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Frances switchted to Linux on 2.5 million PCs

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/51936330

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The number of [Chinese] firms that disclosed producing key missile components rose to 81 last year, more than double than during Xi’s first year in office.

Within that group, last year saw the highest percentage of companies reporting record revenues of any during Xi’s tenure, which the analysis indicates is due to a surge of new orders to expand China’s missile program. That contrasted with an aggregate drop in revenue over the same period among China’s 300 largest listed companies.

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The corporate disclosures provide a rare glimpse inside China’s secretive defense sector, pointing to an urgent drive in Beijing to bulk up missile capacity even as Xi purged many of his top generals, including much of the leadership in the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force overseeing those weapons.

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Some facts:

• Bloomberg News identified 81 firms listed on mainland exchanges participating in Beijing’s missile program, from making infrared sensors to producing stealth coatings.

• Among suppliers to China’s missile programs, 22 companies appear to serve both cruise and ballistic missiles. Another 15 focus on cruise missiles — deep-strike weapons that fly to their targets like airplanes.

• In 2025, around 40% of these companies had their best year since 2013. Their sales stood at 189 billion yuan ($28 billion) last year, an annual rise of 20%. Many are among those that produce components specifically for cruise and ballistic missiles.

• The four companies that saw the biggest increases last year aren't state-owned, although three have backing from the government.

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Since coming to power, Xi, China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, has called for greater cooperation between civilian firms and the armed forces as he pushes to have a modern military on the 100th anniversary of the PLA in 2027.

China’s missile-making ecosystem relies on a vast network of state and civilian companies. Companies within the PLA supply chain provide products ranging from 3D-printed metals to embedded computers for an industry long shrouded in secrecy.

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Although many items have dual uses, all the company documents Bloomberg reviewed explicitly reference making sales for defense purposes. Many firms stated outright that they are part of China’s missile program, spearheaded by two state-owned firms: China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

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AI clusters are to blame

Donald Trump won't have to pay an $83 million defamation award to a longtime advice columnist until the U.S. Supreme Court gets a chance to review the case or reject an appeal, according to a court entry Tuesday.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to a request by one of Trump's lawyers that it let the president delay the payment to E. Jean Carroll, though it required that Trump post a $7.4 million bond to cover any additional interest costs, a request Carroll's attorney had made.

Big tiddy problems crave big tiddy solutions

By: ChaiTeaKitten furaffinity@breathe