Day: March 12, 2026

On February 28, 2026, the U.S. military launched Operation “Epic Fury” against Iran. While the news may have already flooded social media, there is a particularly shocking and humiliating detail worth noting: the U.S. military debuted its “LUCAS” suicide drone in combat.

Source: China Stunned! U.S. Reverse – Engineered Drones Destroy Iran, China’s Knockoffs Are Total Junk!

Japan has received its first F-35B fighter jets from the United States, while also inking a deal to sell 11 Mogami-class frigates to Australia. Just days later, a Chinese Navy destroyer crashed into a Chinese Coast Guard ship while in a reckless pursuit of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel east of Scarborough Shoal. If China had hit the Philippine ship, it would have triggered an international incident. But could it have activated Manila’s Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington? And what impact might this episode have on tensions in the region? In this episode, we discuss the significance of these major arms deals among U.S. allies in light of China’s rising maritime aggression.

Source: Philippines Outsmarts China as Chinese Ships Collide Amid Marcos Taiwan Row | Taiwan Talks EP686

Why is Beijing suddenly trying to help unmarried PLA soldiers find wives in remote frontier regions? A new policy jointly issued by six major Party and military organizations suggests this is more than simple matchmaking. In this program, we look at the disturbing historical precedent behind the policy. In the early 1950s, thousands of young women were recruited and sent to Xinjiang in what later became known as the “Eight Thousand Hunan Girls to the Tianshan Mountains.” Many were forced into marriages with soldiers to stabilize China’s western frontier. Is Xi Jinping reviving the same loyalty-through-family strategy today?

Source: Xi’s Military Marriage Plan Has a Dark CCP Precedent

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] 00:00 Introduction 00:10 China & Iran 05:21 Chinese Economy: Land 08:07 “OpenClaw” Frenzy

Source: China’s Entire System Threatened By Middle East Crisis | China’s Economy: Land Woes | OpenClaw

Taiwan last year had 370,000 more women than men, as more girls are being born than boys and women continue to outlive men.

Source: Taiwan’s Gender Imbalance Grows as Population Shrinks｜TaiwanPlus News

China’s “Two Sessions,” the country’s largest annual political gathering, wrapped up on Thursday. Hsiao Tu-yuan, head of the Institute of China Studies at Tamkang University, discusses some key takeaways from this year’s meetings with TaiwanPlus.

Source: Analysis: Takeaways From China’s ‘Two Sessions’ This Year｜TaiwanPlus News

The US has launched a new trade investigation into Taiwan under Section 301. This is part of the Trump administration’s push to rebuild tariffs after the Supreme Court struck them down in February. The probe targets 16 economies, with Taiwan under scrutiny for its large trade surplus with the US.

Source: Trump Targets Taiwan in New Section 301 Trade Investigation｜TaiwanPlus News

The US military campaign against Iran has rapidly degraded Tehran’s air defenses, missile forces and naval capabilities. In a matter of days, these precision strikes and submarine attacks have reshaped the geopolitics of the Middle East and demonstrated the US’ overwhelming military prowess. Yet the operation raises broader strategic questions: How vulnerable are authoritarian regimes that rely on similar weapons and defense strategies? And what lessons are being drawn in Beijing and other Indo-Pacific capitals? In this episode, we discuss the US-Iran conflict, the performance of Iranian and Chinese-supplied military equipment, and what this conflict reveals about modern warfare and deterrence in an increasingly unstable global order. *Recorded on March 11, 2026 at 3pm 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 Malcolm Davis Australian Strategic Policy Institute Senior Analyst Chapters: 00:00:00 – China’s Lessons From Iran War 00:03:08 – Trump Warns Iran Against Blockade 00:08:37 – China and Iran’s Hidden Missile Infrastructure 00:16:41 – Expert: Iran Won’t Deplete Asia Stockpiles 00:24:11 – Iran war and latest drone tech

Source: Iran War: What China Is Learning | Taiwan Talks EP792