Day: October 16, 2025

On August 7, 2025, China introduced the K visa, targeting young foreign talent with a bachelor’s degree or higher, effective October 1. Requiring no work experience or employer contract, it sparked massive social media backlash by late September, with netizens arguing it allows foreigners to compete for jobs amid high youth unemployment. Unlike R and Z visas for high-end and professional talent, the K visa aims to boost consumption, not employment, as domestic spending falters and investment drops sharply (9.3% in August). With a 63% macro leverage ratio and 54 million credit-restricted citizens, the government seeks foreign spending to offset economic deflation. However, the policy’s low threshold ignited public outrage, culminating in a crashed petition website and media rebuttals, highlighting tensions over job competition and the government’s apparent abandonment of domestic youth for foreign economic contributions.

In a rare moment in diplomacy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent names a Chinese official who threatens global chaos if the U.S. imposes port fees on China. “I think his name is Lee Chenggang,” Bessent said. “And, you know, threatening, saying that China would unleash chaos on the global system if the U.S. went ahead with our docking fees for Chinese ships.”In a tit-for-tat trade war, President Donald Trump is warning he may block Chinese cooking oil imports after Beijing stopped buying U.S. soybeans.A new report reveals that more than 500 U.S. universities may be helping China’s military advance its technology. We take a closer look at what this means for U.S. national security.Millions of Chinese electronics are disappearing from U.S. online stores over national security concerns. We take a closer look at what’s next for the FCC.Japan’s confirmation of a new prime minister has been delayed until after Oct. 20. An expert offers insights into Sanae Takaichi’s potential premiership and her commonsense policies on defense.00:00 Intro00:52 Bessent Names CCP Official for Being Disrespectful01:42 Bessent: CCP Commerce Official Threatens Global Chaos04:53 World Financial Leaders Aim to Deter China’s Curbs07:47 U.S., China Clash Over Soybean, Cooking Oil Trade09:25 Top State Dept. Adviser Arrested Over Secret Documents10:19 Report: 500+ U.S. Colleges Work With China’s Military11:46 FCC Pulls Millions of Chinese Electronics From Stores12:48 Netherlands Takes Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker13:48 EU Seeks U.S. Alliance to Counter CCP Rare Earth Crackdown15:24 UK Sanctions Chinese, Indian Firms Over Russian Oil16:33 Takaichi’s Bid to Redefine Japanese Leadership

Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to discuss U.S.–China trade tensions, Trump’s tariff threat, Xi Jinping’s waning power and rising fears Beijing could move on Taiwan within the next few years.

This claim has been making the rounds, so let’s discuss it.

Rumors of Xi Jinping’s stroke, a sudden rare-earth export blitz, and Trump’s explosive 100% tariff threat — all within one week. What really happened behind Beijing’s dramatic U-turn? In this episode, we uncover the truth behind Trump’s remark that “Xi had a bad moment,” the internal power struggle shaking the CCP, and why China’s leadership crisis is far from over. From stroke rumors to trade chaos, this is the story of how Xi’s illusion of control began to crumble — and why the outcome of the Fourth Plenum could change China’s future.