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US-China Relations

People’s Daily: Hardly Anyone Responds to the Boasting — Trump’s “Year-End Review” Sparks Controversy

People’s Daily commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s primetime national address from the White House on December 17, in which he reviewed the first year of his second term.

The commentary noted that U.S. media outlets and political analysts widely view the speech as a political maneuver aimed at shifting public attention and rebuilding momentum amid slowing economic indicators and Trump’s low approval ratings. If the economic recovery he promised fails to materialize, the Republican Party could face serious challenges in the 2026 midterm elections.

Recent statistics and opinion polls highlight mounting economic and public pressure on Americans:

  • Unemployment rose to 4.6 percent in November, the highest level in several years.
  • Many Americans report that living costs are at record highs, with growing financial strain from essentials such as food, housing, and healthcare.
  • Only about 33 percent approve of Trump’s economic policies, a low point during his current term.
  • Even among his core supporters — the so-called “MAGA” base — support has shown signs of decline.

According to analysts cited in the commentary, Trump’s speech relied on three main tactics:

  1. Blaming predecessors — repeatedly criticizing the record of former President Joe Biden.
  2. Self-praise — claiming strong border security and economic progress, though many of these assertions were later fact-checked and found to be exaggerated or inaccurate.
  3. Vague promises — pledging reforms and tax cuts without providing clear details or timelines.

Democrats criticized the address for offering few concrete solutions, while some U.S. commentators argued that the speech glossed over the real economic hardships facing ordinary Americans — struggles that a wealthy politician may not fully understand.

As the 2026 midterms approach, many observers believe the Republican outlook will remain weak unless economic issues are effectively addressed. Some political insiders even predict that unmet expectations surrounding Trump’s policies could result in the GOP losing control of Congress.

Source: People’s Daily, December 19, 2025
https://world.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1219/c1002-40627969.html

Media Articles | | |   US-China Relations

CNA: NVIDIA Develops Location Verification Technology

Taiwan’s primary news agency, the Central News Agency (CNA), recently reported that NVIDIA has confirmed the development of a “location verification” technology capable of determining the country in which its chips are actually operating. The feature is designed to help prevent NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence (AI) chips from being smuggled into countries subject to U.S. export restrictions.

The technology has been demonstrated privately over the past few months but has not yet been officially released. It can be installed by customers and relies on NVIDIA GPUs’ confidential (secure) computing capabilities. According to NVIDIA sources, the software was originally created to help customers monitor overall computing performance. It estimates a chip’s location by analyzing communication latency with NVIDIA servers, with accuracy comparable to that of standard internet-based location services. NVIDIA stressed that the software does not allow the company to remotely control or interfere with customer systems, and that all telemetry data sent to NVIDIA servers is read-only, meaning the servers cannot write data back to the chips.

NVIDIA’s location-verification feature is widely seen as a response to pressure from the White House and bipartisan members of Congress to strengthen export controls. In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against several China-linked smuggling networks, accusing them of attempting to illegally export more than US$160 million worth of NVIDIA chips to China.

Source: CNA, December 11, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ait/202512110148.aspx

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Lianhe Zaobao: China’s November Exports Rebound as Shipments to the U.S. Continue to Slow

Singapore’s leading Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported that newly released data from China’s General Administration of Customs show China’s exports grew 5.9 percent year over year in November, exceeding market expectations.

By product category, exports of machinery, electronics, and high-tech goods accelerated. Shipments of integrated circuits and automobiles posted particularly strong growth, rising 34.2 percent and 53.0 percent, respectively, from a year earlier. By destination, exports to the European Union surged 14.3 percent, the fastest pace since July 2022, with France, Germany, and Italy all recording double-digit increases. Exports to Africa and Latin America also rose sharply, up 28.2 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively. In contrast, export growth to ASEAN slowed to 8.4 percent, the weakest increase since February.

Exports to the United States declined further, plunging 28.6 percent year over year in November, marking the eighth consecutive month of double-digit drops. Analysts cited by Lianhe Zaobao said the overall rebound suggests Chinese exporters are making significant progress in expanding into non-U.S. markets. They added that the slowdown in exports to ASEAN may be linked to a retreat in re-export trade following higher U.S. tariffs on Southeast Asian countries.

China’s export growth outpaced import growth in November, pushing the country’s cumulative trade surplus to a record high exceeding US$1 trillion.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, December 8, 2025
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20251208-7933064

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Huanqiu Times: U.S. Deploys Marine Task Force to Philippines to Strengthen Allied Coordination

According to Stars and Stripes, citing the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the United States has deployed a military task force to the Philippines. The unit is led by Major General Thomas Savage, commanding general of the 1st Marine Division stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. The task force is responsible for coordinating exercises and operations between U.S. forces stationed on the islands and the Philippine military. The task force does not include equipment, warships, aircraft, or vehicles, and for operational security reasons, officials declined to disclose its headquarters. While the number of U.S. personnel will rotate based on host-country needs, approximately 60 core members will serve as the main staff.

A Chinese analyst suggested that the key message the U.S. task force conveys is America’s support for its allies and commitment to security cooperation, providing reassurance to the Philippine military.

Another analyst noted that the U.S. Marine Corps has three divisions. Typically, a Philippine task force would be led by the 3rd Marine Division, based in the Ryukyu Islands and responsible for South China Sea operations. However, in this case, leadership comes from the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. “From this detail, a few observations can be made: First, this may indicate that the 3rd Marine Division is currently heavily tasked and unable to spare personnel. Second, the U.S. may be planning to deploy the operational capabilities of the 1st Marine Division to the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the Western Pacific,” the analyst added.

Source: Huanqiu Times, November 30, 2025
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/4PLr3tl98S0

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Lianhe Zaobao: Nvidia’s Chip Sales in China Expected to Be Zero in the Next Two Quarters

Singapore’s leading Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported that Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said U.S. export restrictions have effectively halted the company’s chip sales in China. He expects Nvidia’s sales in the Chinese market to drop to zero for at least the next two quarters.

Huang urged Washington and Beijing to improve trade relations, arguing that access to the Chinese market is essential for maintaining U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence. “Being able to compete in China also helps us succeed globally,” he said, emphasizing that the U.S. needs to restore its market presence in China to sustain its global leadership in AI.

He noted that China’s AI chip market is currently valued at around US$50 billion and could expand to US$200 billion by 2030, yet American companies are currently shut out of this growth. China has long been a major revenue source that enables companies to reinvest and accelerate innovation, Huang said. “But for now, we have to assume our sales are zero.”

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, November 21, 2025
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/finance/china/story20251121-7853814?ref=global-finance

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

China Studies Drone Swarms to Counter Starlink in Potential Taiwan Conflict

Chinese military researchers are investigating how to effectively disrupt Starlink satellite communications in Taiwan during a potential conflict, requiring at least 1,000 to 2,000 drone-mounted jamming devices to suppress the system, according to a report by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post.

The urgency stems from Ukraine’s battlefield success with Starlink following Russia’s February 2022 invasion. After Elon Musk’s SpaceX provided thousands of Starlink terminals to Kyiv within days, Russian forces initially managed to jam the signals. However, SpaceX quietly updated its software and satellite configurations, rendering Russian jamming ineffective and shifting battlefield advantage to Ukraine. This success shocked military establishments worldwide, particularly China’s.

Chinese military authorities subsequently began assessing how to conduct effective electronic warfare if Taiwan obtained Starlink access during a conflict. Research teams from Zhejiang University and Beijing Institute of Technology, which maintains close ties with China’s military, published the most comprehensive public analysis to date in early November in the journal Systems Engineering and Electronics.

The study concluded that traditional ground-based jamming methods are insufficient against Starlink’s large low-orbit satellite constellation and advanced communication technologies, including frequency hopping and adaptive systems. Computer simulations indicate China would need a “distributed jamming” strategy deploying hundreds or thousands of small, synchronized airborne jammers carried by drones, balloons, or aircraft to create an electromagnetic barrier.

Under optimal conditions, each jamming device could suppress Starlink connectivity across approximately 38.5 square kilometers. Given Taiwan’s roughly 36,000 square kilometers, fully suppressing coverage would require at least 935 synchronized devices on drones or balloons. Lower-powered equipment would necessitate approximately 2,000 units.

Researchers acknowledged these figures don’t account for terrain interference, equipment attrition, or Starlink’s continuously improving anti-jamming capabilities, meaning actual requirements could be considerably higher. They emphasized that since many of Starlink’s core technologies remain classified, their simulation data represents only preliminary assessments.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 23, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511230163.aspx

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Independent Chinese Film Festival Canceled in New York After Intimidation Campaign

The inaugural IndieChina Independent Film Festival, originally scheduled in New York from November 9 to 15, was abruptly canceled on November 6 after organizers, guests, and volunteers faced a wave of intimidation from unidentified actors. Festival director Zhu Rikun announced the decision, saying he could not, “in good conscience,” expose filmmakers, forum speakers, volunteers, or even audience members to potential danger.

The pressure reportedly began on October 30, when Zhu received a strange phone call from his father in China, urging him not to “do things harmful to the country” while overseas. Soon after, a woman who helps Zhu manage affairs in Beijing was summoned by authorities, threatened for assisting him, and warned that he would face legal trouble if he returned to China.

Within two days, nearly every director still living in China withdrew from the festival—many citing personal reasons. Meanwhile, directors and invited guests abroad told organizers that their family members inside China were being questioned or harassed.

One of the New York screening venues also received an anonymous letter claiming to be from “Chinese students living in New York,” arguing the films might misrepresent modern China and demanding the festival be canceled. A U.S.-based volunteer resigned after family in China were threatened. Zhu said no officials or individuals have provided any explanation of what offense he or the festival allegedly committed.

Human Rights Watch condemned the cancellation as further evidence of Beijing’s transnational repression. The organization noted that three major independent film festivals within China have already been shuttered over the past decade. Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at HRW, stated that the intimidation campaign reaching into New York reflects the Chinese government’s effort to shape global narratives about the country, and urged governments around the world to push back against such censorship.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 8, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511080148.aspx

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

CNA: China has Three Other Industries to Leverage as Choke Points Beyond Rare Earths

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, although the U.S. and China just reached a truce agreement on tariffs and rare earth controls, Beijing has more leverage than just rare earths. It also holds absolute advantages in lithium batteries, mature process chips, and pharmaceutical raw materials.

In the lithium-ion battery field, the world’s top two battery manufacturers are both Chinese companies: CATL and BYD. Even if the batteries are produced in other regions, the core materials are still highly dependent on China. According to data provided by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Chinese suppliers produce 79 percent of the world’s battery cathode materials and 92 percent of the battery anode materials, and control 63 percent of the refined lithium, 80 percent of the refined cobalt, and 98 percent of the refined graphite supply.

In the field of mature process chips, China currently accounts for about one-third of global mature chip production capacity. Although these chips are less difficult to produce than advanced chips, they are crucial for sectors such as automobiles, consumer electronics, and defense. Furthermore, China controls key minerals such as gallium and germanium needed to manufacture chips and optoelectronic products. In 2024, China accounted for 99 percent of global gallium production and was also the world’s largest producer of germanium.

The third important industry is pharmaceuticals. China plays a dominant role in the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients and their precursor chemicals. For example, most of the acetaminophen and ibuprofen imported into the U.S. come from China, and China is also a major producer of antibiotic raw materials. The U.S. generic drug supply is heavily reliant on India, and a large portion of the active ingredients in Indian generic drugs come from China.

Source: CNA, November 6, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511060374.aspx

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations