"In time, you will know what it's like to lose."
It's doubtful that Disney and Marvel's 'Avengers: Infinity War' will be losing anything
as it heads for both theaters and world domination this weekend.
The mega-teamup is widely expected to score the top domestic debut of all time
for a superhero movie as it kicks off the summer box office on April 27.
Tracking suggests that 'Infinity War' will open upwards of $225 million,
but many believe it has a shot at overtaking fellow Disney movie
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' which made $248 million,
to land the top North American opening in history.
To date, 'The Avengers' holds the record for the biggest superhero launch with
$207.4 million, followed by 'Black Panther,' which hauled in $202 million.
They are the only two superhero titles to have crossed $200 million in their first weekend.
After 'Force Awakens,' the biggest North American openings belong to
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' with $220 million and
Universal's 'Jurassic World,' which made $208.8 million.
Directed by the Russo brothers, 'Infinity War' reunites the Avengers gang and friends,
including Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther
and Chris Hemsworth's Thor, among others, as they join forces with the
Guardians of the Galaxy crew to stop the evil intergalactic big bad,
Thanos, played by Josh Brolin.
The success of Disney and Marvel's 'Black Panther' could prove to be a huge boost
for 'Infinity War,' as the critically acclaimed movie
has earned $681 million in North America.
Those earnings have made it the No. 3 film of all time behind
'Force Awakens' at $936.7 million and 'Avatar,' which brought in $760.5 million.
'Black Panther' stars Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright and Winston Duke
also appear in 'Infinity War.' And also thrown into the fray:
Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and others
from the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' franchise.
So, do you think 'Avengers: Infinity War' will live up to expectations at the box office?
And how many times will you be seeing it this weekend?
Let us know in the comments. For The Hollywood Reporter News,
I'm Lyndsey Rodrigues.
For more infomation >> 'Avengers: Infinity War' Expected to Set US Record for Superhero Film at Box Office | THR News - Duration: 1:55.-------------------------------------------
Chafee will 'very likely' challenge Whitehouse for US Senate - Duration: 2:01.
For more infomation >> Chafee will 'very likely' challenge Whitehouse for US Senate - Duration: 2:01. -------------------------------------------
Guests In Awe At State Dinner, Trump Unveils Early Birthday Present For Melania - Duration: 4:17.
Guests In Awe At State Dinner, Trump Unveils Early Birthday Present For Melania.
On Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania welcomed French President
Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte to the White House for an opulent state dinner meticulously
planned by the first lady.
Guests who were lucky enough to be invited to the elegant affair were in awe.
Shortly after the event, the president unveiled an early birthday present for Melania.
Fifteen months into the Trump administration, the president and first lady threw their first
state dinner.
The pressure was on as reporters waited anxiously to see what Melania had in store, and, boy,
did she ever deliver!
Every detail was attended to with the utmost care, and the evening went off without a hitch
thanks to "months of preparations" by the first lady and her team.
According to National Public Radio, Tuesday night's menu paid tribute to American culinary
traditions with "nuances of French influences."
It began with a course of goat cheese gateau, tomato jam, buttermilk biscuits, and greens
from the White House kitchen garden.
The main course included rack of spring lamb, cipollini soubise, and Carolina gold rice
jambalaya.
To finish it off, the Macrons were treated to a nectarine tart with crème fraîche ice
cream.
The exquisite meal was served on both the Clinton and George W. Bush china, which features
a green color palette that complemented the green flowers featured in the dining room.
There were more than 1,200 branches of cherry blossom, all homegrown in the United States,
and more than 2,500 stems of white sweet peas, along with 1,000 stems of white lilac.
To top it all off, the Kennedy Center's Washington National Opera performed.The magic
of the evening and the countless hours of hard work required to pull it all off were
not lost on President Trump, who took to Twitter on Wednesday to praise his wife for the "spectacular
job" she did preparing his administration's first state dinner, according to Washington
Examiner.
"[Melania] did a spectacular job hosting the President of France EmmanuelMacron and
his wife Brigitte.
Every detail was done to perfection.
The State Dining Room never looked more beautiful, and Washington is abuzz over what an incredible
job Melania did," he wrote.President Donald Trump seems to be making a habit of offering
his wife glowing praise ahead of her 48th birthday on Thursday.
He did the same in an email to the Make America Great Again Committee, calling the first lady
as his "rock" and "foundation."
"Family is one of life's most wonderful treasures, and serving as America's First
Family has been a truly great privilege!" wrote Trump.
"This month, our family is looking forward to a very special day.
Please join us in celebrating the first lady and my beautiful, kind-hearted and exceptional
wife Melania's birthday by signing her card.
Melania is my rock and foundation, and I wouldn't be the man I am today without her by my side.
She's the cornerstone of our family, and an incredible mother to our son, Barron.
I'm so proud of her accomplishments, and I hope you'll wish her well on her special
day."
The president's choice of words regarding his lovely wife could not have been more accurate
— she has been a "rock," even in the face of a media and Democratic Party both
working overtime to destroy her marriage.
The first lady has been put through the ringer, with ex-adult film stars alleging to have
carried out affairs with her husband in the weeks after she gave birth to their son Barron,
and still, Melania has never once lowered herself to the level of the media trolls trying
to defame her.Instead, she has pulled up her bootstraps and attended to her job as the
first lady.
The evidence of her hard work was apparent on Tuesday night as she threw a flawless state
dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.
We have been blessed beyond measure with such a gracious and classy first lady, and as her
birthday approaches, we look forward to wishing her well!
what do you think about this?
Please Share this news and Scroll down to comment below and don't forget to subscribe
USA facts today.
-------------------------------------------
S. Korea, U.S. to hold summit in mid May: Blue House - Duration: 1:51.
Seoul's top security advisor made a surprise visit to Washington to meet with his American
counterpart John Bolton.
The two agreed to continue close cooperation and communication to ultimately establish
lasting peace on the Peninsula.
Hwang Hojun shares with us what was discussed.
Ahead of the historic cross-border summit, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to continue
working closely together to ensure their respective summits with North Korea are successful.
The Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae announced on Wednesday that Seoul's National Security
Office director Chung Eui-yong met with the newly appointed U.S. National Security Advisor
John Bolton in Washington on Tuesday local time.
Chung's visit to Washington was the second one this month alone.
His meeting with Bolton took about an hour as they exchanged their views on the upcoming
summits and pledged to continue close bilateral cooperation and communication.
"Chung and Bolton agreed that President Moon and President Trump will hold a telephone
conversation immediately after the inter-Korean summit and discuss the summit's outcomes."
And apparently, there will be more than just a phone call; we can expect the leaders of
Seoul and Washington to speak face-to-face soon after.
"Chung and Bolton have also agreed to push for a meeting between the two presidents before
the U.S.-North Korea summit."
President Trump has said his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will likely
take place in May or early June.
President Moon has said time and again that success at the inter-Korean summit must lead
to a successful summit between Washington and Pyongyang.
That's the way to achieve complete denuclearization and establish lasting peace on the Peninsula.
And the recent talks between the top security advisers of South Korea and the U.S. show
both countries are determined to make that happen.
Hwang Hojun Arirang News.
-------------------------------------------
Samsung Electronics posts record operating profits of US$ 14.4 bil. in Q1 - Duration: 0:38.
Wall Street pushed higher on Wednesday as the market recovered from a sharp loss the
session before.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained about 60 points to 24,083,... ending a five session
losing streak.
The S&P 500 moved higher, adding zero-point-2 percent at 2,639,... but the Nasdaq fell slightly
to 7,003,... continuing its longest skid since November 2016.
And for a round-up of markets in Korea,... shares were down for a fourth straight day,...
with foreign investors leading the sell-off as U.S. bond yields rose above 3-percent.
The benchmark KOSPI was down zero-point-6 percent at 2,448,... and the junior bourse
KOSDAQ, was zero-point-4 percent lower at 869.
-------------------------------------------
Small business optimistic on US economy - Duration: 6:53.
For more infomation >> Small business optimistic on US economy - Duration: 6:53. -------------------------------------------
What North Korea Really Wants: A Normalized Relationship With the U.S. - Duration: 5:20.
For more infomation >> What North Korea Really Wants: A Normalized Relationship With the U.S. - Duration: 5:20. -------------------------------------------
Judge Napolitano: The Dems 'Brazen Plot' To Frame The President Of The United States(VIDEO)!!! - Duration: 3:36.
Judge Napolitano: The Dems 'Brazen Plot' To Frame The President Of The United States
we've long wanted to know well what intelligence did you have that actually
led to this investigation what we found now after the investigators have
reviewed it is that in fact there was no intelligence Wow no intelligence
bombshell from mr. Nunez what does this mean for the collusion investigation
here with inside Fox who's senior judicial analyst and Judge Andrew
Napolitano judge what exactly didn't he find what does he mean no Intel right
this is why it's a little it's a little troublesome they want a blank pages no
they weren't blank pages we don't know what's there a congressman Nunez as the
chair of the House Select Committee on Intelligence enjoys the highest security
clearance same security clearances the head of CIA or the President or the head
of the FBI gets to see everything when he looks at top-secret raw intelligence
data and selectively picks it cherry picks it for a political narrative I
think that's dangerous because that's going to induce his opposite number
congressman Adam Schiff the ranking minority member the committee to do the
same thing they both go to look at the same raw intelligence that one's gonna
say there's no there there the others gonna say AHA there are three or four
things there but think about it this way this is an active criminal investigation
I have to think the case against the president is bogus but they're still
pursuing it but there are legitimate indictments in there like of the 13
Russians who were indicted for interfering with the election they're
never going to come here to to stand trial but the Congress and the President
did sanction them and some of those sanctions are pretty seriously you can't
say the whole thing is bogus that's the impression congressman Nunez gives I
think it's wrong for them to look at intelligence and charity it looks like
when you when you think okay there was no Intel so it was like I know Victoria
is tensing has sent this on the channel in the past but it looks like a brazen
plot simply to frame the president United States yes it does and it looks
like it was commenced by his most virulent political enemies particularly
Sid Blumenthal who's sort of the Fitzer if you will of for Hillary
Clinton and and that branch of the of the Democratic Party there's no question
but that the Democrats are behind a lot of this there's also no question but
that Mo's grand juries have indicted people for crimes that they believe
Muller's people believe they can convict them of whether it's money laundering or
whether it's Russian interference with the election I don't think this has
gotten anywhere near the president and I don't think it will but in the old days
by which I mean before mrs. Clinton got off the hook if Congress wanted raw data
from a criminal investigation in the middle of the investigation the DOJ
would say go take a hike sure Congress would serve a subpoena the DOJ would
take this as pain to a federal judge who quash the subpoena you cannot interfere
with a criminal investigation midstream you'll tip off the potential defendants
and you'll scare off witnesses and you'll frustrate investigators that's
what's going on here thank you Jeff how this ends Ryan listen we learned last
week they were listening to the president's phone calls while he was
talking to his lawyer and said you like to have it done in two weeks judge thank
you very much all the best all right thank you god bless you and God bless
america
-------------------------------------------
19 States, Including Pennsylvania, New Jersey Affected By E. Coli Romaine Lettuce Outbreak - Duration: 1:50.
For more infomation >> 19 States, Including Pennsylvania, New Jersey Affected By E. Coli Romaine Lettuce Outbreak - Duration: 1:50. -------------------------------------------
First Lady Melania Trump's State Dinner Gown Dazzles Fashion World - Duration: 1:46.
For more infomation >> First Lady Melania Trump's State Dinner Gown Dazzles Fashion World - Duration: 1:46. -------------------------------------------
U.S. Attorney indicts 45 people in fentanyl trafficking ring - Duration: 1:35.
For more infomation >> U.S. Attorney indicts 45 people in fentanyl trafficking ring - Duration: 1:35. -------------------------------------------
Breaking News Today⚠️World War 3 US weapons stocks SINK as Macron cools Trump's temper over Iran - Duration: 3:58.
breakingnews today
welcome to USA breaking news today please subscribe and click notification
box to get all breaking news alert breaking news today u.s. weapons stocks
sink as macron cools Trump's temper over Iran defense firms are shedding value
after President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel macron cooled the
prospect of intervention after talking openly on the grave international
situation in North Korea and the Iran nuclear deal dot the value of companies
that might benefit from US intervention abroad dipped as President Trump praised
North Korea dictator Kim jong-un as honorable and open as such the S&P 500
aerospace and defense index comprised of 13 manufacturers closed down more than
3% shares of defense companies tend to soar against the broader market when the
United States takes military action in the Middle East however they also sink
when the tensions dropped from the boil to simmer President Trump is seeking
denuclearization of the secretive regime but the world is watching on as leaders
pursue an unprecedented us North Korea summit in May or June while concerning
Iran French president Emmanuel macron used his White House meeting to call for
a new Iran nuclear deal that will build on the current agreement with Tehran
following talks with US president Donald Trump mr. maker on said the pair had
frank discussions on the landmark 2015 pact which the united states president
has previously described as insane the french president said together and with
the powers of the region and iranian leaders we need to find a deal this is
the only way to bring about stability on Wall Street Lockheed Martin Corp the
Pentagon's number-one weapons supplier known for the US military's
top-of-the-range f-35 lightning ii fighter jet closed down more than 6% at
336 dollar and 49 cents yesterday Lockheed Martin is the biggest earner
from the US federal government and receives on average around 10 percent of
the funds paid out by the Pentagon in 2009 US government contracts accounted
for thirty eight point four billion dollars eighty-five percent
of its yearly earnings despite Lockheed reporting a better than expected
quarterly profit and raised its full-year forecast the company's shares
fell 6.1 percent amid a broader market sell-off after yesterday's talks between
mr. Makran and president Trump supporting the effect on defense stocks
of the downgrade in global tension Peter Armand an aerospace and defense
industry analyst at Baird told CNBC we are not seeing anything in the earnings
reports that warrants this kind of weakness since assuming office President
Trump has sought to solidify the u.s. as the dominant force in the trade of
global weapons as global tensions rise in Syria and North Korea president Trump
wants to make it easier to put american-made weapons into the hands of
US allies and partners cutting through the red tape the Trump administration's
new conventional arms transfer cat policy and unmanned aerial systems UAS
export policy allows US firms to directly sell some types of conventional
weapons in a broader range of unmanned drones to allies without having to go
through the US government in an attempt to boost US jobs and Industry president
Trump has targeted defense as a way to balance trade with the rest of the world
however selling weapons to other countries remains controversial and
according to William Hartung director of the arms and Security Project at the
center for international policy it's keeping with what they've been doing he
told CNN there is a lot of emphasis on jobs and much less on human rights and
other concerns thanks for watch please share like
comment this video and subscribe channel for latest news
-------------------------------------------
Reporters Heckle Sarah As She Enters State Dinner, She Quickly Outclasses Them All - Duration: 3:26.
For more infomation >> Reporters Heckle Sarah As She Enters State Dinner, She Quickly Outclasses Them All - Duration: 3:26. -------------------------------------------
WHY JAPAN & U.S MAY WORK TO DEVELOP A FIGHTER WITH COMBINE CAPABILITIES OF F 22 & F35 FIGHTERS? - Duration: 6:27.
In what could be one of the most important development in the field of military technology,
U.S and Japan could join hands to develop a 5th generation fighter for Japan.
Fundamentally, the new fighter will be a fusion of F22 Raptor and F 35 Lightning II.
This could an ominous sign for China.
In this video, Defense updates analyses the why Japan & U.S may work to develop a fighter
with combine capabilities of F 22 & F35 fighter?
Lets get into the details.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Japan was seeking to replace its aging fleet
of fighter aircraft.
It had approached the United States for purchasing Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
However the U.S. Congress had banned the exporting of the aircraft in order to safeguard secrets
of the aircraft's technology such as its extensive use of stealth.
But things have changed.
Japan is facing dramatically more aggressive and militarily powerful China.
The situation has been escalating day by day.
As per reports, during the whole of 2015 the Japan's air force had to dispatch its fighter
jets 571 times to intercept Chinese military aircraft approaching or intruding Japanese airspace.
As we move into 2018, the numbers have risen though exacts figures are not available.
Also, the nature of confrontation in the air has been more hostile.
China's Chengdu J-10, which has some stealth capability, has been in service for some time now.
In September 2017, the Chengdu J-20 officially entered military service with PLAAF, becoming
the third operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft in the world, and the first
in Asia.
There is now increased consensus is U.S about providing Japan with the most sophisticated techs.
The Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin, is a Japanese experimental aircraft for testing cutting-edge
technologies including stealth and meant to be a proof of concept for Japans indigenous
5th generation fighter.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense Technical Research and Development Institute is involved
in its design and development, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries being the main contractor.
The X-2 is being persuaded to determine if Japan's own manufactures are capable of
developing and producing a viable 5th generation fighter.
It has been under development at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant in Toyoyama since 2009.
The X2 for the first time took off from Nagoya airport in Aichi Prefecture at 8:47 a.m.,
on 22 April 2016.
5th gen fighter jet development is a extremely complex engineering feat and Japan has still
a long way to go before fielding an indigenous operational 5th generation fighter.
Keeping in view, Japan has already already ordered 42 F 35s.
Conceptually the idea is about merging the better kinematic performance and low- observability
of the F-22 with the F-35's updated avionics, mission computers, and sensors.
This has essentially been done before, though not at this scale.
Viewers may be aware that the Mitsubishi-Lockheed F 2 used Japan's Air Force is basically
a customized F 16 tailored as per Japan's requirements with extensive modifications.
If this situation pans out, US defense aerospace major contractor Lockheed Martin is expected
to work with Japan's Mitsubishi to design & develop a hybrid jet fighter fully aligned
to Japan's need.
Lockheed Martin will require explicate permission from the U.S. government, as this will involve
sensitive military technology to be transferred to Japan.
Major chunks of aircraft design and software codes will have to be shared.
The decision will test President Donald Trump's promise to overhaul his country's arms export policy.
The proposed aircraft could theoretically come out to be superior to both F 22 and
F 35 if the program is implemented carefully.
Donald Trump shares a very close relationship with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
This relationship has been forged stronger due to China's increasingly aggressive posturing.
An arrangement like this could be win-win for U.S as a close ally Japan will have advanced
hardware to counter China and this also makes a good business opportunity with potential
for considerable foreign exchange inflow.
US and Japan are already working together in number of critical military weapons like
the RIM-161 Standard Missile 3.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Japanese public in general have been very conscious
of the danger posed from China.
Mr. Abe has shown the intent to equip the Japanese forces with adequate military assets
to deal with China as he looks to enhance the role of Japan's Self Defense Forces.
Japan's has slowing increasing its defense budget keep the Chinese angle in mind.
A program like this will be very costly and will be accommodated without stopping some
of the current projects.
These projects include developing a new cruise missile, setting up Aegis Ashore ballistic
missile defense batteries and deploying F-35Bs on its helicopter carriers.
It remains to be seen how Japan goes about it.
-------------------------------------------
Illegal Caravan Regroups in Tijuana to STORM U.S. Border - Duration: 4:22.
Illegal Caravan Regroups in Tijuana to STORM U.S. Border
The illegal caravan is regrouping in an effort to storm the border and enter the United States.
The group is gathering in Tijuana, Mexico to organize and make a run for the border.
The group started out with 1,500 illegals but has dwindled down to 600.
From Breitbart
Busloads of "caravan migrants" arrived in Tijuana on Tuesday evening.
[……]
Pueblo Sin Fronteras coordinator Rodrigo Abeja told Reuters that the migrants "will wait
for all those seeking asylum to be together."
Once as many as 1,500 migrants, the caravan appears to have dwindled to about 600, the
news organization reported.
Two busloads of "caravan migrants" arrived in Tijuana Tuesday evening.
The passengers included men, women, and children.
After arriving, the passengers were let loose onto the streets of the murder-ridden city.
This month alone, nearly 150 people were murdered there, Breitbart Texas' Robert Arce reported.
Nearly 700 people are reported to have been killed since January 1.
Another four busloads are said to be making their way north from Hermosillo, about 430
miles from Tijuana.
Parts of the caravan stalled there as migrants discussed what to do about American statements
promising they will be denied entry to the U.S.
President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to repel the asylum seekers
from the border.
Despite the Democrat inspired laws on Sanctuary Cities and the Border being so bad and one
sided, I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large Caravans
of people into our Country.
It is a disgrace.
We are the only Country in the World so naive!
WALL
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2018
The president then tweeted a message to Mexican
officials urging them to stop people from navigating freely through their country to
the U.S.
He threatened to make this a condition of a new NAFTA agreement.
The president then tweeted a message to Mexican officials urging them to stop people from
navigating freely through their country to the U.S.
He threatened to make this a condition of a new NAFTA agreement.
Mexico, whose laws on immigration are very tough, must stop people from going through
Mexico and into the U.S.
We may make this a condition of the new NAFTA Agreement.
Our Country cannot accept what is happening!
Also, we must get Wall funding fast.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2018
DHS Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen said her
department would "fast track any caravan asylum cases":
DHS continues to monitor the remnants of the 'caravan' of individuals headed to our
Southern border with the apparent intention of entering the United States illegally.
A sovereign nation that cannot – or worse, chooses not – to defend its borders will
soon cease to be a sovereign nation.
The Trump Administration is committed to enforcing our immigration laws – whether persons are
part of this 'caravan' or not.
If members of the 'caravan' enter the country illegally, they will be referred for
prosecution for illegal entry in accordance with existing law.
For those seeking asylum, all individuals may be detained while their claims are adjudicated
efficiently and expeditiously, and those found not to have a claim will be promptly removed
from the United States.
A Mexican official who oversees migrant affairs
in the state of Baja California told the Desert Sun that his group met with the "caravan
migrants" to provide humanitarian assistance and health services.
He told the reporter he expects three or four more busloads to arrive in his city on Wednesday.
About 50 of the 130 people who arrived on Tuesday were suffering from respiratory infections,
diarrhea, and other medical issues, a health official told the news outlet.
Tristan Call, a volunteer with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, acknowledged the dangers faced
by migrants along their journey.
He said his group provided security for the people who stayed together.
"We have prevented 10, 20, 100 kidnappings with this caravan," Call said in Spanish.
"We don't know how many and we don't want to know how many."
Border Patrol officials told Breitbart Texas on Tuesday that they have yet to see any illegal
border crossings from the caravan in the San Diego, Tucson, and Yuma Sectors.
-------------------------------------------
Will China Cause US-EU Breakup? - Duration: 6:29.
On this episode of China Uncensored,
as trade disputes between China and the US continue,
China looks for more friends.
Welcome back to China Uncensored.
I'm Chris Chappell.
As China and the US edge closer to a full-on trade war,
the Chinese Communist Party is looking to turn
America's allies against it.
And at the top of that list is the European Union.
The EU and the US are China's biggest trading partners.
Many Western countries,
like France and Germany,
have complained about the Chinese Communist Party's
unfair trade practices.
For example, stealing technology and manipulating
Chinese currency to keep exports cheap.
But now trade relations are getting worse.
A few weeks ago President Donald Trump
threatened to impose tariffs
on a total of $150 billion dollars worth of Chinese exports.
It's in response to the Chinese regime's unfair industrial subsidies
and the theft of American intellectual property.
According to the Intellectual Property Commission,
theft of intellectual property costs the US economy
$600 billion dollars a year.
And—surprise, surprise—
China is the biggest culprit.
And that's only the direct impact of IP theft.
If you factor in the long-term impact
of lost future revenue from innovation and jobs,
the loss could be as much as $5 trillion a year,
according to one expert.
Of course, the Chinese Communist Party
doesn't think they're doing anything wrong
by stealing intellectual property.
I mean, the Party literally wrote intellectual property theft
into their latest five-year economic plan.
They're just upset that the chickens
are finally coming home to roost.
So they're retaliating by threatening to implement
their own tariffs on US goods.
And now the Party is upping the ante.
They're trying to drive a wedge between the US and Europe.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the European Union
to "stand up together" against American protectionism
"and uphold the rules-based multilateral order."
I'm sorry, but Chinese Communist Party
wants to "uphold the rules-based multilateral order"?
That's coming from the same regime
that's been accused of violating World Trade Organization rules
41 times in the past 17 years.
And that for years forced foreign companies to share
their technology and profits with local Chinese partners
as a condition of doing business.
And that buys up key assets like seaports in smaller nations,
and then uses economic leverage
to interfere with that country's politics.
So I think what the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
actually meant was,
"Could we all please just uphold the status quo?"
Anyway, last week, Beijing's top trade official,
Fu Ziying, went on a diplomatic charm offensive in Europe.
His goal: to convince long-time US allies
to side with China if there's a trade war with the US.
According to a senior European diplomat
who didn't want to be identified,
the message was that the EU
must "stand together against US protectionism
in favor of free trade."
And another diplomat said that the Chinese official
used "subliminal threats" about bad things
that could happen to foreign companies.
Subliminal threats, huh?
Like how you might want to break down your trade barriers
before Joey over here breaks them for you.
He's gonna increase the size of your trade deficit
if you know what I'm saying.
No wonder those European diplomats
wanted to remain anonymous.
See, this potential trade war with the US
is putting the Chinese Communist Party in a tough spot.
To survive a trade war with the US,
they have to make sure Europe keeps its markets open.
That's according to Yukon Huang,
an expert on China's economy at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace.
But all the attention the Chinese Communist Party
is lavishing on the EU
means that although they talk tough,
Trump's tariff offensive is setting them edge.
China's move "smacks of desperation
because China knows that the EU
is not going to confront its biggest ally"—
which is the United States.
And then, just to drive the point home,
a few days after trade representative
Fu Ziying's European tour wrapped up,
27 out of 28 European Union ambassadors to China
co-signed a report criticizing Xi Jinping's flagship
One Belt One Road Initiative.
One Belt One Road is the trillion dollar infrastructure plan
that builds trade corridors linking China with the rest of the world,
including Europe.
But many denounce the scheme as a way for China
to gain the upper hand in trade and to meddle in other countries.
And EU leaders seem to agree.
The European ambassadors say One Belt One Road
is designed to restrict free trade
and favor Chinese companies.
One German newspaper got hold of the EU ambassadors' signed report.
It supposedly says One Belt One Road
"runs counter to the EU agenda for liberalizing trade
and pushes the balance of power
in favor of subsidized Chinese companies."
Hmmmm.
That makes it a bit harder for the Chinese regime
to claim the high ground of defending free trade.
A senior European diplomat told Reuters the EU
was "not in the business of taking sides" in a trade war,
and that its goal is "to get the multilateral process back on track."
In other words,
get China and the US to work together
and with other countries,
to resolve their dispute through the World Trade Organization.
Ultimately it looks like the EU agrees with the US
that the Chinese regime is not playing by the rules,
but they don't really like how the US is dealing with it.
So, do you think the US and Europe will remain pals?
Or will the Chinese regime manage to drive a wedge between them?
Leave your comments below.
Once again, I'm Chris Chappell.
See you next time.
Find out more about the ways the Chinese Communist Party
tries to gain the upper hand in international relations.
Visit China Uncensored.tv.
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Global donors pledge US$4.4 billion in Syria aid, short of UN needs - Duration: 2:25.
International donors have pledged just under four-and-a-half billion U.S. dollars in humanitarian
aid for Syrians.... affected by the country's civil war.
The amount falls far short of what the United Nations was seeking.
Our Ro Aram has more.
The four-point-four billion U.S. dollars pledged is not the exactly the eight billion the head
of the UN aid agency was looking for.
Mark Lowcock made his plea at a donor conference in Brussels, which was attended by officials
from both the UN and the EU.
He had warned that certain aid programs would have to be cut back if funds weren't forthcoming.
Despite falling well short of the amount hoped for, Lowcock said it was a good start and
thanked the donors.
"I want particularly to thank the EU, Germany and the United Kingdom who've made exceptionally
large pledges today.
I want also to note that beyond 2018, we've had or are expecting during the course of
the day, pledges amounting to some 3.3 billion (b) dollars for 2019 and onwards…"
He also noted that a few other large players, including the United States, have not yet
confirmed their financing for this year due to internal budgetary discussions.
He said the U.S. has been providing more than a billion dollars a year in humanitarian assistance
to Syria and the region over recent years.
However, it remains to be seen if that will continue under the Trump administration, as
there is still some confusion over Washington's position in Syria.
The UN aid agency is in desperate need to raise funds for the dire situation in the
Middle Eastern nation, but has only managed to collect half of the money needed over the
past couple of years.
According to the UN, more than six million people are now internally displaced in Syria,
more than five million have fled the country and 13 million including six million children
are in need of aid.
Meanwhile the conference was also a platform for EU officials to urge for UN-led peace
talks in Geneva to restart.
The previous eight rounds of talks aimed at ending the Syrian war have gained little steam.
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini once again urged Russia and Iran to pressure their
ally Damascus to engage in the negotiations.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.
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