State News
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Shihoko Goto, director for Geoeconomics and Indo-Pacific Enterprise and deputy director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, warned Federal Newswire that there could be disastrous economic effects from a blockade or invasion of Taiwan by China.
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Blinken: 'Alliance remains resilient against Putin’s attempts to undermine our solidarity'
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that a victory in Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin would send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders worldwide that brutality works.
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Blinken: 'The PRC is eroding judicial independence and the rule of law in Hong Kong'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized the Chinese government for encroaching on Hong Kong's independence.
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Lesko on increase in known criminal encounters along southern border: 'This disturbing increase is a direct result of the Biden administration’s inaction'
Arizona State Rep. Debbie Lesko recently pointed out that the U.S. southern border has seen encounter increases of 25% for individuals with criminal convictions and 28% for known gang members from January 2023 to February 2023. Her tweet highlights similar reporting numbers from the U.S. Border Patrol, showing increases in the number of criminal noncitizens being apprehended at the southern border. Despite these reports showing increases in criminal and gang member encounters, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas refused to use the word "crisis" to describe the situation at the southern border in an interview with "60 Minutes."
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Smith: 'After years of fleeing persecution suffered at the hands of the CCP, these men and women of great faith can finally enjoy religious freedom in America'
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) congratulated a group of Chinese Christians, the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, also nicknamed the Mayflower Church, for safely arriving in Texas. Smith criticized the Chinese Communist Party for taking away their rights to freely practice their religion, so the group was forced to flee. The group was stranded in Thailand for three years, fighting legal setbacks and police detentions before they were able make it to the U.S. last week.
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Blinken: Russia accountable for 'horrors' in Bucha, elsewhere in Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave virtual remarks on Russia’s accountability for crimes in Ukraine at the Bucha summit in Kyiv on March 31, chastising Vladimir Putin's armed forces for its "horrors."
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Foreign service worker: 'U.S. government indifference and hostility toward open network blockchain technology is squandering the potential for Americans to benefit from it'
Brandon Possin, a foreign service officer with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo who has formerly worked as a blockchain business strategist, wrote in an opinion piece for Politico that the U.S. government's attitude toward blockchain technology is putting the country at risk of falling behind in a global technology revolution, while China is charging full speed ahead.
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Brookings' fellow doubts that 'China will meaningfully intensify its anti-drug cooperation' with U.S.
During a House Financial Services Subcommittee hearing, Brookings Institute senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown said in her testimony that China won't take accountability for its role in fentanyl trafficking unless the U.S. and its allies take a multilateral approach.
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U.S. Secretary of State: 'I called for his release and for the release of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan'
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken recently spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where he touched upon the “grave concern” the U.S. has about Russia detaining a U.S. journalist.
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AFPI's Yates: Chinese Communist Party 'is the enemy of the Chinese people as well as the American way of life'
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) held its National Security Symposium March 23, during which a panel determined that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a threat to both its own people and to the U.S.
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Blinken: Lukashenka must be held accountable for 'human rights abuses and complicity in Putin's war'
The United States is continuing to pressure the leadership in Belarus for its human rights abuses by leveling sanctions against two state-owned enterprises and placing visa restrictions on 14 people involved in trying to stem the tide of democracy in the country.
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Giménez visits military facility, port in Florida: CCP is an 'adversary' that 'actively undermines U.S. and our geostrategic interests'
Reps. Carlos Giménez and Mike Gallagher visited the port of Miami and SOUTHCOM, a military headquarters in Florida, to inspect how the Chinese Communist Party influences American infrastructure and the transfer of goods through Latin America.
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Smith: Better job needed to expose 'ugly, hate-filled campaign' by CCP to 'erase' the people of Tibet
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) testified at a congressional hearing March 28 on China's aggressions against Tibet that included statements by actor and Tibet advocate Richard Gere and Penpa Tsering, the leader of Tibet's Government-in-Exile.
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Gallagher introduces STAND with Taiwan Act: If China invades, 'U.S. will not hesitate to respond with crippling and comprehensive economic sanctions'
Rep. Mike Gallagher and Sen. Dan Sullivan have introduced the Sanctions Targeting Aggressors of Neighboring Democracies (STAND) with Taiwan Act of 2023, which proposes imposing comprehensive economic and financial sanctions on China if the People’s Liberation Army or its proxies invade Taiwan. The sanctions would target the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), any Chinese financial institutions and industrial sectors and ban U.S. financial institutions from investing in Chinese entities affiliated with the CCP.
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'TikTok did itself no favors' by having CEO appear before Congress
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), ranking member of the China Select Committee, has expressed his doubts over the veracity of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew's recent statements to Congress.
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Fire at Mexican migration facility kills dozens; ‘...more could have been done to save their lives'
A fire at an immigrant-processing facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on March 27 killed 38 migrants and injured dozens more in one of the deadliest incidents along the Texas-Mexico border in recent years.
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Blinken: 'We expressed our support for President Zelenskyy's vision'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a virtual panel discussion with world leaders on the eve of the second Summit for Democracy, to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
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Blinken: 'It is a relief to know that Paul is rejoining his family'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the release of "Hotel Rwanda hero" Paul Rusesabagina by the Government of Rwanda on March 24.
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Blinken: U.S., Colombia 'better off when we're tackling these challenges together'
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva discussed the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges that impact the lives of Colombians and Americans at the U.S.-Colombia High-Level Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on March 27.
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Smith's amendment requiring independent investigation into environmental review process passes
On March 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment proposed by Rep. Chris Smith requiring an independent investigation into the environmental approval process for 3,400 offshore wind turbines along New Jersey's coastline. The amendment was passed during consideration of the Lower Energy Costs Act (HR 1) and is a response to concerns about the impact of the wind farms on the environment, marine life, fishing, tourism, navigational safety and other areas.
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