Day: May 25, 2026

Why is Xi Jinping suddenly rushing to North Korea right after hosting both Trump and Putin in Beijing? And what were those strange signals coming out of the state banquets — the mysterious “special-agent” waitresses, the eerie performance of Swan Lake for Putin, and the growing atmosphere of tension inside Zhongnanhai? In this program, we break down the deeper geopolitical calculations behind Xi’s upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un, including Russia-North Korea ties, Taiwan pressure, the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alignment, and why Kim may now have more leverage over China than many realize. We also examine the darker theories now circulating online about instability, elite politics, and the fear of crisis in East Asia.

Source: Putin Heard Soviet Coup Music… Then Xi Rushed to North Korea

China’s debt problem may be far worse than Beijing officially admits. In this deep-dive analysis, we break down China’s hidden debt system — from LGFVs and local government borrowing to policy banks, pension liabilities, Central Huijin, and the collapse of the land-finance model. Why did local debt surpass central government debt? Why did Beijing’s “front door, back door” reforms fail? And could China’s real debt burden already exceed 170%–180% of GDP — or even far higher if the economy itself has been overstated? Let’s untangle the real size of China’s hidden debt problem.

Source: 300% Debt? How Hidden Debt Broke China’s Economic Model

If 1984, Minority Report, Person of Interest, and Black Mirror had an orgy, you’d get China.

Source: 🚨 I’M BEGGING YOU DON’T GO TO CHINA

“In all DJI stores in Beijing, you can no longer find drones for sale. Some netizens are commenting, ‘It’s so sad, are they really that scared?’ ‘What are they really afraid of?’ ‘Next step, maybe they’ll ban phones too, since they can record everywhere.’ Others are saying, ‘So this proves that top tech companies can’t survive here.’ And even more netizens are commenting, ‘They know their retribution is coming soon.'”

Source: China’s Largest Drone Maker, DJI, Is Done! All Stores Ban Drones, Destroyed by Its Own Country

At a Xiaomi YU7GT launch in Beijing on May 21, CEO Lei Jun took the stage under the spotlight, passionately presenting the company’s new vehicle. Behind him, a massive LED screen displayed bold slogans: “Beat Tesla,” “Conquer Tesla,” and simply, “Impressive!” Lei Jun then went on to explain:

Source: Xiaomi’s Copycat Marketing Backfires—Ends Up Defeating Itself

China’s economic slowdown is no longer just about GDP—it’s showing up in unpaid wages, shrinking local revenues, and rising fiscal pressure at the grassroots level. Behind the headline numbers, a deeper problem is unfolding: 👉 Beijing controls the revenue 👉 Local governments carry the burden From collapsing land sales to growing debt and widening budget gaps, this video breaks down the numbers behind China’s hidden fiscal crisis—and why the system is increasingly under strain from the bottom up.

Source: China’s Hidden Fiscal Crisis Is Breaking the System from Below

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) joined NTD’s Steve Lance to discuss President Donald Trump’s forthcoming phone call with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, how it would deter China from invading Taiwan, and how U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity is an effective doctrine in preventing war. —

Source: Allies Working Together to Prevent Chinese Invasion of Taiwan: Rep. Michael McCaul

Source: J – 20 Embarrassment at Airshow! China’s 5th – Gen Jets Are Just Wobbly Prototype Runs

$2 Trillion has just been wiped out on the Chinese stock market.

Source: China’s Stock Market Just Crashed

Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly became agitated during talks with US President Donald Trump over Japan’s expanding defense spending, according to the Financial Times. The report comes as Washington reportedly informed Tokyo it would delay deliveries of Tomahawk cruise missiles due to supply concerns linked to the war in Iran.

Source: Xi Got Heated When Discussing Japan’s Defense Spending With Trump: FT｜TaiwanPlus News

Source: U.S. Pauses $14 Billion Arms Sales to Taiwan | China in Focus

Source: Things With China Just Got Incredibly Dangerous | Shenzhou 23 | Mine Explosion | EU – China

One week, two world leaders—U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin—were both in Beijing on different days. Same stage, very different agendas. So who came out on top? Following closely on the heels of Trump’s visit, Putin was in Beijing on Wednesday, securing some new China-Russia agreements and drawing reactions from U.S. allies across the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said he is open to speaking directly with Trump. Both Beijing and Taipei are now reacting as Washington weighs a major arms sale to the island. Two China hawks were nominated as ambassadors to key U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Both signaled a tougher approach toward the Chinese Communist Party. When it comes to the AI race, what is the scale of Chinese infrastructure supporting data centers? And what steps would be needed to unwind it? Rex Lee joins us. 00:00 Intro 01:12 First Trump, Then Putin: Who Came Out on Top? 05:48 Response to Possible Trump Call With Taiwan Leader 06:47 China Hawks Brat, Steel Testify for Ambassador Roles 09:52 Russia and Belarus Hold Major Nuclear Military Drills 11:51 U.S. Awarding $2 Billion to Computing Companies 12:57 Putin’s Visit After Trump: Power Rivalry Clashes in Beijing 13:37 China-Russia Boost Ties, Push ‘Multipolar’ Vision 14:11 No Major Breakthrough on Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline 14:35 First Island Chain Allies Respond to Trump’s China Visit 15:07 Scale of Chinese Infrastructure in U.S. Data Centers

Source: First Trump, Then Putin: Who Came Out on Top? | China in Focus