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Pentagon: Chinese Air Force Fast-Becoming MASSIVE Threat

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New attack drones, 5th-generation stealth fighter jets, reconfigured cargo planes and Russian-built air defenses are making China’s Air Force even deadlier. In fact, all of these advances present a great concern to U.S. war planners.

The size of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force is reported to include a total of 2,500 aircraft, making it the third-largest in the world, according to the Pentagon’s 2020 China Military Power report.

U.S. threat assessors are not merely concerned about the size of the Chinese Air Force but the increasing technical sophistication and multi-mission tactics with which it operates. For instance, as part of its discussion of Chinese airpower, the report notes that China operates highly advanced, Russian-built S-400 and S-500 air defenses.

These systems, among the best in the world, increasingly use networked digital processors, faster computer speeds and a wider range of frequencies to detect aircraft. Russian media reports have claimed that their air defenses can even track stealth aircraft, a claim that has yet to be formally verified.

Yet another concern with China’s air power is its fast-increasing attack range. The Chinese Y-20 cargo plane, for instance, is likely being configured into a tanker aircraft to nearly double the attack range of Chinese fighter jets. Technically speaking, while the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46 tanker is certainly different from its C-130s, it would not be at all technically difficult to convert a large Y-20 into a tanker configuration. (Read more from “Pentagon: Chinese Air Force Fast-Becoming Massive Threat” HERE)

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Esper Makes China Unspoken Threat to International Order in V-J Day Ceremony

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From the deck of the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor Wednesday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper made oblique references to China as the new threat to international order exactly 75 years after World War II in the Pacific ended with the Japanese signing of unconditional surrender aboard the battleship.

“We built relationships with like-minded nations based on reciprocal trade, not predatory economics, based on respect for the sovereignty of all countries, not a strategy of ‘might makes right,’” Esper said at the V-J Day ceremony honoring World War II veterans.

While refraining from mentioning China by name, Esper repeated language reserved for China on the last day of a Pacific swing that aimed to strengthen and build American alliances to contain Chinese aggression.

“Today, in the face of new challenges to this free and open order, we are working to build an even broader coalition of partners,” Esper said of the United States’s vital Pacific alliances with Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

The defense secretary also noted India, which has had recent border scuffles with China and took part in a joint naval exercise with the U.S. in July. Esper also referenced the Pacific island nations, which would provide vital access to the region for American troops in the event of a conflict with China. (Read more from “Esper Makes China Unspoken Threat to International Order in V-J Day Ceremony” HERE)

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Bombshell New Documentary Seeks to Expose Joe and Hunter Biden’s Secret Chinese Business Dealings (VIDEO)

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A new documentary promises to shine a light on Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden’s politically-wrought business dealings in China that for years have been largely hidden from the public eye — and have even benefitted the Chinese military.

The documentary, called “Riding the Dragon: Uncovering the Bidens’ Chinese Secrets,” was produced by Lightspeed Pictures in association with BlazeTV and features New York Times bestselling author Peter Schweizer. It is currently available for viewing to subscribers on BlazeTV.com.

Schweizer, who is also president of the Government Accountability Institute, investigated the Bidens — Hunter Biden’s suspicious board position at the infamous Ukrainian gas company, Burisma, in particular — for his 2018 book, “Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elite.”

Now in the new documentary, Schweizer drills down into Hunter Biden and his private equity firm’s lucrative business deals with the Chinese government.

“This isn’t just another story about a politician’s kid getting rich,” the film’s narrator says in the trailer. “Hunter’s new firm started making investment deals that would serve the strategic interests of the Chinese military.” (Read more from “Bombshell New Documentary Seeks to Expose Joe and Hunter Biden’s Secret Chinese Business Dealings” HERE)

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China: ‘Radical’ Trump Administration Building ‘New Iron Curtain’

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President Trump’s administration is a “radical” group bent on provoking “a second Cold War” with Beijing, a senior Chinese diplomat argued while attempting to woo European powers.

“In modern history, the progress of human civilization has been halted several times by radical forces,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. “What we are seeing now is that some are again maneuvering to draw a new Iron Curtain, erect another Berlin Wall, and start a second Cold War. The China-U.S. relationship is in its most testing time since the establishment of diplomatic relations.”

The Chinese envoy offered that denunciation to cap a week of overtures to European nations, a diplomatic swing that came on the heels of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s most recent round of warnings about the threats posed by Chinese espionage and economic influence. Wang called attention to disputes between U.S. and European officials, especially around climate change policy and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, while urging the French audience to overlook the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian nature.

“Despite the difference in social systems, China and the EU are meant to be comprehensive strategic partners, not systemic rivals,” he said, referring to the European Union’s landmark 2019 warning about China. (Read more from “China: ‘Radical’ Trump Administration Building ‘New Iron Curtain’” HERE)

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White House Adviser: Biden Too Weak to Face China’s Bullying

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The Democratic Party’s presidential nominee Joe Biden is “dangerous” when it comes to offshoring American jobs and because of his past relationship issues with China, and the United States needs a tough president like Donald Trump to stand up against the country’s bullying behavior, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said Friday.

“The problem with Joe Biden is he has a record, 44-year record,” Navarro said on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “In 2001, he voted to allow China into the World Trade Organization. That created a tsunami of offshoring, where we lost over 70,000 factories and 5 million manufacturing jobs. This also happened on his watch when he was vice president.”

Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party is trying to “bully this country into submission through threats on Huawei and medical supplies,” Navarro said. (Read more from “White House Adviser: Biden Too Weak to Face China’s Bullying” HERE)

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National Intelligence: Unmatched ‘National Security Threat’ Posed by China Includes Election Interference

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China poses a greater national security challenge to the United States than any other country, including when it comes to possible election interference, according to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.

With the Nov. 3 presidential election fast approaching, a senior U.S. counterintelligence official warned earlier this month that Russia is actively trying to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. That same statement also said China “prefers” President Trump not win reelection and that Beijing views him as being more “unpredictable.” That counterintelligence official said China is “expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020” but seemed to describe China’s efforts as being mostly rhetorical in nature.

But in a statement given to the Washington Examiner, Ratcliffe, a former Texas Republican congressman who has overseen the nation’s 17 intelligence agencies since May, amplified the sense of urgency felt by the Trump administration to counter the broad reach of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to disrupt an unfavorable status quo.

“China poses a greater national security threat to the U.S. than any other nation — economically, militarily and technologically,” Ratcliffe said. “That includes threats of election influence and interference.”

He said China is “concerned” that Trump being reelected would “lead to a continuation of policies that they perceive to be ‘anti-China.'” Ratcliffe did not mention how Biden, a former vice president, is viewed in Beijing as an alternative U.S. leader. (Read more from “National Intelligence: Unmatched ‘National Security Threat’ Posed by China Includes Election Interference” HERE)

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China Suppresses Catholics Under COVID-19 Cover

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Hundreds of underground Catholics in mainland China were stopped from celebrating the Feast of the Assumption on Aug. 15 in the latest example of communists suppressing Christians under cover of Covid-19.

Although most public places, including movie halls, remain open, churches are yet to function in most parts of China. The Marian feast is a day of obligation for Catholics when they are required to take part in Eucharistic liturgy.

Traditionally, the Feast of the Assumption is considered one of the major Catholic celebrations in China along with Christmas and Easter, when hundreds gather in their parish churches for solemn liturgical celebrations and exchange greetings.

However, this year most churches of the underground communities in Shenyang, Liaoning province, were closed. Officials presented it as a step to avoid large gatherings to check the spread of Covid-19.

A few churches were opened but police beefed up patrols to restrict the number of people gathering in them, local Catholics told UCA News. (Read more from “China Suppresses Catholics Under COVID-19 Cover” HERE)

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Ominous Signs: Where Have China’s Submarines Gone?; China Says Latest U.S. Sailing Near Taiwan ‘Extremely Dangerous’

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By The Drive. China’s massive Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island is one of the greatest strategic interests in the region. It is home to China’s nuclear ballistic missile submarine fleet—the backbone of its second-strike deterrent—as well as other submarines. It sits at the northern edge of the highly contentious South China Sea. To its east is the gateway to the open Pacific and Taiwan. The most intriguing feature of this facility is the mysterious submarine cave built into the side of a mountain that dominates the southern end of the installation. Although I have seen satellite images of the roadway barges removed from the opening, we have never seen one with a submarine actually using it, until now. . .

It isn’t clear exactly what type of submarine is seen in the image, but our best guess would be a Shang class/Type 093 nuclear attack submarine. The type seen is really beside the point, what’s important is that we finally get to see this James Bond-esque feature in action.

As for where all the other submarines are, we have no clue. Tensions are exceedingly high in the region and the U.S. has massively upped its presence there. Meanwhile, Taiwan has gone on elevated alert as China executes war games nearby. While some of those drills could and likely do involve submarines based at Yalin, it’s also possible that others have moved inside the mountain, as well. Why exactly remains unclear. (Read more from “Ominous Signs: Where Have China’s Submarines Gone?” HERE)

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China Says Latest U.S. Sailing Near Taiwan ‘Extremely Dangerous’

By US News & World Report. China’s military said on Wednesday the latest U.S. navy sailing near Chinese-claimed Taiwan was “extremely dangerous” and stirring up such trouble was in neither country’s interests.

The U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin sailed through the narrow and sensitive Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, the U.S. navy said, in what have become relatively routine trips in recent months, though they always anger China.

The Eastern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army said its air and naval forces followed and monitored the U.S. ship throughout its voyage.

“Any words or deeds that … cause trouble in the Taiwan Strait are not in line with the fundamental interests of China and the United States, harm the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the strait, pose real threats to peace and stability in the region and are extremely dangerous”, it said. (Read more from “China Says Latest U.S. Sailing Near Taiwan ‘Extremely Dangerous'” HERE)

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Chinese Communist Party Insider: ‘Xi Is the Enemy of the World, Has Killed the Country and the Party’

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A former professor at China’s elite Central Party School has issued an unprecedented rebuke of the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, accusing him of “killing a country” and claiming that many more want out of the ruling Chinese Communist party.

Cai Xia, a prominent professor who taught at the school, a higher education institution for top officials, was expelled from the party on Monday after an audio recording of remarks she made that were critical of Xi was leaked online in June. She is no longer in China. The school said in a notice that Cai, a professor at the party school since 1992, had made comments that “damaged the country’s reputation” and were full of “serious political problems”. . . .

“Under the regime of Xi, the Chinese Communist party is not a force for progress for China. In fact, it is an obstacle to China’s progress,” she said. “I believe I am not the only one who wants to leave this party. More people would like to withdraw or quit this party,” she said. “I had intended to quit the party years ago when there was no more room to speak and my voice was completely blocked.” . . .

Cai initially spoke to the Guardian in June after the recording was first released. On that occasion she went further in her denunciation of Xi, blaming him for making China “an enemy” of the world, in comments that will reverberate across the party and the country, where such public criticism from within the party establishment is extremely rare.

On Tuesday, Cai, who initially asked that her June interview not be published because of threats she and her family received, said she was now willing to speak out. “I have much more freedom now. My speech is free from any constraints. I am responsible only for my own conscience and principles,” she said. (Read more from “Chinese Communist Party Insider: ‘Xi Is the Enemy of the World, Has Killed the Country and the Party'” HERE)

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South China Sea: Chinese Military Told Not to Fire First Shot in Stand-Off With U.S. Forces

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China has told its service personnel “not to fire the first shot” as Beijing looks to de-escalate tensions with the United States in the South China Sea, sources familiar with the situation told the South China Morning Post.

Both sides have stepped up their operations in the disputed waters, increasing the risk of incidents that spiral out of control, but Beijing does not want to give American hawks the opportunity to escalate things further.

The sources said Beijing had ordered pilots and naval officers to exercise restraint in the increasingly frequent stand-offs with US planes and warships.

Meanwhile, further details have emerged about a phone conversation between the two countries’ defence ministers last week.

The call was first suggested by the US side about “a month earlier” but was initially given a frosty reception in Beijing. But a source said the Chinese leadership later had a change of heart and decided to reach out as tensions escalated in the South and East China seas. (Read more from “South China Sea: Chinese Military Told Not to Fire First Shot in Stand-Off With U.S. Forces” HERE)

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