Underground

Pentagon Concerned Russia Cultivating Sympathy Among U.S. Troops – Small Wars Journal
Excerpt:
The second annual Reagan National Defense Survey, completed in late October, found nearly half of armed services households questioned, 46%, said they viewed Russia as ally.
Overall, the survey found 28% of Americans identified Russia as an ally, up from 19% the previous year.
Generally, the pollsters found the positive views of Russia seemed to be “predominantly driven by Republicans who have responded to positive cues from [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump about Russia,” according to an executive summary accompanying the results.
While a majority, 71% of all Americans and 53% of military households, still views Russia as an enemy, the spike in pro-Russian sentiment has defense officials concerned.

Russia commences Power of Siberia pipeline gas supplies to China – NewEurope
Excerpt:
Russia started on 2 December Russian gas pipeline supplies to China via the ambitious Power of Siberia gas pipeline or so-called eastern route.
Taking part in a ceremonial event via conference call were Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, Gazprom Chairman Alexey Miller and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Chairman Wang Yilin.
“Today, we are witnessing a historic event for Russia and China. The eastern route – Power of Siberia – is a global, strategically significant and mutually beneficial project,” Miller said. “A new scope of energy cooperation between the two countries with a prospect for further development. Clean energy today and tomorrow, for decades to come,” he added.

China is making it possible for tyrants to do more with less as far as controlling its citizens using terroristic fear. No longer do they need to worry so much about recruiting police state informants, they can simply call on their wonder tech to discover for them who thinks what, who is talking to whom, etc. All signs of divergence from the accepted path will be discovered immediately, before the dangerous ideas even have a chance to form plans.
That’s the whole idea, and, I must say, China is doing a fine job. I’m sure there are plenty of folks over in America that would LOVE to see our government adopt some of these technologies to assure that we, too don’t get subjected to dangerous ideas that could lead us towards path that are divergent from what our leaders assure us are the true and singular correct path to pursue.
Concerns Mount Over Adoption and Export of Biometric Surveillance – China Digital Times
Excerpt:
At The Financial Times on Friday, Yuan Yang and Madhumita Murgia offered an overview of facial recognition technology’s adoption in China, public reception, and widespread export:
What do Uganda’s police force, a Mongolian prison and Zimbabwean airports have in common? All three are in the process of testing facial recognition systems and all three have used Chinese technology to do it. At least 52 governments are doing the same thing according to research by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
[… “Chinese] companies are particularly well-suited to provide [advanced surveillance capabilities],” says [Carnegie fellow Steven] Feldstein, “but also they are willing to go to markets that perhaps western competitors are less willing to go to.”
[… Huawei], which was blacklisted for allegedly posing a threat to US national security this year, has supplied surveillance equipment — including facial recognition — to roughly 230 cities worldwide stretching from western Europe to large swaths of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. It supplies more countries with AI video surveillance than anyone else according to Carnegie.
[…] But the question of who is driving the surveillance rollout is not straightforward. “I would beware of the idea that Africa is a blank slate, where the Chinese arrive bringing their oppressive ways,” says Iginio Gagliardone, author of China, Africa, and the Future of the Internet. “Companies are spinning their products to fit the political demands of African elites.” [Source]