One-China Archives

Amid claims of surging HMPV cases in China, health officials urge calm

January 3, 2025

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the globe, China may be dealing with a new virus outbreak, according to reports from multiple news outlets on Friday, Jan. 3. Some social media users are claiming a little-known virus is overwhelming hospitals.

It’s known as human metapneumovirus, or HMPV for short. It reportedly causes flu-like symptoms. There are now social media posts alleging the virus is overtaking emergency rooms, but Chinese authorities are not confirming those claims.

Official reports in China indicated rates of multiple flu-like illnesses are on the rise, but people are only being asked to wear face masks and wash their hands frequently by government officials.

Meanwhile, India’s top health official said people should not panic over the spread of the virus. He said that there was “no substantial” increase in infections from the virus in December 2024, and cases have not been reported in large numbers “from any other institutions.”

Furthermore, India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that it is closely monitoring seasonal flu and respiratory cases, and is in close contact with international agencies.

Doctors said that HMPV typically spreads through droplets spread by coughing, sneezing or touching a surface contaminated by the virus, then an individual touching their hands, eyes, nose or mouth.

HMPV is reportedly most active in the winter and early spring, alongside the flu and common cold. The virus is relatively new, first detected in 2001, and is sparking concerns that it could lead to another global pandemic.

Earlier this week, China asserted that it shared information on COVID-19 “without holding anything back” after the World Health Organization insisted Beijing release more data on the pandemic’s origin.

China defended its data sharing on COVID-19, arguing that it has made the “largest contribution to global origin trace research.”

China levels sanctions on 7 companies over US military aid to Taiwan

December 27, 2024

Beijing announced on Friday, Dec. 27, that it is leveling sanctions against seven companies and their senior executives over U.S. military assistance to Taiwan. Among the companies sanctioned are Boeing subsidiary Insitu Inc., RTX Inc’s Raytheon Canada and Raytheon Australia.

The sanctions reportedly freeze the companies’ and executives’ assets in China and bar them from trading or collaborating with Beijing.

China said the move is retaliation for U.S. military sales and aid to Taiwan. Washington D.C. recently approved more than $570 million in defense support to the independently governed island and gave the green light to weapons sales worth around $385 million.

China has long claimed Taiwan as its own and has never ruled out force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan said that it is a sovereign nation, and the U.S. is required by law to defend the country.

Earlier this month, Taiwan said that China sent dozens of military vessels to blockade the island, which Taipei said threatens peace and stability as well as trade in the Indo-Pacific region.

China’s sanctions are also reportedly in response to the approval of the U.S’ annual defense spending bill, which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said “includes multiple negative sections about China.”

The defense bill also reportedly directs more resources toward a more confrontational approach toward Beijing, while expanding a ban on U.S. military purchases of Chinese products, such as drone technology.

China claims the U.S. is using the “so called” threat from Beijing to rationalize boosting its military budget.

Baltic Sea cables suffer outages as Moscow ‘shadow fleet’ ship implicated

December 26, 2024

New reports indicate that additional undersea cable lines were severed in the Baltic Sea. The reports come on the heels of alleged sabotage of different cables in November 2024.

Finnish authorities said they are investigating more telecommunication line disruptions with a Russian “shadow fleet” reportedly facing a probe related to the Christmas Day outages.

Finland’s prime minister announced on Wednesday, Dec. 25, a “disruption” in the Estlink-2 cable and said the country is looking into the incident.

Officials noted, the disruption would not impact “electricity supplies in Finland” and there is also enough capacity to meet electricity needs in Estonia.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, Finnish telecommunication officials say that they are investigating the disruptions of two submarine cables between Finland and Estonia.

Currently, investigators are unsure what caused the outages and are still trying to determine where the cable lines were disrupted, although Estonian authorities say they believe the disruption is on the Finnish side.

As Straight Arrow News previously reported, European nations have been on high alert ever since two critical communication cables were severed in the Baltic Sea in November 2024.

European officials called it an act of “sabotage” and implicated Russia in the incident.

Danish authorities later detained a Chinese vessel that they say dragged an anchor more than 100 miles as it left a Russian port.

The Chinese ship is believed to be responsible for cutting cables linking Germany and Lithuania and severing another set of cables connecting Germany and Finland.

Investigators are probing whether the crew worked with Russia in what Western countries consider “hybrid warfare.”

European officials said that China is not suspected of the sabotage but are investigating whether Russia worked with the crew.

Western allies are also upping security in the region as NATO is expected to deploy new technology to protect underwater cables next year.

The international alliance announced earlier this month that it will launch sea drones in summer 2025 to monitor global cables in the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas.

China warns US ‘playing with fire’ by providing military aid to Taiwan

December 23, 2024

After the U.S. announced military sales and aid to Taiwan, China says the U.S. is “playing with fire.” In a statement, the Chinese government said Sunday, Dec. 22, that Taiwan is the “first red line that cannot be crossed” in relations between the two global superpowers.

The U.S. authorized up to $571 million in defense support for Taiwan. In addition, the U.S. has sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons to the island’s government.

This comes just a few months after the U.S. approved another aid package of the same amount.

Taiwan governs itself as a democracy, sitting 100 miles offshore from mainland China.

The U.S. has backed Taiwan since the Communist Party took over China in 1949, but it shifted to an informal relationship with the island nation in 1980.

In practice, China does not control Taiwan but considers it Chinese territory and often talks about “reunification.” In recent years, China has escalated its activities around the island, suggesting it could try to attack and take over Taiwan in the future.

While Taiwan has accused China of undermining peace and stability in the region, this weekend, it was China making those accusations about the U.S. in response to its aid to Taiwan.

President-elect Donald Trump has not committed to defending Taiwan if China’s communist government invades the island. Instead, he has requested Taiwan pay more to the U.S. for defense.

Trump will pull out of WHO on day 1 in office: Report

December 23, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump plans to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization (WHO) on day one of his second administration on Jan. 20. The plans were first reported on Sunday, Dec. 22, by the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, global health officials warn of the potentially “catastrophic” consequences of the United States leaving the organization. The departure of the U.S. from the global health body would reportedly eliminate the agency’s largest single donor. The U.S. provided around 16% of the WHO’s funding from 2022-2023.

Professor of Global Health at Georgetown Law, Lawrence Gostin, said America’s absence would create a “huge vacuum in global health financing and leadership,” adding, it will hurt the WHO’s ability to respond to health emergencies and lead to cuts among “scientific staff.”

Global health officials say the WHO is critical to vaccine development and distribution as well as other treatments during global health emergencies.

Gostin says a withdrawal will likely hamper the United States’ response to any potential pandemics as well, noting, America would be without a key source of information “when the next outbreak occurs.”

Second time’s the charm?

This wouldn’t be the first time Trump has tried to lead a U.S. exit from the WHO.

In 2020, Trump began the process of leaving the organization amid the spread of COVID-19. At the time, he accused the WHO of being under the control of Beijing and criticized its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He sent a four-page letter to the WHO director, suspending funds.

This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! pic.twitter.com/pF2kzPUpDv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2020

On May 29, 2020, Trump said, “We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.”

Details remain undisclosed on how Trump’s new administration plans to handle the reported withdrawal. In his first attempt to divert funds elsewhere, Trump’s team said the United States would continue to participate in “critical meetings” with the organization.

At the time, some Republican lawmakers supported the decision for the U.S. to withdraw from the WHO, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., posted on X that the WHO “must be held accountable,” but said it would divert funds to more “credible and transparent” world health agencies who could “demonstrate their independence from China.”

However, the process of withdrawal was never completed, and Trump’s successor President Joe Biden restarted relations with the WHO on day one in office, just months later.

Those familiar with Trump’s current plans tell the Financial Times that the incoming administration will move much faster this time to withdraw from the agency.

Former Marine accused of training Chinese pilots to be returned to US

December 23, 2024

Australia has approved the extradition of former U.S. Marine Daniel Duggan as of Monday, Dec. 23, over accusations he illegally trained Chinese pilots. The move, rubber-stamped by Australia’s Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, puts an end to Duggan’s nearly two-year attempt to avoid a return to the United States.

Dreyfus said he came to the decision that Duggan should be sent back to the U.S. to face prosecution after a New South Wales magistrate found him eligible in May for surrender to American authorities.

Dreyfus also contends that “given the opportunity” to argue against his surrender to the U.S., Duggan did not do so. Duggan, a 55-year-old naturalized Australian citizen, was arrested in rural New South Wales in 2022 after returning home from China, where he had lived since 2014.

U.S. authorities said that Duggan traveled to Australia, the U.S., China and South Africa between 2009 and 2012. They said Duggan agreed to provide services to a Chinese-owned company, including evaluation of Chinese military pilot trainees and instructions on landing on aircraft carriers.

U.S. prosecutors assert that Duggan reportedly received more than $60,000 for his services. However, Duggan denies the allegations leveled by U.S. law enforcement.

Meanwhile, his lawyers contend that there is no evidence the Chinese aviators trained were military. They also argue he was no longer an American citizen when the alleged offense occurred, and his actions are “not considered a crime in Australia.”

Duggan’s defense notes that their client renounced his American citizenship in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, reportedly backdated to 2012 on a certificate. Duggan served in the U.S. Marines for 12 years, and he is a father of six.

His family told Reuters that they are “devastated by the decision,” and his wife told the news outlet that she received a letter from the government stating Duggan’s extradition will take place between Dec. 30, 2024, and Feb. 17, 2025.

If convicted in the United States, Duggan reportedly faces up to 60 years in prison.

Supreme Court agrees to hear appeal from TikTok on US ban in January

December 18, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court said on Wednesday, Dec. 18, it will hear an appeal from TikTok challenging a U.S. law that could end up banning the social media app next month. The court’s announcement comes after an appeal by TikTok this week.

The Supreme Court justices will hear oral arguments on Jan. 10 before deciding on the law’s fate. Currently, the app used by millions of people is set to be banned in the U.S. come Jan. 19, unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells the company.

Earlier this year, Congress passed, and President Joe Biden signed, a law that requires the China-based company to divest the app over national security concerns.

In an emergency filing, TikTok’s lawyers argued the law violated the First Amendment by banning the company’s right to free speech.

A lower court upheld the law earlier in December, siding with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), over concerns about Chinese influence on the company.

As Straight Arrow News previously reported, U.S. lawmakers recently sent a letter to Google and Apple that warns the tech giants to prepare to remove the platform from their app stores.

Some lawmakers say the social media app is a threat to the country’s security, noting laws in Beijing that require social media platforms to work with the Chinese government when asked.

The DOJ also warns the app could be used by China to spy on Americans and steal sensitive information. Other U.S. officials have voiced support for the app.

For instance, President-elect Donald Trump said following a meeting with TikTok’s CEO he has a “warm spot” in his heart for the platform, despite efforts during his first term to ban the app.

Trump said, “You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points, and there are those that say that TikTok has something to do with that. So, I have a little bit of a warm spot in my heart, I’ll be honest.”

Philippines says Chinese coast guard sideswiped, fired water cannon at ship

December 5, 2024

China is once again being accused of “aggressive actions” in the South China Sea. This time, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Wednesday, Dec. 4, Chinese coast guard ships attacked one of its boats with heavy-duty water cannons and intentionally sideswiped it in the disputed waters.

The Philippine Coast Guard says it was on patrol, providing security to Filipino fisherman at Scarborough Shoal, when several Chinese guard and navy ships approached. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, while one Chinese ship unleashed water cannon attacks and hit a Philippine vessel, other Chinese ships were blocking the way.

China claims the Philippine ships intentionally drifted into its territory, accusing the Philippines of using its assertion of protecting anglers as an excuse to provoke its military and “mislead international perception.”

The Chinese are also threatening the Philippines with more action if the claimed provocation continues. The United States condemned Beijing’s aggression, calling the incident illegal and saying it “put lives at risk.”

China’s actions come more than a month after storms prevented Philippine fishing and commercial vessels from traveling in rough water. Despite the incident. the Philippines says the “reckless” behavior will not stop it from continuing to protect fishing operations in what it calls the “West Philippine Sea.”

China claims virtually the entire waterway, even though it’s sweeping designation conflicts with the territorial waters of at least five other Indo-Pacific nations. Additionally, Beijing has also had confrontations with Indonesia in the open sea.

How the US Space Force will work to protect Japan’s national security

December 4, 2024

U.S. Space Force Guardians are deploying to Japan on Dec. 4 in a move meant to bolster the Japanese self-defense forces against threats from Russia, China and North Korea. The United States activated its first Space Force Unit in Japan at Yokota Air Base, just west of Tokyo, on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The unit will reportedly give Japan its first-ever space surveillance and missile warning systems.

The Pentagon said the ultimate goal is to strengthen both country’s national security and provide stepped-up regional security at a time when relations with Moscow, Pyongyang and Beijing are tense.

The White House confirmed in February that Russia is working on an anti-satellite weapon, and the U.S. Space Force said in October that China is rapidly making gains on space-based military systems as well.

Additionally, North Korea claimed to have successfully launched its first spy satellite last year, and Pyongyang is promising more will go into orbit by the end of this year in a bid to make the country a so-called “space power.”

Despite U.S. adversaries vying for space superiority, the U.S. Department of Defense maintains it is confident the new unit will deter attacks from enemies in the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. and Japan are also coordinating space defense with Australia, including reportedly developing low-orbit satellites to help counter hypersonic missiles, which Russia, China and North Korea all claim to have obtained.

Volkswagen plants brought to halt as workers strike amid labor dispute

December 3, 2024

Workers at nine Volkswagen factories across Germany brought assembly lines to a halt on Monday, Dec. 2, as they launched rolling two-hour strikes. The autoworkers are protesting pay cuts and proposed factory closures the automaker claims are necessary to make up for slumping sales in Europe.

Volkswagen reportedly wants 120,000 German workers to take a 10% pay cut and is proposing the closure of three plants, according to an employee representative who was interviewed by The Washington Post. The closures would be the company’s first in its nearly 90-year history.

Volkswagen argues the changes are necessary as it struggles with low demand, high production costs, Chinese competition and a sluggish transfer to electric vehicles. The walkouts took place prior to talks over a new labor agreement after a mandate period barring strikes expired on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Workers’ representatives warn the Volkswagen strikes could escalate to 24-hours or longer if a deal is not struck during the next round of labor negotiations set for Monday, Dec. 9.

The autoworkers union for Volkswagen employees reportedly presented measures it said would save the company $1.6 billion, which would include a bonus freeze for 2025 and 2026. However, Volkswagen management dismissed the idea as unrealistic.

A union representative in Hanover, Germany, criticized Volkswagen for making workers’ pay for what he considered mistakes by those at the top of the company’s management, including the “diesel emissions scandal,” in which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found from 2009 through 2015 the company intentionally covered up its emission output in its diesel vehicles to meet U.S. vehicle standards.

The union representative also blamed company leadership for falling behind on innovation to Chinese companies.

Amid claims of surging HMPV cases in China, health officials urge calm

China levels sanctions on 7 companies over US military aid to Taiwan

Baltic Sea cables suffer outages as Moscow ‘shadow fleet’ ship implicated

China warns US ‘playing with fire’ by providing military aid to Taiwan

Trump will pull out of WHO on day 1 in office: Report

Second time’s the charm?

Former Marine accused of training Chinese pilots to be returned to US

Philippines says Chinese coast guard sideswiped, fired water cannon at ship

How the US Space Force will work to protect Japan’s national security

Volkswagen plants brought to halt as workers strike amid labor dispute

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