Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong charged under Beijing-imposed security law for second time
HONG KONG — Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong on Friday was charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under a Beijing-imposed law that critics say has crushed Hong Kong's once-thriving pro-democracy movement.
The prosecution was the second time Wong has been charged under the sweeping national security law. He was already convicted in a separate subversion case linked to an unofficial primary election and is serving a sentence of four years and eight months.
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Forbes
36 minutes ago
- Forbes
AI Export Shakeup: Strategic Imperatives For The C-Suite
Claudio Saes is a partner and telecom practice leader at Bell Labs Consulting, a group of the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. In today's ever-changing technology landscape, regulatory shifts can alter competitive dynamics nearly overnight. On May 13, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce rescinded the Biden-era rule for AI diffusion. This export-control policy was designed to impose tiered restrictions on advanced AI chip exports. This policy reversal is set to reshape global AI markets, diplomatic relations and security strategies. As a result, corporate leaders will need to reassess their strategic priorities and risk profiles in real time. From Tiered Control To Targeted Agreements In early January, former President Biden introduced a framework for AI diffusion, classifying countries into three tiers: Tier 1 was most permissive for countries such as Japan, South Korea and Canada; Tier 2 imposed moderate restriction on countries such as Mexico, Brazil and India; and Tier 3 was most restrictive on countries such as China, Russia and Iran. The goal was "to keep advanced computing power in the United States and among its allies while finding more ways to block China's access," per Reuters. The Trump administration is moving away from a broad embargo and appears to be exploring customized bilateral agreements. The New York Times reported that the administration seems to be "interested in using A.I. chips to secure strategic bonds" in the Middle East. If this comes to fruition, this shift could signal a transition to a more streamlined, deal-oriented approach. While it could reduce bureaucratic complications and speed up market entry timelines for hardware vendors, it also introduces some uncertainty. Corporate executives will need to monitor diplomatic negotiations closely, as export privileges may depend on changing agreements between countries rather than fixed, published rules. Revenue Upside And Market Access Chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD now benefit from renewed access to restricted markets. Previous regulations limited exports to Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries, which some said risked the diversion of buyers to non-U.S. suppliers. With these controls rescinded, U.S. firms can gain market share in rapidly digitizing regions like Latin America and Southeast Asia, as well as access the largest AI markets in China and India. Stock markets responded swiftly: Nvidia's share price climbed by 3% on the day of the announcement, reflecting investor confidence in broader global sales prospects. For C-level leaders at technology companies, the challenge now is to recalibrate sales forecasts, re-engage international channels and scale production—while remaining vigilant to potential licensing requirements that might arise under the new bilateral framework. Accelerating Innovation Without Overheating By removing the specter of near-term export limits, we may see a fresh wave of research and development (R&D) investment and product development. Without the looming compliance deadlines and complexity of the tiered structure, engineering teams can focus on performance, integration and customer customization rather than regulatory paperwork. With fewer regulations in place, I believe the speed of AI advancement could surpass companies' ability to properly evaluate and secure their deployments. Corporate strategists need to consider the benefits of innovation against the risks of "overheating" in both market demand and technological development. It is essential to ensure that the rapid rollout of AI technology does not outstrip workforce readiness, graphics or tensor processing units and chipset availability. Diplomatic Ripples And Alliance Management The original tiered system received some pushback from U.S. partners who were assigned to more restrictive categories. By reversing these downgrades, the administration may reduce some political tensions and strengthen certain economic ties; however, not all allies may agree. It's possible that some could push for stricter controls and demand additional safeguards or specific clauses in bilateral agreements. Top executives should keep communication open with government affairs teams to anticipate objections from allies that could result in export vetoes or similar regulations. National Security And Supply Chain Vigilance The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace warned that lifting broad export caps without any type of replacement could result in offshoring AI development in countries that "offer generous subsidies, flexible regulations, and lower wages—but that do not share U.S. interests or values." This could, in turn, allow adversarial states to transform "intelligence and surveillance capabilities," develop "strategically significant weapons" and create "new cyber threats." As a result, corporate risk officers need to intensify supply chain diligence. It's crucial to screen partners and distributors for compliance with temporary licensing regimes, use AI analytics to identify unusual procurement patterns and strengthen internal controls to prevent unauthorized re-exports. Embracing Regulatory Uncertainty The policy reversal has created uncertainty regarding the replacement system. Companies now face a dilemma: Invest in capacity expansion, risking retroactive constraints or wait and potentially lose a first-mover advantage. To address this uncertainty, boards should form cross-functional teams of leaders from legal, finance, sales and R&D to explore different scenarios and develop contingency plans. Flexible contracts with suppliers, tiered hiring strategies and modular manufacturing can help businesses quickly adapt as new regulations emerge. Strategic Imperatives For The C-Suite 1. Reassess go-to-market plans. Update international sales and marketing road maps to capitalize on reopened markets while mapping out potential restrictions under forthcoming bilateral agreements. 2. Strengthen government engagement. Forge closer ties with trade negotiators and regulatory bodies to influence and anticipate the shape of replacement rules. 3. Elevate security posture. Boost supply-chain transparency and compliance monitoring, and consider using AI tools to flag suspicious orders or partner behaviors. 4. Build adaptive operations. Design production and hiring plans with elasticity, so capacity can ramp up or down in response to regulatory fluctuations. Looking Ahead The rescission of the AI diffusion rules marks a crucial shift in U.S. technology policy. The Trump administration said this move was intended to boost American innovation and global competitiveness, but this also raises national security questions and regulatory uncertainty. Executives need to act quickly to seize market opportunities while implementing careful risk management and adaptable strategies for future policy changes. Companies that achieve this balance can thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape of competitive AI innovation. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
China is quietly supplanting Russia as Cuba's main benefactor
By Dave Sherwood JATIBONICO, Cuba (Reuters) -Hours over rutted roads inland from Havana, the small Cuban city of Jatibonico is a snapshot of late 19th-century living, its streets crowded with horse-drawn carriages and lacking power much of the day and night. The town's decrepit sugar mill - once the country's largest - sits idle, lacking the parts, electricity, and fuel it needs to operate. Two years ago a Russian company, Progress Agro, announced it would import machinery, fertilizer, and know-how to revitalize the mill, which once employed 2,000 people. "When are the (Russians) coming? That's all anybody talks about," said Carlos Tirado Pino, 58, a mill maintenance worker among the few to retain his post. Meanwhile, just outside town and out of sight, three bulldozers clear an abandoned cane field to prepare for the installation of a Chinese-financed solar park that will deliver 21 MW of electricity - one of 55 similarly sized such solar parks underwritten by China across Cuba this year. Cuba is in desperate need of help. Shortages of food, fuel and medicine, grueling hours-long blackouts and plunging tourism and exports - combined with renewed U.S. sanctions under the second Trump administration - have devastated its economy. A Reuters review of various sites on the ground suggests that where many of Russia's most recent promises have fizzled, China has discreetly stepped up to fill the void, pushing ahead with a number of critically-timed projects aimed at helping Cuba salvage its economy. Cuba joined China's Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, and China has since invested in several strategic infrastructure projects on the island, including major projects in transportation, port infrastructure and telecoms, while Russia, mired in a war in Ukraine and leery of lending more money to crisis-racked Cuba, has faded as a historic partner. "Russia's promises have always been bigger than its performance," said William LeoGrande, a professor of Latin American politics at American University. "If China is now stepping up its assistance in light of Cuba's desperate conditions, that could prove to be a real lifeline." Neither the Russian nor Chinese embassies in Havana responded to a request for comment. CHINA DELIVERS The solar park project positions China as a pivotal partner for Cuba at a time of nearly unprecedented crisis: the country's national grid has collapsed four times in the past year alone, leaving millions in the dark and shuttering schools and businesses. On February 21, Cuba inaugurated a solar park in Cotorro, outside the capital, in a ceremony that included China's ambassador to Havana, Hua Xin and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who lauded the project in a statement as a "collaboration from our sister Republic China." The fine print of the agreements between Russia and China and longtime ally Cuba remain largely confidential, making it difficult to discern how either country operates in Cuba, through private companies or via public financing and how the Cuban government might be repaying them. Since then, at least another eight have come online, according to grid operator UNE, churning out nearly 400 MW of sun-fueled energy together with existing parks - about a third of the mid-day deficit. New Chinese-funded projects alone are expected to push that figure over 1,100 MW by the end of the year, according to official estimates, nearly covering the daytime shortfall and saving Cuba precious fuel to burn at night. Officials at the February event announced China was participating in a project to modernize Cuba's entire electrical grid, with 55 solar parks to be built in 2025, and another 37 by 2028, for a total of 2,000 MW - a massive undertaking that, when complete, would represent nearly two-thirds of present-day demand. The port of Mariel - Cuba's main shipping center just west of Havana - saw traffic from China begin to tick up in August of 2024, according to shipping data and two foreign businessmen who declined to give their names for this story. Ships arriving last year from Shanghai, Tianjin and other prominent Chinese ports carried solar panels, steel, tools and parts. The "kits" came complete with fuel for overland transport to assure the panels would make it to their destinations, the sources said. The arrival of Chinese ships is being felt across the Cuban countryside, as tractor trailers with Chinese markings rumble across pot-holed roads to reach far-flung destinations like Jatibonico. Truck driver Noel Gonzalez, who on a recent morning delivered a load of gravel fill to the solar park site on the city's outskirts, said he was both amazed and grateful for the Chinese diligence. "The Chinese (workers) come and periodically check every liter of petroleum, every route we take," Gonzalez said. Fulton Armstrong, a former U.S. National Intelligence Officer for Latin America, called China's investments a "big benefit" but warned they won't be enough to overcome the Trump administration's renewed sanctions on the island. 'Havana can't bank on either Russia or China coming in with magic pills," he said. "Only massive amounts of Chinese trade and assistance could pull the island through – and that just doesn't seem plausible." China's strategic investments in Cuba coincide with U.S. accusations that China is installing 'spy bases' on the nearby Caribbean Island, though Cuba and China have denied the allegations. RUSSIAN ROULETTE Two years ago, as Cuba's economy was still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. sanctions, Russia too was ready to lend a hand. In May 2023, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko arrived in Cuba for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the reopening of the island's largest steel mill, a project made possible thanks to $100 million in Russian financing, Cuban state-run media reported. Chernyshenko called the mill's reopening a "fine example of Russian-Cuban cooperation." The mill's plant director, Reinier Guillén, promised output of steel bars from the facility would soar to 62,000 metric tons in 2024. But Russia's investment did not translate into production. Cuba's statistics agency ONEI reported in April that the island had churned out just 4,200 metric tons of steel bars in 2024. On a recent weekday morning, the mill was quiet. A prominent smoke stack was idle, and no activity could be seen within the plant. Esperanza Perez, a lifelong local resident who works at a small bakery in a ramshackle development of shanties and crudely-built homes, many without electricity or water, said the mill had sat idle for months. "Talk is cheap. When (the mill) is running, we hear the noise, see the workers, but I haven't seen any sign that it is operating," said the 37-year-old Perez. "We've seen no benefits here." Cuba's government did not reply to a request for comment on the discrepancy in output. But fuel and electricity generation shortages have affected industry across the island, crippling production. The day after the ribbon-cutting at the steel mill, Chernyshenko appeared with Diaz-Canel to sign at least eight agreements between Cuban state agencies and Russian state and private companies, according to a document obtained by Reuters summarizing those deals. The wide-ranging agreements included a deal to guarantee Cuba a supply of wheat for bread making, the opening of a well-stocked "Rusmarket" in Havana, the restoration of historic architecture in the capital's historic district and cooperation in artificial intelligence. There was even a bold plan to rebuild the crumbling Tarara residential beach community, whose coveted white sands and palm-fringed waterfront just minutes from Havana have been largely off-limits to foreign capital since 1959. But on a recent visit, most of the homes at Tarara appeared abandoned or in disrepair, with only a small number near the beach refurbished and no sign of Russian investment. At the community marina, a single boat, its bottom covered with slime, swayed at the dock, the harbor's entrance blocked by sediments and its waters stagnant. Plans to open the Rusmarket - initially celebrated as a foot in the door for Russian vendors and products - have been delayed for two years. The nearby Yumuri department store, where Russian investors planned to open a bigger shop in June or July stocked with everything from Russian auto parts to canned trout and children's toys, also appeared largely abandoned. A Russian agreement to restore the 19th century Santo Angel building in Havana's historic Plaza Vieja, in a nod to Cuba's rich architectural history, also appeared stalled. Reuters was unable to make contact with CGC Investments, the Russian firm that had inked many of the 2023 deals. Neither the Russian embassy nor its Foreign Ministry responded to a request for comment. To be sure, some of Russia's promised aid has come through. Russian state-backed companies have supplied cargos by sea of both wheat and oil to the island. And Russia, like China, has promoted tourism to the island, offering a bump in foreign visitors and much-needed foreign exchange. In May, two years after the 2023 flurry of announcements, Russia's Chernyshenko announced a plan to subsidize interest rates for businesses interested in investing as much as $1 billion on the island, calling Cuba a "reliable partner." "There's still a lot of hard work to be done, we'll advance little by little,' Chernyshenko told reporters in Moscow, adding that "it is impossible to achieve things immediately, as if by magic.'
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Philippines says military leaders working to set-up 'one-theatre' approach in East, South China seas
MANILA (Reuters) -Military leaders are working to enforce a "one-theatre" concept in both the East and South China seas, the Philippines' defence minister said on Monday, adding that the Southeast Asian country faces threats in disputed waters that are similar to Japan's. Japanese newspaper Asahi reported in April that Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani made a proposal to U.S. Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth to consider the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas as a single "theatre", referring to a military area of operation. Gilberto Teodoro, the Philippines' Secretary of National Defense, said it was "reasonable" to treat both the East and South China seas as a single area of operation, saying both are maritime areas with no land borders involved. However, he said the area should exclude the Korean Peninsula. "That will involve synergy in operations, synergy in domain awareness, in intelligence exchange, and in mutually reinforcing our strengths to work doubly real-time," he said at a briefing during the visit of his Lithuanian counterpart Dovile Sakaliene. Japan and China have repeatedly faced off over uninhabited Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea that Tokyo calls the Senkaku and Beijing calls the Diaoyu. The Philippines and China, meanwhile, have clashed frequently in the South China Sea around disputed shoals and atolls that fall inside Manila's exclusive economic zone. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Japan's Joint Operations Command is operationalising the single-theatre concept, and the "Squad" grouping that includes the defense ministers of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States will establish a coordinating centre in December to enforce it, Teodoro said. "So it is already an operating concept. It does not need any other agreement," Teodoro said. Japan and the Philippines last year signed a military agreement that could allow their soldiers on each other's soil. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has extended its arc of alliances beyond the United States, its traditional ally, signing defence deals with Japan and New Zealand, and negotiating for similar agreements with Canada and France. On Monday, the Philippines and Lithuania signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen defence cooperation in areas like cyber security, maritime security and munitions production. "The interesting thing is that we're facing absolutely similar threats and our hostile neighbours are using absolutely similar approach," Lithuanian defence minister Dovile Sakaliene said in the joint briefing with Teodoro.
