A group of bipartisan lawmakers are demanding answers from Costco over its decision to continue selling Chinese-manufactured security products that have been linked to human rights abuses and cybersecurity risks. In a letter dated Oct. 31, Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) questioned the retail giant’s continued sale of Lorex security products, noting the company previously had ties to China-based company Dahua, whose products are restricted in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Lorex is a former subsidiary of camera maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology, a China-based company that was added to the U.S. trade blacklist in 2019 owing to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) treatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities.... Lawmakers Demand Answers From Costco Over Sale of Surveillance Equipment Made Using ‘Banned Chinese Components’
A group of bipartisan lawmakers are demanding answers from Costco over its decision to continue selling Chinese-manufactured security products that have been linked to human rights abuses and cybersecurity risks. In a letter dated Oct. 31, Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) questioned the retail giant’s continued sale of Lorex security products, noting the company previously had ties to China-based company Dahua, whose products are restricted in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Lorex is a former subsidiary of camera maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology, a China-based company that was added to the U.S. trade blacklist in 2019 owing to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) treatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities.... 
Try searching for “Israel” on China’s biggest search engine Baidu—the nation’s name is no longer on the map, although the names of its major cities are still there. The discovery, which caught many in China by surprise on Oct. 30, is the latest twist in a calculated silence by the regime in Beijing, in contrast to other major world powers that have rushed to Israel’s side. Positioning itself as a mediator and advocate for peace, the regime has criticized Israel for going too far in its counterattack against Hamas. As hostility proliferates against Israel on China’s heavily censored internet and in state media, the terrorist group responsible for the deadly assault hasn’t elicited a single mention in official statements coming out of Beijing....
Commentary Will the sponsoring of a hardball game, namely rugby league, help to diminish the influence of hardball diplomacy? That is the question on many Australian lips as their government allegedly considers committing $600 million (US$380 million) to bankroll an 18th National Rugby League (NRL) team in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Rugby league is the national sport of the PNG that captures the imagination, dreams, and spare time of many in the country. To help formalise such a popular sport and incorporate it into Australia’s national professional league will bind the bonds between the two countries. Of that, there is no doubt....
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook will embark on his first trip to China as leader of the state in late November. He is the latest Australian Labor leader to visit the region, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelling to Beijing to meet Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping from Nov. 4. to 7. While in China, Mr. Cook will join “high-level meetings” with Chinese authorities, stakeholders, and industry leaders in both Sichuan and Shanghai. Former Premier Mark McGowan met with Chinese authorities in April 2023, while South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas went to Beijing in September. WA’s Biggest Trading Partner China is the largest trading partner of Western Australia, absorbing 55 percent of exports in the 2023 financial year....