Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (June 25, 2026)
This episode of Voice of America Chinese broadcasts covers multiple important international and security issues: Trump stated that Iran has informed the US it has no intention of charging tolls for traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and the International Atomic Energy Agency plans to conduct inspections in Iran; the US military successfully tested the "Golden Dome" national missile defense system; the Taiwan military launched immediate combat readiness drills, and the Fujian aircraft carrier passed through the Taiwan Strait; the WHO stated that France has an Ebola case but the global risk remains low; actor Dean Cain discussed the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States; OpenAI blocked two China-linked covert influence operations; US senators focused on artificial intelligence, competition with China, and chip export controls; and the G7 issued a declaration to reduce the reliance of critical mineral supply chains on a single supplier.
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Hello, listeners and friends, welcome to the Voice of America Chinese broadcast, I am Lin Sen. Every day from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, we bring you the latest developments in US government policies and US-China relations.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, June 24, that Iran has informed the United States that it has no intention of charging tolls or other fees for maritime traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This strait is a vital thoroughfare for 20% of the world's oil and gas supply. Trump posted on Truth Social that Iranian authorities assured that Iran would not charge any tolls, insurance fees, or any other form of fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The president also said that if the information provided by Iran proves to be untrue, negotiations between the US and Iran will terminate immediately. One of the points in the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran last week requires Iran to make arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels without charging any fees for 60 days. In addition, the United States has neither provided funds to Iran nor released their funds. Trump wrote in his post on Wednesday that we will distribute a portion of their funds, which are entirely under our control, to our farmers and ranchers to purchase agricultural products such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.
Also on Wednesday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said that inspection work will be carried out in Iran, and the agency will soon work with Tehran to determine specific implementation methods, dates, procedures, and locations. At a press conference held in Japan, he said that paragraph 8 of this memorandum of understanding clearly states that the IAEA will monitor nuclear activities to be carried out at nuclear material facilities, which is mentioned in all correspondence. However, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that such visits can only take place after a final agreement is reached. He posted on X on Wednesday that these issues will only be considered and decided within the framework of a final agreement and once the other party takes practical action to terminate all sanctions and other measures. You cannot use media hype to promote policies of agitation and takeover. President Trump said on Tuesday that Iran has fully and completely agreed to the highest level of nuclear inspections of its nuclear facilities. He said that if they do not agree to this, there will be no further negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, June 24, that as US and Iranian negotiators work toward an agreement aimed at completely ending the months-long war, the United States hopes to consult with Middle Eastern allies regarding relevant decision-making. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Kuwait, Rubio stated that the US will not do anything to undermine the security of our allies in this region. Rubio said he had what he described as a candid, sincere, and very important dialogue with Kuwaiti leaders and, earlier that day, in the United Arab Emirates. Rubio said that we have a long-standing relationship with these countries, so the communication is very candid, open, and straightforward. I listen to their opinions, and that is the very purpose of my trip, which is to listen; I did not come here to lecture them, but also to listen. Rubio also plans to visit Bahrain and will hold talks with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. He said on Wednesday that he is confident the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council will support the US position that Iran must not levy any tolls or fees on vessels passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Rubio said I think they will oppose it, and I think the whole world will oppose any mechanism that charges for the use of international waterways. Following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, traffic through the strait has come to a standstill, with Iran threatening ships on this critical waterway while the US has imposed a blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the US military has successfully completed the first milestone test of the national missile defense system against aerial threats. Writing on the social media platform X late Tuesday, June 23, Hegseth stated that the missile defense test, known as the US Golden Dome, included intercepting drones and cruise missiles. Today's first milestone test mission of the US Golden Dome was a complete success, and I am honored to witness this process firsthand. Hegseth said that cutting-edge directional functions were utilized, and the dynamic defense automated attack system performed perfect autonomous positioning, eliminating multiple incoming threats. The Pentagon stated in April that this new advanced missile defense shield is designed to counter new-era threats and protect the United States from complex ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles, and advanced aerial threats. Hegseth stated that the test was executed as planned and dynamically defeated all threats. Hegseth said that the new system is making the Strategic Defense Initiative—or Star Wars defense system—proposed by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983 a reality. The Congressional Budget Office estimated last month that the cost of developing, deploying, and operating the national missile defense system for 20 years will be about $1.2 trillion. Hegseth credited the project's funding to legislation signed by President Donald Trump last July called the Big and Beautiful Act, which allocated $24.4 billion in mandatory appropriations to the Department of War, valid through September 2029, for integrated air and missile defense. President Trump ordered the launch of the Golden Dome missile defense project last January, pointing out that threats such as ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, as well as other advanced aerial attacks, remain the most catastrophic threats facing the United States.
The Taiwan military began a five-day military exercise named Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise on Monday, June 22, aimed at enhancing the rapid response capability of the armed forces to cope with potential threats from mainland China. This coincided with the passage of the Chinese Communist Party's aircraft carrier, the Fujian, through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, June 23, which sparked widespread high-level concern. Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that as the warning time for a potential Chinese attack becomes increasingly short, the Taiwan military must test whether it can respond to war immediately. Starting Monday, June 22, the Taiwan military has been conducting the Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise for five consecutive days, transforming routine Chinese military drills around Taiwan into realistic attack scenarios. As part of the exercise, armored vehicles from the Taiwan Army's 269th Infantry Brigade conducted combat readiness patrols along Highway 31 in northern Taoyuan on Monday morning, aimed at familiarizing troops with tactical positions and operational routes that might be used in a military emergency. The Taiwan military stated that the exercise also includes strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure and preventing hostile forces from seizing strategically significant locations. While the exercise was underway, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced that China's latest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, marking the first time a CCP aircraft carrier has carried out such a mission in these sensitive waters since April. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense stated that the ROC military used joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance methods to closely monitor the movements of the Communist forces' aircraft carrier.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Wednesday, June 24, that despite a confirmed case of Ebola found in mainland France, the risk of this epidemic to the rest of the world remains low. He also mentioned that the patient is a doctor who returned to France from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, indicating that frontline healthcare workers still face a high risk of infection. France reported today that a healthcare worker from the non-governmental organization Alliance for International Medical Action tested positive for the virus after returning to France from caring for an Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is currently undergoing monitoring and treatment. This reminds us of the dangers faced by frontline workers. Nearly 80 healthcare workers have already been infected, highlighting the risks they face and illustrating the vital importance of strengthening infectious disease prevention and control. Nonetheless, for the rest of the world, the risk remains low.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, and renowned American actor, film producer, and conservative commentator Dean Cain has been actively participating in a series of celebratory events this year. Cain played the iconic American superhero role Superman in the 1990s hit television show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. In an interview with Voice of America reporter Li Ping on June 16, he discussed his role in this series of celebrations and the message he hopes these activities will convey to the world. Seeing me play Superman, and my process of growing up together with the character of Superman, I think this is a very iconic American character that represents truth, justice, and the American way. To me, the American way roughly includes five different aspects. It is about individual rights; the government does not grant you rights, God grants you rights. It is about being able to compete fairly without the government interfering in everything you do. It is about being able to achieve success, take care of your family and those you love, and be able to thrive brilliantly, and then be able to pass on wealth and a portion of wealth to your descendants. These are the basic character traits of America, and this is why everyone wants to come here, to be able to express their views or be accepted, rather than being ostracized or imprisoned for expressing those views. I want to tell everyone that America is by no means a perfect country, but we are always striving to become a more perfect country. You can come from anywhere on Earth, come to America, integrate, and you are an American. I believe most people on Earth believe in the same things, which are freedom of speech, security guarantees, and the ability to thrive brilliantly, regardless of your race, creed, or skin color, you know you can achieve any level of success. You hope that our audiences in different regions of the world will take away from the founding of the United States and the various trials and tribulations we have experienced. I want to tell everyone that America is by no means a perfect country, but we are always striving to become a more perfect country. You can come from anywhere on Earth, come to America, integrate, and you are an American. I believe most people on Earth believe in the same things, which are freedom of speech, security guarantees, and the ability to thrive brilliantly, regardless of your race, creed, or skin color, you know, you can achieve any level of success. Look at Elon Musk, look at what he has achieved, I admire him greatly and aspire to be an innovator like him, and this is precisely part of what makes America great and helps make the world a better place for everyone.
Turning to the stock market, major stock indices were mixed on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.35%, the S&P 500 index fell by 0.10%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index fell by 0.43%.
OpenAI stated that the company has blocked two China-linked covert influence operations that used ChatGPT to generate social media posts, comments, and images in an attempt to influence U.S. debates surrounding artificial intelligence, data centers, tariffs, and technology policy. In a report released on June 11, OpenAI said it banned two clusters of ChatGPT accounts and assessed that these accounts were very likely operating from China. OpenAI stated that these accounts used its models to support covert influence operations while concealing their origins and intent. OpenAI said these operations appeared to have limited impact, with no evidence that the content gained significant organic engagement or spread widely beyond the accounts participating in the operations, but the company noted that these activities are noteworthy as they show China-linked influence operators testing narratives around AI infrastructure, a domain at the core of U.S.-China tech competition. OpenAI named the first operation “Data Center Bandwagon,” noting that English and Chinese comments and images claimed the rapid expansion of AI data centers drove up electricity demand and raised power bills for ordinary Americans. OpenAI said these operators used Simplified Chinese to prompt ChatGPT to generate content purporting to come from Americans of various backgrounds; the resulting materials were then posted to social platforms like X by suspected inauthentic accounts, often accompanied by real news links about the power grid, data centers, and electricity demand. OpenAI said these operators likely belonged to the social media operations team of a Chinese private technology company that provides services to provincial government clients in China. OpenAI said these accounts accessed ChatGPT via virtual private networks (VPNs) because OpenAI does not permit the use of its models from within China. OpenAI also noted that the same group of accounts searched for information on overseas Chinese dissidents and commentators, including Li Ying, a Chinese dissident living in Italy who goes by the online handle Teacher Li Is Not Your Teacher. OpenAI stated that its models refused requests to generate inflammatory personal attacks. The second operation was named “Tech and Tariffs” by OpenAI, which stated that the operation used ChatGPT to generate short comments and political cartoons criticizing U.S. tariffs and technology policy, portraying U.S. policies as attempts to dominate global tech competition and rule-making. OpenAI said users in this operation explicitly asked ChatGPT not to feature Chinese President Xi Jinping in images, depicting only U.S. President Donald Trump. Some AI-generated cartoons showed Trump appearing in a disruptive manner in scenes criticizing U.S. trade and tech policy. In addition to generating posts and images, OpenAI stated that these accounts also used ChatGPT to draft work reports, manage online personas, and assist with social media monitoring workflows. One user referred to a cluster of online accounts as water army, a Chinese term commonly used to describe coordinated accounts that flood the internet with comments or criticism. OpenAI noted that some prompts included terms related to the police (Public Security) system in China, including public opinion risk assessment, protests, petitioning activities, and police-related incidents. The company said these signs indicate the accounts were very likely supporting activities aligned with the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, although OpenAI could not confirm the specific institutional affiliation of the operators. The Chinese Embassy in Washington told Reuters that it was not aware of OpenAI's research, but stated that China firmly opposes any groundless attacks and smears, and supports ensuring that artificial intelligence becomes a force for good serving all people. OpenAI said it published these findings to help governments, tech companies, civil society organizations, and the public better detect and disrupt attempts by foreign covert actors to manipulate democratic debates. OpenAI warned in the report that AI-driven influence operations are beginning to target artificial intelligence itself, and cautioned that foreign actors will likely continue similar operations in the U.S. and globally in the future.
Multiple bipartisan US lawmakers stated that artificial intelligence is not only about economic competition but also about national security. The US must maintain its leading position in the field of artificial intelligence to ensure that the next stage of AI innovation happens in the US rather than in China. Tim Scott, a Republican US Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, stated at a committee hearing on June 12 focusing on AI and US innovation that the US cannot afford to fall behind China in the AI competition. Scott said that we must ensure the next chapter of responsible innovation is written in the US, not in China. Cybersecurity and national security must be given high priority, and the US must never allow China or any other adversary to gain a technological advantage in the field of AI. Scott also expressed concern over China expanding its global technological influence through tech companies including Huawei, believing that global tech infrastructure, including advanced AI tools, should be built on trustworthy US networks and technologies. He stated that we must formulate clear and explicit export control policies, both enabling US companies to remain competitive in the global market and ensuring we do not hand over technologies that adversaries could use against us. Competition surrounding AI is becoming one of the most closely watched issues in US-China relations. As AI is increasingly viewed as a critical technology for future economic, military, and geopolitical competition, US lawmakers generally view China's acquisition of advanced AI technology as a national security issue rather than merely a trade or technological competition issue. Against this backdrop, Congress is advancing a series of legislation to further tighten export controls on advanced AI technology and related hardware. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Republican committee member Senator Jim Banks jointly introduced an AI regulation bill last month aimed at ensuring advanced chips supporting the next generation of AI development serve US innovation and national security interests rather than the Chinese military or surveillance apparatus. The bill has received support from multiple heavyweight bipartisan lawmakers. Democratic US Senator Warren also appealed to Committee Chairman Scott during the hearing, urging the swift advancement of the legislative process for the bill. Warren also stated that AI possesses enormous development potential, but the American public worries that this technology may further exacerbate economic imbalances. She called on Congress to take action to address the risks brought by AI and the issue of advanced chips flowing to China, to ensure the American public can share the fruits of AI development rather than bearing the risks of its potential negative impacts. Warren singled out Nvidia, a major global AI computing enterprise, during the hearing, warning that the company's founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, pushing to sell high-end chips to China could pose risks to US national security. Warren said that Mr. Huang wants to sell Nvidia's chips to China, a move that could both bring profits to his own company and promote China's AI development. Mr. Huang's actions have alarmed top military leaders, who warned that such technology could enhance China's military strength and endanger US national security. At the policy level, the White House reportedly approved Nvidia's sale of its high-performance H200 AI chips to China last December, involving about a 25% revenue-sharing mechanism, though the transaction has not yet received formal approval from the Chinese side. An Nvidia spokesperson stated in a statement provided to Voice of America on Friday that we cannot maintain a leading position if we do not participate in competition, stating that the markets we abandon will eventually become markets dominated by competitors, and abandoning the world's second-largest AI market will not only strengthen competitors' power but also weaken US economic and technological leadership and national security.
On June 17, leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) issued the "Declaration on Securing Critical Minerals Supply Chains" at the summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, pledging to significantly reduce reliance on single overseas suppliers. This move is widely seen as targeting the dominance of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the global rare earths and permanent magnets markets. The declaration proposes that G7 members and partner countries will reduce their reliance on rare earths and permanent magnets from a single supplier outside the G7 and partner countries to below 60% by 2030, and strive to further reduce it to 50% as soon as possible. Australia, as a G7 partner country, also co-signed in support of this declaration. While the declaration did not explicitly name China, Beijing dominates the global critical minerals processing sector and has repeatedly imposed export restriction measures against Western countries. In the declaration, leaders expressed serious concern over so-called non-market policies and practices and economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions and retaliatory measures on critical minerals and related dual-use items. The declaration states that we will work with partners to reduce critical dependencies, ensure that attempts or coercion to weaponize economic dependencies fail, and ensure that attempts or threats to weaponize economic dependencies fail. The G7 leaders announced the official establishment of the G7 Critical Minerals Resilience and Production Alliance. This mechanism is based on the Critical Minerals Production Alliance established during Canada's 2025 G7 presidency, and will be open to like-minded partner countries. Regarding funding, the G7 stated that since the beginning of 2026, 195 projects have been announced, attracting 64 billion euros in investment across the critical minerals value chain, covering equity participation and off-take agreements. The declaration also announced the establishment of a transparency and traceability pilot mechanism, initially covering minerals such as lithium and lithium ores, expanding to five new minerals each year thereafter, with a particular focus on rare earths. In addition, the G7 will utilize the data platform of the International Energy Agency to establish a joint coordination mechanism to respond to supply disruptions, and pledged to share information on reserve systems and best practices. The issue of critical minerals is one of the core topics of this G7 summit. On the opening day of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that if the G7 does not strengthen cooperation in the field of critical minerals, everything in related industries could stall. He said that China has accumulated considerable production capacity in this field, and the issue of dependency is evident. Coordination efforts by the G7 in the field of critical minerals have been ongoing for months. In May of this year, G7 trade ministers held a meeting in Paris, focusing on discussing the diversification of the supply of critical minerals needed for chips, electric vehicle batteries, and super magnets, and studying the establishment of a permanent secretariat within the International Energy Agency to coordinate mineral policies among successive presidencies. Last year, during Canada's G7 presidency, the summit explicitly criticized China on the issue of critical minerals. The chairman's summary released after the meeting pointed out that China's market distortions and overcapacity are disrupting normal competitive order, and the summit welcomed the Critical Minerals Production Alliance initiative led by Canada. In January of this year, G7 finance ministers held a special meeting in Washington, where US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the United States is moving toward breaking China's monopoly on rare earth supplies. The US Department of the Treasury issued a statement after the meeting stating that related supply chains have become highly concentrated and extremely vulnerable to disruption and manipulation.