Infant COVID Outbreak In China? The 'Red Bull War' Rages On Between China And Thailand

Multiple infants in Anhui infected with COVID. Shanghai woman tests positive eight times and unable to produce blood. Jiang Mianheng's telecom empire continues to be purged, executives successively investigated. Eight years of fierce fighting. The Red Bull War between China's Red Bull and Thailand's Tencel continues. U.S. Senate proposes bill to stop CCP's live organ harvesting. Multiple states enact legislation. Shine under fire, two-thirds of clothing fails quality tests. It's all covered in today's China Truths. On August 1, Mainland Red Star News reported that a netizen revealed on social media that their newborn baby contracted COVID-19 at the Weimao Hui Confinement Center in Huainan. The situation is reportedly severe. Prior to this incident, the center had already seen multiple infants infected with COVID-19 and other viruses, yet failed to inform parents or implement isolation measures. In response, staff from the Huainan Health Commission stated that the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention had intervened on July 29, with three patients currently hospitalized. A representative from the Huainan CDC confirmed that several children have recently been infected, with some receiving medication at hospitals before returning to the center. Those with symptoms have been admitted to a specialized maternal and child health hospital. Regarding this news, some netizens commented that hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and other crowded places are not conducting tests in isolations, so it is not surprising that the confinement center acts similarly. One netizen said, When I was staying in a double room last year during pregnancy, the other pregnant woman suddenly developed a fever at night. I asked the nurse if she had COVID, and the nurse wouldn't say. I only moved out the next afternoon when I switched to a single room. Hospitals don't care about COVID now. Previously, reports have emerged that hospitals, under official guidance, are not conducting nucleic acid tests on patients with fever. Additionally, on August 3, a Xiaohongshu user named Chao from Shanghai reported a shocking case. After testing positive for COVID 19 eight times, her blood counts dropped so low that she was unable to produce blood, forcing her to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Netizens reacted with shock. The COVID measures were only lifted in December 2022, and now it's August 2024. That's a full 20 months, and this woman averaged an infection every two and a half months, four times a year, which is just abnormal. After the reopening, my colleague tested positive four times within six months. As COVID 19 continues to ravage mainland China, many officials, experts, scholars, and athletes have reportedly succumbed to the virus. Yet, the CCP maintains a veil of secrecy, refusing to disclose the true extent of the crisis or report the causes of death. Jiang Mianheng's telecom empire continues to be purged, executives successively investigated. In a significant development, China Unicom and China Mobile, two major telecommunications companies closely associated with the business interests of Jiang Mianheng, the eldest son of former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, are facing investigations by the CCP's disciplinary arm. The investigations, announced on the official website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on July 30, allege that the executives are involved in suspected serious violations of discipline and law. This has led to the removal of several high-ranking officials from their positions, including Hua Haifeng, the former party secretary and general manager of China Unicom's Beijing branch. China Unicom, often referred to as a stronghold of Jiang Zemin's son, has seen a series of dismissals targeting its top executives. The Sound of Hope suggests that these anti-corruption efforts are part of President Xi Jinping's ongoing campaign to dismantle the Jiang family's political influence. Lai Chiang-Ping, a former Beijing lawyer and current chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China and Canada, shared his insights with The Epoch Times. He stated, although Jiang Zemin has passed away, his son Jiang Mianheng continues to enjoy substantial backing from Jiang Zemin's She fears that these princelings might unite at a critical juncture to challenge his authority. Therefore, to consolidate his power and ensure the party's stability, she is determined to take decisive action. Jiang Mianheng's telecommunications empire primarily encompasses China Unicom and China Mobile. Recently, officials from China Mobile have also become subjects of successive investigations. Furthermore, Jiang Mianheng's telecom domain is not only facing internal scrutiny from Xi Jinping's purges but is also grappling with external pressures. In early 2022, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission F.C.C. revoked the licenses of China Unicom, Pacific Networks, and ComNet to operate within the United States, citing national security concerns. This move follows similar actions taken against China Telecom in 2021 and China Mobile in 2019. As a result, all three major Chinese telecommunications companies are now blacklisted in the U.S. due to perceived national security threats. Eight Years of Fierce Fighting The Red Bull war between China's Red Bull and Thailand's Tencel continues. The fierce eight-year battle over the Red Bull trademark has reached a new peak as both China's Red Bull and Thailand's T.C. Pharmaceutical, owner of Red Bull Thailand, have released statements accusing each other of infringing their rights. This heated dispute intensified at the end of July and the beginning of August. On August 1, Beijing Red Bull Beverage Sales Company Limited issued a response titled China's Red Bull's Response to T.C. Pharmaceutical's Official Statement on July 31, accusing T.C. Pharmaceutical of refusing to recognize the 50-year agreement signed at the start of their partnership. China's Red Bull alleges that T.C. Pharmaceutical is trying to seize the fruits of 29 years of hard work and vows to fight until the end. This response was directed at a statement from T.C. Pharmaceutical, released on July 31. T.C. Pharmaceutical expressed dissatisfaction with a July 29 ruling by the Changsha Intermediate People's Court, which dismissed their lawsuit against Red Bull's distributors for trademark infringement. T.C. Pharmaceutical has vowed to appeal this decision. The court ruled that T.C. Pharmaceutical lacked sufficient evidence to prove that Red Bull infringed its trademark rights. Despite this setback, T.C. Pharmaceutical has stated that it will continue to appeal to protect its rights, citing procedural violations in the handling of the case. The eight-year legal battle traces back to 1975 when Thai-Chinese businessman Su Shubiao founded T.C. Pharmaceutical Group and developed the Kratang Dang beverage, known as Red Bull in Thailand. In the 1990s, Su Shubiao expanded into China, establishing the first Red Bull factory in Hainan in 1993. In 1995, a joint venture was formed between T.C. Pharmaceutical, Huabin Group, China National Food Industry Corporation, and Shenzhen Zhonghao Group, leading to the launch of Red Bull in China. However, a mysterious loss of the original agreement document has fueled the ongoing dispute. China's Red Bull claims a 50-year business term, while T.C. Pharmaceutical insists that the cooperation was limited to 20 years. This disagreement has led to numerous lawsuits across China, with courts in Zhejiang, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and other regions ruling in favor of T.C. Pharmaceutical. The stakes are high, with cumulative compensation reaching nearly 600 million yuan. As the battle continues, both sides remain committed to defending their rights in this high-profile trademark war. U.S. Senate Proposes Bill to Stop CCP's Live Organ Harvesting Multiple States Enact Legislation On July 31, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio from Florida introduced three significant bills, including the Falun Gong Protection Act, aimed at countering the growing threat of Communist China, both domestically and internationally. Senator Rubio said that, Communist China has been able to get away with a campaign of widespread evil. From committing acts of genocide against religious and ethnic groups, to spearheading forced sterilization and abortions, as well as dominating crucial minerals and technologies, and impeding the sovereignty of several regional partners, the U.S. will not tolerate these practices. The Falun Gong Protection Act specifically targets those involved in the involuntary harvesting of organs, focusing on perpetrators against Falun Gong practitioners. The legislation requires the U.S. Secretary of State to produce a detailed report on China's policies and practices regarding organ transplants and advocates for severe sanctions on individuals engaged in organ harvesting. This includes proposing restrictions on visas, entry bans into the U.S., and the freezing of assets. Furthermore, the President of the United States is mandated to compile and submit to Congress a list of foreign nationals believed to be actively and directly involved in, or aiding in, the forced harvesting of organs within China. Individuals on this list would face sanctions preventing their entry into the U.S. or participation in transactions within the U.S., and any visas they currently hold would be invalidated. Supporting Senator Rubio on this bill are Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall, and North Carolina Senator Tom Tillis. The Senate version of the Falun Gong Protection Act clarifies that the United States should sever any collaborations with the Chinese Communist Party in the realm of organ transplantation and employ necessary measures, including sanctions, to halt the CCP's organ harvesting activities. The legislation states the critical role of the United States in collaborating with allies, partners, and multilateral organizations to bring to light the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. This legislative initiative follows the unanimous approval of the House version of the Falun Gong Protection Act on June 25 earlier this year, led by Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Scott Perry and supported by 18 other lawmakers. The proposal of the Falun Gong Protection Act is set against a backdrop where the United States is increasingly confronting both domestic and international threats posed by the CCP, particularly its suppression of personal beliefs. In China, under the CCP's auspices, the exploitation of organ harvesting has escalated into a significant industry. This industry prominently features illegally detained Falun Gong practitioners, who are often imprisoned and become victims of the organ trade. Falun Gong itself is a faith group with millions of practitioners who have faced relentless persecution from the CCP since 1999. If passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law, this bill would mark the first federal legislation specifically targeting the CCP's persecution and the practice of harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners. In addition, recent years have seen several U.S. states taking legislative action to clamp down on the CCP's practices of live organ harvesting, showcasing a robust legislative response to these grave human rights abuses. Texas led the charge, with Governor Greg Abbott signing a bill on June 18, 2023, that directly targets the practice of organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist regime. This landmark legislation took effect on September 1, 2023, marking Texas as the first state in the U.S. to legislate against this criminal activity. In Utah, the fight continued with the unanimous passage of Bill S.B.262 by the House of Representatives on March 1, 2024. This bill prevents medical insurance companies from covering organ transplants and the subsequent care if conducted in China. Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill into law on March 14, 2024, with it taking effect on May 1, 2024. In Idaho, it is now illegal for companies to insure organ harvesting activities. Governor Brad Little signed legislation, effective July 1, 2024, that prevents medical insurance companies from covering organ transplants or post-transplant care in China or any country involved in organ harvesting. Moreover, Idaho's new law extends its protective measures to prohibit medical and research institutions within the state from using gene sequencing machines or software from foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party. Shine Under Fire – Two-Thirds of Clothing Fails Quality Tests Recently, the Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform Shine is facing serious allegations after recent inspections revealed that two-thirds of its clothing products failed quality checks. A report by the German publication Ekatist brought this issue to light, revealing the troubling findings. Inspectors randomly sampled 21 Shine products. covering various clothing items for men, women, teenagers, and infants. The inspected items included baby shoes, girls' dresses, and adult faux leather jackets, with each age group represented in the sample. The inspection results are concerning. Only one-third of the Shine products passed the quality checks. The rest were rated as unqualified or poor. Some clothing items contained harmful substances such as antimony, dimethylformamide, lead, cadmium, and phthalates. For example, a baby girl's romper contained antimony, a toxic chemical that can be absorbed through the skin via sweat and enter the bloodstream. A pair of sandals were found to contain the heavy metals lead and cadmium, which can accumulate in the body, posing severe health risks. Long-term exposure to high doses of cadmium can result in kidney and bone damage. Shine, known as a leader in fast fashion, is a Chinese cross-border e-commerce giant. Although its headquarters are currently in Singapore, the clothing products are manufactured by about 5,000 factories across China. This is not an isolated incident. Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms have recently faced increasing scrutiny abroad. According to the Anhap News Agency, the Seoul city government initiated a one-month product safety inspection in June. The investigation targeted e-commerce platforms like SHEIN, TEMU, and Alibaba's AliExpress. Out of 330 products sampled, some were found to exceed harmful substance limits. For instance, a SHEIN women's underwear item had carcinogens exceeding the limit by 2.9 times. Additionally, two lipsticks were found to contain Staphylococcus aureus. In another shocking finding, fore-nail products had nickel content exceeding safety limits by 97.4 times, posing risks of dermatitis and potential liver damage. In another development, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Sretha Thavason, has ordered a joint investigation into TEMU, a cross-border e-commerce platform under Pinduoduo. The Ministry of Economy and Society, the Revenue Department, and the police will focus on whether TEMU operates in compliance with Thai laws and meets its tax obligations.