Day: February 19, 2026

A new war study warns the US could lose a conflict with China in just 30 days. Fuel shortages. Missile depletion in a week. Critical logistics failures. While Beijing builds the world’s largest navy and massive missile stockpiles, America’s supply chains and shipbuilding are stretched thin. Here’s what the Heritage Foundation’s “Tidalwave” report reveals—and why the US must prepare now to deter war over Taiwan.

On February 12, workers gathered outside Wuhu Shipyard in Weihai City, Shandong Province, demanding unpaid wages after not receiving salaries for three months. Instead of paying the workers, the company brought in police who violently drove them away and arrested multiple people on the spot.

US President Donald Trump said on Feb.16 he would decide soon on sending more weapons to Taiwan, after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against potential moveIn a phone call with Trump on Feb 4, Xi had called for “mutual respect” in relations with the US, while also warning Washington over arms sales to the democratically-run island#japan #china #usa #taiwan #trump 0:00 INTRO 2:34 US WEAPONS TO TAIWAN? TRUMP TO DECIDE “SOON”3:47 AS CHINA PULLS BACK, RUSSIA ‘FILLS GAPS’ IN JAPAN TOURISM5:25 ENCIRCLING US MQ-9 DRONES SPOOK CHINA?

00:00 Introduction 00:15 NYC Budget Showdown: Mamdani’s Tax Threat Highlights Deep Fiscal Strains02:53 Germany Faces Sharper Population Decline, Raising Long-Term Fiscal Strains05:46 Japan Commits $36 Billion to US Under Landmark Tariff-Linked Deal

Workers on a street in Shanghai watch as a street collapses near a construction site. LIttle did they know where they were standing wasn’t safe ground…

Where is Zhang Youxia—and why does Beijing need to “produce” him? Weeks after the shock inside the PLA’s top command, officials still won’t say where he is, how he was taken, or which agency is in charge. This episode explains why the silence matters: Xi Jinping’s move crossed long-standing rules, rattled military morale, and split elite factions. With the Two Sessions approaching, pressure is building—turning a missing-general mystery into a regime-level power struggle.

A recent espionage case involving active-duty military personnel has renewed concerns about internal security vulnerabilities in Taiwan. While the investigation is ongoing, the case highlights how modern infiltration rarely relies on a single actor, instead operating through overlapping roles spanning military access, media influence and information networks. Often described as a “fifth column,” these internal risks raise difficult questions for a democratic society under sustained external pressure. How can Taiwan deter infiltration without undermining civil liberties? In this episode, we examine the evolving nature of fifth-column risks, proposed national security law amendments, gray-zone pressure from China, and how Taiwan can strengthen democratic resilience while preserving openness and rule of law.

Taiwan’s armed forces are training with newly acquired US-made Altius-600M loitering munitions, often referred to as suicide drones, looking to bolster the country’s broader asymmetric defense strategy.

The Pentagon recently released a report detailing China’s “National Total War” strategy to overcome the “strong enemy” of the United States.After observing the global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China is hardening not just its military, but also its economy to survive sanctions and global isolation. We break down the Pentagon’s report covering China’s military buildup, global supply chains, technology, logistics, and political considerations as 2027 fast approaches.

Storytime’s Over: Xi Jinping’s Tall Tales Crumble – And What Comes Next? | Digging into ChinaIn the grand theater of authoritarian rule, as Max Weber warned, legitimacy lives or dies by the stories we tell. China’s saga? Mao’s fiery revolutions birthed endless enemies and chaos; Deng’s pragmatic boom traded ideology for growth, buying decades of buy-in. Jiang and Hu fine-tuned the harmony, but Xi? He revived the struggle—anti-corruption crusades masking purges, prosperity myths masking slumps, zero-COVID victories masking trauma.

Start your morning with The National News Desk as Jan Jeffcoat sits down with China expert and author Gordon Chang to discuss the U.S.-Taiwan trade deal, bringing insight and context to the stories shaping the day.