Potentially Deadly New Virus Outbreak in China Spread by Mosquitoes

Welcome to China in focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story, China is facing an outbreak of chicken ga, a virus spread by mosquitoes that can sometimes be deadly. There is no vaccine and the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm. How serious is the threat? Another round of US China trade talks wrapped up. Will China concede to President Trump's tariff pressure? And how will tariffs impact China if rates snap back? An expert weighs in. With tensions rising between the US and China, India is caught in the middle. We break down what's behind India's balancing act. And Apple is shutting down a store in China. It's a rare move coming amid rising pressure from local brands and a shaky Chinese economy. What it means for the tech giant and one of its biggest markets. [Music] A viral outbreak is sweeping through southern China. It's called chicken ga fever and it's spread by mosquitoes. That same virus is also spreading in France and a few island nations in the Indian Ocean, prompting the World Health Organization to urge member states to step up their guard. A chicken ga epidemic sickened nearly half a million people two decades ago. And now the WHO says it's seeing signs history could repeat itself. Shunyang, a high-ranking Chinese health official says the chicken gang outbreak remains quite severe. Local residents told the Epic Times that authorities are forcing quarantines. While deaths are rare, the disease can be fatal, especially among infants and the elderly. And there is currently no antiviral treatment. Chinese state media reported over 4,000 infections in less than a month. But with the regime's history of coverups on outbreak data, the real number could be much higher. Most cases are concentrated in southern China's Guangong Province. There are over 50 hospitals have been designated to treat patients and enforce quarantine. Chicken Ga spreads through mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headache, and fatigue. Meanwhile, France has reported 800 chicken ga cases since May. To prevent infection, the WHO advises cleaning water containers regularly and getting rid of trash that collects water to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. US and Chinese officials agreed Tuesday to seek an extension of their 90-day tariff truce, but the deal still needs President Trump's approval. to break down the implications of the trade talks between the world's two largest economies. Entities Steve Lan spoke with Andrew Hail, senior trade policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. >> It's obviously two vast markets, the United States and China. It's a very complicated relationship. I mean, I personally I I come from a free trade background here at the Heritage Foundation, but I don't believe in free trade with foreign adversaries, non-market economies, autotocracies like the People's Republic of China, and they don't play fair. This has been a long issue and I think this is one of the more serious uh trade agreements. I also think that China's been quite impressed with the deal that Japan um has has the US and Japan have announced as well as the announcement made uh between the European Union uh and the US uh on on on Sunday. So again they're obviously looking at critical minerals but there have also been some negative effects. If I can finish with this, just at the US economy, um, our soybean farmers, most of the tariffs, as you know, are being held in obeyance. They're pled, but because of the retaliatory tariffs from China, uh, the minimal ones we have in place right now, our soybean farmers are now, many of them selling their soybeans below production cost, and they're already asking for a bailout. They're saying they'll need a bailout by the autumn. So, again, uh, this is actually very, very serious. They need to get a deal uh soon as as possible to relieve some of the pressure off of our own industries here in the United States. Now, Andrew, from a geopolitical and domestic standpoint in both countries, but particularly China, can the CCP afford to strike a deal that risks the perception of capitulation? We're seeing President Trump walking away from Japan in the EU with deals that are in the serious favor of the United States. How complicated is it for both sides to walk away saving face? And is there a realistic path to a deal where both can claim victory without actually compromising core interests? >> I think they can how they you know they message this to their own domestic audiences. Remember these are not exactly comprehensive free trade agreements uh which would which would be treaties that would be require you know ratification from the US Congress. what was announced on Sunday by Ursula Vanderline and President Trump uh you know was not exactly we haven't even seen a framework document we haven't seen a framework document from the the Chinese negotiations we've not seen a framework document from the EU negotiations so again we haven't seen the actual documentation and and and what will eventually be signed so we've had little documentation and detail from all of these uh negotiations so and as Howard Lipton said today even with the EU these negotiations are ongoing so again I think it really depends on how they package it. If you look at the what we have right now at the EU is a we have a a framework. They've announced a framework for future trade negotiations and they've aligned certain things that they've at least verbally have said that they're in agreement on obviously we haven't seen the documentation a framework document. So I think if you basically if if the Chinese want to you know adapt message is appropriate to their domestic audience and say that this is um not a full-blown you know comprehensive free trade agreement. it is a you know a tariff agreement o over a few uh sectors a few products they can say that I think it really depends on how uh both sides will present it to their their their constituencies >> earlier you touched on China being an authoritarian uh regime they've long China's long been accused of trade violations including IP theft currency manipulation the use of forced labor in its supply chain which seen various legislation past targeting that uh in the United States. With that said, do you think the Chinese Communist Party will concede to pressure from the Trump administration this time around? >> Well, he's President Trump certainly has shown, unlike the B administration, to be really hard-hitting and he's willing to weaponize tariffs as a tool of statecraftraft to achieve, you know, matters that even go well beyond trade policy. And you know at the end of the day you know you know that we're two vast economies and I think that the way that to look at this in another way is we obviously want to you know not push our allies and friends into the arms of China as well and that's a concern I've had with sort of the the approach of tariffing every country in the world at the same time. Um, so I think that's something to be, you know, if you look at sort of globally and how they're approaching it. And obviously the Chinese deal has a separate deadline compared to some other places. It's clearly, you know, more complicated one. But to answer your question, no, they do lie. They they can't be trusted. You can't have We've been treating them at the WTO as if they're like an they're a market economy. They're not. They're they're an autocracy and we never should have allowed them into the WTO. They gain the system, the global trading system. They selfidentify at the WTO as a developing country. So again, I find that they do play unfair. As you mentioned, they have weaguer forced labor in their supply chains. I mean, Shien uh the disposable clothing company, they have weaguer uh forced labor in their supply chains. It's a serious problem. That's not just an unfair practice. Goes well beyond trade policy. That's an inhumane practice. It's it's it's horrific. Um so again, I I think that it was a mistake to treat them as a market economy, which they're not. and to sort of uh it was a mistake to allow them to WTO and now we're in the mess that we are trying to decouple and de-risisk from them. >> Andrew Hail, really appreciate your insights. Thank you. >> A new trade announcement by President Trump. He said the US will impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India starting August 1st. Trump also said India will face a penalty but didn't explain the amount or the reason. At the same time, India remains a key partner for the US in countering communist China's influence in the Indoacific. So why is India so important in Washington strategy? Let's take a look. In a truth social post this morning, Trump wrote, "While India is our friend, we have over the years done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high." Trump cited India's non-monetary trade barriers, calling them strenuous and obnoxious. He said that India buys military equipment and oil from Russia along with China which Trump said enabled the war in Ukraine. In April, Trump announced tariffs of up to 27% on India goods but then suspended their implementation. Since then, the two sides have been negotiating an agreement. India's commerce ministry did not immediately respond to request for the comment. The group is leading the trade talks with the United States. As tensions rise between the US and China, India is walking a delicate line. It's deepening ties in defense and technology with Washington while still keeping the door open to Beijing. That's despite a violent border clash between India and China just a few years ago. So why is India trying to balance these seemingly competing interests? Let's break it down. India's been making some careful moves on the world stage, trying to build stronger international relationships without picking a side. Its relationship with the US has been warming up fast. India has teamed up with Washington on military exercises, tech deals, and defense contracts. That includes US-made drones and a major fighter jet engine project. And companies like Apple are gradually shifting more production to India, cutting back reliance on China. On the other hand, India is still doing business with China as well. Recently, India made a huge purchase of Chinese soybean oil. It's even considering easing some restrictions on Chinese tech investments. But India and China had a rocky relationship back in 2020 following deadly border clashes that left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. The violence was over the disputed territory of Akachin claimed by both countries. Despite this, both sides have kept the door open for talks. India's plan is to rise as a global power without developing strong ties or dependence on any nation. It's working with the US through the Quad, an alliance that also includes Japan and Australia. But it's also active in groups like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which include China and Russia. Ultimately, India wants to keep its options open whether dealing with the US or China despite the ongoing trade tensions between the two. Apple is shutting down a store in China. This will be the first time the company ever has closed a direct retail location in the country since entering the market in 2008. Here's what we know so far. Apple announced Monday it will close one of its two retail stores in Dalian, northeastern China on August 9th. The store marked for closure was the city's first direct Apple store. It opened in October 2015. Apple sales in China fell about 2% to $16 billion in the second quarter this year. That's less than the roughly $17 billion expected. One factor behind the decline, growing competition from China's domestic smartphone brands. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple's market share in China dropped to just over 15% last year, down from nearly 18% the year before. Apple currently operates over 50 stores across China and Hong Kong, making up more than 10% of its global retail locations. According to Bloomberg reports from last month, despite the slowdown, Apple still plans to open new stores. The company is looking at cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. Coming up, China's Super Dam project in Tibet casting shadows over its neighbors downstream. How this massive project could give Beijing more power to influence South Asian countries. An expert breaks it down. And artificial intelligence is one of the most important technologies for the future. It's not just about the economy or the military. An expert says it's about our very existence. So what happens if China comes out on top? >> It's a world in which basically um everyone becomes an automaton and obedient to the state, obedient to the government, obedient to China. >> More on that after the break here on China in Focus. Welcome back to China in Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. China is touting plans to build the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet. Beijing launched construction this month despite protests from downstream countries like India and Bangladesh. How could Beijing's so-called super dam impact the local environment and shift power dynamics in South Asia? A senior researcher from a Taiwan based think tank breaks it down. The Chinese Communist Party is once again engaging in what I see as strategic coercion by monopolizing water resources. Why call it strategic coercion? Because actions like this directly impact downstream regions, their ecosystems, climate, economic survival, agriculture, even coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, and declining fish populations. The consequences are severe and farreaching. It also heightens geopolitical tensions across South Asia. The Medog Hydro Power Station is essentially following a strategy of restricting river flow upstream by building dams. What I see as a bullying tactic in how a country controls water. This kind of move could easily trigger conflict over water. What we might call water wars. This river flows through three countries, mostly in China, then through India and finally into the Indian Ocean via Bangladesh. It's important to note there is no formal water sharing agreement between India and China. Swung calls Beijing's dam building projects on the river hegemony, pointing out there has been almost no negotiation with the other countries involved. What the CCP is doing here violates the international community's consensus on shared crossborder water resources. The CCP treats its upstream water resources as a political lever or a strategic weapon of control aimed at forcing India to yield to its strategic objectives. At any moment, the CCP could cut off the water supply using it as a bargaining chip. This tactic is intended to pressure India into making concessions in all disputes with China. Chinese officials have promised the hydropower project won't impact downstream countries, but there is very little information on how they plan to make that happen. AI is seen as one of the most crucial technologies for the future. Much like semiconductors are today, the race between the US and China is extending into this field. How are the two countries approaching AI? And what does China winning the AI race mean for the world? We spoke to Arthur Herman, senior research fellow at the CVS Institute for his take. Arthur Herman, thank you so much for joining us. Great to have you back on the show. >> It's always good to be here. >> Now, the US and China unveiled dueling AI action plans. The US mostly focusing on cutting red tape to produce more energy data centers, export tech to allies, and go after woke AI. China, meanwhile, is calling for a global AI coordination plan, leaning on its belt and road initiative to gain that international support. First, what stands out to you as the main difference between these two strategies? >> These two strategies? Well, the the first thing I'm going to point out is that this announcement from China uh really signals that for the first time in a long time, they're a little worried about what the United States is up to with regard to uh AI and machine learning. You and I have talked about the Chinese approach to AI and and and machine learning uh a few times now and we've had that discussion about how China has an overall strategy and how they see this as a means by which to dominate not only dominate their own population but really to become a way in which to become a global power. we could even say is a moral power of making the world see the world the way China wants us to see the world. um that's been a powerful driving engine for Chinese approach to AI uh ever since President Xi uh ascended to power and um you know he committed over $150 billion dollars uh to making China the first AIdriven uh country and state. uh he's recruited all the leading tech giants in China like Alibaba to become part of this AI offensive and the response in the United States has been very fragmentaryary uh has been more about how do we rein in the uh reach of AI particularly generative AI the one that writes and creates documents voice uh and uh and visual images uh How do we get that to to control? You know, uh under the last administration, there have been AI summits, but the discussion was always about how can we make AI companies do what we the government want them to do. That has been the primary focus. What the Trump administration has done this time is to reverse that. And now they're saying and what this series of of of initiatives that you just pointed to have really done is to say uh what is it that we the government can do that will advance AI technology and those who make it. How can we help to make this the dominant technology for us in its relationship not only with its economy and its own national security but with allies as well and that's got the Chinese a little worried. um they're a little concerned and they should be because the United States has two enormous advantages going forward when it comes to the AI race. First is that we are the number one marketplace in the world for companies that want to introduce and engage in new technologies like AI. We're the one that everybody wants to wants to sell their products to and to export their goods. The second one is is we're the most innovative country in the world and growth of of AI of machine learning all depends on a constant renewing of that innovation loop of making changes of getting the feedback more information about what works and what doesn't and then doing new iterations new changes within the technology. That's what drives American that's what drives American economy. Then AI becomes really a a secret weapon for rebuilding American prestige and for rebuilding our relationship with key allies as well. >> What would it look like if China were to beat us? There's a lot of talks of intellectual property theft. You know, other ways that China's trying to steal that technology. What would the world look like if China wins? >> Great question. What a very interesting and intriguing picture of what the future could look like. The United States certainly leads in terms of generative AI. We've talked about this the the way in which uh uh chat GPT the way in which open AI has really become kind of the way in which we think about and the public thinks about AI. But there's so many other uses for AI. AI in terms of manufacturing, AI in terms of uh industrial security and safety. AI and its military uses. And in all of those areas, China's been really on top of key developments in that area and have really taken the lead away from us in those kinds of applications. Not anymore. Now it's becoming clear that the Trump administration and the government and Department of Defense understand that that harnessing AI is a is a process by which they can regain a technological but also a strategic edge when it comes to China and that there's ways in which we can move forward in that direction and what takes place. What's the difference between how China versus the US looks at AI? uh is it the same? I mean are they are we both sort of headed in the same direction? I think the answer is no. Because if you look at what China wants to achieve with its AI strategy and the way its applications and how it's used it in the end, it's to create a society which is more uniform in which people think a lot alike think the way their leaders want them to think. It's a it's a world in which basically um everyone becomes an automaton, an obedient to the state, obedient to the government, obedient to China. In the United States, AI is used in a very different way. I would even say the opposite way. And that is is that the applications for AI that we see are ways to enhance our individuality so that each person is able to shape this technology and use it as a way to enhance their own identity, to enhance their own tastes and interests and advance their own futures as individuals. >> That's all for today's China in Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. If you have any feedback on the show or have something you'd like to see us cover, send us an email at chinafocusentd.com. We'd love to hear from you. For roundtheclock original news coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you tomorrow. [Music] [Music]