Utah forces Chinese Company to sell land | China in Focus

Welcome to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story. A Chinese company has been forced to sell land near a U.S. military site. It's a win for Utah's government. Marrying a U.S. military member to gain base access. This appears to be another Beijing-linked scheme. Lawsuits and arrests are underway in the U.S. The CIA takes action. A Mandarin recruiting video targets Chinese officers after rare military purges sparked backlash. Anyone with leadership qualities is bound to be subject to suspicion and ruthlessly eliminated. The U.S. and Taiwan have struck a trade deal bolstering the island nation's defense against Beijing's threats. And Japan seizes a Chinese fishing boat and arrests its captain. China protests. The state of Utah making a major move to protect itself against the Chinese communist regime. The state forced a Chinese company to sell land near a military site. The move comes after Utah passed laws to restrict foreign entities from owning land near military installations. Officials say the land in question is Tula Motorsports Complex which is located near the Tula Army Depot. They say this is the first forced divestiture of land by a Chinese company in Utah as a result of state law. Governor Spencer Cox says the move will protect Utah citizens and institutions from adversarial foreign influence. He said Utah takes national security very seriously adding quote we recognize that there are certainly threats out there that we have adversaries who are targeting our country. Marry a military member stationed at a U.S. base and gain access to that base. This is not a honey trap but a scheme involving Chinese nationals, fake marriages and bribery. A transnational gang is facing jail time for allegedly bribing U.S. Navy service members. Homeland Security says the Chinese nationals arranged phony marriages with military members to get access cards. NTD's David Lam reports. A scheme involving marriage fraud, conspiracy, bribery and national security. Homeland Security says 11 people were charged in Florida as part of an operation targeting a Chinese transnational criminal group. The gang allegedly recruited U.S. military members to marry Chinese citizens for immigration benefits and The fraudulent marriages took place around the country, including in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as in New York, Connecticut and Nevada. According to the Justice Department, to create the illusion of a real marriage, the suspects took photos of the couples to create evidence that could be presented to immigration authorities to suggest that they were in loving, committed relationships. Quote, In reality, the conspirators had agreed to a payment plan whereby the U.S. citizen's spouse would receive a cash payment up front for marrying the Chinese national, a second payment when legal immigration status was obtained and a final payment after the divorce. Homeland Security says five individuals have already been arrested and that authorities are pursuing the six remaining suspects. Five people are charged with marriage fraud conspiracy between March 2024 and February 2025. Among them, several are charged with additional counts of bribery conspiracy facing a maximum of five years in prison for each guilty conviction. Four former U.S. Navy service members are awaiting sentencing hearings after pleading guilty for their involvement. Last February, Navy Reservist Raymond Zumba allegedly brought three suspects to a naval air station after hours to receive ID cards for an under the table payment. They were arrested the following day. David Lam, NTD News. Just weeks after a dramatic purge of China's top general, the CIA is moving to capitalize on any resulting discord with a new public video. It's targeting potential informants in the Chinese military. A video released by the CIA on Thursday aims to recruit potential informants within the Chinese military. It depicts a Chinese officer reporting for duty while a voiceover in Mandarin suggests the individual is beset by fear and mistrust of their own government. Quote, anyone with leadership qualities is bound to be subject to suspicion and ruthlessly eliminated, it says. The U.S. spy agency rolled out the video just weeks after a dramatic purge of China's top general. Last month, China's defense ministry announced that Zheng Youxia, second in command behind President Xi Jinping as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was under investigation. It marks the highest profile removal of a senior Chinese military leader in decades. And the CIA appears eager to capitalize on any fallout that may be hitting the People's Liberation Army. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement that the agency's videos had reached many Chinese citizens. He said the agency would continue offering Chinese government officials a quote, opportunity to work toward a brighter future together. The high stakes spy games are part of an escalating military and technological rivalry that many observers deem to be a new form of cold war. The CIA recruiting video also touches on the family aspect depicting a Chinese officer with his family. The voiceover says in the role of a Chinese officer, I can't let these madmen, referring to CCP leaders, shape the world my daughter will grow up in. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is pushing to expand U.S. investments in Venezuela's energy sector. He's also warning about the legitimacy of some Chinese business deals in the OPEC nation. We want to set the Venezuelan people and the economy free. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is pushing to expand U.S. investments in Venezuela. As part of the highest level U.S. visit to Caracas, focused on energy policy, in nearly three decades, Wright on Wednesday said the U.S. is prepared to help boost oil, gas and power output in the country, which is currently producing about one million barrels per day of crude. This year, we can drive a dramatic increase in Venezuelan oil production, in Venezuelan natural gas production, in Venezuelan electricity production. And most importantly of all, all of these are to increase the job opportunities, the wages and the quality of life for all of the Venezuelans across the country. After meeting with interim president and oil minister, Delcy Rodriguez, Wright also warned about Chinese businesses in Venezuela. He told reporters that deals by legitimate Chinese companies were fine, but that the Trump administration is trying to avoid what he called damaging deals that Chinese firms have done in other countries in the region. Wright and Rodriguez faced the enormous task of organizing the recovery of Venezuela's oil industry after decades of underinvestment, mismanagement and U.S. sanctions, while putting U.S. investors at the front of the line. And on Thursday, Bloomberg News reported that Venezuela plans to give more oil drilling blocks to U.S. oil company Chevron, as well as Spain's Repsol, citing sources familiar with the matter. Venezuela was one of China's closest allies in Latin America, but that relationship is changing. For decades, China backed Venezuela with billions in loans, major oil purchases, trade and infrastructure deals. In 2023, the two countries elevated ties to an all-weather strategic partnership, signaling long-term cooperation. Despite that, their relationship has weakened over the years, even before the U.S. captured Venezuelan regime leader Nicolas Maduro. Chinese investments have dropped sharply from $3.5 billion in 2018 to just $318 million by 2024. Even though trade continues, analysts say the closeness of the China-Venezuela partnership is fading. It's a reminder that even all-weather ties have limits. The United States and Taiwan have reached a major reciprocal trade agreement. The deal is aimed at strengthening economic ties and expanding market access between the U.S. and Taiwan. It also provides a footing for the island to protect itself from Beijing's military threats. The U.S. and Taiwan have struck a deal to cut tariffs. Trump administration officials have signed a final agreement that confirmed a 15 percent U.S. rate for imports from Taiwan, down from 20 percent initially proposed. The deal also commits Taiwan to a schedule for eliminating or lowering tariffs on nearly all U.S. goods, and sees it pledge to significantly boost buying of goods from the United States. That includes purchases of liquefied natural gas, crude oil, civil aircraft and engines, power grid equipment and generators, and marine and steel-making gear. The deal will also immediately eliminate Taiwan's tariffs on many U.S. agricultural imports, including beef, dairy and corn. But some levies, including the 40 percent on pork belly meat and 32 percent on ham, will only fall to 10 percent. The deal builds on a framework agreement reached in January that also includes a pledge by Taiwan that its companies would invest $250 billion to boost production of semiconductors, energy and AI products in the U.S. Taiwan President Lai Ching-tse emphasized the importance of the trade deal. This round of tariff negotiations is also a very important opportunity. Its purpose is precisely this, to enable our industries to go global, whether it's TSMC or other industries, as long as their research and development centers are in Taiwan, their advanced manufacturing processes are in Taiwan, and their largest production capacity is in Taiwan. Taiwan can continue to develop steadily. The finalized agreement will need approval by Taiwan's parliament where the opposition has a majority. According to Taiwan's statistics office Friday, Taiwan's GDP is expected to expand by 7.7 percent this year, fueled by strong demand for AI technology. NATO is working to defend the Arctic against adversaries like Russia and China. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced Wednesday that the alliance is launching a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic. The effort aims to protect NATO territories, including Greenland. The new mission, dubbed Arctic Century, will coordinate the increasing military presence of NATO allies in the region. It will bring together military exercises from different countries like Denmark and Norway. These activities will involve tens of thousands of soldiers. Japanese authorities say they seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain. Officials report that the Chinese national entered Japan's exclusive economic zone and ignored repeated orders to stop for an on-board inspection. In order to prevent and deter illegal operations by foreign fishing vessels, we will continue to carry out enforcement activities with a firm and resolute stance. China responded, urging Japan to abide by their bilateral fisheries agreement. The arrest comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the region's two largest economies. Australian police have charged two Chinese nationals with foreign interference on Wednesday. They're accused of spying on a Buddhist group on behalf of Chinese authorities. The pair faces up to 15 years in prison for gathering information on the Guanyin Sita Buddhist group in Australia's capital, Canberra. Police say they worked with another Chinese national charged last August for covertly gathering information on the group. Beijing reacted to the case, claiming it does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs. Coming up, China helping Russia sidestep U.S. sanctions with tens of thousands of cars exported through China. And a survivor of China's cultural revolution joins American Thought Leader's host Yania Kelley to warn Americans against repeating history on U.S. soil. They demand you do certain things, and they demand that you obey. And mostly leave you alone, not totalitarianism. They demand not only you obey, but you have to believe in them. More on that after the break here on China In Focus. Welcome back to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Tens of thousands of cars are being exported to Russia through China. That's despite sanctions and company pledges following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Among them are Toyota and German luxury models. That's according to data from Russian research firm Autostat and interviews with people involved in the trade. Most of the imported cars are made in China, where many global brands have factories. A growing number of those are sold as zero mileage used vehicles. Those cars are bought brand new in China and then reclassified as used and exported. One car trader based in Sichuan says the practice skirts the need to get automaker approval for sales to Russia. Zero mileage cars are sold cheaply in China, but fetch similar prices to new cars in Russia. That's according to a Russian dealer and vehicle shipping document reviewed by Reuters. Dmitry Zaslin is the sales director of Moscow car dealership Naftu Zapad. I can't speak for everyone selling cars now, but car imports are currently very high, with vehicles coming from different countries, both new and used. If we look at the latest Autostat reports, the number of used cars has begun to increase significantly and is showing strong growth. Unfortunately, I believe there are some dishonest players in our market who try to sell used cars as new, but we don't do that. Automakers that prohibit sales to Russia say they are doing their best to prevent unauthorized exports. In a statement, Mercedes said probing breaches was, quote, time-consuming and complex, saying it requires third-party assistance. BMW said it had told its Chinese dealers to strictly oppose potential exports to Russia. South Africa and China have signed a new economic partnership last week that could give South African exports duty-free access to the Chinese market. More than half of African countries signed a partnership of this kind with China, setting the stage for more trade and investments. But analysts caution that the deal doesn't guarantee results. The framework is non-binding, and South Africa could face risks such as trade imbalances or an increased dependence on China. The country may also face challenges in implementing the agreement. A survivor of China's cultural revolution is warning the same developments may be happening on U.S. soil. Xi Van Fleet, a survivor, joins American Thought Leader's host Yanya Kellogg to explore one of the darkest periods in China's history. She also provides insight on Chinese Communist Party propaganda and the historic warnings she believes Americans should learn from today. Take a look. You mentioned something in there that a lot of people don't understand, but I also covered. Totalitarianism is distinct from just your run-of-the-mill authoritarian dictatorship. How is it different? I think this is important because I think a lot of people use it interchangeably, and a lot of people use authoritarianism to describe the CCP. There is a big difference, and I covered that in my book. And so the difference is that authoritarianism is, of course, dictatorship. They demand you do certain things, and they demand that you obey. And mostly leave you alone. Not totalitarianism. A demand. Not only you obey, but you have to believe in them. That means they have to control your mind. And it's like a religion. So I think that totalitarianism is more like a theocracy. Like in Iran, like in China, they absolutely demand that you change your mind. That's called thought reform, and believe their lies. You have to believe. You can't even pretend you believe. They demand that. And that's my experience, my first 26 years experience in China. I think that's important to understand. The CCP and the people running Iran, they are totalitarianism. This is super interesting because I think that through pushing this mass propaganda into the system, this is something that was a huge lesson to me over the last 10 years. How powerful propaganda can be. It will change the minds of people. I always thought that people never really accepted propaganda. People knew that it probably wasn't true, but just were like, whatever, we'll run with it because they have all the guns. But no, it actually changes people when it's pushed in so hard through the system. And so in the Cultural Revolution, which you lived through, you saw that in real time. Yeah, and here too, I think I want people to realize wokeism is also totalitarian in nature, because it demands that you believe. You can't just say, okay, women can be men, but you have to believe it. And they have been very successful in changing people's minds. So it is totalitarian in nature. So that's why the underlying link is communism, marxism. So it's an interesting distinction because they demand that you have to believe, but of course, not everybody. Some of it is pretty crazy, so not everybody believes. It's okay to just pretend hard that you believe, right? It started that way. It's always in the Cultural Revolution, how many people really believe, but they have to pretend, because not to believe or showing that you doubt, and you're going to end up in gulags or even in execution site. And that is how they run their regime and how they have to do that in order to control your mind. How did the Cultural Revolution affect you personally? I really start to think more and more is that I understand, I really do. I understand people going on the street today in Minneapolis, fighting, their eyes believing they're doing something noble. And that's exactly what happened to the Red Guards. You can't say they just totally just have no idea what they're doing. They believe in it. And the same thing like here, those radical left, they believe, they thought it's something noble. And that's the power of indoctrination. I've seen that. I was one of them, even though I was not really a Red Guard, I was too young, but I believed in the lies that I was told. I actually never doubt. I always believe that the party is always right. The party cannot be wrong. So what I do, believe in the So how did that look like in real life? What did that mean? What did these Red Guards actually do? 2020. That's what they did in the Cultural Revolution, like what they did here in America. It's destroy everything, destroy statues, destroy communities, because they're so emboldened. They were backed by people in power. In China, they were backed by Mao. Mao claimed himself to be the Red Commander-in-Chief for the Red Guard. And here the Democratic Party was behind those mobs, those rioters, those looters, everything. And so you don't have to imagine, you just think about 2020 in Minneapolis and 2026 in Minneapolis. I remember there was this three-body problem. I remember there was this series that came out recently, not too long ago, where they really kind of showed what these Red Guards were doing. I was amazed that this landed on Netflix. I was too. And I tweet about it because it's very true to life. That's very close to what happened. My point is they were killing people. They were. They were killing people. And the killing started with the professors, started with the teachers and principals. And so I would say we're not there yet. Very close. Very close. If we don't stop it, it won't take long for us to get there. And so what you're saying is this is a combination of indoctrination and the understanding that there's institutional power behind you. The combination of those two things. Well, Xi Van Fleet, it's such a pleasure to have had you on. Thank you so much, as usual. That's all for today's China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. If you have any feedback on the show or have something you'd like to see us cover, send us an email at chinainfocusatntd.com. We'd love to hear from you. For on-the-clock original news coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you soon.