VOA Chinese Broadcast (July 30, 2026)

This edition of Voice of America Chinese broadcasts covers multiple international and regional hot news items, mainly including US and Saudi military airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia groups inside Iraq and the escalation of the Middle East situation, the US Senate's confirmation of Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence, Pentagon officials stating that US-China military relations are stable, an earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan causing 14 deaths, progress in US-Taiwan drone and coast guard cooperation, former health official Fauci attending a congressional hearing, and multiple US members of Congress calling on China to release political prisoners such as Jin Mingri and Jimmy Lai.

Video Link:

Full Text:

US and Saudi Arabian forces launched airstrikes on July 29 against Iranian-backed militia groups in eastern Iraq. Meanwhile, Jordan intercepted an Iranian drone, and Iran stated that its forces opened fire on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. This sudden outbreak of combat broke a days-long calm, which US officials had previously said left room for negotiations. The US Central Command stated that these Iranian-backed militia groups had received instructions to attack US and Saudi energy infrastructure and had launched more than 30 drone attacks over the past three days. Saudi Arabia stated that its airstrikes carried out inside Iraq were an act of self-defense. In a statement, the Saudi government said that the Kingdom reaffirms it has no intention of escalating the situation; however, if subjected to any further attacks, Saudi Arabia will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and protect its citizens and national assets. The Iraqi government condemned the airstrikes launched by the US and Saudi Arabia, calling these actions a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, while also calling on armed groups within its territory to stop attacking Iraq's neighbors. The US military also stated that US forces intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran and described these actions as an attempted surprise attack against US forces stationed in the Middle East.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence on July 28. Following Tulsi Gabbard's resignation in June of this year, the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies thus welcomed their first official leader. The Senate confirmed the nomination by a vote of 51 to 47, with voting largely falling along party lines; Republican senators supported Trump's nominee, while members of the Democratic caucus cast votes against him. The Senate had already advanced the nomination on Monday in a procedural vote of 51 to 43, following the Senate Intelligence Committee's 9-to-8 vote on July 21 recommending the approval of Clayton's nomination. Clayton, 60, currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously served as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission during President Trump's first term. He was previously an attorney at the Sullivan & Cromwell law firm, with areas of expertise including corporate mergers and acquisitions and capital raising. President Trump praised the Senate's passage of the nomination on his Truth Social platform, saying that Clayton will perform exceptionally well as Director of National Intelligence. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California stated on the day of Clayton's nomination that Clayton's resume showed a concerning lack of experience in the intelligence community. Clayton's supporters stated that he had handled enough national security matters during his tenure as Manhattan U.S. Attorney to qualify him for the post. Some Democrats initially welcomed the nomination; House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes of Connecticut once said that Clayton's intelligence, temperament, and steadfast dedication to public service would make him an exceptional Director of National Intelligence. However, these endorsements vanished after the July 15 nomination hearing, during which Clayton repeatedly refused to explicitly state that Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election, saying only that the election results were certified as a victory for Biden. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia said he was deeply disappointed by this, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called Clayton's performance at the hearing terrible.

A Pentagon official said that current U.S.-China military relations are the most stable they have been in recent years. The official attended an event held by the Chinese Embassy in the United States on the night of July 28 in Washington and delivered a speech upon invitation. Alvaro Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, attended the event held by the Chinese Embassy to celebrate the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, and delivered a speech regarding defense relations between the U.S. and China. According to the text of the speech released by the Pentagon, Smith said that today U.S.-China military relations are in their most stable period in recent years. Under the leadership of the Secretary of Defense, we are actively repairing once-interrupted military-to-military channels and have made clear and steady progress, of which my presence here today is proof. The Pentagon official said the Department of Defense has adopted a new approach to military relations built on candid respect and clear dialogue, genuinely committed to de-escalating tensions while continuing to advance our priorities. The official continued that this is how two powerful militaries should engage, and over the past year and a half, we have made that a reality. Smith told Chinese officials, including Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng and Senior Colonel Liu Zhan, the defense attache, that at the Department of Defense, we view the world as it actually is, not as we wish it to be, pursuing a flexible and pragmatic realist approach with a clear-sighted perspective, which is vital to advancing our critical national interests.

Severe damage caused by the earthquake could still be seen in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on July 29. Following a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1 the previous day, the death number had risen to 14, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized that they were racing against time to carry out rescue efforts. The main hall of Yatsushiro Shrine in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, collapsed, and many citizens came to check the disaster situation. This main hall was built in 1883 and has a history of more than 140 years. Surveyors assessed the damage to local temples while post-disaster cleanup work continued to unfold. Judging by this degree of damage, it is likely to be judged as a total loss, and I believe there is no possibility of repair. Local residents recalled the situation at the time of the earthquake: I was working at the time, inside a car, and suddenly felt a very strong shaking. Utility poles and buildings collapsed one after another, and I realized the situation was very dangerous, so I immediately rushed home, and have since been continuously engaged in post-disaster cleanup work. Speaking of the devastated scene before his eyes, he said that of course he felt sad, but everyone is pulling together to participate in post-disaster recovery, and I have had almost no time to think about anything else, only hoping that everything can return to normal as soon as possible. The epicenter of this earthquake was located about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, the largest city in Kyushu, which has a population of about 700,000. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that stronger aftershocks may still occur in areas with higher seismic intensity within the next week, and the public also needs to watch out for secondary disasters such as landslides.

After a few days of calm, the Middle East conflict has escalated again, causing global oil prices to rise and stock markets to show mixed performance. Previously, U.S. officials had stated that this period of calm provided space for diplomatic negotiations. On July 29, U.S. and Saudi forces launched airstrikes against an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Iraq. At the same time, Jordan intercepted Iranian drones, and Iran stated that it had opened fire on ships sailing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil and maritime trade passes. With the risk of prolonged energy market disruptions and rising inflation, the international benchmark Brent crude price rose by more than 5% to $86.79 per barrel. Influenced by the Middle East conflict and declining inventories, the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude price rose 0.67% to $84.60 per barrel. The highly anticipated U.S. Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision later on Wednesday. CME Group, which operates the world's largest derivatives market, stated that the Fed is likely to keep interest rates unchanged, although some traders believe the possibility of a rate hike still exists.

There has been new progress in U.S.-Taiwan cooperation on drones. U.S. defense technology company Shield AI and Taiwan drone manufacturer Thunder Tiger Corporation demonstrated the Seashark unmanned surface vessel (USV) equipped with Shield AI's Hivemind autonomous software in southern Taiwan on July 29, showcasing autonomous collaborative operations between unmanned vessels to drive away a target ship. Thunder Tiger's Seashark 800 and 600 USVs, equipped with Shield AI's Hivemind autonomous software, demonstrated in Dapeng Bay, Pingtung, Taiwan, on July 29 that they can achieve formation coordination with the assistance of AI systems to effectively intercept invading surface vessels and jointly complete various tasks. Thunder Tiger Chairman Chen Guan-ru stated that Taiwan's vast surrounding waters make autonomous swarm operations increasingly important. U.S.-based Shield AI specializes in developing AI pilot systems and autonomous vehicles, which are designed to execute tasks with minimal human intervention through collaborative operations between unmanned vessels. The company's Asia Government Relations Director, Chen Yi-ru, stated that software-defined capabilities are a key element of future defense policy. "I think what we are doing here is helping to upgrade or enhance defense capabilities. By combining and integrating software with these hardware platforms, we see a huge return on investment." This is the first public demonstration since the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in May. Beyond unmanned vessels, U.S. defense company Kratos also promoted the Hummingbird 4 drone system, developed in cooperation with Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, on the X platform earlier this month, preparing to enter the international market.

Anthony Fauci, a former senior U.S. health official who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, attended a hearing in July after receiving a subpoena from Republican Senator Rand Paul, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Fauci accused Paul of attempting to send him to prison and invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during the hearing, refusing to answer more than a hundred questions from senators present. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul asked Dr. Fauci, "The American people want to know your reasoning. Why did you decide to fund this research in Wuhan? Intelligence agencies such as the CIA, FBI, and the Department of Energy have all concluded that the virus is more likely to have come from a Wuhan laboratory, so we want to know what the reasoning was at the time, what discussions took place, what led to the decision to fund the Wuhan research, why you thought a totalitarian state could conduct such research in a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory—a laboratory lacking adequate safety protections—what was the basis for your judgment, and whether you regret the decision you made at the time. If you were given another chance, would you say that looking back now, combined with what I know today, perhaps that was not a wise decision? Can you explain to this committee why you decided to fund China to conduct this dangerous research?" Dr. Fauci replied, "On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer that question and exercise my right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

Turning to the three major stock markets on July 29, the indices fell sharply. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.19%, the S&P 500 index fell 1.52%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index fell 1.74%.

Multiple bipartisan members of the U.S. Congress stated that while the recent release of Pastor Jin Mingri of the Beijing Zion Church and his reunion with his family in the United States is a gratifying development, a large number of political prisoners, religious prisoners of conscience, and rights defenders remain imprisoned in China. On July 27, senior Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa addressed the Senate floor, welcoming Jin Mingri's release and calling it an important achievement resulting from the international community's long-term attention to the case, proving that persistent human rights advocacy can have a practical effect. However, Grassley emphasized that Jin Mingri's release cannot mask the reality of China's ongoing suppression of religious freedom and human rights violations. Grassley stated that under a communist regime, any belief system that places moral authority above the government and fosters communities independent of government control poses a challenge to those in power. He added, I do not understand how preaching love for Jesus Christ could pose a threat to any communist regime, but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) thinks so; therefore, the CCP attempts to control religion through state-sanctioned religious organizations. Today, Chinese authorities continue to suppress independent churches and target anyone who gathers for worship outside of state-approved institutions. Grassley pointed out that the United States has long made religious freedom an important component of its foreign policy and called on the international community to continue paying attention to Chinese house church believers, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kong democracy activists, and all others suffering political persecution, while continuing to pressure Beijing. On July 3 of this year, Pastor Jin Mingri of the Beijing Zion Church was released after being detained for nearly 10 months and was permitted to travel to the U.S. to reunite with his family. During his visit to China in May, U.S. President Donald Trump raised the case of Jin Mingri with Chinese President Xi Jinping, hoping Beijing would allow his release. Senate Minority Whip and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois delivered a speech on the Senate floor on July 27, recalling his recent meeting with Jin Mingri in Washington, stating that he was deeply moved by the pastor finally regaining his freedom after 266 days of imprisonment. Durbin noted that Jin Mingri's prison conditions were extremely harsh, and while he welcomed the Chinese government's release of Pastor Jin, this is only the beginning, and Beijing should release more people who have been wrongfully detained. Durbin called on the Beijing government to release the remaining eight members of the Zion Church, including Yin Huibin, Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng, Wang Cong, Wu Qiuyu, and Wang Zhong. In addition, Durbin called on the Chinese government to release Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Hong Kong Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, Pastor Gao Quanfu of the Xi'an Light of the City Church and his wife Pang Yu, and Uyghur businessman Ekpar Asat. Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington this September, and Durbin stated that if Beijing could release more political prisoners before Xi's visit to the U.S., it would send a positive signal to the international community. Durbin said that if the Chinese government could take this action before President Xi's visit to the U.S. in September, it would be a welcome move. In recent years, the U.S. Congress has continued to promote individual cases of Chinese political prisoners in a bipartisan manner. Lawmakers have urged the U.S. government to continue pressuring Beijing on human rights issues and to raise specific cases during high-level U.S.-China contacts by holding hearings, introducing resolutions, and sending joint letters to the executive branch. In April of this year, Senator Durbin and Republican Senator Ted Cruz led a group of bipartisan senators in introducing a resolution calling on the U.S. President to prioritize the release of political prisoners and religious figures, including Jin Mingri, Jimmy Lai, Gao Quanfu and his wife, and Gulshan Abbas, during future meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. After his release, Jin Mingri arrived in Washington and met with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and several other members of Congress over the past two weeks. In a statement issued after the meeting, Cruz stated that the Chinese Communist Party fears what it cannot control, and perhaps what it fears most is faith in God. He also expressed to the Christians still suffering persecution in China that we have not forgotten you, and we will continue to speak out for you.

As Beijing authorities continuously step up activities around Taiwan's surrounding waters and conduct gray-zone harassment against Taiwan, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has rarely and publicly disclosed the cooperative relationship between the United States Coast Guard and the Taiwan Coast Guard, along with a photo of their patrol vessels sailing together. On July 28, in a Chinese-language post on its social media platform Facebook, the American Institute in Taiwan stated that as the typhoon season arrives, the United States Coast Guard and the Taiwan Coast Guard are closely coordinating on multiple shared maritime objectives, including search and rescue, tropical storm defense, disaster relief, marine resource conservation, combating illegal fishing, and intercepting maritime drug smuggling. The U.S. thanked Taiwan for its partnership in maritime security and continues to support Taiwan in making substantive contributions to global issues, including maritime law enforcement exchanges and international cooperation. The post also attached a photo showing the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett sailing alongside the Taiwan Coast Guard vessel Taipei, though it did not specify the date and location of the photo. In response to the AIT's Facebook post, Kuan Bi-ling, Chairperson of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, subsequently posted on her own Facebook account, stating that AIT's proactive disclosure of the cooperation and the release of the images this time are of profound significance. The post stated that at a time when China uses fake law enforcement to disrupt and undermine the rules-based international order under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to provoke regional peace, he believes AIT's disclosure this time is profoundly significant, representing a new measure by the U.S. side to demonstrate its determination to maintain the security and peace of the Western Pacific. Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan and does not recognize Taipei's sovereignty claims or maritime jurisdiction. Since two Chinese citizens drowned after falling into the restricted waters near Kinmen while evading pursuit by Taiwan Coast Guard personnel in 2024, the China Coast Guard began routine patrols in the waters around Kinmen controlled by Taiwan. Last month, the China Coast Guard conducted what it called law enforcement patrols in the waters east of Taiwan, drawing concern from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to which Taiwan authorities strongly investigated, stating that China has no jurisdiction over these waters. Beijing authorities stated that this was a response to the initiation of maritime resolution negotiations between the Philippines and Japan. Kuan Bi-ling said that this disclosure by the American Institute in Taiwan fully demonstrates that the U.S. side truly understands that the Taiwan Coast Guard is the sole law enforcement agency in Taiwan's waters, and the sole partner for maritime law enforcement cooperation in Taiwan's waters is the Taiwan Coast Guard. Kuan Bi-ling's post also attached a photo of the Taiwan Coast Guard vessel Taipei sailing alongside the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett, adding the text "shoulder to shoulder," though differing from AIT's photo in that the vessel Taipei was positioned ahead of the Midgett. On July 28, Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council Coast Guard Administration stated regarding AIT's post mentioning that the U.S. Coast Guard and the Taiwan Coast Guard are closely coordinating multiple shared maritime objectives that, based on the coast guard cooperation memorandum of understanding signed between Taiwan and the U.S., the Coast Guard Administration continues to maintain close cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, continuously strengthening bilateral exchanges and interactions on issues such as joint maritime search and rescue, cracking down on smuggling crimes, combating illegal fishing, marine environmental protection, and professional education and training, moving toward becoming a comprehensive partner. The Coast Guard Administration's statement said that recently, the Coast Guard and the U.S. side jointly cooperated to crack down on a high-end chip smuggling case, preventing high-end chips from becoming a tool for military authoritarian expansion, further demonstrating the close partnership between the U.S. and Taiwan. The extensive cooperation between the two sides in the Taiwan Strait and Western Pacific waters has achieved remarkable results, not only enhancing maritime law enforcement and response capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region but also ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Western Pacific region. The United States Coast Guard is a component of the United States armed forces, falling under the management of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy to undertake combat missions in wartime. As China Coast Guard vessels increasingly frequently operate in the South China Sea and other disputed waters surrounding China, the United States Coast Guard has also stepped up its activities in Asia in recent years. Since 2020, it has increasingly deployed coast guard forces to the Western Pacific region to counter China's gray-zone strategy. U.S. Coast Guard cutters have repeatedly conducted freedom of navigation operations through the Taiwan Strait alongside U.S. Navy destroyers. The United States Coast Guard stated that over the past 150 years, the Coast Guard has played an enduring role in the Indo-Pacific region, and deploying Coast Guard resources locally directly supports U.S. Indo-Pacific foreign policy and U.S. national security goals.