US Deports Chinese Nationals on Charter Flight; Chinese Drones Halted at US Customs | China in Focus

Welcome to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story, the U.S. deporting Chinese illegal migrants on a charter flight, plus a warning from the Homeland Security Secretary that other Chinese illegals could be removed anytime. Immigration has become a major issue for voters in the race for the White House. China says it will work with the U.S. together to help tackle it, but will the collaboration work? Real estate and exports, key engines that have driven China's economy forwards for decades, but now both are losing power. And don't rely on some miracle that would retain an export-led model in this large economy as a viable vehicle. And a new round of U.S. sanctions targeting Chinese firms that make weapons for Russia, that were used in the war against Ukraine. It's Washington's first time laying out sanctions on Chinese firms for direct involvement in supplying arms to Moscow. The second deportation flight to China this year, the U.S. sending a group of Chinese nationals back to their home country on a charter flight Tuesday. It's unclear who these people were and how many of them were on board. NTD reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment, but did not hear back before airtime. In June, the U.S. sent over 100 Chinese nationals back to China on a charter flight. These include Chinese immigrants who illegally crossed into the U.S., as well as people involved in organizing the crossings. Over 20,000 Chinese migrants illegally crossed into the U.S. through the southern border this year. The monthly crossings have dipped since June, when President Biden imposed a ban that rule bars illegal migrants coming across the southern border from applying for asylum when the border is overwhelmed. DHS says since then, border patrols encounters have dropped more than 55 percent. In a statement, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said the migrants should not believe the lies told by smugglers, adding that Chinese nationals without a legal basis to remain in the U.S. are subject to swift removal. China has stopped accepting its citizens deported from the U.S. in 2022, following then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Cooperation resumed this year. With the presidential election around the corner, immigration is a major issue facing candidates in the race for the White House. On Friday, China said it will strengthen enforcement with nations, such as the United States, to combat smuggling and other serious crimes. This comes as illegal Chinese immigration across the U.S. southern border has increased dramatically. Beijing said it's targeting smugglers and cross-border criminal groups at home and abroad, but it didn't give a specific time period or clarify whether the smuggling involved goods, people or both. The economic aftershocks of China's COVID-19 lockdowns led to a sharp increase in Chinese nationals trying to enter the U.S. southern border. In the first eight months of this year, about 90 Chinese nationals per day were apprehended at the southern border. That's 15 times more than in 2019, before the pandemic. Now, two things stand out. One, many middle-class Chinese leave everything behind to take the risk of illegally crossing into the U.S. And many young single males can be seen among the Chinese border crossers, triggering national security concerns in the U.S. The U.S. is now deporting illegal Chinese immigrants back to China using charter flights. The second flight took place earlier this week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not disclose how many people were aboard the flight. China's dire economic situation is making more people want to leave the country, and the country's financial woes don't appear likely to change anytime soon. Next, an update from the real estate sector, one of the pillar industries in the country. Beijing says it's doubling down on support for developers and home buyers, and aims to restore the long-battered sector. To do it, Chinese authorities just introduced stimulus measures Thursday. What are they, and how is the market responding? Let's dive in. At a news conference Thursday in Beijing, Housing Minister Ni Hong set out a raft of new measures. He says the government will expand a so-called white list to $562 billion by year-end. That's the list of housing projects that can get financing to ensure they can be finished and delivered to buyers. There are no official estimates on the number of homes pre-sold but unfinished in the country. However, one report by Japanese bank Nomura put the number at 20 million. Thursday also saw a pledge to accelerate the redevelopment of cities, with a million urban villages included in the plans. Ni said people being resettled as part of the projects would help to fill up the existing stock of empty homes. It's all just the latest in a series of steps to support the sector, which has been in crisis since 2021. That has seen big developers struggle with their debts and sparked a long downward spiral in home prices. However, markets were unimpressed by Thursday's news, with China's real estate index tumbling nearly 8%. Traders said the moves weren't dramatic enough to lift the mood. Alongside real estate, exports are also one of the key engines that have driven China's economy forward for decades. The head of the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, believes China can no longer rely on exports to grow. Here's why. And don't rely on some miracle that would retain an export-led model in this large economy as a viable vehicle. I've been arguing that China is at the fork on the road. If they continue with their current model, which is export-led growth, there will be trouble. Why? Because the Chinese economy has grown to a point when China's export is no more a minor factor in global trade. Georgieva said that China can grow if it undertakes structural reforms. She made the comment on the eve of a IMF and World Bank annual meeting. Global finance leaders will gather in Washington next week with a huge question. Who will be the future U.S. president? Trump has promised massive tariff increases on Chinese goods and other imports. Paris is believed to align with President Joe Biden's track on China policy, which means she is likely to maintain tariffs on Chinese goods but may not raise them as significantly as Trump would. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen making a case Thursday against high tariffs on China, saying it would raise prices for American families. Trade and investment with China can bring significant gains to American firms and workers and must be maintained. But we must also have a healthy economic relationship based on a level playing field. Yellen's approach formed a contrast with former President Trump, who has proposed a 60 percent tariff on Chinese imports. The former president on Wednesday said tariffs would fuel U.S. manufacturing growth. President Biden's aides were divided on the China tariffs. Yellen was against it, while U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said tariffs are a significant piece of leverage. Biden kept Trump's tariffs in place. The United States has just imposed new sanctions on Chinese firms, this time for making weapons for Russia that were used in the war against Ukraine. U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies are nothing new, but it is the first time Washington is specifically targeting them over direct involvement in arms supplies to Moscow. In an announcement on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson explained. This was the first time we actually saw a Chinese company manufacturing a weapon itself that then was used on the battlefield by Russia, was sent to Russia and then used on the battlefield. And that's why we imposed the sanctions that we did today. And that is why we continue to work with our allies and partners around the world to make clear to China that this practice is unacceptable and they need to take steps to counter it. The department said Chinese companies had collaborated with Russian defense firms in the production of drones. It said the drones were designed, developed and made in China before being sent to Russia for use on the battlefield. The U.S. has previously accused China of providing material support to Russia's war against Ukraine. Senior Biden administration officials say the latest round of sanctions seeks to target the direct activity between Beijing and Moscow. Another sanction from Washington taking aim at the industry propping up Iran's economy. The U.S. expanded sanctions against Iran's petroleum sector. It's a response to the Iranian missile attack on Israel. The goal is to deny Iran the funds to support its nuclear and missile programs. The U.S. said the sanctions would also target the ghost fleet that carries Iran's illicit oil to buyers around the world. Zooming out, Iran's oil exports have risen under Biden's tenure as the country successfully evades sanctions, with China becoming its major oil buyer. Chinese drones are getting halted by U.S. customs as they attempt to enter the U.S. market. Chinese drone maker DJI made the statement Wednesday. Documents show the U.S. government is investigating whether forced labor is involved in making DJI drones. The company denies the allegation. Besides the forced labor aspect, U.S. lawmakers have also repeatedly raised concerns that DJI drones are capable of collecting information and spying for Beijing. The U.S. House voted last month to bar the company's new drones from operating in America. The bill is now awaiting a vote in the Senate. Now we turn to Europe. A growing controversy surrounds two top Paris museums that have been accused of bending to Chinese political influence by erasing the name Tibet from their exhibitions. According to media outlet Le Monde, this was done following a request from a Chinese regime representative. NTD's international correspondent David Vives has the story from Paris. The Musée Guimet and Musée du Quai Branly, two museums displaying Asian art pieces, recently changed the labels of Tibetan artifacts. Instead of seeing Tibet on the labels, visitors now read Himalayan world or Sejong region, the Chinese name for Tibet. For example, these Tibetan dance costumes at the Musée du Quai Branly now list China as the country of origin. In an open letter published in September, 25 experts, including art specialists, historians, and professors of universities asked the museums not to remove Tibet from the art pieces' labels. They said that this was done under the influence of the Beijing regime. According to information published by Le Monde newspaper, a representative of the Chinese Communist Party asked the museum to do this alongside the celebration this year of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between France and China. Frédérique Dumas is a former Member of Parliament who worked on bills supporting human rights in China. She says the museum's move supports the Chinese regime's political agenda. If something comes from Tibet, but we're going to say it comes from China, that's what the Chinese regime wants. It sounds like a little signal of cowardice to me. People are not aware about the threat that is. The Chinese regime. It's not like you have a monster at your doorstep, thought. Dumas and other experts said this is part of a broader effort by the Chinese regime to rewrite Tibet's history and suppress its identity. But every time we let him influence us in such ways, one little step at a time, it's a shame because it's getting more and more complicated to go back. Think about our children, what we will transmit to them. While the Musée du Quai Branly has acknowledged some errors and promised to make corrections, the Musée Guimet defends its decision to rename galleries as part of a broader cultural approach. David Yves, NTD News, Paris. Coming up, the world's largest chip maker is flourishing in Taiwan. But what would happen if China were to unleash an invasion to take over the island by force? Conflicts in the Middle East quickly consuming U.S. weapons stockpiles, but the same weapons would be critical to deter a rising Beijing. Does the U.S. have a plan for a worst case scenario with China? NTD sat down with John Mills, senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, for insight. So our inventory has probably been really chewed up. It's gone down. South Korea says North Korean troops are in Russia and they're preparing for combat. The troops are expected to be deployed for combat in the war with Ukraine. Welcome back to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. The chips in your phone, car and computer likely come from the world's biggest chip maker, TSMC, a company based in Taiwan. While the high-tech manufacturer is under the shadow of Beijing's threats, the company saw its shares rocket to record levels on Friday and its safety could impact the entire world. Let's take a look. Investors were excited after TSMC posted forecast-beating earnings for the third quarter the day before. It reported a 54% jump in quarterly profit beyond analysts' projections. The world's largest chip maker for other companies also gave a strong outlook for artificial intelligence demand. Its shares closed up almost 5% Friday, beating a record set earlier this year. TSMC counts Apple and Nvidia among its customers and has benefited from a surge in AI's popularity. It's now Asia's most valuable company, worth around $874 billion. The world's biggest chip maker is located in Taiwan and it's a major supplier for companies like Apple and Nvidia. That fact is sparking concerns in political and business circles where a big question is being raised. What would a potential war between China and Taiwan bring to the world? Matthew Pottinger, former Deputy National Security Advisor of the U.S., says the loss of high-end chips from Taiwan would significantly impact people's lives, with prices soaring for phones and other devices. That's because it would take years to build high-end chip production facilities to replace Taiwan's factories. Modern life relies on chips, from iPhones to TVs, cars and weapons. South Korea says North Korean troops are in Russia preparing for combat. South Korea's National Intelligence Service said on Friday that North Korea sent 1,500 special forces troops to Russia. Here's more on why. South Korea says the troops will likely be deployed for combat in the war in Ukraine. The agency said it has been working with Ukrainian intelligence. They used facial recognition to identify North Korean officers in Ukraine's Donetsk region. The agency said North Korea has sent over 13,000 containers of artillery rounds, ballistic missiles and anti-tank rockets to Russia since August last year. This is based on weapon remnants recovered from the battlefront in Ukraine. The war in the Middle East is eating up U.S. weapons inventories quick. The U.S. Navy has been burning through missiles to defend Israel. The same weapons would prove critical to winning a potential conflict with China. What plans does the U.S. have in place in case of a direct conflict? NTD's Kerry Dunst spoke to John Mills, senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy for Insight. John, thanks for joining us today. First off, tell us about the current state of U.S. naval inventory when it comes to these critical weapons. Well, thank you, Kerry. Essentially, we have been engaged in different situations such as the Middle East that have been consuming inventory that, frankly, over a number of years, we were buying sporadically. Again, and erratically, it is very hard for the defense industrial base to produce where, let's take Tomahawk. We're buying zero Tomahawk one year, 50 the next year, 20 the next year, and it's like the economically viable number per year is like 70. So the government is all over the map on quantities they are buying. And since this year with the April shootout to protect Israel, we had it again here with the Houthis. We have just been burning through our inventory. As we move to the Chinese Communist Party and their piece of this play, it's aggression for so many years in the South China Sea and in India, etc. What plans and what inventory does the U.S. have in place in case of a direct conflict? Worst case scenario, of course. Well, we have National War Reserve of the different stocks, but the critical missiles are SM-3, SM-6, the reliable, I mean, it's old, but it's reliable Tomahawk, the Stinger surface-to-air missile, the Patriot surface-to-air missile. We're trying to bring new variants of hypersonics, and that's like the SM-6. The Army has versions of hypersonics also, but the Army has a new system called the Taifun, which takes the Navy SM-6 and Tomahawk, very effective. We're rotating it through the Philippines, the north end of the Philippines, the south end of the Japanese islands, Ishigaka, which you can see right over the horizon from Suao and Yilan County in Taiwan. And the first 200 Harpoon Block IIs just arrived in Taiwan. So that gives Taiwan additional missile inventory to deter and defeat along with the— they have well over a thousand, easily, missiles already that are a deterrence to any Chinese move. John, can you put that in context? How does the U.S. inventory and arsenal compare with the CCP's? The War Reserve inventories, that's classified. I'm no longer read on. I don't know the inventories of these things anymore, but I'm pretty sure we started to get into situations where we had to get presidential authority to go below War Reserve. So it is concerning. So our inventory has probably been really chewed up. It's gone down. It takes years to plan for, again, lots of microcircuitry. This is two to three-year lead time to get all the components in place to do final assembly. So I'm just hoping and praying we can move faster on the arsenal of democracy. Well, we appreciate you breaking down this important topic. Retired Army Colonel John Mills. He's also a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. Thanks for joining. Thank you, Kerry. The Philippines says it's wary of China's intentions over a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea. Defense Minister Guilberto Teodoro made the statement earlier this week. Despite the doubts, Manila says it remains open to discussion. Let's dive in. Teodoro stated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has authorized good-faith discussions with China regarding the long-delayed set of rules. But he voiced concerns about Beijing's sincerity. He said, quote, Right now, honestly speaking, I do not see that. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This comes alongside escalating tensions in the South China Sea. Southeast Asian leaders say a code of conduct based on international law will help ease concerns. That's as the waterway sees three trillion dollars in trade pass through it yearly. China claims sovereignty almost almost the entire South China Sea, including areas of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei see as their own. A 2016 international court ruled China's claim invalid. But Beijing rejects that ruling. Chinese vessels have been found to use water cannons and other aggressive tactics against Filipino ships, including collisions and ramming. That's to disrupt the vessels during resupply and patrol missions. Last Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned what he described as Beijing's increasingly dangerous and unlawful actions in the South China Sea. Coming up, stay tuned for America's Hope with Kelly Wright. Tonight, Bunny Pounds, president of Christians Engaged, discusses her efforts to mobilize Christians to vote and engage in politics. She emphasizes the importance of Christian involvement in elections to promote traditional values. And Craig Huey, author of The Great Deception, talks about the significance of the upcoming election, emphasizing policy over personality and stressing the need for active engagement. That's tonight at 10 p.m. after China In Focus. Thanks for watching. See you soon. 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 chinainfocusntd.com. We'd love to hear from you. For around-the-clock original news coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you soon.