Ben
@benjaminqiu.bsky.social
Lawyer, author; co-chair, Asian Affairs Comm, NYC Bar; former board member, Shanghai Foreign Correspondents Club; youth basketball and track coach
The hero bystander at the Bondi Beach attack is a Syrian immigrant named Ahmed al Ahmed from the city of Idlib. Muslim, shop owner, and father of two. He lives in Sydney, where he is a naturalized citizen. His parents, who recently arrived as refugees, said he once served in the police.
December 15, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The hero bystander at the Bondi Beach attack is a Syrian immigrant named Ahmed al Ahmed from the city of Idlib. Muslim, shop owner, and father of two. He lives in Sydney, where he is a naturalized citizen. His parents, who recently arrived as refugees, said he once served in the police.
Reposted by Ben
1/8
It's hard to find anything good in the November economic data for China, just as it is hard to find anything new to say. All the important indicators continue to weaken, as they have throughout the year, in some cases even decelerating further.
english.news.cn/20251215/a59...
It's hard to find anything good in the November economic data for China, just as it is hard to find anything new to say. All the important indicators continue to weaken, as they have throughout the year, in some cases even decelerating further.
english.news.cn/20251215/a59...
China's industrial output up 4.8 pct in November
english.news.cn
December 15, 2025 at 5:17 AM
1/8
It's hard to find anything good in the November economic data for China, just as it is hard to find anything new to say. All the important indicators continue to weaken, as they have throughout the year, in some cases even decelerating further.
english.news.cn/20251215/a59...
It's hard to find anything good in the November economic data for China, just as it is hard to find anything new to say. All the important indicators continue to weaken, as they have throughout the year, in some cases even decelerating further.
english.news.cn/20251215/a59...
Reposted by Ben
“Truth, though powerless and always defeated in a head-on clash with the powers that be, possesses a strength of its own: whatever those in power may contrive, they are unable to discover or invent a viable substitute for it.” - Hannah Arendt
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai Found Guilty in Landmark Security Case
After nearly five years in detention, former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was handed a verdict that could see the 78-year-old locked up for the rest of his life. The outcome may also complicate Chi...
www.bloomberg.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:29 PM
“Truth, though powerless and always defeated in a head-on clash with the powers that be, possesses a strength of its own: whatever those in power may contrive, they are unable to discover or invent a viable substitute for it.” - Hannah Arendt
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
At least one Covid-traumatized group has acted on it -- After 2022, the Chinese entrepreneurs and investors class has radically diversified their wealth, business, and passports for the family away from China, which in part explains the country's worsening domestic economic slump.
I think we're all just pretending that the pandemic that happened a mere 5 years ago didn't traumatize us all
December 14, 2025 at 2:02 AM
At least one Covid-traumatized group has acted on it -- After 2022, the Chinese entrepreneurs and investors class has radically diversified their wealth, business, and passports for the family away from China, which in part explains the country's worsening domestic economic slump.
Sad to ask but why would any artist still perform at the Kennedy Center?
December 12, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Sad to ask but why would any artist still perform at the Kennedy Center?
Flattery was never going to deliver security guarantees for Ukraine.
December 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Flattery was never going to deliver security guarantees for Ukraine.
Reading up in the aftermath of the fall of Pax Romana would be useful today.
December 10, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reading up in the aftermath of the fall of Pax Romana would be useful today.
American soldiers killed by China's AI powered weapons trained on advanced Nvidia chips will have Trump to thank.
December 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
American soldiers killed by China's AI powered weapons trained on advanced Nvidia chips will have Trump to thank.
Music to the ear and a shot in the arm for Beijing.
December 8, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Music to the ear and a shot in the arm for Beijing.
Reposted by Ben
The photo of the explosion of USS Shaw's forward magazine is one of the most iconic images from the attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred #OTD in 1941. Despite heavy damage, the Shaw was repaired by 1942 and served in the Pacific for the rest of the war, earning 11 battle stars. #PearlHarbor #WWII
December 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The photo of the explosion of USS Shaw's forward magazine is one of the most iconic images from the attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred #OTD in 1941. Despite heavy damage, the Shaw was repaired by 1942 and served in the Pacific for the rest of the war, earning 11 battle stars. #PearlHarbor #WWII
The U.S. National Security Strategy might have become outdated within a week of its release.
They say this is not cg or sped up. Engine AI t800 humanoid combat robot
December 7, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The U.S. National Security Strategy might have become outdated within a week of its release.
Reposted by Ben
Back in January, I dug into Xiaohongshu's party links: they're surprisingly brazen about it.
“When recruiting personnel, the principle of giving priority to Party members is implemented."
“When recruiting personnel, the principle of giving priority to Party members is implemented."
How "Red" is Little Red Book?
TikTokers fled to China's fluffy, politics-free answer to "Instagram". Yet behind the scenes, Xiaohongshu is being increasingly coopted by the CPC.
open.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Back in January, I dug into Xiaohongshu's party links: they're surprisingly brazen about it.
“When recruiting personnel, the principle of giving priority to Party members is implemented."
“When recruiting personnel, the principle of giving priority to Party members is implemented."
Reposted by Ben
This should go on the next banner overlooking Schuman.
December 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM
This should go on the next banner overlooking Schuman.
Reposted by Ben
If the Fourteenth Amendment isn’t real then Section 3 isn’t real either and the justices are suddenly just people in funny clothes.
The Supreme Court Friday agreed to decide whether President Donald Trump can unilaterally limit the constitutional right to citizenship granted to virtually every person born in the United States. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Supreme Court to Hear Trump's Bid To Eliminate Birthright Citizenship
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
If the Fourteenth Amendment isn’t real then Section 3 isn’t real either and the justices are suddenly just people in funny clothes.
Reposted by Ben
National Parks are now free on Trump's birthday, but not on MLK Jr. Day or Juneteenth
National Parks are now free on Trump's birthday, but not on MLK Jr. Day or Juneteenth
The Trump administration overhauled the list of free National Park days for 2026.
www.axios.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:17 AM
National Parks are now free on Trump's birthday, but not on MLK Jr. Day or Juneteenth
America lost its mind bringing Trump back to the WH. Now it might lose part of what it is.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court will decide whether President Trump's birthright citizenship order violates the Constitution.
The Supreme Court will decide whether Trump's birthright citizenship order violates the Constitution
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s order on birthright citizenship.
bit.ly
December 6, 2025 at 3:10 PM
America lost its mind bringing Trump back to the WH. Now it might lose part of what it is.
Cannot make the shit up
December 5, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Cannot make the shit up
Reposted by Ben
Really appreciate the clarity of the president saying black people are ruining the country and this entire room of groveling empty suits saying nothing bsky.app/profile/just...
Trump, continued: "What the Somalian people have done to Minnesota is not even believable. It’s not even believable. And a lot of it starts with the governor. A lot of it starts with Barack HUSSEIN Obama, because that’s when people started coming in... They want to kiss our country good night."
December 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Really appreciate the clarity of the president saying black people are ruining the country and this entire room of groveling empty suits saying nothing bsky.app/profile/just...
Reposted by Ben
Trump has issued 1500+ pardons and counting…a who’s who of drug kingpins, crypto scammers, violent insurrectionists, terrorism financiers & corrupt politicians.
In Trump’s oligarchy, the rich and powerful can pay their way to reside above the law.
In Trump’s oligarchy, the rich and powerful can pay their way to reside above the law.
December 4, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Trump has issued 1500+ pardons and counting…a who’s who of drug kingpins, crypto scammers, violent insurrectionists, terrorism financiers & corrupt politicians.
In Trump’s oligarchy, the rich and powerful can pay their way to reside above the law.
In Trump’s oligarchy, the rich and powerful can pay their way to reside above the law.
When it comes to this, the Americans will surely sue for peace, right?
December 3, 2025 at 4:44 PM
When it comes to this, the Americans will surely sue for peace, right?
Reposted by Ben
The Trump admin has been quietly pressuring Europe to not seize the Russian billions for Ukraine. He fully intends to give it back to Russia and likely will find a way to profit himself.
Shame on America, and shame on Europe
Shame on America, and shame on Europe
December 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
The Trump admin has been quietly pressuring Europe to not seize the Russian billions for Ukraine. He fully intends to give it back to Russia and likely will find a way to profit himself.
Shame on America, and shame on Europe
Shame on America, and shame on Europe
Open-source with Chinese characteristics.
"The Chinese-made DeepSeek-R1 artificial intelligence (AI) model produces more insecure code when prompts mention subjects considered sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to recent research from Crowdstrike." www.lawfaremedia.org/article/deep...
DeepSeek and Musk's Grok Both Toe the Party Line
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 2, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Open-source with Chinese characteristics.
By staring down and beating Trump in the trade war, China inadvertently showed its neighbors, especially Japan, how to deal with a bully.
December 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
By staring down and beating Trump in the trade war, China inadvertently showed its neighbors, especially Japan, how to deal with a bully.
Reposted by Ben
The one thing Donald Trump has always and will always be afraid of is the truth. And right now, he’s scared.
December 2, 2025 at 3:08 AM
The one thing Donald Trump has always and will always be afraid of is the truth. And right now, he’s scared.
Reposted by Ben
"Beijing routinely lashes out at Tokyo. This time the fury is rooted in something more dangerous: China’s growing anxiety that one of its bedrock goals — isolating Taiwan and forcing it to submit to unification on China's terms — is slipping away" www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/o...
Opinion | Japan Has Changed How the World Must Think About Taiwan
www.nytimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:33 PM
"Beijing routinely lashes out at Tokyo. This time the fury is rooted in something more dangerous: China’s growing anxiety that one of its bedrock goals — isolating Taiwan and forcing it to submit to unification on China's terms — is slipping away" www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/o...