Iranian TV Commentator: China Halted Covert Satellite Support to Tehran
Mehdi Kharratian, an Iranian state TV pundit reportedly close to Iran’s security establishment, said China had provided Tehran with covert assistance, including satellite imagery that helped Iran target U.S. naval forces. Kharratian said the support was halted after details of the assistance emerged in the media. He cited a Wall Street Journal report as the reason China stopped the support.
Kharratian said the satellite imagery had helped Iran target an American destroyer and suggested that Chinese entities had provided the imagery. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that U.S. officials had linked high-resolution satellite imagery obtained by Iran from Chinese entities to a deadly Iranian strike on a U.S. base in Jordan. The report also said U.S. officials were examining whether Chinese assistance was helping Tehran track and target American warships. Washington did not accuse the Chinese government itself of directly providing the imagery.
Kharratian also said China had become increasingly reluctant to engage openly with Tehran because of Iran’s confrontation with Washington. He said China had reportedly told Iranian officials, “Do not come to us until you resolve your problem with the United States,” while portraying Beijing as willing to continue working with Tehran behind the scenes but wary of the political risks of visible cooperation.
Source: Iran International TV, October 4, 2026
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610046693
About 150 Chinese Teachers Leave Philippine Schools Amid Concerns Over CCP United Front Activities
About 150 Chinese teachers working at Chinese-language schools in the Philippines have reportedly begun returning to China in batches since late September, amid concerns over alleged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) United Front activities and national security. The departures affect several prominent Chinese-Filipino schools and come as tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to rise over maritime disputes.
The concerns were heightened by reports from Ray Powell, founder and director of the Stanford-affiliated SeaLight project. Powell’s reports alleged that PCERC, which coordinates more than 100 Chinese-language schools in the Philippines, has close ties to the CCP’s United Front system. The reports also highlighted PCERC programs that bring Chinese teachers to the Philippines and send Filipino-Chinese students to Chinese universities for training. They cited a seminar at Jinan University at which Chinese scholars reportedly questioned Philippine sovereignty over the Batanes Islands, as well as a 2025 essay competition jointly organized by PCERC and the Philippine Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. subsequently warned the public to remain vigilant about China-related cultural and educational exchanges, saying United Front activities are a core part of the CCP’s strategy and that foreign-funded academic exchanges could potentially be used to establish footholds and collect intelligence. He also said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had instructed intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to take evidence-based action against malicious activities, while cautioning against anti-foreign sentiment or prejudice toward the Chinese-Filipino community.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected the allegations as a “malicious smear campaign” against China-Philippines educational exchanges. The Philippine Chinese Education Research Center (PCERC) and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCII) said the teachers’ return was approved by the Chinese Embassy and relevant authorities, citing safety concerns raised by the teachers’ families.
Source: The Epoch Times, October 6, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/10/5/n14863967.htm
China Promotes Patriotic Education Among Hong Kong and Macao Youth Through Flag-Raising Activities in Beijing
Beijing is continuing to promote “patriotic” education among young people in Hong Kong and Macao as the Chinese Communist Party has tightened its political control over the two regions, after substantially terminating the autonomy originally promised under “One Country, Two Systems.”
Xinhua News Agency reported that from September 18 to 22, the Hong Kong and Macao governments, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, and the Beijing municipal government organized a “Salute to the National Flag” themed visit to Beijing for representatives of flag-raising teams from schools and universities in the two regions.
About 1,000 representatives from flag-raising teams at 121 primary and secondary schools and 21 universities in Hong Kong and Macao participated. The delegation was led by Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki and Macao Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Leong Wai-ling.
During the visit, participants attended the national flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square and visited the Great Hall of the People, the Palace Museum, and the National Museum of China. They also visited the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Honor Guard Regiment, as well as schools, cultural and technology institutions, companies, and rural communities in Beijing.
Source: Xinhua, September 18, 2026
https://www.news.cn/20260918/f3857342e36a40e6b87f1df3c5bdde4c/c.html
Prominent Chinese Economists Urge Stronger Fiscal Measures to Address Local Government Debt
At the 2026 Tsinghua PBC School of Finance Chief Economists Forum on September 19, several prominent Chinese economists said local government debt has become a more urgent economic problem than the real estate sector and called for more expansionary fiscal and monetary policies. During a roundtable on macroeconomic policy and global rebalancing, economists including Lin Yifu of Peking University, Yao Yang of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Li Xunlei of Zhongtai International, and Ju Jiandong of Tsinghua University’s PBC School of Finance said the central government should issue more debt to replace local government debt.
Ju said that faster and larger central government bond issuance to replace local debt has become an important tool for supporting economic growth. Li said local governments face heavy debt and arrears pressures, with a 2027 deadline for clearing outstanding payments, making debt replacement an urgent priority. Yao said local government debt is currently China’s biggest economic problem and is more serious than the property market. He estimated that a chain of interconnected debts arising from local government debt has reached about RMB 30 trillion. Both Yao and Lin called for the government to address the problem with the same level of determination used to resolve China’s banking-sector bad loans around 2000.
At that time, the Ministry of Finance issued special government bonds to recapitalize the four major state-owned banks and established four asset-management companies to absorb their non-performing loans. Lin argued that much of today’s local government debt was incurred in support of central government fiscal policies. Because the borrowing ultimately involves banks, he said that if local governments cannot repay, the losses could eventually fall on the banking system and the Ministry of Finance, making debt replacement the preferred approach.
Source: 21st Century Business Herald, September 20, 2026
https://www.21jingji.com/article/20260920/herald/c9d4680a5be88c901027977f013cb3a2.html
China Plans to Expand BeiDou Industry to More Than RMB 1 Trillion
At a September 22 press conference, Li Chao, Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office and spokesperson for China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said China plans to expand the BeiDou satellite navigation industry to more than RMB 1 trillion (US$140 billion) within five years during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period (2026–2030). The goal is to achieve new breakthroughs in the market-oriented, industrial-scale, and international development of BeiDou applications.
The NDRC plans to advance key technologies, including high-end chips, critical components, and integrated algorithms, while promoting the integration of BeiDou with artificial intelligence, satellite internet, and other technologies. China will also strengthen institutional support by advancing the implementation of the Satellite Navigation Regulations of the People’s Republic of China and improving industry standards, testing, and certification systems.
In 2025, China’s BeiDou industry generated more than RMB 629 billion in total output, with more than 30,000 related enterprises and institutions employing over 2 million people. BeiDou is widely used in transportation, agriculture, maritime fishing, and energy. More than 12 million commercial vehicles are equipped with BeiDou, while more than 3.5 million terminals are used in agriculture and about 70,000 fishing vessels use BeiDou services.
BeiDou positioning services are also integrated into about 1.4 billion smartphones, more than 50 million electric vehicles, 14 million shared bicycles, and 160 million wearable devices in China. BeiDou-related products have been exported to more than 140 countries and regions. China also plans to deepen international cooperation through technology exchanges, talent development, joint demonstrations, and participation in global satellite-navigation governance.
Sources: People’s Daily, September 23, 2026
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0922/c1004-40803710.html
China and Serbia Launch Joint Police Patrols on the Streets of Serbia
Xinhua News Agency reported that China and Serbia launched a three-week joint police patrol program on September 23 in central Belgrade. Eight police officers sent by China’s Ministry of Public Security will join Serbian officers in mixed teams to conduct patrols in several Serbian cities, including Belgrade and Novi Sad.
At the launch ceremony, Zhang Zhe, chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, said that China-Serbia relations have developed rapidly in recent years and that the two countries’ public security and interior ministries have deepened practical cooperation. He said the joint patrols would help enhance the sense of security among Chinese tourists and overseas Chinese in Serbia during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period and further strengthen law-enforcement and security cooperation between the two countries.
Following the ceremony, Chinese and Serbian officers began joint patrols along Knez Mihailova Street in central Belgrade. The patrols were conducted at the invitation of Serbia’s Ministry of Interior and mark the third time Chinese police officers have traveled to Serbia for joint patrols. The joint patrol officers will assist Chinese tourists and overseas Chinese in communicating with local police and coordinating responses to their security concerns.
Source: Xinhua, September 24, 2026
https://www.news.cn/world/20260924/f5e4c7f8295e4d1da4c6e53d5484c011/c.html
Beijing Tax Offices Roll Out Enforcement Push on China’s New Offshore Trust Income Tax Rules
Tax offices in Beijing’s Chaoyang district have spent the past week publicizing preparations to enforce China’s new individual income tax rules on offshore trusts, which took effect about two months ago, according to articles the bureau published on September 29 and 30 ahead of the National Day (October 1) holiday.
The district’s taxpayer service center said it had set up a dedicated team of tax officials and hotline staff, strengthened staff training, and stepped up data analysis and monitoring of public sentiment risks. It also emphasized confidentiality rules and anti-corruption warnings for staff.
The Third Tax Office held a second round of training to prepare for an expected peak in inquiries during the policy’s transition period, assigning dedicated personnel and standardizing how rules are interpreted. The Nanmofang office said it is using big data and information on high-net-worth individuals to flag suspicious offshore trust cases and has built a risk ledger aimed at preventing people from hiding assets or evading taxes through various structures. It described offshore trust taxation as an important tool for governing the taxes of wealthy individuals.
The Jinsong office organized officials to study the full life cycle of trusts, from creation to termination, and formed two teams: one to handle taxpayers’ questions and feedback, and another of foreign-language staff to review foreign-language trust documents and verify overseas materials.
The rules stem from an announcement by the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration in July (Announcement No. 21 of 2026). It says individuals who transfer property into an offshore trust, or receive income through one, must report and pay individual income tax. A companion announcement designates the tax authority where the related domestic business is registered as the supervising office. If no such business exists, the authority where the taxpayer’s domestic property is located or where they usually reside takes charge.
Source: Yicai, October 2, 2026
https://www.yicai.com/news/103383883.html
ICIJ Investigation Examines ICBC’s Role in Beijing’s Overseas Economic and Geopolitical Activities
An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and media organizations in 24 countries examined 4.8 million records from China’s Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) covering 2005–2024. The records reportedly show that ICBC’s London operations provided financial services to high-risk clients, including sanctioned Russian and Belarusian businessmen, politically connected companies, and heavily indebted countries.
The investigation alleges that the branch sometimes acted on instructions from ICBC’s Beijing headquarters to support broader objectives of the Chinese Communist Party. It characterizes ICBC as functioning not only as a commercial bank but also as an important financial instrument supporting China’s overseas geopolitical and economic expansion.
During the Russia-Ukraine war, ICBC’s London branch reportedly explored ways to help Russian mining giant Nornickel obtain financing in renminbi to avoid dollar transactions. The investigation also found that, shortly after the U.S. Justice Department indicted Huawei in 2019 for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions on Iran and other offenses, ICBC London rapidly transferred $1.3 billion in Huawei funds to China. Although the transaction itself was not illegal, it was reportedly carried out without prior notification to ICBC’s financial-crime prevention department, triggering internal objections.
The investigation also identified compliance and lending concerns involving developing countries. Since 2014, courts and regulators in eight jurisdictions have reportedly imposed adverse rulings or penalties against ICBC and its overseas branches totaling at least $96 million. In Zambia, ICBC provided a $285 million loan to the state-owned power company ZESCO in 2011 and later sought repayment during the country’s sovereign debt crisis. Internal documents reportedly show that ICBC headquarters instructed London employees to transfer funds from ZESCO’s account to Beijing before completing required customer reviews.
The investigation reviewed roughly 200 additional loan agreements involving nearly 30 countries, with financing ranging from about $3 million to $400 million. Borrowers included government entities and companies involved in commodities, energy, and financial services. According to the investigation, ICBC’s overseas lending has helped Chinese state-owned enterprises secure foreign contracts and finance acquisitions of transportation, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure, while also providing loans to foreign governments as part of China’s economic diplomacy.
Source: The Epoch Times, September 18, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/9/17/n14851435.htm