(Daily Signal)—President Joe Biden’s recent second meeting with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping failed before it even began.
Long before Biden patted the communist dictator on the back Nov. 15 and ushered him into suburban San Francisco’s Filoli Estate, his administration’s commitment to “zombie engagement” with China ensured a victory for Xi and the CCP.
Biden’s opening remarks stuck to the same script his Cabinet officials have used for months on their visits to China. He told Xi he wants to avoid “miscommunication” and “manage [competition] responsibly” so that it does not “veer into conflict.”
However, tensions between the United States and China aren’t the result of inadequate communication or poor management by the Trump administration. They are the product of deliberate, malign behavior by Xi and the CCP.
Washington has a bad habit of treating the CCP like a passive entity with no agency of its own: If the party is acting recklessly, the thinking goes, it must be a failure of U.S. diplomacy. Similarly, the Biden administration views wooing the CCP diplomatically as “responsible,” while confronting national security threats from China is deemed “irresponsible,” as it risks angering Beijing.
This approach is a recipe for disaster.
In just the past few months, well after Biden began sending Cabinet officials to bow in Beijing, the CCP continued to step up its aggression toward Taiwan, deliberately caused near-collisions with U.S. military craft, caused an actual collision with a Philippine navy ship conducting a resupply mission, and used sonar to injure Australian sailors trying to fix a propellor in international waters.
These aren’t accidents or miscommunications, but deliberate acts of aggression to advance CCP goals and pressure a risk-averse administration.
After the CCP sent a spy balloon over the continental United States earlier this year, the administration “held back human rights-related sanctions, export controls and other sensitive actions to try to limit damage to the U.S.-China relationship.”
Months later, the administration bafflingly sent officials on a diplomatic visit to Beijing on the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
It’s now clear that months of concessions to Beijing and the humiliation of America’s top national security officials supplicating to Xi have been a net negative for American national security.
The administration argues that it also took important national security actions toward China earlier in Biden’s term, including an executive order to monitor and restrict investments in China, and the expansion of export restrictions on semiconductors. But this was hardly a profile in courage, as the administration significantly delayed the former and refused to do the latter until the measures were discussed with Beijing.
Even more concerningly, the Biden administration has restarted several recurring dialogues with the CCP without registering any tangible wins or concessions.
The CCP uses these bureaucratic boondoggles to delay and deter the U.S. from taking national security actions, such as sanctions. The CCP is also fond of terminating these dialogues as a means to punish U.S. officials, and did so in August 2022, when it cut off virtually all diplomatic cooperation to protest a visit to Taiwan by then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
The Biden administration seems intent on handing the lash back to the CCP—practically asking for more punishment.
It gets worse.
The Biden administration lifted human rights sanctions on an organization accused of involvement in the CCP’s genocide against Uyghurs in return for a CCP pledge to resume bilateral cooperation on fentanyl. (For context, more than 70,000 Americans are dying of fentanyl overdoses per year, and the vast majority of the ingredients to make fentanyl are coming from China.)
While the media are describing this quid pro quo as a “fentanyl deal,” a “deal” implies concessions from both sides. But whereas the U.S. has actually lifted sanctions on the Chinese Institute of Forensic Science, the CCP has offered little more than hollow pledges on fentanyl, issuing a “warning” to drug manufacturers.
Recall that Beijing made similar pledges to the Trump administration to crack down on fentanyl exports, after which the U.S. fentanyl epidemic only worsened.
The White House has also played up “the resumption of high-level military-to-military communication” as a summit victory. Like fentanyl enforcement, this would be helpful—if the CCP actually follows through. But for decades, Beijing has refused to use these channels to actually deescalate tensions.
The “resumption” of nonfunctioning communication isn’t a victory. Xi needs to prove his commanders will actually answer the phone and be empowered to resolve crises.
As a result, any such agreement with Xi must be presumed worthless until proven otherwise.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
He has consistently lied to the U.S. and world about his military and economic ambitions. Biden should know this, as he was in the White House in 2015 when Xi falsely promised in the Rose Garden not to militarize the South China Sea and to stop China’s cyberespionage activities.
Almost a decade later, it strains credulity to take Xi at his word and to advertise handshake deals with the Chinese leader as “progress.”
Biden might have hoped the meeting would be good reelection politics, but it turned out to be a giveaway to Xi. Biden left suburban San Francisco with Xi’s promises. In return, Xi got a year of reduced pressure, new nonmilitary dialogues, sanctions lifted, advance warning of U.S. actions, and reduced U.S. Navy presence around Taiwan—not to mention the $40,000-per-plate private-sector dinner Xi used to propagandize to the willing ears of the pro-China lobby.
Facing economic challenges at home and a U.S. Congress increasingly focused on checking his malign ambitions, Xi might finally be on the back foot. This wasn’t the time to throw him a lifeline for free, but to keep up the pressure until the CCP meaningfully changes its behavior.
On that count, the summit failed resoundingly. Until the Biden administration recognizes this reality, it will be up to Congress and the states to confront the CCP.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
