Taiwan is getting ready for a Chinese blockade—and its biggest vulnerabilities could be energy and communications. Chris Chappell looks at Taiwan’s latest war games, China’s growing pressure around the island, and the preparations underway to keep Taiwan supplied if a crisis turns into a conflict.

Source: Taiwan Has 20 Days MAX

China’s economic engine is cooling rapidly, and a major policy rift is opening among top leadership over how to engineer a recovery. China analyst Tony Fiddis examines the growing split between traditional infrastructure spending and radical consumer stimulus.

Source: China’s Top Economist Warns: We Are In Serious Trouble | China’s Economy | US – China

Where is Hu Jintao? A shocking death rumor involving China’s former leader, his wife, and son has sparked intense speculation across the Chinese internet. In this video, we examine the viral Hu Jintao death rumor, the mysterious screenshot, the reported denial, and the questions surrounding its disappearance. We also explore why the rumor is putting Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party under pressure—and what it could mean for China’s political future. What is true, and what is political manipulation?

Source: The Death Rumor Putting Xi Jinping Under Pressure

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council minister says that China's new immigration rules are unclear and will induce panic if implemented. The rules also tighten entry regulations for foreigners.

Source: Mainland Affairs Council Weighs In on China's New Immigration Rules｜TaiwanPlus News

On August 6, water was reportedly seen dripping from the cabin ceiling of an Air China COMAC C919 passenger jet. A flight attendant was filmed walking down the aisle, using tissues to absorb water leaking from gaps in the ceiling panels. The awkward scene quickly drew public attention.

Source: C919 Turns Into “Rain Cabin”: Crew Blocks Leaks, Chinese Airlines Call It “Junk”

The US State Department says it firmly rejects China's efforts to enforce its territorial claim over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Beijing has long claimed sovereignty over the reef, rejecting an international ruling in favor of the Philippines. Washington calls Beijing's declaration of a national nature reserve around the shoal "destabilizing" and says China has no right to deny Fillipino fishers access to a traditional fishing ground.

Source: US Rejects China’s Efforts To Cut Access to Disputed Scarborough Shoal｜TaiwanPlus News

In this hard-hitting opinion piece for *Digging into China*, I argue that the CCP under Xi Jinping has entered "historical garbage time" — the phase where a system's decline becomes inevitable, yet it continues accelerating toward failure. Drawing on Austrian economics, dynastic Chinese history, and current realities, I examine how extreme power centralization, massive subsidies, demographic collapse, and ideological rigidity have created unbreakable dead loops. Xi's leadership has accelerated these contradictions: from zero-COVID's self-inflicted wounds and property crises to elite capital flight and youth disillusionment. While the regime clings to control through surveillance and propaganda, legitimacy erodes. Individuals, however, do not have garbage time — personal agency, skill-building, and truth-seeking remain possible. This is not collapse prediction, but a call for realism. China's trajectory carries risks and costs for the world. True rejuvenation requires freedom and accountability currently absent. The sprint is underway. The question is how we navigate it.

Source: From Miracle to Meltdown: China’s Dangerous Descent Into Historical Garbage Time | Digging into China

Chinese fishing fleets are leaving behind a trail of abused workers, dead crew members, depleted fisheries, and environmental destruction around the world. In this episode of China Uncensored, we expose the horrifying conditions aboard Chinese fishing vessels—and how China’s massive fishing industry is devastating oceans and exploiting workers while expanding its reach across the globe.

Source: The Moment You Realize You've Made A Terrible, Terrible Mistake

The US, Philippines and Japan are joined by a growing group of allies in the largest iteration of the Balikatan exercise yet. With new participants including France, Canada and New Zealand, the drills are expanding in scale and complexity, from live-fire maritime strikes to integrated air and missile defense. For the first time, exercises are being held in the Bashi Channel, just over 100 miles from Taiwan. The strategic importance of the First Island Chain is further underscored by Japan’s larger than expected commitment of 1,400 troops. In response, Beijing has sharply criticized the allies and blocked air travel over wide swathes of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. In this episode, we examine what’s driving this expansion and what it means for Taiwan and regional security. *Recorded on April 21, 2026 at 2:30pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Consultant: Max Yu Research Assistant: Ryan Pham Our guests: Tony Hu Former US Department of Defense Senior Director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia Sana Hashmi Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Fellow Renato Cruz de Castro De La Salle University Department of International Studies Distinguished Professor Chapters: 00:00:00 – Philippines Hosts Biggest-Ever Drills 00:01:47 – China, Japan Sail Through Strait 00:04:33 – US Allies in ‘Real World’ Exercises 00:13:38 – Japan Sends 1,400 Troops 00:19:20 – Beijing Locks Down Airspace

Source: Balikatan: China Fury as Japan, New Zealand Join US – Philippines Drills | Taiwan Talks EP817

This briefing will look at the construction of military facilities on Antelope Reef, Paracel Islands, and what it means for China’s military capabilities in the South China Sea.

Source: China’s New Base in the South China Sea – What’s its significance?

China’s new mission is the most advanced robotic lander we’ve seen so far, but it’s also just the first step in a Chinese plan that will build their own permanent outpost on a critical piece of land that NASA has already tried to claim, but failed to reach.

Source: What Is Actually Happening With China's Artemis Mission

The United States has cut F-1 visas for Chinese students by nearly 50 percent. What does this mean for American students and U.S. national security? A record the FBI says underscores growing threats: More than 700 terror plots were foiled in the U.S. last year. Espionage arrests also climbed sharply. A warning sign for China's fast-growing biotech industry: The reported death of a child following a gene therapy trial is raising questions about safety reviews and transparency in Beijing. The company involved notably has an office in the United States. Fighter jets scrambling, the internet slowing: Taiwan has kicked off its most realistic war games yet as the threat of a Chinese invasion looms. 00:00 Intro 01:20 U.S. Cuts F-1 Visas for Chinese Students by 46% 03:37 U.S. to Reject More Visa Applications From China 04:20 FBI Says It Prevented 715 Terror Plots in U.S. 05:25 Death of Child Puts China Biotech Under Scrutiny 06:21 Han Kuang 42: Taiwan Trains Forces for a China Invasion 08:43 Taiwan Trains for Real War as 2027 Window Nears 08:57 Brazil Steelmaker Pushes Back on China Steel Growth 10:08 U.S. Plans to Close Five Diplomatic Missions 11:40 Shen Yun Documentary 'Unbroken' Premieres in Sydney 16:00 UK OKs Plans for Chinese ‘Mega Embassy’ 17:18 Residents Seek to Block Mega Chinese Embassy 17:57 China's Mega London Embassy Raises Security Concerns 20:42 Beijing's Ethnic Unity Law: Transnational Repression Tool?

Source: U.S. Cuts F – 1 Visas for Chinese Students by 46% | China in Focus

Source: China's Housing Crisis is Real – Ghost Cities are Everywhere!

On the evening of July 23, a Huawei Aito vehicle reportedly suffered a catastrophic left front axle failure during a hard braking maneuver, leaving the front-left wheel nearly detached from the vehicle. The shocking incident was captured on dashcam by a passing motorist.

Source: PURE TRASH! China’s Rush – Built EVs Shock The World: 3.6 New Models Every Day, Quality Nightmare

Taiwan's biggest annual military drill is underway. For the first time, troops are rehearsing a specific scenario that could play out in a real war with China. Drones have become a defining force on the global stage. They're changing warfare in Ukraine and the Middle East, and they're now emerging as a new front in the U.S.-China trade war. The FBI has been working with Chinese and Russian law enforcement to crack down on crimes like fentanyl trafficking. NTD has more on the risks involved. A record the FBI says underscores growing threats: More than 700 terror plots were stopped in the United States last year. Espionage arrests also climbed sharply. Are the Chinese Wi-Fi routers in your home tools for the Chinese Communist Party to hack U.S. infrastructure? And what does this reveal about Beijing's unrestricted warfare against the United States? 00:00 Intro 00:57 Taiwan Simulates Chinese Invasion in War Games 02:10 Taiwan Investigates 17 Chinese Firms 02:45 China Responds to U.S. Pressure With Drone Export Controls 03:52 Trump Accuses China of Funding Anti-Data Center Campaign 05:17 FBI Works With China, Russia to Crack Down on Crime 07:10 Japan Releases Defense Report, China Responds 08:33 Hidden Backdoors Found in Chinese-Made Routers 10:06 Citizens React to Rise of Socialism in Midterms 12:24 How the CCP Is Turning America Against Itself

Source: Unprecedented Military Drills Kick Off in Taiwan | China in Focus

In today’s show: Watchdog Raises Concerns Over Student Exchanges to China Taiwan Ramps Up Drone Defense Strategy As Budget Bill Stalls Oil Prices Up Amid New Middle East Fighting South Korea Moves To Rein In Risky ETF Trading Amid Market Turmoil Japan, South Korea Turn to AI Cameras To Prevent Suicides Taiwan's Women's Volleyball Team Readies for Asian Games in Nagoya Women Break Into Once Male-Dominated "Guardian Generals" Dance

Source: Concerns Over Cross – Strait Exchanges – July 30, 2026｜TaiwanPlus News

Who could replace Xi Jinping? Three names are emerging: Hu Chunhua, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Qiang. Each candidate could put China on a very different political track. But all three come with serious risks—and that may be exactly why Xi still has a strong chance of staying in power for a fourth term.

Source: Xi Jinping’s 4 Possible Successors—and Why He May Stay

China's wealthy thought they could protect their money by moving it overseas. Now the Chinese Communist Party is making sure they can't escape. In this episode of China Uncensored, we look at China's new exit regulations, the CCP's crackdown on private wealth, and why these changes could mark the end of Chinese entrepreneurship as we know it.

Source: China’s Rich Are SCREWED

On August 3, six earthquakes measuring magnitude 3.0 or above struck Gao County in Yibin, Sichuan Province, within a single day. The strongest reached magnitude 4.8. Another magnitude 3.4 earthquake hit Gao County on August 4.

Source: 100+ Quakes Hit China In 5 Weeks: Landslides, Dam Risks Put Three Gorges Under Scrutiny

From baseball swings to shooting accuracy, Taiwan’s latest AI innovations are giving athletes new tools to train smarter. The Taiwan Institute of Sports Science is using AI to analyze footage and provide athletes with data to improve performance.

Source: AI Helps Taiwanese Athletes Train Smarter｜TaiwanPlus News

Source: We're Sick of China's Robot Lie!

“Within just three weeks, a 100 billion yuan production line was completely dismantled. Every piece of equipment was taken away — even the cranes and screws…”

Source: China Is DONE! Indonesia Kicks Out Chinese Firms: $15 Billion Production Lines Dismantled In 3 Weeks

The USS George Washington has returned to the South China Sea as tensions escalate across the region, with China conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan and clashing with Philippine vessels at Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoal. The US carrier strike group's deployment included a port call in Vietnam — the first since 2023 — and joint operations and training with regional partners. Meanwhile, the Chinese government-linked Grandview Institution think tank issued an unusual report in English outlining China’s maritime enforcement strategy, including its gray-zone tactics. Was the report’s publication an accident, or yet another tactic by Beijing to intimidate its neighbors? In this episode, we examine the strategic significance of the USS George Washington's deployment, China's evolving maritime strategy and what the latest developments mean for Indo-Pacific security.

Source: George Washington Carrier Arrives—Can It Stop China at Scarborough Shoal? | Talks EP892

China’s top generals are disappearing, key military posts remain vacant, and Xi Jinping has kept an unusual distance from the PLA. Retired commanders are reportedly angry, military orders may be going unsigned, and even the general believed to guard Beijing has vanished from public view. Did Xi’s purge strengthen his control—or leave China’s military paralyzed by fear?

Source: Did Xi Jinping’s Military Purge Backfire?

A cross-border network is under fire. The U.S. is sanctioning entities in Russia, Iran, and China. Officials say they provided support for Iran’s military. Tesla, SpaceX, and China: A new report raises questions about a potential merger, while CEO Elon Musk pushes back. We explore what’s behind the report and the growing trend of companies separating from China operations. China’s economy shows new signs of weakness. Factory activity fell in July as demand declined, while ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. and Europe create more challenges for Beijing.

Source: U.S. Sanctions Russia, Iran, China and India | China in Focus

Top test pilots from Communist China reportedly struggled while testing the KJ-600 early warning aircraft. In simple terms, the pilots and the aircraft had not fully adapted to each other. Control precision remained a major challenge.

Source: CCTV Leak Reveals China’s Carrier Disaster: Warning Plane Falls Into Sea, 2 Pilots Lost In 20 Days

On July 31, Chinese authorities officially released the State Council Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration, which will take effect on September 15, 2026. The regulation contains 19 articles, and its most significant change, according to legal analysts, is that it formalizes and legalizes border control measures that had previously operated in a legal gray area.

Source: BREAKING! China Is Shutting Down: SpaceX & Tesla Rush To Cut Ties With Beijing

China’s door to the outside world is closing further. New restrictions on Chinese travelers going abroad are now written into law—and risks for non-Chinese people are rising as well. The communist regime in China is now targeting business elites. What are the consequences? A simple tap-to-pay feature on some Chinese Android phones has suddenly stopped working. Why are some smartphone users losing contactless payments after a Google update? Beijing is reshaping aggression into routine law enforcement. Taiwan says China is expanding pressure across the region—not just with warships, but also with coast guard vessels, cyberattacks, and disinformation. China Expands Entry-Exit Restrictions Beijing’s New Rule Targets Wealthy Chinese Chinese-Market Phones Lose Tap-to-Pay After Update Taiwan Security Chief Warns of Expanding China Threat Beijing Blurs Lines Between Law Enforcement and War Japan Pushes Domestic Drone Manufacturing Groundwork Laid for Sept. Trump–Xi Summit in DC Chinese State Traders Make Large U.S. Soybean Purchases U.S. Intel: China’s Voter Data Hack Was Interference China’s AI Push Challenges U.S. Dominance Chinese Electric Vehicles Threaten U.S. Bases? U.S.–China AI Race Moves Into Space

Source: China Closing Off Further From Outside World | China in Focus

This news packed episode opens with an extensive discussion about alleged illegal fishing activities conducted by vessels linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The Senator argues that Chinese distant-water fishing fleets operate on a massive scale, engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that harms marine ecosystems, depletes fish populations, damages local fishing industries, and relies on forced labor practices. He describes efforts to combat these operations through sanctions and increased Coast Guard monitoring.

Source: Chinese Illegal Fishing Decimates the Oceans, DSA Lunatics Grow Stronger & the DNC is Broke

New U.S. tariffs reignite trade tensions with China. Beijing says Washington agreed to cap forced labor-related tariffs on Chinese goods at 20 percent. We look at what the new tariffs mean for U.S.–China trade. Allen Zhang, research assistant at the Heritage Foundation, says, "A lot of Chinese products are flowing into different markets, undercutting American prices and generally making it hard for American businesses to sustain their operations." The race for 6G is already underway. The United States is teaming up with allies to shape the next wireless era—and counter China's influence. China's influence operations in the United States are under scrutiny. Federal records show Beijing spent about $100 million in a single year to shape policy and public opinion in America. Severe flooding continues in China. A typhoon has been sweeping through southern parts of the country, submerging streets and in one case sending a freezer sliding down a flooded roadway. 00:00 Intro 01:14 China: U.S. Forced Labor Tariffs Capped at 20% 02:28 Trump Imposes Forced-Labor Tariffs on 60 Economies 02:37 China's Forced Labor Faces U.S. Crackdown 04:12 Low-Cost China Imports Hurt U.S. Business 05:55 Tariffs May Pressure Countries to Reform Trade 06:56 U.S. Leads New 6G Coalition to Counter China 08:30 Trump Admin Builds Global Alliance for Secure 6G 08:45 China's Influence Operations in U.S. Under Scrutiny 10:07 Streets Flooded as Typhoon Noul Hits Southern China 11:46 China Hits 14 EU Firms With Export Controls 12:36 Ford, Chinese Automaker Geely to Partner in Europe 13:05 Chinese Cars Raise Global Auto Industry Concerns 16:13 U.S. Lawmakers Move to Block Chinese Cars 17:11 Chinese Cars Collect Americans' Data Without Consent 18:12 Calls Grow for Protections Against Car Data Risks 19:50 France, Germany Seek to Revive EU Auto Industry

Source: China: U.S. Forced Labor Tariffs Capped at 20 Percent | China in Focus

Did the Three Gorges Dam unleash a political curse? Since the reservoir reached its highest level, one powerful Chongqing official after another has fallen—executed, imprisoned, purged, or dead under mysterious circumstances. From broken dragon veins to the CCP’s “political Bermuda Triangle,” this is the dark story of the Chongqing Curse.

Source: Did the Three Gorges Dam Unleash China's Darkest Political Curse?

The number of foreign nationals taking Taiwan’s Taiwanese-language proficiency test on Saturday hit a five-year high, with 23 applicants from countries including India and Japan.

Source: Foreign Test – Takers Sitting Taiwanese – Language Exam Hit 5 – Year High｜TaiwanPlus News

Source: How to Succeed in Math: Leave China