Latest news with #Zang
News18
12-08-2025
- Business
- News18
China shamelessly pillages tech from the West
Hong Kong, August 12 (ANI): In the olden days, raping and pillaging were common methods of accumulating earthly treasure. Such violent means are frowned upon in the modern world, but that has not stopped many nations from using more refined methods to achieve the same China, for that has been its modus operandi for several decades, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) dragged China into the modern collectively and through individual entrepreneurs, has been eager to soak up Western technology, investments and practices. However, it tends to do so without ever giving anything in return, and the CCP has encouraged such money- and technology-grabbing common technique is evident in a video clip, although dating from four years ago, that has been doing the rounds on the internet in recent days. The clip shows Zang Qichao, an equity capital expert and former advisor to the Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and China Construction Bank, amongst others. Zang has appeared as a visiting professor at more than 60 famous Chinese universities, plus he has offered training and consultancy services in more than 200 Chinese video shows the professor starting a lecture by asserting, 'During reform and opening up, China opened its doors. Foreigners were allowed in, bringing with them technology, cars, money, experience and intellectual property. The Chinese government couldn't copy the foreigners directly, so what did it do? It encouraged private companies to partner with them, learn from them and eventually go solo."Speaking in 2021, remember, Zang continued, 'Forty years flew by, and we've learned. Now we do everything on our own. Looking back, the factories are ours, the equipment is ours, the technology is ours, the patents are ours, the products are ours, the markets are ours, the brands are ours – it's all ours. The foreigners are all gone, and now everything is under our control."'Looking back on the past 40 years, you'll realise we really only did one thing: copy. It was a savage copy-paste – intellectual property, patents, [it] didn't matter. We just did it first and dealt with it later." Another way of translating Zang's comments would be to say China copied and plagiarised barbarically, and who cared?China could almost be congratulated for using the inherent weakness of the capitalist system against itself. Private companies are out to make profits wherever and as often as they can. Western firms were jostling with each other to get into the Chinese market and milk its untapped riches, for profits were more important to them thanprinciples were. They would do anything to gain a foothold, including forming partnerships, joint ventures and transfer technology to China. In fact, many Chinese take a very different attitude to breaking the law in order to get rich. Pirating and intellectual property theft are considered smart and legitimate ploys by many in China, whereas such practices are outlawed in the FBI noted precisely this in a report that said, 'The annual cost to the US economy of counterfeit goods, pirated software and theft of trade secrets is between $225 billion and $600 billion. China is the world's principal infringer of intellectual property, and it uses its laws and regulations to put foreign companies at a disadvantage and its own companies at an advantage."In February, the US House Committee on Homeland Security released an updated version of the China Threat Snapshot report. It highlighted more than 60 instances of the CCP engaging in espionage on US soil over the past four years. Furthermore, Chinese intelligence agencies blatantly steal intellectual property and trade secrets from foreign companies. In fact, the FBI estimates that 80 per cent of economic espionage prosecutions in the USA relate to cases that have benefited E. Green, a Republican from Tennessee and chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said, 'The PRC has gained significant ground in its information warfare on American soil over the past four years. If you think the US military and our government are the only targets of the Chinese Communist Party, think again. The shadow of Beijing's malign influence falls upon American businesses, university campuses and the critical infrastructure we rely on – not to mention those on US soil who dare to speak out against the CCP."The FBI went on to say, 'US business interactions with foreign counterparts should be based on the principles of reciprocity, should be grounded in the rule of law, and should seek to uphold our market-based economy and its innovative ecosystem. China, however, does not play by the same rules."Unfortunately, too few Western companies acknowledge or realise this, even today. Companies are still clutching at the chance to make money in China, without realising they are sowing the seeds of their own destruction. Beijing is more than happy to weaponise trade, too. Contrary to World Trade Organisation rules, China regularly and vindictively imposes bans on goods from certain countries with whom it has politicaldisagreements or capitalist greed is not lessening either, as seen in the latest news about Nvidia and AMD. It has been reported that the companies have agreed to give the US government 15 per cent of their revenues from chip sales in China. This is part of an extremely unusual arrangement with the Trump administration in order to obtain export licenses for semiconductors, with the result that the US government complicitly pockets the money. Interestingly, Zang, the aforementioned equity capital expert, went on to admit something else in his lecture. 'But then, two things happened. First, the US caught on and said no more copying. Second, we realised we'd already copied our way to the front row. Beyond that, there's no blueprint. So, where do we get it now? Where do patents come from? At that point, the government quickly introduced a new direction. It launched a slogan: 'Innovation is the primary productive force.'"Indeed, China has as many as 100 plans guiding foreign acquisitions in science and technology. One of the best-known was the Made in China 2025 Plan, at least until some in the West cottoned on to what the CCP was really trying to do. The Made in China 2025 plan was initiated by Premier Li Keqiang in 2015, and this national strategic plan and industrial policy aimed to transition China from the 'factory of the world" producing low-value goods, into a high-tech Xi Jinping's economic reform effort was a deliberate attempt to move China up the value chain, with products such as electric cars and artificial intelligence. It hoped to increase Chinese domestic content in core materials to 40 per cent by 2020, and 70 per cent by 2025, and for the country to be more independent of foreign since 2018, China has played down its Made in China 2025 Plan because of a Western backlash. China nonetheless redoubled efforts to achieve the same effect, but just without using this controversial label. The USA responded in 2022 by imposing export controls that restricted Chinese access to components and equipment needed for advanced computing and chip-making. Beijing, therefore, boosted domestic research and development. As an example, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is China's largest chip manufacturer today. Then, due to open later this year in Hong Kong, the Yuen Long Microelectronics Centre (MEC) probably has the ability to manufacture 25,000 wafers or semiconductor materials monthly, which could rise to 43,000 per month. The MEC is headed by scientist Dr. Yitao Liao, who once collaborated with the US Army Research Laboratory on similar technologies. This is but one of many examples of collaboration with the West that favours Chinese talent and exploits Western institutions. Unfortunately, too many Western universities continue to cooperate with China, even though the latter unfairly leverages or even steals FBI warned: 'China's strategic goals include becoming a comprehensive national power, creating innovation-driven economic growth, and modernising its military. It aspires to equal or surpass the United States as a global superpower and influence the world with a value system shaped by undemocratic, authoritarian a whole-of-society approach to achieve these goals, China takes advantage of every opportunity – from joint ventures to economic espionage – to develop and maintain a strategic economic edge."China's approach could be described as technology nationalism. 'The Chinese government restricts the ability of certain types of foreign companies to participate in its market, requiring them to instead form joint ventures with Chinese companies before they can gain market access. Chinese companies then use some of these collaborations as opportunities to gain access to foreign proprietary information," said the August, 62 science and technology, philosophy, social science and basic research experts were invited to meet with senior party officials in the Chinese coastal resort of Beidaihe. The CCP is prioritising the cultivation of local talent in strategic sectors, for this is part of its plan to become the preeminent global power. As an example, one of the talks given at Beidaihe was entitled 'AI competition to seize the commanding heights of future development".Cai Qi, Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party, noted at the Beidaihe forum that it is the party's job to ensure that 'talents emerge in large numbers, people make the most of their talents, and that their talents are fully utilised to make new and great contributions" to the party and the military-civil fusion program is also problematic, as Chinese companies, which are increasingly subordinated to a relationship with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and defence research and development agencies, suck up technologies relating to fields like AI, advanced materials and Luming of the PLA National Defence University explained that this military-civil fusion concept provides a long-term 'law of development" to synchronise China's economic and national defence building efforts. It involves 'comprehensive planning of the two major systems of military and civilian resources, brings about a compatible economic and technical foundation for sharing, transforms limited social resources into bidirectional and interactive combat power and production power, and achieves multiple types of production from a single investment".Unfortunately, this pillaging continues unabated, and it is all one-way traffic. (ANI)
The Star
24-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Heart And Soul: More than a mother
She has been both mother and father to us. Without her sacrifices, my siblings and I wouldn't be who we are today. — This visual is human-created, AI-aided. Do you have any real-life, heart-warming stories to share with readers? We'd love to hear from you. Please keep your story within 900 words. Photos are optional and should be in JPEG format (file size about 1MB, with caption and photo credit). There is no payment for stories, and we reserve the right to edit all submissions. Email your story to: heartandsoul@ with the subject "Heart and Soul". A new Chinese film, The Dumpling Queen , tells the true story of Zang Jianhe – a single mother abandoned by her husband who rose from selling dumplings on the street to founding Hong Kong's renowned Wanchai Ferry food brand. Many admire her perseverance, but what strikes me most is her struggle as both mother and breadwinner. Her sacrifices before success deeply resonate with me – my own mother is a single parent too. My father died when I was three and my brother two. Once a full-time housewife, she became the sole provider for five – including her elderly in-laws – after his passing. Like Zang Jianhe, my mother had no formal qualifications – she left school after Form Three. Fortunately, her elder brother offered her a job, but the pay barely covered the essentials: bills, food, and school fees for her children. Though uneducated, she valued learning – determined to lift us out of hardship. She paid for private tuition and worked mornings at a wet market to earn extra. Her generous friend often gave her free vegetables, helping her save more. Raised in a moderately wealthy family, she rarely sought their help – choosing instead to live frugally. She seldom bought clothes for herself, focusing only on necessities. When I was in Form Four, we moved to another town in the same district. Her job with her elder brother was ending, but she was lucky again – a relative offered to co-run a snack wholesale business. The early months were tough – sales were low, and we couldn't afford help, so I stepped in to assist. I remember once helping my mother at the shop when several police officers arrived – someone had reported us for selling firecrackers. They searched the place thoroughly but found only 'pop pops', a legal children's novelty. Still, they insisted on taking one of us to the station for questioning. They first chose me, but my mother strongly objected – I was just a student, and she feared a police record would ruin my future. She volunteered to go instead. Though initially resistant, she was eventually handcuffed and taken away. Thankfully, with help from relatives, she was released that night. A scene in The Dumpling Queen brought it all back – Zang detained for selling dumplings illegally, pleading with police to release her innocent daughters. It struck a deep chord. Like Zang, my mother has always shielded us – selflessly and fiercely, like a hen guarding her chicks. She has been both mother and father to us. Without her sacrifices, my siblings and I wouldn't be who we are today.
Korea Herald
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Where Luxury Meets Local: "Heartbeat of a Destination" by the Luxury Group by Marriott International Celebrates Greater China Hotels Immersed in the Spirit of Place
SHANGHAI, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury Group by Marriott International recently launched "Heartbeat of a Destination", a storytelling campaign anchored by a three-part video series that explores Greater China's celebrated destinations through the lens of its most iconic locations. From the cityscapes of Hong Kong and Shanghai to the natural wonders of Jiuzhaigou, each episode follows hotel associates who are front and center in interacting with the locale, representing how each hotel's unique identity is embedded within the cultural fabric of their surroundings. With tailored voiceover and cinematic visuals, the video series presents Luxury Group hotels not only as places to stay but also as cultural bridges, inviting guests to explore the essence of each destination. "True luxury lies not only in unparalleled hospitality, but also in the meaningful emotional bonds we forge with the places we visit," said Bart Buiring, Managing Director, Luxury, Greater China, Marriott International."Through the 'Heartbeat of a Destination' campaign, we offer a fresh interpretation of each destination's unique charm, reflecting our luxury portfolio's commitment to curating experiences that bridge nature, culture, and self-discovery – ensuring that we cater to the contemporary expectations of luxury travel." A Culinary Snapshot of Hong Kong: If Hong Kong was a Dish…What Would It Be? The series opens with a visual celebration of Hong Kong's vibrant culinary heritage, with Head Chef Luke Armstrong of L'Envol at The St. Regis Hong Kong and Pastry and Bakery Chef Alicia Castillo at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong stepping beyond the kitchen and into the city to discover what truly defines the taste of Hong Kong. From traditional wet markets to independent coffee shops, each chef draws inspiration from Hong Kong's eclectic food culture to craft their own creative interpretation. Their final dishes – charcoal miyazaki waygu with white asparagus from Chef Luke and pistachio egg tart from Chef Alicia – distinctly reflect Hong Kong's status as Asia's gastronomic hub where diverse culinary traditions converge. Upcoming Immersive Destinations to Explore The second episode will dive into the serene beauty of Jiuzhaigou and the rich Zang culture surrounding Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, inviting viewers on a journey where peace, spirituality, and nature intertwine. The third episode will turn its lens toward Shanghai, offering contrasting yet complementary narratives through W Shanghai – The Bund and The St. Regis on the Bund, Shanghai. By blending historic elegance with avant-garde flair, this episode will explore how art and modernity shape the city's unmistakable identity. Starting from May 23, guests can watch the videos on Heartbeat of a Destination series page. Click here to watch the first episode of "Heartbeat of a Destination". Campaign assets and imagery are available for download here. Any usage of these images require credit to Morning Studio, South China Morning Post. About Luxury Group by Marriott International With an unrivaled portfolio of eight dynamic luxury brands, Marriott International is creating authentic, rare, and enriching experiences sought by today's global luxurian. Spanning all corners of the world, Marriott International's Luxury Group offers a boundless network of more than 530 landmark hotels and resorts in over 70 countries and territories through The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, and W Hotels. From the world's most iconic destinations to the ultimate undiscovered gems, the international hospitality leader's collection of luxury brands is focused on elevating travel with highly contextualized, nuanced brand experiences that signal the future of luxury by allowing guests to indulge their passions while sparking personal growth. For more information, please visit About Marriott Bonvoy ® Marriott Bonvoy's extraordinary portfolio offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world, with more than 30 brands that are tailored to every type of journey. From The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis to W Hotels and more, Marriott Bonvoy has more luxury offerings than any other travel program. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, and through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments™, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques®. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Super-Earths' May Be Surprisingly Common, Scientists Reveal
Earth-like exoplanets might be more common throughout the Milky Way than previously believed, astronomers report in a new study. The researchers discovered an unusual super-Earth orbiting its star at a Jupiter-like distance, an orbital range for which only the frequency of larger planets – gas giants and ice giants – has been determined so far. "We found a 'super-Earth' – meaning it's bigger than our home planet but smaller than Neptune – in a place where only planets thousands or hundreds of times more massive than Earth were found before," says lead author and astrophysicist Weicheng Zang of the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). In addition to finding this seemingly quirky world, the authors combined their discovery with a larger sample of exoplanet data from a microlensing survey. Their findings indicate this planet might not be quite so quirky after all. The researchers studied changes in apparent brightness from the planet's host star, which they incorporated into broader data from the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) survey, a trio of telescopes located in Australia, Chile, and South Africa. By examining mass ratios between a large volume of exoplanets and host stars, the researchers shed new light on our galaxy's planetary demographics. Their results suggest super-Earths are not limited to short-period orbits near their host stars, which is where they've primarily been found. These intriguing exoplanets can also exist farther away, with orbital periods more akin to those of our Solar System's gas giants. It's generally harder to detect planets orbiting farther from their stars, but based on this study, Zang and his colleagues estimate one out of every three stars in the Milky Way should host a super-Earth with a Jupiter-like orbit. "Scientists knew there were more small planets than big planets, but in this study, we were able to show that within this overall pattern, there are excesses and deficits," says co-author Andrew Gould, an astronomer at Ohio State University. "It's very interesting." The study relied on a phenomenon called gravitational microlensing, in which a massive celestial object (serving as the lens) passes between an observer and a bright background object like a star. If the lens is massive enough, it gravitational field will warp spacetime enough to cause the path of light from the background source to curve on its way to the observer, like light bending through a magnifying glass. This creates a temporary spike in the object's brightness, which may last for minutes or months, depending on the alignment. The new study focuses on a microlensing event known as OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, first detected in early 2016. Microlensing events are rare, and only a fraction of known exoplanets have been detected this way. The technique is well-suited for revealing exoplanets orbiting farther from their stars, however. The new study is the largest of its kind to date, featuring three times as many exoplanets as previous samples, including many smaller ones. While previous research has shown how stars can host a variety of exoplanet sizes in relatively tight orbits, the new study points to comparable planetary diversity – and profusion – in the outer regions of these planetary systems, too. "This measurement of the planet population from planets somewhat larger than Earth all the way to the size of Jupiter and beyond shows us that planets, and especially super-Earths, in orbits outside the Earth's orbit are abundant in the galaxy," says co-author Jennifer Yee, an observational astronomer at the CfA's Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The term 'super-Earth' typically refers to the mass of an exoplanet, not its surface conditions or habitability, about which few details are available. Still, research like this may help demystify planetary formation and distribution in the Milky Way, building upon what our own Solar System can teach us. "This result suggests that in Jupiter-like orbits, most planetary systems may not mirror our Solar System," says co-author Youn Kil Jung of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute that operates the KMTNet. These findings suggest our galaxy may teem with a wide variety of exoplanets. It also offers clues about how the different types of exoplanets form, but we still need a lot more data – which is easier said than done. "Finding a microlensing star event is hard. Finding a microlensing star with a planet is hard squared," says co-author Richard Pogge, an astronomer at Ohio State. "We have to look at hundreds of millions of stars to find even a hundred of these things." The study was published in Science. JWST Confirms Coldest Exoplanet Ever Found, Circling Its Dead Star Defunct Soviet Spacecraft Set to Crash to Earth in Fiery End to 53-Year Orbit Giant Structure in Deep Space Challenges Our Understanding of The Universe
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PennDOT officials discuss construction alternatives for Parkway East interchanges
PennDOT engineers say 100-thousand vehicles use the Parkway East daily. The heavily used highway hasn't had any significant changes to its interchanges since it was built in the early 1950s. PennDot Executive for District 11, Jason Zang said, 'It's such a challenging area. We're working in such a tight corridor as it is. When they put the parkway in back in the 50′s they just carved it right through neighborhoods.' Jason Zang with PennDot says the approach engineers used when building 376 over 70 years ago - will not be the same for the Parkway East Squirrel Hill Interchange Improvement Project. Zang said, 'We don't want to move or relocate people. That's the last thing we want to do.' PennDot laid out its plans to a crowded auditorium at Greenfield Elementary where it showed renderings of four different construction alternatives. 'We're trying to think about this from every angle. Parkway safety, residential safety and then the local traffic safety,' Zang explained. Interchanges both on and off the parkway east on the city side of the Squirrel Hill tunnel will get updated - with the work starting just west of the Greenfield Bridge Overpass. Jacob Greenberg lives right on the border of the interchange. Jacob Greenberg said, 'It's about once a week that I see the semis bust their tire on that curve and I would say at least twice a month that I see somebody wreck on that sharp curve or rear end or something like that.' PennDOT plans to redesign all on and off-ramps, improve retaining walls, bridges and sidewalks. Theresa Nightingale lives in Beechwood. She's worried she and her elderly neighbors could lose parking. Theresa Nightingale said, 'There's no parking on top, there's no parking on the sides - I'm not sure where everybody would go. We just need to make sure there's parking and make sure that the folks can access it safely - especially our seniors.' PennDot says it continues to collect feedback from people in the area. Work is slated to start in about 4 years. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
