2. traded seemingly unrelated investments aka you can build your computers if you invest in our SAAS
3. technology transfer may be a violation of us export controls
Its really not obvious if the Chinese win because it's an extremely opaque way to choose winners and losers.
Was it? Reading the article, the only 'secret' component was the lobbying, which is obviously done behind closed doors. Everything else is public commitments and public statements - which makes sense, since they were trying to pour oil on troubled chinese waters.
FWIW, western media often suggests stuff is 'secret' in china, because they can't read chinese, and all those orientals are awfully mysterious.
* i.e. to be a journalist you have to go through intense ideological screening; extreme prohibitions on foreign journalists operating in china; complete prior restraint on ALL media (and all education, all printing presses, communication technology, etc.)
What English speaking media should one read to see this for themselves?
this is stupid.
BBC Chinese (https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp) have many Chinese/people who can speak/read/write Chinese.
large Western Media have Chinese staffs just like any large Chinese Media in China, HK or Taiwan with people capable of speak/read/write English.
*may be* a violation. or maybe not in violation.