Hello, viewers, welcome to “Observations by Qin Peng.” Today is June 11 in the Eastern U.S. time zone and June 12 in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei time.
Today’s focus:
The son of U.S. President Biden, Hunter, has been found guilty, and we will analyze the ins and outs of the case. How will this impact the upcoming U.S. elections?
The scenario in Zhongnanhai backfires as the Jilin Park attack on four Americans raises questions among Chinese citizens.
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On June 11th, after two days of deliberation spanning three hours, the jury finally reached a verdict for Hunter Biden’s federal gun possession case, with all three charges proven. This marks the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president’s child has been convicted in a criminal case. Hunter faces a maximum sentence of 25 years and a $750,000 fine.
Upon the judge’s announcement of the verdict, Hunter Biden nodded and smiled. In a statement, he expressed gratitude for the love and support given by his family, friends, and community, rather than feeling disappointed by the outcome. He emphasized the possibility of recovery with God’s grace.
Following this, First Lady Jill and Hunter, along with Hunter’s current wife Melissa, left the courtroom. Jill Biden is not Hunter’s biological mother. Both sons were born to Biden and his first wife Neilia. In 1972, after his first wife’s death in a car accident, Joe Biden married Jill and had a daughter.
This case stems from Hunter Biden’s actions in 2018. While U.S. law does not prohibit citizens from owning guns, it does prohibit drug users, those convicted of serious crimes with a sentence over one year, fugitives, individuals deemed mentally defective, and those dishonorably discharged from the military from possessing firearms. At the time, Hunter was heavily using cocaine and even indulging in multi-day binges in hotels. However, he lied to gun dealers and on federal background check forms, illegally obtaining firearms. It was only later that his then-girlfriend and the widow of Hunter’s brother, Hallie, discovered his guns and threw them in the trash.
Hunter pleaded not guilty to all three charges. His defense lawyer argued about the language in the forms, leaving room to deny being a habitual drug user. However, the prosecution cited Hunter’s 2021 book, which detailed his experience becoming addicted, as evidence of intentional falsehoods.
In response to Hunter’s conviction, President Biden expressed support for his son in a statement, emphasizing his respect for the judicial process.
“While I am the President, I am also a father,” Biden stated in the release.
Although the maximum penalties for the three charges are 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine, first-time offenders typically do not end up in actual imprisonment. This indicates that when sentenced in October, Hunter is likely to face a fine rather than incarceration. We will have to wait and see.
Regarding the case outcome, many Americans commend it as a demonstration of equality before the law. However, others view it as a political maneuver, far from a fair trial.
James Comer, Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, stated, “Hunter Biden’s lover’s plea deal was rescinded by a federal judge after review. Today’s judgment marks a step towards accountability, but until the Justice Department investigates all involved in the Bidens’ corrupt influence-peddling scheme that brought over $18 million in foreign payments to the Biden family, it is clear that DOJ officials will continue to shield this big guy, Joe Biden.”
Comer’s statement contains references to additional legal charges against Hunter. Currently, Special Prosecutor David C. Weiss has initiated two cases against Hunter, the just-decided Delaware gun case and a tax case scheduled for trial in September, accusing Hunter of tax evasion.
Last year, a deal was reached between prosecutors and Hunter’s lawyers, allowing Hunter to plead guilty to tax charges to avoid firearms-related charges. In the federal court in Delaware, Hunter confessed to earning over $1.5 million in 2017 and 2018 without paying over $100,000 in taxes and admitted to illegally possessing firearms during his cocaine addiction. This plea deal may spare him from incarceration.
This deal sparked significant controversy. In June 2023, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that half of respondents believed Hunter received special treatment from prosecutors. Subsequently, in July, Federal Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected the plea deal, questioning its scope and whether it offered immunity, shielding Hunter from future prosecutions amid Republican claims that Hunter’s overseas business dealings involved his father, President Biden.
During the 2020 U.S. election, Hunter’s emails mentioning a “big guy” surfaced, initially dismissed by many left-leaning media outlets as a conspiracy theory. However, in 2022, both the FBI and media outlets like The Washington Post acknowledged the authenticity of Hunter’s laptop. On February 28, 2024, during congressional testimony, Hunter claimed that when he wrote a letter to a Chinese colleague in 2017 saying, “I’m sitting here with my dad,” he was “high on drugs or drunk,” leading shortly after to $5.1 million transferred to the Biden family’s accounts.
Hunter’s conviction will have two outcomes on the U.S. election: First, it will weaken former President Trump’s claims of manipulation of the U.S. justice system, benefiting Biden. Second, it will bring intensified scrutiny to the September trial in California, focusing on whether the investigation will only involve Hunter’s personal tax evasion or extend to Biden himself. This will be a significant development to monitor.
Undoubtedly, the Republican Party is likely to launch another impeachment before the election, even though it will not succeed due to Democratic control of the Senate; it will impact Biden’s candidacy. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Now, let’s turn to the shocking incident that has rocked the world in the past two days, the stabbing of four American teachers in a park in Jilin, northern China.
Following statements from U.S. congressmen and the U.S. Embassy in China, the White House also expressed “deep concern” about the incident.
“We are deeply concerned about the stabbing of American citizens in Jilin, China. Our team has been in contact with these Americans and their Chinese colleagues to ensure the victims’ needs are met and proper law enforcement actions are taken,” said National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan in a statement on social media platform Twitter.
The event took place on Monday in China time. Videos and images circulated on social media showing four Westerners in a pool of blood, which were quickly deleted. Nonetheless, reports emerged online about the Jilin police’s call for cooperation in the investigation and the arrest of the suspect Cui moments later.
Approximately 24 hours later, the police issued a notice stating that the suspect, Cui, was arrested. They claimed that Cui had a “collision” with a foreigner while walking in Beishan Park, leading to the stabbing of the foreigner, three other foreigners, and a Chinese tourist who tried to intervene.
On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, when asked by reporters, labeled the incident as an “isolated case” that does not impact Sino-U.S. cultural exchanges.
Those familiar with China’s operational mechanisms could discern from the delay in the process before the public announcement. Authorities defer reaching a decision in such cases to assess and strategize the response. Once the incident alarmed the U.S. Embassy and the White House, it certainly would have been reported to Zhongnanhai, including the office of Xi Jinping.
Chinese netizens widely disapprove of the official narrative. Comments like “Who carries a knife when going out?” and “Carrying a knife, are you serious?” abound on state media posts, suggesting skepticism towards the authorities’ version and even hinting at scapegoating and conspiracy theories.
So, how do we perceive the official Chinese response?
Primarily, it’s evident that the authorities are lying. A 55-year-old individual taking a walk in the park with a knife seems intentionally suspicious, making the stabbing resemble premeditation. Moreover, under normal circumstances, Americans, especially intellectuals, are wary of intruding on others’ personal space, making a collision leading to a confrontation highly unlikely.
Furthermore, the claim by the Chinese Foreign Ministry that China is a safe country contradicts the excessive violence witnessed in this seemingly minor incident. The extreme rage or hatred required to attack four foreigners and a Chinese citizen over such a trivial matter raises questions about the source of this animosity or enmity.
Additionally, over the past 30 years of reform and opening up, foreigners have held high esteem in China, even during state-promoted anti-Japanese demonstrations. Domestic individuals were typically targeted while foreigners were not. What recent changes have caused this shift towards hostility against foreigners?
In conclusion, this incident is a direct outcome of the Chinese Communist Party’s intensified campaign of anti-American sentiment in the past two years, rather than an isolated or accidental event. Likely aiming to divert domestic tensions, the CCP’s plan backfired, leading to this unfortunate incident.
It’s noteworthy how, despite claiming to improve Sino-U.S. relations, Jinping and Biden have repeatedly engaged in discussions to provide stability in a volatile world. However, the authorities have intensified anti-American propaganda, labeling many American companies as spies and blaming the Ukraine and Hama wars on the U.S. Additionally, the CCP has strengthened ties with anti-American factions like Iran and Hamas. When mixed-race girl Noa was rescued by China instead of Israel, as revealed by former Israeli PM Netanyahu, it showcased a complicated geopolitical dance where assistance from China could affect international relations.
Considering escalation in the tensions between China and the U.S., this incident reveals China’s mainland as far from the safest world as promoted by the CCP. This will only exacerbate existing disconnections and hasten polarization.
After the Jilin incident, an article from 2018 by Xinhua, titled “National Consciousness Awakening—The Boxer Rebellion Anti-Imperialism Patriotic Movement,” resurfaced and spread online, emphasizing national and fighting spirits. This underscores the CCP regime’s true aims.
Back in the day, even Empress Dowager Cixi intended to harness the Boxers against foreigners, leading to her own frantic escape and subsequent eradication of the Boxers.
However, today, the CCP seems wary of foreign and domestic unrest, fearing a repeat of the Boxer Rebellion. Simultaneously, they wish to enhance trade and academic exchanges with the U.S. and other nations while fueling anti-foreign sentiments. This contradictory approach seeks to achieve everything, a utopian dream unlikely to come true.
That concludes our discussion for today. For those who enjoy my program, please subscribe to my new channel in the comments section. Let’s stay tuned to the historical turning points of 2024 together!
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