New research suggests epoch-making huge deposits of revolutionary clean fuel "white hydrogen" may exist underground in mountain ranges

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

画期的なクリーン燃料「ホワイト水素」の巨大埋蔵地、山脈の地下に存在か　新研究

2025.02.20 Thu posted at 18:36 JST

（ＣＮＮ） ホワイト水素と呼ばれるエネルギー源が各地の山脈に大量に埋蔵されている可能性のあることが、新たな研究で明らかになった。燃焼しても温室効果ガスを排出しないとされるこの気体の採取が可能になれば、気候危機対策の取り組みにとって大きな追い風になるとの声が高まっている。

ホワイト水素は地球温暖化につながる化石燃料の置き換えに寄与するとの期待感から、最近になって注目を集めている。一部の科学者により、ホワイト水素が地殻内部に大量に存在していると伝えられるようになったのはほんの２０～３０年前のことだった。

それ以降、地質学者らはその形成過程や埋蔵地点の検証を続けている。主要な問題は、どこを探索すれば人類のエネルギー需要を満たすに十分な埋蔵量を発見できるかだ。

答えを探るべく、科学者のチームはコンピューターモデルを駆使してプレートの動きを検証。ホワイト水素の形成に最適な条件を備える地域の割り出しを試みた。その結果、ピレネー山脈やヨーロッパ・アルプスといった山脈が埋蔵地の有力候補として浮上した。この研究論文は１９日、科学誌サイエンス・アドバンシーズに掲載された。

水素は長年、環境に優しい燃料と目され、エネルギー消費量の多い航空、製鉄産業での活用が期待されていた。しかし商用化された水素の大半は化石燃料を利用して作られるため、水素が本来持つ温室効果削減の効力は打ち消されてしまう。

ホワイト水素がこれほど渇望される理由はここにある。

ホワイト水素は米国やオーストラリア、フランスなどの各地で発見されているが、大規模な埋蔵地を見つけることが課題となっている。

ホワイト水素は地殻内での放射性崩壊など多くの過程を経て自然に形成される。しかし論文著者で独ヘルムホルツ地球科学センターの地質学者、フランク・ツバーン氏のチームが注目するのは「蛇紋岩化作用」だ。これは地球のマントルに由来する鉄分の豊富な岩石と水が反応することで水素を生み出す現象を指す。

こうした岩石は通常地中深くにあり、水と容易に反応するわけではないが、数百万年にわたる地質作用がそれらの岩石を地表へと押し上げることがある。具体的には大陸の分裂、衝突によってマントルを構成する岩石が浮上し、海洋水と反応する状況が生まれる。

科学者らはプレートモデリングを使って、こうしたマントルの岩石が「掘り起こされた」地点と年代、及びその量を突き止めた。その結果、前述のピレネー山脈やヨーロッパ・アルプス、ヒマラヤ山脈の一部がそうした地点に該当することが分かった。現地では大量の適温のマントル岩や深い断層がもたらす水の循環など、ホワイト水素を生み出す上での好条件がそろっているという。

これらのマントルの岩石は、各地の山脈で蛇紋岩化作用を引き起こすとみられる。その量が示唆するだけでも、ホワイト水素には「現状を大きく変える可能性がある」とツバーン氏は指摘する。

現在の大きな問題は、採掘可能な大規模蓄積地のどこにホワイト水素が集まっているのかを突き止めることになるという。マントルの岩石が地表付近に存在する地点を掘削し、そこに水を送り込むことで人工的に蛇紋岩化作用を起こすことも可能かもしれないと、ツバーン氏は付け加えた。

初期段階の探索は既に、フランスやバルカン半島、米国などで実際に行われている。

Translation

New research suggests epoch-making huge deposits of revolutionary clean fuel "white hydrogen" may exist underground in mountain ranges

(CNN) A new study had revealed that an energy source called white hydrogen might be buried in large quantities in mountain ranges around the world. There were growing voices saying that if it became possible to extract this gas, which was said to emit no greenhouse gases when burned, it would be a major boost to efforts to combat the climate crisis.

White hydrogen had recently attracted attention due to the expectation that it could contribute to replacing fossil fuels that led to global warming. It was only 20 to 30 years ago that some scientists began to report that white hydrogen existed in large quantities in the Earth's crust.

Since then, geologists had been investigating how it formed and where it was buried. The main question was where to look for enough deposits to meet humanity's energy needs.

To find the answer, a team of scientists was using computer models to examine the movement of plates. They tried to identify areas with the best conditions for the formation of white hydrogen. As a result, mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees and the European Alps emerged as potential deposits. The research paper was published in the scientific journal Science Advances on the 19th.

Hydrogen had long been considered an environmentally friendly fuel, and it was expected to be used in the energy-intensive aviation and in steel industries. However, most commercial hydrogen was produced using fossil fuels, offsetting hydrogen’s effect in reducing the greenhouse it originally possessed.

This was why white hydrogen was so desired.

White hydrogen had been discovered in various places in the United States, Australia, France, and other countries, but finding large deposits remained a challenge.

White hydrogen formed naturally through many processes, including radioactive decay in the Earth's crust. However, the team led by the author of the paper, geologist Frank Zwaan of the Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Germany, was focusing on "serpentinization". This referred to the phenomenon in which iron-rich rocks from the Earth's mantle reacted with water to produce hydrogen.

These rocks were usually deep underground and didn't react easily with water, but geological processes over millions of years could push them to the surface. Specifically, continents broke up and collided, bringing the mantle rocks to the surface and creating conditions for them to react with ocean water.

Scientists used plate modeling to determine where these mantle rocks were "unearthed," how old they were, and how much of them were there. They found that these locations included the aforementioned Pyrenees, the European Alps, and parts of the Himalayas. The areas had favorable conditions for producing white hydrogen, including large amounts of mantle rock at the right temperature and a water circulation caused by deep faults.

These mantle rocks were thought to cause serpentinization in the mountain ranges. The amount alone suggested that white hydrogen "had the potential to be a game changer," Zwaan said.

The big question now would be to figure out where white hydrogen was concentrated in large, extractable deposits. It might also be possible to artificially induce serpentinization by drilling into mantle rocks near the surface and pumping water into them, Zwaan added.

Early exploration was already underway in France, the Balkans and the United States.

              So, a new study has revealed that an energy source called white hydrogen may be buried in large quantities in mountain ranges around the world. If we can extract this gas, it will be a major boost to efforts to combat the climate crisis. Early exploration is already underway in France, the Balkans and the United States. Apparently it is good news for everyone who concern about climate change.

特朗普第二任期內発動歷來最大力度對華攻擊（2/2）

Trump Targets China with Biggest Salvo So Far in Second Term (2/2)

Bloomberg News--With assistance from Zhang Dingmin, John Cheng, Helen Sun and Shikhar Balwani.

Mon, February 24, 2025 at 12:30 a.m. PST·6 min read

(continue)

Stocks Scrutiny

The memo also revived an issue related to the accounting practices of some foreign firms, including those trading on American exchanges like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc., saying the US government would ensure its rules are being adequately followed.

Back in 2022, Beijing and Washington resolved a dispute over accounting practices that could have led to the delisting of companies like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc., with US officials saying they had gained sufficient access to audit documents on companies in China and Hong Kong for the first time.

Enforcement of US rules would be “tighter than ever” because of the memorandum, said Winston Ma, adjunct law professor at New York University.

Also, a call in the memo for new and expanded limits on investment from US pension and endowment funds in high-tech sectors in China could affect companies along the Asian nation’s artificial intelligence supply chains, UBS Group AG said in a note. The rule could impact hardware, software and internet firms, strategists including James Wang wrote.

And the Trump administration called for a review of arrangement known as “variable interest entity” that Chinese firms use to list on American exchanges. It also pledged to look into “allegations of fraudulent behavior by these companies,” without going into details.

Shipping

The outline for a plan for fees on Chinese-built ships that carry traded goods also has mandates requiring that a portion of US products be moved on American vessels. It results from an inquiry into Beijing’s practices in the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries that started during the Biden administration and ended with a report days before Trump took office.

China’s share of global shipbuilding capacity has surged over the past decade to account for around half of new builds, partly driven by its own domestic demand for more ships. The country’s fleet was valued at $255.2 billion in January, the biggest total globally, according to the analytics platform VesselsValue. Japan was second at $231.4 billion, while the US ranked fourth at $116.4 billion.

Shares of Cosco Shipping Holdings Co., which was earlier blacklisted by the Defense Department over alleged links to the People’s Liberation Army, fell 4.6% in Hong Kong. Orient Overseas International Ltd. retreated 3%.

When asked the about the proposed shipping fee at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the US should “respect the rule of law and stop their wrongdoing.”

Underscoring the divide between the two economic powers, last week Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng expressed “serious concern” over a 10% tariff hike that Trump earlier place on goods from the Asian country. He made the comments in a call with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who raised a host of issues with China, including “economic imbalances.”

China’s $295 billion trade surplus with the US looms large in the new administration’s list of worries, though Trump has said he may be able to reach a fresh deal with Beijing, following one during his first term. “It’s possible, it’s possible,” he said last week. Trump earlier threatened tariffs of 60% on Chinese goods — a level that would devastate trade between the nations — and has ordered his administration to investigate whether Beijing had complied with the trade agreement clinched in 2020.

The Bessent-He call came weeks after the new tariffs took effect, hitting the entirety of Chinese goods shipped to the US. Trump linked them to complaints over Chinese production of precursors for illicit fentanyl heading to America, exacerbating a deadly opioid crisis.

The rising China-US tensions come as Trump pushes to end the war in Ukraine, a move that started with landmark discussions earlier this month between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. While China would welcome an end to the war because it would help improve its ties with Europe, it raises the possibility that once the fighting ends Washington would turn its full attention to Beijing.

Translation

特朗普第二任期內発動歷來最大力度對華攻擊（2/2）

（繼續）

股票審查

該備忘錄還重新提出了與一些外國公司的會計實踐有關的問題，包括阿里巴巴集團控股有限公司和京東公司等在美國交易所交易的公司，它表示美國政府將確保其規則得到充分遵守。

早在 2022 年，北京和華盛頓就解決了一場有關會計實踐的爭端，該爭端可能導致阿里巴巴集團控股有限公司和京東公司等公司退市，美國官員表示，他們首次獲得了對中國大陸和香港公司核數文件的充分查閱權限。

紐約大學兼任法學教授 Winston Ma 表示，這份備忘錄將使美國執行法規「比以往更加嚴格」。

此外，瑞銀集團在一份報告中表示，備忘錄呼籲對美國退休金和捐贈基金在中國高科技領域的投資設定新的和擴大的限制，這可能會影響亞洲人工智慧供應鏈上的企業。包括 James Wang  在內的策略師寫道，這項規定可能會影響硬體、軟體和網路公司。

特朗普政府呼籲對中國公司在美國交易所上市所採用的「可變利益實體」安排進行審查。它還承諾調查 “這些公司存在的欺詐行為指控” ，但沒有透露細節。

航運

對中國製造的載運貿易貨物的船舶徵收費用的計劃大綱也規定，部分美國產品必須透過美國船隻進行運輸。這是對北京在海運、物流和造船業的做法的調查的結果，該調查始於拜登政府時期，並在特朗普上任前幾天結束。

過去十年，中國在全球造船產能的份額大幅成長，約佔全球新船建造量的一半，部分原因是中國國內對更多船舶的需求。根據分析平台 VesselsValue 的數據，1 月該國船隊價值達 2,552 億美元，為全球最高。日本以2,314億美元位居第二，美國以1,164億美元位居第四。

中遠海運控股有限公司先前因涉嫌與中國人民解放軍有聯繫而被美國國防部列入黑名單，該公司股價在香港下跌 4.6%。東方海外國際有限公司下跌3%。

外交部發言人 Lin Jian 在例行記者會上被問及擬議的運費時表示，美國應該「尊重法治，停止錯誤行為」。

上週，中國國務院副總理何立峰對特朗普先前對來自中國的產品加徵 10% 的關稅表示 “嚴重關切” ，凸顯了兩大經濟大國之間的分歧。他在與財政部長 Scott Bessent 的通話中發表了上述言論，Bessent 提出了一系列與中國有關的問題，包括「經濟失衡」。

儘管特朗普表示，繼第一任期內與中國達成一項新協議之後，他或許能夠與中國達成一項新的協議，但中國對美國的 2,950 億美元貿易順差仍然是新政府要擔憂事項中佔據重要位置，。他上週表示： “協議有可能，有可能” 。 特朗普先前曾威脅對中國商品徵收 60% 的關稅 - 這一水平將摧毀兩國之間的貿易 - 並下令其政府調查北京是否遵守了 2020 年達成的貿易協議。

Bessent 與何立峰的通話是在新關稅生效數週後進行的，新關稅對所有運往美國的中國商品都產生了影響。特朗普將新關稅與中國生產的非法芬太尼原料流入美國的投訴聯繫起來，引發美國致命的鴉片發類藥物危機。

在特朗普推動結束烏克蘭戰爭之際，中美緊張局勢加劇，此舉始於本月稍早特朗普與俄羅斯領導人普京舉行的具有里程碑意義的會談。儘管中國歡迎戰爭結束，因為這將有助於改善與歐洲的關係，但這也意味著一旦戰爭結束，華盛頓將把全部注意力轉向北京。

       So, the Trump administration takes aim at China with a series of moves involving investment, trade and other issues. President Donald Trump in a memo tells a key government committee to curb Chinese spending on tech, energy and other strategic American sectors. The US also proposes fees on the use of commercial ships made in China to counter the China’s dominance in the production of the vessels. The memo is referring to Beijing as a “foreign adversary,” it says the changes are needed to protect “the crown jewels of United States technology, food supplies, farmland, minerals, natural resources, ports, and shipping terminals. Apparently, a new level of trade war is on the horizon.

特朗普第二任期內発動歷來最大力度對華攻擊（1/2）

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Trump Targets China With Biggest Salvo So Far in Second Term (1/2)

Bloomberg News--With assistance from Zhang Dingmin, John Cheng, Helen Sun and Shikhar Balwani.

Mon, February 24, 2025 at 12:30 a.m. PST·6 min read

(Bloomberg) --  The Trump administration took aim at China with a series of moves involving investment, trade and other issues that raises the risk ties may soon worsen between the US and its top economic rival.

In recent days, President Donald Trump has rolled out a memorandum telling a key government committee to curb Chinese spending on tech, energy and other strategic American sectors. The administration also called on Mexican officials to place their own levies on Chinese imports – a move that comes after some firms from the Asian nation shifted production to the US neighbor to avoid duties the Republican enacted in his first term.

The US also proposed fees on the use of commercial ships made in China to counter the nation’s dominance in the production of the vessels. Chinese shipping stocks fell on Monday, while the benchmark CSI 300 Index slipped 0.2%. The yuan traded onshore rose 0.1% to 7.2480 versus the dollar as of 4:21 p.m. in Shanghai.

Taken together, the steps amount to the most sweeping, forceful actions targeting Beijing of Trump’s fledgling second term and could complicate a deal to reduce China’s trade surplus with the US that the president has indicated he wants to forge.

The memo containing the order to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US — a secretive panel that scrutinizes proposals by foreign entities to buy US companies or property – seems to be the most impactful of the flurry of moves. Referring to Beijing as a “foreign adversary,” it says the changes are needed to protect “the crown jewels of United States technology, food supplies, farmland, minerals, natural resources, ports, and shipping terminals.”

“This is likely a disappointment for Beijing, which hoped to offer a large-scale investments in the US as a concession in a negotiation,” said Martin Chorzempa, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “This calls into question whether the US would be open to that kind of investment.”

China’s expenditure into North America tumbled at the end of last year below levels seen during the worst of the pandemic — a slide likely due to prospective investors waiting to see if Trump would win election in November — and the curbs present a new obstacle to any recovery in that figure.

After the memorandum was released, Beijing urged Washington to stop weaponizing economic and trade issues. The US government’s push to strengthen reviews of business ties on security grounds would seriously undermine the confidence of Chinese companies investing in the US, the Ministry of Commerce said.

The memorandum also says the US government should also review a 1984 tax deal with China that frees individuals and companies from double taxation. “Eliminating these kind of treaties just makes things very uncertain and complicated for investors because they don’t know if they’re going to be taxed,” Chorzempa said.

(to be continued)

Translation

特朗普第二任期內発動歷來最大力度對華攻擊（1/2）

（彭博社）- 特朗普政府針對中國採取了一系列涉及投資、貿易和其他問題的舉措，這增加了美國與其最大經濟競爭對手之間的關係可能​​很快惡化的風險。

近日，美國總統特朗普發布了一份備忘錄，指示一個重要的政府委員會壓止中國在科技、能源和其他美國戰略產業的支出。特朗普政府也呼籲墨西哥官員對中國進口商品徵收關稅 - 這一举措是因為一些來自中國的公司已將生產轉移到美國的鄰國，以避免這位共和黨人在其第一任期內實施的關稅。

美國也提議對中國製造的商船的使用收取費用，以對抗中國在船舶生產方面的主導地位。中國航運股週一下跌，基準滬深 300 指數下跌 0.2%。截至下午 4:21，在上海在岸人民幣兌美元上漲 0.1%，至 7.2480。。

綜合來看，這些舉措相當於特朗普剛開始的第二任期內針對北京採取的最全面、最有力的舉措，可能會使特朗普總統已表示希望達成的減少中國對美貿易順差的協議變得更加複雜。

這份包含向美國外國投資委員會（一個負責審查外國實體收購美國公司或財產的提議的秘密委員會）發出的命令的備忘錄似乎是這一系列舉措中影響最深遠的。文章稱，北京是 “外國對手” ，並表示需要做出改變，以保護 “美國的技術、糧食供應、農田、礦產、自然資源、港口和航運碼頭等寶貴資源”。

華盛頓彼得森國際經濟研究所高級研究員 Martin Chorzempa 表示： “這可能會讓北京方面感到失望，因為北京方面希望通過在美進行大規模投資作為談判的讓步”; “這讓人懷疑美國是否願意接受此類投資。”

去年年底，中國在北美的支出跌至疫情最嚴重時期的水平以下，這可能是因為潛在投資者在等待特朗普是否會在 11 月的大選中獲勝，而這些限制對追回這一數字水平構成了新的障礙。

備忘錄發佈後，北京敦促華盛頓停止將經貿問題武器化。中國商務部表示，美國政府以安全為由加強對商業關係的審查，將嚴重損害中國企業在美投資的信心。

備忘錄還表示，美國政府應該重新審查1984年與中國達成的一項稅收協議，該協議規定個人和企業免於雙重課稅。Chorzempa 說: 「取消這類條約只會把投資者的事情變得非常不確定和複雜，因為他們不知道是否會被徵稅」。

（待續）

US opposes mention of "Russian aggression" in G7 joint statement marking 3rd anniversary of Ukraine invasion

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ウクライナ侵攻３年に合わせたＧ７共同声明、米国が「ロシアの侵略」言及に反対

2025.02.21 Fri posted at 15:03 JST

  （ＣＮＮ） ロシアによるウクライナへの全面侵攻から２４日で丸３年を迎えるに当たり、 主要７カ国（Ｇ７）は共同声明の準備を進めている。そうした中、米国が文書に「ロシアの侵略」の語を盛り込むのを拒んでいることが分かった。

事情に詳しい西側の当局者２人が明らかにした。それによると文言を巡る対立は、米政府の紛争への見方が大きく変化したことを反映している。米国のトランプ大統領は戦争の責任がウクライナにあるとの認識を示し、同国のゼレンスキー大統領を「独裁者」になぞらえている。

この姿勢は、米国のバイデン前政権やＧ７の他の国々とは著しく対照的なものとなる。

Ｇ７は来週、ウクライナ侵攻から３年に合わせてオンラインで会合を開く予定。しかし戦争が４年目に入る中で、ロシアへの非難に対して米国が抵抗を示す状況は西側が決意を固める上での脅威となっている。

「ロシアの侵略」の文言は、紛争開始当時のＧ７の声明で既に使用されている。それによって当該の紛争は「違法な侵略戦争」と定義され、Ｇ７各国はウクライナ政府への支援の主導に動いてきた。

現在、米国の特使らは文書の中で戦争をどのように位置づけるのかを巡り懸念を表明している。当局者らが明らかにした。トランプ氏は、ロシアのＧ７への復帰を認めることも示唆している。ロシアは１４年のクリミア併合後、当時のＧ８から除外された。

米国以外のＧ７各国は、声明が戦争の責任に関して軟化した内容となればそれはロシアにとっての勝利を意味するとしている。当局者の一人によると「協議はなお継続中」だが、「戦争の責任の所在が曖昧（あいまい）になる懸念は大いにある」状況だという。

協議については英紙フィナンシャル・タイムズが最初に報じた。

ホワイトハウスにコメントを求めたが、返答はなかった。しかし２０日の記者会見でウォルツ大統領補佐官（国家安全保障担当）はトランプ氏が依然としてゼレンスキー氏に腹を立てていると明かした。

トランプ氏は１９日、ソーシャルメディアへの投稿でゼレンスキー氏への不満を吐露。「考えてもみて欲しい。ボロディミル・ゼレンスキーという、そこそこ成功した程度のコメディアンがアメリカ合衆国を言いくるめて３５００億ドル（約５２兆円）払わせ、勝ち目のない戦争に突き進んだ」と主張していた。

米政府は先ごろ、ウクライナへの過去の援助の見返りとして同国のレアアース（希土類）鉱物の５０％の所有権を取得することを提案したが、ウクライナは将来の援助の保証はないとの理由でこれを拒否。米国側の怒りを買う事態にもなっていた。

Translation

US opposes mention of "Russian aggression" in G7 joint statement marking 3rd anniversary of Ukraine invasion

2025.02.21 Fri posted at 15:03 JST

(CNN) As the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approached on the 24th, the Group of Seven (G7) countries were preparing a joint statement. Meanwhile, it had been revealed that the US was refusing to include the words "Russian aggression" in the document.

Two Western officials familiar with the matter revealed this. According to them, the dispute over the wording reflected a major change in the US government's view of the conflict. US President Trump had expressed the view that Ukraine was responsible for the war and likened the country's President Zelensky to a "dictator."

This stance was in stark contrast to that of the former Biden administration in the US and other G7 countries.

The G7 was scheduled to meet online next week to mark the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. But as the war entered its fourth year, US resistance to blaming Russia had become a threat to the determination of the West.

The phrase "Russian aggression" was already used in a G7 statement at the start of the conflict, which defined it as an "illegal war of aggression" and led G7 countries to lead support for the Ukrainian government.

Now, US envoys expressed concern about how the war would be characterized in the document, officials said. Trump had also suggested allowing Russia back into the G7, which was kicked out of the G8 after its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The rest of the G7 said a softer stance on responsibility for the war would be a victory for Russia. "Talks are still ongoing," one official said that the situation was that "there is significant concern that responsibility for the war may become ambiguous”.

The talks were first reported by the Financial Times.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. But at a press conference on the 20th, Waltz, national security adviser, said Trump remained angry at Zelensky.

On the 19th, Trump vented his frustration at Zelensky in a social media post. He said, "Just think about it. A moderately successful comedian named Volodymyr Zelensky talked the United States into paying $350 billion and going into a war that it couldn't win".

The U.S. government recently offered Ukraine 50% ownership of rare earth minerals in return for past aid to the country, but Ukraine rejected the offer, citing no guarantee of future assistance. It had also become a situation that caused anger from the U.S. side.

              So, Trump vents his frustration at Zelensky in a social media post. Among other things he says that Volodymyr Zelensky has talked the United States into paying $350 billion and going into a war that it couldn't win. Apparently, Trump has forgotten why Biden together with many Republicans wanted to support Ukraine in its war with Russia a few years ago.

澳洲和紐西蘭軍方正在監視澳洲附近的 3 艘中國軍艦 (2/2)

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

The Australian and New Zealand militaries are monitoring 3 Chinese warships off Australia (2/2)

The Associated Press - Rod Mcguirk

Wed, February 19, 2025 at 9:31 p.m. PST·4 min read

(continue)

New Zealand’s military was also monitoring the Chinese ships by sea and air “in coordination with Australia,” New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said in a statement.

“We have not been informed by the Chinese government why this task group has been deployed into our region, and we have not been informed what its future plans are,” she added. “We will continue to monitor these vessels.”

 Experts says China's navy is projecting power around the world

Jennifer Parker, an expert associate of Australia’s National Security College and a former Australian naval officer, said Chinese warships rarely traveled so far south along the nation’s east coast.

“This is part of a broader power projection from the PLA-Navy and we should expect to see more of this in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean,” Parker said.

The Chinese deployment comes as the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Samuel Paparo visits Australia this week.

Parker said the timing was likely coincidental given the Chinese deployment would have been planned well in advance and the United States doesn’t release information about their senior officers’ travel until close to the visit.

“Without knowing exactly where the ships are going, the point of this deployment, I think, is to demonstrate to Australia that they have the capability to come down and operate in our maritime domain,” Parker said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a news conference he was not worried by reports of Chinese warships off Sydney.

“The Chinese naval ships are complying with international law, but as we do, we are monitoring the situation and observing what is going on, as you would expect,” Albanese said.

Relations between the Chinese and Australian militaries remain dangerous

Three Chinese warships visited Sydney Harbor in 2019. But their voyage had been approved by the Australian government.

Australia’s diplomatic and trade relations with China have improved in recent years, but relations between the two militaries are dangerous.

Australia protested what it described as an unsafe interaction last week over the South China Sea where a Chinese fighter is accused of releasing flares that endangered an Australian military surveillance plane.

Guo, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, accused the Australian aircraft of “deliberately” intruding into airspace over the disputed Paracel Islands, which China claims.

Translation

澳洲和紐西蘭軍方正在監視澳洲附近的 3 艘中國軍艦 (2/2)

（繼續）

 新西蘭國防部長 Judith Collins 在一份聲明中表示，新西蘭軍方還 “與澳大利亞協調” ，在海上和空中監視中國船隻。

她補充說： “中國政府沒有告知我們為何要派遣這個特遣組到我們這個地區，也沒有告知我們其未來的計劃”; “我們將繼續監視這些船隻。”

專家稱中國海軍正在向世界各地投射力量

澳洲國家安全學院專家助理、前澳洲海軍軍官 Jennifer Parker 表示，中國軍艦很少沿著該國東海岸向南航行這麼遠。

Parker說： “這是解放軍海軍更廣泛力量投射的一部分，我們應該會在太平洋和印度洋看到更多這樣的行動。”

中國這軍力部署，正值本週美國印度太平洋司令部司令 Samuel Paparo 海軍上將訪問澳大利亞，。

Parker表示，鑑於中國的部署早已提前計劃好，而美國直到訪問前夕才公佈其高級軍官的行程信息，因此時間安排很可能只是巧合。

Parker 說： “在不知道這些艦艇具體要去哪裡的情況下，我認為，這次部署的目的是向澳大利亞證明，他們有能力在我們的海域進行作業。”

總理 Anthony Albanese 在記者會上表示，他並不擔心有關中國軍艦出現在雪梨附近的報導。

Albanese 說： “中國海軍艦艇遵守國際法，但正如我們所做的，我們也在監視局勢，觀察事態的發展, 與你預料那樣。”

中澳兩軍關係依然危險

三艘中國軍艦2019年訪問了悉尼港。但他們的航行獲得澳洲政府的批准。

近年來，澳洲與中國的外交和貿易關係有所改善，但兩國軍事關係卻很危險。

澳洲對上週在南海上發生的不安全互動表示抗議，當時一架中國戰機被指控發射照明彈，危及一架澳洲軍用偵察機的安全。

中國外交部發言人 Guo 指責澳洲飛機「故意」侵入中國聲稱擁有主權的西沙群島領空。

So, the Australian and New Zealand militaries were monitoring three Chinese warships moving unusually far south along Australia’s east coast on an unknown mission. They say that they will make a full assessment of what the Chinese were seeking to achieve in this mission eventually. I am also interested in knowing what the Chinese navy was aiming at.

澳洲和紐西蘭軍方正在監視澳洲附近的 3 艘中國軍艦 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

The Australian and New Zealand militaries are monitoring 3 Chinese warships off Australia (1/2)

The Associated Press - Rod Mcguirk

Wed, February 19, 2025 at 9:31 p.m. PST·4 min read

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian and New Zealand militaries were monitoring three Chinese warships moving unusually far south along Australia’s east coast on an unknown mission, officials said Thursday.

The Australian government revealed a week ago that the warships had traveled through Southeast Asia and the Coral Sea and were approaching northeast Australia.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday that the Chinese ships — the naval frigate Hengyang, cruiser Zunyi and replenishment vessel Weishanhu — were “off the east coast of Australia.”

Defense officials did not respond to a request for comment on a Financial Times report that the task group from China's military, the People's Liberation Army, was 150 nautical miles (278 kilometers) east of Sydney.

“There is no doubt that this is, not unprecedented, but an unusual event,” Marles told Sky News television.

Australia says Chinese warships entitled to deploy off Australian coast

Marles said Australian navy ships and air force planes were monitoring the Chinese ships’ movements through international waters that are in Australia's exclusive economic zone, the area beyond its territorial waters where a nation has exclusive economic rights.

“They’re entitled to be where they are; Australia is also entitled to be prudent and we are monitoring very closely what the activities of the task group are,” Marles told reporters.

“What we will do whenever this mission is over on the part of the Chinese task group is engage in a full assessment of what the Chinese were seeking to achieve in respect of this mission,” he added.

In Beijing, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun was asked at a media briefing on Wednesday about the Chinese warships' location and replied he was not aware of the situation. The Chinese Embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Australia engages with Papua New Guinea and New Zealand over Chinese warships

Marles said Australia had engaged with its nearest neighbor Papua New Guinea over its response because the Chinese had traveled around the South Pacific Island nation’s coast on their way to Australia’s exclusive economic zone.

Australia was also “working very closely” with New Zealand, which is separated from the Australian east coast by the Tasman Sea, he said.

(to be continued)

Translation

澳洲和紐西蘭軍方正在監視澳洲附近的 3 艘中國軍艦 (1/2)

墨爾本，澳大利亞（美聯社）- 官員週四表示，澳大利亞和新西蘭軍方正在監視三艘中國軍艦，它們沿著澳大利亞東海岸異常地向遙遠的南方航行，執行一項不明任務。

澳洲政府一週前透露，這些軍艦已穿越東南亞和珊瑚海，正接近澳洲東北部。

國防部長 Richard Marles 週四表示，中國艦艇 - 海軍護衛艦衡陽號、巡洋艦遵義號和補給艦微山湖號 - 「位於澳洲東海岸附近」。

《金融時報》報道稱，中國人民解放軍的編隊位於雪梨以東 150 海裡（278 公里）處，國防官員沒有回應對此發表評論的請求。

Marles 在接受天空新聞電視台採訪時表示： “毫無疑問，這並非史無前例，但卻是一次不尋常的事件。”

澳洲稱中國軍艦有權在澳洲海岸附近部署

Marles表示，澳大利亞海軍艦艇和空軍飛機正在監測中國船隻在澳大利亞專屬經濟區的國際水域內的動態，該區域位於其領海之外，澳在此擁有專屬經濟權利。

Marles 告訴記者: 「他們有權待在他們所在的地方；澳洲也有權保持謹慎，我們正在密切監視該工作特遣組的活動」。

他補充說： “在中國特遣組的任務結束後，我們將進行全面評估中方在這次任務中尋求實現的目標。”

中國外交部發言人 Guo Jiakun 週三在北京的記者會上被問及中國軍艦的位置，他回答說他不了解有關情況。中國駐澳洲大使館週四沒有立即回應置評請求。

澳洲與巴布亞紐幾內亞和紐西蘭就中國軍艦問題作出積極交流

 Marles 表示，澳洲已與其近鄰巴布亞新畿內亞就其反應作出積極交流，因為中國軍艦在前往澳洲專屬經濟區的途中繞過了這個南太平洋島國的海岸。

他說，澳洲也與紐西蘭 “密切合作” ，紐西蘭與澳洲東岸之間隔著塔斯曼海。

（待續）

中國習近平在與阿里巴巴馬雲等商界領袖的會晤中承諾保持政策穩定

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

China's Xi promises policy stability at meeting with business leaders, including Alibaba's Jack Ma

Huizhong Wu

Mon, February 17, 2025 at 6:56 a.m. PST·3 min read

The Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — China's President Xi Jinping met with private sector business leaders on Monday, offering them assurances that policies regarding the private sector would not change, state media reported, as government officials work to revive an economy disrupted by a pandemic, regulatory crackdowns and a real estate crisis.

Among those present was Alibaba founder Jack Ma, who was part of a focus on a crackdown on the tech industry in recent years.

Xi told the audience that the Communist Party and the government's approach towards the private sector has been incorporated into “the socialist system with Chinese characteristics," which is how the party describes its governance, according to state broadcaster CCTV. “They cannot and will not change,” said Xi.

The president also said the government would “sincerely protect the legal rights of private businesses and entrepreneurs, according to the law.” But, “at the same time, we must realize that our country is a socialist country ruled by law, and any type of illegal activities by enterprises cannot avoid investigation and punishment.”

The words of assurance were made after Beijing launched a crackdown on the tech sector in 2020 to break down monopolies and implement strict data regulations.

One of the most public faces of that crackdown was Ma, who founded e-commerce firm Alibaba in the 1990s and was once China’s richest man. He has kept a low profile with few public appearances in recent years after he publicly criticized China’s regulators and financial systems during a speech in Shanghai.

Other business leaders at Monday's meeting in Beijing were Zeng Yuqun, the chairman of battery developer CATL, Wang Chuanfu, chairman of electric cars manufacturer BYD, and Pony Ma, the CEO of Tencent, which owns WeChat, according to a video of the meeting from state broadcaster CCTV and a state media report.

Xi said he hoped private businesses will continue to “get rich first, and then promote common prosperity,” a reference to a program to encourage development and close the wealth gap. Alibaba previously pledged $15.5 billion to the cause, while Tencent pledged $7.7 billion.

Earlier on Monday, a two-paragraph report about the meeting which originally had been carried by state media was subsequently deleted. Instead, a search online revealed a shorter state media statement which had cut out the names of those present.

A later readout of the meeting carried Xi's speech, and mentioned the names of some of those present, but not Ma.

Ma, one of the wealthiest men in the country, gave a speech in Oct 2020 in which he said regulators were too conservative. The government responded by scuttling his plans for Ant Group 's stock market debut. The finance-focused business grew out of Alipay, the popular digital payments system. It then forced Ant Group to restructure, dividing it into multiple independent businesses.

Alibaba was also investigated and fined $2.8 billion for breaching antitrust rules.

Translation

中國習近平在與阿里巴巴馬雲等商界領袖的會晤中承諾保持政策穩定

曼谷（美聯社）— 據官方媒體報道，中國國家主席習近平周一會見了私營企業領袖，向他們保證私營企業的政策不會改變，目前政府官員正在努力重振因疫情、監管打擊和房地產危機而受到破壞的經濟。

出席者包括阿里巴巴創辦人馬雲，他是近年來打擊科技業行動的重點對象人士之一。

據中央電視台報道，習近平告訴出席人士，共產黨和政府對待私營部門的方針已經融入“中國特色社會主義制度”，這是共產黨對其治理的描述。習近平說：“這些變化不可能改變，也不會改變。”

主席也表示，政府將「依法切實保護私人企業和企業家的合法權益」。但“同時也要認識到，我國是社會主義法治國家，企業的任何違法行為都逃脫不了查處。”

中國政府在 2020 年對科技業展開打擊行動，以打破壟斷並實施嚴格的資料監管後，做出了這樣的保證。

那次打擊行動中最受關注的人物之一是馬雲，他於 1990 年代創立了電子商務公司阿里巴巴，曾是中國首富。自從在上海發表演說公開批評中國的監管機構和金融體係以來，他近年來一直保持低調，很少公開露面。

根據國營中央電視台和官方媒體報道的會議影片，週一在北京舉行的會議的其他商界領袖還包括電池開發商 CATL 董事長曾氍群、電動車製造商比亞迪董事長王傳承以及微信所有者騰訊執行長馬化騰。

習近平表示，他希望私人企業繼續 “先富起來，然後促進共同富裕”，這是一項鼓勵發展、縮小貧富差距的計劃。阿里巴巴先前已承諾為該事業捐款 155 億元，而騰訊則承諾捐款 77 億元。

週一早些時候，全國媒體最初刊登的兩段關於此次會議的報告報道隨後被刪除。相反，透過網路搜索，你會看到一份較短的官方媒體聲明，其中刪去了與會者的姓名。

隨後的會議記錄中刊登了習近平的講話，並提到了一些與會人員的名字，但沒有提到馬雲。

馬雲是中國最富有的人之一，他在 2020 年 10 月發表演講，表示監管機構過於保守。政府對他的回應是打沉了螞蟻集團上市的計劃。該以金融為重點的業務源自於流行的數位支付系統支付寶。隨後，這迫使螞蟻集團進行重組，將其分拆為多個獨立的業務。

阿里巴巴還因違反反壟斷規則而受到調查並被罰款 28 億元。

So, Xi tells the audience that the Communist Party and the government's approach towards the private sector has been incorporated into “the socialist system with Chinese characteristics."  Xi says that “They cannot and will not change”. I am wondering whether these words can bring back the confidence of the private sectors.