Year: 2025

China pushes back against BlackRock’s $23B bid for Panama Canal ports, a deal backed by Trump to counter China’s influence. The PBD Podcast breaks down the geopolitical and economic stakes.——

Militaries have a long tradition of using wargames to strategize. I went to a military think tank and played a wargame against Sam Ellis, guided by a panel of experts, about the conflict around Taiwan.

He Weidong is one of Xi Jinping’s most trusted military leaders, having built a close bond with him since their time in Fujian. In 2022, He was promoted to vice chairman of the PLA’s Central Military Commission, making him the third most powerful figure in the PLA. Recently, rumors suggest that He has been arrested and his homes searched, with multiple sources corroborating the claim. This raises a pressing question: Has Xi completely lost control of his military?

China Update provides the most up to date political, economic, and geopolitical news and analysis on China. Videos are based on hundreds of articles, think tank reports, government statements and other resources in English and Chinese. China Update is fully independent and I make the videos.

The girl in the video is an international student studying in London, UK. She has posted several videos in which she films herself making loud noises outside her window in the early morning, disturbing her neighbors. At the end of one video, she suddenly says in Japanese, “Sumimasen” (meaning “Excuse me”), attempting to pass herself off as Japanese. The message is clear: the wrongdoing is attributed to the Japanese, and if there’s any anger, it should be directed at them.

Taiwan’s military is practicing how to respond to a sudden increase in aggressive Chinese activity, part of a new kind of training that mobilizes soldiers as quickly as possible.

Taiwan’s defense strategy is undergoing significant changes as President Lai Ching-te announces plans to increase Taiwan’s defense spending to surpass 3% of GDP, translating to a $26 billion budget. This decision comes as Taiwan faces increasing military pressure from China and aligns with U.S. demands for stronger defense capabilities. How will Taiwan navigate its military challenges in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape?

President Donald Trump is warning Iran of dire consequences if Houthi attacks continue. We take a look at how the Chinese regime uses Iran to support the terrorist group.Trump’s tariffs: How do they impact small businesses in the United States? And what are the pros and cons?Meanwhile, is China preparing for another pandemic? Mobile pop-up hospitals have been reported inside China, along with large orders for bird flu test kits and medical drills across the country. The moves echo those from the COVID-19 pandemic.00:00 Intro01:11 How China Props Up Iran to Support Houthis03:40 Indiana Manufacturing Ceo Supports Trump Tariffs05:26 San Francisco Business Feels Pain from Trump’s Tariffs06:55 Mobile Hospitals, Testing Kits, Medical Drills in China09:18 Video: Chinese Vessels and Aircraft near Taiwan’s Coast12:30 Australia Raises Concerns Over Hong Kong Ransom Letter14:05 UK Opposition Leader Warns Against Reliance on China16:28 Labs: US Navy Capable, Must Address Geopolitical Risk

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Taiwan’s military is starting a new kind of exercise this week, which the defense ministry says is intended to handle emerging gray-zone threats from China.

Many middle-aged workers who lost their jobs have turned to food delivery, while others with unstable employment also take it on as a side gig. For example, in Beijing, the number of food delivery workers in the first half of last year surged by an astonishing 49.7% compared to the previous year. As a result, the industry has become saturated.Another concerning trend is the rising number of women entering nightclub jobs amid the wave of unemployment. A male vlogger, who has worked in nightclubs for 17 years, said that 2025 has seen the highest number of women in the industry, and even more are expected to join during the summer break.Join this channel to get access to perks:

China’s Belt and Road is becoming a noose for Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party.

China’s PLA Commander has issued a fresh warning to Taiwan, escalating tensions in the region. The warning comes amid increasing concerns over military maneuvers and potential conflict.#china #taiwan #chinataiwanconflict

China is building a number of ginormous barges, equipped with bridges, for the expected invasion of Taiwan. These will allow much larger quantities of heavy vehicles and troops to be landed, and also increase the number of places where a viable landing can be made. New imagery provides new insights into how they might be used. Unscripted and unedited.

House Republicans are pushing bills to block Chinese nationals from getting student visas and accessing U.S. national labs.A Chinese robotics firm is developing humanoid robots, and the engineer behind the development got his advanced education and training in the United States.Vice President JD Vance is stressing the importance of moving supply chains away from China.Some U.S. clothing retailers are expanding domestic production following President Donald Trump’s push for made-in-America products. However, with opportunities come challenges.00:00 Intro01:27 Bill to Ban Chinese From Getting US Student Visas04:15 China’s Humanoid Robots Learn How to Do Chores06:37 VP JD Vance: US Can’t Rely on Communist China08:00 Upside, Downside of ‘Made in America’ Push10:42 US Meat Exporters Anxious for China Access Renewal11:24 China, Russia, Iran Call for End of Sanctions on Tehran12:11 HK Firm Stocks Plunge Amid Criticism of Port Sales14:50 Rising Bird Flu Human Cases Amid Rising Deaths: China17:49 Taiwan: Tougher Measures Needed to Counter Beijing19:43 What’s Behind TSMC’s $165 Billion Investment in the US

On February 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce made a final decision on tariffs for Southeast Asian solar panels, raising rates from 21% to a staggering 846%. This hit Chinese solar giants hard, despite their efforts to disguise operations under Malaysian and Vietnamese labels. For over a decade, companies like Jinko Solar and Longi Green Energy built supply chains in Southeast Asia, believing they could bypass U.S. tariffs. But with this move, the U.S. has exposed their strategy, making it clear that Chinese-made products remain at the center of the issue.

China is showing all of the warning signs of taking advantage of a country that’s painted into a corner.

According to the US Department of Justice, two US Army soldiers and a former soldier, accused of selling military secrets to buyers in China, have been arrested.The two active-duty soldiers were identified as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington state. Zhao, a battery supply sergeant was assigned to the 17th Field Artillery Brigade and Tian is a health services administrator.The former soldier, Ruoyu Duan of Hillsboro, Oregon, served in the Army from 2013 to 2017.All three men are of Chinese origin. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Army Intelligence Command.In this video, Defense Updates analyzes#defenseupdates #usvschina #uschinawar Chapters:0:00 TITLE00:11 INTRODUCTION01:43 CHARGES03:15 NOT THE FIRST TIME06:17 ANALYSIS

President Lai Ching-te has announced 17 measures to combat China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and sow discord among the public. The measures include reforms to military law, stricter regulations on Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao citizens looking to settle in Taiwan, raising awareness of the risks of traveling to China and working with allies to publicize Taiwan’s strong national will.