Taiwan Reaffirms Self-Defense Commitment | China in Focus

Welcome to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story, fake news and real news about the Iran War. Why do some mainstream media outlets seem to root for Iran? And what is China aiming for in shaping Iran war narratives? This is an opportunity for communist China to knock down some of the alliances and prominence of the United States. Taiwan is reaffirming its resolve to defend itself as the Trump Xi summit is delayed and speculation grows over whether it could affect Chinese companies not only operate American port terminals but are also being awarded U.S. military transportation contracts. It's all about national security. Now two lawmakers are pushing back. Argentina's textile sector facing its worst downturn in decades. Ultra cheap imports from China are flooding its market. Israel confirming it has killed Ali Larijani in an overnight strike. Here's Iran's top security official and one of the most powerful figures in the regime. The Israeli military also killed the commander of the Basij forces, the regime's central tool for repression of civilian protesters. Here's Israel's defense minister Israel Katz making the announcement. U.S. President Trump spoke about the high turnover rate of Iran's leadership. When morning breaks, Washington time, we will update him that the high turnover rate continues and is even increasing following the elimination of two of the most senior figures who remain. Ali Larijani served as the secretary of Iran's supreme national security council. He was appointed to advise Ali Khamenei during nuclear talks with the Trump administration. A social media post from the IDF reads quote, during the most recent wave of protests against the Iranian terror regime, Larijani personally oversaw the massacre that was carried out against Iranian protesters. President Trump said on Monday the war against Iran could be wrapped up soon. Trump says the operation stopped Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and prevented a nuclear war that could have escalated into World War III. Yes, some countries have agreed to help patrol the street of Hormuz with an official announcement on the effort coming soon. Earlier, Trump said he hopes China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK will send ships to help secure the vital oil route. Why is the media rooting for Iran? That's the question posed by the Association of Mature American Citizens in an article published Monday. The piece says that mainstream reports of military disarray and domestic threats contradict reality. While ABC News recently reported on alleged Iranian drone threats against the west coast, the White House clarified the story was based on a single unverified tip. The White House added that the network removed the unverified disclaimer from the report. In contrast, Department of War data shows Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks have plummeted by 90 to 95 percent, with their navy and air defenses virtually neutralized. Echoing this, an op-ed by the Epoch Times warns that the internet is awash in viral fake news about the war in Iran and that the propaganda war purposefully uses fake footage and AI-generated content to create confusion. So who's behind the pro-Iran fake materials and what is China's role in shaping Iran war narratives? To unpack all this, we spoke with Gerard Filiti. He's a Middle East affairs analyst and attorney specializing in international law. Gerard, thank you so much for joining us. Always great to see you. Now, as the war in Iran unfolds, there's another war happening in the information space. How are these media narratives aiding Iran? Well, the media narratives start only with what we see online, with, as you said, a lot of disinformation online. Images that are coming out that are not real, usually ones that depict American losses or attacks by Iran that never took place. And these are being amplified on social media and eventually by mainstream media as a narrative that this is not a one-sided war, that America is struggling or it's not meeting its objectives. And oftentimes this comes hand in hand with criticism of President Trump, which we have seen even before this conflict. So this is kind of a perfect storm of misinformation being amplified both online and mainstream media that's portraying a different picture than the reality on the ground. And Gerard, we saw China ramp up the propaganda war following the strikes in Iran with pro-CCP networks, also funding protests against the strikes in the US. Why is the CCP trying to control the information realm? What's at stake here for the CCP? This is an opportunity for communist China to knock down some of the alliances and and really to try to showcase that the United States is doing something unsavory or improper, a violation of international law. Allegations are constant, but it's trying to paint America in a bad light, and only China benefits when that happens. We already see this with the protests on city streets in New York City that are celebrating the Iranian regime and bemoaning that America is involved at all. But we also see this in the way the Chinese communist government portrays American foreign relationships, saying that America is suffering a split with its NATO allies, for example, which is simply not true on the scale that this is being alleged online. The Trump administration shared an article on X called, Why is the media rooting for Iran? referring to the legacy media. How do you see this? I see that a lot of the legacy media has been opposed to a lot of what President Trump does all the time. And you see this in the language that's used. It's not neutral language. It's framed in the way that articles are written, the way that the media says things on television broadcasts. It's framed in a way that's very critical of the Trump administration and all of its policies. And this carries over into war coverage as well. Very little do we see people from the Iranian regime who have experienced the horrors of this regime brought forward to tell about the regime and why it's so important for America to be defending itself. We see outsized influence on media networks criticizing Trump's policies, saying that the military is not capable of winning a decisive victory. And all this really echoes foreign propaganda. So we're seeing the media portraying things very one-sidedly. Now we turn to the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan wants to show its resolve to strengthen the island's defenses, regardless of when a meeting between President Trump and China's Xi takes place. This comes as Trump says he has asked to delay his trip to China by about a month due to the Iran war. Here's a high-ranking Taiwanese official responsible for managing relations with China. Regardless of what the conversation covers, Taiwan internally should maintain unity, strengthen national defense, and deepen cooperation with democratic countries as the foundation. He notes that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan may come up during Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Here's Taiwan's take. The attitude we must maintain is to clearly and consistently demonstrate our determination to rely on ourselves for national defense to safeguard our country's sovereignty. There's been speculation that a Trump-Xi summit could slow U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The Taiwanese official says it really comes down to two things, Trump's decision and whether Taiwan approves its arms budget. On Tuesday, Taiwan's defense minister said he believes Washington's is on track with no signs of delays so far. Chinese companies operate American port terminals and build cranes that could monitor military cargo coming in and out. Chinese nationals even own farmland near U.S. military bases. And now lawmakers are questioning who's behind the wheel of the trucks transporting the war department's freight. Senator Tom Cotton and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik are working to prevent Beijing from exploiting U.S. transportation systems for spying. They're introducing a bill that would prevent Chinese companies from being awarded military transportation contracts. The bill would also ban Chinese nationals from driving trucks carrying the Pentagon's cargo. The two lawmakers both serve on the armed services and intelligence committees in their respective chambers. In a statement last week, Representative Stefanik said, quote, most Americans would be shocked to learn that U.S. law does not already prohibit from receiving transportation contracts tied to American defense projects. If passed, the law would introduce a new registry for motor carriers that would undergo enhanced vetting for carrying U.S. military equipment. And at sea, most U.S. military cargo is transported on commercial vessels. It's a loophole the Chinese Communist Party has long taken advantage of. Last January, the Pentagon added the Chinese company Costco Shipping to its list of Chinese military companies operating in the U.S. In China, the company ships military supplies for the Chinese army and has participated in drills tied to a potential Taiwan invasion. Here in the U.S., the Costco Shipping operates terminals of the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Seattle. While commercial, these ports can handle military cargo. That gives Beijing the ability to track U.S. military shipments transported on commercial freight. Coming up, President Trump asks to delay his China visit by about a month. What's the calculation behind it? An expert weighs in. Argentina's textile sector facing its worst downturn in decades. Ultra-cheap imports from China are flooding its market. And a U.S. cybersecurity firm uncovers a massive North Korean scheme targeting American tech jobs. And one suspect's laptop provides an inside look, revealing China's role in the operation. More on that after the break here on China In Focus. Welcome back to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. What's the strategic calculation behind President Trump saying he might delay his China visit if China does not help reopen the Strait of Hormuz? NTT's Kerry Dunst spoke with Dr. Keith Naughton, co-founder and principal of Silent Majority Strategies, for his take. Thanks for joining us. In an interview with the Financial Times, President Trump said that he may now delay the planned meeting with the Chinese Communist Party leader. He also suggested that China should help secure the Strait of Hormuz, noting that it's China getting about 90 percent of its oil through the Strait. What do you think he's signaling with these comments now? Well, I think that's a smart move by the president. You know, when you're dealing with Xi Jinping and the CCP, you want to do what you can to control the agenda. I think they want this meeting. They want this meeting to be in Beijing. They want the president to come to China. I think for that to not happen, it's an embarrassment to the country. So I think they very much want this meeting to occur. They've got their own internal economic problems. So I think they want to have continued trade. They need to have a deal. I think it's very curious that these meetings are in Paris. You know, neither side wants to have the negotiations on the other's territory. Yet things are so hostile in East Asia with the provocative actions of the CCP that they don't want to meet in Tokyo. They don't want to meet in Seoul or in South Korea. They're sort of stuck meeting in Europe, which I think is a very interesting turnabout. I think it's a reflection of their poor diplomatic standing in East Asia. That's quite interesting. And I hadn't really thought too much about that location. But yeah, curious in all of even Europe, France chosen. Why do you think that is? Well, I think the French have good espionage services. So I think the French like having it there. They'll probably know half of what's going on. But I think it might be a little bit about courting Europe, courting the French. China will send its negotiators and try to signal themselves as the sort of fair arbiters, this sort of fake front about how they're everybody's friend. And so I think that's a chance for them to put on a little bit of a show during these negotiations, especially in times of war. And it's sort of, in a way, it's a logical logistical place to meet, you know, Paris, Geneva, those sorts of places in Europe. Now, Keith, trade is expected to, of course, be a major part of the discussion since Besant is leading these these pre discussions, along with James Greer, especially though, after the Supreme Court's late February ruling on global tariffs imposed under the emergency law. How could the ruling shape the talks and the leverage on both sides? Well, I think it hurts Trump's leverage. It hurts Besant's leverage. They have some workarounds. So I don't think these tariffs are going to really fall. Look, I think it's been a mistake. The power from Congress to levy some tariffs and to extend them, especially against China, which is a country that is not popular in the United States or in Congress. I think he made a real mistake. He has it generally hasn't really pushed enough legislation through Congress while he had the votes. But I think they've got some workarounds so that they can still be in a strong enough negotiating position. I think Besant's one of the best Treasury secretaries we've had a long time. He's very sharp. He's an excellent Wall Street operator. And that's meant in the kind of sense. And I think, as your guests pointed out on the previous segment, Carg Island is completely defensive, defenseless. United States could knock out that oil supply to China at any moment. So having that leverage helps. And if you're negotiating with Xi, if you're negotiating with the CCP, you have to have leverage or they'll just agree to anything that they want to and simply ignore it later. You bring up a really interesting point because the pendulum swung toward China with the Supreme Court decision. But maybe it swung to the middle or even back to the U.S. with the actions taken in Iran, coupled with the Venezuela extraction of Maduro. So how does all this come into play? And do you think it's in the president's best interest to keep the meeting as scheduled or to delay it as he's now signaling? I don't think President Trump can leave the country during this crisis with Iran. So I think he's got to delay it. I don't think he should cancel it. I think it's worthwhile to say, well, I've got to put it off 10 days and maybe more. But if China, if you want to help bring a resolution, we can get this meeting done and try to settle things between our two countries. Could depend on the progress made in Paris, whether the Chinese think that there's some sort of deal or that they're headed towards a deal. But I think it's true negotiating. You want to leave your opponent off balance and you can turn to what I think many in the mainstream media are calling a problem in negotiating into an asset. Well, we appreciate your insights, Dr. Keith Malton. Thank you. Thank you. Argentina's textile and apparel sector is facing one of its worst downturns in decades. Ultra cheap imports are flooding the market and battering the industry. Many come from Chinese fashion platforms like Timu and Xi'an. As bartle gown designer Valentina Shushner puts the finishing touches on her wedding dress collection for Buenos Aires Fashion Week, she says the mood is not celebratory. I think the environment is a bit strange, even emotionally speaking. Everyone is a bit sadder, more stressed. I'm obviously generalizing, but you hear that it's harder to make ends meet. And many brands are closing. Argentina's textile and apparel sector is facing one of its worst downturns in decades as ultra cheap imports, many from Chinese fast fashion platforms, flood the market. President Javier Mille has made opening the market one of his goals, aimed at deregulating trade, driving competition and lowering prices. Last year, his government cut clothing and footwear tariffs from 35% to 20%. Rules on cross-border e-commerce orders have also been relaxed, raising the duty-free threshold for courier shipments in 2024 to $400. Mille's policies have helped rein in inflation, stabilize prices and boost economic activity for some industries like agriculture. But when combined with cheaper imports, domestic industries like textiles are feeling the crunch. At the family-run Amasud textile plant just outside Buenos Aires, chief executive David Kim said the factory is running at just 30% capacity. The government wants us to compete. We have no problem in competing, but we need them not to burden us with taxes, labor costs and union charges that don't exist in other countries. A spokesperson for Mille's trade ministry declined to comment. Argentina's main clothing industry trade group said door-to-door imports shipped directly from other countries to consumers' homes almost quadrupled last year. China has been a particular beneficiary. Industry group Fondacion Protejer said China's share of textile and clothing imports surged roughly 55% in 2022 to 70% in 2025, driven heavily by Xi'an and Timu. Meanwhile, Argentina's textile sector has cut 16% of its workforce since 2023, shrinking from about 121,000 employees to 102,000 by the end of last year, according to industry data published in February. Kim said his company invested $10 million in imported machinery over the past decade to meet the demand of clients including Nike, Puma and local kids' clothing brand Mimo & Co. But now, much of the equipment is sitting idle. We've lived through many crises in this country, but this is the worst crisis in our history. Not only the worst in terms of money we lost, but the longest in time and the one where we had to let go of the most people. Over a three-month investigation, U.S.-based cybersecurity firm Inisos uncovered a network of at least 20 suspected North Korean operatives. Investigators on Sunday said the group collectively applied to more than 160,000 U.S. tech jobs. Many of them appear to operate from China, using Chinese internet infrastructure and support networks to help carry out the scheme. One of them was a man known as Joe. Believing he was part of the operation, Inisos hired him and sent a company laptop designed to secretly monitor activity. When Joe logged in, investigators say the device connected to dozens of other machines, likely part of a so-called laptop farm in Florida. These farms are used to make it seem like the workers were based in the U.S. Inisos spied on Joe through messaging apps, noting how his team coordinated efforts to apply to thousands of remote U.S. developer jobs. The goal was to land jobs at American companies and collect paychecks. The money would then be funneled back to North Korea to help fund the regime's weapons and missile programs. After several weeks, Joe returned the laptop, but by then, investigators say they gathered enough evidence to link the operation back to North Korea. 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 ChinaInFocus at NTD.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 tomorrow.