{Editor’s Notes: On September 3, China held a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of victory Continue reading
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Largest Ever Great Firewall Leak Reveals China’s Exporting Internet Censorship Abroad
On September 11, 2025, over 500 GB of internal documents from China’s Great Firewall were leaked, exposing operational details, source code, and international deployments. The leak originated from Geedge Networks Ltd., a major Great Firewall contractor, and the MESA Laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The documents show that Geedge has exported censorship and surveillance technologies to at least five countries, including Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and an undisclosed state codenamed A24. In Pakistan, the system can track network activity by SIM card; in Ethiopia, monitoring devices were deployed in regional data centers; and in Kazakhstan, government use includes TLS man-in-the-middle interception.
The files also reveal that Geedge has built provincial-level censorship systems to supplement China’s national level system, collaborating with Xinjiang, Jiangsu, and Fujian provinces.
Sources: Epoch Times, September 14, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/13/n14593857.htm
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/13/n14593903.htm
Xinhua: UN Adopts Resolution on Cooperation with SCO; Countries Praise China’s Global Governance Initiative
Xinhua reported that on September 5, the 79th UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a China-sponsored resolution on “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),” co-sponsored by nearly 40 countries, including all SCO members.
The resolution recognized the SCO’s constructive role in promoting regional peace, development, and cooperation, while encouraging deeper dialogue and collaboration between the UN system and the organization.
China’s UN envoy Geng Shuang noted that the SCO has grown into the world’s largest regional organization. He stated the centerpiece of the recent Tianjin Summit was Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative, describing it as timely given the urgent need for more effective global governance concepts and system.
Representatives from Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Venezuela, Serbia, and other countries commended the SCO’s work and China’s role as rotating chair, stressing that Xi’s initiative aligns with global priorities and could make a significant contribution to improving international governance.
Source: Xinhua, September 6, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/20250906/1ac848e7f47e44d6925204fe45bee911/c.html
Reports Surface on PLA Debate Over “Nationalizing the Military”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long upheld the principle that “the Party commands the gun.” However, reports suggest that the idea of “military nationalization” is once again circulating within China’s political and military circles.
One of the most vocal advocates is Liu Yuan, son of former CCP leader Liu Shaoqi, who argues that China’s fundamental problems stem from the military remaining a “party army” loyal to individuals rather than serving as a national defense force.
According to an independent commentator, at an expanded Politburo meeting in May, Liu Yuan called for reforms: abolishing the Central Military Commission (CMC) and creating a National Defense Commission under the state president, eliminating Party committees within the armed forces, and requiring soldiers to swear allegiance to the Constitution rather than to the Party.
Observers note that as Xi Jinping’s control over the military appears to weaken, Party and military media have stopped explicitly rejecting the notion of military nationalization.
{Editor’s Note: In light of widespread reports of factional infighting within the CCP, the push for “military nationalization” may be less about democratization and more about ensuring that the military does not align with any particular faction, or as a counter to the system of “(CCP) CMC Chairman responsibility (军委主席负责制)” imposed under Xi Jinping.}
Source: Epoch Times, September 13, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/12/n14593398.htm
CCP’s Export of Internet Controls Triggers Oli’s Downfall in Nepal
Mass protests in Nepal toppled Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in just three days after his government imposed sweeping internet restrictions modeled on China’s Great Firewall.
On August 28, the government ordered all foreign social media platforms to register locally within a week and appoint compliance officers. The plan was developed with strong input from Beijing: Oli had visited China in December 2024 and again from August 30 to September 3 this year; a task force from the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Cyberspace Administration flew to Kathmandu; Huawei and ZTE provided equipment; and Chinese think tanks drafted strategies for controlling online opinion. Nepal was ready to move the CCP’s “Digital Silk Road” final stage – asserting control over the internet.
When the ban took effect on September 4, 26 major platforms – including Facebook, YouTube, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, Reddit, and LinkedIn – were abruptly blocked. The crackdown sparked immediate backlash, as Nepalis realized they had lost not only access to the internet but also their ability to express views and connect with the world.
University students, professionals, and young people led the demonstrations, chanting: “We are not Chinese! Nepal is not Beijing’s testing ground! Get out of our internet!” Within 48 hours, the anti-blockade protests had escalated into a nationwide uprising against Chinese-style internet control, forcing Oli’s resignation. Source: Secret China, September 12, 2025
https://www.secretchina.com/news/b5/2025/09/12/1087993.html
Ecuador Secures $400M From Beijing Over Defective Dam
Ecuador’s Finance Minister Sariha Moya announced that Chinese state-owned PowerChina will pay the Ecuadorian government $400 million in compensation for serious defects and losses linked to the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, built by Sinohydro. The $3 billion dam, launched in 2016 with Xi Jinping attending its inauguration, has been plagued by cracks, leaks, corruption scandals, and ecological damage, with experts warning its lifespan may be only 15 years instead of the promised 50.
Ecuador had originally sought $580 million in arbitration, while China countersued, but the settlement marks a partial resolution. The case highlights broader problems with China’s infrastructure projects abroad: opaque loans, poor construction, corruption, and political fallout.
Similar controversies have emerged elsewhere: Nepal’s Pokhara International Airport (built with Chinese loans) is deemed substandard; Serbia’s Novi Sad railway station collapse killed 16 and sparked mass protests; and other Chinese-financed projects across Latin America face scrutiny.
Commentators note that China’s BRI model – relying on money, corruption, and construction contracts to secure influence in targeted countries – is backfiring. Instead of winning allies, Beijing now faces reputational damage and a growing wave of compensation claims, with Ecuador setting a precedent that other countries may follow.
Source: Epoch Times, August 26, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/26/n14581281.htm
CCP Infiltration in Virginia: Expert Warns of Growing National Security Risks
China expert He Bin recently warned at a Virginia community event that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration of Virginia is a serious national security concern. Given Virginia’s proximity to Washington, D.C., its role as home to the Pentagon, the CIA, the world’s largest naval base (Norfolk), and the only U.S. shipyard that builds nuclear carriers and submarines, CCP influence poses unique risks.
He outlined multiple examples of CCP penetration in Virginia, including:
- Media Control: Beijing secretly funded pro-CCP broadcasts on WCRW/WTSD radio (2011–2023).
- Corporate Takeover: China’s WH Group’s $4.7B acquisition of Smithfield Foods, giving China control over 25 percent of U.S. pork production and farmland.
- Confucius Institutes: They operated at George Mason University, William & Mary, and Old Dominion University. They have been criticized for undermining academic freedom.
- Education Infiltration: Thomas Jefferson High School, one of the best high schools in the U.S., received $3.6M from CCP-linked sources, raising IP transfer concerns.
- Chinese Student & Scholar Associations (CSSA): They strengthened surveillance and ideological influence over Chinese students.
- Virginia Tech: The university collaborated with Xi’an Electronic Science and Technology University, linked to China’s military.
- IP Theft: A Chinese researcher at UVA was charged with stealing trade secrets (case later dropped).
- Telecom Threats: China Telecom’s U.S. subsidiary, based in Herndon, was shut down by FCC over national security risks.
- NGOs: The Nature Conservancy in Arlington ran CCP-linked projects funded partly by U.S. government grants and Chinese firms.
- Port Security: Over 30 Chinese-made cranes at Hampton Roads port raised Pentagon concerns about surveillance.
- Espionage Cases: Chinese nationals and local residents in Virginia were prosecuted for spying or leaking defense secrets, including at Newport News Shipyard, the State Department, and even the Federal Reserve.
Source: Epoch Times, August 29, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/28/n14583195.htm
Texas Criminalizes Foreign Transnational Repression
On August 26, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed several bills aimed at protecting Texans from threats posed by foreign adversaries. The legislation included: House Bill 128, which prohibits any Texas government entity from establishing “sister city” relationships with foreign adversaries while encouraging cooperation with U.S. allies; Senate Bill 17, which bans individuals, organizations, and entities from certain countries from purchasing real estate in Texas; and Senate Bill 1349, which criminalizes acts of transnational repression and requires the establishment of new training programs for law enforcement.
In fact, as early as last November, Abbott had signed an executive order directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to take measures against cross-border coercion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). At the time, he specifically cited the CCP’s “Fox Hunt” campaign of attempting to forcibly repatriate overseas dissidents back to China.
Analysts have noted that in recent years, China has increasingly engaged in “long-arm jurisdiction” against certain individuals abroad – using the People’s Liberation Army, public security officials, embassies, or agents – under the pretext of “safeguarding national interests,” thereby undermining other countries’ sovereignty.
Taiwanese media outlet Newtalk commented that by defining foreign “transnational repression” as a criminal offense, Texas has fired the first shot in American society against China. Sources:
1. NTDTV, August 28, 2025
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/08/28/a104015125.html
2. Newtalk, August 27, 2025
https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2025-08-27/990303