Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (July 4, 2026)
Voice of America's Chinese broadcast reported multiple news items. President Trump criticized asymmetrical relations with NATO and stated that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still ongoing. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery is exhibiting a portrait of a Spanish military leader, and the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong also held celebration events. In addition, Alibaba and its payment processor AUS agreed to pay $600 million to settle charges of failing to prevent illicit drug sales. The Federal Communications Commission strengthened regulations on submarine communication cables to address national security risks. The American Institute in Taiwan urged Taiwan to develop its drone industry. The report also mentioned the U.S. soccer team's victory in the World Cup and the frenzy in the fan zone.
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Hello, listeners and friends, welcome to Voice of America's Chinese broadcast, I am Lin Sen. Every day from the U.S. capital Washington, we bring you the latest developments in U.S. government policies and U.S.-China relations. The main contents of today's program are: on Thursday, the night of July 2, President Trump posted on Truth Social saying that the U.S. unilateral ongoing status of NATO is absurd. President Trump said that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran's new leadership are still ongoing, and the Iranian regime has agreed to almost everything the U.S. needs. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery exhibited a rare portrait of a Spanish military leader. Alibaba and AUS agreed to pay $600 million to settle charges brought by U.S. judicial authorities for failing to prevent illegal drug sales. These are the main contents, please stay tuned to Voice of America's Chinese broadcast.
You are now listening to Voice of America's Chinese broadcast. With less than a week before the NATO Ankara Summit, President Trump sharply criticized the transatlantic partnership as fundamentally asymmetrical. He bluntly stated that the current status of the U.S. making such unilateral contributions to NATO is absurd. Listen to the report from Voice of America. On Thursday, July 2, Eastern Time, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that it is simply absurd for the United States to continue down this unilateral path because this relationship is fundamentally asymmetrical. They did not help us. Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for their response to the U.S.-Iran conflict, with some countries, including Spain, restricting the U.S. military from using their military bases. On June 24, when meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump stated that NATO countries failed the United States in responding to joint military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran and in refusing to allow the United States to use their military bases. In addition, Trump has always believed that Europe should play a leading role in its own defense. Officials of the Trump administration have also repeatedly emphasized this point in talks with NATO allies. Meanwhile, Washington also announced a reassessment of the size of U.S. forces stationed in Europe. The post published by Trump on Truth Social on Thursday included a chart showing NATO military spending, where U.S. contributions far exceed those of several other member states, including the UK, France, Italy, and Poland. Due to pressure from Trump and Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, NATO leaders pledged at the summit held in The Hague last year to increase defense-related spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035. NATO Secretary General Rutte stated during a visit to Washington in late June that NATO allies are making good progress in striving to achieve NATO's defense spending target.
Voice of America continues to broadcast Chinese programs. President Trump said that negotiations between the United States and Iran's new leaders are still ongoing, and that the Iranian regime has almost agreed to everything we need. Meanwhile, Iran is holding a funeral for its late Supreme Leader Khamenei. Let's listen to the report. In an interview with the American television network CNBC on Thursday, President Trump said that they have been completely defeated militarily, they have a few missiles left, and we could also destroy them all. We are negotiating to see how it turns out, and I think they have almost agreed to everything we need. The United States and Iran held indirect technical talks in Qatar this week, following the signing of an interim peace agreement by both sides on June 18. Qatar reported that progress had been made in the talks but did not disclose further details. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security organization, stated that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains stable. Iran launched two attacks on merchant ships in this strait last week. The organization said on Friday that the security threat level in the strait remains high due to the ongoing risk of sea mines. President Trump called Iran a bully in the Middle East, stating that it has been oppressing the United States and other countries for decades, and reiterated the U.S. strategy behind this military operation. He said that this is not a war in itself; this is an operation to denuclearize Iran, and you cannot let them have nuclear weapons. As Iran holds a funeral for Khamenei, Trump said that the United States is not seeking regime change in Tehran. He said that their leaders are all dead, they have introduced new leaders, and they are all dead too. We are now on the third batch of leaders, and we are getting along with them quite well; I think they are much more rational. I think this is regime change, but I am not seeking regime change. What I am seeking is very simple: they cannot have nuclear weapons. This week, Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, held a security meeting in Bahrain with military officials from 11 regions to discuss strengthening defense cooperation in the region and committing to maintaining the free flow of trade in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Chim Gari Babadi criticized the meeting held in Bahrain on Thursday, stating that the meeting could not establish legal order and security for the Persian Gulf. He posted on the social media platform X that security in this region will be guaranteed by stopping interference and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from this region. The above is a report from Voice of America.
You are listening to the Chinese broadcast of Voice of America, I am Lin Sen. As the United States welcomes its 250th anniversary of independence, bipartisan members of Congress are reviewing the history of the nation's founding and its founding spirit. From the historical significance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution to democratic institutions, religious freedom, and conservative values, members of both the Republican and Democratic parties shared the core values they believe the United States has inherited and upheld over the past 250 years. Let's listen to what the members of Congress have to say. The 250th anniversary, what a remarkable achievement. For 250 years, the U.S. Constitution has provided us with a solid foundation. I think of Thomas Jefferson, the true drafter of the Declaration of Independence. He was one of the few. John Kennedy once invited Nobel Prize winners to the White House and said, this is probably the most brilliant collection of talent at the White House since Thomas Jefferson dined alone. Just imagine, how fortunate we are to have the wisdom of the founding fathers, and the results over the past 250 years are obvious to all. The Declaration of Independence in spirit and the U.S. Constitution in law have together made us the greatest country on Earth. However, if we are to continue for another 250 years, we still face some challenges, because our constitutional republic is worth guarding. This is exactly the goal of our renewed efforts. 250 years, a brilliant achievement, let us continue to move forward. I think this is an opportunity, especially now, to look back at the sacrifices made to get us to where we are today. More importantly, as we celebrate this revolution with young people, I have visited various event sites and reminded everyone that they are already part of this revolution. The revolution continues; the 250th anniversary is not the end of our revolution, but a continuation. At the time, this was the only country in the world that put words into actual practice. Ideas about our country were widely circulated in political and philosophical speeches and texts, but no other country took that step to truly practice it. We did it. So I think we are proud of this, but we also realize that whether or not we hold high office in government, we are all guardians of this revolution. Each of us must participate in this ongoing revolution. This is exactly what I am thinking about. You know this is a continuation. I am first and foremost proud to be an American. I think this country is the greatest country in history. I am very happy to be able to participate in this 250th anniversary celebration. I came to Congress for my children and grandchildren, to continue to defend our conservative values. At the same time, I am excited about everything the President has done to ensure national security, revitalize the economy, and create a broader and brighter future.
Voice of America continues to broadcast Chinese programming. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The museum is exhibiting a rare portrait of Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish military leader who assisted American patriots during the American Revolutionary War. Listen to this report from Voice of America. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery recently exhibited a rare 18th-century portrait of the Spanish military general and American Revolutionary War hero Bernardo de Gálvez. Created in 1781, this oil painting was cherished in private hands for over four generations before finally arriving in Washington. Taína Caragol is the curator of painting and sculpture at the museum. The old portrait is closely tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States because it depicts a crucial historical figure who came from Spain yet helped American patriots win their independence from British rule. Caragol noted that Gálvez symbolizes Spain's contribution to American independence. This portrait allows us to see how regions outside the original 13 colonies, in what is now other parts of the United States, helped the American colonists win their independence at the time. In 1777, Gálvez assumed the office of Spanish Governor of Louisiana, a region then under Spanish control. He used his position and influence to provide support to the American revolutionary forces to the north. He shipped medical supplies, weapons, gunpowder, and other needed goods up the Mississippi River so that these supplies could reach the northern states and the patriots fighting on the front lines. Military historian Victor Davis Hanson stated that he helped open the Mississippi River so supplies could cross the mountains into the colonies, and blocked the British from entering ports in Florida, present-day Alabama, and areas extending all the way to New Orleans. The painter of this portrait is equally renowned; the work is by the Cuban artist Nicolás de Escalera, the first prominent Cuban painter whose works have survived to the present day. Thus, this is a work of art of immense significance in both history and art history. Caragol said that rare portraits like this act like an invitation, leading visitors deep into history. When you look at a person's portrait, you see their countenance—what they truly looked like—and you cannot help but transport yourself into that era, imagining their lives and the historical background of the time. Gálvez's portrait is being exhibited in the United States for the first time and is part of the National Portrait Gallery's ongoing exhibition of portraits from 1600 to 1900.
This is Voice of America's Chinese broadcast; welcome back. The U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau held an event to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. In addition to U.S. officials, Chinese and Hong Kong officials were also invited to attend. Listen to the report. From a classic Ford vintage car displayed outside the venue to the U.S. Marine Corps honor guard marching inside, the reception celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Hong Kong showcased a strong American flair, with one thousand guests in attendance, including several senior government officials. The Eastern Michigan University marching band performed; for some of the students, this was their first time traveling abroad. U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau Gregory May highlighted the connections between the people of Hong Kong and the United States. The exhibition showcased multiple historical moments, including a photograph of U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hong Kong's first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa meeting in 1998, after Hong Kong's sovereignty was transferred from Britain to China. Meanwhile, Eric Chan, Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, emphasized commercial ties between the two places. Last year, the number of U.S. companies in Hong Kong increased from nearly 1,400 to 1,550. U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau Gregory May stated that U.S.-China relations are among the most influential relationships in the world today. He said that the May summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Trump charted a course for both sides to continue dialogue despite challenges. U.S.-China relations are not always smooth sailing; sometimes we must manage differences and engage in dialogue on those issues. But precisely for this reason, maintaining openness, conducting constructive dialogue, and engaging in people-to-people exchanges are all the more important. Attendees came from all walks of life; this is a great event allowing people from the United States, Americans in Hong Kong, and local Hong Kong residents to interact with each other and meet people from all over the world, embodying people-to-people connections. China is stronger than ever, and universities are stronger than ever. I think now is an opportunity to look for new common goals and a shared mission, because no one is leaving here. The celebration brought American culture to Hong Kong, and Gregory May stated that her future focus will continue to be serving as a bridge to promote people-to-people exchanges. Reporting for Voice of America in Hong Kong, Nina Hachigian.
On the evening of July 1st, despite the scorching heat, thousands of fans still flocked to the fan zone of the World Cup in Washington to watch the US team's Round of 32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco. Despite suffering a major setback in the second half, the host US team ultimately fought hard and won 2-0. Listen to this report from Voice of America. Before the kickoff between the US and Bosnia and Herzegovina, a DJ got US fans jumping on the National Mall in Washington. In the fan zone co-hosted by FIFA and America250, the most enthusiastic celebration of the World Cup so far took place. This is really special, scenes like this are rare, so we want to enjoy the moment and witness the US team win and advance to the Round of 16. After singing the national anthem together, fans hoped the US team would score early again like in the group stage, but that did not happen. Sure enough, the US team scored, with forward Folarin Balogun giving the American hosts a 1-0 lead right before the end of the first half. The large crowd of American soccer fans gathered at the scene created a fantastic atmosphere. I never thought so many people in America would watch soccer, and it's great to see this. It's amazing how fast soccer is growing in the US. This is simply wonderful; although we are in the US, I have never seen everyone as united as today. We see crowds from different races, backgrounds, and ages, and seeing everyone united here is truly exciting. Balogun received a red card in the second half for a foul on a Bosnian player, leaving the US team with only 10 men. Excitement turned to frustration. It's terrible, we now have to hunker down and defend our lead. But maybe we can score even with fewer players, which is exactly what the fans expected. Relying on Malik Tillman's free kick for the second goal and the belief that the US team could still win even in adversity, as the final whistle blew, the US team won 2-0. People felt both relieved and filled with joy. There was even more dancing to celebrate. It's fantastic, I'm so glad to be here, the US won, and we are now in the capital, it's great, the Fourth of July is coming up. The US team just won its first World Cup knockout match in 24 years, and I think that's worth cheering for. Chant with me, I believe, I believe that we, I believe that we will win.
Please tune in to the Voice of America (VOA) Chinese broadcast from Monday to Friday at 6:00 PM Eastern Time, or Tuesday to Saturday at 6:00 AM Beijing Time. You are also welcome to visit the VOA Chinese website at voachinese.com and follow our social media platforms, including X, YouTube, and Facebook, for more news updates. China's Alibaba Group and its U.S.-based payment processor, AUS, have reached a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), agreeing to pay $600 million to settle allegations that the two companies failed to prevent the illegal sale of drugs, drug paraphernalia, and other illicit products. Here is the report from VOA. Alibaba operates one of the world's largest business-to-business online trading platforms, Alibaba.com, as well as the consumer-facing online trading platform AliExpress.com. AUS, formerly known as Alipay US, is a subsidiary of Ant Group, which operates Alipay, one of the world's largest mobile and digital payment platforms. In a statement, the DOJ said that Alibaba admitted that between January 2016 and December 2024, the company failed to prevent merchants on its Alibaba.com and AliExpress.com platforms from conducting approximately 80,000 transactions involving the export of products to the United States, including Class I and Class II cosmetics and drugs listed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), as well as equipment used to manufacture counterfeit drugs. These sales activities violated the FDCA and other federal laws, with the total transaction value exceeding $200 million. The DOJ stated that during the investigation, federal law enforcement conducted more than 40 undercover purchases involving drugs and counterfeit drug manufacturing equipment prohibited from import into the United States. The DOJ said that although Alibaba had policies restricting the sale of prohibited items on its Alibaba.com and AliExpress.com platforms, employees had raised concerns about the company's insufficient compliance controls and its failure to effectively prevent the sale and import of illegal products. In addition, Alibaba provided private instant messaging services within its platforms for merchants and buyers, which some merchants used to facilitate illegal transactions. In some cases, merchants even used Alibaba's messaging services to direct buyers to third-party encrypted communication platforms to conduct illegal transactions. The DOJ noted that by collecting various fees, Alibaba profited from the illegal activities of these merchants on Alibaba.com. The DOJ stated that AUS admitted that between January 2020 and December 2023, the company accepted payments denominated in U.S. dollars via credit cards and wire transfers through U.S. bank accounts, subsequently transferring the funds overseas to settle transactions for its clients. AUS admitted that its own transaction monitoring system had deficiencies and that its anti-money laundering compliance program failed to prevent some illegal transactions by Alibaba merchants. In some cases, AUS did not systematically restrict merchants identified as selling prohibited goods, but instead reported these merchants to Alibaba. In at least one instance, a merchant continued to sell prohibited products to U.S. buyers even after being investigated and reported by AUS. As part of the non-prosecution agreement, Alibaba and AUS admitted responsibility for the relevant actions of their officers, directors, employees, and agents. Alibaba agreed to pay a criminal fine of $125 million and forfeit $200 million. AUS agreed to pay a criminal fine of $85 million and forfeit $190 million. Furthermore, Alibaba and AUS agreed to strengthen their compliance systems and continue to cooperate with any ongoing or future criminal investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding this conduct. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the reasons for reaching a settlement with Alibaba and AUS included the companies' good-faith efforts to implement and improve compliance measures, their lack of prior criminal records, and their cooperation with the authorities' investigation and willingness to accept responsibility.
On June 25, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously passed a measure to significantly tighten regulation on submarine communication cables, which carry approximately 99% of global international internet traffic. Please listen to the report by Voice of America reporter Lin Feng. At the open meeting that day, the FCC passed the Second Report and Order by a 3-0 vote. The commissioners participating in the vote were Chairman Brendan Carr, Republican Commissioner Olivia Trusty, and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez. There are currently two vacant seats on the commission. This order extends the FCC's licensing jurisdiction for the first time to operators of submarine cable landing equipment. Landing equipment is the critical onshore facility that converts submarine cable signals into terrestrial network signals and is the most core component of the entire submarine cable system. Under the new framework, if a company's submarine cable application meets ten national security standards—including restrictions on foreign ownership, enhanced cybersecurity controls, and restrictions on specific capacity and leasing arrangements—it can generally be exempted from mandatory review by the Team Telecom, an interagency body responsible for conducting national security reviews of telecommunications projects. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and Google, owned by its parent company Alphabet, are expected to leverage the fast-track approval process to accelerate the expansion of submarine cable capacity to meet the growing data transmission demand driven by artificial intelligence applications. Carr stated in his release that we are in principle exempting cable applications from the comprehensive and time-consuming review, provided that such applicants prove they meet stringent security standards and agree to ongoing oversight and monitoring. The core message is simple: adopting strict national security standards is the only way to get applications approved quickly. Companies utilizing fast-track approval must also commit to preventing espionage and other security incidents, strictly comply with national security and data security requirements, and agree not to use foreign equipment that may pose security risks. The new rules extend further upon the FCC's related actions in 2025. Last year, the FCC already banned the use of equipment or services from entities on the Covered List in submarine cable facilities. Affected companies include Huawei, ZTE, China Telecom, and China Mobile. This new regulation expands the scope of the ban to cover major equipment produced by any entity controlled by a foreign adversary nation as defined by U.S. law, rather than being limited only to enterprises already named on the list. In addition, cable license holders and their customers will also be prohibited from entering into capacity lease agreements with entities on the Covered List. China was officially designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2020 as a foreign adversary alongside countries such as Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Cuba, pursuant to an executive order signed at the time by President Donald Trump. Based on this designation, any entity owned, controlled, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign adversary must undergo special review by the U.S. government in transactions involving information and communications technology and services. This means that even Chinese enterprises not listed on the Covered List will face barriers to entry under the new regulatory framework as long as equipment they produce is used in submarine cable systems. Over the past year and more, U.S. officials have continuously warned about the potential threats posed by China and Russia to the more than 400 submarine cables globally, which carry virtually all of the world's international internet traffic. The U.S. Department of Justice stated in 2021 that national security agreements regarding the submarine cables involving Google and Meta were necessary due to China's persistent efforts to acquire sensitive personal data of millions of Americans. The FCC stated that this regulatory adjustment is the commission's most significant upgrade in decades to submarine cable regulation, aimed at reinforcing what it describes as the most vulnerable links in the submarine cable network, while consolidating U.S. dominance in global submarine infrastructure amid accelerating data demand driven by artificial intelligence. The new rules will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Reported by Voice of America reporter Lin Feng from Washington.
Raymond Greene, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office, stated on July 2 that the war in Ukraine demonstrates how drones could change the rules of the battlefield, and he urged Taiwan to seize the current opportunity to build drones into Taiwan's next-generation representative industry. Listen to this report by Voice of America reporter Zhong Chenfang. Raymond Greene made the above remarks at the Taichung Drone Industry Business Opportunities Forum jointly organized by the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taichung City Government. Greene stated at the forum that, as seen from the war in Ukraine and the Middle East battlefield, a single new technology is sufficient to change the form of war and the geopolitical landscape. According to the Chinese and English speech transcripts released by the American Institute in Taiwan, Greene said that from the war in Ukraine and the Middle East battlefield, it can be clearly seen that people are standing at a turning point in history, where a single new technology can completely change the form of war and the geopolitical landscape. Drones not only bring brand new business opportunities, but are also an important opportunity to change the rules of the game, giving us the opportunity to enhance Taiwan's security and further consolidate peace throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Greene pointed out that last year Taiwan became the fourth largest trading partner of the United States. He stated that the United States has advantages in scale, capital, R&D capabilities, and market foundation, while Taiwan has advantages in precision manufacturing, engineering technology, and the semiconductor ecosystem. The above is all the content of the Voice of America Chinese broadcast, thank you for listening. You can also listen to the Voice of America Chinese broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Voice of America Chinese Department or on social media platforms such as Facebook. You can also search for Voice of America on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to our programs at any time. I am Lin Sen, see you in the next program.