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Open-Source Giant Red Hat Laid Off Its Entire R&D Team in China

Well-known Chinese news site NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES) recently reported that open-source giant Red Hat has laid off all members of its China R&D team. The news was confirmed by an email sent to the China team by Red Hat’s CTO and Senior Vice President of Global Engineering.

As part of its “global site selection strategy”, Red Hat will cease engineering activities in China. Affected employees will no longer be responsible for their daily work duties, but their employment will be retained until July 31, 2026, when they will officially terminate their employment. This layoff involves approximately 419 people.

According to Red Hat China’s official website, Red Hat Greater China currently has over 700 employees, including more than 500 in R&D and service teams, with over 300 software developers and researchers at its Beijing R&D center alone. This means that Red Hat’s core R&D capabilities in China have been almost entirely eradicated, and its R&D functions will be transferred to other engineering hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Red Hat’s layoffs in China were not accidental. In August 2024, its parent company, IBM, had already decided to lay off most of its R&D and testing staff in China, affecting more than 1,800 people. In March 2025, IBM China Investment Co., Ltd. and all its branches ceased business operations and have completed the deregistration process.

Source: NetEase, April 10, 2026
https://www.163.com/dy/article/KQ65AV9D0511CPVM.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Huanqiu Editorial: U.S. AI Data Centers Depend on China’s Power Equipment

Huanqiu Times published an editorial arguing that U.S. AI data center development remains dependent on Chinese power equipment, particularly at the infrastructure level.

Citing a Bloomberg report, the article notes that nearly half of the AI data centers planned in the United States this year may face delays or cancellations due to shortages of critical electrical components. While the U.S. maintains advantages in advanced chips and AI software, these strengths are being constrained by insufficient power infrastructure and limited domestic capacity to produce key electrical equipment.

The editorial highlights that AI development increasingly relies on stable energy supply and supporting infrastructure. Essential components such as transformers, switchgear, and batteries—though accounting for a relatively small share of total costs—are indispensable for data center construction and operation. The U.S. continues to rely heavily on imports for these components, particularly from China, while trade restrictions and tariffs have further strained supply chains and contributed to project delays.

More broadly, the article argues that this situation reflects the globalized nature of the AI supply chain, with China playing a central role as a major supplier of electrical infrastructure equipment. It concludes that without greater international cooperation and adjustments to current trade approaches, the United States may continue to face challenges in scaling its AI infrastructure despite its technological advantages.

Source: Huanqiu Times, April 2, 2026
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/4R0Ee6ahMqE

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Chinese Scholar: Iran War Complicates Trump’s Planned China Visit, Giving Beijing More Leverage

Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China, said in an interview with Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing newspaper Ming Pao that the Iran War has complicated U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China. According to Wang, the situation may leave Trump in a more difficult diplomatic position while increasing Beijing’s bargaining leverage ahead of the visit.

Wang argued that the U.S. military campaign against Iran could become prolonged and may last until September. Without deploying ground forces, he said, Washington would likely find it difficult to completely eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities because many of the facilities have already been moved underground. Wang also defended China’s approach to the crisis, saying Beijing has taken a relatively cautious stance in criticizing the United States while avoiding the harder line adopted by Russia. He added that China remains uncertain about Iran’s political stability and its long-term attitude toward Beijing. At the same time, Iran’s retaliatory strikes on bases in several Arab countries highlight China’s regional interests, as Beijing has significant investments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and is preparing to host a China–Arab States summit.

On Taiwan, Wang said Trump’s main concern is ensuring that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) does not fall under mainland Chinese control. Beijing, however, hopes the United States will publicly oppose Taiwan independence and delay the delivery of arms sales to Taiwan. Wang suggested that while Washington cannot openly reverse its policy, it could slow implementation through practical measures such as postponing deliveries or citing technical issues. He also said China would prefer that Trump restrain Japan’s leadership from supporting Taiwan independence.

Wang added that Trump had initially planned to visit China from a position of strength, but the prolonged Iran conflict has complicated that strategy and increased China’s leverage. He noted that Trump also faces domestic political pressure ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, which may make cooperation with China more important. In this context, Wang said Beijing could remain flexible while seeking concessions, as long as the United States is able to claim a political victory domestically.

Source: Ming Pao, March 14, 2026
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/中國/article/20260314/s00013/1773421783362/王義桅-伊朗戰火增華籌碼-「中美共治」是「毒誘」

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Former U.S. Air Force Pilot Arrested for Allegedly Training Chinese Military Pilots

Voice of America reports that U.S. authorities have arrested former U.S. Air Force pilot Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. on charges related to providing unauthorized training to Chinese military pilots. According to the United States Department of Justice, Brown was taken into custody in Indiana in February 2026 after returning to the United States from China. Prosecutors allege that he conspired with others to provide combat aviation training to pilots from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force without obtaining the required authorization from the U.S. government.

Brown served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 24 years. During his career, he was involved in sensitive nuclear weapons delivery missions and served as an instructor pilot on multiple aircraft platforms, including the F-4, F-15, F-16, A-10, and F-35 fighter jets.

The Justice Department alleges that Brown began negotiating in 2023 to train Chinese military pilots and later traveled to China in December 2023 to provide such training. U.S. law requires American citizens to obtain a license from the State Department before offering military training or defense services to foreign armed forces under the Arms Export Control Act. Authorities say Brown failed to obtain the necessary authorization. The case highlights growing concerns in Washington that China has sought to recruit former Western military pilots to help enhance its air combat capabilities. Similar investigations in recent years have involved retired military aviators accused of training Chinese pilots through overseas flight schools or private contracts.

Source: VOA, February 27, 2026
https://www.voachinese.com/a/us-arrests-former-air-force-pilot-for-allegedly-training-chinese-military-pilots-20260226/8117849.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military US-China Relations

Chinese State Media Highlight U.S. Anti-War Protests; Some Organizers Linked to CCP-Connected Donor Network

A report by Voice of America states that Chinese state media have extensively highlighted anti-war demonstrations in the United States following U.S. strikes against Iran. Major outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television, People’s Daily, and the Global Times (Huanqiu Times) reported on protests in multiple American cities and emphasized calls from activists urging Washington to halt military action. Their coverage portrayed the demonstrations as evidence of significant domestic opposition within the United States to the conflict with Iran and framed the protests as reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with U.S. foreign policy and military involvement abroad.

The article notes that some U.S. media outlets and analysts have raised questions about the organizations involved in organizing the protests. Groups such as the ANSWER Coalition, The People’s Forum, and Code Pink were identified as key organizers of the demonstrations. Previous investigative reporting by The New York Times indicated that several of these groups have financial or organizational links to a funding network associated with businessman Neville Roy Singham, who has lived in Shanghai and supported initiatives promoting narratives favorable to China. According to the report, these connections have drawn increasing scrutiny in Washington, where policymakers and analysts are concerned about potential foreign influence networks that may amplify political messaging aligned with the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.

Source: VOA, March 5, 2026
https://www.voachinese.com/a/chinese-state-media-promotes-anti-war-demonstrations-in-the-us-us-media-protest-organizers-linked-to-a-donor-with-ties-to-ccp-20260304/8121283.html

Briefings | | |   @CS US-China Relations

Chinese Media’s Reports During the First Couple of Days of the U.S. Attack on Iran

Creaders.Net, a Chinese-language website based in the United States, collected screenshots of reports from several Chinese media outlets covering the first couple of days following the U.S. attack on Iran. Many of these reports echoed the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) propaganda narrative, suggesting that the United States would find it difficult to win the conflict and that Iran was capable of effectively fighting back.

On February 28, some outlets reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had survived an assassination attempt. After his death was later confirmed, some media cited experts claiming that he had already transferred his authority beforehand and that his death would therefore have limited impact on Iran’s national decision-making.

Guancha Observer:
“Huang Jin (commentator): The United States has made very poor preparations for this war; the U.S. military is an army that lacks confidence the most among all armies.”

China Daily:
“A video published by foreign media on March 1 shows several fireballs flying across the night sky over Dubai, passing above brightly lit skyscrapers.”

Xi’an City’s Radio and Television:
“Iran Fights Back – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued its seventh statement declaring that Iran was carrying out retaliatory strikes.”

Dajiangkankan website:
“Photos from the scene: An Iranian missile broke through Israel’s defenses and struck Jerusalem. A building was directly hit, leaving a crater about 10 meters deep; people were screaming and running away.”

China Central Television (CCTV-4):
“Li Shaoxian, Honorary Dean of the Institute of Arab Studies at Ningxia University: Khamenei had already transferred his authority in advance, so his death would have only limited impact on Iran’s national decision-making.”

Beijing Times:
“Expert analysis: Khamenei may have already transferred his authority earlier, meaning his death would have only a limited effect on Iran’s decision-making.”

People’s Daily:
“Iranian Missile Hits Israel’s General Staff Headquarters.” “Images released by Iran show that the building housing Israel’s General Staff headquarters was struck early in the morning on March 1 and engulfed in flames.”

Direct News:
“Expert prediction: Khamenei survived the first assassination attempt; the United States and Israel will face a much more difficult situation moving forward.”

Shenzhen National Defense Channel:
“On February 28, Israel’s initial assessment suggested that the joint U.S.–Israeli attempt to assassinate Khamenei and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian had failed. Khamenei may have already relocated, and Iran’s intelligence operations have changed significantly since last year. He had already left his office.”

Observing Pupil Channel on Bilibili:
“Shen Yi, a professor of international politics at Fudan University, analyzed Israel’s assessment, saying that the assassination attempt against Khamenei and the Iranian president had failed.”

Zhihu:
Jin Canrong (CCP leaders’ policy advisor): “Trump may have made a strategic mistake this time. The assassination attempt by the United States and Israel failed, and Iran now has four possible ways to retaliate.”

Hubei Daily:
“On the evening of March 1, Iran reportedly launched another strike on a U.S. military base in Bahrain. Heavy smoke was seen over the capital Manama, and local media reported that the site on fire was the U.S. base.”

Source: Creaders.Net, March 3, 2026
https://news.creaders.net/china/2026/03/03/2977362.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

LTN: China Accuses United States of Seizing Global Cryptocurrency Assets in New Report

China has issued a new report on February 26 accusing the United States of using its
technological and regulatory power to “harvest” virtualcurrency assets from around the world.
The report, released by China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and a
cybersecurity research institute, claims that U.S. authorities have seized more than US$30
billion in global cryptocurrency holdings between 2022 and 2025.

According to the report, nearly half of the seized assets were tied to the highprofile case
involving Chen Zhi, founder of Cambodia’s Prince Group (太子集團). Chen was arrested in 2024
and later extradited to China, where he faces charges related to online fraud and money
laundering. U.S. prosecutors had previously charged Chen in New York and confiscated 12.7
million bitcoins from the accounts controlled by Chen, valued at roughly US$15 billion at the
time, marking one of the largest crypto seizures in American history.

Chinese authorities argue that the United States uses its dominance in global internet
infrastructure, financial networks, and blockchain analytics to monitor and confiscate digital
assets worldwide. The report alleges that these actions go beyond criminal enforcement and
amount to a strategic effort to strengthen U.S. control over emerging digital financial systems.

Source: LTN, February 26, 2026
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/5352218

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

First time in 30 years, US Imports from Taiwan Surpassed Those from China

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, the latest import and export data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that U.S. imports from Taiwan in December increased by approximately 144 percent year-over-year, reaching US$24.7 billion; while imports from mainland China decreased by nearly 44 percent year-over-year, falling to US$21.1 billion. This marks the first time in over three decades that U.S. imports from Taiwan have exceeded imports from mainland China.

Looking at the full-year data, the U.S. trade deficit with China decreased by nearly 32 percent to US$202.1 billion last year, the lowest level since 2005. Specifically, U.S. imports from China fell by nearly 30 percent to US$308.4 billion, the lowest since 2010; while exports to China decreased by nearly 26 percent to US$106.3 billion.

In the meantime, the U.S. trade deficit with Taiwan reached US$146.8 billion last year, an increase of 98 percent. Of this, U.S. imports from Taiwan increased by 73 percent to US$201.4 billion, while exports to Taiwan increased by 28 percent to US$54.6 billion.

After nearly 10 months of negotiations, Taiwan and the United States signed a reciprocal trade agreement on February 12. The significant growth in the supply of AI chips and servers is the reason for the surge in Taiwan’s exports to the United States.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, February 20, 2026
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260220-8602991

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations