Latest news with #Chinese-owned
Nikkei Asia
a day ago
- Automotive
- Nikkei Asia
Japan automakers' grip on Thai market slips as China rivals rise
BANGKOK -- Japan's dominance of the Thai automobile market is rapidly eroding as Chinese-owned brands make gains. Japanese automakers held a 65% share of new-vehicle sales in April, shows industrywide data released Wednesday by Toyota Motor Thailand. This was down more than 10 points from a year earlier and a sharp retreat from the roughly 90% of previous years.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawley urges DOJ probe of Chinese trucking company
FIRST ON FOX – Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., asked the Justice Department on Thursday to investigate a Chinese-owned self-driving trucking company, one of the largest in the U.S., citing allegations that it had shared proprietary data and other sensitive technology with state-linked entities in Beijing. The letter, sent to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital, asks the Justice Department to open a formal investigation into the autonomous truck company TuSimple Holdings, a Chinese-owned company and one of the largest self-driving truck companies in the U.S. In it, Hawley cites recent reporting from the Wall Street Journal that alleges that TuSimple "systematically shared proprietary data, source code, and autonomous driving technologies" with Chinese state-linked entities— what he described as "blatant disregard" of the 2022 national security agreement with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS. "These reports also revealed communications from TuSimple personnel inside China requesting the shipment of sensitive Nvidia AI chips and detailed records showing 'deep and longstanding ties' with Chinese military-affiliated manufacturers," Hawley said. Trump Nominates Former Defense Attorney Emil Bove For Federal Appeals Court Vacancy He noted that to date, TuSimple "has not faced serious consequences" for sharing American intellectual property with China, despite having continued to share data with China after signing a national security agreement with the U.S. government in 2022, which was enforced by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. Read On The Fox News App "If the reports about TuSimple are accurate, they represent not just a violation of export law, but a breach of national trust and a direct threat to American technological leadership," Hawley said. Trump Admin Working To Fly Back Guatemalan Migrant Erroneously Deported From Us "The American people deserve to know how and why a supposedly U.S.-based company was allowed to serve as a conduit for the transfer of sensitive innovations to the Chinese Communist Party," he added. The letter asks Bondi and the Justice Department to take certain steps to investigate the company's actions, as alleged by the recent reports – including investigating whether TuSimple provided protected information to any Chinese-based entities, and what activities were covered by the company's national security agreement with CFIUS, struck more than two years ago. Hawley also asked Bondi what actions, if any, DOJ has taken to date to ensure that Bot Auto—a new Texas-based self-driving vehicle company staffed by many former TuSimple employees, "is not engaging in similar behavior." According to the Wall Street Journal report, TuSimple's actions helped shape new Commerce Department regulations, which blocked the sale of internet-linked cars and different components with links to China. According to the report, a CFIUS investigation determined TuSimple's tech sharing did not violate the official national security agreement— but the company was fined for other infractions, and ultimately paid out a $6 million settlement. The letter comes as Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has emerged as one of the Senate's more vocal critics of the Chinese Communist Party, especially as it relates to the conduct of certain U.S. companies, and the sharing of certain intellectual article source: Hawley urges DOJ probe of Chinese trucking company
Epoch Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Nationals Leader Must Decide: Soften on Beijing or Stand Firm on Security: Report
The Nationals Party leadership faces a choice on whether to take a firmer stance on Beijing, or to continue 'moderating' their rhetoric to avoid apparently offending local Chinese-Australian voters, says one report. 'The Nationals have long contained divergent views on the PRC (People's Republic of China). Some figures favour dialogue and trade restoration, while others have pushed a more security-driven and sceptical approach. Party leader David Littleproud has attempted to reconcile both these impulses,' according to the Australia-China Relations Institute at UTS. The Institute noted that on some matters, Littleproud had adopted a more conciliatory tone towards the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—akin to the Liberal Party—in its report, ' While he previously accused Labor of being weak on the CCP during the 2022 election campaign, Littleproud welcomed the Albanese Labor government's moves to restart trade with China following Beijing's arbitrary decision to bar Australian exports from entering the country. Littleproud He also supported negotiated WTO (World Trade Organisation) dispute settlements, and met with senior CCP officials, including head of the CCP International Department, Liu Jianchao, and Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian. At the same time, Littleproud has also outlined national security and human rights issues. He strongly He also called the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to the Chinese-owned company Landbridge 'a mistake' and supported The party leader also criticised communist China's military pressure on Taiwan, and condemned the treatment of journalist Cheng Lei during CCP Premier Li Qiang's 2024 visit. While endorsing peaceful dialogue on Taiwan, he has emphasised self-determination and cautioned Beijing against 'sending missiles one over one another.' The China 'Hawks' Some of the tougher voices within the National Party include Senator Matt Canavan and New England MP Barnaby Joyce. For instance, Canavan, in response to the CCP's live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea, He also called for Trump-style tariffs, stating it was 'not safe' to do extensive business with the CCP. Joyce, as National's leader in 2021, He described the CCP's live fire exercises as 'practicing for war' and urged Australia to 'wake up.' He also suggested future parliamentary visits to Taiwan should include government officials or ministers. Littleproud meanwhile has pledged not to shift the Nationals 'to the left or the right.' Rather, his approach has been 'not to chase extremities, but to use common sense … and to actually be the sensible centre.' The brief break up of the Liberals and Nationals threw into starker relief some of the conflicting views within the parties on China policy, according to the research.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
TikTok sues Ireland's data protection watchdog over €530m penalty from regulator
Tech giant TikTok has sued the Data Protection Commission in objection to a massive €530m penalty it received from the regulator earlier this month. The social media company lodged papers in the High Court on Tuesday for a judicial review against the DPC. Neither TikTok nor the DPC had responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. A judicial review relates to the courts reviewing the correctness or otherwise in law of a decision made by an organ of the State, be it a Government Department or a semi-state agency. The suit is understood to relate directly to the DPC's decision to hand the enormous fine to TikTok over the transfer of users' personal data from Europe to China. Issuing that decision on May 2, the DPC told the Chinese-owned firm that it had breached Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) over the transfer of data to China and its own transparency requirements. The DPC said at the time that the fine — the second largest issued under GDPR in the DPC's history — had resulted from the company having 'failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of European Economic Area users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU'. 'As a result of TikTok's failure to undertake the necessary assessments, TikTok did not address potential access by Chinese authorities to EEA personal data under Chinese anti-terrorism, counter-espionage and other laws identified by TikTok as materially diverging from EU standards,' the DPC's deputy commissioner Graham Doyle said at the time. The administrative fine of €530m was accompanied by a direction requiring TikTok to bring its processing into compliance within six months. The company was also ordered to suspend transfers to China if the way it processes data is not brought into compliance over the same timeframe. Throughout the inquiry into TikTok the DPC had said that the company had maintained that it did not store data from users in the European Economic Area on servers located in China. In April, however, TikTok informed the DPC that it had discovered 'limited' European data had been stored on servers in China. The company said it had identified this in February. TikTok informed the DPC that this discovery 'meant that TikTok had provided inaccurate information to the inquiry'. Earlier this month the DPC said that it is taking recent developments regarding the storage of EEA User Data on servers in China 'very seriously'. 'Whilst TikTok has informed the DPC that the data has now been deleted, we are considering what further regulatory action may be warranted, in consultation with our peer EU Data Protection Authorities,' Mr Doyle said at the time. In 2023, the Commission fined TikTok €345m after an investigation into how the platform processed children's data. Read More Limerick-based Carelon Global Solutions to close with loss of 300 jobs
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Gisborne Council Awarded $51k From Forestry Company In Environment Court Decision
Article – Zita Campbell – Local Democracy Reporter Environmentalists call for stronger regulations to prevent similar issues. Gisborne District Council has recovered half of just over $100,000 spent on what its legal representative described as 'avoidable' legal costs in an Environment Court decision against a Chinese-owned forestry company. The case followed several recent enforcement actions taken by the council across several forests, including Kanuka, West Ho, Te Marunga, and Wakaroa, which the council says have resulted in forestry operators reducing risks and improving compliance. Environmentalists said they were pleased with the legal outcome but believe these issues should be addressed through stronger regulations. The council spent $101,175 on legal and expert witness costs associated with a four-day hearing in July last year. The hearing concerned enforcement orders related to woody debris and sediment migrating from commercial forestry activity in the Kanuka Forest in the Upper Waimata River catchment. According to the court decision, the council argued that the conduct of the forestry groups, China Forestry Group (CFG), and management company Wood Marketing Services (WMS), 'unnecessarily lengthened' the hearings process through conduct before and during the hearings, which included the NZ-based director of China Forestry Group NZ, Mr Yuxia Sun, resigning 10 days before the hearing. The council submitted that the respondents provided 'arguments without substance and technical or unmeritorious points which failed', which caused the council to incur more 'avoidable legal costs' drafting submissions in response. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, council's resource management compliance manager, Gary McKenzie, said the council had a responsibility to uphold environmental standards and protect public welfare as a regulatory authority. 'While some costs can be recovered through the courts, full cost recovery is not always possible. Like other regulatory agencies, we rely on public funding to fulfil these statutory obligations,' McKenzie said. He confirmed the costs awarded by the court had been paid to the council by the respondents. 'The council will continue to monitor forestry activity across the region and, where necessary, pursue legal action where environmental risks are not adequately managed.' During a council meeting last year, council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said about forestry prosecutions that for every $1 million spent on legal and investigation fees, 'you may get $250,000 back'. The environmental group, Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti (MTT), served as a third respondent to the case, with Alanya Limmer, a King's Counsel from Uawa, working pro bono. Spokesman Manu Caddie said it was a poor way to manage environmental issues and not fair to ratepayers, as it took council resources, including staff time away from other priorities. 'A small community group like ours could never afford to go up against these multinational companies like China Forestry Group if it wasn't for Alanya's generosity,' Caddie said. He said it was the fifth enforcement order application against forestry companies, four of which have been successful and one of which was awaiting an outcome. 'This is an incredibly costly and ineffective way of trying to reduce risk in catchments across Tairāwhiti and should instead be dealt with through stronger regulations.' The lawyers of China Forestry Group and Wood Marketing Services said the organisations did not wish to comment. The court decision, made on April 28, enforced China Forestry Group NZ, its NZ director at the time, Mr Yuxia Sun (who has since resigned), and management company Wood Marketing Services to pay the council $51,000 and MTT $8500. The council sought various enforcement order applications on September 8, 2023, which were granted nearly a year later on August 9, 2024 However, 'the issue of costs was reserved', with the court granting leave for the council and MTT to apply for costs. The council sought half of its expenses incurred in its application, which the court rounded up to $51,000. The $51,000 will be split, $38,250 for China Forestry Group NZ and Sun, and $12,750 for Wood Marketing Services. MTT's $8500 will be split, $6000 for China Forestry Group and Sun and $2500 for Wood Marketing Services. The court found that the respondents contributed to the length of the case management process and the hearing, with 'WMS's contribution to the length of the process less than CFG in terms of the way it conducted itself at the hearing. Further, it complied with Court directions'.
