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Amid disputes of intensity of his grilling, Donald Jr. comes off half-baked

























U.S. MILITARY












U.S. starts some trade actions against China
As I predicted in prior editions, the Trump administration is ratcheting up trade tensions with China, even as it pressures Beijing to do more on North Korea.
This week the U.S. has:
  • Initiated a probe into China's alleged dumping of certain aluminum products in the U.S.
  • Filed a brief to the World Trade Organization in support of the European Union against China's demand it be designated a "market economy."
  • Appeared to have announced a halt to the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue with Beijing, based on comments Thursday by David Malpass, under secretary for international affairs at the Treasury Department.
The Trump administration, led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, is taking the approach that there is no reason to keep negotiating with China over incremental concessions as Beijing is well aware of the structural changes Washington insists it undertake to fix the imbalanced economic relationship.
Get ready: If Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, leaves the White House as expected after the tax bill then there may be no checks in the White House against a much more aggressive trade agenda against China. [Axios China, Bill Bishop, December 1, 2017]

TECHNOLOGY













From the Atlantic to the Pacific, the ocean unifies our world. And protecting it is a cause that affects all of us.  Attending the recent Our Ocean Conference in Malta brought our collective work into focus as I met with international leaders who fight for the ocean in their corner of the world every day.  As we addressed challenges that threaten the health of our ocean, I drew inspiration from the leading scientists, global companies, diplomats and others who are turning science-based solutions into action.  Among the most important topics we discussed was the growing threat of ocean acidification.  As the ocean absorbs more carbon pollution, the water is becoming more acidic. It affects the way animals (especially shellfish) grow and survive, which hurts the animals that eat them and the people who fish for them. If you live near a coastal community, ocean acidification could directly affect you or your neighbors.  But here’s the good news. Ocean Conservancy is on the front lines of ocean acidification outreach and research. We work tirelessly to spread the word about the problem and bring together key stakeholders to find answers to hard questions.  -- Susan Ruffo, Managing Director, International Initiatives Ocean Conservancy









NATO





















An unexplained connection between the defendants and the Chinese government might have complicated Beijing's assistance. One of the men, Wu Yingzhuo, has been linked to a notorious hacker group with ties to China's Ministry of State Security. The DOJ indictment mentions that Wu and his co-defendants used a form of malware associated with that group - dubbed APT 3 for its status as an "advanced persistent threat" - but it does not allege that Beijing played a role in the Siemens, Moody's and Trimble breaches. "The indictment makes no allegations regarding state sponsorship," Hornbuckle confirmed. [POLITICO's Morning Cybersecurity, November 28, 2017]







Uber Dealt Serious

CHINA







World Internet Conference wants to remake cyber governance

China convenes its 4th World Internet Conference from December 3-5. The conference is a vehicle to promote the Communist Party's vision to remake global internet governance.
The details: The theme of this year's conference, as described at a Nov. 17 press conference by Ren Xianliang, the vice minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China, is "Developing the Digital Economy for Openness and Shared Benefits – Building a Cyberspace Community of a Common Future."
"[T]he conference will thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and firmly reflect his proposal on the governance of cyberspace. We will focus on the digital economy and highlight the importance of openness and shared benefits..."
"We hope such efforts will help to narrow the digital gap between developing and developed countries, and make contribution to governance of the global internet through China's solution of 'jointly building a community of a shared future in cyberspace,'" Ren said.
Attendees: Among the foreign technology executives attending this year is Apple CEO Tim Cook. President Xi has attended in the past, but this year plans to make a statement via video hookup. [Axios China, Bill Bishop, December 1, 2017]

NOTE: The news sources here vary.  Not all sources have the same credibility, but in an effort to share some different perspectives, they are included here.  This compendium itself cannot claim to be unbiased.  Please take into consideration where these different perspectives originate in assessing their value.  Thank you

NOTE: I have no official connection to any organization from which information is shared.. Occasionally, I post informational material and/or an opportunity to donate or join as  a "community service" announcement.  These again are shared for their varying perspectives.

Any books listed are random or topic-related to something else in the post.  Think of these as a "library bookshelf" to browse.  They are shared for informational or entertainment value only, not as being recommended
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