CIA: COVID-19 PROBABLY LEAKED FROM WUHAN LAB
The Central Intelligence Agency has joined the FBI and Department of Energy in concluding that the coronavirus pandemic originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. "CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting," an official agency statement lays out. Bill Burns, who led the agency during the Biden administration, had told the CIA team assessing the evidence to take a position on Covid-19's origin, but did not say which one. New CIA director John Ratcliffe, however, has said he believes that intelligence and common sense "dictates that the origins of Covid was a leak." (NBC, January 25, 2025)
IRANIAN CARGO SHIPS TRANSPORT MISSILE PROPELLANT FROM CHINA
Two Iranian-flagged cargo vessels carrying more than 1,000 metric tons of sodium perchlorate – a chemical ingredient for solid propellant for missiles – are sailing from China to Iran. The shipment, which is intended for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, will produce 1,300 metric tons of propellant, enough to fuel 260 mid-range Iranian missiles. One ship, the Golbon, was loaded with 34 twenty-foot containers of the chemical at Taicang port north of Shanghai, and recently departed from Daishan, Zhejiang. The other ship, the Jairan, is expected to leave for Iran early next month with another 22 containers. Both will make the three-week voyage without port calls. (Financial Times, January 22, 2025)
PHILIPPINE AUTHORITIES SEIZE SPY CAR, ARRESTS PRC AGENTS
Philippine authorities have arrested a PRC national with the surname Deng and his two Filipino accomplices for espionage after the trio was caught with intelligence on military installations collected by their vehicle. Between mid-December and mid-January, Deng traversed Luzon Island in his car, collecting detailed imaging data. The two others admitted to working as Deng's assistant and driver, respectively, taking him to police and military headquarters, government offices and power plants. Philippine authorities arrested Deng, a software engineer with PLA connections, while in the act of operating surveillance equipment from his car in Makati City, Manila. Deng and his accomplices tried to flee and hide the equipment, but officers arrested them and discovered "comprising topographic footage mapping the critical infrastructures of the Philippines." Three other Chinese suspects, two unnamed hardware engineers and a financier, are believed to be in China. (Newsweek, January 21, 2025)
"THE U.S. DOES NOT SUPPORT TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE" – RUBIO
During a call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that: "The U.S. does not support Taiwan independence and hopes that the Taiwan issue will be peacefully resolved in a way accepted by both sides of the Taiwan Strait." Rubio "stressed the U.S. commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China's coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea." The new Secretary of State also held a call with Vietnam's Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh Son, during which they "discussed regional concerns to include China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea." (South China Morning Post, January 25, 2025)
CHINA AFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR THE WHO AND PARIS CLIMATE DEAL
China has vowed to continue participating in the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord in response to President Donald Trump's decision, made shortly after his swearing-in, to withdraw the U.S. from both. "China will, as always, support the WHO in fulfilling its responsibilities and work towards building a shared community of health for humanity," a PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman said. He added that Trump's order to reinstate Cuba on a list of state sponsors of terrorism reveals the "hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying face of the United States." (Agence France Presse, January 21, 2025)
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