The US Justice Department has charged 34 officers of the Chinese national police with operating an illegal police station in New York City to intimidate and silence dissidents. Two of the defendants have been arrested by the FBI and are expected to appear in federal court in New York. The US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York has said that the US government will not tolerate any foreign interference in its internal affairs.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu met in Moscow to discuss their countries' close military cooperation, which includes the exchange of useful information and joint exercises. This marks Li's first overseas trip since taking on the role of Defense Minister last month, and follows the US' 2018 sanctions against him for transactions with Russia's state-controlled arms exporter. The meeting is seen as a sign of the strong relationship between Russia and China, which has been further strengthened since Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow on Sunday, praising the “very productive” visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping last month and noting that relations between Russia and China are developing well in all areas. Li Shangfu said that the relations between Moscow and Beijing “have very strong relations, that far surpass the military-political alliances of the Cold War.” The meeting is the latest sign of the deepening ties between Russia and China, which have increased their military cooperation in recent years.
Montana has become the first state to ban the popular social media app TikTok, with the state House of Representatives passing a bill to prohibit downloads of the app and its operation within the state. The bill goes further than prohibitions in place in nearly half the states and the U.S. federal government, and is seen as a testing ground for a potential TikTok-free America. It remains to be seen whether other states will follow Montana’s lead and enact similar bans, and how the bill will be enforced and withstand legal scrutiny.
The U.S. Justice Department and Treasury Department have announced a major crackdown on the Sinaloa cartel, with charges filed against four sons of imprisoned drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and sanctions imposed against two Chinese companies and five people in China and Guatemala. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the charges are part of a larger effort to combat the trafficking of fentanyl coming north into the U.S. while also cracking down on the trafficking of guns going south into Mexico. The Biden administration has said it is committed to strengthening cooperation with Mexico to combat the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has condemned China's recent military exercises around the island, warning that Beijing appears to be preparing for war. US and China have both sent warships to the region and the US has increased arms sales to Taiwan, while French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Europe to become a "third pole" independent of both Washington and Beijing. Wu expressed confidence in Taiwanese preparations, as the international community watches the situation closely.
China launched the Joint Sword drills on Saturday, a show of strength in response to Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the US. The drills were smaller in scale than last August's live-fire military exercises, and are seen as a warning to Taiwan and the US. It remains to be seen how the US and Taiwan will respond to the drills, and whether China will continue to increase its military presence in the region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently sparked controversy with their statement that genetic material from Wuhan, China, should have been shared three years ago. Chinese health officials have accused the WHO of attempting to smear China and of politicizing COVID-19. The WHO has not yet responded, but has previously stated its commitment to working with China to find the source of the virus. International cooperation is essential to ensure that all relevant information is shared in a timely manner to prepare for future pandemics.