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South China Morning Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's ethnic affairs overseer to take Communist Party helm in Xinjiang
A senior Chinese official with a background in water resources and ethnic affairs has been named as the new Communist Party boss of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region In a one-paragraph announcement on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua said the party's Central Committee 'recently decided' that Chen Xiaojiang would serve as party secretary of Xinjiang. The move might clear the path for Chen, one of the 300 or so members of the Central Committee, to be promoted within the party's hierarchy, given that the Xinjiang party chief traditionally has a seat on the now 24-strong Politburo. Beijing regards the stability of the region – which covers one-sixth of China and is a vital road link to Central Asia and the Middle East – as critical for its international infrastructure push, the Belt and Road Initiative Chen's predecessor, Ma Xingrui , 'will be appointed to another position', according to the announcement. Chen, 63, heads to Xinjiang after a stint as the executive deputy minister of the United Front Work Department. The department is the party organ responsible for relations with non-party groups and individuals inside and outside mainland China, a brief that includes oversight of ethnic affairs and religious organisations within the country.
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
DEA BUSTED!! While Chinese Marijuana Cartels Spread Right Under DEA's Nose, FDA CANNABIS RESEARCH BLOCKED
While Chinese cartels built a marijuana empire across at least six states, MMJ-a Rhode Island-based company with FDA orphan drug status-was left to rot in a bureaucratic black hole engineered by DEA Diversion officials Matthew Strait, Thomas Prevoznik, Anne Milgram and Aarathi Haig. WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / July 1, 2025 / Just nine days after MMJ BioPharma Cultivation publicly exposed the DEA's failure to act on sprawling Chinese-backed illegal marijuana grows , the agency finally made headlines launching raids on massive criminal cannabis operations in Oklahoma tied to Chinese nationals. The bust involved over 40,000 plants, firearms, and cartel-style logistics. But this long-overdue enforcement action raises a disturbing question: Why has the DEA prioritized foreign crime syndicates only after years of silence and why is it still blocking a federally-compliant company like MMJ from advancing FDA authorized medical research? DEA Ignored Foreign Criminal Networks Until Publicly Shamed MMJ BioPharma Cultivation warned of DEA inaction over CCP linked marijuana grows on June 18, 2025. Just nine days later, the DEA moved in Oklahoma raiding what officials described as one of the largest criminal marijuana networks in U.S. history. The target: a Chinese syndicate with ties to the United Front Work Department (UFWD), the CCP's global influence arm. 'DEA had time to delay a law-abiding FDA-regulated company, but no time to shut down transnational farms tied to COMMUNIST CHINESE PARTY front groups . That's not just negligence; it's national security malpractice.' - Duane Boise, CEO, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation While Chinese cartels built a marijuana empire across at least six states, MMJ, a Rhode Island-based company with FDA orphan drug status, was left to rot in a bureaucratic black hole engineered by DEA Diversion officials Matthew Strait , Thomas Prevoznik , Anne Milgram , and Aarathi Haig . Science Stifled, Crime Rewarded For over 2,390 days, MMJ has complied with every federal requirement to grow marijuana for clinical trials targeting Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. But instead of supporting medical innovation, the DEA: Ignored timelines under its own regulations Forced MMJ into unconstitutional ALJ proceedings Withheld a valid Order to Show Cause remedy Allowed foreign criminal groups to operate unimpeded in the meantime Worse, while MMJ was stalled, Strait and Prevoznik were sent to Dubai on taxpayer money to pose as drug policy 'experts.' Supreme Court: DEA's Legal System Was Illegal In a pair of landmark rulings, Axon v. FTC and Jarkesy v. SEC, the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the DEA's in-house judge system unconstitutional. These were the very proceedings used to sabotage MMJ's progress. The Department of Justice has since abandoned the defense of these cases, leaving DEA Diversion leadership exposed for systemic abuse of power. Florida Hemp Stats Show DEA Failure A study by the Florida Department of Agriculture found: 64% of hemp-derived products were actually illegal marijuana 44% contained toxic pesticides DEA enforcement? Zero. Meanwhile, lab-made THC analogs like Delta-8, HHC, and THC-A are sold on every street corner without oversight, while MMJ's tightly controlled FDA pathway remains blocked. DEA Must Now Face the Real Questions With Matthew Strait quietly retiring under a cloud of scandal and Anne Milgram already gone, pressure mounts on Deputy Administrator Thomas Prevoznik, the architect of the cannabis blockade. Incoming DEA Administrator Terrance Cole has a moment of reckoning: Will he fix the agency or protect its worst actors? MMJ and the Path Forward If the DEA truly wants to reclaim its credibility, it must: Immediately approve MMJ's registration Audit Diversion Control Division corruption End all ALJ hearings on cannabis licensing Transfer cannabis oversight to FDA/NIH Prosecute-not promote-DEA staff who obstructed medical research Final Word The DEA's sudden action on Chinese organized crime proves one thing: they can act when the pressure is real. MMJ's warnings, backed by years of compliance and legal action, helped trigger a long-overdue enforcement response. But busting Chinese gangs isn't enough. It's time the DEA stops being the enemy of American science. Until MMJ BioPharma Cultivation gets the registration it lawfully earned, and patients gain access to cannabinoid therapies they desperately need, the DEA's War on Medical Cannabis continues. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan . CONTACT: Madison Hisey [email protected] 203-231-8583 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings press release
South China Morning Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's ethnic affairs chief to take Communist Party helm in Xinjiang
A senior Chinese official with a background in water resources and ethnic affairs has been named as the new Communist Party boss of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region Advertisement In a one-paragraph announcement on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua said the party's Central Committee 'recently decided' that Chen Xiaojiang would serve as party secretary of Xinjiang. The move might clear the path for Chen, one of the 300 or so members of the Central Committee, to be promoted within the party's hierarchy, given that the Xinjiang party chief traditionally has a seat on the now 24-strong Politburo. Beijing regards the stability of the region – which covers one-sixth of China and is a vital road link to Central Asia and the Middle East – as critical for its international infrastructure push, the Belt and Road Initiative Chen's predecessor, Ma Xingrui , 'will be appointed to another position', according to the announcement. Advertisement Chen, 63, heads to Xinjiang after a stint as the executive deputy minister of the United Front Work Department. The department is the party organ responsible for relations with non-party groups and individuals inside and outside mainland China, a brief that includes oversight of ethnic affairs and religious organisations within the country.
AsiaOne
01-07-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
China appoints ethnic affairs head as Xinjiang Communist Party chief
BEIJING — China's ruling Communist Party has appointed the head of an ethnic affairs panel as its new party secretary in the vast northwestern region of Xinjiang, the official news agency Xinhua said on Tuesday (July 1). Chen Xiaojiang has also held a vice ministerial role since 2020 in the party's United Front Work Department, his profile on China's Wikipedia equivalent, Baidu's Baike, shows. The department runs influence operations related to ethnic minorities, religious groups and on the Taiwan issue at home and abroad. In 2020, he also became the first individual with an ethnic Han majority background to be appointed director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission since it was re-established in 1978, the Caixin business outlet said. Xinhua did not say when Chen will officially take up the role. In 2022, the United Nations reported finding "serious human rights violations" against mainly Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang under China's national security and counter-terrorism policies, as well as forced labour accusations. China has repeatedly countered that the rights of all ethnic groups in the region were protected, while denying forced labour. It has dismissed the report as "groundless" and a part of the West's attempts to contain China. [[nid:719579]]
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Prince Andrew and the Chinese millionaire with Communist Party links
A wealthy businessman who has been pictured with Prince Andrew has links to a Chinese government department accused of being a front for spying. Chu Ting Tang, a lobbyist who runs annual Chinese New Year celebrations in Trafalgar Square, was made an OBE in 2021. He was invited to Downing Street on numerous occasions and met senior government officials and members of the royal family. It can now be revealed that he holds a senior position in an organisation run by the United Front Work Department (UFWD), a vast global Chinese foreign influence body accused of espionage. Mr Tang, 71, runs the London Chinatown Chinese Association and has used his influence to campaign for the Conservative Party in London mayoral elections, push for policy change, and promote Beijing's crackdown in Hong Kong. He met Prince Andrew, King Charles, when he was still the Prince of Wales, and Sadiq Khan. He was pictured visiting Downing Street for Chinese New Year several times between 2017 and 2020, with prime ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Mr Tang was awarded an OBE for 'services to Chinese people in Chinatown, Westminster, London' four years ago. But despite his high profile, there are no public references to his ties to the Chinese Communist Party. His links to the UFWD are likely to ring alarm bells in Government and espionage circles, particularly after an alleged Chinese spy who worked with Prince Andrew was also linked to the organisation. New legislation comes into force on Tuesday to make lobbyists linked to foreign governments join a Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. Failing to register and properly disclose such activities could lead to a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine. Concerns about Mr Tang's links have been raised by UK-China Transparency, an investigative research group. Mr Tang is linked to a string of Chinese restaurants including in the heart of Chinatown, where the Chinese embassy holds its off-site events and meetings with UK defence officials. Senior defence sources in the UK expressed concerns one of the restaurants could be surveilled and bugged. Mr Tang is thought to have a large property investment portfolio, and UK-China Transparency estimates he is a millionaire. He has a record of lobbying Parliament, and has organised and led rallies in the UK on controversial issues. He demonstrated support of Beijing's illegal extra-territorial claims in the South China Sea, rallied against pro-democracy protests that roiled Hong Kong in 2019, promoted 'reunification' with Taiwan, potentially by force, and campaigned against home office raids on Chinatown. He also campaigned on behalf of Sean Bailey, the former Conservative candidate for London mayor. During Chinese New Year celebrations was pictured with current London mayor Sadiq Khan, as well as Prince Andrew. In 2019, Mr Tang was appointed vice-president of the Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, which falls under the control of the UFWD. He was seen shaking hands with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, at the event. A report by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said the UFWD was 'one of the most important departments of the Chinese Communist Party' in 2023. MI5 was forced to issue an infiltration alert in 2022 about a suspected Chinese spy named Christine Lee, saying she had 'knowingly engaged in political interference and activities on behalf of the UFWD of the Chinese Communist Party'. Ms Lee denies accusations of spying. The UFWD has been described by Mr Xi himself as China's 'magic weapon' it can quietly leverage, for example to shape a host nation's policies to be favourable to Beijing. Hong Kong dissidents who live in Britain, including Nathan Law, have complained that Mr Tang – often touted as a 'representative' of the British-Chinese community – does not, in fact, represent their interests. The Chinese government has sought to silence dissidents like Mr Law and other prominent pro-democracy activists. It even placed a £100,000 bounty on his head. Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has expressed interest in improving relations with Beijing – challenging China on certain issues but trying to engage in other areas, particularly trade. He has been criticised by some British politicians for not being tough enough on China. Sir Keir was the first UK prime minister to meet his counterpart, Mr Xi, in more than six years, last November at the G20 meeting in Brazil. The last such meeting was with Theresa May in 2018. Sam Dunning, the director of UK-China Transparency, said the government rules should be clearer on Chinese influence. He said: 'In well over 100 pages of government guidance for the scheme there is not one mention of China or the Chinese Communist Party. 'This is a piece of domestic legislation, but there is reason to suspect it has been influenced by diplomatic concerns.' When contacted by The Telegraph on Monday, Mr Tang refused to comment on his links with the Chinese Communist Party.
