China Ousts 9 Top Generals Ahead of Key Leadership Meeting | China in Focus

Welcome to China in Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story. The Chinese Communist Party ousts nine top generals, including its number two general, ahead of a key meeting. What does the leadership shakeup say about party leader Xiinping's grip on power? And could it affect Beijing's ability to take Taiwan? President Trump says his 100% tariffs on China would not be sustainable, and that Beijing's rare earth expert curbs forced him to do so. Major American tech firms are racing to move production out of China as trade tensions escalate between the two nations. We bring you the details. The US and Australia are teaming up to operate a facility that produces missiles on Australian soil, strengthening regional defense in the Indo-Pacific. [Music] A major shakeup in China's military on Friday. Beijing ousted its number two general and the army's top political officer along with seven other high-ranking generals. The purge raises questions about whether this could impact China's ability to take Taiwan. It comes just days before top Chinese Communist Party leaders meet in Beijing. The highest ranking official among the nine generals, Hoe Dong is China's number two military leader, directly under CCP leader Xi Jinping. He's seen as a close ally of Xi Jinping and she's choice to lead a potential invasion of Taiwan. Hi Dong said on China's 24 member pallet bureau, the second highest body of power in the Chinese Communist Party. He hasn't appeared in public since March. China's defense ministry says H and several others seriously violated party discipline and are suspected of major financial crimes. Another expelled official, Mia Hua, is the army's top political officer. He was already under investigation last year. Meow is familiar with military affairs related to Taiwan and the South China Sea. The US considers these two regions the most likely spots for a conflict with China. He is also seen as close to Xiinping's inner circle. Another purge general, Lingangyang, was in charge of the theater that would play a central role in any conflict over Taiwan. The Chinese Communist Party sees Taiwan as part of China despite never having ruled it. Beijing's vow to take it under control by force if necessary. The recent developments have sparked speculation that Xiinping may be losing power. The announcement came just days before a key meeting that will gather the CCP's most senior officials in Beijing next week. And what does the military purge signal ahead of the CCP's key meeting, the fourth plenum? Given the plenum is where the party's top brass decide who holds power and sets the country's direction, what are analysts watching for this year with the recent trade escalations abroad and political purges inside the country? We spoke with Jaclyn Deal, president and CEO of defense research firm Long-Term Strategy Group and advisory board member of State Armor for insights. Jackie Deal, thank you so much for joining us. Great to have you back on the show. >> Thanks, Tiffany. Great to be with you. Now, a big development out of China bin. Many are calling this a dramatic move where the Chinese Communist Party just expelled nine high-ranking military officials, one of which was seen as a very close political ally of Xi Jinping. Now, this does come just days ahead of that fourth plenum meeting that many people are watching. How are you reading this in conjunction with the fourth plenum? What is this signaling? >> It it brings to mind, I guess, a number of thoughts. one the striking uh eye watering levels of investment in the PLA over the last decade and a half uh two decades but really escalating and accelerating under Xiinping clearly created uh opportunities for grift and uh corruption but this seems as if it's more than that this is not just about corruption it's about and then you have to ask questions is she dissatisfied because he doesn't uh think that these people are up to the task of leading the military in the struggles that he is anticipating or the war that he may be planning to start. Does he like to keep the situation in kind of perennial turmoil as a way of bolstering his own power? Is he sensing conspiracy mounting against him? Um plots from below? Are there concerns that are are driving this that have to do with his his own insecurity? There's so much we don't know. Uh it's humbling but we have to kind of prepare ourselves for a wide band of outcomes at this point. >> I do want to dig into this a bit because we have been seeing say a lot of headlines or if you want rumors online about Shein Ping and his grip or lack thereof on power especially when you do see some of his what we're seen as protet or close allies getting purged. Is that a message that he is in power or that he isn't with this latest batch of firings or expel if you will? How does that reflect on him? Because there were some questions of this fourth plenum if he would step down potentially. How are you reading this? >> Yes. And and there are rumors actually now ongoing that perhaps he's already been kind of deposed in a soft way and and succeeded by a consortium of other leaders. I think we can't know from the outside. to go on are, you know, the fact that he may be poised to meet with President Trump on the sidelines of APEC uh later this month. So, it's tough to say what's really going on behind the scenes. Um but in the face of uncertainty and the wide range of potential outcomes, I think one thing to remind ourselves as Americans is our default tendency is to try to want to ensure stability and uh reimpose stability when it looks as if we're facing a crisis anywhere in the world. In this particular instance, we are dealing with Xiinping having effectively declared economic war on the world, on the United States, but also on the world just in the last few weeks with his escalation of uh export controls on rare earths. You know, the Treasury Secretary of the United States recently said, make no mistake, this is China against the world. And that's a new position for the Chinese Communist Party to have put itself in in such a frontal way. It's it's unprecedented for a US Treasury Secretary to to speak in those terms. And so there must be people in uh Beijing or in Jong Nonhai who are wondering have we played our hand wisely or is it possible that there are recriminations and that she is under pressure to demonstrate that he has you know steered the Chinese ship of state wisely. It may be that the kind of leverage that they've accred um by pursuing their supply chain dominant strategy uh is the kind of leverage that you can only have if you don't use it if you can kind of keep it latent and the minute that you start post kind of very frontal direct threats you risk losing it. >> Well definitely a lot to watch out for Jackie Deal. Thank you so much for joining us. >> Thanks Tiffany. President Trump said on Friday his proposed 100% tariffs on Chinese goods would not be sustainable. He added that China forced him to do so. Chinese authorities tighten control over rare earth exports earlier this month. Here's what Trump said in an interview with Fox Business. >> If you put that 100% tariff on top of what's in place already, 157% tariff on China, can that stand? What is that going to do to the economy? >> It's not sustainable. But uh that's what the number is. It's probably not, you know, it could stand, but uh they forced me to do that. I think we're going to do fine with China. >> Trump unveiled additional tariffs of 100% on Chinese imports a week ago. He was reacting to China dramatically expanding its export controls on rare earth minerals. Trump also confirmed he'll meet with Chinese regime leader Xiinping in South Korea in two weeks. >> Three New York City mayoral candidates faced off on the debate stage for the first time Thursday night. NTD's Flora Hua spoke with some New Yorkers who shared their preferred candidates and their biggest concerns in this election. Many said they reject socialism coming into the Big Apple. Others pointed to China using it as an example of how people can't thrive under communism or socialism. Let's take a closer look. >> Probably vote for Cuomo just because he's had more experience, but I don't agree with all his policies, but I definitely don't agree with Madami at all. Yeah, I think he's I I just think he's a socialist, but I still think people have to like work for a living. You know, I don't think anything is free. That's, you know, that's why we're successful here. Capitalism works. Socialism doesn't. So, you know, >> I mean, I'm leaning towards uh Cuomo because he has the most amount of experience. >> What I'm doing is I'm telling Republican voters in the state of New York, in the city of New York to vote against Mumani for Andrew Cuomo because and if Zoran Mandani is successful here, they will replicate that playbook in every major Democratun city. That's why this race is so important to send a national message that we we do not accept communism in the United States of America. This is a Judeo-Christian capitalist society and country and we must protect it with all that we have. You can't be an entrepreneur. You can't come up with new ideas. You can't thrive in a socialist or communist environment. I have my own business. I started my own business with $50. I grew it to a multi-million dollar enterprise. I've helped employ a lot of people and have them earn a good living. That's capitalism. In a communistic or socialistic state, that doesn't exist. We will never know what is exactly happening in China because the government controls the media. There is no free speech in any communist country. >> As trade tensions between the US and China heat up, some American tech giants are quietly shifting production. According to a Nicay report Thursday, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are all moving parts of their operations and supply chains out of China. Microsoft in particular wants up to 80% of the components for its Surface devices and data centers made elsewhere by 2026. The company's already asking its partners to start preparing for that move next year. Meanwhile, Amazon is reportedly looking to buy fewer components for its AI data centers from its longtime Chinese supplier, SYE. And Google is ramping up server production in Thailand after securing partners for parts needed for assembly. All this comes just a week after President Trump announced new export controls on what he calls any and all critical software starting next month. The decision follows escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's restrictions on rare earth exports. The US and Australia are taking a major step forward in their defense partnership to produce missiles. A new facility in Australia is set to open by the end of the year. It's aimed at producing roughly 4,000 missiles annually. The move is marking a big shift towards self-reliance in the Indoacific. It's part of Australia's 21 billion plan to build a missile program. The facility will be operated through a partnership between the US Department of War, Australia, and major US weapons manufacturer Loheed Martin. These guide rocket systems and precision strike missiles are able to hit targets more than 300 miles away. Australia's defense minister Pat Conroy said the goal is to integrate Australianmade weapons into US global supply chains. A second facility will begin producing missiles starting in 2027. The US, Australia, and Loheed Martin have opened an office in Alabama aimed at deepening cooperation and improved coordination across the Pacific. The announcement comes just days before Australian Prime Minister Anthony Abeney's trip to the US to meet with President Trump on Monday. Now to the war in Ukraine. President Donald Trump welcomes Ukrainian President Wadimer Zalinsky at the White House for their fourth face-to-face meeting this year. The leaders were proposing a weapon swap and leveraging momentum from the Gaza ceasefire to advance peace efforts in Ukraine. Here's more. After their visit in the cabinet meeting in the cabinet room today, a President Trump is calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine um saying that if it ends along its current lines, both Russia and Ukraine can declare victory. of President Trump and President Zalinski are saying that this meeting is different than the others because it comes on the heels of the Gaza ceasefire. Take a look. >> Do you think you can carry the momentum from the Middle East deal over to this deal? And if so, um, how does that move the needle? >> Yeah, I do. I think we carry a lot of momentum, a lot of credibility. Getting Middle East was very important. >> Congratulations with your successful ceasefire in the Middle East and I think this is a momentum to finish Russia's war against Ukraine. President Zilinski proposes that Ukraine would provide the US with its advanced drones in exchange for the US's long range tomahawk missiles. The atmosphere of the meeting, this time in the cabinet room, notably different from when the two leaders were in the Oval in February. >> And I think it looks beautiful in his jacket. It's a beautiful >> I hope people notice. It's a good It's actually very stylish. I like it. >> In recent days, President Trump has said he's open to selling Ukraine the Tomahawks. But after Thursday's call with President Putin, he softens his posture. >> Would much rather have them not need to hawks. Would much rather have the war be over. >> President Trump says he's expecting to meet Putin in Budapest, Hungary. Uh it's a country that's uh a safe country that will be going to be with Victor Orban and he will I think he'll be a very good host >> and that the meeting format is to be determined but >> it'll be a double meeting but we will have uh the president Zalinski uh in touch. There's a lot of blood bad blood with the two presidents. >> Coming up, two serious warnings in a week against China. The UK intelligence agency has labeled China a hostile state. A Sydney court agreeing to delay the case of an ultra-wealthy Chinese woman. The car accident she's involved in is sparking unusual media and public attention. Many are speculating who is she connected to and where is her wealth from. But it shows how much money the chi the Chinese or communist leadership has been getting out of mainland China to position itself for uh times when they're not in in power. >> More on that after the break here on China in Focus. Welcome back to China in Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. The UK says it's facing escalating threats from hostile states such as China, Iran, and Russia. Ahead of Britain's domestic intelligence agency, MI5, issued another warning on Thursday, the second one this week. >> When it comes to China, the UK needs to defend itself resolutely against threats and seize the opportunities that demonstrabably serve our nation. >> He added that China is guilty of cyber espionage and luring academics to China. The head of the agency also said China is interfering in UK public life and harassing pro-democracy dissident in Britain. His statements come just two days after MI5 warned that the country's politicians are being targeted by agents from China. Russia and Iran UK lawmakers are being warned of attempts to gain information through fishing attacks, blackmail, and the cultivation of long-term personal relationships. Now we turn to the court case of the mysterious wealthy Chinese woman Yang Lan Lan. On Friday, a Sydney court has agreed to delay her case to mid- November at the request of her lawyer. Yang may face another charge. The 23-year-old has sparked a social media frenzy in China after a car accident. Many have been asking, "Who is she? Where does her wealth come from? And who is she connected to?" Young slammed a $ 1.5 million Rolls-Royce into a Mercedes van in July. The Mercedes driver was the personal driver of an Australian celebrity and he was seriously injured. Yang walked away unharmed. She is now facing charges including causing bodily harm by dangerous driving and refusing a roadside breath test. As a 23-year-old, Young owns two Rolls-Royces and lives in a luxury penthouse in Sydney's East. No photos and business records of her could be found online. Some internet users started suspecting that she's connected to high-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials. Here's how Young's defense lawyer responded to that. Take a listen. >> You never asked where that she's living with the Chinese Communist Party. >> Is she aware of all the online speculation about her identity and >> uh she's a very shy girl. Um, but I'm assuming she reads and and looks at media from time to time. >> We spoke to Gregory CPPley, president of the International Strategic Studies Association for his take on the case. My automatic conclusion from from watching that uh and seeing that the progression of that this case is the same as that of most of the observers in the People's Republic of China itself who see this is part of a an enormous uh corruption network around the Chinese leadership. uh and and clearly uh this young lady is connected to the leadership and that possibly means uh Xiinping himself almost certainly to some degree and others. Uh and there's apparently uh some linkage there between that and other recent events and killings in the mainland China. So this is really setting off alarm bells even when people aren't sure of all of the exact details. But the the rumors of exactly how much money this young lady controls uh in Australia, it could be up to, you know, $270 billion uh of resources, which uh part of which could be explained as the the pro proceeds of middleman cuts if you like on the export of Australian iron ore to China, but it's obviously clearly more than that uh if it's to reach that sort of money. But it shows how much money the chi the Chinese or communist leadership has been getting out of mainland China to position itself for uh times when they're not in in power. And I think this is part of the the whole concern with the CCP elders in in keeping Xiinping from fleeing the country. Uh certainly they didn't want him going to Pyongyang where he could have elected to stay or to go to uh Seoul for the APEC summit and then going on to somewhere else from there. Um and there was the original plan which was thwarted that he would go to Kazakhstan uh through Suzan province uh and that was thwarted. So there's some concern that she if he could would flee. Uh there's the other thing thought that she uh couldn't go to those soul and Pyongyang gatherings simply because if he did he would miss out on fighting his last ditch battle literally the the survival battle in Beijing. >> KPI said the corruption which is highly evident in Yang's case and others worldwide is tightening the net around Xi Jinping in Beijing. India sending mixed messages on Russian oil. President Trump announced on Wednesday that India's Prime Minister Modi promised to stop buying oil from Russia during a phone call. But India's foreign ministry said the next day yet wasn't aware of any call between the two leaders. And today's international correspondent Arian Pdar has the latest. >> I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders. >> Russia is also weighing in on Trump's comments. We rely upon the on the official statement issued by the India's foreign ministry. These statements are available everyone. Therefore, we rely upon them. >> And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US hopes that Japan will also stop buying oil from Russia. Bessent met with Japan's finance minister saying they discussed the administration's expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy. The US says those countries should stop making business with Russia because Moscow uses the money to finance the war in Ukraine. Arian Pasar, NTD News. >> President Trump didn't say when his call with Prime Minister Modi took place. An India spokesperson only mentioned a possible call this Wednesday. According to the data, India imported about 1.6 million barrels of Russian oil per day in September. That number rose to around 1.8 million in October. There's been no sign of a slowdown so far. That's all for today's China in Focus. I'm Tony Meyer. If you have any feedback on the show or have something you'd like to see us cover, send us an email at china and focus ntd.com. We'd love to hear from you. For roundtheclock original news coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you soon. [Music]