China Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Lawmaker proposes ban to keep foreign entities from buying Washington forest and farmland

By Tom Banse February 17, 2023

Conversations with farmers in the Skagit Valley, seen here from Samish Overlook, inspired a Democratic state legislator to propose to bar foreign entities from buying Washington croplands

Legislators in Washington state are joining more than a dozen other states that are considering whether to restrict or ban foreign entities from buying farmland. The initial hearing on Olympia's version of the foreign ownership restrictions however drew more criticism than support on Tuesday. Read More

The U.S. Made A Breakthrough Battery Discovery — Then Gave The Technology To China

By Courtney Flatt August 4, 2022

BY LAURA SULLIVAN and COURTNEY FLATT When a group of engineers and researchers gathered in a warehouse in Mukilteo, Wash., 10 years ago, they knew they were onto something big.… Continue Reading The U.S. Made A Read More

President Biden Asks U.S. Intel To Push For Stronger Conclusions On The Coronavirus’ Origins

By NPR News May 26, 2021

A laboratory building at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China, is seen on May 13, 2020. CREDIT: Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden said on Wednesday that he has asked the U.S. intelligence community to push to get closer to a "definitive conclusion" on how the pandemic started. Continue Reading President Biden Asks U.S. Intel To Read More

Brood X Is Back — But Cicadas Have Been In Chinese Art For Millennia

By NWPB News May 10, 2021

Album Leaf of Flowers and Insects, bequest of the Hofer Collection of the Arts of Asia, 1985.904.6 Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College/Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum

You might be using Cicada Safari to track Brood X, which appears to be slowly emerging from the earth in the U.S. all the way from Florida to Michigan. But cicadas are global citizens. In China, the critters have long been symbolically significant. Read More

WHO Report: Wildlife Farms, Not Market, Likely Source Of Coronavirus Pandemic

By NPR News March 29, 2021

World Health Organization investigative team member Peter Daszak (shown here during a trip to China in February) tells NPR that the group's report calls for additional research on farms that breed exotic animals in southern China. Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

The highly anticipated World Health Organization report on the origins of the coronavirus that sparked a global pandemic is due out Tuesday. NPR has obtained an early copy. According to the report, data suggests that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan was not the original source of the outbreak. Read More

White House: China And WHO Need To ‘Step Up’ On Investigation Into Origin Of Pandemic

By NPR News February 21, 2021

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, seen here during a press briefing on Feb. 4, told CBS the World Health Organization has more work to do to get to the bottom of where the coronavirus emerged. CREDIT: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President Biden's national security adviser said Sunday that the administration has concerns over the data China has provided to the World Health Organization regarding the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading Read More

Virologist: WHO Team Found No ‘Credible Link’ Between Wuhan Labs, COVID-19

By NPR News February 16, 2021

Marion Koopmans was part of a WHO team that traveled to Wuhan to investigate the start of the coronavirus pandemic. She tells NPR that the Wuhan seafood market was "not the whole story." Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

The WHO team's main public conclusion so far is that it's "extremely unlikely" that the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan. The scientists think the virus most likely started in bats, then jumped to other animals, then to humans. Continue Read More

‘They’re Going To Eat Our Lunch,’ Biden Warns After Call With China’s Xi

By NPR News February 11, 2021

President Joe Biden speaking at the Pentagon

President Biden raised some of the thorniest bilateral issues, but also talked about potential areas for cooperation, the White House said. The call comes after Biden and top administration officials did rounds of calls with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, signaling that the United States will depart from the Trump administration's go-it-alone approach to Read More

What Trump’s Declassified Asia Strategy May Mean For U.S.-China Relations Under Biden

By NPR News January 24, 2021

A computer screen in Seoul shows images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump in 2019. Ahn Young-joon/AP

Eight days before the Trump administration departed, it declassified a key document that it said "provided overarching strategic guidance" to its approach toward Asia, a region it dubbed the Indo-Pacific. Continue Reading Read More

Hunter Biden Says He Is Under Federal Investigation For Tax Matter

By NPR News December 9, 2020

Hunter Biden makes an address virtually to the Democratic National Convention in August. Democratic National Convention Committee via Getty Images

Joe Biden's son Hunter said he learned that "the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel ... that they are investigating my tax affairs." Continue Reading Hunter Biden Says He Is Under Federal Investigation For Tax Read More

Microwave Radiation ‘Most Plausible’ Cause Of Diplomats’ Ailments, Report Says

By NPR News December 6, 2020

A car drives past the U.S. Embassy in Havana in 2019. Dozens of Americans working at U.S. diplomatic missions in Cuba and China in recent years have suffered from ailments that have included headaches, balance problems and memory loss. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

The study by the National Academies of Sciences comes after dozens of U.S. diplomats in Cuba and China complained of migraines, dizziness and memory loss. Continue Reading Microwave Radiation ‘Most Plausible’ Cause Of Read More

In The Poppy War Book Series, R.F. Kuang Asks: ‘What If Mao Was A Teenage Girl?’

By NPR News November 26, 2020

Author R.F. Kuang grounded her Poppy War books in her own interpretations of history, and her family's history. CREDIT: Kobi C. Felton

The third volume in Kuang's Poppy War series is out now. She grounded the story in history, both her own and China's; it follows a passionate, ruthless young woman who becomes a military leader. Continue Reading In The Poppy War Book Read More

President Trump’s Ban On TikTok Suffers Another Legal Setback

By NPR News October 30, 2020

A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction Friday blocking a key aspect of President Trump's ban on the video-sharing app TikTok from taking effect on Nov. 12. CREDIT: Kiichiro Sato/AP

A federal judge put the brakes on yet another aspect of President Trump's push to ban TikTok, but uncertainty still clouds the future of the viral video app in the U.S. Continue Reading President Trump’s Ban On TikTok Suffers Another Legal Read More

China Joins WHO-Led Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort As U.S. Sits It Out

By NPR News October 13, 2020

A worker feeds vials for production of a vaccine for COVID-19 at the SinoVac vaccine factory in Beijing. China said on Friday that it is joining the COVID-19 vaccine alliance known as COVAX. Ng Han Guan/AP

The Chinese foreign ministry said it took this step "to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and to honor its commitment to turn COVID-19 vaccines into a global public good." Continue Reading China Joins WHO-Led Read More

Federal Judge Blocks President Trumps Administration’s Attempt To Ban TikTok And WeChat

By NPR News September 20, 2020

As of Sunday, Sept. 20, mobile app stores in the U.S. won't be allowed to distribute or maintain the WeChat or TikTok apps, the Commerce Department says. CREDIT: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As of Sunday, no mobile app store in the U.S. will be allowed to distribute or maintain the popular Chinese-owned apps, the Commerce Department says. Continue Reading Federal Judge Blocks President Trumps Administration’s Read More

First Chinese-Language Production Of ‘A Raisin In The Sun’ Is Staged In Beijing

By NPR News September 4, 2020

Xu Jingyao as Ruth (from left) Wang Qianhua as Lena and Xu Cenzi as Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun. CREDIT: Amy Cheng/NPR

Lorraine Hansberry's play is about a Black family's struggle against racism in 1950s Chicago. At the Beijing People's Art Theatre, director Ying Da is working to bring that story to Chinese audiences. Continue Reading First Read More

U.S. Accuses Chinese Government Hackers Of Targeting COVID-19 Research, With Roots At Hanford

By NWPB News July 21, 2020

Hackers working with the Chinese government targeted firms developing vaccines for the coronavirus and stole hundreds of millions of dollars worth of intellectual property and trade secrets from companies across the world, the Justice Department said Tuesday as it announced criminal charges. Read More

ICE Agrees To Rescind Policy Barring Foreign Students From Online Study In the U.S.

By NPR News July 14, 2020

Harvard University, shown here, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Trump administration over a rule change that would have barred international college students from taking fully online course loads in the United States. In court on Tuesday, a judge announced that the government would rescind the directive. CREDIT: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

A federal judge announced on Tuesday that ICE has reached an agreement with schools that sued it over the rule change. The directive will now be rescinded nationwide. Continue Reading ICE Agrees To Rescind Policy Barring Read More

Wuhan To Test All 11 Million Residents After New Coronavirus Cases Emerge

By NPR News May 12, 2020

A worker checks a passenger's body temperature on Tuesday after arriving in Wuhan, China.

Wuhan, where the world's first coronavirus cases were reported in late December, eased many restrictions in early April. But earlier this week, authorities found at least six new cases. Continue Reading Wuhan To Test All 11 Million Read More

Virus Researchers Cast Doubt On Theory Of Coronavirus Lab Accident

By NPR News April 24, 2020

The Trump administration is investigating the theory that the virus leaked from a lab. Scientists who work with viruses say that's virtually impossible and point to transmission from an animal. Continue Reading Virus Researchers Cast Doubt On Read More

Bloomberg News Killed Investigation, Fired Reporter, Then Sought To Silence His Wife

By NPR News April 14, 2020

As mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg officially had relinquished control of his company. In reality, his former executives say, Bloomberg was in frequent contact and shared his aspirations for growth in China. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

The investigation into Chinese political elites would "wipe out everything we've tried to build there," Matthew Winkler, Bloomberg's editor-in-chief at the time, said on audiotape obtained by NPR. Continue Reading Bloomberg Read More

BOOK REVIEW: In ‘How Much Of These Hills Is Gold,’ This Land Is Not Your Land

By NPR News April 11, 2020

How Much of These Hills is Gold, by C Pam Zhang

C Pam Zhang's debut novel follows a brother and sister, children of Chinese laborers, as the search the dusty hills of Gold Rush-era California for a place to bury their father's body. Continue Reading BOOK REVIEW: In ‘How Much Read More

Borders Didn’t Stop The Pandemic. But They Might Block The Trade Of Medical Goods

By NPR News April 8, 2020

Batches of 8 million protective masks are unloaded from a Lufthansa airplane at the Franz Josef Strauss airport in Munich on Tuesday after arriving from Shanghai. Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

More countries are imposing export restrictions on essential medical materials, to try to keep domestically produced goods — like masks, gloves and ventilators — available for domestic needs. Continue Reading Borders Read More

As Many People Stay Home, Will The Environment Improve — At Least Temporarily?

By PBS Newshour April 6, 2020

Alexandra Sasha Grieb and Kyleigh Dabler, both 19, from Kennewick, waved at passing cars driving by Richland’s John Dam Plaza. Grieb said it will be up to younger generations to fight climate change now with their votes. “The earth will survive climate change. Humans won’t,” she said. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

Will the current lull in activity make a difference in the air we breathe or the future of climate change? Continue Reading As Many People Stay Home, Will The Environment Improve — At Least Temporarily?Read More

Chinese Folk Music Meets Appalachian Tradition On ‘Wu Fei And Abigail Washburn’

By NPR News April 5, 2020

Abigail Washburn and Wu Fei are masters of Appalachian and Chinese folk music, respectively. On their self-titled debut album they combine traditional songs from across the U.S. and China. CREDIT: Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Each a virtuoso in their own right, longtime friends and Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn team up for a tradition-blending debut album of folk music. Continue Reading Chinese Folk Music Meets Appalachian Tradition On ‘Wu Fei And Read More

President Trump Appoints Mike Pence To Lead Government’s Coronavirus Response

By NPR News February 26, 2020

President Trump speaks as Vice President Pence listens during a Wednesday news conference about the U.S. response to the new coronavirus. CREDIT: Evan Vucci/AP

"Mike is going to be in charge," Trump said in an evening news conference, as officials said a case in the U.S. may have been transmitted within the community. Continue Reading President Trump Appoints Mike Pence To Lead Read More

Ah, Shuck: Oysters, Cherries, Other Northwest Ag Products Back Up As Coronavirus Quarantines Trade

By Anna King February 18, 2020

Amy Skillings of Oysterville, Washington, wheels the day's shucked oysters into a large cooler to await pickup. The oysters will be flown quickly across the country and to China.

Right now, all sorts of products aren’t reaching the U.S. because of the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China. Reciprocally, many U.S. agricultural and forestry products aren’t shipping back into China and other Pacific Rim countries. Global trade watchers say backed-up trade is building up on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Read More

Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Cyber-Theft Of 145 Million Americans’ Data

By NPR News February 10, 2020

Attorney General William Barr and top law enforcement officials announced what they called a huge cyberattack on Monday at the Justice Department. CREDIT: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

The credit agency Equifax was compromised by a cyberattack that permitted China's military to steal names, Social Security numbers and other personally identifiable information. Continue Reading Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Read More

Why The World Seemingly Cares More About The New Coronavirus Than The Flu

By NPR News February 3, 2020

Employees of the Egyptian Quarantine Authority prepare to scan the body temperature of incoming travelers at Cairo International Airport. AFP via Getty Images

Every year, viruses like influenza kill hundreds of thousands worldwide — yet countries don't respond with lockdowns or airport screenings. Here's why they're doing so over the coronavirus outbreak. Continue Reading Why The World Read More

U.S. Restricts Travelers From China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

By PBS Newshour February 1, 2020

The U.S. airlifted 195 Americans from Wuhan, China, after a spike in reported deaths and illnesses were linked to the virus. CREDIT: Mike Blake/Reuters

The U.S. declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency Friday, banning non-U.S. citizens who traveled to China from entering the country and imposing new screenings and quarantine on U.S. citizens flying back from China. Continue Reading Read More

Face Masks: What Doctors Say About Their Role In Containing Coronavirus

By NPR News January 29, 2020

A surgical mask and an N95 respirator. Officials in China are urging citizens to wear masks in public to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But can a mask really keep you from catching the virus? Science Photo Library/ Getty Images; South China Morning Post/Getty Images

Can a mask really keep you from catching the virus? To answer that, it helps to clarify which kinds of masks we're talking about. Continue Reading Face Masks: What Doctors Say About Their Role In Containing CoronavirusRead More

What Is The Toll Of Trade Wars On U.S. Agriculture?

By PBS Newshour January 27, 2020

Larry McMillan drives a combine as he harvests barley Friday, Aug. 24, 2007, near Moscow, Idaho. The region's warm and dry weather has provided optimal conditions for the continued harvest season. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The recently signed Phase 1 U.S.-China deal promises some relief. Details remain unclear, but the United States government’s interpretation of this deal is that China will purchase $40 billion of agricultural goods in 2020. Some analysts have questioned how realistic those estimates are, given that the highest level of farm products the United States has ever exported to Read More

1st Case Of New Coronavirus In U.S. Found In Everett Man Who Traveled Through Sea-Tac Airport

By Paige Browning January 21, 2020

Staff in biohazard suits hold a metal stretcher on Tuesday by the inpatient department of Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some people infected with a novel coronavirus are being treated in China. CREDIT: Dake Kang/AP

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday that a patient in Washington state is the first U.S. case of a new strain of coronavirus. The virus has already prompted concerns with health officials after an outbreak in Wuhan, China. Read More

Does The China Trade Deal Move The World Away From Free Trade?

By NPR News January 19, 2020

Containers are stacked at the port in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province. A new trade deal dictates that China buy more from the U.S., but that has other trading partners worried. CREDIT: STR/AFP via Getty Images

While the new deal with China lowers some trade barriers, it leaves many tariffs in place. And it dictates that China buy more from the U.S., but that has other trading partners worried. Continue Reading Does The China Trade Deal Move The World Read More

CDC To Screen For New Strain Of Coronavirus At 3 U.S. Airports

By NPR News January 17, 2020

The strain, discovered in China, has been reported in the city of Wuhan and in two other countries. On Friday, the CDC announced plans to screen passengers at N.Y., L.A. and San Francisco airports. Continue Reading CDC To Screen For New Strain Of Read More

Ex-CIA Officer Sentenced To 19 Years For Conspiracy To Spy For China

By NPR News November 23, 2019

Former CIA officer Jerry Chun Shing Lee was sentenced to 19 years in prison for conspiracy to spy for China. CREDIT: AP

Officials say Jerry Chun Shing Lee received more than $840,000 from Chinese officials in exchange for U.S. secrets. His Chinese handlers said they would "take care of him for life." Continue Reading Ex-CIA Officer Sentenced To 19 Years For Read More

Experts Warn: Threats To 2020 U.S. Election Not Limited To Russia

By NWPB News October 30, 2019

People cast their ballots for the 2016 general elections at a crowded polling station as early voting begins in North Carolina, in Carrboro, North Carolina, in 2016. CREDIT: Jonathan Frank/Reuters

U.S. intelligence agencies reported Russian, Chinese and Iranian influence activities targeting last year’s midterms, and a senior FBI official last week singled out Beijing as a particular source of concern. Continue Reading Experts Warn: Read More

President Trump Announces Phase One Of Trade Deal With China

By NPR News October 13, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office at the White House October 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced a 'phase one' partial trade deal with China. Win McNamee/Getty Images

As part of the deal, the next round of 30% tariffs will not be imposed. More agriculture trade between the two countries is expected. Continue Reading President Trump Announces Phase One Of Trade Deal With ChinaRead More

Only 2 Countries Are Meeting Their Climate Pledges. Here’s How The 10 Worst Could Improve

By PBS Newshour September 29, 2019

The coal power plant "Staudinger" by energy company Uniper is photographed during sunrise in Grosskrotzenburg, 30km outside Frankfurt, Germany, February 13, 2019. CREDIT: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

10 countries account for approximately 70 percent of the world’s emissions, and all except one — India — are not on pace to meet the climate goals needed to prevent 2 degrees Celsius of warming. Continue Reading Only 2 Read More

Shopping Cart Economics: How Prices Changed At A Walmart In 1 Year

By NPR News September 16, 2019

Products that have changed in price from August 2018 to August 2019.

Since August 2018, NPR has been tracking about 80 items sold at a Georgia Walmart with an eye toward products caught in the trade war. On average, prices rose 3%. Tariffs are one of many factors. Continue Reading Shopping Cart Economics: How Read More

U.S. Recycling Industry Is Struggling To Figure Out A Future Without China

By NPR News August 21, 2019

Collected material, including plastic, is baled at TerraCycle. Courtesy of TerraCycle

The U.S. used to send a lot of its plastic waste to China to get recycled. But last year, China put the kibosh on imports of the world's waste. The policy, called National Sword, freaked out people in the U.S. — a huge market for plastic waste had just dried up. Where was it all going to go now? Read More