Dr. Elizabeth Economy and Ely Ratner sit down to discuss challenging security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, the specific goals and ambitions of China in the Western Pacific and East Asia, their experiences in the Biden Administration and the state of the alliance system in the region, based off his recent Foreign Affairs Piece, “The Case for a Pacific Defense Pact”. The two scholars touch on continuity between both the Biden and Trump administrations’ strategy in the Indo-Pacific, but also increasing intra-Asian cooperation and awareness between nations as the China threat grows. They conclude with a conversation about what a Pacific Defense Pact would look like, including the importance of long-term credible deterrence, how other partners could be brought in, and aligning objectives to help create a viable collective defense.

China’s Consumer Crash: The End of the Chinese Dream?China used to be the engine of global consumption.It fueled Apple’s iPhone sales, made Louis Vuitton richer than ever, and turned hotpot restaurants into cultural icons with two-hour waits. But today?

President Trump posting on Truth Social on Monday evening that a ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Iran, while China, Iran’s top oil buyer, still remains a key player—with Russia closely watching.An expert breaks down what to expect from China after the US strikes on Iran.Clinical trials sending Americans’ DNA to China and other hostile countries are now on hold. The FDA says some US patients’ cells are genetically engineered and returned without their consent.China may have built a stealth bomber similar to the US B-2 Spirit, using stolen secrets. About 20 years ago, a former engineer who helped build the B-2 admitted to leaking classified US military technology.00:00 Intro01:09 Will Beijing Urge Iran Not to Close Hormuz Strait?04:28 Newsham on What China’s Support for Iran Means for the Region10:10 FDA Halts Programs Exposing American DNA to China11:27 Trump Calls for Election Probe13:22 Ex-Engineer Leaked US Stealth Tech to China15:24 China Says It Will Tighten Fentanyl Controls16:20 China’s Cheap Evs Flood Brazil, Triggering Backlash18:31 EU Blocks China from Major Medical Contracts19:42 Greater Control Online: China’s Internet Virtual ID21:18 Taiwan Recall Vote to Strengthen Lai, Weaken Opposition

New Taipei prosecutors say petitions to put three DPP lawmakers to a recall vote included over 2,500 forged signatures and 31 people now face prosecution.

On June 14, someone working in IT in Shanghai said that Chinese computer networking technology company TP-Link suddenly laid off its entire Wi-Fi chip team at its office in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. According to Chinese tech news outlets, the layoffs happened very fast. In just half a day, employees were notified and went through the full process of leaving the company. TP-Link hasn’t explained publicly why it did this.

At the National Sheriffs’ Association Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, FBI Director Kash Patel issued a stark warning about the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Patel claimed that the CCP is actively partnering with America’s enemies to destabilise the country from within. #KashPatel #CCP #ChinaThreat #NationalSecurity #FBI #LawEnforcement #SheriffsConference #FortLauderdale #ChinaVsUSA #NationalSheriffsAssociation #BreakingNews #FBIWarning #USPolitics

00:00 Introduction00:22 China Reacts To US Airstrikes on Iran 05:16 Giant Mining Corp: Sponsored08:11 Trade Wars: US Small Parcels & EU Medical Devices11:35 Tech War: U.S. to Revoke Chip Waivers?

Operation Honey Pot: Paste this emoji 🍯 in your comment below. FOR THE ALGORITHM!China’s Communist system and state planned economy have reached a dead end. I’m sure the next time Communism is tried it will work!

On June 1, China launched a new,12-month initiative to provide visa-free travel to the citizens of five Latin American countries. Meanwhile, Beijing is also expanding its economic investments in the region, including with Chancay Port project in Peru and a new Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) program in Colombia. Are China’s moves putting pressure on the United States in its own backyard? And what do these developments mean for Taiwan’s few remaining ties in the region, including its relationships with its diplomatic allies Paraguay and Guatemala? In this episode, we discuss China’s new visa initiative, its economic development projects, and Taiwan’s own fragile connections in the region. Our guests:Chung-Chian Teng National Chengchi University Department of Diplomacy Adjunct ProfessorJohn Eastwood Eiger Law Senior Partner Chapters:00:00:00 – China Targets Latin America with Visa Waivers00:01:06 –Are Beijing’s Moves Pressuring Washington?00:06:26 – How Strategic is Chancay Port Project?00:12:43 – Could Colombia Joining BRI Worsen Tensions00:16:51 – What Tools Can Trump Use in L. America?00:19:59 – How Fragile are Taiwan’s L. American Ties?

A former U.S. Army sergeant could face up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to offering key U.S. defense secrets to communist China.Chinese signal jammers are flooding the United States, with seizures soaring by more than eightfold since 2021. Officials warn these devices pose serious threats to public safety and could even disrupt military operations.Florida is cracking down on two firms over Chinese-made medical devices. Officials warn patient data could be funneled overseas through hidden backdoors.Over 1,200 mystery seeds from China are intercepted in Texas. We hear from the state’s agriculture commissioner on the potential risks and why planting them could be dangerous.Nearly half of China’s oil imports are passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and the escalating Israel-Iran conflict is putting this vital lifeline for the Chinese Communist Party at risk. We break down what’s at stake.00:00 Intro01:15 Ex-US Soldier Admits Attempted Espionage for China03:06 Chinese Signal Jammer Seizures Up 830% Since 202104:40 Florida Subpoenas Medical Firms Over China-Made Devices05:32 Texas AG Commissioner Warns of Crop-Infecting Fungus09:56 Rollback of Green Energy Credits Divides GOP12:26 CCP Threatened by Iran-Israel Conflict15:09 South China Floods Spark Questions Over Dam Release17:33 Sourcing Rare Earth Magnets for US Fighter Jets

India and China are locked in a high-stakes struggle for influence in the Indian Ocean. Control over tiny islands could choke global trade and reshape regional power.

In early December, China launched its third batch of low Earth orbit, or LEO, internet satellites for a constellation called Qianfan or “Thousand Sails” as it’s also known. The project aims to rival SpaceX’s Starlink and will be made up of 15,000 satellites. China is also working on two other satellite constellations: Guo Wang and Honghu-3, which have plans to deploy 13,000 and 10,000 satellites respectively. Experts say having its own satellite internet systems will grant China geopolitical influence and national security. But currently, China needs more rockets to launch all if its planned satellites to orbit.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction2:21 – Starlink’s competition 4:29 – Ready for liftoff? 5:51 – Why build these constellations? 9:44 – Looking ahead

Iran’s Trump card – quick overview of How Iran could close the Straits of Hormuz. Reports indicate that the Iranian Parliament has agreed to do it. Unscripted and unedited.

The funeral of Chinese General Xu Qiliang not only laid to rest a vice chairman of the country’s Central Military Command (CMC) who helped consolidate Xi Jinping’s power over the military, it also signaled that another CMC vice chairman had been purged. Among the Politburo member wreaths on display at the ceremony, He Weidong’s was conspicuously absent, nor did He attend in person. He Weidong oversaw China’s military operations around Taiwan as head of the People Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Eastern Command, and orchestrated the large-scale drills following former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. He has not been seen in public since the National People’s Congress on March 11. While he is one of more than 70 PLA generals purged since Xi took power, his position as vice chairman marks the most senior purging of a CMC member since China’s Cultural Revolution. Is Xi Jinping simply strengthening the military’s combat readiness, or are there other motives at play? Could the latest purges of those closest to and fast-tracked by Xi suggest the erosion of his power in a factional war, as some CCP scholars say?

Global investors are stunned. What’s happening in China right now isn’t just a slowdown — it’s a full-blown collapse, and somehow, it’s worse than 2008. Factories are closing, real estate is crumbling, consumption is vanishing — and yet, almost no one in the mainstream media is talking about it. This isn’t a projection, it’s happening right now — and it’s already hitting markets from Wall Street to Frankfurt to Tokyo. If you thought the 2008 crisis was bad, brace yourself. Because this time, the engine of the global economy is breaking down in silence.What are global banks suddenly pulling out of — and why is no one sounding the alarm? Why are investors dumping Chinese assets faster than they did during the COVID panic? And how did China’s entire economic model collapse… without a single bomb dropped?To understand the scale of this disaster, we have to start where the cracks became impossible to ignore…

Once upon a time, “Long Live China-Pakistan Friendship” was a diplomatic slogan used by Chinese state media to spread across the globe. From helping build dams and high-speed rail projects to jointly developing fighter jets, Pakistan has long been China’s most trusted “iron brother” and a core customer for military exports.But this time, Pakistan has not chosen China.On May 29, Pakistan’s second “Babur-class” corvette, PNS Khaibar, ordered from Turkey, completed port testing and left Istanbul, officially starting sea trials. This was not an ordinary ship trial; it represented a $1.5 billion strategic shift: four corvettes were all ordered from Turkey, leaving Beijing with nothing.What’s even more ironic is that Pakistan has indeed used Chinese ships in the past. Back in 2017, they introduced four 054A/P class frigates from China—larger, more powerful, and delivered more quickly, at a cheaper price. But this time, they chose the inferior, assembled “Babur-class”. So, the question arises: why did China lose to an “assembled product” when their ships had better performance, lower prices, and quicker delivery?

The coast guards of Japan, the United States and the Philippines have held joint exercises, amid concern over growing Chinese maritime activities.

00:00 Introduction00:23 China’s Rare Earths Leverage Game05:40 New Zealand-China08:19 China Reopens STAR Market to Loss-Making Tech Firms09:37 Second China-Central Asia Summit

China sharply increased military activity near Taiwan this week. Beijing sent dozens of warplanes across the median line of the Taiwan Strait just days after a British warship passed through the sensitive waterway. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported Friday, June 20, 50 Chinese military aircraft operating around the island, with 46 crossing the median line that separates Chinese and Taiwanese airspace.

China’s population is collapsing to the point that preschools and kindergartens are shutting down. It’s only a matter of time…

Who really governs China today? Former CCP leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao are quietly pulling the strings behind the scenes. This program traces Hu’s stunning political comeback following his public humiliation in 2022, and explores Wen’s improbable longevity as the CCP’s ultimate survivor. From emotional crisis manager to behind-the-scenes kingmaker, Wen’s path reveals both the limits and hidden mechanisms of power in China’s opaque system. A Capricorn, Hu’s survival instincts have kept him in the game. And the comeback of the “Hu juniors” says it all. The question now is: Where will they take China in the post-Xi Jinping era?

Israel and Iran have entered their ninth day of conflict as Tehran launched a wave of missiles into Israel on Saturday morning.

Pro-Russian Telegram videos and Ukrainian intelligence reports suggest that China has armed Russia with a laser gun to shoot down drones. It’s called the “Silent Hunter” system, and it’s a pretty sophisticated piece of weaponry.Operation Honey Pot: Paste this emoji 🍯 in your comment below.

A former U.S. Army sergeant could face up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to offering key U.S. defense secrets to communist China.Chinese signal jammers are flooding the United States, with seizures soaring by more than eightfold since 2021. Officials warn these devices pose serious threats to public safety and could even disrupt military operations.Florida is cracking down on two firms over Chinese-made medical devices. Officials warn patient data could be funneled overseas through hidden backdoors.Over 1,200 mystery seeds from China are intercepted in Texas. We hear from the state’s agriculture commissioner on the potential risks and why planting them could be dangerous.Nearly half of China’s oil imports are passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and the escalating Israel-Iran conflict is putting this vital lifeline for the Chinese Communist Party at risk. We break down what’s at stake.00:00 Intro01:15 Ex-US Soldier Admits Attempted Espionage for China03:06 Chinese Signal Jammer Seizures Up 830% Since 202104:40 Florida Subpoenas Medical Firms Over China-Made Devices05:32 Texas AG Commissioner Warns of Crop-Infecting Fungus09:56 Rollback of Green Energy Credits Divides GOP12:26 CCP Threatened by Iran-Israel Conflict15:09 South China Floods Spark Questions Over Dam Release17:33 Sourcing Rare Earth Magnets for US Fighter Jets

Israel strikes Iranian nuclear research facility Saturday and says they are preparing for the possibility that the war could turn into a lengthy campaign.

The funeral of Chinese General Xu Qiliang not only laid to rest a vice chairman of the country’s Central Military Command (CMC) who helped consolidate Xi Jinping’s power over the military, it also signaled that another CMC vice chairman had been purged. Among the Politburo member wreaths on display at the ceremony, He Weidong’s was conspicuously absent, nor did He attend in person. He Weidong oversaw China’s military operations around Taiwan as head of the People Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Eastern Command, and orchestrated the large-scale drills following former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. He has not been seen in public since the National People’s Congress on March 11. While he is one of more than 70 PLA generals purged since Xi took power, his position as vice chairman marks the most senior purging of a CMC member since China’s Cultural Revolution. Is Xi Jinping simply strengthening the military’s combat readiness, or are there other motives at play? Could the latest purges of those closest to and fast-tracked by Xi suggest the erosion of his power in a factional war, as some CCP scholars say?

China brings 2 surveillance ships and radar to the Persian Gulf approaching Iran. What’s going on?

China’s military activity around Taiwan is raising alarms about a possible invasion, but Beijing has plenty of options for seizing the island without firing a shot.

00:00 Introduction00:10 China on Israel-Iran Conflict03:31 Chinese Economy: Consumption Subsidies 07:16 China’s New Global Currency Order Ambitions

Zhang Youxia was once Xi Jinping’s most trusted man in the military. Their fathers had fought together during the revolution, and the two families were close. Xi even entrusted Zhang with his personal security. But one day, Xi suddenly realized that Zhang had grown too powerful. Their relationship began to sour—and what followed seemed like fate. An old prophecy had predicted that a warrior with a bow would dethrone Xi. During the power struggle, one retired vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (Xu Qiliang) died, and an active-duty one (He Weidong) went missing.

Brig. Gen. Doug Wickert, 412th Test Wing commander, delivered a sobering assessment of China’s growing military capabilities during a recent briefing for local leaders at Antelope Valley College. The production quality is not that great, as it was not meant to be shared in this forum, but I felt the information itself was worth sharing, even with the poor production quality.

At MADEX 2025, LIG Nex1 was showcasing for the first time the K-SAAM II medium range surface-to-air missile (함대공유도탄-II in Korean). The South Korean defense company was also showcasing the in-service K-SAAM (해궁 or Hae-gung) short range SAM and the future CIWS-II currently under development. With all three systems, LIG Nex1 will provide a multi-layered defense solution for surface vessels.