imposes a 50% excise tax on initial investments in adversarial entities on the Entity List, Military End User List, Unverified List, or FCC Covered List.
    Imposes a 100% excise tax on the realized gains derived from listed investments one year after an entity is listed.
    Applies to private college and university endowments over $1 billion.
    U.S. Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) has introduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) And Deb Fischer (R-NE).
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act – According to a comparative analysis of capital gains tax rates by the Law Library of Congress, many countries have investment incentives not applicable to some foreign investments. For example, China provides investment incentives through its tax code, but foreign investments are eligible only with the pre-approval of the Chinese government. The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act stops subsidizing our adversaries’ investments in the United States. 
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Eliminates the capital gains tax break for investments in companies based in China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.
    Eliminates a related tax break, the “step-up in basis” at death, for investments in such companies.
    Requires disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that no tax breaks are available for these stocks.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    People’s Republic of China (PRC) Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act – A recent report identified 144 Chinese companies, or their affiliates, whose practices were so adverse to U.S. interests that it is illegal for Americans to buy their products. Most of these companies have been found to violate human rights. Others play an integral role in the CCP’s military-industrial complex. While buying the products of these companies is illegal, it is still legal to buy their stock. The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act fixes this problem.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities of companies that appear on sanctions lists or have an affiliate on the sanctions list.
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities that are derivatives of securities issued by a sanctioned company.
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding securities that provides investment exposure to a publicly-traded security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate.
    Requires divestment from the prohibited securities within 180 days.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    No China in Index Funds Act – Index mutual funds minimize their expenses by simply investing in all the companies in a certain market sector, without looking closely at the individual companies. There are unique difficulties in evaluating the risks of investing in Chinese companies. Americans should not invest in these companies without carefully evaluating the risk. The No China in Index Funds Act will keep these hard-to-evaluate Chinese stocks out of index mutual funds.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Prohibits index funds from investing in Chinese companies.
    Requires index funds to divest from such investments within 180 days.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House passes Sen. Braun/Rep. Newhouse bill adding more oversight to protect American agriculture from foreign adversaries, Braun calls on Senate to act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Braun celebrated the passage of the House version of the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, led by Representative Newhouse. This bill in the Senate was led by Senator Mike Braun and Senator Tommy Tuberville and was co-sponsored by Sen. Manchin, Sen. Cotton, Sen. Tester, Sen. Marshall, Sen. Fetterman, Sen. Grassley, Sen. Blackburn, Sen. Ricketts, Sen. Barrasso, Sen. Britt, Sen. Baldwin, Sen. Young, Sen. Fischer, Sen. Ernst, and Sen. Lummis. 

    The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add another layer of scrutiny on foreign acquisitions of U.S. farmland and agricultural industries and, specifically, flag farmland purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia and Iran for CFIUS. This will add much-needed extra oversight in this process. According to the USDA, over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned. 

    “The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 has now passed the House, bringing us one step closer to protecting American farmland from foreign adversaries. Now it’s time to pass my bipartisan Senate version.”— Sen. Mike Braun

    This bill is sponsored by the Indiana Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Growers Association, and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

    Bill text here.

    ★★★

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Braun bill adds more oversight to protect American agriculture from foreign adversaries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    Braun, Tuberville, Manchin, Cotton, Tester, Marshall, Fetterman, Grassley, Blackburn, Ricketts, Barrasso, Britt, Baldwin, Young, Fischer, Ernst, and Lummis lead Senate version of bill expected to move in House this week

    WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Braun, Sen. Tuberville, Sen. Manchin, Sen. Cotton, Sen. Tester, Sen. Marshall, Sen. Fetterman, Sen. Grassley, Sen. Blackburn, Sen. Ricketts, Sen. Barrasso, Sen. Britt, Sen. Baldwin, Sen. Young, Sen. Fischer, Sen. Ernst, and Sen. Lummis introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add another layer of scrutiny on foreign acquisitions of U.S. farmland and agricultural industries and, specifically, flag farmland purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia and Iran for CFIUS. This will add much-needed extra oversight in this process. According to the USDA, over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned. 

    Rep. Dan Newhouse introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.

    The House of Representatives is expected to move on this legislation this week.

    The House Rules Committee met about this bill Monday, September 9. 

    “Chinese ownership of American farmland increased more than 20-fold in the past decade. The amount of American soil in the hands of our foreign adversaries will only go up if we do not implement restrictions and oversight, especially on nations that compromise our national security and agricultural supply chains. I’m proud to lead this effort to protect American farms and food security.”— Sen. Mike Braun

    “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have bowed to China every chance that they get—even when it comes to our agriculture industry. In the last decade alone, we have seen a surge of over 35% in foreign land purchases—including in my home state of Alabama. We can’t give our adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran room to negatively influence our agricultural supply chains and food production. Food security is national security, which is why I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Braun that ensures the Secretary of Agriculture has a seat at the table on CFIUS and the opportunity to push back on proposed foreign ag investments.” – Sen. Tommy Tuberville

    “Allowing foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party to purchase American farmland and agribusiness poses an unacceptable risk to our food security and national security,” said Tester. “Congress needs to act, and our bipartisan bill will secure much needed oversight to help stop bad actors who want to undermine our country. I’ll keep working with my Republican colleagues to fully prohibit the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing a single inch of American farmland.”– Sen. Jon Tester

    “The purchase of American land by our adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party drains our country of resources and puts our national security at risk. We should not allow anyone working on behalf of hostile foreign powers to own a single inch of American soil.” – Sen. Tom Cotton

    “The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 is an essential tool for safeguarding our nation’s agricultural resources from foreign threats. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a troubling surge in foreign ownership of American farmland, posing serious risks to both our national security and food security. This commonsense bill gives the Secretary of Agriculture a permanent review role on CFIUS to prevent adversaries who don’t share our values from gaining control over American agricultural assets, which will protect our farms in West Virginia and across the country.”—Sen. Joe Manchin

    “When adversarial foreign governments buy up U.S. farmland, it undermines economic opportunities for families across America’s Heartland and presents obvious national security threats. The federal government’s number one job is to protect its citizens. Our legislation would support that fundamental responsibility by taking commonsense actions to address current vulnerabilities.” – Sen. Chuck Grassley

    “The Chinese Communist Party has proven over and over again they cannot be trusted. They are our adversary, not our ally. All Americans should be alarmed by the amount of American farmland China and other foreign entities own. Giving our adversaries any control over our agricultural resources is a direct threat to our national and food security. Senator Braun’s legislation will help protect America’s farms and safeguard our food supply.” — Sen. John Barrasso

    “Food security is national security and that requires America’s farmland be protected from foreign adversaries, like China.I believe one acre of American farmland owned by the Chinese Communist Party is one acre too many,” said Senator Britt. “To protect Alabama and America’s farmland from being purchased by malign actors, the Secretary of Agriculture must have a seat at the table. This commonsense legislation ensures the Secretary of Agriculture is made a permanent member of CFIUS in order to weigh in on the needs of America’s agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership.”—Sen. Katie Britt

    “Nearly two-thirds of land in Indiana – and more than half of all land in the United States – is farmland. Recent efforts by China and other adversaries to buy agricultural land across the country could present a national security threat. Indiana is a leader in restricting these purchases, but Congress must act to ensure permanent safeguards are in place in all fifty states.” – Sen. Todd Young 

    “Food security is national security, and for too long, the federal government has allowed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to put our security at risk by turning a blind eye to their steadily increasing purchases of American farmland. It is not enough to just discuss this issue—we must take immediate action to stop the CCP from further encroachment. By adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, we can ensure much-needed oversight of agricultural land purchases by foreign adversaries, which will protect American farmers and the industry as a whole. The Chinese Communist Party has long sought to undermine our institutions and very way of life, and I am proud to lead this effort to support farmers in Central Washington and across the nation.”— Rep. Dan Newhouse

    The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would: 

    1. Permanently include the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) with respect to covered transactions involving agricultural land, agricultural biotech, or the transportation, storage, and processing of agricultural products.
    2. Authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to report both agricultural land transactions that involve foreign persons of China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, and transactions that require AFIDA reporting to CFIUS. 

    This bill is sponsored by the Indiana Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Growers Association, and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

    Bill text here.

    ★★★

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Welcome speech | Speech delivered at the Bundesbank´s representative office

    Source: Bundesbank

    Check against delivery.

    1 Welcome

    Ladies and Gentlemen:

    For me, it is always a great pleasure to be here. Especially this year, as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of our trading office. Since its inception in April 2009, the trading office has provided the Bundesbank Executive Board with first-hand knowledge from Wall Street and beyond.

    I know for sure that its success rests on a network of exceptional people, namely you! Therefore, I want to start with a big thank you to all of you, for your cooperation and trust over all these years. But before we move on to the fun part, let us look at what has happened in the markets since we last met in September 2023.

    2 Economic backdrop

    From an economic point of view, the world looked different a year ago. Inflation in the euro area – and in the US too – was significantly higher. Almost a year ago to the day [Sept. 2023], the Eurosystem raised its key interest rates for the last time in the tightening cycle. In September 2023, the deposit facility rate reached 4.0 percent. The tightening has done its part to cool euro area inflation. Today, the Eurosystem is well on the way to meeting its inflation target.

    In the US, we also see positive developments in this regard. Inflation has decreased significantly, thanks to a series of interest rate increases. Although US inflation remains above the Fed’s two percent target, things are heading in the right direction – just like in the euro area. In terms of economic growth, the US remains ahead of the euro area. While euro-area GDP grew by 0.4 percent last year[1], the US economy mustered 2.5 percent growth[2]. As it stands today, the US is poised to outperform the euro-area economy once again this year – despite recent signs of a cooling in the US labour market.

    Against the backdrop of lower inflation, central banks on both sides of the Atlantic have taken steps to pare back the degree of monetary-policy restrictiveness. As expected, the Fed last week [Sept. 18] decided to lower its target range for the federal funds rate for the first time in the current cycle.

    In the euro area, the ECB’s Governing Council lowered the deposit facility rate twice already, in June and September, bringing it to 3.5 percent. The Eurosystem also narrowed the spread between the main refinancing rate and the deposit rate from 50 to 15 basis points. The latter step was no surprise. It had already been announced in the context of our Operational Framework Review in March. While excess liquidity will remain high over the coming years, it will gradually decline as part of our monetary policy normalisation. By reducing the spread between the main financing rate and the deposit facility rate, the Eurosystem aims to limit future swings in money market rates, while maintaining incentives for more market activity. We will continue to closely monitor developments in the money markets and other refinancing markets. 

    3 What else have we achieved?

    The Eurosystem – and the Fed – are continuing to shrink their balance sheets. In the euro area, we stopped reinvesting bond redemptions from the asset purchase programme APP [from July 2023 on]. And the Eurosystem is phasing out the remaining reinvestments of redemptions from the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme [PEPP] by the end of this year. Furthermore, euro-area banks have repaid the overwhelming share of their long-term crisis loans, the TLTROs. 

    In the US, you are well aware that the Fed had started to reduce its securities holdings approximately a year earlier.

    From a central bank perspective, there are good reasons for this withdrawal of liquidity. With the end of negative [and zero] interest rates, an important reason for large-scale bond purchases has vanished. Furthermore, large balance sheets of central banks can lead to market distortions. They may lead to collateral scarcity or a deterioration of market liquidity. Finally, yet importantly, central banks should only intervene in financial markets to the degree necessary for monetary policy purposes.

    It is encouraging that, so far, the balance sheet reduction has been well received by financial markets. Investors have adapted to a market with fewer central bank purchases and hence less ample liquidity provision. Market functioning remains largely robust.

    4 What challenges lie ahead?

    Ladies and Gentlemen:

    While central banks have made good progress in normalising their monetary policy stance, challenges remain. Let me briefly address three of them.

    First, despite the wave of high inflation nearing its end, we are not there yet. We shouldn’t celebrate prematurely. When it comes to interest rate cuts and their size, we are not flying on autopilot. We must remain vigilant and be wary of the risks on the path back to price stability. That’s our job and that’s what we are committed to delivering. 

    Second, recent market turbulences in early August were brief, but they serve as a warning shot. They show how sensitively markets can react to monetary policy steps – in this case combined with crowded positions in financial markets and macroeconomic triggers. 

    Third, another important factor to watch is China, which faces numerous challenges, including deflationary tendencies in some parts of the economy. Let‘s see how the markets perceive the latest decisions of the PBOC.

    5 Conclusion

    To sum up, markets have coped well with the withdrawal of central bank liquidity. Greater market fluctuations – like those in early August – have so far proven to be limited and temporary. I find this very encouraging. 

    Nevertheless, there is still work to do. We are not completely back to price stability. And central banks will continue to reduce their balance sheets, depending on their individual reduction targets. When it comes to balance sheet size, “less may be more” – as long as liquidity conditions in money markets remain relaxed over-all.

    Footnotes:

    1. Vgl. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-euro-indicators/-/2-08032024-ap#:~:text=GDP%20growth%20in%20the%20euro%20area%20and%20the%20EU,-In%20the%20fourth&text=For%20the%20year%202023%20as,the%20third%20quarter%20of%202023). (aufgerufen am 12.09.2024)
    2.  Vgl. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/gdp2q24-2nd.pdf
    3. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/gdp2q24-2nd.pdf

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Textiles Minister Shri Giriraj Singh unveils commemorative coin to celebrate Platinum Jubilee of Central Silk Board

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 6:23PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh unveiled the Commemoratory coin, celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of the Central Silk Board (CSB) at Mysuru on 20th Sep 2024. The Central Silk Board has proudly marked 75 years of dedicated service to advancing India’s silk industry.

    The celebrations also witnessed the participation of many dignitaries including Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy; Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita; Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Smt. Rachna Shah; Minister, Animal Husbandry and Sericulture, Govt. of Karnataka, Shri K. Venkatesh; Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Board Member, Central Silk Board, Shri Iranna B Kalladi; Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Board Member, Central Silk Board, Shri Narayana Koragappa; Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Chikkaballapura, & Board Member, Central Silk Board, Dr. K. Sudhakar; Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha & Board Member, Central Silk Board, Shri A. G. Lakshminarayana Valmiki; Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar; MLA, Govt. of Karnataka, Shri G.T. Devegowda; and other senior officers of the Ministry and Central Silk Board.

    During the events commemorating the 75-year journey of the Central Silk Board (CSB), several significant releases and launches took place. A documentary video showcasing CSB’s history was unveiled, along with a commemorative coin celebrating the Platinum Jubilee and a Coffee Table Book titled CSB in the Service of the Nation Since 1949. A postal cover featuring the CSB 75 Years Logo was also released. Additionally, new mulberry varieties and silkworm hybrids, including CBC-01 (C-2038) for Eastern and Northeastern India, as well as CMB-01 (S8 x CSR16) and CMB-02 (TT21 x TT56), were launched to enhance silk production. Four new technologies—Nirmool, Seri-win, Mr. Pro, and a trapping machine—were introduced, alongside the release of 13 books, 3 manuals, and 1 Hindi magazine dedicated to sericulture. The Silk Mark India (SMOI) website was officially launched, and notable exchanges of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) occurred between CSB and prominent institutions like ICAR-CIFRI Barrackpore, Jain University Bengaluru, and Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat, to strengthen cooperative efforts in sericulture research and training.

    The introduction of new mulberry varieties and silkworm hybrids is crucial for enhancing silk production, particularly in Eastern and Northeastern India, thereby diversifying production areas and reducing regional dependency. Additionally, the launch of innovative technologies like Nirmool and Seri-win addresses critical challenges such as pest management, promoting sustainable practices, and increasing productivity.

    Educational resources released during the event will empower farmers with essential knowledge, while the signed MoUs with institutions like ICAR-CIFRI and Jain University facilitate collaborative research and training initiatives. This strategic approach to enhancing infrastructure, market access, and resource availability for sericulture farmers creates a supportive ecosystem for their growth, ultimately aiming to uplift livelihoods and strengthen India’s position in the global silk market.

    The Seri-stakeholders experience-sharing session was also held during two days of celebrations, bringing together all stakeholders in the Silk sector and by-product producers. The session provided a platform for participants to interact and share their experiences regarding the current state of the silk industry. Several key suggestions emerged from the discussions, including the creation of a platform for utilizing sericulture waste in animal feed, pharmaceuticals, and medical applications.

    Participants emphasized the need to strengthen market facilities in sericulture states and stabilize cocoon prices while reducing the influence of middlemen to increase farmers’ margins. They also called for subsidies on sericulture components, along with adjustments to unit costs in line with market inflation.

    The Central Silk Board was set up based on the recommendations of the Silk Panel by the Imperial Govt. on 8th March 1945 to examine the development of silk industry, the Government of Independent India enacted the CSB Act 1948 on 20th September 1948. Accordingly, the Central Silk Board (CSB) a statutory body was set up under an Act of Parliament (LXI) of 1948 to shape the Sericulture Industry on 9th April 1949.

    The Central Silk Board (CSB) is the sole organisation for comprehensive sericulture Research &Development (R&D) and coordinates development programs across 26 States/UTs. The mandated activities of CSB are Research and Development, maintenance of four tier silkworm seed production network, leadership role in commercial silkworm seed production, standardizing and instilling quality parameters in the various production processes, and advising the Government on all matters concerning sericulture and silk industry. These mandated activities of the Central Silk Board are being carried out by the 159 units of CSB located in different States.

    CSB’s R&D institutes have played a pivotal role in developing over 51 silkworm hybrids tailored to different regions and seasons, 20 high-yielding varieties of host plants, and more than 68 patented technologies. Due to CSB’s R&D effort, the country has started manufacturing Indigenous Automatic Reeling Machines, which were earlier imported from China. These advancements have been instrumental in improving silk production, providing valuable tools and techniques for farmers and stakeholders to enhance both quality and yield.

    Through the transformative initiatives of the Central Silk Board (CSB), India has made impressive progress in the silk industry. The nation now ranks as the second-largest silk producer worldwide, with its share of global production jumping from 6% in 1949 to 42% in 2023. Raw silk production has skyrocketed from 1,242 metric tonnes in 1949 to 38,913 metric tonnes in 2023-24. Efficiency improvements are evident, as renditta has decreased from 17 in 1949 to 6.47 in 2023-24, and productivity per hectare of mulberry plantations has risen from 15 kg to 110 kg. Furthermore, silk exports have experienced remarkable growth, with earnings increasing from ₹0.41 crores in 1949-50 to ₹2,028 crores in 2023-24 and reaching over 80 countries.

    ***

    VN

    (Release ID: 2058721) Visitor Counter : 45

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 09/25/2024 Blackburn, Kelly, Cornyn, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Stop School Bus Manufacturers Tied to Chinese Communist Party from Receiving Federal Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Secure School Buses Act to ensure school bus manufacturers tied to foreign entities and countries of concern, including the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), do not receive federal funding:

    “Under current law, federal funding for public transit is banned from going to companies tied to U.S. adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party, but the requirements do not apply to federal funding for school buses,” said Senator Blackburn. “Our Secure School Buses Act would close this dangerous loophole and safeguard national security and our nation’s students.”

    “The Clean School Bus Program has provided school districts in Arizona and throughout the country opportunities to modernize their school bus fleets, while supporting bus manufacturers based here in the United States,” said Senator Kelly. “This bill ensures companies that receive state support from the Chinese government can’t take advantage of this program to unfairly compete against American manufacturers. We’ve taken these same steps to protect public transit systems, and now it’s time we apply the same standard to the buses carrying our kids to school every day.” 

    “It is unacceptable for adversarial nations to receive any benefit at the expense of American taxpayers,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bill would prohibit federal dollars from going to subsidiaries and spin-offs of predatory entities in China and other countries of concern that don’t have our interests at heart, and I’m glad to support it.”

    “When we use taxpayer dollars, we should be investing those dollars back into American businesses, workers, and communities – not sending money overseas to adversaries like China,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to ensure taxpayer investments in our children’s school buses won’t line the pockets of bad actors like China and give them a competitive edge over our workers and businesses.”

    BACKGROUND:
    • Several years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Clean School Bus Program to replace existing school buses with electric models. According to the EPA, they have awarded almost $3 billion in taxpayer funds through this program. Troublingly, certain companies in the electric bus industry have ties to the CCP and other foreign entities of concern.
    • Localities can currently use their federal funding to purchase buses from companies with ties to these foreign entities of concern, with some of these companies marketing buses specifically for the Clean School Bus Program. In the past, Congress has made clear that no federal taxpayer dollars should go to companies with ties to our adversaries.
    • While federal funds are prohibited from going to companies with ties to the CCP and other foreign entities of concern for public transit, there are no such prohibitions for the procurement of school buses. If these products are not safe enough for public transit, they certainly are not safe enough for our nation’s children.
    • Senator Blackburn has worked extensively on the national security risks posed by Chinese-made connected cars and electric vehicles proliferating in the United States, due to many Chinese companies’ subservience to the CCP. The same holds true for these electric bus companies with ties to the CCP and other foreign entities of concern.

    SECURE SCHOOL BUSES ACT:
    • The Secure School Buses Act would prohibit the award of federal grant funding to school bus manufacturers with certain ties to a foreign entity of concern.
    • This legislation is endorsed by the Alliance for American Manufacturing and Heritage Action.

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Hong Kong: ‘Rule by fear’ as first journalists sentenced to prison under sedition law for doing their job

    Source: Amnesty International –

    (Left) Former Chief Editor of Stand News Chung Pui-kuen and (Right) Former Acting Chief Editor of Stand News Patrick Lam © Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Journalists Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam should have their convictions quashed

    Authorities must stop using sedition charge to gag press freedom and other human rights  

    ‘There has rarely been a more dangerous time to work in media in the city’- Sarah Brooks

    Responding to the sentencing to prison for sedition of Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam – two former editors at the defunct Hong Kong media outlet Stand News, Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, said:

    “The jailing of two journalists simply for doing their job makes this another bleak day for press freedom in Hong Kong.

    “The fact they are the first journalists to be sentenced to jail on colonial-era ‘sedition’ charges since before the Hong Kong handover of 1997 indicates that there has rarely been a more dangerous time to work in media in the city.

    “Just like the numerous other ‘sedition’ and national security convictions of activists, teachers and lawyers that we have seen in Hong Kong in recent years, today’s sentencing looks designed to reinforce a chilling effect that dissuades others in the city – and beyond – from criticising the authorities. It is rule by fear.

    “Once again, we urge the Hong Kong authorities to stop using ‘sedition’ and other national security-related laws as a pretext to crack down on press freedom and other human rights. The two journalists sentenced today have committed no internationally recognised crime and their convictions should be quashed.”

    Silencing press freedom

    Former chief editor of Stand News Chung Pui-kuen was today sentenced to 21 months in prison and former acting chief editor Patrick Lam was sentenced to 11 months after being convicted last month of conspiring to publish “seditious” publications under Hong Kong’s sedition law. Because both have already spent almost a year in pre-trial detention, Lam will not be returned to prison but Chung will be.

    The journalists’ prosecution along with Stand News’s parent company Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited was based on 17 allegedly seditious articles, including news reports, interviews, profiles, and opinion pieces. Stand News, a non-profit digital news outlet, ceased operating and deleted its website in December 2021 after its newsroom was raided by more than 200 national security police officers. 

    The journalists’ trial began in October 2022 – its conclusion was postponed numerous times before the courts issued a long-awaited verdict last month; the sentencing was also delayed.

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Health chief starts Beijing visit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau and a delegation today began their visit to Beijing by calling on Mainland officials to introduce them to the latest developments of various healthcare reforms in Hong Kong and deepen synergistic collaboration on healthcare-related areas with the Mainland.

    During a meeting with National Health Commission (NHC) Vice-minister Yu Xuejun, Prof Lo engaged in an in-depth discussion on how to further deepen cross-boundary collaboration on health and medical innovation between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

    He also actively put forward to the NHC multiple proposals on measures for promoting the cross-boundary flow of innovation elements, including entry and exit of human genetic resources in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Development Plan for Shenzhen Park) promulgated by the State Council.

    Prof Lo noted that the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park emphasises the co-ordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong through the establishment of an internationally competitive base for industrial pilot-scale testing and transformation in Hetao to support the innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies.

    Last year’s Policy Address also proposed the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.

    To this end, the Health Bureau strives to push forward with multiple key initiatives, including joining forces with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to set up in the Hetao Area an international clinical trial collaboration platform for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area under the “one zone, two parks” model in expectation of simultaneous commencement of operation in the fourth quarter.

    The health chief pointed out that the development of innovative drugs and medical devices not only enhances healthcare standards but also transforms the industry, adding that Hong Kong’s healthcare system must keep abreast of the times and pursue transformation with innovation.

    Prof Lo and the delegation also met National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) Commissioner Prof Yu Yanhong and discussed issues related to the promotion of the development of Chinese medicine (CM).

    He said the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to press ahead with the high-quality development of CM in Hong Kong on all fronts by giving full play to the characteristics of CM in Hong Kong and the city’s strengths in areas such as service delivery, standard-setting, international connectivity and clinical research, assisting the nation to propel CM to go global.

    Separately, at a meeting with the Head of the Department of Political Affairs of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China Lyu Weihong, Prof Lo highlighted that the Hong Kong SAR Government has been maintaining close co-operation with the Mainland’s entry-exit health inspection and quarantine authorities, as well as strengthening the joint efforts in disease prevention and control in terms of entry-exit health inspection and quarantine between the Mainland and Hong Kong, with a view to safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of residents and travellers of the two places.

    The two parties also exchanged views on the promotion of the cross-boundary flow of innovation elements as mentioned in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park.

    The delegation will call on the State Council’s Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office and the National Medical Products Administration tomorrow before departing for Hong Kong in the evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ramokgopa attends BRICS Energy Ministers Meeting

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has called on the BRICS Plus bloc of countries to work together to assist and support member countries to tackle energy challenges.

    The Minister was delivering his opening remarks at the 9th Annual BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow, Russia.

    “We believe that this BRICS group of like-minded country members has a huge potential, and working together will strengthen this resolve through cooperation on energy security.

    “[It will] also provide an opportunity to join efforts to annihilate the challenges diagnosed during the BRICS 2023 Summit held in South Africa, such as addressing the lack or absence of integrated energy policy framework, diversification and beneficiation at source of critical minerals, infrastructure development, manufacturing, technology transfer and intellectual property, scaling up energy efficiency, mobilisation of finance and investment, as well as skills and capacity building, amongst others,” Ramokgopa said.

    He called on the member countries to “tap and dig deeper into various capabilities and strengths” to ensure mutual support in harnessing the individual potential each country has at its disposal.

    “To mention a few opportunities, it is mining and beneficiation of critical minerals, and rare-earth elements required to power the green economy, [expand] hydro power potential, promising hydrogen solutions and its derivatives, gas, nuclear – including small modular reactors, renewables, storage, biofuels, as well as clean coal, and carbon capture utilisation and storage,” the Minister said.

    Ramokgopa highlighted that the meeting of BRICS Energy Ministers comes at a critical time, as countries ponder ways to transition towards low carbon economies.

    “This meeting comes at a critical phase where our countries are grappling with the challenge of balancing developmental goals with energy transition pathways. 

    “We must ensure that these transitions safeguard energy sovereignty and security, promote sustainable economic development, facilitate universal access and respond effectively to environmental imperatives, all the while ensuring no one is left behind,” he said.

    He told the meeting that the expansion of the BRICS bloc of countries is a “clear affirmation of the group’s growing significance and influence in the global energy agenda”. 

    “This is a pivotal moment, positioning BRICS to reshape, refocus, and reset the global energy architecture to ensure energy access, security, affordability, and eradicate energy poverty and promote a just energy transition.

    “For us as South Africa, we see this as an opportune moment to clearly articulate our collective position as the developing nations that will enable us to continue to use our energy resources through innovative technologies that allow us to move from high emitting to low emitting energy systems, and thus achieve carbon-neutrality or net-zero at a pace and scale that is in line with our different national circumstances and capabilities.

    “In this regard, we want to reiterate that our approach to an inclusive and people centred energy transition is informed by the need to maintain energy security in support of socio-economic objectives,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: China vows intensified, improved preservation of cultural relics

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 26 — China will step up efforts to preserve its cultural relics, improve the management, and create more engaging ways for the public to appreciate the rich cultural heritage, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA).

    With a history spanning more than 5,000 years, China is home to over 760,000 immovable cultural relics and 108 million state-owned movable relics, said Guan Qiang, deputy director of the NCHA.

    After the 700-year-old Beijing Central Axis was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July this year, the number of World Heritage Sites in China reached 59, reinforcing the country’s position as one of the world’s largest cultural treasure troves.

    China’s ongoing fourth national survey on immovable cultural relics has entered an optimal phase in terms of field survey, Guan said at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

    As of Sept. 23, survey teams had reviewed over 253,000 immovable cultural relics, or 33 percent of those covered by the third national survey running from 2007 to 2011, and discovered more than 18,000 new relics, according to Guan.

    The fourth national survey, launched in November 2023, involves more than 5,000 census teams composed of over 45,000 personnel — 50 percent more than the number involved in the previous national survey.

    Guan also highlighted progress in terms of legislation, noting that a draft revision of the country’s cultural relics protection law has been submitted to lawmakers for deliberation. Moreover, scientific and technological advances in cultural relics preservation have been integrated into the state innovation system, with notable progress made in scores of key R&D projects, Guan added.

    The NCHA plans to enhance its cooperation with relevant authorities to establish coordination bodies dedicated to cultural preservation and inheritance. An inspection system will also be introduced to facilitate systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage, Guan said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Laos Railway sees passengers from over 100 countries, regions

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

    KUNMING, Sept. 26 — The China-Laos Railway, which launched its international passenger service on April 13, 2023, has transported passengers from over 100 countries and regions, according to the Mohan border checkpoint in southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

    As of Wednesday, over 1,260 international passenger trains have facilitated the smooth clearance of more than 282,000 inbound and outbound travelers from 101 countries and regions.

    Boosted by the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains have become the preferred choice for travelers from both countries due to their economical, convenient and comfortable travel options for tourism, study, business and cultural exchange.

    As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the 1,035-km China-Laos Railway connects Kunming, the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Phase II project of China’s self-developed deepwater gas field to be operational

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

    HAIKOU, Sept. 26 — China’s first independently-developed ultra-deepwater gas field Shenhai Yihao, or Deep Sea No. 1, has completed construction of its phase II project, which is expected to be operational in the near future, according to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), its operator.

    The completion of the project marks a major breakthrough in China’s independent construction capabilities of deepwater oil and gas projects under complex conditions, the CNOOC said Thursday.

    The phase II project, with a proven reserve of over 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas, includes 12 deepwater gas wells, a comprehensive processing platform weighing over 14,000 tonnes and five submarine pipelines with a total length of about 250 km, among other facilities.

    Upon full operation of the project, the peak annual output of natural gas of the Deep Sea No. 1 is expected to increase from 3 billion cubic meters to 4.5 billion cubic meters, according to the CNOOC.

    Deep Sea No. 1, located 150 km from the city of Sanya in south China’s island province of Hainan, is able to operate at a maximum depth of over 1,500 meters in the sea. It began operation in June 2021.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Energy and Electricity Minister attends BRICS Energy Ministers Meeting

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has called on the BRICS Plus bloc of countries to work together to assist and support member countries to tackle energy challenges.

    The Minister was delivering his opening remarks at the 9th Annual BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow, Russia.

    “We believe that this BRICS group of like-minded country members has a huge potential, and working together will strengthen this resolve through cooperation on energy security.

    “[It will] also provide an opportunity to join efforts to annihilate the challenges diagnosed during the BRICS 2023 Summit held in South Africa, such as addressing the lack or absence of integrated energy policy framework, diversification and beneficiation at source of critical minerals, infrastructure development, manufacturing, technology transfer and intellectual property, scaling up energy efficiency, mobilisation of finance and investment, as well as skills and capacity building, amongst others,” Ramokgopa said.

    He called on the member countries to “tap and dig deeper into various capabilities and strengths” to ensure mutual support in harnessing the individual potential each country has at its disposal.

    “To mention a few opportunities, it is mining and beneficiation of critical minerals, and rare-earth elements required to power the green economy, [expand] hydro power potential, promising hydrogen solutions and its derivatives, gas, nuclear – including small modular reactors, renewables, storage, biofuels, as well as clean coal, and carbon capture utilisation and storage,” the Minister said.

    Ramokgopa highlighted that the meeting of BRICS Energy Ministers comes at a critical time, as countries ponder ways to transition towards low carbon economies.

    “This meeting comes at a critical phase where our countries are grappling with the challenge of balancing developmental goals with energy transition pathways. 

    “We must ensure that these transitions safeguard energy sovereignty and security, promote sustainable economic development, facilitate universal access and respond effectively to environmental imperatives, all the while ensuring no one is left behind,” he said.

    He told the meeting that the expansion of the BRICS bloc of countries is a “clear affirmation of the group’s growing significance and influence in the global energy agenda”. 

    “This is a pivotal moment, positioning BRICS to reshape, refocus, and reset the global energy architecture to ensure energy access, security, affordability, and eradicate energy poverty and promote a just energy transition.

    “For us as South Africa, we see this as an opportune moment to clearly articulate our collective position as the developing nations that will enable us to continue to use our energy resources through innovative technologies that allow us to move from high emitting to low emitting energy systems, and thus achieve carbon-neutrality or net-zero at a pace and scale that is in line with our different national circumstances and capabilities.

    “In this regard, we want to reiterate that our approach to an inclusive and people centred energy transition is informed by the need to maintain energy security in support of socio-economic objectives,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing enters moderate aging society: official

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Beijing has entered a moderate aging society, with the permanent elderly population in the city reaching 4.95 million by the end of 2023, a civil affairs official said Thursday.
    Guo Hanqiao, deputy chief of the municipal civil affairs bureau, told a press conference that the elderly accounted for 22.6 percent of the city’s total permanent population.
    Guo, also a bureau spokesman, said the city has developed a community-based nursing service model and plans to establish 100 elderly care service centers at subdistrict and township levels. As of Sept. 20, 60 of them had been completed.
    In addition, the city has stepped up professional home care to serve the bedridden elderly at home.
    He Jingtao, deputy director of the city’s commission of housing and urban-rural development, said other measures included elderly-oriented housing modifications, such as installing elevators at outdated residential communities.
    By the end of August, more than 4,200 elevators had been installed for such communities in the city, benefiting approximately 50,000 households, He said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at Bloomberg Buy-Side Forum Hong Kong (English only) (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at the Bloomberg Buy-Side Forum Hong Kong today (September 26): Jeffrey (Global Head of Buy-Side Enterprise Sales of Bloomberg, Mr Jeffrey Leckstein), Manju (APAC Head of Buy-Side Product Sales of Bloomberg, Ms Manju Sakhrani), Irene (Head of Sales, Greater China Buy-Side of Bloomberg, Ms Irene Lam), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,     Good morning. I am very delighted to join you all at the Bloomberg Buy-Side Forum Hong Kong. This flagship event brings together influential business leaders and decision makers to explore timely and transformative topics that are reshaping the asset and wealth management industry. And this is very timely. Just last week the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.5 percentage points. Hong Kong quickly followed suit and the news was cheered by investors and financial markets. Also, Hong Kong ranked third globally in the Global Financial Centres Index 36 Report published two days ago, up by one place from the previous issue. Back in April this year, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Michael Bloomberg in New York to discuss global financial trends. During my visit to the Big Apple, I also spoke about the “ABCs” of Hong Kong’s role as a global financial centre: an “anchor” for financial stability, a “buffer” against risk and a “capstan” with a strategic location in Asia. Today I would like to focus on the “D” word – “dividends”Overview     Today’s agenda explores new prospects for growth and innovation in the Asia Pacific markets, covering key topics including risk management, automation, data and technology, and more. A common factor is that all of these topics are conducive to long-term, sustainable growth and dividends for investors and the industry.     As with our ongoing efforts to boost Hong Kong’s position as the region’s premier international financial centre, Hong Kong offers three distinct types of dividends, namely “diversification”, “succession” and “silver” dividends. These will surely help investors and the industry embrace new opportunities and unleash their potential. Let me tell you how.Diversification dividend     First, Hong Kong is well poised to provide a diversification dividend with our unique geographical, functional, product and service offerings. All this ensures an excellent platform for diversification, supported by our “one country, two systems” advantages and our role as a financial “super connector” linking Mainland China and global markets. We offer abundant investment opportunities, a full suite of professional services and a top-notch regulatory framework.     In terms of investment opportunities, last year the AUM (assets under management) of Hong Kong’s asset and wealth management business reached about US$4 trillion (HK$31.193 trillion). What’s more, over half of the funds were sourced from international investors outside Hong Kong and the Mainland. In fact, in 2023, Hong Kong was the world’s second-largest cross-boundary wealth management centre, after Switzerland. Hong Kong is also Asia’s largest hedge fund hub and our private equity capital under management ranks second in Asia after the Mainland.     As China’s hub for offshore Renminbi (RMB) business, Hong Kong holds about one trillion in RMB deposits, and processes about 80 per cent of the global offshore RMB payments. We will continue to expand our RMB-denominated investment and risk-management products to suit users’ needs. For the wider financial market, we will also continue to diversify and deepen the products and services we offer, ranging from new fund structures to listing platforms.Mutual access     Mutual market access between the Mainland and Hong Kong continues to expand in scope and capacity. Up to August this year, the total turnover (including buy and sell trades) of northbound trading of Stock Connect reached about RMB20,000 billion, while that of southbound trading exceeded HK$5,600 billion. This demonstrates our pivotal role for international and Mainland enterprises as well as investors to raise funds and make investments.     The Hong Kong stock market has also seen many recent achievements. The average daily turnover of ETFs (exchange traded funds) listed in Hong Kong reached HK$11.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 20 per cent compared to 2022 (HK$9.8 billion). The derivatives market also saw the average daily trading volume of futures and options reaching 1.35 million contracts last year, further rising to over 1.5 million contracts in the first half of this year. This showcases Hong Kong’s ongoing development as an international risk management centre.     In April, the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced five new measures to support the development of Hong Kong’s financial sector. These include expanding the scope of ETFs under Stock Connect as implemented in July. The measures would also bring long-term structural enhancements to the Hong Kong market, such as including REITs (real estate investment trusts) under Stock Connect, further enriching the choice of products available.Green and sustainable finance     Meanwhile, sustainable development and technology are the emerging major forces shaping the financial industry. Demand for green finance is growing worldwide, as part of the global green transformation. Statistics show that the Asian region will require some US$66 trillion in climate investment over the next 30 years.     Zooming into Hong Kong’s green and sustainable finance market, the total green and sustainable debt (including both bonds and loans) issued in Hong Kong amounted to US$50 billion. Among which, the volume of green and sustainable bonds arranged in Hong Kong topped the Asian market, accounting for 37 per cent of the total share.        We will continue to develop Hong Kong into an international green technology and green finance centre through five key directions, namely building a green technology ecosystem; green finance application and innovation; green certification and alignment with international standards; training talents; and enhancing exchanges and co-operation with the Greater Bay Area and international markets.Virtual assets and fintech     Hong Kong is a prime destination for the development of digital finance and for fintech companies to establish or expand their business locally, regionally and globally. We are home to eight virtual banks, four virtual insurers and two licensed virtual assets trading platforms. There are also around 1 000 fintech companies operating in Hong Kong. They cover a variety of businesses including mobile payment, cross-border wealth management, AI (artificial intelligence) financial consultancy, wealth and investment management, regulatory technology and many more.     With the rapid development of the virtual asset market, Hong Kong issued the Policy Statement on Development of Virtual Assets in October 2022. We are also among the first jurisdictions to adopt a comprehensive framework to regulate virtual asset activities with robust investor protection.     Premising on a balance between appropriate regulation and market development, we will continue to provide an enabling environment and support measures. This will help to sustain the development of digital and decentralised finance, and facilitate responsible and healthy industry development. For example, we are actively establishing regulatory regimes for both stablecoin issuers and over-the-counter (OTC) trading of virtual assets. We will introduce the bill for regulating stablecoin issuers into the Legislative Council within this year. We are also reviewing the consultation feedback for virtual asset OTC trading to examine ways to improve the proposed regulatory framework.Succession dividend     Moving on to succession dividend, which is growing in prominence here. That’s because Hong Kong is home to over 2 700 single-family offices and 12 500 ultra-high-net-worth individuals. These figures speak of the city’s appeal for family offices and asset owners looking to diversify their asset portfolios and sustain family wealth for future generations.     Last year, we published the Policy Statement on Developing Family Office Businesses in Hong Kong. Since then, a series of measures have been implemented to create a favourable environment for wealth management and succession planning, adding to the already diverse investment opportunities available in the city.     To name a few, the profits tax exemption regime for single family offices’ eligible investments was introduced last year, to provide tax certainty and attract family offices to set up in Hong Kong. We also launched the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) in March this year, offering a clear pathway for asset owners to reside and pursue development in Hong Kong. The new scheme has been well-received by asset owners and talents outside Hong Kong. So far, we have received over 550 applications, potentially bringing HK$16.5 billion of capital to the city.     Besides attracting professionals, we are also committed to nurturing talents for the family office sector. Last year, we established the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy. The Academy not only provides training but also fosters collaboration, networking and knowledge-sharing between the industry and next-generation asset owners.     This brings me to a fast-emerging category of impact investing. We are working to foster charitable endeavours that would make a positive impact on society. The Academy will launch the “Impact Link” later this year. It will provide a repository platform to connect family offices and asset owners with high-potential and high-social impact charitable programmes. This will further enhance family offices’ engagement in charitable projects to create positive change and realise the full potential of philanthropy.     Art collections and investments are also gaining popularity among family offices, and Hong Kong is an ideal hub for this with our simple tax system and zero tariff on art trading. We are the second-biggest city for contemporary art sales after New York, recording US$414 million in the year 2022-23. By leveraging Hong Kong’s rich art and culture scene, we will continue to consolidate our position as a leading art exhibition and trading centre to create a dynamic ecosystem for art collection and investments for family offices and other investors.     Beyond creating a thriving family office ecosystem, we recognise that each family office has its unique needs and preferences. The dedicated family office team of Invest Hong Kong is here to offer one-stop support services specifically catered to the needs of each family office. Through key events such as the annual Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit, we will continue to deepen our connections with global family offices, supporting their evolving needs and garnering dividends from succession and legacy planning.Silver dividend     My third topic today is the silver dividend. Similar to many developed economies, Hong Kong faces the challenge of a rapidly ageing population. By 2046, over one-third of our population will be aged 65 or above. While this trend poses significant challenges, it also creates opportunities.     Among other things, an ageing population underscores the importance of accumulating sufficient savings to support post-retirement life. With this in mind, the Government launched the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) system back in 2000, to help our workforce save up for their retirement. As of June this year, our MPF system was managing a total of HK$1,230 billion of assets, representing an increase of about 126 per cent over the past 10 years. MPF investment with stable returns     Enabling the general public to feel and share the benefits brought about by the development of financial services has always been our goal. In recent years, our society, particularly among those who will soon retire, has clear aspirations for financial products that offer stable returns amid a changing economic environment. This is evident in the overwhelming response to the Silver Bond issuance last year – where the total application amount (around HK$71.7 billion) and the number of applications (323 789 valid applications) were at record highs.     Likewise, our MPF scheme members have similar aspirations. The Government and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) persistently strive to widen the scope of permissible investments to improve risk-adjusted returns. For instance, in June 2022, the Central People’s Government, the People’s Bank of China, and the three Mainland policy banks were added to the list of “exempt authority” to facilitate MPF investment in sovereign bonds. It provides scheme members with greater access to one of the world’s largest bond markets. In June last year, we also put in place a mechanism to earmark a certain proportion of Government green bonds for priority investment by MPF funds.     These measures allow MPF fund managers to consider more investment instruments with stable returns in their portfolio management for the benefit of scheme members. As of June this year, MPF funds invested HK$8.3 billion and HK$600 million in sovereign bonds and government green bonds respectively, representing an increase of 159 per cent and 50 per cent respectively before the facilitative measures were put in place.Diversification and optimisation of MPF investment     We believe that our robust asset and wealth management industry is serving the MPF system well. It offers world-class investment management services along with a diverse range of financial products and innovative market arrangements.     In view of the growing internationalisation of the Mainland’s equity market, back in 2020, we included the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges in the list of “approved stock exchanges”, facilitating MPF investments into Mainland A-shares. Since the inclusion of the two stock exchanges, the exposure of MPF funds to Mainland A-shares has soared by 111 per cent to HK$24 billion as of June this year. Not only has this been welcomed by the market, it also provides more diversified investment opportunities for MPF assets.Fee reduction and eMPF Platform     Apart from offering a more diversified range of investment products for MPF scheme members, the Government and the MPFA are determined to explore and take forward more cost saving initiatives by leveraging innovation and technology. Launched in June this year, the eMPF Platform is a good example of how innovation and technology could resolve long-standing pain points in MPF scheme administration. They also create room for fee reductions for the ultimate benefit of scheme members.     We expect that the eMPF Platform will be fully implemented by end-2025. Through standardising, streamlining and automating different MPF administration processes, this first-of-its-kind centralised platform will significantly reduce the average MPF administration fee. This publicly funded digital infrastructure will also lower the entry barrier for newcomers to the MPF industry.   Closing     Ladies and gentlemen, I know you have a busy day ahead. So let me conclude by stressing the importance of joining hands in building, investing and enjoying the diversification dividend, succession dividend and silver dividend in Hong Kong. This forum is the perfect opportunity to share ideas and strengthen collaboration to achieve a more stable, sustainable and prosperous financial future in Hong Kong and far beyond.     I wish you all a rewarding forum today and the best of health and business. Thank you. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, US to keep law enforcement dialogue

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong had candid, professional and pragmatic exchanges with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas via video link on Wednesday.

    Wang said that the two sides earnestly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, adhere to mutual respect, dispute management and mutually beneficial cooperation, and have achieved many visible outcomes in areas such as drug control, repatriation of illegal immigrants and cooperation on individual cases.

    China is willing to maintain communication with the U.S. at all levels, and push for steady and long-term law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. The U.S. side should attach importance to addressing China’s concerns, demonstrate sincerity with concrete actions, and remove obstacles for deepening cooperation, Wang noted.

    The two sides agreed to stay in communication on important issues in the field of law enforcement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s water conservancy projects create 2.1M jobs

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    China’s investment in water conservancy projects totaled 801.94 billion yuan (114.23 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months of this year, up 10.7 percent year on year, a government official said on Wednesday.

    At a press conference on water conservancy infrastructure construction held in Beijing, Wang Bao’en, vice minister of water resources, said that water conservancy project construction on a massive scale has contributed to employment. Construction of such projects created nearly 2.1 million jobs in the first eight months, up 6.9 percent year on year.

    Wang said that during the period, the five provinces of Hebei, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong and Anhui each posted investment exceeding 40 billion yuan in the sector.

    Government data also shows that since the beginning of this year, a total of 42,000 water conservancy projects have been implemented nationwide, up 14.1 percent year on year. Among them, 28,000 are newly started projects, up 18.7 percent.

    Wang said that in the next step, the Ministry of Water Resources will continue to make solid efforts to promote water conservancy infrastructure construction after the main flood season. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ​Universal Music launches label division in China’s GBA

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Universal Music Greater China, a division of Universal Music Group, announced on Sept. 24 the launch of Universal Music China Greater Bay Area, a new label division covering the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in China.

    Night view of Luohu district in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is one of China’s most open and economically vibrant regions. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The new division, headquartered in Shenzhen, marks the first time a major international music company has established an office specifically focused on serving the Greater Bay Area, home to over 86 million people and one of the world’s most populous urban areas.

    Gary Chan, managing director of Universal Music Hong Kong and senior vice president of Universal Music Greater China, will lead the new division, aiming to enrich the area’s music scene. By embracing its economic and cultural vibrancy, this initiative aims to elevate both the local and global appeal of the region’s diverse musical heritage.

    “The launch of Universal Music China Greater Bay Area represents a strategic expansion, leveraging the vast market potential and unique cultural atmosphere of the Greater Bay Area,” said Timothy Xu, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China. “We eagerly anticipate welcoming the outstanding talents from this region to join us in driving forward the next era of Chinese pop music. In this pursuit, we are setting our sights on transforming the Greater Bay Area into a trendsetting hub that epitomizes creativity, vitality, and connectivity, crafting fresh musical expressions and innovative entertainment experiences.”

    The Greater Bay Area, which includes nine cities in Guangdong province and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, is a significant economic and cultural hub. It contributed 11.1% to China’s GDP in 2023 and generates nearly a quarter of the country’s music performance revenue. The region’s rich Cantonese cultural heritage has profoundly shaped local and Asian pop culture, resonating with audiences worldwide.

    The announcement stated that the new label would assemble a “robust” local team to handle marketing, talent scouting and artist management in the area. Its mission is to transform the local music scene “by blending global musical trends with the Greater Bay Area’s vibrant and youthful energy.” The company noted that this approach leverages the region’s musical heritage and entertainment industry, aiming to create unique “experiences that captivate audiences worldwide.”

    Adam Granite, executive vice president of Market Development at Universal Music Group, said: “Our commitment to the Greater Bay Area is part of Universal Music Group’s global strategy to invest in local and regional music scenes, particularly in rapidly growing markets like China. By deepening our roots in local cultures and enhancing support for local artists, we aim to elevate the Chinese music landscape and introduce its unique sounds on the world stage.”

    Regarding China as a key music market, Universal Music Greater China has already established offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taiwan to support growth across the region.

    MIL OSI China News –