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Extrema Ratio
AFCL found Chinese official claims that the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Declaration prove that the territory of Taiwan must eventually be governed by Communist China to be false. The documents made clear that Japan needed to relinquish Taiwan back to the Republic of China. They were never intended to settle the ongoing dispute over who has sovereignty over Taiwan.
China
Chinese vice-president Han Zheng meets with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly during coronation trip. Cleverly claims to have voiced the UK’s concerns regarding Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang during their discussion. Reports suggest Han informally suggested Cleverly should visit China, though no formal invitation has been issued. Financial Times
China ready to work with Britain, says Xi Jinping. The Chinese President and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan sent a congratulatory message King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation: ‘The Chinese side is ready to work with Britain to enhance friendship of the two peoples, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and the wider world with a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.’ Xinhua News
Chinese state security services raid multiple offices of international consultancy Capvision. Authorities questioned employees and inspected Capvision’s offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and Shenzhen. State media claims the group had tapped personnel in party and government organs to provide sensitive information to overseas clients. Ryan McMorrow and Demetri Sevastopulo.Financial Times
China holds security and trade talks with the Taliban. China’s foreign minister Qin Gang held talks with counterparts from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The parties discussed plans to bring Afghanistan into the Belt and Road infrastructure project as Beijing looks to boost investment. Benjamin Parkin, Farhan Bokhari and John Reed.Financial Times
HSBC shareholders vote to reject proposal to spin off Asian operations. The initiative, backed by Chinese insurer and HSBC’s largest investor Ping An, received only about 20 percent of the votes. Michael J. de la Merced.New York Times
China gave 190 chip firms US$1.75 billion in subsidies in 2022, illustrating national priorities amidst protracted tech war. China’s largest chip maker was the the largest subsidiary recipient at US$282.1 million. Ann Cao. South China Morning Post
Where did China’s belt and road plans go wrong in Italy? Four years after signing up for the controversial infrastructure initiative, Italy must decide whether or not to withdraw from the BRI. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is likely to clarify Italy’s position when meeting with fellow G7 leaders meet in Japan later this month. Kawala Xie. South China Morning Post
China’s war chest: how Beijing is using its currency to insulate against future sanctions. A drive to insulate China’s economy from dollar-based sanctions has emerged as possibly the most important incentive for decoupling from the dollar. Amy Hawkins. The Guardian
Why China may be reluctant to get too deeply involved in Sudan peace efforts. Analysts cite tensions with the West, China’s support for the previous regime and Sudan’s declining importance as an oil exporter. Jevans Nyabiage. South China Morning Post
Reuters
A Chinese investigation of consulting firm Capvision Partners over national security concerns is the latest step in a years-long campaign by Beijing to tighten control of data generated within its borders.
Business Today India
In a tit-for-tat move, China's foreign ministry on Tuesday, said in a statement on its official website, that it was expelling Canada's consul in Shanghai. The Canadian diplomat, Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, has been asked to leave China by May 13, the statement said.
China begins on-site inspection of Tencent-backed, US-listed video game streaming platform Douyu South China Morning Post Xinmei Shen China’s internet watchdog has launched a rare on-site inspection of video game live-streaming platform operator Douyu International Holdings, which is backed by the world’s largest video gaming company by revenue, Tencent Holdings.
China races ahead of U.S. on AI regulation Axios Ryan Heath While American leaders fret that China might eventually overtake the U.S. in developing AI, Beijing is already way ahead of Washington in enacting rules for the new technology. Chinese officials will close consultation Wednesday on a second round of generative AI regulation, building on a set of rules governing deepfakes agreed in 2022.
Belt and Road
CHEC signed a contract with the Cambodian port project. On May 5, 2023, Kampot Logistics and Port Co., Ltd. and CHEC held a contract signing ceremony for the construction of a multi-functional port in Kampot Province at the Hyatt Hotel in Phnom Penh. It is understood that the multi-functional port project in Kampot Province is located in Bokor City, Kampot Province, covering an area of 600 hectares. It is invested by Kampot Logistics and Port Co., Ltd. with a total investment of about 1.5 billion US dollars. The type of contract is general contracting of design and construction, and the main contents of the project include reclamation of 40 hectares of land, revetments, breakwaters, dredging of navigable areas, reclamation and foundation treatment, and installation of navigational aids, etc.
Sineng Electric signed a contract with Saudi Ar Rass photovoltaic project. Recently, Sineng Electric and Larsen & Toubro signed an inverter equipment supply agreement for the 700 MW Ar Rass photovoltaic project in Saudi Arabia. After it is fully put into operation, it will provide green power for about 132,000 households in the central region of Saudi Arabia, helping the Middle East to accelerate low-carbon energy transformation and 2030 vision realized. The Ar Rass project is located in the Al Qassim desert area of Saudi Arabia. The harsh application environment of high temperature, strong wind and sand puts forward extremely high requirements on the reliability of the product. The project will all adopt Sineng Electric's 1500V 3.125MW centralized solution. The 6.25MW all-in-one machine design has the characteristics of high integration and high power density, which saves costs, facilitates transportation, and is easy to install; the high IP65 protection level also makes it fearless of desert Scenario testing can ensure the power generation income of the power station.
Over 10 bln USD of investment signed at central China RCEP expo. A total of 113 projects with a combined investment of about 75 billion yuan (10.84 billion U.S. dollars) were signed during a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) economic and trade expo held in central China's Hunan Province.
China's foreign trade grows at faster pace, trade with Central Asia surges. China's foreign trade grew at a faster pace in the first four months of the year amid uncertain external demand, trade risks and other challenges.China's total imports and exports expanded 5.8 percent year on year to 13.32 trillion yuan (about 1.92 trillion U.S. dollars) in the period, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Tuesday. The growth rate accelerated by 1 percentage point from the pace recorded in the first quarter.
China ready to enhance exchanges, cooperation with Bangladesh: ambassador. China stands ready to enhance exchanges and cooperation with Bangladesh to achieve a win-win result, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has said. Yao made the remarks at the "Reception for Bangladeshi Participants Attending 2023 Chinese Government Training Programs," which was held recently at the Chinese embassy here.
China's Dalian launches new container shipping route to Europe. MSC Katie departed from Dalian Container Terminal on Monday, bound for the west coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This trip marked the launch of the first direct container shipping route linking the northeastern harbor city of Dalian with the area.The newly opened shipping route boasts 11 large container ships with a capacity of 14,000 standard containers each, linking Dalian with several major European ports, including Gioia Tauro, La Spezia and Genoa in Italy, and Fos and Barcelona in France and Spain, respectively. Winding along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the shipping route also passes through Middle Eastern countries such as Israel and Saudi Arabia.
China-Central Asia Summit to be Held Soon. According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China-Central Asia Summit will be held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province from May 18 to 19, 2023. The leaders of China and the five Central Asian countries will gather in Xi'an.
USA
Governor Ron DeSantis Cracks Down on Communist China
Governor DeSantis signed three bills to counteract the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the state of Florida. Last year, Governor DeSantis called on the Legislature to build upon the efforts he led two years ago to combat corporate espionage and higher education subterfuge carried out by the CCP and its agents. With the legislation signed today to limit Chinese purchases of agriculture land and land near military bases and critical infrastructure, to protect digital data from Chinese spies, and to root out Chinese influence in Florida’s education system, Florida has once again taken the lead in protecting American interests from foreign threats and has provided a blueprint for other states to do the same. More information on today’s announcement is available here.
“Florida is taking action to stand against the United States’ greatest geopolitical threat — the Chinese Communist Party,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I’m proud to sign this legislation to stop the purchase of our farmland and land near our military bases and critical infrastructure by Chinese agents, to stop sensitive digital data from being stored in China, and to stop CCP influence in our education system from grade school to grad school. We are following through on our commitment to crack down on Communist China.”
“Food security is national security, and we have a responsibility to ensure Floridians have access to a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “China and other hostile foreign nations control hundreds of thousands of acres of critical agricultural lands in the U.S., leaving our food supply and our national security interests at risk. Restricting China and other hostile foreign nations from controlling Florida’s agricultural land and lands near critical infrastructure facilities protects our state, provides long-term stability, and preserves our economic freedom. This bill is long overdue, and I thank Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, House Speaker Paul Renner, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative David Borrero for their leadership on this issue and their commitment to protecting Florida and our security interests.”
SB 264, Interests of Foreign Countries, restricts governmental entities from contracting with foreign countries and entities of concern and restricts conveyances of agricultural lands and other interests in real property to foreign principals, the People’s Republic of China, and other entities and persons that are affiliated with them. It also amends certain electronic health record statutes to ensure that health records are physically stored in the continental U.S., U.S. territories, or Canada.
SB 846, Agreements of Educational Entities with Foreign Entities, prohibits state colleges and universities and their employees and representatives from soliciting or accepting any gift in their official capacities from a college or university based in a foreign country of concern. It also prohibits state colleges and universities from accepting any grant from or participating in any agreement or partnership with any college or university based in a foreign country of concern. A state college or university may only participate in a partnership or agreement with a college or university based in a foreign country of concern if authorized by the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education. The bill also prohibits the ownership or operation of any private school participating in the state’s school choice scholarship program by a person or entity domiciled in, owned by, or in any way controlled by a foreign country of concern.
For more information about Governor DeSantis’ executive action taken against the Chinese Communist Party, click here. For more information about Governor DeSantis’ previous legislative accomplishments targeting the Chinese Communist Party, click here.
USA
China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, met with the U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, yesterday in a possible hint at a thaw in relations after months of growing tension. Qin told Burns that a “top priority” was to stabilize relations, “avoid a downward spiral, and prevent accidents between China and the United States.” The meeting marked one of the highest-level engagements between U.S. and Chinese officials since relations soured following the downing of a high-altitude Chinese balloon in February. David Pierson reports for the New York Times.
US and allies warm to potential China role in ending Ukraine conflict. US and European officials have hinted at a shift in Western thinking, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly expressed cautious optimism that Beijing could help defuse the conflict. Bojan Pancevski, Laurence Norman and Vivian Salama.Wall Street Journal
US sanctions drive Chinese firms to advance AI without newest chips. Chinese tech companies - including Huawei, Baidu and Alibaba Group - have accelerated research into potential workarounds that won’t rely on latest American semiconductor developments. Karen Hao and Raffaele Huang. Wall Street Journal
Campaign to limit overseas access to China-based data sources was partly triggered by US think tank reports. Beijing was reportedly rattled by analysis written by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University and the Center for a New American Security, co-founded by Kurt Campbell, the White House’s coordinator for the Indo-Pacific. Lingling Wei. Wall Street Journal
How top silicon valley investor Sequoia bankrolls China’s tech. Sequoia Capital, the most aggressive American investor in the Chinese tech scene, has stakes in TikTok-owner Bytedance and sanctioned drone-maker DJI. Danny Fortson.The Sunday Times
Twitter criticized for allowing Texas shooting images to spread The New York Times Benjamin Mullin Ms. Holloway was one of many Twitter users who criticized the social network for allowing the grisly images — including of a blood-spattered child — to spread virally across the platform after the shooting on Saturday. Though gruesome images have become common on social media, where a cellphone camera and an internet connection make everyone a publisher, the unusually graphic nature of the images drew sustained outcry from users. And they threw a harsh spotlight on Twitter’s content moderation practices, which have been curtailed since Mr. Musk acquired the company last year.
Nationwide push to require social media age verification raises questions about privacy, industry standards CyberScoop Tonya Riley Lawmakers in Washington and in statehouses around the country are seeking to compel tech companies to prove the age of their users, part of a growing national effort to better protect young children from the harms of the internet. But requiring age-verifying technology to keep teenagers away from potentially harmful content online has its own set of risks for children and their families.
In a new hacking crime wave, much more personal data is being held hostage CNBC Kevin Travers The cybersecurity world faces new threats beyond targeted ransomware attacks, according to experts at the recent RSA cybersecurity industry conference in San Francisco.
The data broker that targeted abortion clinics landed a US military contract WIRED Bennett Cyphers The data broker made famous for selling location data related to abortion clinic visits has signed a contract with the US Air Force and plans to provide information about “sensitive places” and “adversary state-owned enterprises” around the world, according to records obtained by WIRED. The company, SafeGraph, told the military that its data can be used for “analyzing human activity for landing zone selection,” as well as to identify hospitals, schools, and houses of worship to “help avoid collateral damage.”
Subpoenaed Alphabet documents improperly redacted, may not be complete, Jordan says The Hill Ines Kagubare House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Monday sent a letter to Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, urging full compliance with a subpoena requiring the production of unredacted documents pertaining to the company’s communications with the executive branch.
Nakasone on the military’s cyber strategy, surveillance powers and ‘hunt forward’ missions The Record by Recorded Future Martin Matishak U.S. Cyber Command Gen. Paul Nakasone sat down with reporters after his closing keynote address at the Vanderbilt University Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats to weigh in on a number of cybersecurity topics.
Are we asking too much of cyber? War on the Rocks Erica Lonergan and Michael Poznansky The U.S. intelligence community’s 2023 Annual Threat Assessment contains some alarming estimates, especially as it relates to the cyber capabilities of the People’s Republic of China. It states that Beijing would “almost certainly consider undertaking aggressive cyber operations against U.S. homeland critical infrastructure and military assets worldwide” if they thought war was “imminent.” These operations “would be designed to deter U.S. military action by impeding U.S. decisionmaking, inducing societal panic, and interfering with the deployment of U.S. forces.” Such warnings are particularly concerning considering we may be in the midst of what some experts call “the decade of maximum danger.”
The disconnect on undersea cable security Lawfare Joseph B. Keller Geopolitical tension is climbing steadily in the fiber-optic submarine cable sector. Cables are an invaluable critical infrastructure that transmit 99 percent of all intercontinental digital traffic and more than $10 trillion worth of financial transactions each day. The U.S. Congress is in the process of passing legislation to curb foreign cable construction, highlighting a key difference in the perception of security risk to subsea cables between U.S. government officials (and security analysts) and industry owners, operators, and manufacturers.
Americas
Canada and China expel diplomats in foreign influence dispute. Canada has expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei after an intelligence report accused him of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker, announced foreign minister Mélanie Joly yesterday. In response, China has today ordered the removal of Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, Canada’s consul in Shanghai. Chloe Kim and Kelly Ng. BBC News
Canada seeks to join AUKUS defence partnership. Canada’s defence minister has said the country is “highly interested” in joining the second phase of the defence partnership between Australia, the UK and US. Though Trudeau has stressed in the past that Canada is not in the market for nuclear submarines, there are reportedly fears the country could be left out of crucial intelligence and technology sharing. Leyland Cecco.The Guardian
Canada wants to work more closely with the AUKUS alliance in areas of A.I., quantum computing, and other advanced technologies with a defense application, Defense Minister Anita Anand said yesterday. Canada reportedly does not seek to join the nuclear component of the AUKUS alliance. Reuters reports.
Did China Help Vancouver’s Mayor Win Election? Ken Sim, Vancouver’s first mayor of Chinese descent, rejects claims of Chinese interference following landslide victory. Dan Bilefksy.New York Times
Mexico claims proof of Chinese fentanyl smuggling. A container of the drug was intercepted in the Pacific port of Lázaro Cárdenas. The cargo originated in the Chinese city of Qingdao and passed through Busan in South Korea before reaching Mexico. In March, President López Obrador said he had written to Chinese President Xi Jinping requesting Chinese help to counter the illicit trade. BBC News
Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called Florida’s new immigration bill “immoral” yesterday. Florida lawmakers passed a bill last week that will guarantee $12 million for a controversial program Governor Ron DeSantis has used to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. “Now I found out that the Florida governor … is taking repressive, inhumane measures against migrants in Florida because he wants to be a candidate [for president],” López Obrador said. Kierra Frazier reports for POLITICO.
Chile’s far-right Republican Party finished in first place on Sunday in a vote to choose the 50 members of a committee that will draft a replacement to the country’s dictatorship-era constitution. The political right will choose 33 of 50 members of the committee, while the left-wing coalition supported by President Gabriel Boric will choose only 11. Claudia Heiss, head of the Political Science program at the University of Chile, said that with 22 committee members, the Republican Party “does not need to negotiate with anyone, they can write the Constitution they want” and “have the power to veto any modification.” France 24 reports.
Canada seeks to join non-nuclear pillar of AUKUS alliance The Global and Mail Robert Fife and Steven Chase The Canadian government is seeking to join the non-nuclear component of AUKUS, a security pact between Australia, Britain and the United States that was struck to counter China’s rising military might in the Indo-Pacific region, according to two government sources.
Meta may end Facebook, Instagram news content in Canada Bloomberg Lynn Doan Meta said it would end news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada if lawmakers pass legislation to force social-networking platforms to pay media publishers to feature their work.
Canada is expelling a Chinese diplomat after foreign interference allegations Toronto Star Stephanie Levitz Canada is expelling a Chinese diplomat accused of gathering intelligence on a Conservative MP’s family. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly made the bombshell announcement Monday afternoon.
North Asia
Japanese companies seeking US deals fear scrutiny of China links. As CFIUS steps up reviews of buyers’ links with China, trade lawyers warn Japanese companies are particularly vulnerable due to decades’ worth of investment, joint ventures and other business connections in China. Leo Lewis, Kana Inagaki and Stefania Palma.Financial Times
Metaverse education blossoms in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan Nikkei Asia Dylan Loh Educators in Asia are dipping their toes into the metaverse, the much-hyped virtual reality where humans can interact socially in cyberspace, even as emerging technology in this space grapples with finding its place in the real world. From South Korea to Taiwan, schools and other organizations are tapping the metaverse as a tool for instruction, experimenting with VR applications to bring teaching beyond the classroom and devise new ways of imparting knowledge and skill.
NGOs call out TSMC over chip-making energy usage, supply chain emissions amid low use of renewables South China Morning Post Yujie Xue Environmental group Greenpeace and two other NGOs have launched a website that calls on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world’s largest contract chip maker, to reduce its massive carbon footprint.
Japan plans expansion of homegrown GPS network to 11 satellites Nikkei Asia Satoshi Kawahara Japan intends to increase the number of satellites in its GPS-style system to 11 from four, letting users determine their precise location virtually anywhere in the country without relying on the American network. Tokyo's space policy committee has set a goal to expand the Michibiki Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, a network of satellites in geosynchronous orbit above Japan and Australia.
Southeast Asia
Vietnam to require social media users to verify identity Reuters Phuong Nguyen Vietnam is preparing to make it mandatory for social media users of both local and foreign platforms to verify their identity in a bid to rein in online scams, state media reported on Monday.
Australia
Two-thirds of businesses would pay cyber ransom demand The Australian David Swan More than half of Australian IT and security executives say they would pay a cyber ransom to recover their data in the wake of a cyber attack, as the federal government weighs a total ban of ransom payments.
A cancer centre is the latest victim of cyber attacks. Why health data hacks keep happening The Conversation Mohiuddin Ahmed and Paul Haskell-Dowland It seems hardly a day goes by without another report of a cyber crime incident. With Medibank still fresh in our minds, the latest attack is on a Sydney-based cancer treatment facility, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre in Westmead Hospital. The cyber criminal group Medusa claims to have stolen thousands of files and is holding them to ransom.
Europe
Brussels plans sanctions on seven Chinese companies supporting Russia’s war machine. The sanctions proposal from the European Commission has been drafted in light of the ‘key enabling role of electronic components for use by Russia’s military and industrial complex for supporting the war of aggression against Ukraine’. The sanctions list needs unanimous approval from the 27 member states before it can be enforced. Four of the companies listed have already been placed under sanctions by the US. Financial Times
A special European Parliament committee voted yesterday for a temporary ban on the sale, acquisition, and use of spyware while the E.U. draws up common standards based on international law. The vote is non-binding. The E.U. needs tighter regulation of the spyware industry, the special committee has said, after concluding that Hungary and Poland used surveillance software to illegally monitor journalists, politicians, and activists. Jennifer Rankin reports for the Guardian.
TenneT awards €5.5bn grid connection contract in Europe. European transmission system operator TenneT has awarded ten grid connection contracts worth almost €5.5 billion across Europe. The contracts have been awarded to NKT, Nexans and a consortium of Jan De Nul, LS Cable and Denys to install the 525kV HVDC cable system.
Tech groups call for changes to EU data-sharing proposals Financial Times Andy Bounds and Javier Espinoza The chief executives of five leading EU tech groups have called for Brussels to amend proposed data-sharing legislation, saying the new rules would force them to give up trade secrets and hand a competitive advantage to China. The intervention by the heads of SAP, Brainlab, Datev, Siemens and Siemens Healthineers — a separate company — marks the latest backlash from tech companies against the EU’s Data Act, part of a string of digital rules aimed at giving Europe a competitive advantage on data access.
UK
First UK ministerial trip to Hong Kong since 2018. Investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson has travelled to discuss boosting trade in fintech and financial services with Hong Kong government representatives. Johnson has stressed that he will also speak out against limiting Hong Kongers’ freedoms and ‘hold China to their international obligations’. Nevertheless, the visit has been heavily criticised by Conservative MPs and Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong. Sophie Wingate.The Independent
Investment minister meets with Hong Kong owner of Three mobile network as merger talks near close. During his visit to Hong Kong, Dominic Johnson has also met with senior executives at CK Hutchison. The proposed merger of Vodafone & Three, which would create the UK’s biggest mobile operator, is set for substantial regulatory scrutiny. Twitter
Labour criticised for allowing HSBC staffer into shadow business team, amidst China links. A senior policy manager from HSBC has been seconded to the team of Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, and has been given a parliamentary pass since February. The secondment was not declared on his MPs’ register of interests because the HSBC employee’s time is understood to be a donation in kind to the party, rather than him personally. Rowena Mason.The Guardian
Tiktok tracked UK journalist via her cats account. TikTok confirmed members of its internal audit department in China looked at the location of journalist’s IP address and compared it with the IP data of an unknown number of their own staff, to try to establish who was secretly meeting with the press. Bytedance has said the staff responsible were fired for misconduct. BBC News
Why we need a more balanced approach to China. President and provost of University College London puts forward an argument against severing academic ties with China. Michael Spence. The New Statesman
WhatsApp could disappear from UK over privacy concerns, ministers told The Guardian Alex Hern and Dan Milmo The UK government risks sleepwalking into a confrontation with WhatsApp that could lead to the messaging app disappearing from Britain, ministers have been warned, with options for an amicable resolution fast running out.
Russia - Ucraine
The United States is set to announce a $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine as early as today, according to a U.S. official. With Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces looming, the package will include drones, artillery ammunition, air defense missiles, and other capabilities. With the new package, the U.S. will have committed $37.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration. Oren Liebermann reports for CNN.
Britain appears poised to send Ukraine the long-range missiles the Biden administration has long denied Kyiv. A final decision has yet to be made, according to a British official who declined to confirm the type, timing, or quantity of weaponry under consideration. Karen DeYoung reports for the Washington Post.
The E.U. is considering sanctioning eight Chinese companies over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The bloc aims to target firms the E.U. believes have provided Moscow with electronic items, including semiconductors with military applications. The proposed listings are part of an 11th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion. In Beijing yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned the E.U. that China would take “resolute measures” in response to European sanctions. Laurence Norman reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Russian authorities controlling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are preparing to evacuate about 3,100 staff, the head of Ukraine’s nuclear operator said yesterday. The removal of staff at the power plant could exacerbate the situation, which is already becoming “unpredictable and potentially dangerous,” the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog warned over the weekend. Siobhán O’Grady and Kostiantyn Khudov report for the Washington Post.
Parts of occupied Ukraine are running short of food, fuel, and cash as the occupation authorities ordered tens of thousands of civilians to evacuate in the face of a looming Ukrainian counteroffensive. Marc Santora and Anna Lukinova report for the New York Times.
Ukrainian officials say air defenses downed 15 Russian cruise missiles launched overnight against Kyiv. According to Serhiy Popko, a senior Kyiv military official, no casualties were reported from the attack. Popko said he believed the missiles had been launched by four bombers flying from the Caspian Sea region. Antoinette Radford and George Wright report for BBC News.
Russia celebrates a muted Victory Day today, with many mass events canceled over security concerns after last week’s drone attack on the Kremlin and a looming Ukrainian counteroffensive. “A real war has once again been waged against our homeland,” President Vladimir Putin said at the ceremony marking the end of World War II. At least 20 cities across Russia canceled Victory Day parades, with regional officials saying they did not want to “provoke the enemy with large amounts of equipment and military personnel.” Mary Ilyushina and Robyn Dixon report for the Washington Post.
Africa
According to an internal U.N. estimate, 5 million additional people in Sudan will require emergency assistance, half of them children. By October, some 860,000 people are expected to flee to neighboring countries, including Chad, placing additional strain on nations already facing some of the world’s most under-funded humanitarian crises. Aid workers and diplomats have warned that funding gaps for Africa will grow as Europe focuses on Ukraine, post-Brexit Britain turns inward, and some lawmakers in the United States target budget cuts. Mahamat Ramadane, Joe Bavier and Emma Farge report for Reuters.
A digital campaign to save the people of Sudan New Lines Magazine Omnia Saed On April 15, 2023, gunfire erupted in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan. What began to materialize in the last few days of Ramadan in a country where over 15 million people were experiencing food insecurity was a massive humanitarian crisis with little or no institutional support. In response, as per tradition, a network of mutual aid emerged, led by civilians and a Sudanese diaspora fighting to keep each other alive by any means necessary.
Middle East
Three Palestinian militant commanders were killed today in targeted Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip, leaving at least 12 dead and 20 injured, including civilians. The Israeli military said the airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave were part of a new operation against senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commanders it blames for recent rocket fire into Israel. Dov Lieber reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Microsoft: Iranian hacking groups join Papercut attack spree Bleeping Computer Sergiu Gatlan Microsoft says Iranian state-backed hackers have joined the ongoing assault targeting vulnerable PaperCut MF/NG print management servers. These groups are tracked as Mango Sandstorm (aka Mercury or Muddywater and linked to Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security) and Mint Sandstorm (also known as Phosphorus or APT35 and tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps).
Military
Reuters
Australia said on Tuesday that it would spend billions of dollars to improve ties with neighbouring Pacific nations and shore up its defence capabilities, as it looks to counter China's growing strategic influence in the region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's second budget since his centre-left Labor government was elected in May last year has pledged A$1.9 billion ($1.3 billion) over the next five years to expand engagement with Pacific nations.
Defense Daily
While the U.S. Air Force has said that a $200 million add last year for the Boeing [BA] E-7A Wedgetail will not accelerate first fielding of the aircraft, the service says that Congress could push up fielding of aircraft from one in fiscal 2029 to two in fiscal…
Space War
Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) successfully demonstrated the Common Tactical Edge Network developed by the company's Collins Aerospace business and will now be developing an operational architecture for the service.The Common Tactical Edge Network, or CTEN, will enable tactical data to be shared across disparate networks to enable faster decision making on the battlefield. The CTEN solution supports building the convergence layer to connect sensors and shooters on both existing and emerging platforms across land, air, sea and space.
News18
China’s Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu told Pakistan’s naval chief Amjad Khan Niazi on Monday that the two all-weather friends should seek new areas of military cooperation and jointly safeguard their security interests and region.
The "Global Cargo Drone Market Size, Trends, and Growth Opportunity, by Solution, by Range, by Payload, by End- User, by Region and Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Cargo Drone Market was valued at USD 1.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand to USD 10.5 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 22.50% during the forecast period 2023-2030.
Financial Review
Establishing the bureaucracy and training 4000 highly skilled workers to support Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines will cost at least $4.5 billion over a decade, as overall annual defence spending creeps past $50 billion for the first time in 2023-24.
Executive Gov
The U.S. Air Force has designated the Rapid Sustainment Office’s artificial intelligence-powered Predictive Analytics and Decision Assistant as the service branch’s system of record for Condition Based Maintenance Plus and predictive maintenance.
Yonhap News Agency
South Korea, the United States and Japan are still in talks over ways to share missile warning data in real time, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday, amid a report that they are considering the three-way data sharing with the U.S. acting as an intermediary.
Cybersecurity threats, especially from Iran, have increasingly become an issue in the Middle East for more than a decade as the number and type of these attacks – against countries, entities and organizations – proliferate.
President Donald J. Trump released a video exposing Democratic President Joe Biden’s “senseless plan” to revoke Title 42, an “insane decision” that Trump says will lead to dangerous individuals flooding across the border. Trump insists the Biden decision will bring “mayhem and chaos into American communities.”
Responsible Stratecraft
On April 21st Marine Commandant David H. Berger testified before the House Armed Services Committee and expressed frustration and remorse concerning his services’ inability to support disaster relief in Turkey and most recently evacuation operations in Sudan.
Artificial Intelligence
The global race to regulate AI Foreign Policy Rishi Iyengar Somewhere between hype and fear about AI, there is—or there will be—AI governance. Chatbots, image generators, and search engines powered by artificial intelligence are quickly proliferating, as are dire warnings about the unbridled development of the technology from many of the people who developed it. Calls for policy interventions have grown louder in recent weeks, and regulators are trying to step up their game.
Will AI become the new McKinsey? The New Yorker Ted Chiang When we talk about AI, we rely on metaphor, as we always do when dealing with something new and unfamiliar. Metaphors are, by their nature, imperfect, but we still need to choose them carefully, because bad ones can lead us astray. For example, it’s become very common to compare powerful AIs to genies in fairy tales. The metaphor is meant to highlight the difficulty of making powerful entities obey your commands; the computer scientist Stuart Russell has cited the parable of King Midas, who demanded that everything he touched turn into gold, to illustrate the dangers of an AI doing what you tell it to do instead of what you want it to do. There are multiple problems with this metaphor, but one of them is that it derives the wrong lessons from the tale to which it refers. The point of the Midas parable is that greed will destroy you, and that the pursuit of wealth will cost you everything that is truly important.
Photo: La Cina di Xi Jinping - Verso un nuovo ordine mondiale sinocentrico? (Italian)
Gabriele and Nicola Iuvinale
ASE 2023
Antonio Stango Editore 👇 https://stangoeditore.com/prodotto/la-cina-di-xi-jinping/
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