Month: January 2026

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. X (Formerly Twitter): / tonychinaupdate Channel email: [email protected]:00 Introduction00:18 Land Use Sales Revenue Collapse05:44 China Escalates Japan Tensions10:06 South Korea-China

#InsightfulChina #USMilitary #AirDefenseSystems #Radar #Venezuela At 3:29 AM on January 3rd, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, dressed in their pajamas, were captured alive by US forces in their fortified residence and taken to the United States. What shocked the world was that Venezuela’s Chinese-made JY-27 “anti-stealth” radar, which it had invested heavily in and heavily deployed over a long period, as well as its Russian-made S-300 air defense system, showed no response to the US operation.

China’s relations with the Global South have been thrust into the spotlight following the US special operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro. As China is one of Venezuela’s largest economic and political partners in Latin American, other developing countries awaiting how Beijing reacts to this act of brazen US aggression against its so-called “all-weather” friend. What do these developments mean for China’s other allies and trading partners? And what are the lessons for Taiwan? In this episode, we examine China’s economic and political links with the Global South and the implications for the Taiwan Strait.

China just can’t convince anybody that Taiwan is their territory, especially Japan!

Living costs are rising across Taiwan in 2026, with cafe chain Louisa Coffee raising prices about 5% on several items starting Wednesday, citing higher raw material, labor and electricity costs. Taiwanese PC maker ASUS is also increasing prices due to supply chain pressure.

In late December 2025, a comic convention in Hangzhou banned all Japanese manga IPs and cosplay, highlighting the deepening rupture in China-Japan relations—the most severe since 1972. This move backfired spectacularly, boosting Japanese Prime Minister Takamichi Sanae’s approval rating to a historic 67.5–75%.Japanese society now views China primarily as a security threat, with over 70% supporting a hardline stance. This consensus is accelerating Japan’s strategic decoupling: major firms like Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Canon, and Sony are exiting China, pulling supply chains with them. Satellite companies—20,000 to 24,000—face collapse, threatening millions of jobs in manufacturing hubs.The exodus ends the “flying geese” model of economic interdependence. With profitability plummeting and geopolitical risks rising, Japan’s withdrawal is permanent. Beijing’s aggressive tactics have only strengthened Japan’s resolve, leaving little room for reversal.

In this episode, Sal Mercogliano — a maritime historian at Campbell University (@campbelledu) and former merchant mariner — discusses the boarding and seizure of M/T Marinera and why the long pursuit along with the taking of M/T M Sophia.#supplychain #venezuela #marinera #bella1 #MSophia #sanctions 00:00 Introduction 07:02 How the US Could Have Seized Marinera 10:59 Seizure of M Sophia in the Caribbean12:36 What does this mean going forward?

China is ordering its banks to review billions in Venezuela-linked loans after Washington’s capture of Nicolás Maduro, reflecting rising concerns over geopolitical shocks to lenders.China’s economic growth slowed to its weakest pace in six months last December.Maduro pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges at his first New York court appearance on Monday. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, saying she would “face a situation probably worse than Maduro” if she failed to “do what’s right.”The United States’ capture of Venezuela’s Maduro is sparking debate over whether Beijing could attempt something similar against Taiwan’s president.South Korea’s president is visiting China this week, hoping to boost ties and economic cooperation. How will negotiations play out? A geopolitical expert breaks it down.00:00 Intro01:33 China Orders Banks to Assess Venezuela-Related Loans03:26 China’s December PMI Hits the Slowest Point: Survey06:05 Maduro Pleads Not Guilty to Drug and Weapons Charges09:27 Switzerland Freezes Maduro and Associates’ Assets09:57 Venezuela Orders Police to Arrest U.S. Operation Supporters10:28 Trump Issues Stern Warning to Interim Venezuelan Leader12:24 U.S. Ambassador Defends Maduro Capture at U.N.13:59 Experts Debate Whether Beijing Could Capture Taiwan’s President17:30 China, S. Korea Seek to Boost Ties Amid Regional Tensions18:51 China–S. Korea Dialogue | Analysis

Since Xi Jinping began his third term, China’s military has been shaken by an unprecedented purge. Open-source tracking shows that around 69% of active-duty PLA full generals have been removed, expelled, or placed under investigation. This program breaks down who has fallen, who remains, and what recent promotion ceremonies quietly revealed—empty seats, frozen promotions, and single-digit survivors. What does this level of turmoil mean for Xi’s control of the military and China’s stability?

Foreign investment in Taiwan has reached record highs, with total holdings exceeding US$320 billion and US$37 billion in inflows in 2025. TaiwanPlus spoke with Alan Tseng, Executive VP of The Capital Group, to explore the factors behind the surge and its implications for Taiwan’s economy and outlook.

China says it is banning exports of dual-use items to Japan that can serve military purposes, saying the move is in response to Japanese Prime Minister’s Takaichi Sanae’s comments in November about a possible intervention in a Taiwan contingency.

India and China may be talking about easing tensions—but what’s happening in the Himalayas tells a very different story.India is spending billions of dollars carving tunnels through mountains, building roads at extreme altitudes, expanding airbases, and preparing its military for rapid deployment along the disputed Line of Actual Control. From the massive Zojila tunnel to new helipads and high-altitude airstrips, New Delhi is racing to fix a hard lesson learned during the deadly 2020 border clashes: China can move troops far faster than India could.Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party has been building villages, bridges, radar systems, and military infrastructure right up to the border—turning remote terrain into a strategic advantage. While diplomats talk about détente, both sides are quietly preparing for the possibility of another clash.In this episode of China Uncensored, we break down why India is transforming the Himalayas into a frontline, how China’s border strategy is driving the arms race, and why peace with the CCP remains fragile at best.

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.

Western media and economists often misread China’s economy as a normal market facing temporary adjustments, offering standard fixes like boosting consumption or imports. They overlook the CCP’s core principle: everything must remain under absolute control, pursuing a super-market status that distorts prices and evades external constraints.This obsession with control—through state advances, private retreats, and over-securitization—has rigidified the economy, killed private sector vitality, and created overcapacity, balance-sheet recession, and unfair distribution. Consumption and imports are illusions under political dominance; the CCP views efficiency as secondary to security.Trade surpluses fund geopolitical influence, not public welfare. Resource misallocation favors inefficient state firms. China’s economy isn’t just struggling—it’s locked in a self-destructive cycle where political control trumps market logic, leading to long-term stagnation and inevitable conflict with the global market.

At the start of 2026, a significant event unfolded in South America that will be remembered in history. The U.S. military launched a lightning operation against Venezuela, successfully capturing President Maduro and his wife. They were swiftly transported to New York for trial. In one night, Venezuela underwent a drastic change, sending shockwaves through authoritarian regimes around the world. This included Xi Jinping, who had been supporting Maduro’s government.After the Maduro incident, it’s highly likely that this will trigger heightened security measures from the Chinese Communist Party. Reports suggest Beijing is now on high alert.

What began as protests over inflation and living costs in Tehran has turned into nationwide political unrest. But why are people in China watching Iran so closely? Because beneath the surface, the two systems are strikingly similar. This episode breaks down how Iran and China function as ideological regimes, why economic collapse destroys belief, and how youth despair, social coldness, elite withdrawal, and historical nostalgia signal danger. Iran may look distant—but its crisis reveals warning signs now visible inside China.

In the final days of 2025, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) staged some of its largest-ever maritime drills near Taiwan. Dubbed “Justice Mission 2025” and accompanied by Chinese propaganda denouncing “Taiwan Independence separatists” and “external forces”, the drills were intended to simulate a blockade of Taiwan. It was latest in a series of attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to coerce and pressure the Taiwanese people and their democratically elected government. But what did these drills actually accomplish? Based on the nonchalant response of the Taiwan public, the answer appears to be: not much. In this episode, we discuss the latest PLA drills, China’s pressure campaign against Taiwan, and the effect (or lack of) that it is having on Taiwan’s government and society.

On 3rd January, the U.S. military conducted a cross-border operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While Venezuelans celebrated this development, the mood in China was quite different, with some expressing deep dismay.

00:00 Introduction00:23 China Reacts To Venezuela Strikes 03:42 Telescope Innovations06:36 Property Crisis: An Updated Deep Dive

In the final days of 2025, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) staged some of its largest-ever maritime drills near Taiwan. Dubbed “Justice Mission 2025” and accompanied by Chinese propaganda denouncing “Taiwan Independence separatists” and “external forces”, the drills were intended to simulate a blockade of Taiwan. It was latest in a series of attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to coerce and pressure the Taiwanese people and their democratically elected government. But what did these drills actually accomplish? Based on the nonchalant response of the Taiwan public, the answer appears to be: not much. In this episode, we discuss the latest PLA drills, China’s pressure campaign against Taiwan, and the effect (or lack of) that it is having on Taiwan’s government and society. Host: Ethan LiuProducer: Tina Hsu Our guests: Shen Ming-shih Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) Research Fellow Raymond Sung Taiwan National Security Institute Board Member Chapters:00:00:00 – China’s Drills Fail To Intimidate00:01:24 – What Did PLA Exercise Accomplish?00:13:32 – China Uses Pressure, Force00:17:33 – Taiwanese Unfazed by Threats

The CCP’s military exercises near Taiwan have never been so aggressive. What are they planning? And how close are they to the real invasion?

US strikes in Venezuela are fueling debate over whether the operation could set a precedent for other conflicts, including a potential Chinese move against Taiwan. TaiwanPlus spoke with Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, who says Beijing is unlikely to alter its strategy toward Taiwan based on events elsewhere.

China has quietly launched its invasion of the US. But it’s not flashy. It starts in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or CNMI for short, which is just to the north of Guam. And in particular, Saipan, where a major World War 2 battle was fought.

00:00 Introduction00:26 Xi’s New Year’s Address06:25 Taiwan Military Drills: Aftermath

The Pentagon says it has awarded Lockheed Martin a roughly $328 million contract for arms sales to Taiwan, citing an “urgent operational need” for the country’s air force. The decision follows China’s large-scale military drills around Taiwan.

As protests sweep across Iran in early 2026, many Chinese are watching closely—and not out of curiosity, but recognition. What began as economic unrest in Tehran has turned into a political crisis, raising a deeper question: could the same thing happen in China? This program examines why Iran and China, despite surface differences, share striking structural similarities as ideological regimes. From collapsing economic bargains and youth despair to elite withdrawal, rising repression costs, and spreading grassroots protests, the same warning signs are now visible in China. Iran may not be an exception—it may be a preview.

China is requiring chipmakers to source at least half of their equipment domestically, as part of its push to build a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain. It’s one of Beijing’s most significant moves yet to reduce reliance on foreign technology.

TaiwanPlus spoke with defense analyst Ming-shih Shen from the INDSR about what this week’s Chinese military drills around Taiwan could mean for the future and the lessons observers have drawn.

Xi Jinping is purging millions of CCP members. But they want him gone, too. He’s terrified that if he makes one wrong move, he’ll be forced out. And there’ll be hell to pay.