DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Alfa Bank: US-sanctioned Russian banking giant expands in China
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Laura He | Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong/London CNN —Battered by Western sanctions, Russia’s largest privately owned bank is expanding its business in the world’s second-largest economy. That would make the lender the first private Russian bank to open full-service branches in the two major Chinese cities. The bank is part of Alfa Group, one of Russia’s largest financial and investment conglomerates, which was founded by Fridman. Alfa Bank made a loss of 117.1 billion rubles ($1.44 billion) in 2022, according to its annual report for that year. A year later, it seemed to bounce back, reporting profit of 120.9 billion rubles ($1.4 billion) for 2023.

Persons: Mikhail Fridman, hasn’t, Fridman Organizations: London CNN, Alfa Bank, CNN, Alfa Group, European, Moscow, Hong Kong Equity Investment Association Locations: China, Hong Kong, London, Russian, Beijing, Shanghai, Ukraine, United States, Russia, Italy, Western

CNN —Ecuador is temporarily suspending a visa waiver agreement with China, citing evidence of irregular migration flows of Chinese citizens through the small South American country. A statement from the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that about half of Chinese citizens who entered the country in recent months did not leave through “regular routes” or within the 90 days they were permitted to stay. In 2023, Ecuador documented 48,381 entries by Chinese nationals and about 24,240 exits, leaving a difference of 24,141 – the highest number of any nationality, according to data from the national statistics institute. By contrast, Ecuador documented around 13,000 Chinese nationals entering in 2022. Ecuador said it is committed to the security of visitors to prevent them from being victims of human trafficking as well as ensuring “adequate national immigration control.”Asked about Ecuador’s decision to suspend visa waivers, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Since the China-Ecuador Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement came into effect in August 2016, it has played a positive role in bilateral personnel exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields.”Lin added that China “firmly opposes any form of smuggling activities” and that its law enforcement agencies have “vigorously cracked down on illegal crimes that impede border management.”

Persons: zou xian ”, ”, Lin Jian, ” Lin, China “ Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, Ecuador Locations: Ecuador, China, Quito

☆ Europe risks trade war with China by hiking tariffs on its electric cars
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, launched the probe in October to establish whether Chinese EV prices are artificially low because of subsidies and so hurt European carmakers. Europe is the main destination for Chinese EV exports. The new EV tariffs are likely to kick off intense negotiations between Beijing and Brussels aimed at averting a damaging trade war. Many of them manufacture cars in China and then sell them in Europe, a set-up that will be more costly as a result of the higher tariffs. Alternatively, Beijing could pledge investment into EU countries and promise better market access in China for EU firms, the Rhodium analysts wrote.

Persons: ” Will Roberts, BYD, Roberts, …, Olaf Scholz, ”, Joe Biden, Olesya Dmitracova, Mark Thompson, Shawn Deng, Alex Stambaugh Organizations: London CNN, European Union, European Commission, Commission, Volvo, SAIC, EV, EU, Rho Motion, China’s Ministry of Commerce, Rho, Renault’s, CNN, “, France EU, Group Locations: China, Beijing, European, Brussels, Washington, EU, Europe, Renault’s Dacia, “ Beijing, Germany, France, Spain, United States, Hungary, London, Hong Kong

He also warned that the death of any Filipino citizen at the hands of another country in the South China Sea would be “very close” to an act of war. It is also a rare opportunity to hear from, and pose questions to, senior Chinese military leaders. Robert Ward, IISS Japan chair, told CNN he felt Dong’s tone was “more shrill” than he’s seen in previous speeches by Chinese defense chiefs at the gathering. “The strategic environment in Asia has actually got more tense and I think we saw that in the Chinese defense minister’s speech today,” Ward said. “Every year for three years, a new Chinese defense minister has come to Shangri-La,” the official told CNN.

Persons: Dong Jun, ” Dong, ”, Xi Jinping, Dong, Lloyd Austin, ” China’s, “, Lai Ching, China, Ferdinand R, Marcos Jr, Austin –, China “, Robert Ward, he’s, ” Ward, they’ve Organizations: Singapore CNN, Taiwan, National Defense, Communist Party, Democratic Progressive Party, China’s Defense Ministry, South China, Austin, International Institute for Strategic Studies, CNN, US Locations: Singapore, Beijing, Taiwan, United States, China, Taiwan Strait, East, South, South China, Philippines, ”, American, The Hague, Philippine, Ukraine, Dong, Russia, Asia, Pacific, Japan

☆ China’s Xi Jinping calls for peace conference and ‘justice’ over war in Gaza as Arab leaders visit Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese leader Xi Jinping decried “tremendous sufferings” in the Middle East and called for an international peace conference as leaders from Arab nations visit Beijing this week amid mounting global concern over Israel’s war in Gaza. Justice should not be absent forever,” Xi said Thursday at the opening of a meeting between top diplomats from China and Arab states, also attended by several leaders from the region. Delegations from 22 Arab states joined that event at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, according to Chinese state media. China has recognized a Palestinian state since 1988. Thursday’s ministerial meeting is the first such gathering since China held its first joint summit with Arab leaders in late 2022 in Saudi Arabia.

Persons: Xi Jinping, ” Xi, Israel, Xi, ”, Abdel, Fattah, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Kais Saied, China “, Yun Sun, Fatah, Joe Biden, Jamal Khashoggi, Egypt’s Sisi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, United Arab Emirates, States Cooperation Forum, Diplomats, Stimson, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, of Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Gaza, “, Palestinian, Rafah, United States, Israel, Washington, United, Palestine, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Istanbul

☆ Israeli Troops Keep Up Assault on Rafah After Condemnation of Deadly Strike
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Lauren Leatherby | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

The strike was conducted using two munitions with small warheads suited for this targeted strike. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military’s spokesman, insisted that their munitions alone, used in a strike in Rafah, could not have ignited the deadly fire that killed dozens of people at a camp. Those statements, however, did little to quell a chorus of voices demanding accountability and a halt to the fighting, which came amid reports of another deadly strike in nearby Al-Mawasi on Tuesday. Credit... Hatem Khaled/Reuters Still, he gave no indication that the Israeli military’s operation in Rafah would be interrupted. Israeli officials have argued that the ruling allowed it to continue fighting in Rafah because the military would not inflict such conditions.

Persons: Daniel Hagari, —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Mawasi, David Cameron, Admiral Hagari, Hatem Khaled, China “, ”, “, Mao Ning, ” —, Alexandra Stevenson Organizations: Credit, Israel Defense Forces Israel’s, ., Reuters, International Court, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: Blaze, Rafah, Al, Israeli, Gaza, Rafah’s, China, Israel, “

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to work with countries like China with “influence on Russia” as his country faces a renewed Moscow offensive, urging Beijing to attend peace talks next month. Ahead of expected peace talks in Switzerland next month, Xi has called for negotiations that take both sides’ positions into account. Engaging global players like China is crucial because “they have influence on Russia, and the more such countries we have on our side… the more Russia will have to move and [more countries] to reckon with,” Zelensky said. Zelensky said he would like to see China at the international talks in Switzerland next month, aimed at paving the way for a peace process in Ukraine. Russia has not been represented at any of the four rounds of closed-door international peace talks that have taken place so far, and will not be at this one.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia ”, Zelensky, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin’s, Russia’s, Xi, ” Zelensky, Viola Amherd, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Bobylov, Switzerland Wang Shihting, Emmanuel Macron, Emmanuel Organizations: CNN, Beijing, AFP, Reuters, of, Getty, French Locations: China, Russia, Moscow, Beijing, Switzerland, Zelensky, Ukraine, Tiananmen, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Paris

☆ Putin to meet Xi in China as world convulses from global conflicts
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Pyongyang – which has an economy almost entirely dependent of China – is believed by Western governments to be aiding Russia with war supplies. Xi has ramped up his calls for Europe and other countries to help the world avoid a “Cold War,” suggesting they resist what Beijing sees as US efforts to contain China. They have also criticized Israel and the United States – converging with mounting global backlash, especially across the Global South against Israel’s war. The conflict has also impacted how China and Russia view their relations with countries there, he added. China “wants to use Russia” for its aims, but Russia is making China weak, he said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Putin, –, It’s, China –, Xi, France –, Jens Stoltenberg, Sergei Guneyev, ”, Li Mingjiang, Manoj Kewalramani, Russia doesn’t, Stringer, Gaza —, Sergey Lavrov, presser, Wang Yi, Israel, “, Privately, Shen Dingli, China “, Alexander Dugin, Donald Trump, Li Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, West, NATO, Forum, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, EU, Takshashila, Boys, Getty, United, Global, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Russia, Weibo, Moscow, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, China, Russian, Gaza, Ukraine, Moscow, Washington, Iran, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russia, Tehran, Beijing, Europe, France, Serbia, Hungary, Bangalore, Rafah, AFP, Israel, United States, Kewalramani, South, Taiwan, Shanghai, Singapore

The intensifying military cooperation between Russia and Niger is central to the dispute between the US and the Nigerien junta, officials said. Russia and Niger agreed to strengthen their military ties in January, Russia’s Defense Ministry said at the time. If the US were forced to withdraw, counterterrorism efforts across the region could take a hit, officials said. In return, Russia is profiting off the region’s natural resources, another official said, including the gold mines in Niger. Several European countries shared this goal, offering a measure of support to the junta, the official noted.

Persons: Michael Langley, Celeste Wallander, Col, Maj, Amadou Abdramane, Langley, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, what’s, Nusrat al, “ Organizations: CNN, US Africa Command, Air Base, American, Nigerien, Russia’s Defense, EU, Pentagon, Kremlin, West, Russian Federation, National Council, Wagner, US Locations: Africa, Russia, Africa . Niger, Niger, United States, America, Nigerien, Sahel, stoking, China, Russian, Central Africa, ”, Niamey, US, Agadez, Mali, Burkina Faso, Abdramane, Western Africa, Northwest Africa

☆ Why India’s economy under Modi offers a real alternative to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The market value of companies listed on India’s exchanges crossed $4 trillion in late November. But the country is stuck in recession and recently lost its position as the world’s third biggest economy to Germany. While interest in the world’s fifth largest economy is rising, the lofty prices of India’s stocks are scaring some international investors away. According to Macquarie, retail investors alone own 9% of India’s equity market value versus foreign investors at slightly under 20%. China “has a few too many companies which are $100 and $200 billion plus [in value],” Mittal said.

Persons: Peeyush Mittal, there’s, ”, Mittal, They’ve, Narendra Modi, Indranil Mukherjee, Jefferies, “, MSCI, Aditya Suresh, Modi’s, Modi, there’ll, ” Suresh, shoring, Hubert de Barochez, Elon Musk, India “, ” Musk, Suresh, Satish Babu, China “, ” Mittal, Priyanka Agnihotri, Nirmala Sitharaman Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN —, Matthews Asia, Getty, Macquarie Capital, Bharatiya Janata Party, Monetary Fund, Jefferies, Capital Economics, Apple, Foxconn, ”, Workers, Chennai Metro Rail, Advisory, Indian Locations: New Delhi, Jaipur, San Francisco, India, China, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Beijing, Washington, “ India, Macquarie, Chennai, Baltimore

☆ AI boom drove Nvidia profits up 580% last year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

That result helped bring the company’s full-year profits up more than 580% from the year earlier. Nvidia also posted fourth quarter revenue gains of 265% year-over-year, also exceeding analyst projections, as the company continues to ride the wave of massive AI investment. And US restrictions introduced last year on exports of advanced AI chips to China, which affected products like Nvidia’s H800 and A800 chips, threaten to choke off access to a massive and fast-growing market. Still, others on Wall Street believe the company still has plenty of room to run. “The outlook for Nvidia is positive as AI chip competition from Intel, AMD, Meta and Microsoft could be months away while demand for Nvidia chips is only surging,” Insider Intelligence senior analyst Gadjo Sevilla said in a note earlier this week.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Dan Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Nvidia’s, China “, ” Morgan, Gadjo Sevilla Organizations: New, New York CNN, Nvidia, Wall Street, IBM, Microsoft, Synovus Trust Company, Google, Cisco, Intel, AMD, Meta, ”, Intelligence Locations: New York, China

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Kristina Amyot’s life has drastically improved since the last New Hampshire primary, but she isn’t confident the current candidates will help others achieve the same success. “I have self-worth now.”New Hampshire, a small state with an outsized role in presidential politics, has heard from candidates promising action on the opioid crisis for several presidential elections now. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“I feel like every four years it gets talked about, and then it gets lost. More than 80,000 people died of opioid overdoses in 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The final tally for 2022 — 486 deaths — was only four short of the all-time high for New Hampshire, a state of about 1.4 million people.

Persons: — Kristina Amyot’s, “, ”, —, Kerry Norton, it’s, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Haley, Jay Ruais, Ruais, It’s, Norton, “ I’m, Chris Christie, Trump, Amyot, we’re Organizations: Hope, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Republicans, New, Florida Gov, Republican, ” Former New Jersey Gov, White Locations: ROCHESTER, N.H, Hampshire, Haven Hill, ” New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Rochester, U.S, China, Manchester , New, ”, Hope, Haven

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan on Sunday condemned what it said were “fallacious comments” by China following the self-governing island's presidential and parliamentary election the previous day. The verbal sparring did not bode well for the future of Taiwan's relations with China under the winner, President-elect Lai Ching-te, or for China's relations with the United States. The institute is the de-facto U.S. Embassy, since the United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and says that it should not even have a foreign ministry or any official relations with foreign governments. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that "the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair.

Persons: bode, Lai Ching, Stephen Hadley, State James Steinberg, Tsai Ing, China's, ” Lai, Tsai, ” Chen Binhua Organizations: —, Sunday, Former National Security, State, American Institute, U.S, Embassy, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan's Foreign, Foreign Ministry, Taiwan Affairs, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Kuomintang, Nationalist Party, Taiwan People's Party, Taiwan Affairs Office, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, Taiwan Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, — Taiwan, China, United States, U.S, Taipei

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (AP) — From underwater drones to electronic warfare, the U.S. is expanding its high-tech military cooperation with Australia and the United Kingdom as part of a broader effort to counter China’s rapidly growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with defense chiefs from Australia and the United Kingdom at the U.S. military’s defense technology hub in Silicon Valley on Friday to forge a new agreement to increase technology cooperation and information sharing. The three nations have laid out plans for the so-called AUKUS partnership to help equip Australia with a fleet of eight nuclear-powered submarines. AUKUS is an acronym for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He added that as an island nation, Australia has a need for improved maritime drones and precision strike capabilities.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, Richard Marles, Grant Shapps, Austin, Marles, Shapps, we’ve, aren’t, Adam Bry, Alex Horn, Horn Organizations: Pacific . Defense, Australian Defense, Defense Innovation Unit, Britain, U.S, Australian Navy, Solomon Islands, warfighters, Air Force, Morris Air National Guard Base Locations: California, U.S, Australia, United Kingdom, Silicon Valley, United States, Virginia, Adelaide, China, Pacific, South China, Beijing, Solomon, Taiwan, DIU, Arizona

☆ How the U.S. courted the Philippines to thwart China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

What followed was two trips to the United States in less than a year for Marcos, and visits to the Philippines by high-ranking Biden administration officials. Marcos’ predecessor, the populist firebrand Rodrigo Duterte, was openly hostile to the United States and attempted to bring his country closer to communist China during his six-year term. For the United States, cementing alliances in the Asia-Pacific region is likewise crucial to keeping China in check. China’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement to Reuters, characterized China and the Philippines as “close neighbors across the sea” with a common interest in friendship. At the time, he said the cancellation of his visa was the latest in a list of “gripes and disrespect” by the United States.

Persons: Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Joe Biden, Marcos, Gregorio Maria Araneta III, “, ” Araneta, Biden, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Julio Amador III, Marcos ’, Rodrigo Duterte, China’s, Xi Jinping, ” Marcos ’, Ferdinand Marcos Sr, ”, Marcos family’s, Washington, Duterte, China “, Becca Wasser, Wasser, Barack Obama, Xi, “ I’ve, ” Duterte, Ronald “ Bato, dela Rosa, Dela Rosa, gripes, Toribio Adaci, hadn’t, Blake Herzinger, Herzinger Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Defense, ., Party, China, U.S . State Department, ” Reuters, Philippine, United, Foreign Ministry, ” ‘, People’s Liberation Army, Center, New, New American Security, CNAS, U.S . Department of Defense, U.S ., Initiative, Philippines National Economic Development Authority, United States, Philippine National Police, Washington, Forces, VFA, Mutual, China’s, U.S . Pacific Fleet, Cooperation Locations: Philippines, Philippine, Manila, United States, U.S, China, America, Asia, Taipei, Taiwan, Beijing, South, East Asia, Pacific, Washington, Hawaii, South China, It’s, American, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New American, Taiwan . U.S, Duterte, China’s, Guangdong

Around 2,500 people gathered to hear Haley, the former governor and United Nations ambassador, according to officials at a satellite campus of the University of South Carolina along the state’s southern coast. She often hits on this theme herself, noting her ousting of a 30-year state incumbent in the South Carolina House, then beating three initially better-known candidates to become the first woman to serve as South Carolina governor. Ron DeSantis campaigns across South Carolina on Friday. On Monday, Haley riffed on Trump’s recent appearance in her home state at Saturday’s football rivalry matchup between the University of South Carolina and her alma mater, Clemson University. Henry McMaster, Haley’s successor and an alumnus of South Carolina, which lost to Clemson.

Persons: — Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Haley, Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Vincent Francescangeli, ” Francescangeli, Trump’s, you’ve, ” Haley, “, Haley riffed, Henry McMaster, Haley’s, —, ”, Francescangeli, Meg Kinnard Organizations: United Nations, University of South, South Carolina House, GOP, Florida Gov, Trump, mater, Clemson University, Clemson, Gamecocks, Tigers Locations: BLUFFTON, S.C, South Carolina, University of South Carolina, Charleston, Monday's, South, New Hampshire, Iowa, Florida, China

☆ On sidelines of APEC Summit, Xi Jinping vows to be a ‘partner and friend’ of the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nectar Gan | Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —China is willing to be “a partner and a friend” of the United States, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told American business leaders in San Francisco on Wednesday, as he sought to court US businesses amid a decline in foreign investment in China. “China is willing to be a partner and friend of the United States,” he added. China is happy to see a confident, open and prosperous US,” Xi said. Xi recalled entering the US on that trip through San Fransisco, which he said formed his “first impression” of America. Under Xi, China has further expanded the scope of its anti-espionage law, raided US consultancy and due-diligence firms and detained executives in the name of national security, sending a chill through the foreign business community.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, ” Xi, Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Dexter Roberts, Roberts, “, ’ “ Liu Dongshu, ” Liu, Fred Hu, ” Hu, China “ Organizations: CNN, Economic Cooperation, Apple, Tesla, US, China Business Council, National Committee, China Relations, Flying Tigers, Mansfield Center, University of Montana, City University of Hong, Primavera Capital Group, Bloomberg, Economy, China Locations: China, United States, San Francisco, Asia, Japan, Iowa, America, San Fransisco, City University of Hong Kong, Xi, Singapore

☆ Tencent says it stockpiled Nvidia AI chips but seeks Chinese replacements
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Tencent rushed to build up “one of the largest inventories of AI chips in China” before US export restrictions took hold, an executive said Wednesday. It is one of the chipmaker’s advanced AI chips designed for use in data centers, the physical facilities used to store troves of electronic information. In late October, Nvidia disclosed that the just-announced restrictions had come into effect “immediately,” weeks earlier than scheduled. “Going forward, we will have to figure out ways to make … the usage of our AI chips more efficient,” namely by working to retain most of the company’s high-performance chips for training the model, he added. The bot was developed specifically for corporate users, allowing them to catch up on meetings by viewing automated summaries or put together documents more efficiently, Lau told analysts.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Tencent, Martin Lau, ”, ” Lau, Tencent, “, Biden, Kai, Fu Lee, Lau Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Nvidia, Bloomberg, Sinovation Ventures, Huawei, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation Locations: China, Hong Kong, China ”, United States, Beijing, Washington, Shenzhen

☆ America and China Are Talking Again. Let’s Keep It That Way. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Jacob Dreyer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

But the sons and daughters of those builders are growing up in a very different world from their parents. There is widespread and growing discussion, for instance, of how to make Chinese society more equitable, green, urban and scientific. China is undergoing a profound transition to a high-tech, highly educated, prosperous and powerful nation that its “builder generation” could only imagine. And in frontier technologies like artificial intelligence, experts agree that a discussion without China amounts to the West talking to itself. Californians, plagued by wildfires, know that there are more immediate threats to their way of life than China.

Persons: Nicholas Burns Organizations: America, U.S, Soviet Union, U.S . Locations: China, United States, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Beijing, America, Soviet, China —, Soviet Union, Washington

☆ Premarket stocks: Why the American Whiskey industry is freaking out
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Between June 2018 and December 2021 there was a 25% tax imposed on the spirit, which decreased American whiskey exports by 18%. American whiskey exports to the EU jumped 118% in the first half of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2022. They went back and forth until 2021 when the tariffs on American whiskey were suspended and we took a great sigh of relief. The Biden administration’s leadership and efforts on this have enabled the suspension of tariffs on American whiskey and all distilled spirits products, but we are rightly anxious because a 50% tariff on American whiskey would be beyond devastating to exports. Since those tariffs have been suspended, we’ve seen American whiskey exports rebound to beyond pre-pandemic levels.

Persons: Bell, Chris Swonger, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, we’re, Biden, We’ve, we’ve, It’s, Gina Raimondo, ” Raimondo, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Raimondo, ”, Read, Bill Ackman, Leslie Wexner, —, “, Claudine Gay, Dean, Harvard College Rakesh Khurana, Gay Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, EU, European Commission, European Union, Biden administration’s, US, China, Commerce Department, Harvard, Harvard University, Pershing, Harvard College, Harvard College Jewish Alumni Association, ” Harvard, “ Harvard, Council, Advancement Locations: New York, United States, EU, China, Taiwan, Israel

CNN —The Chinese government has built up the world’s largest known online disinformation operation and is using it to harass US residents, politicians, and businesses—at times threatening its targets with violence, a CNN review of court documents and public disclosures by social media companies has found. Victims face a barrage of tens of thousands of social media posts that call them traitors, dogs, and racist and homophobic slurs. While tech and social media companies have shut down thousands of accounts targeting these victims, they’re outpaced by a slew of new accounts emerging virtually every day. As part of a mission “to manipulate public perceptions of [China], the Group uses its misattributed social media accounts to threaten, harass and intimidate specific victims,” the complaint states. In the past, the Spamouflage network mostly focused on issues domestically relevant to China.

Persons: –, Xi Jinping, Biden, Mike Gallagher, Chen Pokong, ”, Chen, “, Spamouflage’s, Liu Pengyu, ” Liu, Jiayang, Darren Linvill, hasn’t, Fan, Communist Party playbook, Mandiant, Nancy Pelosi, ” Ben Nimmo, George Floyd’s, Ben Nimmo, Lindsay Gorman, Gorman, ” Linvill, Linvill, Spamouflage, Jiajun Qiu, Qiu, ” Qiu Organizations: CNN, US State Department, FBI, Communist Party, Meta, Google, ”, CCP, US Department of Justice, Department, DOJ, China’s Ministry of Public Security, Group, New Yorker, telltale, Media, Clemson University, Capitol, Department of Homeland Security, Marshall Fund’s Alliance, Securing Democracy, YouTube Locations: United States, Beijing, San Francisco, China “, New York, China, New York City, America, Washington, Hong Kong, US, Texas, Virginia, Manassas , Virginia

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping have no shortage of difficult issues to discuss when they sit down for their first talks in a year, even if expectations are low that their meeting will lead to major breakthroughs. Beijing’s demands were made clear last November when Xi and Biden met in Bali, Indonesia, during the Group of 20 summit. That was a rejoinder to the Biden administration mantra that the two nations should compete vigorously while not looking for conflict. Beijing has bristled at export controls and other measures imposed by the Biden administration, perceiving them as designed to stifle China's economic growth. But Xi, this time, is likely to seek assurance from Biden that the U.S. will not pile new ones onto China.

Persons: Joe Biden, China’s Xi, what’s, Biden, Xi, Janet Yellen, “, ”, Nancy Pelosi, Newt Gingrich, Xie Feng, Wang Wenbin, Zhu Feng, Zhu, Kanis Leung, Ken Moritsugu, Yu Bing Organizations: WASHINGTON, Economic Cooperation, BIDEN, U.S ., U.S, American, School of International Studies of Nanjing University, Trump, Biden, ”, Associated Press Locations: Asia, Taiwan, East, Europe, U.S, China, Francisco, Beijing, United States, Taiwan . Washington, Iran, Tehran, Israel, American, Hong Kong, Bali , Indonesia, Bali, Washington, ” Beijing, San Francisco

☆ Gina Raimondo seeks better ties with China amid tensions over tech, Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ahead of high-stakes meetings next week between the United States and China, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo dismissed the notion there would be a military conflict with China over Taiwan. Both the United States and China “have a desire to stabilize (their) relationship,” Raimondo told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an interviewed that aired Saturday. Raimondo noted the world is looking to the United States and China “to be responsible and manage this relationship.”Raimondo acknowledged there is a “great competition” with China, echoing similar sentiments expressed by President Joe Biden, who has stated the United States wants competition with China, rather than outright hostility and conflict. At the same time, Raimondo said she has told China “there can be no negotiation when it comes to matters of national security,” particularly with regard to semiconductor chips used to manufacture advanced weapons. Also on the table are issues surrounding military communication between the United States and China, the climate crisis and narcotics trafficking.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, ” Raimondo, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Raimondo, Joe Biden, ”, Mao Ning, —, Biden, Xi Jinping Organizations: CNN, US, China, Commerce Department, San Francisco Bay Area Locations: United States, China, Taiwan, San Francisco Bay

SHANGHAI, China (AP) — American Ballet Theatre returned to China on Thursday for the first time in a decade in the latest sign that strained U.S.-China relations are beginning to improve. The tour marks a revival of cultural exchanges between China and the United States. She said cultural exchanges between the U.S. and China “are very necessary" at this time. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said Monday during an event celebrating American World War II veterans who helped China battle Japan. But the two peoples of the countries have always been together.”The ABT last performed in China in March 2013 in Beijing.

Persons: ”, Susan Jaffe, ABT, Giselle, “, Jaffe, —, Zhang Xiaoding, Zhu Xiaoyi, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, China Nicholas Burns, ” Burns, Dwight Eisenhower’s, ___ Mistreanu, Caroline Chen Organizations: Ballet Theatre, Shanghai, Theater, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Center, Performing Arts, Shanghai Grand Theatre, U.S, Economic Cooperation, U.S ., Soviet Union Locations: SHANGHAI, China, U.S, New York, United States, Shanghai, Beijing, ”, Washington, Asia, San Francisco . China, Ukraine, Japan, American, Taipei, Taiwan

That is true both for the two countries at the national level, and for state-level engagement. California has a steady and long working relationship with China. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican governor, started the formal relationship with China over climate cooperation a decade ago, Jaros said. State regulators also have banned the sale of most new gas-powered cars in California by 2035. Meanwhile, the California family of a Christian pastor who has been detained in China since 2006 said Newsom should take any possible opportunity to argue for his release.

Persons: Gavin Newsom’s, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, China “, ”, Alex Wang, Trump, Kyle Jaros, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jaros, Democrat Jerry Brown, “, Wang, Newsom, he’s, Jinping, Alfred Wu, David Lin’s Organizations: —, China -, U.S, Economic Cooperation, UCLA, University of Notre Dame, Republican, Democrat, UCLA’s Emmett Institute, Democratic, National University of Singapore Locations: BANGKOK, — California, China, San Francisco, Asia, California, Hong Kong, U.S, Beijing, Taiwan

Search resuls for: "China “"

25 mentions found