January 5, 2025 • 8 mins
An update on China’s new viral outbreak & we discuss US-China hacking
China Update provides listeners with the most up to date political, economic, and geostrategic analysis on China - so that you are on top of the world's number 2 economy. These podcasts are based on hundreds of articles, think tank reports, government statements and other resources in English and Chinese every week. The views and analysis are all my own and I produce the podcasts.
My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chinaupdate
Disclaimer: China Update is not a financial advisory channel. While I take great care in researching everything discussed in these podcasts, nothing I say should be taken as investment advice. Please speak to a professional before making any investment decisions. #China
China Update provides listeners with the most up to date political, economic, and geostrategic analysis on China - so that you are on top of the world's number 2 economy. These podcasts are based on hundreds of articles, think tank reports, government statements and other resources in English and Chinese every week. The views and analysis are all my own and I produce the podcasts.
My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chinaupdate
Disclaimer: China Update is not a financial advisory channel. While I take great care in researching everything discussed in these podcasts, nothing I say should be taken as investment advice. Please speak to a professional before making any investment decisions. #China
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hope you Sunday everybody. Welcome to another episode of China Update,
where I provide you with the most up to date political, economic,
and geostrategic analysis on the world's number two economy. My
name is Tony. Let's jump in. We normally have Sundays off,
but there is so much to cover that I'm making
this extra video today. A recent new viral outbreak in
China of HMPV has sparked global concern, with neighboring countries,
(00:23):
especially India, closely monitoring its spread. Yesterday, we discussed the
concerning reports that China is seeing an explosion of new
viral cases, as well as unconfirmed reports that some hospitals
are overwhelmed and that crematoriums and funeral homes are struggling
to cope with increased demand. At this point, there is
a lot of speculation, and with memories of COVID fresh
(00:45):
in our minds, it's an environment rife for sensationalism and
jumping prematurely to conclusions. Even many of the videos which
are being circulated online are difficult to verify. They could
be from this week, or they could be from when
China abandoned zero COVID at the end of twenty twenty
two in the beginning of twenty twenty three, we cannot
be sure. Due to the opaque nature of China's system
(01:08):
and the sensitivity of all this, we are quite blind
on the ground as well. We do not know whether
this is the beginning of a new outbreak or simply
just the winter flu season. Now. I've visited several hospitals
here in Central China over the last twenty four hours.
While they are busy, I would not describe them as
being overwhelmed. I also spoke to three contacts in Northern China,
(01:28):
two doctors and one surgeon in a military hospital, so
three separate hospitals between the three of them. All three
said that they've seen a jump in patients with flu symptoms,
but they wouldn't characterize the situation as overwhelming. Now, these
are just anecdotal data points and as such cannot be representative.
I'm just sharing them here for some context. Should we
be worried, well, several countries are watching the situation very closely,
(01:50):
so we should take the situation seriously, But there is
currently not enough verified evidence to suggest we need to
worry at this point. Indeed, while the Internet seems to
be on the two extremes of one it's a new pandemic,
or two it's a fake news siop. The best way
for I would humbly submit is to cautiously follow the space,
which is what we will do here on China update.
(02:12):
Chinac courred and likely is simply experiencing an especially nasty
winter flu season, not uncommon and not surprising considering the
large number of folks with weak natural immunity caused by
years of zero covid isolation. Or we could be witnessing
something much more serious and concerning. For now, we take
a cautionary weight in se approach. We note what is
(02:34):
being reported, but we take it with a big grain
of salt. What do we know? HMPV is a respiratory
virus causing upper and lower respiratory infection, similar to a
cold or flu. It is a seasonal virus often seen
in winter in early spring, much like RSV, first identified
in two thousand and one. Evidence suggests its presence since
(02:57):
at least nineteen fifty eight. Mvpv U several characteristics with
SARS COVID two virus. Both viruses affect people of all ages,
but pose a high risk to children, the elderly, and
those with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms include cough, fever,
nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, mirroring COVID nineteen symptoms,
(03:19):
and both spread through respiratory droplets, close contact, and touching
contaminated surfaces. Currently, there is no vaccine for HMPV. Its
prevention focuses on hygiene practices, including hand washing and avoiding
contact with infected individuals. While HMPV is not new, its
resurgence underscores the need for vigilance, especially during peak seasons.
(03:40):
Experts stress that understanding and monitoring such viruses is critical
to preventing future health crises. China's Foreign Ministry and state
media today have both come out and said that this
is all the country is dealing with, that they're seeing
higher than usual levels of flu the season, and that
everything is under control. Of course, much of the world
will not to take Beijing's word at face value like this.
We will continue to follow this space very carefully. Meanwhile,
(04:04):
and on this theme, just this week, the World Health
Organization called on China to share crucial data to help
uncover the origins of COVID nineteen. Five years after the
virus first emerged in Uhuan. On December thirty one, twenty nineteen,
WHO China's office reported a cluster of viral pneumonia cases
in Uhuan, leading to the city's lockdown weeks later. By then,
(04:27):
the virus had already spread globally, triggering a pandemic that
claimed millions of lives. While the world has moved on
from pandemic restrictions, the origins of the virus remain unclear.
Ferries range from a natural animal spillover at Uhan's wet
market to a lab leak, a hypothesis once dismissed but
now considered plausible by some researchers. Indeed, last month, a
(04:49):
US congressional report concluded that this was the likely explanation. However,
China's reluctance to provide transparent access to all data has
hampered investigations. A statement this week, the WHO express quote,
we continue to call on China to share data and
access so we can understand the origins of COVID nineteen
end quote, labeling this effort a quote moral and scientific
(05:13):
imperative in quote. China has defended its actions with Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Molding asserting that the country has made significant
contributions to global research. However, WHO officials have criticized China's
limited data sharing, deeming it quote inexcusable end quote. Okay,
that is part one down. Next up, we move to
(05:34):
US China relations. But just quickly, if you're getting some
value from today's episode of China Update, don't forget the like,
bututon liking, sharing, and subscribing as a tremendous help of
the channel. The only way to see the channel grow
is to keep the algorithm happy. Patreon and buy Mere
Coffee links are also in the description below for those
who want to help keep the channel financially sustainable. I
rely primarily on your support subscriber support to keep going,
(05:57):
so this is a big help too. Next up, a
growing numberumber of U. S. Government agencies, political figures, and
critical service providers have reportedly fallen victim to Chinese state
sponsored cyber attacks, highlighting a persistent and escalating threat for Washington.
The latest breach disclosed by the U. S. Treasury Department
involved Chinese hackers exploiting a third party provider to access
(06:18):
unclassified documents, marking another alarming incident in a series of
high profile attacks. Cybersecurity experts have reportedly flagged to China
as the most active and persistent cyber threat to the
U S Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks. While Russia,
after Garner's attention for its disruptive cyber attacks, experts like
(06:40):
Adam Segel of the Council of Foreign Relations warned that
China poses a longer term threat due to its technological
sophistication and expansive operations. China denies the accusations, with its
Foreign Ministry labelling them as politically motivated disinformation. However, U
S officials have ramped up criticism citing a widening scope
of Chinese cyber activity. Recent revelations include a spying campaign
(07:03):
targeting major telecommunications firms like AT and T and Verizon,
which compromise communications involving prominent political figures including Donald Trump,
Kamala Harris, and JD. Vance. China's cyber operations have evolved
significantly over the past decade, shifting from sealing vast troves
of personal data such as the Office of Personnel Management HACK,
(07:25):
to targeting critical infrastructure and LUs suggests that these breaches
aim to position China for disruptive attacks during crises or
conflicts with the US. The country's growing capabilities are bolstered
by an extensive talent pipeline and investments in world class
cybersecurity education. As Decoda carry of Sentinel I explains, China
(07:47):
now has many more hackers, allowing the state to carry
out more attacks against a wider array of targets. Experts
caution that many cyber intrusions remain undetected in US, such
as finance, energy, and water are particularly vulnerable, with malicious
code often laying dormant, ready for activation in the event
(08:08):
of geopolitical tensions. The escalating cyber arms race underscores the
urgency of strengthening defenses on both sides of the Pacific. Okay,
that is today's episode of China Update. Thank you so
much everybody for watching. Have a good weekend, have a
RESTful Sunday, and I will see you all tomorrow.
Hope you Sunday everybody. Welcome to another episode of China Update,
where I provide you with the most up to date political, economic,
and geostrategic analysis on the world's number two economy. My
name is Tony. Let's jump in. We normally have Sundays off,
but there is so much to cover that I'm making
this extra video today. A recent new viral outbreak in
China of HMPV has sparked global concern, with neighboring countries,
(00:23):
especially India, closely monitoring its spread. Yesterday, we discussed the
concerning reports that China is seeing an explosion of new
viral cases, as well as unconfirmed reports that some hospitals
are overwhelmed and that crematoriums and funeral homes are struggling
to cope with increased demand. At this point, there is
a lot of speculation, and with memories of COVID fresh
(00:45):
in our minds, it's an environment rife for sensationalism and
jumping prematurely to conclusions. Even many of the videos which
are being circulated online are difficult to verify. They could
be from this week, or they could be from when
China abandoned zero COVID at the end of twenty twenty
two in the beginning of twenty twenty three, we cannot
be sure. Due to the opaque nature of China's system
(01:08):
and the sensitivity of all this, we are quite blind
on the ground as well. We do not know whether
this is the beginning of a new outbreak or simply
just the winter flu season. Now. I've visited several hospitals
here in Central China over the last twenty four hours.
While they are busy, I would not describe them as
being overwhelmed. I also spoke to three contacts in Northern China,
(01:28):
two doctors and one surgeon in a military hospital, so
three separate hospitals between the three of them. All three
said that they've seen a jump in patients with flu symptoms,
but they wouldn't characterize the situation as overwhelming. Now, these
are just anecdotal data points and as such cannot be representative.
I'm just sharing them here for some context. Should we
be worried, well, several countries are watching the situation very closely,
(01:50):
so we should take the situation seriously, But there is
currently not enough verified evidence to suggest we need to
worry at this point. Indeed, while the Internet seems to
be on the two extremes of one it's a new pandemic,
or two it's a fake news siop. The best way
for I would humbly submit is to cautiously follow the space,
which is what we will do here on China update.
(02:12):
Chinac courred and likely is simply experiencing an especially nasty
winter flu season, not uncommon and not surprising considering the
large number of folks with weak natural immunity caused by
years of zero covid isolation. Or we could be witnessing
something much more serious and concerning. For now, we take
a cautionary weight in se approach. We note what is
(02:34):
being reported, but we take it with a big grain
of salt. What do we know? HMPV is a respiratory
virus causing upper and lower respiratory infection, similar to a
cold or flu. It is a seasonal virus often seen
in winter in early spring, much like RSV, first identified
in two thousand and one. Evidence suggests its presence since
(02:57):
at least nineteen fifty eight. Mvpv U several characteristics with
SARS COVID two virus. Both viruses affect people of all ages,
but pose a high risk to children, the elderly, and
those with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms include cough, fever,
nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, mirroring COVID nineteen symptoms,
(03:19):
and both spread through respiratory droplets, close contact, and touching
contaminated surfaces. Currently, there is no vaccine for HMPV. Its
prevention focuses on hygiene practices, including hand washing and avoiding
contact with infected individuals. While HMPV is not new, its
resurgence underscores the need for vigilance, especially during peak seasons.
(03:40):
Experts stress that understanding and monitoring such viruses is critical
to preventing future health crises. China's Foreign Ministry and state
media today have both come out and said that this
is all the country is dealing with, that they're seeing
higher than usual levels of flu the season, and that
everything is under control. Of course, much of the world
will not to take Beijing's word at face value like this.
We will continue to follow this space very carefully. Meanwhile,
(04:04):
and on this theme, just this week, the World Health
Organization called on China to share crucial data to help
uncover the origins of COVID nineteen. Five years after the
virus first emerged in Uhuan. On December thirty one, twenty nineteen,
WHO China's office reported a cluster of viral pneumonia cases
in Uhuan, leading to the city's lockdown weeks later. By then,
(04:27):
the virus had already spread globally, triggering a pandemic that
claimed millions of lives. While the world has moved on
from pandemic restrictions, the origins of the virus remain unclear.
Ferries range from a natural animal spillover at Uhan's wet
market to a lab leak, a hypothesis once dismissed but
now considered plausible by some researchers. Indeed, last month, a
(04:49):
US congressional report concluded that this was the likely explanation. However,
China's reluctance to provide transparent access to all data has
hampered investigations. A statement this week, the WHO express quote,
we continue to call on China to share data and
access so we can understand the origins of COVID nineteen
end quote, labeling this effort a quote moral and scientific
(05:13):
imperative in quote. China has defended its actions with Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Molding asserting that the country has made significant
contributions to global research. However, WHO officials have criticized China's
limited data sharing, deeming it quote inexcusable end quote. Okay,
that is part one down. Next up, we move to
(05:34):
US China relations. But just quickly, if you're getting some
value from today's episode of China Update, don't forget the like,
bututon liking, sharing, and subscribing as a tremendous help of
the channel. The only way to see the channel grow
is to keep the algorithm happy. Patreon and buy Mere
Coffee links are also in the description below for those
who want to help keep the channel financially sustainable. I
rely primarily on your support subscriber support to keep going,
(05:57):
so this is a big help too. Next up, a
growing numberumber of U. S. Government agencies, political figures, and
critical service providers have reportedly fallen victim to Chinese state
sponsored cyber attacks, highlighting a persistent and escalating threat for Washington.
The latest breach disclosed by the U. S. Treasury Department
involved Chinese hackers exploiting a third party provider to access
(06:18):
unclassified documents, marking another alarming incident in a series of
high profile attacks. Cybersecurity experts have reportedly flagged to China
as the most active and persistent cyber threat to the
U S Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks. While Russia,
after Garner's attention for its disruptive cyber attacks, experts like
(06:40):
Adam Segel of the Council of Foreign Relations warned that
China poses a longer term threat due to its technological
sophistication and expansive operations. China denies the accusations, with its
Foreign Ministry labelling them as politically motivated disinformation. However, U
S officials have ramped up criticism citing a widening scope
of Chinese cyber activity. Recent revelations include a spying campaign
(07:03):
targeting major telecommunications firms like AT and T and Verizon,
which compromise communications involving prominent political figures including Donald Trump,
Kamala Harris, and JD. Vance. China's cyber operations have evolved
significantly over the past decade, shifting from sealing vast troves
of personal data such as the Office of Personnel Management HACK,
(07:25):
to targeting critical infrastructure and LUs suggests that these breaches
aim to position China for disruptive attacks during crises or
conflicts with the US. The country's growing capabilities are bolstered
by an extensive talent pipeline and investments in world class
cybersecurity education. As Decoda carry of Sentinel I explains, China
(07:47):
now has many more hackers, allowing the state to carry
out more attacks against a wider array of targets. Experts
caution that many cyber intrusions remain undetected in US, such
as finance, energy, and water are particularly vulnerable, with malicious
code often laying dormant, ready for activation in the event
(08:08):
of geopolitical tensions. The escalating cyber arms race underscores the
urgency of strengthening defenses on both sides of the Pacific. Okay,
that is today's episode of China Update. Thank you so
much everybody for watching. Have a good weekend, have a
RESTful Sunday, and I will see you all tomorrow.
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