U.S., China moving apart despite talks on a trade deal Workers who play Disney characters report groping, inappropriate touching

If President Donald Trump’s trade deal with Beijing works as planned, Chinese purchases from American manufacturers and farmers will more than double over the next two years and American investors will finally be welcome to own some of China’s financial services companies.

Yet while the “Phase One” deal suggests the United States and China are drawing closer, the two countries actually are edging toward a partial economic divorce.

Away from the trade talks, the Commerce Department is poised to issue new regulations to prohibit exports of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. A panel chaired by the Treasury Department is intensifying scrutiny of Chinese investments in cutting-edge U.S. companies. And the Justice Department last month announced its latest indictment of a Chinese national accused of pilfering U.S. trade secrets.

“Selective decoupling is really the unstated policy that’s driving all of this,” said David Hanke, a partner at Arent Fox, who worked on China-related issues while a staffer on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

China likewise is taking steps to extricate itself from a relationship of mutual dependence with the United States. After Chinese telecom giant ZTE was nearly put out of business by U.S. sanctions last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping re-emphasized efforts to reduce China’s reliance upon American high-tech suppliers. He also is pushing a state-backed campaign for Chinese companies to dominate 10 futuristic industries including artificial intelligence and new energy vehicles, with specific sector-by-sector market-share goals.

Indeed, tomorrow’s technology is the crux of the slow-motion split. After 40 years of ever-closer economic ties, officials in Beijing and Washington increasingly see a potential enemy where they once saw a partner.

Orlando, Fla. (AP) — Walt Disney World employees who portray Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck each filed police reports this month claiming they were inappropriately touched by tourists.

The woman inside the Mickey Mouse costume went to the hospital with neck injuries caused by a grandmother patting the character’s head, while the employees wearing the Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck costumes were groped by tourists, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The incidents come after a 51-year-old man was arrested in November after an employee portraying a Disney Princess told investigators he groped her breast while getting a photo taken.

“Everyone should feel safe at work, and we encourage Cast Members to come forward in any uncomfortable situation,” said Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger in a statement. “We provide multiple resources to protect our Cast Members’ well-being, including on-site law enforcement officers who respond, and are available to them, if needed.”

A 36-year-old woman who plays Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom told investigators a woman patted the head of her costume five times, causing it to slide down and strain her neck, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The employee told investigators she didn’t believe the woman intentionally hurt her, and the sheriff’s office ruled the Dec. 4 incident a civil matter, not a criminal one.