Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (July 31, 2026)
This edition of Voice of America Chinese broadcasts covers multiple international and regional hot news items: the US military launched a new wave of strikes against Iran, triggering rumors of China-Iran arms deals and sanctions from the US Department of State; US and Chinese trade officials held a video call to follow up on commitments regarding rare earths and agricultural product procurement; the US FCC drew attention by adding equipment such as robots to the restricted list; bipartisan lawmakers in the US Senate and House successively introduced bills to curb China's gray zone harassment and made intensive visits to Taiwan; the 2026 Rim of the Pacific exercise was held in Hawaii, with a Japan Self-Defense Forces major general emphasizing the importance of cooperation; Russian forces launched missile and drone attacks on multiple locations in Ukraine, causing civilian casualties; Wall Street stocks closed significantly higher on Thursday driven by a rebound in chip stocks.
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The US military launched what the military called a new wave of fierce strikes against Iran on Thursday, responding to Iran's thwarted attack the previous day targeting US forces stationed in the region. The US Central Command said in a statement that the strikes were intended to further weaken the threat posed by Iran and its proxies to US forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries. Iranian state media reported that an attack on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz resulted in three deaths. The Iranian military launched its own attacks on Thursday, including an attack on a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait; the Kuwaiti military said the attack caused one worker's death and major damage. The Jordanian military said on Thursday that they intercepted five Iranian missiles. The conflict between the US and Iran flared up again this week after mediators had been working to promote a diplomatic end to the fighting that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The US and Iran reached a framework agreement in June to halt fighting and conduct further negotiations to address concerns over Iran's nuclear program and other issues. This conflict has caused the closure of shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz, a route that previously accounted for about 20 percent of the world's oil exports as well as the transportation of major bulk commodities such as natural gas and fertilizers.
Reuters, citing sources, reported that Iran, whose military facilities and defense infrastructure have been heavily battered by the US, has ordered hundreds of Chinese-made MANPADS air defense missile launchers and expects to receive the first shipment within weeks. Beijing called the reports groundless. US President Trump stated that if such a thing happened, he would be quite disappointed. He reiterated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has assured him that China will not provide weapons to Iran. Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing three sources, that the value of the procurement is between 60 million and 70 million US dollars, and the contract covers the purchase of 300 to 400 portable air defense systems, including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles. Anonymous sources told the news agency that the transaction was signed with Hong Kong-headquartered Zhongqingbao International Investment Company, which acts as an intermediary between the Iranian side and Chinese suppliers. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded at Thursday's regular press conference regarding this news, saying that the relevant reports do not match the facts and are completely groundless.
On Wednesday, when asked about the reports, US President Trump said that if such a thing were to happen, he would be surprised and quite disappointed. He reiterated that during his visit to Beijing this May, the Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him that China would not provide weapons to Iran. President Trump said that while such things do happen, that would be surprising. He told me very strongly that he would not participate, but he knew that otherwise I would be quite disappointed. Last Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social stating that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had both indicated to him that they would not sell weapons to Iran. His post stated that President Xi indicated to him during our recent meeting in Beijing, China, that under no circumstances would he provide or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran. This commitment also applies to Chinese enterprises; given our relationship, I believe his word, and additionally I have helped him a great deal. Similarly, President Putin—despite the ongoing brutal war in Ukraine and the continuation of our relationship, much like the relationship with President Zelensky—also indicated to him that he would not sell weapons to Iran. The post stated that Putin understood he did not sell weapons to Ukraine, but rather to NATO countries that paid in full, and he was unaware of how the weapons were subsequently distributed. Therefore, the two major powers frequently mentioned when discussing the Iranian issue do not appear to be involved, in my view; if they were truly involved, it would be very detrimental to them and certainly not in their best interest.
Meanwhile, the US Department of State issued a statement on Thursday announcing sanctions against six entities and individuals located in China, India, Russia, and Iran who assisted the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the Iranian regime, including entities supporting Mahan Air. Mahan Air is the preferred airline used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transport weapons, military personnel, and equipment. The action also targeted a front company associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that provided support for the Iranian military's target-locking operations by collecting location information on US and Israeli equipment in the Middle East region. The United States called on the international community, particularly businesses and individuals conducting operations with Mahan Air or any other sanctioned Iranian airline, to recognize the serious risks posed by continuing such cooperation. The State Department statement said the United States will continue to expose and counter entities that provide tools and information to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as the Corps uses these tools and information to threaten US personnel, US partners, and regional stability.
US and Chinese trade officials held a video call on Thursday. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disclosed the news on X on Thursday afternoon Eastern Time, stating that he and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this September. According to a White House briefing following the May meeting between President Trump and Xi, China committed to purchasing at least $17 billion of US agricultural products annually in 2026, 2027, and 2028. Regarding rare earths, China has agreed to address US concerns regarding shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals. Bessent also stated that in addition to hoping China fulfills its commitments on rare earths and agricultural products, the two sides also discussed how to implement the Trade and Investment Committee mechanism to ensure tangible progress in building a more balanced, fair, and constructive US-China economic relationship. The Trade and Investment Committee mechanism was one of the important outcomes achieved by the US and China during President Trump's visit to Beijing in May, aimed at managing the world's most important bilateral economic relationship and providing a structured consultation platform for officials from both sides to handle trade disputes, negotiate market access issues, and prevent miscalculations from escalating into crises.
On Tuesday, the US Federal Communications Commission, commonly referred to as the FCC, announced an update to its list of regulated equipment to include foreign-produced advanced robotic equipment and power inverters. The FCC noted that the reason for this update was that the US executive branch determined these devices pose a national security threat, with outside observers widely interpreting these measures as primarily targeting China. The FCC added two new categories of equipment to the updated list of regulated devices: first, advanced robotic equipment, including mobile robots such as humanoids and quadruped robots; and second, foreign-produced networked power inverters. In a press release, the FCC stated that an interagency body of the executive branch convened by the White House determined that, regardless of country of origin, these foreign-manufactured products pose an unacceptable risk to US national security or the safety of US citizens, including potential supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt the US economy and national security, as well as potential cybersecurity risks threatening US critical infrastructure. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr pointed out that this move aims to secure the safety of critical US supply chains.
Regarding the FCC's new ban, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on July 29 that China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. In response to the latest list announced by the FCC, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party John Moolenaar issued a statement praising the FCC's move for protecting the United States and strengthening its industrial strength. Moolenaar called on Congress to pass a bill he and two other representatives introduced on June 3, titled the Guarding Americans from Authoritarian Robotics Act, or the GART Act. The bill requires U.S. national security agencies to review humanoid and quadruped robots manufactured by adversaries and conduct national security risk assessments. Products deemed to pose an unacceptable national security risk will be placed on the FCC's list, thereby banning such machines from entering the United States. In his statement, Moolenaar urged Congress to establish the GART Act as federal law to prevent future administrations from easily changing it. Moolenaar also emphasized the importance of ensuring national security as robotics technology enters American homes and workplaces, stating, "We must keep out those Chinese robots that have backdoors and transmit sensitive data to the Chinese Communist Party to defend our national security." The FCC's new ban has caused a significant reaction in the U.S. robotics manufacturing industry. Evan Beard, CEO of the U.S. AI-native industrial robotics company Standard Bots, posted on the social media platform X, noting that this is one of the most significant technology security measures in modern U.S. history. According to a report by the U.S. political news website Politico on June 23, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told senior U.S. business executives at a closed-door meeting on June 22 that the Department of Commerce is closely scrutinizing the export of Chinese government-subsidized robotics products to the United States. Attendees revealed that Lutnick's remarks implied that the Department of Commerce might take tough action after the review is completed, which also reflects a new trend: beyond chips, the government is gradually viewing robotics technology as the next battlefield in the U.S.-China tech competition.
Two U.S. federal senators from the Republican and Democratic parties joined forces on July 29 to introduce a bipartisan proposal to monitor and curb China's gray zone harassment activities around Taiwan and in the broader Indo-Pacific region. The proposal, titled the Countering the People's Republic of China's Gray Zone Aggression Act, was jointly introduced by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn. The bill authorizes the U.S. Secretary of State to develop a strategy to strengthen monitoring of China's gray zone activities in the Indo-Pacific region and to identify relevant departments, programs, and actors to enhance oversight of the region. The bill also requires the establishment of a special task force responsible for developing and improving tools to counter gray zone operations, as well as assessing progress and establishing performance metrics to report results to Congress. In addition, the bill directs the State Department to explore other key areas of cooperation with allies, partners, and private sector stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific to strengthen collective capabilities to deter Chinese harassment and protect U.S. interests, the global economy, and regional stability.
In a press release, Duckworth stated that China's growing harassment in the Indo-Pacific not only affects our partners in the region but also threatens the economic and national security of the United States. She added that as China attempts to destabilize the region through its gray zone tactics, this bipartisan bill will help protect the U.S. by better coordinating with partners and deterring these actions that pose a real threat to our security. According to the bill, gray zone tactics refer to the maximum use of various means without engaging in open warfare, while avoiding military action to advance a nation's interests. In the press release, Blackburn accused China of using cyberattacks, economic coercion, information warfare, and other gray zone tactics to find new ways to evade detection and harm the interests of U.S. allies without resorting to open military conflict. She stated that this legislation will enhance our ability to counter the Chinese Communist Party's malicious geopolitical interests and its increasingly aggressive tactics in the Indo-Pacific. In Congress, Senator Duckworth has been pushing to counter the People's Republic of China's aggressive posture by strengthening coordination with Indo-Pacific partners, and she has visited Taiwan three times, including earlier this month. On July 6, Duckworth visited Taiwan and met with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and other leaders. During that visit, the Democratic senator said, "As a Pacific nation, we must continue to be a reliable partner to Taiwan; this is for their security, and it is also for our own security." Senator Blackburn also visited Taiwan in 2022. In a campaign ad released in July of this year, Blackburn said she would protect Tennessee's land from Chinese encroachment.
A bipartisan delegation of U.S. House representatives visited Taiwan on Thursday for a three-day trip, led by Representative Young Kim, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. During their stay, they will meet with senior Taiwanese leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations and important bilateral and regional issues. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) stated in a Facebook post that the congressional delegation led by California Republican Representative Young Kim is visiting Taiwan from July 30 to August 1 as part of a broader congressional tour of the Indo-Pacific region. Accompanying members include Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam, and Republican Representatives Michael Cloud and Randy Feenstra. The post noted that the delegation will hold a series of meetings with senior Taiwanese leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, and other key issues of mutual interest. This visit highlights the strengthening of U.S. political partnership with Taiwan and reaffirms the shared commitment of both sides to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement welcoming Young Kim and her delegation on the same day, stating that the group will meet with President Lai Ching-te and senior government officials during their stay in Taiwan to exchange views on U.S.-Taiwan economic and trade relations as well as regional security situations. The statement added that Chairwoman Young Kim has long focused on Indo-Pacific security and the promotion of U.S.-Taiwan partnerships. She has also actively advanced Taiwan-related legislation in the U.S. Congress, including the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act, the DETER Aggression against Taiwan Act, and a resolution countering the Chinese Communist Party's misinterpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, making her one of Taiwan's firmest friends in the U.S. Congress. In February of last year, Young Kim introduced House Resolution 148, which states that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 only recognizes the seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and does not address Taiwan's political status, and that China's confusion of this resolution with its one-China principle and U.S. one-China policy is harmful. Young Kim's delegation is the sixth group of U.S. lawmakers to visit Taiwan this year. Earlier this month, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth visited Taiwan. Two Democratic members of the House of Representatives, Lucy McBath, Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and another caucus member Valerie Foushee, visited Taiwan in June. In April, a Republican Study Committee delegation led by Republican Representative Zach Nunn and Republican Senator Jim Banks visited Taiwan respectively. In late March, a bipartisan Senate delegation was jointly led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican Senator John Curtis.
The 2026 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise is being held in Hawaii from June 24 to July 31, with more than 30 countries participating. Rear Admiral Takuo Kobayashi of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is leading the destroyer JS Kongo in the exercise and also serves as the deputy commander of the Combined Task Force for this year's RIMPAC. Voice of America reporter Wang Yuhe interviewed Rear Admiral Kobayashi in Hawaii on July 13, delving into the Indo-Pacific security situation, multinational joint operational capabilities, and the Taiwan Strait issue. He emphasized that no single country can solve all security problems on its own, and he also stressed that he was speaking strictly in his capacity as a Japanese naval officer. Japan has participated in RIMPAC since 1980. This year, Rear Admiral Takuo Kobayashi of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is leading the destroyer JS Kongo in the exercise. In his interview with VOA, he explained that the purpose of Japan's participation in RIMPAC this year is to improve the tactical proficiency of Japanese officers and sailors, and another goal is to strengthen partnerships among participating countries, including the United States. He said that RIMPAC covers a wide range of exercise areas, from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to maritime combat exercises, including anti-submarine warfare, air defense, special operations, and other projects. Kobayashi provided further clarification: before delving into tactical details like anti-submarine or integrated air defense, looking at it from an operational level, a very important point for me and our country is that, as you know, we have 30 participating countries, and we can communicate with partner countries and staff every day, so this kind of exchange and synergy makes our joint operational capabilities more mature, which is the primary core key. On the tactical level, the JS Kongo is participating in live-fire exercises or anti-submarine exercises including forward deployment, so exercises like this, which we can conduct through RIMPAC, are very close to real battlefield scenarios, so this is very important and valuable to us. Kobayashi further explained the importance of maintaining a free and open ocean to Japan. RIMPAC brings together many countries from the Indo-Pacific region. As you know, the Indo-Pacific region contributes 60% of the global GDP, and we have 60% of the world's population in this region, which means we are in a very critical area of the world. Therefore, it is very important to be able to bring many countries in the Indo-Pacific region together in Hawaii to conduct exercises, because as I mentioned earlier, through this exercise, we can improve our joint operational capabilities and partnerships. At the same time, such exercises also show the world our confidence that no single country can solve all security issues on its own. In recent years, consolidating our partnerships has been critical, strengthening our joint operational capabilities to address the many security issues in this region. Kobayashi emphasized that RIMPAC is crucial for Japan. There are still many security concerns in the region, including piracy or illegal fishing, and these problems must be addressed, but Japan cannot solve these problems on its own. It must gather partners and like-minded countries and strengthen mutual joint operational capabilities, which is why Japan participates in RIMPAC. Regarding China's missile test into the Pacific Ocean during RIMPAC on July 6, Kobayashi told VOA that, like the U.S. Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also closely monitoring the security situation around Japan and in the Indo-Pacific region. They have long been observing many situations occurring in this region and around Japan, and relevant security issues have indeed increased in the past two years. He said that for Japan, the United States, and all RIMPAC participants, the most important thing is the partnership integration and readiness demonstrated by this year's RIMPAC theme. He stated that this effort, built on the foundation of mutual respect and trust, will improve the security situation in the region.
Officials said on Thursday that Russia launched ballistic missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least 8 civilians, including children, and injuring more than 50 others. Meanwhile, NATO member Poland stated that debris found in a field indicated that a Russian cruise missile had entered its airspace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia launched more than 70 missiles and about 280 drones. Officials reported that in a village near Kryvyi Rih, a ballistic missile destroyed a house occupied by a large family, killing 6 people, including 3 adults and 3 children, while 2 other children were rescued from the rubble. Zelenskyy said it was an ordinary residential house blown to pieces by a ballistic missile, and Friday was declared a day of mourning. Police said that more than 56,000 people in Kyiv took shelter in subway stations overnight, and a ballistic missile strike killed a 31-year-old man. Officials in Lviv said a cruise missile strike injured about 30 people, including three children, and damaged two residential buildings, a school, and two kindergartens. A warehouse in the Poltava region was hit by a drone, resulting in one death. The Russian Ministry of Defense said its forces struck military factories, airbases, and logistics facilities in Kyiv, Lviv, and Kryvyi Rih, including drone and ballistic missile factories. In Poland, the military scrambled an F-16 fighter jet after tracking an object that later disappeared from radar. The Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported that investigators found a crater in a field in Lublin Province containing debris, indicating it was caused by a Russian KH-101 cruise missile. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called it a very serious incident but stated there was absolutely no reason to believe Poland was the target of the attack. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the incident demonstrates that strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities can be a guarantee of European security. Zelenskyy met with President Trump on Tuesday to seek permission to produce Patriot interceptor missiles; he again called for air defense supplies, noting that our partners are severely lacking in air defense missiles. Ukrainian Air Force data shows that of the more than 120 ballistic missiles launched by Russia this month, Ukraine shot down less than one-third. Meanwhile, the White House stated that as part of First Lady Melania Trump's family reunification initiative, five more Ukrainian and Russian children have been reunited with their families. Since this effort began in October 2025, about 30 Ukrainian children have been reunited with their families. She said, 'My representatives and I will continue to work with the Russian and Ukrainian governments to ensure the safe return of children to their families and communities.' A UN investigation in March found that Russia's deportation of Ukrainian children constitutes a crime against humanity. Wall Street stocks closed sharply higher on Thursday, with chip stocks rebounding strongly. Microsoft shares surged after the company released a bright earnings outlook, easing market concerns over the massive spending by tech giants on artificial intelligence infrastructure. The tech company expects quarterly revenue and cloud business growth to exceed market expectations, while announcing capital expenditures lower than analysts' estimates, and stated that it expects to continue maintaining cash flow generation capabilities in the newly begun 2027 fiscal year. Large-scale investments in artificial intelligence by major tech companies this year have left investors worried, and after Google parent company Alphabet and Tesla reported negative cash flow last week, it triggered a rush of selling in artificial intelligence concept stocks. Meanwhile, chip stocks have also been under pressure as investors began to question their high valuations. Meta Platforms shares fell after the social media giant reported a 91% plunge in second-quarter free cash flow, highlighting the financial pressure brought by its heavy investment in artificial intelligence. In contrast, Apple, which has not invested heavily in artificial intelligence, recently surpassed Nvidia to become the world's most valuable company. At Thursday's close, the S&P 500 index rose 1.1%, up 121.48 points, an increase of 1.66%; the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 2.78%; and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.19%.