China hails US YouTube star, how Signal furore may aid spies: 7 US-China relations reads
From IShowSpeed’s Great Wall adventures to espionage fears, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in March 2024
1. As US Justice Department cuts focus on foreign agents, will China cases ease?
As one of her first acts in office, US President Donald Trump’s new attorney general, Pam Bondi, shut down a years-long operation to combat influence campaigns from China and other countries – an initiative launched under the first Trump administration.
2. US says China operates ‘hacker for hire’ network for cyberattacks worldwide
Beijing was orchestrating a “hacker for hire” ecosystem – involving contract hackers, Chinese tech company employees and government officials – to carry out cyberattacks aimed at stealing data from organisations and governments worldwide, according to a senior US Justice Department official.
3. China hails US YouTube star who gets 10 million views in Beijing, Shanghai
IShowSpeed, a YouTube sensation from the US, is being hailed by Chinese government officials and state media as evidence of a growing desire for mutual understanding between Americans and Chinese amid escalating trade frictions, following his March visit to China.