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CNA: Chinese Tech Firm Released Satellite Images Showing US Military Deployments Ahead of US-Israeli Attack on Iran

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, ahead of the joint US-Israel attack on Iran, a Chinese commercial satellite company Mizar Vision released a series of satellite images for multiple days showing U.S. military deployments, including images of 11 U.S. F-22 stealth fighters deployed in Israel.

The F-22 stealth fighter is the first U.S. military fighter jet with supersonic cruise capability. Due to its classified technology, the United States prohibits the sale of this fighter jet to other countries. The deployment of the F-22 stealth fighter jet represents a decisive round in the Middle East situation.

Defence Security Asia published an article pointing out that the exposure of 11 US F-22 stealth fighters by a Chinese commercial satellite company is an important turning point in the transparency of military deployments in the Middle East, showing that the competition in military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) is intensifying. By publicly revealing U.S. military deployments, China is demonstrating its surveillance capabilities to the outside world, making Washington’s operations more complex in terms of secrecy.

Source: CNA, February 28, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202602280205.aspx

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

China Times: OpenAI Reveals Shocking Evidence on DeepSeek Stealing U.S. Technology

Major Taiwanese newspaper China Times recently reported that, U.S. AI leader OpenAI filed a memorandum with the U.S. House of Representatives, accusing Chinese AI vendor DeepSeek of using so-called “distillation techniques” to obtain the hard-earned model results of OpenAI and other U.S. AI developers, and then using these techniques to train its own AI models.

DeepSeek, a rising star in Chinese AI, has stunned the world since launching its R1 model last year, but it has also been embroiled in allegations of technology theft. Foreign media reports indicate that OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has warned that DeepSeek is targeting several U.S. AI companies, including OpenAI, attempting to replicate their model outputs and use them as the training basis for its own systems.

In its memo, OpenAI stated that they observed accounts associated with DeepSeek employees attempting to bypass OpenAI’s access restrictions through third-party routers and various obfuscation methods, and to massively scrape model outputs using programmatic code for distillation purposes.

OpenAI points out that large-scale language models developed in mainland China are “actively taking shortcuts” in knowledge training, rather than relying on their own research and development. The company emphasizes that once it discovers users attempting to build competitive models through distillation, it will proactively remove the relevant violating accounts to protect its technology and usage policies.

Source: China Times, February 13, 2026
https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20260213002208-260410?chdtv

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Texas Bans the Use of Products of Multiple Chinese Companies

Chinese international trade news site CHW recently reported that Texas Governor Greg Abbott just issued a new executive order requiring all state employees to refrain from installing or using hardware, software, and artificial intelligence technology from certain Chinese companies on any state-owned equipment and networks. This decision aims to protect the data privacy and cybersecurity of Texas residents and prevent the risk of foreign governments, particularly the Chinese government, gaining access to sensitive information.

According to the officially released list of prohibited technologies, the companies and products included in the restrictions cover multiple sectors, including e-commerce platforms, communication equipment, artificial intelligence, energy, and drones. The specific list of companies includes well-known e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and Temu, as well as fashion e-commerce platform Shein, network equipment manufacturer TP-Link, battery manufacturer CATL, and Chinese AI companies such as iFlyTek. In addition, the governor’s office also included drone manufacturer Autel and AI and visual recognition companies in the ban.

In his statement, Governor Abbott emphasized that with the increasing global cyber threats, it is crucial to prevent “hostile actors” from using technological products to infiltrate Texas government systems or devices. He believes that certain foreign technologies could be used to collect, manipulate, or misuse the data of Texas citizens.

Source: CHW, January 27, 2026
https://www.chwe.cn/article/GjivTWtRwus

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

FBI Relaunches Hard-Line Anti-CCP Counter-Espionage Effort, Arrests Up 40 Percent

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reinstated a hard-line counter-espionage initiative targeting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), reversing the suspension of the program under the previous U.S. administration. FBI Director Kash Patel said countering the CCP has become a top bureau priority, with strategies being recalibrated to address evolving national security threats.

According to Patel, arrests of individuals suspected of spying for China have risen by approximately 40 percent in the first year since the initiative was relaunched, underscoring a more aggressive enforcement posture and renewed focus on countering Chinese intelligence activities.

Source: Epoch Times, February 7, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/2/7/n14693327.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Officials Notified Chinese Companies to Start Preparation of H200 Orders

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, Chinese officials have notified China’s largest tech companies, including Alibaba, that they can prepare to order Nvidia’s H200 AI chips. This move suggests that China is close to approving the import of this key component needed for artificial intelligence.

Chinese regulators have recently given, in principle, approval for Alibaba, Tencent Holdings, and ByteDance to proceed to the next stage of procurement preparations. Sources familiar with the matter said the companies can now discuss specific details, such as the required purchase quantities. China will also encourage these companies to purchase a certain number of domestically produced AI chips as a condition for obtaining approval. The Chinese government appears to be prioritizing the needs of major Chinese hyperscale cloud service providers such as Alibaba and Tencent.

This is a major victory for Nvidia. CEO Jensen Huang has stated that the AI chip sector alone could generate US$50 billion in revenue over the next few years.

Representatives for Nvidia declined to comment, while China’s Ministry of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance also did not respond to requests for comment.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, January 24, 2026
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260124-8155995

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Former U.S. Defense Official Analyzes U.S. Indo-Pacific Military Deployment

Hu Zhendong, a former U.S. Department of Defense official, spoke at a forum hosted by Taiwan’s Institute for National Policy Research on January 15, offering an analysis of the current posture and future direction of U.S. military deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hu said U.S. national security strategy prioritizes maintaining military overmatch in the Western Pacific as a cornerstone for deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait and preserving regional stability. He noted that President Trump’s approach continues to emphasize “peace through strength,” with substantial U.S. forces deployed across key locations including South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska. Alaska, in particular, hosts robust fifth-generation air power capable of supporting operations across the Pacific theater.

To sustain naval operations, major U.S. bases on the West Coast house submarine forces and an active aircraft carrier strike group, while additional carrier strike capabilities and expeditionary sea bases are deployed throughout the Pacific. The U.S. military presence also extends to Singapore, Saipan, Palau, Midway Island, Wake Island, and Australia—locations relatively close to Taiwan—forming a first-island-chain security network supported by logistics hubs and mutual defense arrangements.

Hu noted that joint military exercises with partner nations have expanded significantly in both scale and frequency. He cited the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which in 2024 involved 29 countries, approximately 25,000 personnel, 40 ships, and more than 150 aircraft, and is expected to grow further in 2026.

He also outlined several key U.S. military modernization efforts, including:

  • Upgrading Pacific submarine forces with Virginia-class submarines;
  • Deploying advanced F-35 fighter aircraft while retiring older platforms at bases in Japan and South Korea;
  • Expanding amphibious and expeditionary sea base capabilities to support helicopters and unmanned systems.

In addition, Hu said the United States is refining arrangements to increase the flexibility of forces stationed on the Korean Peninsula, enabling them to respond rapidly across the broader Indo-Pacific rather than being confined to a narrow regional role.

Overall, Hu argued, these developments demonstrate that the United States is reinforcing its strategic military posture throughout the Indo-Pacific to deter aggression and strengthen collective security partnerships, continuing to rely on military strength as the foundation for regional peace and stability.

Source: Epoch Times, January 15, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/1/15/n14676384.htm/amp

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

DW Chinese: Beijing Orders Domestic Chinese Companies Stop Using U.S. and Israeli Cybersecurity Software

Deutsche Welle Chinese Edition recently reported that, Chinese authorities notified domestic companies to stop using cybersecurity software from more than a dozen American and Israeli companies, citing national security concerns.

The software vendors named include Broadcom, Palo Alto Networks, and Fortinet, as well as Check Point Software Technologies, an Israeli company. Chinese authorities are concerned that the cybersecurity software offered by these vendors may collect confidential information and transfer it overseas.

Over the years, these companies have established a considerable business base in China. Broadcom has six offices in China, Fortinet has three offices in mainland China and one in Hong Kong, Palo Alto Networks has five offices in China, one of which is in Macau, and Check Point’s website lists its service addresses in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

It was uncertain how many Chinese companies received the notification. China’s internet regulators, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, did not respond to requests for comment. The four companies mentioned also did not respond to inquiries.

Some U.S. and Israeli companies facing bans have repeatedly accused China of hacking attacks before, but China has denied these allegations. For instance, last month, Check Point released a report claiming a Chinese-linked hacking operation targeted a “European government agency.” Last September, Palo Alto Networks released a report accusing Chinese hackers of attacking diplomats around the world.

Source: DW Chinese, January 14, 2026
https://tinyurl.com/4nxvp36k

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology US-China Relations

Xinhua: 2025, a “Wild Year” Under the New U.S. Government

A Xinhua analysis describes 2025 as a turbulent and unpredictable year under the new U.S. administration, portraying its governing style as “wild” and marked by unilateral decision-making. The commentary argues that Washington pursued an aggressive agenda at home and abroad, including strict immigration enforcement, contentious trade policies, and military actions involving countries such as Iran and Venezuela, while repeatedly asserting freedom from international legal constraints. It quotes a Chinese scholar for characterizing this approach as “bulldozer-style governance,” saying it has intensified social divisions, weakened institutional trust, and reignited debate over presidential authority and federal power.

On the domestic front, the article claims the administration implemented sweeping administrative changes, including large-scale federal job cuts and sharp budget reductions for agencies such as the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. It also highlights a record 43-day federal government shutdown triggered by budget disputes, arguing that these developments deepened political polarization and eroded public confidence in governance.

Internationally, the commentary criticizes what it describes as U.S. unilateralism, including withdrawals from international treaties and organizations and a reshaping of global alliances and trade relations. It argues that Washington has pressured allies to shoulder greater defense burdens, relied on tariffs and coercive trade practices that disrupt global supply chains, and framed foreign policy around ideological dominance. According to the article, these actions have increased global instability and weakened confidence in U.S. leadership, standing in contrast to principles of multilateral cooperation.

Source: Xinhua, January 17, 2026
https://www.news.cn/world/20260117/f9af53da5a194c64884793497ace5bfe/c.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations