A shameful American pandemic propaganda program
Plus, China jails a #MeToo activist and builds a megaport in Peru
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I attended a wonderful art workshop this weekend, which created a bit of a vacation vibe to the days off, even though I never left Austin. I highly recommend it as a staycation alternative.
It also slowed A6 a bit, so I will attempt to publish two issues this week. The America-focused issue was very well received, so I’ll likely do that again. Are there any US-specific topics you would like me to include in the upcoming newsletter?
Feel free to reply via email or leave a comment at the end.
Enjoy the issue!
Follow up on A6 Topics
Sudan's army says it has killed US-sanctioned RSF Darfur commander
Threat to Livelihoods Deepens as Myanmar Economic Outlook Remains Weak
Eight Israeli soldiers killed in southern Gaza, military says
A6 - Where the World Happens
Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic
This is a story about people who lost touch with their morality.
During the worst stages of the pandemic, the Trump administration launched a propaganda campaign designed to spread fear about China’s vaccine program in the Philippines.
According to an investigative report from Reuters, the program, run by the Pentagon, was designed to counter China’s growing influence in the archipelago by spreading false information about the safety of Chinese-made pandemic prevention tools.
The officials built fake social media profiles that impersonated Filipinos, who then launched campaigns that criticized the Chinese-made vaccine from Sinovac, claimed the face masks were of low quality, and said test kits were ineffective.
The program created over 300 accounts that were all posted under the hashtag #Chinaangvirus (‘China is the virus’).
The program was canceled by a presidential edict from the Biden administration in the spring of 2021. Neither the Trump nor Biden campaigns responded to questions from Reuters about the program.
While it is impossible to directly tie this propaganda effort to any deaths, it put at risk the lives of regular people who were trying to navigate a dangerous pandemic.
It also sowed deep mistrust in the global health system, which can create serious problems in a poor country like the Philippines, where it is important that people trust vaccination efforts from international institutions.
Additionally, in 2016, the country dealt with a very real vaccine controversy when a French dengue vaccine called Dengvaxia was widely distributed in schools, only to later update their advice saying that it could lead to “severe dengue” in those who received it. The label “severe dengue” appears to be a case of language misinterpretation.
Regardless, the words “severe dengue” spread like wildfire, and trust in vaccines in the Philippines plummeted.
In June 2021, after the Pentagon program was stopped, only 2.1 million of the 114 million Filipinos had been vaccinated against Covid-19, and 24,000 citizens had died from the disease.
Apple set to be first Big Tech group to face charges under EU digital law
The European Union (EU) is set to charge Apple for stifling competition on its app store, the first time Brussels has gone after a major tech giant under the Digital Markets Act, passed in 2022.
The law essentially designates certain companies as “gatekeepers” of the internet and then requires them to “leave room for contestability.”
Brussels is accusing Apple of insufficiently steering app developers toward other alternatives without charging them.
The findings of the EU’s investigation are preliminary, and Apple does have time to correct its behaviour and avoid the charges.
If found guilty, the EU could attempt to fine Apple up to 5% of its daily global turnover, amounting to over US$1 billion per day.
Apple is facing various antimonopoly lawsuits from multiple angles.
The US government brought an antitrust case against Apple, accusing it of smothering competition in the smartphone sector. Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, is awaiting a ruling in California after it accused Apple of anti-competitive behavior on the app store.
China #MeToo activist jailed for subversion
Huang Xueqin, a high-profile #MeToo activist in China, was sentenced to five years in prison for subversion, while another labor activist, Wang Jianbing, was sentenced to 3.5 years in jail.
A group supporting the two women said China is using the guise of national security to muzzle social activists. Diplomats from the United States, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the UK attempted to attend the closed-door trial but were denied entry.
The women were detained in September 2021, likely related to social gatherings they organized for youth attendees to discuss various issues in their lives.
The court said its verdict was harsh because of the “high degree of harm done to society.”
Beyond covering #MeToo cases in mainland China, Huang also wrote about the 2019 Hong Kong protest movement, which may explain the harsh crackdown for such a simple activity as organizing meetings.
Earlier this year, the Chinese government used the charge of “inciting subversion of state power” to jail another activist named Li Qiaochu for 3.5 years.
Suspect arrested in China stabbing of college instructors
Police arrested a suspect in northeast China on Monday who is accused of stabbing four American instructors from Iowa in a park last week.
The incident quickly became politically sensitive in China, and the censorship infrastructure kicked into high gear to prevent speculation about why the man stabbed the instructors.
All of the victims from Cornell College survived and were taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The man who was arrested said he stabbed the people because he was “bumped into by a foreigner.” While violent xenophobia is not ideal, authorities are likely breathing a sigh of relief that the visitors were not deliberately targeted for being American.
The censorship about the topic was extreme last week because of worries that this incident could spread like wildfire among ultra-nationalist individuals. Much like the US does with China, Beijing authorities constantly stoke anti-American sentiments for political gain, which has proven effective in creating a group of people who view the US as their enemy.
After the stabbing, there were concerns among Chinese authorities that someone had decided to “take action” against the enemy and attack the college teachers.
While there does appear to be racism involved in this attack, it seems likely that the man would have stabbed these people if they were European, African or any other non-Chinese ethnic group.
One interesting quirk pointed out by
at is that Xi Jinping has a particular affinity for the state of Iowa, having taken a tour of the state’s rural areas when he was the vice president in 2012.US concerned by China-funded megaport in Peru
Beijing is deploying its tried-and-tested strategy of winning global influence by building a massive seaport in Peru.
The Chancay deep-water port project could become a major facilitator of trade between South America and Asia because it should help shorten trade timelines by 10 days compared to other routes.
The US$3.5 billion port is located about 50 miles north of Peru’s capital, Lima. It will be the first South American port built in deep enough waters to host megaships. Typically, massive ships have to land in California or Mexico before smaller ships take cargo down to South America. The new port will challenge that route.
When it goes live, the port will become the first truly regional commercial hub, and Washington is concerned about Bejing’s control over the port. It also highlights the sacrifices the US has had to make while spending decades investing in the Middle East and, more recently, deploying resources toward Ukraine.
Peru’s government is ignoring US concerns, and Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea said Washington is also allowed to invest in the country.
“The United States is present almost everywhere in the world with a lot of initiatives, but not so much in Latin America,” González-Olaechea told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s like a very important friend who spends little time with us.”
One of China’s primary foreign policy strategies in recent decades has been financing infrastructure in poor countries desperate for development. The policy has had mixed results, helping some countries boost their economic output while trapping others in immense debt that drags on productivity.
Environment: Japan makes its clean energy gamble
Japan lags behind its Western and Asian peers in clean energy generation, but it is hoping floating offshore wind can turn its fortunes around.
Like nuclear power, floating offshore wind is a major “what if” of our current energy transition. The infrastructure is massively expensive and largely untested, but it could become a huge game changer in clean energy generation.
While windmills create an initial resource drain, largely via the procurement of concrete, they have shown the potential to be remarkably effective forms of energy generation. Unlike land windmills, ocean turbines enjoy more consistently powerful winds and don’t have the same issues with intermittence.
Researchers from Mitsubishi found that floating offshore wind — in which turbines are not fixed to the seabed — could entirely replace Japan’s coal energy infrastructure.
Kevin’s Article: Scientists find feeding human food to dogs may be a tradition as old as time
From the first three paragraphs:
Everyone knows dogs are man’s best friend, and animal domestication is one of the traits that separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Now, a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Antiquity on April 1 offers strong evidence to support the idea that late-neolithic dogs were deeply connected to the diets of their human companions, specifically eating cooked grains likely scavenged or provided by residents.
“The current evidence suggests that dogs domesticated independently within China, and there are multiple origins of dog domestication in the world. The same scenario applies to pigs, which were independently domesticated in China and the Middle East,” said Jiajing Wang, a study author and assistant professor at the Department of Anthropology at Dartmouth College in the US.
Charity to consider: Partnership with Native Americans
From its ‘Core Services’ Page:
PWNA serves up to 50 reservations in 9 priority states throughout the Northern Plains and Southwest regions of the United States. We focus on underserved and geographically isolated Native American communities with limited employment opportunities. Our dual approach addresses immediate needs and long-term solutions, supporting the self-determined initiatives of local leaders aiming for sustainable gains in Tribal communities.
We build upon assets within the communities we serve, bringing together individuals, programs, and outside resources to address challenges and support positive change. This community-driven model leverages the social capital of a larger network mobilizing toward a common solution.
What I am reading
U.S. Confronts Failures as Terrorism Spreads in West Africa
A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies
First, i am concerned because i have plans to go to Iowa. Does this paint a target on back when I do visit China?? Jokes aside. There are a number of Chinese backed projects throughout Latin America. This latest project is not unusual.
Tbh, I’m always a little surprised that China’s Belt and Road program doesn’t get more headlines. I know infrastructure and Game Theory rarely get clicks, but still…