Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (September 19, 2026) US-Iran conflict remains unresolved, another tanker attacked in the Strait of Hormuz; Russia holds first wartime parliamentary election, Ukrainian civilians killed in Russian airstrikes; US ambassador to the Philippines condemns China Coast Guard for ramming Philippine vessel, while Beijing claims the Philippine side intentionally collided
This episode covers multiple international and regional hot-button news stories, including Russian airstrikes on Ukraine and the holding of Ukraine's first wartime parliamentary election; another tanker attack in the Strait of Hormuz and developments in the US-Iran conflict; Taiwan's joint precision missile live-fire drills; the Philippines accusing the China Coast Guard of intentionally ramming a Philippine government vessel in the South China Sea, with Beijing refuting the claims; the US Department of Justice seeking to forfeit $61 million in cryptocurrency related to Iranian black-market oil sales and Chinese companies; the European Parliament passing multiple Taiwan-related resolutions emphasizing all-society resilience; and India approving its first dengue vaccine to combat a severe epidemic.
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Hello, dear listeners and friends. Welcome to Voice of America's Mandarin broadcast. I am Lin Sen, broadcasting to you from the US capital, Washington.
Today's main news includes: Russian launched new attacks on Ukraine resulting in three deaths, while Russia began its first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A maritime security agency reported that another tanker attack occurred in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, September 18. The Philippine Coast Guard accused a China Coast Guard ship of intentionally ramming a Philippine government vessel in disputed waters of the South China Sea on September 18, causing damage to onboard facilities. New York federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit involving Iran, seeking to confiscate approximately $61 million worth of cryptocurrency, which is reportedly linked to Chinese companies. For more news, stay tuned to Voice of America's Mandarin broadcast.
Officials stated that Russian attacks on Ukraine from the night of Thursday, September 17 to the early hours of Friday resulted in three deaths, as Russia simultaneously began its first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The voting will last for three days. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine stated on the social media platform Telegram that an attack in the Zhytomyr region west of Kyiv caused fires in warehouses and production facilities, resulting in two deaths and two injuries, with rescuers forced to evacuate amid repeated air raid sirens. The emergency service stated that a drone struck a railway station in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, killing one person and injuring six on a suburban electric train, and setting two carriages on fire. Another drone destroyed a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia, injuring one person. Additionally, Serhiy Lysak, head of the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, stated on Telegram that a drone struck an administrative building in downtown Odesa on Friday afternoon.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian forces struck Ukrainian ports, vessels, and logistics facilities, including a bulk carrier located in Chornomorsk and a logistics center of the Nova Poshta company on the outskirts of Odesa, which Moscow claimed was used to store military supplies from Europe. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian air defense forces shot down 629 Ukrainian drones overnight across 14 different regions, Crimea, and over the Azov and Black Seas. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that more than 350 drones headed toward the capital, 64 of which were shot down. Rostov Oblast Governor Yury Slyusar stated that some houses in the region were damaged, but there were no casualties. Meanwhile, voting for elections to the State Duma began on Friday, with critics pointing out that due to the lack of a genuine opposition, the Kremlin is almost certain to maintain its dominant position in the 450-seat State Duma.
A maritime security agency reported that another oil tanker attack occurred in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, September 18, as the shadow of uncertainty triggered by the US-Iran conflict continued to hang over energy markets. Listen to this report from Voice of America. Oil prices retreated slightly on Friday, with the international benchmark Brent crude trading at $102 per barrel, while the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell to less than $100 per barrel after surging 3% on Wednesday. According to the media outlet Axios, as events evolved this way, US President Donald Trump stated that the conflict with Iran is entering a critical juncture regarding whether to resume military strikes against Iran to end the conflict.
Citing a company security official, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an unidentified vessel was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire on board that has since been extinguished. The agency reported that all crew members are safe and sound, while the environmental impact remains unconfirmed at this time. This is the second attack on a commercial vessel in three days confirmed by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The United Nations maritime agency announced this week that since the escalation of the Middle East conflict on February 28, at least 80 attacks on shipping have occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 seafarers. The International Maritime Organization stated that an attack launched by Houthi forces in Yemen on August 11 against a commercial vessel also resulted in the deaths of 4 seafarers. A temporary peace agreement signed by the US and Iran three months ago collapsed on July 7 after Iran attacked 3 vessels within 24 hours. To retaliate against Tehran's attacks on shipping, the United States reimposed a maritime blockade on Iranian ports starting July 14. US Central Command stated that as of September 17, its forces had guided 104 commercial vessels to reroute to ensure the strict enforcement of the blockade measures. The US military also confirmed on September 9 that in response to an attempt by Iran to attack US warships, US forces destroyed 10 Iranian oil tankers. President Trump stated in an interview published by Axios that he must decide whether to escalate the conflict with Iran or seek dialogue.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te traveled to a missile base in Pingtung, Taiwan, on Friday, September 18, to inspect the joint precision missile firing exercise involving the army, navy, and air force. Lai affirmed the results of the drill, stating that it demonstrates Taiwan's capability to defend national sovereignty and maintain regional peace and stability. Listen to the report. A live-fire sinking drill similar to the US Rim of the Pacific exercise also appeared during Taiwan's three-day joint precision missile firing drill of the armed forces. According to a press release issued by the Office of the President of Taiwan, President Lai Ching-te visited Pingtung on the morning of September 18 to inspect the joint precision missile firing of the armed forces and expressed affirmation of the drill's results. This firing exercise covered multiple domestically produced and US-made missiles and rockets in Taiwan, including Hsiung Feng missiles and HIMARS, as well as attack drones currently being developed by Taiwan. According to Taiwanese media reports, as Taiwan's armed forces successively launched precision missiles into the drills, China simultaneously dispatched military aircraft, drones, and warships to operate in the waters surrounding Taiwan, attracting attention.
On Friday, September 18, the Philippine Coast Guard accused a Chinese Coast Guard vessel of deliberately ramming a Philippine government ship in disputed waters of the South China Sea, causing damage to the vessel's facilities. China, in turn, accused the Philippine ship of suddenly changing course and initiating the collision. Here is a report from Voice of America. The Philippine Coast Guard stated that the BRP Datu Magay, belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, was approximately 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan province, delivering and distributing fuel to Filipino fishermen. The Philippine side claimed that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel engaged in dangerous maneuvers multiple times before colliding with the Philippine ship, causing railings to bend and detach, and damaging metal supports on the deck. Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows crew members shouting to prepare for a collision moments before impact. In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard said the Chinese Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed a civilian government ship that was performing humanitarian and livelihood assistance missions.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson subsequently posted on X, stating that the United States strongly condemns the Chinese Coast Guard's deliberate ramming of a Philippine fisheries vessel near Sabina Shoal, just 54 miles off the coast of Palawan. The China Coast Guard claimed that the Philippine vessel ignored multiple warnings from the Chinese side, suddenly accelerated, and cut across the bow of the Chinese Coast Guard ship, placing full responsibility for the collision on the Philippine side. China stated that the actions taken by the China Coast Guard were professional, standardized, and lawful. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs further accused the Philippine vessel of provocation and causing trouble in the waters near Sabina Shoal during a regular press conference on Friday, seriously threatening the safety of Chinese personnel and ships. He demanded that the Philippines immediately stop its infringement and provocations at sea, stop spreading false narratives to invert black and white, and stated that China will continue to defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Public footage shows the collision between the two ships and damage to the Philippine vessel, but it is impossible to independently determine the complete navigation trajectories and responsibility of both parties before the collision based solely on existing footage.
At the invitation of President Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, will visit the White House for the third time on September 24, and President Trump will host a state dinner in their honor. What role does the First Lady of the United States play on such important occasions as state visits? Please listen to the report by VOA reporter Huang Yaoyi. Whenever a foreign head of state visits the White House, numerous ceremonial activities, including state dinners, are coordinated by the Office of the First Lady, and First Ladies often use their ingenuity to add highlights to busy state affairs. The menu I am holding, written in both Chinese and English, is from the state dinner hosted by President Jimmy Carter on January 29, 1979, for Deng Xiaoping, then First Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, and his wife Zhuo Lin. Mrs. Carter, Rosalynn, meticulously prepared the menu written in calligraphy in both Chinese and English; the appetizer was seafood rolls, the main course was roast beef tenderloin, and dessert included chocolate and coffee. Afterward, Rosalynn arranged for the guests to watch a performance at the Kennedy Center. The diplomatic work of the First Lady is also reflected in her attire. In 1972, President Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit China, and the clever Mrs. Nixon, Pat, specially wore a red dress symbolizing good fortune. It was also because Pat told Zhou Enlai that she thought pandas were cute that Zhou Enlai promised on the spot to gift two pandas, thus initiating U.S.-China panda diplomacy. First Lady diplomacy requires careful thought, combining the background and culture of the visiting guests. In September 2015, at the invitation of President Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the White House, and Mrs. Obama, Michelle, took Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, to the Washington Zoo to name a panda cub that had been born four weeks earlier. In April 2017, President Trump invited Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan to Mar-a-Lago in Florida for a summit, and Mrs. Trump, Melania, took Peng Liyuan to visit the nearby Bak Middle School of the Arts, which teaches music, dance, and other art courses; Peng Liyuan once studied at the China Conservatory of Music.
Anita McBride has served in the White House since the Reagan administration and once served as the Director of the Office of the First Lady for former First Lady Laura Bush. From the first First Lady, Martha Washington, to the current First Lady, Melania Trump, there is a thread that runs through all First Ladies, and that is the diplomatic function—acting as a representative of the United States to the world, particularly being responsible for receiving foreign guests and world leaders at the White House. Therefore, this diplomatic function, which might be called a form of soft power, is particularly important. When President Trump visited China in May of this year, Mrs. Trump, Melania, did not accompany him. How she will receive Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan during this visit to the White House, where the state dinner will be held, and where she will take Peng Liyuan to visit are all worth looking forward to.
As U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet in Washington next week, religious freedom groups in the U.S. hope to bring China's religious and human rights issues onto the agenda of the "Trump-Xi meeting," and are calling on Beijing to release individuals imprisoned for exercising their freedom of religious belief and speech. Let's listen to the report by VOA reporter Xu Xiangyun. Here at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Trump, representatives from various religious groups in Washington gathered at an event on Thursday to share their experiences and demands. The organizers stated that choosing to hold this event before Xi's visit to the U.S. is intended to bring the issues of religious freedom and persecution in China onto the agenda of the "Trump-Xi meeting," calling on Trump to demand the release of those imprisoned for exercising their freedom of religious belief and speech during his meeting with Xi. Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, stated at the event that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is extremely repressive toward all religious groups, which is completely unacceptable to those who love freedom. At the same time, China is one of the largest trading partners, and the funds used for trade with China are subsequently used for oppression within China. Brownback said that Trump is one of the few U.S. presidents to openly take a tough stance on China, and if the Chinese government does not stop the persecution of people of religious faith, U.S.-China economic relations may face greater pressure.
Pastor Jin Mingri, who was imprisoned by the Chinese government for 266 days, was released on the eve of U.S. Independence Day this year. One attendee said he was imprisoned in China for five years for practicing Falun Gong, during which time he was forced to engage in manual labor to produce slave-labor goods. The attendee emphasized that the brutal persecution of Falun Gong is closely related to everyone's life, and as a leader of the Western world, the U.S. should seize this opportunity to curb the rise of the human-rights-abusing CCP as soon as possible, and place human rights issues in a higher position than economic, political, and other issues. Hong Kong activist Frances Hui focused on Hong Kong media figure Jimmy Lai, hoping that Lai's case could be actively prioritized and that efforts could be made to rescue him. The attendees hope that President Trump will place these individual cases and broader issues of religious freedom and human rights on the diplomatic agenda during the "Trump-Xi meeting."
Regarding the stock market, on Friday, the three major stock indices saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall by 0.19%, the S&P 500 index rise by 0.16%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index rise by 0.39%.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit this week involving Iran, seeking to seize approximately $61 million in cryptocurrency, emphasizing that these funds are related to Iran's illegal sale of crude oil on the black market and money laundering through two Chinese companies. Let's listen to the VOA report. Deputy U.S. Attorney Shawn Buckley stated when announcing the lawsuit on September 14 that today's action demonstrates our resolve to cut off the illegal funding sources that the Iranian government and its terrorist proxies rely on. He said these funds are used to threaten the lives and safety of citizens in the U.S. and other regions. Buckley said the Iranian government relies on selling sanctioned crude oil on the black market to fund its military activities and fuel terrorism in the Middle East and globally. Furthermore, these funds are also used for other malicious purposes, including developing nuclear programs and ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. James Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office, said that today's indictment demonstrates the FBI's ability to track the flow of funds, dismantle illegal schemes, and cut off the flow of cryptocurrency to any government attempting to evade sanctions or engage in terrorist activities.
The indictment submitted by prosecutors to the court pointed out that the Iranian government utilized a network composed of cryptocurrency-related parties in China and other regions to launder over $1.5 billion in illegal oil funds, which were intended to help the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated as a terrorist organization. Two Chinese companies named Blessed Trust and Hexawell were accused of using trading accounts at the UAE-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Binance to launder proceeds from the black market sales of Iranian oil, and channeling the illegal funds to the Iranian government, its proxies, or entities directed by it, to fund the Iranian government's terrorism and other activities. Blessed Trust claimed to be a wealth management or virtual asset custody service company, but in reality, it accepted and transferred sales proceeds from Iranian crude oil and petroleum products, and provided fiat-to-crypto on-ramps. Hexawell claimed to be a commodity brokerage company, but actually provided services similar to Blessed Trust and operated in coordination with Blessed Trust and its affiliates. Clients of Blessed Trust and Hexawell included companies in China's petroleum and petroleum products industry. According to the indictment, a series of interconnected unhosted cryptocurrency addresses collectively received and distributed approximately $1.5 billion in illegal sales proceeds from Iranian oil, funneling the oil sale proceeds to money service businesses associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, related cryptocurrency addresses, and an Iranian cryptocurrency exchange. Blessed Trust and Hexawell concealed the nature, source, and ownership of the related funds through meticulously designed and executed transactions and cryptocurrency addresses.
The European Parliament successively passed two resolutions this week on strengthening European resilience, countering foreign interference, and hybrid attacks involving information manipulation, affirming Taiwan's experience in resisting China's hybrid attacks with whole-society resilience, and calling on the EU and Taiwan to regularly exchange views on security issues and expand cooperation in strengthening resilience and high-tech fields. Listen to this report by Voice of America reporter Zhong Chenfang. On Wednesday, the European Parliament passed the resolution titled "Hybrid Warfare and the Protection of EU Territorial Integrity and Central Security and Defense Infrastructure," which includes provisions regarding Taiwan's defense resilience and expanding cooperation with Taiwan. The resolution noted that the European Parliament is aware of Taiwan's rich experience in combating China's hybrid attacks, foreign interference, and information manipulation, and appreciates Taiwan's comprehensive resilience model, including the establishment of the Whole-Society Defense Resilience Committee, large-scale civil defense training, cooperation with civil society organizations, digital resilience networks, and public preparedness initiatives. The resolution emphasized that Taiwan's experience shows societal resilience is not secondary to defense, but rather a core pillar of national security. The resolution called on the EU and its Taiwanese counterparts to regularly exchange views on relevant security issues and enhance mutual cooperation, including countering foreign interference, information manipulation, and cognitive warfare, protecting critical infrastructure and submarine cables, and strengthening whole-society resilience between the EU and Taiwan. The resolution called on the EU to expand trade and industrial cooperation with Taiwan, particularly concerning the resilience and security of critical infrastructure and supply chains, including 5G and 6G telecommunications equipment, drones, and high-tech components and strategic technologies for dual-use projects. It also emphasized the necessity of providing satellite resilience connectivity and secure infrastructure services to Taiwan and Ukraine. Additionally, the resolution called on the EU to strengthen cooperation with like-minded non-EU partners in addressing hybrid warfare threats. Alongside key European security partners such as the United Kingdom and Norway, the EU should also enhance cooperation with Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and other like-minded partners on issues including information sharing, cybersecurity, maritime security, space, and resilience cooperation.
On the previous day, the European Parliament passed another resolution titled "Findings and Recommendations of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield," which also included provisions affirming Taiwan's defense resilience and technological strength. That resolution stated that Taiwan is a leading partner in situational awareness, and besides its military exercises, it also organizes civil defense and resilience drills to counter the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) growing grey-zone warfare tactics. Taiwan's whole-of-society resilience practices and best practices help the European Union develop preparedness concepts, strengthen joint situational awareness, early warning capabilities, and the overall effectiveness of the European Democracy Shield. The resolution stated that given Taiwan's leading position in high-tech development and its rich experience in countering the CCP's hybrid attacks and information manipulation, the resolution calls for regular exchanges on related security issues and strengthened cooperation with like-minded partners in East Asia on countering foreign interference, information manipulation, and the sabotage of undersea cables. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-long expressed sincere welcome and gratitude in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday for the European Parliament's successive passage of pro-Taiwan resolutions, stating that Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the EU and like-minded partners to jointly respond to the hybrid threats and information manipulation of authoritarian states, and to defend the rules-based international order and universal values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights.
After approving its first dengue vaccine, India has ushered in new hope in the fight against this viral infection. Over the past five years, India has reported more than 1 million cases of dengue, but the actual figure is likely much higher. Listen to the report. Neeraj, an 18-year-old living in an urban slum on the edge of India's capital, said his biggest economic concern is medical expenses. In recent years, his neighbors have been hit hard by dengue and malaria, so the emergence of the vaccine is good news for him. This vaccine should be available to everyone because everyone here needs it; every life is precious and it should not be open only to the rich. India's tropical climate makes the country particularly vulnerable to dengue, which is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes that typically breed in standing water after monsoon rains. Although officials regularly carry out fumigation to drive away mosquitoes and dispatch teams to eradicate mosquito larvae, the disease remains a threat. However, doctors say this new vaccine could change the game; the widespread vaccination coverage of this vaccine will certainly reduce the transmission of dengue and ensure that dengue no longer becomes a public health problem in the near future, and it will certainly reduce the probability of hospitalization. In this country of nearly 1.5 billion people, when outbreaks occur, medical facilities are often overwhelmed.