Epoch Times Exclusive: China Seeks Shipping Guarantees in Strait of Hormuz, but Iran Offers Only Limited Assurances
Sources close to China’s Foreign Ministry told The Epoch Times that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has repeatedly communicated with Iran, seeking assurances for the safety of Chinese commercial shipping. However, Iran’s response was limited, stating it could only guarantee the safety of “some” cargo bound for Iran, emphasizing that such protection would be partial. The source described this as a form of “selective security,” suggesting Iran may be using it as leverage to pressure China to ship more military supplies to Iran.
This situation was reflected in maritime activity on March 27, when two Chinese container shipsCSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean—attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz but ultimately turned back.
Another source indicated that Beijing had initially hoped to use its relationship with Iran to act as a mediator in the U.S.-Iran conflict and expand its influence in the “Global South.” However, this effort has faced challenges, including Russia’s competing influence in Iran. According to the report, China and Russia have differing interests, while Tehran has its own—prioritize tangible military support over diplomatic engagement. This dynamic has placed Beijing in a difficult position between maintaining ties with Iran and avoiding broader confrontation with the United States and its allies.
Source: Epoch Times, March 26, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/3/26/n14727332.htm
North Korea Removes the Word “Socialist” from the Name of Its Constitution
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea has removed the word “socialist” from the name of its constitution and revised the document.
The report states that on March 23, the second day of the first session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, the chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly, Choe Ryong Hae, delivered a report. He said the amendments of the Constitution align with the “requirements of a new stage of revolutionary development.” He further explained that the constitution would be renamed from the “Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” to the “Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” along with other revisions included in the draft law.
An account on X, “@SoundofAmerica1,” also noted that Kim Jong Un delivered a speech at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea on February 26, 2026. He was reported as saying:
“If the U.S. respects the present position of our state specified in the Constitution of the DPRK and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, there is no reason why we cannot get on well with the U.S.”
Sources:
1. Sputnik, March 24, 2026
https://sputniknews.cn/20260324/1070403851.html
2. X Platform, @SoundofAmerica1
https://x.com/SoundofAmerica1/status/2037582020675862719
Taiwan Skips WTO Meeting After Cameroon Labels It “Province of China”
The 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held on March 25 in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, with Taiwan absent for the first time. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated on March 20 that Cameroon listed the nationality of Taiwan’s delegation members on visa documents as “Taiwan, a province of China,” which it said “seriously demeaned” Taiwan’s status. As a result, Taiwan was “forced to be absent” from the conference. Taiwan had attended every WTO Ministerial Conference since its accession was approved in 2001.
In a press release, MOFA stated that Cameroon’s handling of the nationality designation implied subordination to another WTO member, constituting a clear violation of WTO rules and a departure from long-standing international practice. MOFA described the move as unacceptable political manipulation and said it had lodged a strong protest with both Cameroon and the WTO Secretariat on March 20.
MOFA further noted that, following Taiwan’s protest, Cameroon acknowledged Taiwan’s right to participate with proper status and dignity and proposed a remedial measure by offering visa exemptions for the delegation. However, the exemption documents reportedly contained numerous errors, including misspelled names and incorrect gender information, with most entries mistakenly listed as female. MOFA said these mistakes reflected administrative negligence and a lack of sincerity. Given the late timing of the corrective measures and the inability to resolve the issues in time, Taiwan concluded that entering Cameroon with flawed documents could lead to complications or potential mistreatment. After a comprehensive assessment, Taiwan decided not to attend the conference.
Sources:
1. Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 26, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202603260316.aspx
2. VOA, March 27, 2026
https://www.voachinese.com/a/u-s-lawmakers-slam-china-over-taiwan-s-wto-snub-20260326/8131242.html
China’s Economy: A Tale of Two Temperatures
A prominent Chinese economist recently described China’s economy as a study in stark contrasts — blazing hot in some sectors, bitterly cold in others.
Mao Zhenhua, a professor at the University of Hong Kong’s Business School, made the remarks at a forum analyzing the outcomes of China’s “Two Sessions” — the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — held earlier this month. The sessions approved China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026 to 2030.
On the bright side, Mao noted significant technological advances over the past five years. Young people’s enthusiasm for the tech sector, combined with the wealth-generating capacity of capital markets, has boosted social efficiency. Driven by technological progress and private enterprise, China’s exports have also performed well despite a volatile global trade environment. In these areas, he said, the economy is running hot.
However, Mao painted a sobering picture elsewhere. China has entered its 12th consecutive quarter of deflation, with prices remaining persistently low. Declining corporate profits have slowed wage growth, and weakening investment appetite contributed to a historic contraction in investment last year.
“Outside of high-tech and exports, you know just how cold the economy really is,” he said.
Youth unemployment among those aged 16 to 24 remains stubbornly high despite government efforts. A fading demographic dividend — and the prospect of negative population growth — poses further long-term risks.
While the new Five-Year Plan prioritizes breakthroughs in high-tech and expanding domestic demand, Mao expressed skepticism. Investment is hard to stimulate due to a lack of attractive projects, while boosting consumer spending is equally challenging. With companies struggling to turn profits, taxes remaining high, and employment pressures mounting, he argued that meaningfully raising household incomes — and thus consumer spending — will be an uphill battle.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 28, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202603280065.aspx
BYD Posts Revenue Growth but Profit Decline Amid China’s EV Price War
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD reported annual revenue of 803.9 billion yuan (approximately $110.6 billion USD) for 2024, a modest 3 percent increase year-on-year. However, net profit fell 18 percent to 32.6 billion yuan (approximately $4.5 billion USD), marking the company’s first “growth without profit” financial report in four years. BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu described the EV industry as enduring a brutal “elimination round.”
Despite the profit squeeze, BYD achieved record sales of 4.6024 million vehicles in 2024, placing it among the world’s top five automakers and retaining its title as the global leader in new energy vehicle sales. The company’s international footprint expanded significantly, with operations in 119 countries and overseas sales reaching 1.05 million units. Total sales for 2025 are projected to hit 5.12 million vehicles.
Monthly domestic sales were inconsistent in the second half of 2024, with BYD failing to break the 500,000-unit monthly threshold in Q4. October, November, and December figures came in at 441,700, 480,200, and 420,400 units respectively. Overseas revenue reached 310.7 billion yuan (approximately $42.8 billion USD), accounting for roughly 38 percent of total revenue, an increasing share compared to the previous year.
The broader context is China’s overcapacity crisis in the EV sector. After 13 years of government subsidies ending in 2022, China’s EV output surged to over 12.8 million vehicles in 2024, yet nearly half of production capacity sits idle. To offload excess supply, Chinese automakers have engaged in a fierce price war, with EV prices dropping 9.2 percent in 2024 and profit margins shrinking to just 4.3 percent. BYD itself launched an aggressive new pricing round in May 2024 with discounts as steep as 34 percent, drawing sharp criticism from industry peers and state media alike.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 28, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202603280134.aspx
“AI Data Poisoning” and Manipulation of Chatbot Outputs in China
An article by The Epoch Times reports that a media investigation in China has identified a phenomenon known as “AI data poisoning,” in which fabricated information is deliberately introduced into online platforms to influence the outputs of large language models.
According to the report, investigators created a fictional product—a smart wristband called “Apollo-9”—and input falsified product information into a content-generation system. The system automatically produced more than a dozen promotional articles, including clearly implausible claims such as “quantum entanglement sensing” and “blood glucose monitoring without blood sampling,” along with fabricated user reviews and industry rankings. It then logged into preset accounts and published the content automatically, completing the process without human intervention.
Within a short period, several AI chatbots began recommending the non-existent product in response to user queries, treating the fabricated information as credible.
The article states that this practice, referred to as “generative engine optimization” (GEO), has developed into a commercial service aimed at influencing AI-generated responses. Experts cited in the report note that such techniques can affect the reliability of AI outputs, as many systems rely on publicly available online content that can be mass-produced or manipulated.
Source: Epoch Times, March 19, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/3/19/n14722264.htm
Chengdu Implements Tiered Surveillance System Targeting “Persons of Concern”
Authorities in Chengdu, China have established a classified surveillance system targeting specific population groups, according to reports first circulated on the overseas social media platform X and subsequently verified by journalists through multiple local sources.
The system, executed at the neighborhood and police station level, categorizes residents into four alert tiers — red, orange, yellow, and blue — with red designating the highest level of monitoring. Six broad categories of people have been labeled “unreliable persons,” including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Christians, unemployed individuals, Han Chinese who have worked in Xinjiang or Tibet, and those with mental illness, criminal records, or a history of petitioning the government. Officials have also expanded the classification in recent years from “three-loss-one-deviation” to “five-loss-one-deviation” groups, reflecting a widening net.
Sources familiar with the situation noted that enforcement intensifies during politically sensitive periods such as the annual National People’s Congress session in March, when local governments enter a heightened stability-maintenance mode. During such periods, individuals on the watchlist may face home visits, restrictions on movement, or pressure channeled through landlords to vacate their residences.
The surveillance does not end when a person relocates. According to accounts gathered by journalists, individuals who move to other cities continue to be tracked for months, with authorities conducting follow-up checks at new addresses and monitoring travel records. Hotels in Chengdu are also required to report guests from Tibet and Xinjiang to the local police station — a practice said to have been in place for many years.
Members of unregistered Christian congregations, such as the Qiu Yu Covenant Reformed Church, reported that believers have long faced pressure to join state-sanctioned churches, with some detained or barred from gathering. Observers noted that similar surveillance practices are not unique to Chengdu but reflect a broader national trend of tightening control over designated population groups.
Source: Radio Free Asia, March 23, 2026
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shehui/2026/03/23/china-chengdu-surveillance-human-rights-activists-church/
PLA Air Force Employs “Smart Dispatch” System in Aerial Refueling Operations
According to a report by People’s Daily, during a recent People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force exercise involving Y-20 tanker aircraft for aerial refueling operations, several fighter jets—located at similar distances—chose to refuel from the same tanker. This resulted in a queue forming near that aircraft, while other tankers in adjacent airspace remained largely underutilized.
To address this imbalance, a “smart dispatch” system was introduced to assist with operational coordination. The system processes real-time data, including aircraft fuel status, mission requirements, and airspace conditions, to generate optimized refueling plans and allocate tanker resources more efficiently.
The report states that the system enables faster decision-making and improves coordination during refueling operations, allowing multiple aircraft to carry out their missions more effectively.
Source: People’s Daily, March 16, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0316/c1011-40682662.html