foreignpolicy--2020-05-18--China Faces Pressure as World Health Assembly Meets

Here is today ’ s Foreign Policy brief : The World Health Assembly convenes today amid controversy over Taiwan ’ s participation , Afghan leaders agree to power-sharing deal , Brazil ’ s coronavirus outbreak gets worse , and the world this week .
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The World Health Assembly ( WHA ) , the decision making body of the World Health Organization , gathers virtually today for its annual conference .
Health ministers from 194 countries have been invited to attend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top of the agenda .
Although advancing public health is the organizing principle , politics will still play a major role .
More than 120 countries have signed on to a draft resolution calling for an “ impartial , independent and comprehensive evaluation ” of the international response to the pandemic .
Australia , the initial sponsor of the resolution , has angered China by its call for an inquiry—although the text of the document does not mention China .
Other signatories include the United Kingdom , Russia , Brazil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union .
The resolution will need two-thirds of the assembly ’ s support to pass , and a vote is expected late Tuesday .
The Taiwan tussle .
The assembly is expected to vote on allowing Taiwan to participate as an observer , a position it has not enjoyed since 2016 , due to Chinese pressure to exclude it .
Taiwan ’ s coronavirus response—which was set in motion on Dec. 31—has been exceptionally effective , and its government is keen to share lessons with the rest of the world .
The vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a key indicator of how effective the U.S. campaign to drum up support for Taiwan has been and how unafraid countries are of a reputationally-wounded China .
Beijing appears to be worried .
In a letter obtained by Foreign Policy ’ s Colum Lynch , China registered its disapproval of the U.S. campaign and called on WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus not to bring up Taiwan at the WHA .
“ We are very concerned to learn that certain member states may intend to raise the so-called Taiwan ’ s participation issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the general agreement among member states that no controversial issues shall be considered during the virtual Assembly , ” the letter reads .
“ In [ the ] face of unprecedented challenges , we should focus on saving lives and not be distracted by political manipulation.
” What else is on the table ?
The WHA is set to debate how to cooperate on the burgeoning test data and intellectual property issues that will arise as countries begin to experiment with coronavirus treatments .
The European Union is sponsoring a resolution calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for countries to share patents and data , increasing access for poorer countries that lack advanced research capabilities .
As STAT ’ s Ed Silverman explains , the EU ’ s resolution also underlines a country ’ s right to issue compulsory licenses , effectively allowing countries to “ copy a patented medicine without the consent of the patent holder.
” The practice is gaining popularity with poorer countries but is often decried by the United States , despite it falling within World Trade Organization rules .
Ghani and Abdullah reach agreement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashraf Ghani signed a power sharing agreement on Sunday , ending months of acrimony that saw Abdullah dispute the results of September ’ s election and hold his own presidential inauguration ceremony .
Burying the hatchet should make it easier for the Afghan government to present a united front in any future Taliban peace talks .
It ’ s not immediately clear what role Abdullah will now play in the Afghan government , but a chance to lead a high-level ministry such as finance , foreign affairs , or the interior is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo welcomed the agreement , but lamented how long the impasse had dragged on .
Brazil ’ s coronavirus cases jump .
Brazil is now among the world ’ s top five countries when it comes to coronavirus infections , as a divided response from the state and federal level begins to show .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly rejected social distancing measures and continues to mix with crowds at his rallies—a habit he continued as he snapped photographs with supporters on Sunday .
His administration is now without a health minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday after just 29 days on the job .
Accused Rwandan war criminal arrested .
A businessman accused of importing machetes and setting up a propaganda operation during the Rwandan genocide has been arrested near Paris , 23 years after being initially indicted by a United Nations tribunal .
Felicien Kabuga , 84 , had been living in France under an assumed identity .
A U.N. spokesperson said the arrest “ sends a powerful message that those who are alleged to have committed such crimes can not evade justice and will eventually be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter of a century later.
” Kabuga is expected to be transferred to The Hague to stand trial .
Iran tests U.S. with tanker delivery .
Five Iranian tankers carrying up to $ 45.5 million worth of gasoline have set out from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and seem bound for Venezuela—and a possible confrontation with the United States .
Iran has already summoned the Swiss ambassador ( the U.S. intermediary in Tehran ) warning the United States not to interfere with the shipment .
An unnamed Trump administration official told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could take in response .
“ We have to sell our oil and we have access to its paths , ” Iranian cabinet spokesperson Ali Rabiei said .
“ Iran and Venezuela are two independent nations that have had trade with each other and they will ” in the future .
At the time of writing , one of the tankers had already passed the Canary Islands .
Vaccine by September ?
The drug firm AstraZeneca is planning to produce up to 30 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine by September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom first in line to receive it .
The vaccine is already in early human trials and is one of approximately 100 vaccine candidates globally .
If successful , 100 million doses should be available by the end of 2020 .
Al-Shabab attacks in Somalia .
Ahmed Muse Nur , the governor of Mudug—a province in the Puntland autonomous region of Somalia—was killed in a suicide bombing on Sunday .
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack , which also killed three of the governor ’ s bodyguards .
Nur is the second high-level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suicide bombing this year after Abdisalan Hassan , the governor of Nugal , was killed in March .
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Jerome Powell will testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday , May 19 , on the U.S. economic response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The hearing , which will take place remotely , is a quarterly requirement of the CARES act .
On Wednesday , May 20 , Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will be sworn in for her second term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been cancelled amid coronavirus fears .
Also on May 20 , Burundi will hold its presidential election , where ruling-party candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye is hoping to succeed President Pierre Nkurunziza , after members of his own party forced him to step aside .
Burundi has not enacted social distancing guidelines to manage the spread of the coronavirus , and expelled its World Health Organization representative last week .
On Friday , May 22 , the third annual session of China ’ s highest legislature , the National People ’ s Congress , opens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People ’ s Political Consultative Conference—the country ’ s top advisory body—will begin the day before , on May 21 .
The United States successfully launched its solar-powered space plane into orbit on Sunday at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida .
The “ mystery plane , ” known as the X-37B , is on its sixth flight and is carrying an extra compartment for experiments from NASA and the U.S .
Naval Research Laboratory .
The plane is remote controlled , and resembles the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tight-lipped on how long the plane will remain in orbit or what the nature of its mission is .
The last X-37B mission lasted two years—with this mission likely to be even longer .
For more from FP , visit foreignpolicy.com , subscribe here , or sign up for our other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , questions , or corrections to morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .

Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: The World Health Assembly convenes today amid controversy over Taiwan's participation, Afghan leaders agree to power-sharing deal, Brazil's coronavirus outbreak gets worse, and the world this week .
Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: The World Health Assembly convenes today amid controversy over Taiwan’s participation, Afghan leaders agree to power-sharing deal, Brazil’s coronavirus outbreak gets worse, and the world this week.
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday, please sign up here.
World Health Assembly Gathers As Politics Mixes With Public Health
The World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision making body of the World Health Organization, gathers virtually today for its annual conference. Health ministers from 194 countries have been invited to attend the two-day meeting with the global coronavirus pandemic at the top of the agenda.
Although advancing public health is the organizing principle, politics will still play a major role. More than 120 countries have signed on to a draft resolution calling for an “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the international response to the pandemic. Australia, the initial sponsor of the resolution, has angered China by its call for an inquiry—although the text of the document does not mention China.
Other signatories include the United Kingdom, Russia, Brazil, and the member states of the European Union. The resolution will need two-thirds of the assembly’s support to pass, and a vote is expected late Tuesday.
The Taiwan tussle. The assembly is expected to vote on allowing Taiwan to participate as an observer, a position it has not enjoyed since 2016, due to Chinese pressure to exclude it. Taiwan’s coronavirus response—which was set in motion on Dec. 31—has been exceptionally effective, and its government is keen to share lessons with the rest of the world. The vote is not expected to pass but will be a key indicator of how effective the U.S. campaign to drum up support for Taiwan has been and how unafraid countries are of a reputationally-wounded China.
Beijing appears to be worried. In a letter obtained by Foreign Policy’s Colum Lynch, China registered its disapproval of the U.S. campaign and called on WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus not to bring up Taiwan at the WHA. “We are very concerned to learn that certain member states may intend to raise the so-called Taiwan’s participation issue during its opening, which runs counter to the general agreement among member states that no controversial issues shall be considered during the virtual Assembly,” the letter reads. “In [the] face of unprecedented challenges, we should focus on saving lives and not be distracted by political manipulation.”
What else is on the table? The WHA is set to debate how to cooperate on the burgeoning test data and intellectual property issues that will arise as countries begin to experiment with coronavirus treatments. The European Union is sponsoring a resolution calling for the creation of a voluntary pool for countries to share patents and data, increasing access for poorer countries that lack advanced research capabilities.
As STAT’s Ed Silverman explains, the EU’s resolution also underlines a country’s right to issue compulsory licenses, effectively allowing countries to “copy a patented medicine without the consent of the patent holder.” The practice is gaining popularity with poorer countries but is often decried by the United States, despite it falling within World Trade Organization rules.
What We’re Following Today
Ghani and Abdullah reach agreement. Afghan political rivals Abdullah Abdullah and President Ashraf Ghani signed a power sharing agreement on Sunday, ending months of acrimony that saw Abdullah dispute the results of September’s election and hold his own presidential inauguration ceremony. Burying the hatchet should make it easier for the Afghan government to present a united front in any future Taliban peace talks.
It’s not immediately clear what role Abdullah will now play in the Afghan government, but a chance to lead a high-level ministry such as finance, foreign affairs, or the interior is a possibility. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the agreement, but lamented how long the impasse had dragged on.
Brazil’s coronavirus cases jump. Brazil is now among the world’s top five countries when it comes to coronavirus infections, as a divided response from the state and federal level begins to show. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly rejected social distancing measures and continues to mix with crowds at his rallies—a habit he continued as he snapped photographs with supporters on Sunday. His administration is now without a health minister after Nelson Teich resigned his post on Friday after just 29 days on the job.
Accused Rwandan war criminal arrested. A businessman accused of importing machetes and setting up a propaganda operation during the Rwandan genocide has been arrested near Paris, 23 years after being initially indicted by a United Nations tribunal. Felicien Kabuga, 84, had been living in France under an assumed identity. A U.N. spokesperson said the arrest “sends a powerful message that those who are alleged to have committed such crimes cannot evade justice and will eventually be held accountable, even more than a quarter of a century later.” Kabuga is expected to be transferred to The Hague to stand trial.
Keep an Eye On
Iran tests U.S. with tanker delivery. Five Iranian tankers carrying up to $45.5 million worth of gasoline have set out from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and seem bound for Venezuela—and a possible confrontation with the United States. Iran has already summoned the Swiss ambassador (the U.S. intermediary in Tehran) warning the United States not to interfere with the shipment. An unnamed Trump administration official told Reuters the White House is considering measures it could take in response.
“We have to sell our oil and we have access to its paths,” Iranian cabinet spokesperson Ali Rabiei said. “Iran and Venezuela are two independent nations that have had trade with each other and they will” in the future. At the time of writing, one of the tankers had already passed the Canary Islands.
Vaccine by September? The drug firm AstraZeneca is planning to produce up to 30 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine by September of this year, with the United Kingdom first in line to receive it. The vaccine is already in early human trials and is one of approximately 100 vaccine candidates globally. If successful, 100 million doses should be available by the end of 2020.
Al-Shabab attacks in Somalia. Ahmed Muse Nur, the governor of Mudug—a province in the Puntland autonomous region of Somalia—was killed in a suicide bombing on Sunday. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, which also killed three of the governor’s bodyguards. Nur is the second high-level Puntland official to be a victim of a suicide bombing this year after Abdisalan Hassan, the governor of Nugal, was killed in March.
The World This Week
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Jerome Powell will testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, May 19, on the U.S. economic response to the coronavirus pandemic. The hearing, which will take place remotely, is a quarterly requirement of the CARES act.
On Wednesday, May 20, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will be sworn in for her second term. Large-scale events to mark the occasion have been cancelled amid coronavirus fears.
Also on May 20, Burundi will hold its presidential election, where ruling-party candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye is hoping to succeed President Pierre Nkurunziza, after members of his own party forced him to step aside. Burundi has not enacted social distancing guidelines to manage the spread of the coronavirus, and expelled its World Health Organization representative last week.
On Friday, May 22, the third annual session of China’s highest legislature, the National People’s Congress, opens in Beijing. The third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference—the country’s top advisory body—will begin the day before, on May 21.
Odds and Ends
The United States successfully launched its solar-powered space plane into orbit on Sunday at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The “mystery plane,” known as the X-37B, is on its sixth flight and is carrying an extra compartment for experiments from NASA and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. The plane is remote controlled, and resembles the now mothballed Space Shuttle. Officials are tight-lipped on how long the plane will remain in orbit or what the nature of its mission is. The last X-37B mission lasted two years—with this mission likely to be even longer.
That’s it for today.
For more from FP, visit foreignpolicy.com, subscribe here, or sign up for our other newsletters. Send your tips, comments, questions, or corrections to morningbrief@foreignpolicy.com.


foreignpolicy--2020-05-18--Putin Is Using the Pandemic to Consolidate Power

Putin Is Using the Pandemic to Consolidate Power ST. PETERSBURG , Russia—On Sunday , Russia became the country with the second-highest number of official coronavirus infections in the world , after the United States .
This grim news comes amid a number of increasing , and increasingly restrictive , measures to combat the virus , including a digital pass system requiring residents to register for a code in order to move around their city by vehicle or public transit .
Moscow implemented such a system on April 15 , and the following week 21 federal regions were reported to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although Moscow ’ s system faced a number of setbacks , including technical glitches and long subway lines , officials have praised it as a way of combating the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the city .
As of May 17 , Moscow had over 142,000 of Russia ’ s more than 280,000 cases and continues to be the epicenter of infections in the country .
[ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak : Get daily updates on the pandemic . ]
“ There are serious concerns that a system for controlling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quarantine measures have ended , ” said Dmitri Makarov , the co-chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group , a leading human rights monitoring organization in Russia .
These controls could limit the movement of citizens deemed a threat to public safety , and the subsequent collection of location data could allow government officials to know who has come into contact with whom .
“ There is also the risk , ” he added , “ that the data collected will be used to combat dissent or sold to cybercriminals on the black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court and penitentiary systems may use the extraordinary circumstances as an excuse to consolidate power over the civilians under their authority .
This has included limiting the ability of prisoners to report unsafe conditions within prisons and penal colonies , as well as changing their place of imprisonment without informing relatives .
Prisoners ’ rights groups like Russia Behind Bars normally publish complaints they receive from inside the penal system but have lately been pressured against this by means of new laws against spreading so-called false information about the virus .
These regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to five years ’ imprisonment for the spread of “ fake news ” about the virus , are especially concerning as they can be used to censor and punish those who challenge official statistics and figures .
The law has recently forced one of the nation ’ s leading investigative newspapers , Novaya Gazeta , to remove a recent article investigating controversial anti-virus measures in Chechnya , an historically volatile region in Russia ’ s south .
The article ’ s writer , Yelena Milashina , who broke the story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in 2017 , claimed that people were afraid to report symptoms for fear of being branded terrorists .
The General Prosecutor ’ s Office released an order to take the piece down , citing the law over fake news , and Ramzan Kadyrov , Chechnya ’ s leader , issued threats against Milashina and the newspaper .
Kadyrov has previously gone on record saying that quarantine violators should be killed .
The consequences of the fake news law may reach beyond the country ’ s borders .
Just this week , Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lawmakers have asked the ministry to strip the New York Times and Financial Times of accreditation due to recent coverage of Moscow ’ s low official death count .
Zakharova said this would be an extreme and unusual measure but that “ further steps will depend on whether they publish retractions.
” Moscow health officials stated on Wednesday that 60 percent of coronavirus patient deaths are not counted in official figures as they were due to other causes .
Clearly , the Kremlin is worried about the optics of a higher death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; at the moment , the official rate is 18 per million Russians , compared with 275 per million in the United States and more than 500 per million in the U.K. and Italy , respectively .
An increasing number of authoritarian monitoring systems have already been put in place within the last two months .
Moscow announced “ Safe City , ” its controversial facial recognition system , back in January , which is reported to consist of just under 200,000 cameras placed near residential building entrances , inside subway stations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Sergei Sobyanin deployed the system in February , and it drew controversy for having led to the detention of a Chinese woman incorrectly diagnosed as having the virus .
There have also been reports of infected people being visited by law enforcement officers when leaving their homes to take out the trash .
Moscow residents who venture beyond a 100-meter radius ( 330 feet ) from their buildings can be arrested by the police , sometimes leaving behind the dogs they had been walking .
The Kremlin has also announced the launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyze data gathered by mobile phones .
On April 20 , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin , who has since contracted the virus , called for a program that tracks the location of infected citizens to be finished by the end of the month , and earlier in April it was reported that tourists may be tracked by means of SIM cards once borders reopen .
Reports have emerged that three medical workers have fallen out of windows in mysterious circumstances after making complaints about their work conditions .
The Federal Security Service ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secret service , has been asked to investigate cases involving the infection of doctors due to administrative malpractice in hospitals .
This has proved a particularly sensitive issue , and reports have emerged that three medical workers have fallen out of windows in mysterious circumstances after making complaints about their work conditions .
President Vladimir Putin has also mentioned the possibility of mobilizing the army to help tackle the outbreak if necessary , though he has declined to specify what its role would be .
The country must be prepared , as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for even the “ most difficult and extraordinary ” scenarios .
On May 3 , the Russian National Guard reported that it had begun using drones and helicopters to identify quarantine violators , sending information to officers on the ground who would then issue fines or make arrests .
While many of the above authoritarian measures were implemented once the presidential administration abandoned the narrative that the coronavirus wouldn ’ t lead to a crisis in the country , a number of them happened to appear in the weeks before the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The deployment of Moscow ’ s controversial facial recognition system is one notable example , but others include the abuse of online data as well as how law enforcement officials appropriated the virus as a reason not to follow proper protocol while making arrests .
Gleb Paikachyov and Olga Polyakova are civil society activists with the St. Petersburg organization Trava who were required to self-isolate for 14 days after Paikachyov returned home from Europe in mid-March .
The doctors who visited him at his apartment did not ask who he came into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks .
“ It gave me the impression that they cared more about how it looked on paper than about protecting people ’ s health , ” he said .
Polyakova , Paikachyov ’ s partner , said that “ while doctors were still unprepared , the police had already implemented quarantine restrictions on movement even if they didn ’ t necessarily believe in the virus itself.
” Then they asked Paikachyov about whether his phone number was connected to any other applications , including messengers .
A series of laws implemented last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be sold with government-linked applications already loaded , which some digital rights watchdogs warn against as a source of possible back doors enabling official bodies to track and store personal data .
In Russia , linking up to a service or application with one ’ s phone number allows for your activity to be traced back to you , which may prove a concern for activists aligned with the opposition .
What ’ s more , a series of laws implemented last year compel all devices in the country to be sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some digital rights watchdogs warn against as a source of possible back doors enabling official bodies to track and store personal data .
Citizens are not yet compelled to link their phone numbers to all the applications they use , and using the quarantine to request that they do so makes their data more vulnerable .
“ When they asked about whether or not my phone number was attached to my messenger apps , ” Paikachyov said , “ I was shocked.
” “ Quarantine measures turn quite swiftly into repressive ones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She had attended a party raided by police shortly after a ban on events with more than 50 people was announced .
The officers were in the area after having been called in to stop a fight but noticed a group of smokers outside a venue and decided to investigate .
“ They did not follow normal protocol at all , ” she said .
“ The majority of people involved in the raid lacked proper identification , did not declare their identities , and refused to give reasons for detaining people.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pushed down stairs and that police raided two other concerts that weekend without following proper protocol .
The FSB has also been said to have used the virus as a cover for raiding the homes of suspected individuals .
Last month , two officers in civilian and medical outfits asked to be let inside a home in the Far East region of Sakhalin in order to test a man named Alexander Kozin for the virus .
Once inside , they reportedly detained Kozin along with two other men and seized an explosive-looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was planted there by the officers .
The three men have been charged with terrorism and have no previous criminal record .
The virus was also used as an excuse to limit the access of local journalists accredited with foreign outlets to the Russian parliament .
Pyotr Kozlov , a correspondent with the BBC , tweeted about the unofficial restrictions while noting that local , state-backed outlets were however still allowed to enter and observe the sessions .
In late 2019 , various laws were introduced to limit the online influence of foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting so-called digital sovereignty .
These have included the law on installing Kremlin-selected apps on all smartphones sold within the country , as well as the authorization to separate the Russian internet from the rest of the world in case of crisis .
This would , at least in theory , enable Moscow to create a firewall on par with China ’ s .
Then , as now , digital rights advocates are concerned about what will become of private user data .
Then , in January , a referendum was announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacities of the president .
More power would be given to the parliament and the State Council , a governing body that many suspected Putin would occupy on his retirement from the presidency at the end of his next term .
This would allow for Putin to remain behind the scenes even while setting up his successor .
But this was not to be .
In early March , in response to crises including the conflict with Turkey in Syria and a global collapse of oil prices , the Russian parliament formally called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential terms to zero so that he could run for another two terms—a combined total of 12 years in 2024 .
Dmitry Peskov , the Kremlin ’ s press secretary , said this was a necessary response to “ extreme turbulence in the world.
” Clearly , for the Kremlin , increasing control had been necessary long before the pandemic truly took hold .
Already aiming for a nearly unlimited mandate as well as increasing digital capacities , the emergency measures prompted by the pandemic may yet prove the ultimate boon for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new , technocratic age .
That said , the pandemic has presented as many obstacles as it has opportunities .
The referendum , originally planned to take place on April 22 , has been pushed back indefinitely .
The May 9 Victory Day parade , a public holiday that forms the cornerstone of Putin ’ s propaganda narrative , was also postponed .
While the latter might seem inconsequential , military parades and initiatives promoting the memory of the 1945 victory over fascism have always been important factors in keeping Putin ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations like the 2014 annexation of Crimea .
This year was to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II , and special preparations were made for a large-scale parade as well as the opening of a mega-cathedral dedicated to the armed forces .
Instead , the cathedral ’ s opening has been delayed indefinitely , and more than 400 cadets have been infected due to parade rehearsals .
What had previously been surefire ways to drum up public support have turned into national embarrassment .
In another failed bid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has delegated unpopular decision-making processes to local governors in an attempt to keep his own hands clean .
This has , however , instead led to inconsistent measures taken across the country and a corresponding spike in infections .
Taking advantage of the virus has proved a dangerous game , and his behavior in recent weeks has led some Russian commentators to claim he resembles “ an old , sick wolf.
” “ The Kremlin would probably like to introduce total control , ” Makarov said , “ but it isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russian government and its people remain in something of a standoff .
One requires the appearance of democratic legitimacy , either in the form of quarantine measures or a national referendum , in order to consolidate power , while the other is compelled , in order to remain healthy , to give increasing powers to a government it does not entirely trust .
Even activists like Makarov concede that protecting health , especially in a pandemic , is a legitimate reason for temporarily restricting some rights .
“ But the restrictions involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never be unlimited .
The priority should be the safety of citizens , not the convenience of the authorities .
”

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—On Sunday, Russia became the country with the second-highest number of official coronavirus infections in the world, after the United States.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—On Sunday, Russia became the country with the second-highest number of official coronavirus infections in the world, after the United States.
This grim news comes amid a number of increasing, and increasingly restrictive, measures to combat the virus, including a digital pass system requiring residents to register for a code in order to move around their city by vehicle or public transit. Moscow implemented such a system on April 15, and the following week 21 federal regions were reported to have submitted applications to launch their own programs.
Although Moscow’s system faced a number of setbacks, including technical glitches and long subway lines, officials have praised it as a way of combating the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the city. As of May 17, Moscow had over 142,000 of Russia’s more than 280,000 cases and continues to be the epicenter of infections in the country.
While stricter restrictions on movement may prove a welcome reprieve after weeks of sluggish governmental response to the coronavirus pandemic, human rights defenders are concerned that the Kremlin may be using these and other extraordinary measures to justify or even speed up the implementation of authoritarian practices dreamed up long before the onset of COVID-19.
“There are serious concerns that a system for controlling the movement of citizens will remain after the quarantine measures have ended,” said Dmitri Makarov, the co-chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, a leading human rights monitoring organization in Russia. These controls could limit the movement of citizens deemed a threat to public safety, and the subsequent collection of location data could allow government officials to know who has come into contact with whom. “There is also the risk,” he added, “that the data collected will be used to combat dissent or sold to cybercriminals on the black market.”
Makarov also noted that the court and penitentiary systems may use the extraordinary circumstances as an excuse to consolidate power over the civilians under their authority. This has included limiting the ability of prisoners to report unsafe conditions within prisons and penal colonies, as well as changing their place of imprisonment without informing relatives. Prisoners’ rights groups like Russia Behind Bars normally publish complaints they receive from inside the penal system but have lately been pressured against this by means of new laws against spreading so-called false information about the virus. These regulations, implemented in March and carrying penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment for the spread of “fake news” about the virus, are especially concerning as they can be used to censor and punish those who challenge official statistics and figures.
The law has recently forced one of the nation’s leading investigative newspapers, Novaya Gazeta, to remove a recent article investigating controversial anti-virus measures in Chechnya, an historically volatile region in Russia’s south. The article’s writer, Yelena Milashina, who broke the story of Chechnya’s alleged gay concentration camps back in 2017, claimed that people were afraid to report symptoms for fear of being branded terrorists. The General Prosecutor’s Office released an order to take the piece down, citing the law over fake news, and Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s leader, issued threats against Milashina and the newspaper. Kadyrov has previously gone on record saying that quarantine violators should be killed.
The consequences of the fake news law may reach beyond the country’s borders. Just this week, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed that lawmakers have asked the ministry to strip the New York Times and Financial Times of accreditation due to recent coverage of Moscow’s low official death count. Zakharova said this would be an extreme and unusual measure but that “further steps will depend on whether they publish retractions.”
Moscow health officials stated on Wednesday that 60 percent of coronavirus patient deaths are not counted in official figures as they were due to other causes. Clearly, the Kremlin is worried about the optics of a higher death rate than the one it has recorded; at the moment, the official rate is 18 per million Russians, compared with 275 per million in the United States and more than 500 per million in the U.K. and Italy, respectively.
An increasing number of authoritarian monitoring systems have already been put in place within the last two months. Moscow announced “Safe City,” its controversial facial recognition system, back in January, which is reported to consist of just under 200,000 cameras placed near residential building entrances, inside subway stations, and around other public spaces.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin deployed the system in February, and it drew controversy for having led to the detention of a Chinese woman incorrectly diagnosed as having the virus. There have also been reports of infected people being visited by law enforcement officers when leaving their homes to take out the trash. Moscow residents who venture beyond a 100-meter radius (330 feet) from their buildings can be arrested by the police, sometimes leaving behind the dogs they had been walking.
The Kremlin has also announced the launch of worrying new measures to collect and analyze data gathered by mobile phones. On April 20, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who has since contracted the virus, called for a program that tracks the location of infected citizens to be finished by the end of the month, and earlier in April it was reported that tourists may be tracked by means of SIM cards once borders reopen.
Reports have emerged that three medical workers have fallen out of windows in mysterious circumstances after making complaints about their work conditions.
The Federal Security Service (FSB), the country’s secret service, has been asked to investigate cases involving the infection of doctors due to administrative malpractice in hospitals. This has proved a particularly sensitive issue, and reports have emerged that three medical workers have fallen out of windows in mysterious circumstances after making complaints about their work conditions.
President Vladimir Putin has also mentioned the possibility of mobilizing the army to help tackle the outbreak if necessary, though he has declined to specify what its role would be. The country must be prepared, as he said in an address on April 13, for even the “most difficult and extraordinary” scenarios. On May 3, the Russian National Guard reported that it had begun using drones and helicopters to identify quarantine violators, sending information to officers on the ground who would then issue fines or make arrests.
While many of the above authoritarian measures were implemented once the presidential administration abandoned the narrative that the coronavirus wouldn’t lead to a crisis in the country, a number of them happened to appear in the weeks before the government admitted to the seriousness of the situation. The deployment of Moscow’s controversial facial recognition system is one notable example, but others include the abuse of online data as well as how law enforcement officials appropriated the virus as a reason not to follow proper protocol while making arrests.
Gleb Paikachyov and Olga Polyakova are civil society activists with the St. Petersburg organization Trava who were required to self-isolate for 14 days after Paikachyov returned home from Europe in mid-March. The doctors who visited him at his apartment did not ask who he came into contact with, nor did they wear masks. “It gave me the impression that they cared more about how it looked on paper than about protecting people’s health,” he said.
Polyakova, Paikachyov’s partner, said that “while doctors were still unprepared, the police had already implemented quarantine restrictions on movement even if they didn’t necessarily believe in the virus itself.”
Then they asked Paikachyov about whether his phone number was connected to any other applications, including messengers.
A series of laws implemented last year compel all devices in the country to be sold with government-linked applications already loaded, which some digital rights watchdogs warn against as a source of possible back doors enabling official bodies to track and store personal data.
In Russia, linking up to a service or application with one’s phone number allows for your activity to be traced back to you, which may prove a concern for activists aligned with the opposition. What’s more, a series of laws implemented last year compel all devices in the country to be sold with government-linked applications already loaded, which some digital rights watchdogs warn against as a source of possible back doors enabling official bodies to track and store personal data.
Citizens are not yet compelled to link their phone numbers to all the applications they use, and using the quarantine to request that they do so makes their data more vulnerable. “When they asked about whether or not my phone number was attached to my messenger apps,” Paikachyov said, “I was shocked.”
“Quarantine measures turn quite swiftly into repressive ones,” said an artist who requested anonymity. She had attended a party raided by police shortly after a ban on events with more than 50 people was announced. The officers were in the area after having been called in to stop a fight but noticed a group of smokers outside a venue and decided to investigate.
“They did not follow normal protocol at all,” she said. “The majority of people involved in the raid lacked proper identification, did not declare their identities, and refused to give reasons for detaining people.” She claimed that people were hit or pushed down stairs and that police raided two other concerts that weekend without following proper protocol.
The FSB has also been said to have used the virus as a cover for raiding the homes of suspected individuals. Last month, two officers in civilian and medical outfits asked to be let inside a home in the Far East region of Sakhalin in order to test a man named Alexander Kozin for the virus. Once inside, they reportedly detained Kozin along with two other men and seized an explosive-looking device that Kozin and his wife claimed was planted there by the officers. The three men have been charged with terrorism and have no previous criminal record.
The virus was also used as an excuse to limit the access of local journalists accredited with foreign outlets to the Russian parliament. Pyotr Kozlov, a correspondent with the BBC, tweeted about the unofficial restrictions while noting that local, state-backed outlets were however still allowed to enter and observe the sessions.
This tendency toward increasing state control over citizens’ lives has long been on the rise in Putin’s Russia and is only being exacerbated by the virus.
In late 2019, various laws were introduced to limit the online influence of foreign states and companies in the name of protecting so-called digital sovereignty. These have included the law on installing Kremlin-selected apps on all smartphones sold within the country, as well as the authorization to separate the Russian internet from the rest of the world in case of crisis. This would, at least in theory, enable Moscow to create a firewall on par with China’s. Then, as now, digital rights advocates are concerned about what will become of private user data.
Then, in January, a referendum was announced that would amend the constitution and limit the capacities of the president. More power would be given to the parliament and the State Council, a governing body that many suspected Putin would occupy on his retirement from the presidency at the end of his next term. This would allow for Putin to remain behind the scenes even while setting up his successor.
But this was not to be. In early March, in response to crises including the conflict with Turkey in Syria and a global collapse of oil prices, the Russian parliament formally called for the reset of Putin’s presidential terms to zero so that he could run for another two terms—a combined total of 12 years in 2024. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s press secretary, said this was a necessary response to “extreme turbulence in the world.” Clearly, for the Kremlin, increasing control had been necessary long before the pandemic truly took hold.
Already aiming for a nearly unlimited mandate as well as increasing digital capacities, the emergency measures prompted by the pandemic may yet prove the ultimate boon for a leader looking to shape Russian society in a new, technocratic age.
That said, the pandemic has presented as many obstacles as it has opportunities. The referendum, originally planned to take place on April 22, has been pushed back indefinitely. The May 9 Victory Day parade, a public holiday that forms the cornerstone of Putin’s propaganda narrative, was also postponed.
While the latter might seem inconsequential, military parades and initiatives promoting the memory of the 1945 victory over fascism have always been important factors in keeping Putin’s approval ratings high—as have recent military operations like the 2014 annexation of Crimea. This year was to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II, and special preparations were made for a large-scale parade as well as the opening of a mega-cathedral dedicated to the armed forces. Instead, the cathedral’s opening has been delayed indefinitely, and more than 400 cadets have been infected due to parade rehearsals. What had previously been surefire ways to drum up public support have turned into national embarrassment.
In another failed bid to keep his approval rating high, Putin has delegated unpopular decision-making processes to local governors in an attempt to keep his own hands clean. This has, however, instead led to inconsistent measures taken across the country and a corresponding spike in infections. Taking advantage of the virus has proved a dangerous game, and his behavior in recent weeks has led some Russian commentators to claim he resembles “an old, sick wolf.”
“The Kremlin would probably like to introduce total control,” Makarov said, “but it isn’t capable of this yet.” And so the Russian government and its people remain in something of a standoff. One requires the appearance of democratic legitimacy, either in the form of quarantine measures or a national referendum, in order to consolidate power, while the other is compelled, in order to remain healthy, to give increasing powers to a government it does not entirely trust.
Even activists like Makarov concede that protecting health, especially in a pandemic, is a legitimate reason for temporarily restricting some rights. “But the restrictions involved,” he added, “must never be unlimited. The priority should be the safety of citizens, not the convenience of the authorities.”


foreignpolicy--2020-05-19--Don’t Let China Steal Your Steel Industry

In Indonesia , a vast new stainless-steel plant can produce an impressive 3 metric tons of the shiny metal each year .
And the plant isn ’ t even an Indonesian venture .
It was built by a Chinese market giant that is using the country to undermine Western competition .
Those who think stainless steel is a fringe sector should think again .
The unglamorous metal is vital to everything from cutlery to aircraft , tankers , and surgical instruments .
China ’ s sneaking takeover of the global stainless-steel market will put other sectors at risk , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operated by the Chinese stainless-steel firm Tsingshan , opened in 2017 .
The choice of location was no coincidence : Indonesia has the world ’ s largest reserves of nickel , a key component of stainless steel .
More than two-thirds of the world ’ s nickel is used to make stainless steel .
( Regular steel consists almost exclusively of iron , while stainless steel also contains nickel and chromium . )
And the plant ’ s construction was supported by the Chinese government ; indeed , it falls within China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then , when the plant had operated for less than two years , the Indonesian government suddenly announced that it would ban exports of nickel starting in January of this year .
Predictably , the move caused global nickel prices to skyrocket .
But thanks to its Indonesian plant , Tsingshan is shielded from the nickel hike .
In the past two decades China has conquered the stainless-steel market .
Though stainless steel may seem unsexy , it ’ s vital to virtually every other sector , and production is growing faster than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , copper , and aluminum .
Weaponry , pipelines , ships , and washing machines all contain stainless steel .
And in the past couple of decades , the production of steel—the main component of the stainless kind—has shifted dramatically .
In 2004 , the world ’ s top 10 steel producers included only one Chinese company , Shanghai Baosteel ; the other top firms were American , European , Indian , and South Korean .
Back then , just 25.8 percent of the world ’ s steel was made in China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ data available ) , six of the world ’ s largest steel companies were Chinese , some of them government-owned , and China accounted for 51.3 percent of global steel production—a figure that doesn ’ t capture production by Chinese companies in other countries ) .
On the global top 10 list , South Korea , a former steel giant , is represented only by Posco .
In stainless steel , the development is even more stark : in 2005 , China produced 12.9 percent of the world ’ s stainless steel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States 9.2 percent .
By 2018 , China had more than quadrupled its share to 52.6 of the world ’ s stainless steel , while Europe ’ s share had shrunk to 15.6 percent and the United States had just a 5.5 percent share .
Until recently , steel and stainless steel may have seemed unworthy of concern .
Indeed , President Donald Trump ’ s efforts to protect the U.S. steel industry were met with plenty of ridicule because the measures – supposedly taken to enhance U.S. national security—also penalized companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s closest national security allies .
The U.S. president ’ s punishment of European steelmakers through Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act two years ago was undoubtedly ridiculous , but he was right in treating steel as a strategic good ; the coronavirus pandemic has shown that Western countries are dangerously dependent on components from China .
If the coronavirus pandemic has taught people anything , it is that Western countries are dangerously dependent on components from China .
Not surprisingly , U.S. firms have long been concerned about the way Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2016 report , a group of U.S. steel industry associations wrote that Chinese firms receive “ loans [ that ] are granted based on alignment with central or provincial governments ’ policy directives , rather than creditworthiness or other market-based factors.
” In a 2019 report , the Mercator Institute for China Studies , a German think tank , documented how Beijing ’ s financing practices vastly distort global competition : The “ panoply of financing benefits empowers Chinese companies with advantages over foreign competitors not only at home but also when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relative disregard for commercial risks , allowing them to offer premiums for foreign assets if necessary .
These practices disfavor European companies as acquirers of firms and assets , ” the authors wrote .
Such government support , of course , results not just in more acquisitions by Chinese outfits but also in lower prices for their goods , too .
Over the years , European firms have discovered not just competitive prices by Chinese outfits but also outright dumping .
That caused the European Union to , in 2015 , impose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then , last year , stainless-steel exports from Indonesia to Europe suddenly skyrocketed .
In August 2019 , the European stainless-steel industry filed another complaint with the European Commission , again alleging dumping , this time involving Indonesia as well .
It was successful : In April , the EU imposed 17 percent duties on stainless steel made by Tsingshan and its Indonesian subsidiaries , and 18.9 percent duties on another Chinese firm .
But China preempted the Europeans by raising its anti-dumping duties on European stainless steel from 18.1 percent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s export ban means the EU ’ s penalties on the Chinese firms may not help European stainless-steel makers much .
Without access to the world ’ s largest source of nickel , and facing crushing anti-dumping duties in China , European and American stainless-steel firms are in massive trouble .
China is , one might say , trying to steal their steel business .
U.S. firms are somewhat better off than European ones thanks to Section 232 , which allows the imposition of tariffs on foreign-produced steel and aluminum .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ firms more than Chinese ones : Because of Section 232 , Chinese firms are trying to export even more to Europe .
In several recent pieces , including one on Chinese corporate bargain-hunting among businesses weakened by the coronavirus , Foreign Policy has highlighted Beijing ’ s strategy of outflanking the United States and Europe through Chinese acquisitions of cutting-edge Western firms , especially in areas deemed strategic in China ’ s Made in China 2025 plan for global economic power .
But that ’ s not the only way in which China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaken these countries .
Its ruthless game in the metals market forms another strand of that quest for global economic dominance .
In fact , stainless steel is just the latest sector in which Western firms are being brought to their knees by Beijing-backed firms .
Remember the U.S. and European solar-panel industry ?
A decade ago , Beijing began subsidizing domestic solar-panel production—and Chinese companies , of course , exported their cheap goods .
The result : Western solar-panel production plummeted .
Between 2009 and 2017 , Chinese companies ’ global market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while European production unsurprisingly plummeted .
By 2018 , the top eight global solar-panel manufacturers were all Chinese , the Mercator Institute reported .
Although the United States and the EU have turned to tariffs to lessen market injustices , the Chinese firmly dominate the solar-panel market .
Subsidizing and propping up domestic firms is of course not a Chinese invention : Decades ago , North American and European governments did the same thing .
But in a globalized market , where firms are supposed to compete fairly against other countries ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distortions .
That ’ s exactly what the World Trade Organization was supposed to fix ; indeed , systematic government support of domestic companies to the detriment of foreign competitors violates WTO rules .
But for the WTO to take action , the aggrieved party ( say , a European company ) has to demonstrate “ material injury ” —and by the time a company is substantially injured it may be too late to save it .
The much-maligned EU , though , has tried to advocate for its beleaguered stainless-steel producers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nickel exports , which would clearly harm European companies and benefit Tsingshan , the European Commission brought a case against it at the WTO .
“ The measures imposed by Indonesia increase the damage , putting jobs in the EU ’ s steel industry at risk .
Despite our repeated efforts , Indonesia has maintained the measures in place and even announced a new export ban for January 2020 .
In such circumstances , we can not stay idle .
We need to ensure that international trade rules are respected .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the WTO to obtain removal of these measures as soon as possible , ” then-Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said .
Ever-growing Chinese dominance of the stainless-steel market risks making U.S. and European defense contractors dependent on Chinese producers .
Imagine the predicament of a arms manufacturer or shipbuilder based in a Western country that has , for example , criticized Beijing ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis or its Uighur internment camps .
And you don ’ t need to imagine the resulting plight of Western governments .
Or consider the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced with .
Their government has consistently spoken up for Gui Minhai , a Hong Kong bookseller who had acquired Swedish citizenship and is now jailed in China , with Chinese officials in turn issuing threats such as comparing China to a heavyweight boxer and Sweden to a featherweight one .
If the Chinese government wanted to harm Sweden , Chinese stainless-steel companies could surreptitiously delay deliveries to , say , Swedish manufacturers of medical instruments , and the country would immediately feel the pain—especially if Western stainless-steel producers had already been forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue isn ’ t stainless steel or any other sector : It ’ s the ability of liberal democracies to act independently .
If the global fight for coronavirus medical supplies has taught Western governments anything , it ’ s that dependence on Chinese components is a risky proposition .
Weakened Western businesses will of course make Western countries weaker , too .
Since government subsidies are problematic under WTO rules , in the stainless-steel sector Western governments could introduce quotas for countries including China and Indonesia .
Environmental standards present another opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon dioxide-intensive as that of the United States , while the even more ambitious EU is planning a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050 .
The United States and the EU could block steel from highly polluting plants and provide research and development grants for domestic companies trying to make their steel greener still .
That ’ s not supporting uncompetitive companies ; that ’ s supporting companies playing by the rules .
Skeptics will argue that punishing Chinese firms would backfire .
In fact , considering that China is by far the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven times as much steel as the number two , India , banning dirty Chinese stainless steel might lead to shortages in the West .
But China produces too much regular and stainless steel ; it needs exports .
A ban on its dirty products would punish the companies that harm Mother Earth while making the cheapest possible steel , and it would reward those that clean up their mills .

In Indonesia, a vast new stainless-steel plant can produce an impressive 3 million metric tons of the shiny metal each year. And the plant isn’t even an Indonesian venture. It was built by a Chinese market giant that is using the country to undermine Western competition. Those who think stainless steel is a fringe sector should think again. The unglamorous metal is vital to everything from cutlery to aircraft, tankers, and surgical instruments. China’s sneaking takeover of the global stainless-steel market will put other sectors at risk, too.
In Indonesia, a vast new stainless-steel plant can produce an impressive 3 million metric tons of the shiny metal each year. And the plant isn’t even an Indonesian venture. It was built by a Chinese market giant that is using the country to undermine Western competition. Those who think stainless steel is a fringe sector should think again. The unglamorous metal is vital to everything from cutlery to aircraft, tankers, and surgical instruments. China’s sneaking takeover of the global stainless-steel market will put other sectors at risk, too.
The Indonesian plant, owned and operated by the Chinese stainless-steel firm Tsingshan, opened in 2017. The choice of location was no coincidence: Indonesia has the world’s largest reserves of nickel, a key component of stainless steel. More than two-thirds of the world’s nickel is used to make stainless steel. (Regular steel consists almost exclusively of iron, while stainless steel also contains nickel and chromium.) And the plant’s construction was supported by the Chinese government; indeed, it falls within China’s global Belt and Road Initiative.
Then, when the plant had operated for less than two years, the Indonesian government suddenly announced that it would ban exports of nickel starting in January of this year. Predictably, the move caused global nickel prices to skyrocket. But thanks to its Indonesian plant, Tsingshan is shielded from the nickel hike.
In the past two decades China has conquered the stainless-steel market. Though stainless steel may seem unsexy, it’s vital to virtually every other sector, and production is growing faster than that of other metals such as lead, copper, and aluminum. Weaponry, pipelines, ships, and washing machines all contain stainless steel. And in the past couple of decades, the production of steel—the main component of the stainless kind—has shifted dramatically.
In 2004, the world’s top 10 steel producers included only one Chinese company, Shanghai Baosteel; the other top firms were American, European, Indian, and South Korean. Back then, just 25.8 percent of the world’s steel was made in China. In 2018 (the latest year with data available), six of the world’s largest steel companies were Chinese, some of them government-owned, and China accounted for 51.3 percent of global steel production—a figure that doesn’t capture production by Chinese companies in other countries).
On the global top 10 list, South Korea, a former steel giant, is represented only by Posco. In stainless steel, the development is even more stark: in 2005, China produced 12.9 percent of the world’s stainless steel, while Europe produced 34.8 percent and the United States 9.2 percent. By 2018, China had more than quadrupled its share to 52.6 of the world’s stainless steel, while Europe’s share had shrunk to 15.6 percent and the United States had just a 5.5 percent share.
Until recently, steel and stainless steel may have seemed unworthy of concern. Indeed, President Donald Trump’s efforts to protect the U.S. steel industry were met with plenty of ridicule because the measures – supposedly taken to enhance U.S. national security—also penalized companies based in European countries, Washington’s closest national security allies. The U.S. president’s punishment of European steelmakers through Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act two years ago was undoubtedly ridiculous, but he was right in treating steel as a strategic good; the coronavirus pandemic has shown that Western countries are dangerously dependent on components from China.
If the coronavirus pandemic has taught people anything, it is that Western countries are dangerously dependent on components from China.
Not surprisingly, U.S. firms have long been concerned about the way Beijing financially supports Chinese steel companies. In a 2016 report, a group of U.S. steel industry associations wrote that Chinese firms receive “loans [that] are granted based on alignment with central or provincial governments’ policy directives, rather than creditworthiness or other market-based factors.”
In a 2019 report, the Mercator Institute for China Studies, a German think tank, documented how Beijing’s financing practices vastly distort global competition: The “panoply of financing benefits empowers Chinese companies with advantages over foreign competitors not only at home but also when they engage in foreign takeovers, with relative disregard for commercial risks, allowing them to offer premiums for foreign assets if necessary. These practices disfavor European companies as acquirers of firms and assets,” the authors wrote.
Such government support, of course, results not just in more acquisitions by Chinese outfits but also in lower prices for their goods, too. Over the years, European firms have discovered not just competitive prices by Chinese outfits but also outright dumping. That caused the European Union to, in 2015, impose a 25 percent tariff on Chinese stainless steel. Then, last year, stainless-steel exports from Indonesia to Europe suddenly skyrocketed.
In August 2019, the European stainless-steel industry filed another complaint with the European Commission, again alleging dumping, this time involving Indonesia as well. It was successful: In April, the EU imposed 17 percent duties on stainless steel made by Tsingshan and its Indonesian subsidiaries, and 18.9 percent duties on another Chinese firm. But China preempted the Europeans by raising its anti-dumping duties on European stainless steel from 18.1 percent to a staggering 103.1 percent.
The Indonesian government’s export ban means the EU’s penalties on the Chinese firms may not help European stainless-steel makers much. Without access to the world’s largest source of nickel, and facing crushing anti-dumping duties in China, European and American stainless-steel firms are in massive trouble. China is, one might say, trying to steal their steel business. U.S. firms are somewhat better off than European ones thanks to Section 232, which allows the imposition of tariffs on foreign-produced steel and aluminum. But the tariffs stand to harm European firms more than Chinese ones: Because of Section 232, Chinese firms are trying to export even more to Europe.
In several recent pieces, including one on Chinese corporate bargain-hunting among businesses weakened by the coronavirus, Foreign Policy has highlighted Beijing’s strategy of outflanking the United States and Europe through Chinese acquisitions of cutting-edge Western firms, especially in areas deemed strategic in China’s Made in China 2025 plan for global economic power. But that’s not the only way in which China uses globalization to strengthen its power and weaken these countries. Its ruthless game in the metals market forms another strand of that quest for global economic dominance.
In fact, stainless steel is just the latest sector in which Western firms are being brought to their knees by Beijing-backed firms. Remember the U.S. and European solar-panel industry? A decade ago, Beijing began subsidizing domestic solar-panel production—and Chinese companies, of course, exported their cheap goods. The result: Western solar-panel production plummeted.
Between 2009 and 2017, Chinese companies’ global market share skyrocketed from 1 to 33 percent, while European production unsurprisingly plummeted. By 2018, the top eight global solar-panel manufacturers were all Chinese, the Mercator Institute reported. Although the United States and the EU have turned to tariffs to lessen market injustices, the Chinese firmly dominate the solar-panel market.
Subsidizing and propping up domestic firms is of course not a Chinese invention: Decades ago, North American and European governments did the same thing. But in a globalized market, where firms are supposed to compete fairly against other countries’ firms, such comprehensive support creates unsustainable distortions. That’s exactly what the World Trade Organization was supposed to fix; indeed, systematic government support of domestic companies to the detriment of foreign competitors violates WTO rules.
But for the WTO to take action, the aggrieved party (say, a European company) has to demonstrate “material injury”—and by the time a company is substantially injured it may be too late to save it. The much-maligned EU, though, has tried to advocate for its beleaguered stainless-steel producers.
When Indonesia first announced restrictions of its nickel exports, which would clearly harm European companies and benefit Tsingshan, the European Commission brought a case against it at the WTO. “The measures imposed by Indonesia increase the damage, putting jobs in the EU’s steel industry at risk. Despite our repeated efforts, Indonesia has maintained the measures in place and even announced a new export ban for January 2020. In such circumstances, we cannot stay idle. We need to ensure that international trade rules are respected. That’s why we take today legal action in the WTO to obtain removal of these measures as soon as possible,” then-Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said.
Ever-growing Chinese dominance of the stainless-steel market risks making U.S. and European defense contractors dependent on Chinese producers. Imagine the predicament of a arms manufacturer or shipbuilder based in a Western country that has, for example, criticized Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus crisis or its Uighur internment camps. And you don’t need to imagine the resulting plight of Western governments.
Or consider the dilemma that Swedish companies might find themselves faced with. Their government has consistently spoken up for Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong bookseller who had acquired Swedish citizenship and is now jailed in China, with Chinese officials in turn issuing threats such as comparing China to a heavyweight boxer and Sweden to a featherweight one. If the Chinese government wanted to harm Sweden, Chinese stainless-steel companies could surreptitiously delay deliveries to, say, Swedish manufacturers of medical instruments, and the country would immediately feel the pain—especially if Western stainless-steel producers had already been forced out of business.
But the fundamental issue isn’t stainless steel or any other sector: It’s the ability of liberal democracies to act independently. If the global fight for coronavirus medical supplies has taught Western governments anything, it’s that dependence on Chinese components is a risky proposition. Weakened Western businesses will of course make Western countries weaker, too.
Since government subsidies are problematic under WTO rules, in the stainless-steel sector Western governments could introduce quotas for countries including China and Indonesia. Environmental standards present another opportunity. Chinese steel production is twice as carbon dioxide-intensive as that of the United States, while the even more ambitious EU is planning a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050. The United States and the EU could block steel from highly polluting plants and provide research and development grants for domestic companies trying to make their steel greener still. That’s not supporting uncompetitive companies; that’s supporting companies playing by the rules.
Skeptics will argue that punishing Chinese firms would backfire. In fact, considering that China is by far the world’s largest producer, turning out nearly seven times as much steel as the number two, India, banning dirty Chinese stainless steel might lead to shortages in the West. But China produces too much regular and stainless steel; it needs exports. A ban on its dirty products would punish the companies that harm Mother Earth while making the cheapest possible steel, and it would reward those that clean up their mills.


foreignpolicy--2020-05-19--Is Mike Pompeo in Trouble?

Is Mike Pompeo in Trouble?

Here is today ’ s Foreign Policy brief : U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in hot water after inspector general dismissal , Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell appear on Capitol Hill , and sparks fly at the World Health Assembly .
We welcome your feedback at morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .
The phrase “ If you want a friend in Washington , get a dog , ” is often attributed apocryphally to former U.S. President Harry Truman .
For U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , having a dog may be causing him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mount .
Blame the Chinese…takeout .
Pompeo was already the subject of a whistleblower complaint to Congress in July , when he was charged with tasking diplomatic security with frivolous errands like collecting his dog from the groomer and picking up Chinese takeout ( agents complained about being treated as “ Uber Eats with guns ” ) .
After U.S. President Donald Trump fired the State Department Inspector General Steve Linick last Friday , the question immediately turned to why he was dismissed .
The dismissal appears to be politically motivated .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robbie Gramer and Jack Detsch that Linick was investigating Pompeo for “ misuse of a political appointee at the Department to perform personal tasks ” for himself and his wife .
Running errands for MBS .
On Monday , more accusations surfaced .
The Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee , Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel , said Linick was pursuing a second investigation , at Engel ’ s request : looking at the decision to sell $ 8 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia even as a bipartisan coalition in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the full picture yet , but it ’ s troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed , ” Engel said in a statement to Foreign Policy .
What has Pompeo said ?
In an interview with the Washington Post , Pompeo said he fired Linick because he was “ undermining ” the State Department ’ s mission .
He said the move was not a retaliation and denied knowing of any investigations the inspector general was undertaking .
President Trump has defended Pompeo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And now I have you telling me about dog walking , washing dishes and , you know what , I ’ d rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes because maybe his wife isn ’ t there or his kids aren ’ t there , you know , ” Trump said .
Under the IG Reform Act , the bar for dismissing an inspector general is high .
Sen. Charles Grassley sent a letter to Trump remind him that “ an expression of lost confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sufficient to fulfill the requirements ” of the law .
Grassley has asked Trump to provide a “ detailed reasoning ” of the decision to remove Linick before June 1 .
Is Pompeo really in the doghouse ?
Like all cabinet secretaries , Pompeo serves at the pleasure of the president , and can only really be removed by the president .
As FP has reported before , Pompeo has been especially adept at executing Trump ’ s agenda at the State Department—most recently as an attack dog in the war of words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will sour on him .
It ’ s remotely possible that Pompeo could be impeached , but it would require the Republican-controlled Senate to strike the knockout blow—a highly unlikely scenario , given that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has reportedly tried to recruit Pompeo into his ranks as the next senator from Kansas .
In a sign that perhaps shows the confidence Pompeo has in his own longevity , he posted a photo of himself on Sunday sitting smiling on his porch steps : In his arms was Mercer , his new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly .
The World Health Organization has agreed to conduct an investigation into the international response to the coronavirus pandemic , after more than 120 nations co-sponsored a resolution at the World Health Assembly calling for an inquiry .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a review would take place “ at the earliest opportunity ” .
U.S. Secretary Alex Azar blasted the WHO ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic as a “ failure ” and made a barely veiled jab at China for its role in an alleged coverup .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , at least one member state made a mockery of their transparency obligations , with tremendous costs for the entire world , ” Azar told the World Health Assembly .
Azar ’ s Chinese counterpart , Ma Xiaowei , speaking after Azar , asked member states to “ oppose rumors , stigmatization and discrimination.
” In a message to the assembly , Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $ 2 billion dollars in aid to help other countries—especially the world ’ s poorest—respond to the pandemic .
U.S. economic policy leaders face Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will both appear this morning before the Senate Banking Committee to discuss the first quarterly report of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act .
Powell has been outspoken in recent days about the need for more action from Congress on stanching the economic wounds of the coronavirus pandemic .
On the CBS news program 60 Minutes on Sunday , Powell said that “ policies that help businesses avoid avoidable insolvencies and that do the same for individuals ” should be the focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Congress .
All the president ’ s pills .
U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted to taking the drug hydroxychloroquine every day for the past week and a half .
Asked why , he replied : “ Because I think it ’ s good .
I ’ ve heard a lot of good stories.
” A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed the drug was ineffective against COVID-19 and could lead to heart problems .
“ If it ’ s not good … I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : it ’ s been around for 40 years , ” Trump added .
Al Qaeda in the U.S .
The Saudi gunman who killed three service members at a naval air station in Florida in December had extensive communications with the terrorist group Al Qaeda , according to FBI officials .
Attorney General William P. Barr said the gunman , Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani , who had been training at the base as a Saudi air force cadet , had joined the Saudi military in order to carry out a “ special operation.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence recently uncovered on Alshamrani ’ s iPhone showed the attack was “ the brutal culmination of years of planning and preparation.
” Moderna medicine could be vaccine breakthrough .
Drug maker Moderna said it has achieved promising results in the early stages of its coronavirus vaccine trials , as some participants showed an antibody response similar to that of a recovered coronavirus patient when exposed to the virus .
The study , which is taking place in collaboration with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the human subjects were only exposed to a very low dose of the virus .
“ These interim Phase 1 data , while early , demonstrate that vaccination with [ the candidate vaccine ] elicits an immune response of the magnitude caused by natural infection starting with a dose as low as 25 micrograms , ” said Tal Zaks , Moderna ’ s chief medical officer .
The company said it would continue testing the vaccine with slightly higher doses of the virus .
Afghan peace talks .
The U.S. Special Envoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Doha on Sunday for talks with the Taliban according to a statement from the U.S. State Department .
Khalilzad ’ s travel will include talks with the Afghan government in Kabul , the first since the signing of a power sharing agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah .
The Kabul meeting will “ explore steps the Afghan government needs to take to make intra-Afghan negotiations begin as soon as possible , ” according to the statement .
For any quarantine trivia experts : What links together soccer star Cristiano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Burkinabé socialist revolutionary Thomas Sankara ?
The answer is that they have all been immortalized in bronze only for those sculptures to be replaced by new ones after public outcry .
Sankara , who was assassinated in 1987 , joins the list of those receiving reworked memorials as his sculpture was unveiled a second time in Burkina Faso ’ s capital , Ouagadougou , on Sunday .
The sculptor , Jean Luc Bambara , blamed the hot weather for the initial sculpture ’ s poor reception , as it had caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sankara ’ s handsome features .
“ It ’ s hard to say whether one can 100 percent capture Thomas Sankara , but what we have [ now ] represents him and that ’ s what matters most , ” Burkina Faso ’ s Foreign Affairs Minister Alpha Barry said .
For more from FP , visit foreignpolicy.com , subscribe here , or sign up for our other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , questions , or corrections to morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .

Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in hot water after inspector general dismissal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell appear on Capitol Hill, and sparks fly at the World Health Assembly .
Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in hot water after inspector general dismissal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell appear on Capitol Hill, and sparks fly at the World Health Assembly.
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Accusations Against Pompeo Pile Up After IG Dismissal
The phrase “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog,” is often attributed apocryphally to former U.S. President Harry Truman. For U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, having a dog may be causing him to lose friends—as accusations of malfeasance start to mount.
Blame the Chinese… takeout. Pompeo was already the subject of a whistleblower complaint to Congress in July, when he was charged with tasking diplomatic security with frivolous errands like collecting his dog from the groomer and picking up Chinese takeout (agents complained about being treated as “Uber Eats with guns”). After U.S. President Donald Trump fired the State Department Inspector General Steve Linick last Friday, the question immediately turned to why he was dismissed.
The dismissal appears to be politically motivated. A Democratic congressional aide told Foreign Policy reporters Robbie Gramer and Jack Detsch that Linick was investigating Pompeo for “misuse of a political appointee at the Department to perform personal tasks” for himself and his wife.
Running errands for MBS. On Monday, more accusations surfaced. The Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel, said Linick was pursuing a second investigation, at Engel’s request: looking at the decision to sell $8 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia even as a bipartisan coalition in Congress objected.
“We don’t have the full picture yet, but it’s troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed,” Engel said in a statement to Foreign Policy.
What has Pompeo said? In an interview with the Washington Post, Pompeo said he fired Linick because he was “undermining” the State Department’s mission. He said the move was not a retaliation and denied knowing of any investigations the inspector general was undertaking.
President Trump has defended Pompeo, dismissing the allegations as unimportant. “And now I have you telling me about dog walking, washing dishes and, you know what, I’d rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes because maybe his wife isn’t there or his kids aren’t there, you know,” Trump said.
Under the IG Reform Act, the bar for dismissing an inspector general is high. Sen. Charles Grassley sent a letter to Trump remind him that “an expression of lost confidence, without further explanation, is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements” of the law. Grassley has asked Trump to provide a “detailed reasoning” of the decision to remove Linick before June 1.
Is Pompeo really in the doghouse? Like all cabinet secretaries, Pompeo serves at the pleasure of the president, and can only really be removed by the president. As FP has reported before, Pompeo has been especially adept at executing Trump’s agenda at the State Department—most recently as an attack dog in the war of words with China—so it’s unlikely Trump will sour on him.
It’s remotely possible that Pompeo could be impeached, but it would require the Republican-controlled Senate to strike the knockout blow—a highly unlikely scenario, given that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has reportedly tried to recruit Pompeo into his ranks as the next senator from Kansas.
In a sign that perhaps shows the confidence Pompeo has in his own longevity, he posted a photo of himself on Sunday sitting smiling on his porch steps: In his arms was Mercer, his new puppy.
What We’re Following Today
Sparks fly at World Health Assembly. The World Health Organization has agreed to conduct an investigation into the international response to the coronavirus pandemic, after more than 120 nations co-sponsored a resolution at the World Health Assembly calling for an inquiry. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a review would take place “at the earliest opportunity”.
U.S. Secretary Alex Azar blasted the WHO’s response to the coronavirus pandemic as a “failure” and made a barely veiled jab at China for its role in an alleged coverup. “In an apparent attempt to conceal this outbreak, at least one member state made a mockery of their transparency obligations, with tremendous costs for the entire world,” Azar told the World Health Assembly.
Azar’s Chinese counterpart, Ma Xiaowei, speaking after Azar, asked member states to “oppose rumors, stigmatization and discrimination.” In a message to the assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $2 billion dollars in aid to help other countries—especially the world’s poorest—respond to the pandemic.
U.S. economic policy leaders face Congress. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will both appear this morning before the Senate Banking Committee to discuss the first quarterly report of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Powell has been outspoken in recent days about the need for more action from Congress on stanching the economic wounds of the coronavirus pandemic. On the CBS news program 60 Minutes on Sunday, Powell said that “policies that help businesses avoid avoidable insolvencies and that do the same for individuals” should be the focus of any further economic rescue measures considered by Congress.
All the president’s pills. U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted to taking the drug hydroxychloroquine every day for the past week and a half. Asked why, he replied: “Because I think it’s good. I’ve heard a lot of good stories.” A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed the drug was ineffective against COVID-19 and could lead to heart problems. “If it’s not good … I’m not gonna get hurt by it: it’s been around for 40 years,” Trump added.
Keep an Eye On
Al Qaeda in the U.S. The Saudi gunman who killed three service members at a naval air station in Florida in December had extensive communications with the terrorist group Al Qaeda, according to FBI officials. Attorney General William P. Barr said the gunman, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, who had been training at the base as a Saudi air force cadet, had joined the Saudi military in order to carry out a “special operation.” FBI Director Christopher Wray added that the evidence recently uncovered on Alshamrani’s iPhone showed the attack was “the brutal culmination of years of planning and preparation.”
Moderna medicine could be vaccine breakthrough. Drug maker Moderna said it has achieved promising results in the early stages of its coronavirus vaccine trials, as some participants showed an antibody response similar to that of a recovered coronavirus patient when exposed to the virus. The study, which is taking place in collaboration with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center, is still in early stages, and the human subjects were only exposed to a very low dose of the virus. “These interim Phase 1 data, while early, demonstrate that vaccination with [the candidate vaccine] elicits an immune response of the magnitude caused by natural infection starting with a dose as low as 25 micrograms,” said Tal Zaks, Moderna’s chief medical officer. The company said it would continue testing the vaccine with slightly higher doses of the virus.
Afghan peace talks. The U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, travelled to Doha on Sunday for talks with the Taliban according to a statement from the U.S. State Department. Khalilzad’s travel will include talks with the Afghan government in Kabul, the first since the signing of a power sharing agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah. The Kabul meeting will “explore steps the Afghan government needs to take to make intra-Afghan negotiations begin as soon as possible,” according to the statement.
Odds and Ends
For any quarantine trivia experts: What links together soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, beloved actress Lucille Ball, and the Burkinabé socialist revolutionary Thomas Sankara?
They have all been immortalized in bronze only for those sculptures to be replaced by new ones after public outcry.
Sankara, who was assassinated in 1987, joins the list of those receiving reworked memorials as his sculpture was unveiled a second time in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, on Sunday. The sculptor, Jean Luc Bambara, blamed the hot weather for the initial sculpture’s poor reception, as it had caused the original cast to melt and distort Sankara’s handsome features. “It’s hard to say whether one can 100 percent capture Thomas Sankara, but what we have [now] represents him and that’s what matters most,” Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister Alpha Barry said.
That’s it for today.
For more from FP, visit foreignpolicy.com, subscribe here, or sign up for our other newsletters. Send your tips, comments, questions, or corrections to morningbrief@foreignpolicy.com.