After years of U.S. criticism about human rights, China's Communist Party has seized on protests sparked by George Floyd's death to spread propaganda about what it calls American "double standards."

Protests across the U.S. sparked by George Floyd's death have created an unlikely opportunity — for China. The scenes of violence became a propaganda gold mine for the ruling Communist Party.

After China's central government asserted more direct authority over Hong Kong, President Trump announced his intent to revoke Hong Kong's special customs status and take other steps.

President Trump announced a set of measures on Hong Kong on Friday, after China announced earlier this week that it was going to impose new national security measures in the city.

Here are some key points about what the latest moves by Beijing and Washington may mean for Hong Kong.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he has reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China — a move that may lead the U.S. to withdraw preferential trade status of the city.

Experts say the Communist Party sees more at stake than public health. One of the biggest concerns is the economy. China is also looking to defuse criticism over its early handling of the outbreak.

China is leading the global race in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Half of the vaccines that have already gone into clinical trials were discovered by Chinese companies.

By not inviting Taiwan to its health assembly, the World Health Organization kept out "scientific expertise on pandemic disease" and "damaged the WHO's credibility," the secretary of state said.

Taiwan has reported fewer than 500 cases of COVID-19 and six deaths, but a push to get the country invited to the World Health Organization's annual meeting is expected to fail.

North Korean media, cited by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, said he attended a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer plant in a town just north of the capital, Pyongyang.

The pandemic provides an opportunity for Taiwan to raise its international profile. But that is unlikely to go over well in Beijing, which is facing pressures for its own handling of the virus.

Bloom Energy, based in Silicon Valley, began refurbishing old ventilators when the coronavirus hit. But workers found a larger purpose when an employee's relative was hospitalized with COVID-19.

States and hospitals aren't just counting on the federal government for personal protective equipment. They're wading into the import business themselves, sourcing their own supplies from China.

Health officials are urging Americans to cover their faces to try and slow the coronavirus outbreak. Given shortages and stay-at-home orders, people are getting creative.

Retired businessman Ren Zhiqiang, who criticized Chinese leader Xi Jinping, went missing in mid-March. The Communist Party says Ren is under "disciplinary review and supervision and investigation."

The milestone comes a day before the government is set to lift outbound travel restrictions on people in Wuhan, the country's hardest-hit city.

In the land of gridlock, car accidents are down and the mayor has ordered more red lights to slow traffic.

Early on, Bay Area cities adopted social distancing restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Health officials are optimistic about what they see so far — unlike in New York City.

California's governor has called up the National Guard for a novel mission: manning food banks in Silicon Valley that are feeling the strain during the coronavirus crisis.