Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (September 30, 2026) President Trump denies proposing to lift sanctions on Iran, while US and Iranian officials are simultaneously communicating through mediators; UK police: no improvised explosive devices found in vehicles related to the incident at a US military base

This episode mainly reports on US President Trump denying proposals to lift sanctions on Iran and unfreeze assets; British police finding no explosives in the vehicle related to the US military base incident; Trump announcing a $15 billion investment to build a new steel plant in Iowa; the US-China presidential summit announcing multiple achievements, including giant pandas coming to Atlanta; the South Korean Ministry of National Defense accusing North Korea of planting landmines in the Demilitarized Zone causing explosions; US senators introducing a bill to block national security systems from using Chinese optical transceivers; and Taiwan President Lai Ching-te presiding over the inauguration ceremony of the Chiayi Minsong Drone Testing Ground, among other news.

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U.S. President Trump denied proposing to lift sanctions on Iran and unfreeze its assets in exchange for concessions in nuclear program negotiations. U.S. and Iranian officials have communicated for the second time within a week through intermediaries. Trump stated that the report by Axios regarding alleged U.S. sanctions is a hoax. Meanwhile, the Iranian currency, the rial, fell to a historic low on Tuesday as the U.S. increased economic pressure on the Iranian regime. Trump told reporters on Monday that U.S. and Iranian officials had communicated through intermediaries, marking the second such contact since last Tuesday during the UN General Assembly in New York. When asked if he could disclose details of Monday's talks, Trump said, "We will win, in my opinion the result is one way or the other, and things will be resolved very quickly." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iranian representatives met with Qatari mediators in New York to discuss Tehran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting the maritime blockade, unfreezing assets, and ending the conflict. Araghchi told reporters in New York that Iran hoped to receive a response through mediators on Tuesday. President Trump stated that he is open to reaching a deal but rejected Iran's proposal over the weekend, insisting that Iran wants a deal because they have suffered heavy losses. Speaking to reporters at the White House during an event on a U.S. steel mill project, Trump said, "We have stopped them from having nuclear weapons, they will never have nuclear weapons, they understand that, and they are willing to admit that." Iranian President Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly last week that Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran will not abandon nuclear technology, nor will it succumb to sanctions. The international benchmark Brent crude price was $103.71 per barrel on Tuesday, and the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude price was $90.71 per barrel. Trump assured the American public that once the conflict with Iran ends, inflation and gasoline prices will fall. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office reported on Tuesday that a vessel was attacked by a suspected unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, causing a fire; the fire has been extinguished but there were casualties. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended U.S. military actions against Iran, claiming that if the Iranian regime possessed nuclear weapons, they could do whatever they wanted in the strait.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that a foreign actor was involved in a potential attack on an airbase used by the U.S. military in western England, where British authorities arrested 5 men; the U.S. military had used this base to conduct attacks against Iran. British counter-terrorism police said on Monday, September 28, that the 5 men are all British citizens in their 20s residing in London. Officials said the 5 have been granted bail but remain under investigation. Rubio told Fox News on Monday night that he could not provide more details about the situation other than to say it clearly involved a foreign actor. He said, "All in all, what happened, almost happened, and potentially happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation." Rubio later mentioned Iran when discussing global factors threatening U.S. interests. Iran stated that facilities used by the U.S. military to attack Iran, such as the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, are legitimate targets, but denied involvement in the incident early Sunday morning. U.S. President Donald

Trump praised the cooperation with British authorities, but he said on Monday that he was surprised the five suspects were granted bail and that he would not have done so. The UK's national counter-terrorism police agency said investigators are considering every angle to establish all the facts. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said that senior officials from the UK's crisis management committee met with Andy Burnham on Monday night to discuss the current situation. Streeting told reporters on Monday, "We are still keeping an open mind on all lines of inquiry, including the possibility that these individuals may have been acting intentionally or unintentionally for proxies or state-sponsored actors, but it is too early to draw conclusions at this stage."

President Trump announced a plan on September 28 to invest $15 billion in a new steel mill in Iowa. The investment company stated that they will build a 100% American steel supply chain. Trump said in the Oval Office that this steel will be mined, smelted, and produced domestically in the United States, which is very rare. Accompanying him were Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Joe Broking, CEO of Mesabi Metallics, the company responsible for the plant's construction, and other business leaders. President Trump said that once the mega steel mill that Mesabi Metallics plans to invest in Iowa is completed, it is expected to create up to 6,000 new construction jobs, nearly 2,000 manufacturing and mining jobs, and generate $95 billion in revenue for the U.S. economy. Over the next decade, we will use advanced steelmaking technology, and this factory will produce the highest quality and most affordable steel in the world. We will produce it here, use it here, and also export it abroad, and we will achieve very good results. Because White House officials previously stated that the steel mill aims to go into production in 2030, it will be able to meet the defense sector's demand for high-grade steel. This steel mill will use iron ore from a new $2.5 billion iron mine the company is investing in in Minnesota. The mine is located in the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota, which stretches 80 to 100 miles. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the region contributed approximately 60% of the total U.S. iron ore production in the 20th century. Trump said this is the first new iron mine built in the United States in over 50 years. Mesabi Metallics posted on the X platform on Monday that they will build a 100% American steel supply chain. Trump has consistently made expanding U.S. manufacturing a priority, which includes imposing tariffs on steel imports as part of his broader trade policy. Although the Supreme Court rejected many of the tariffs he imposed this year, the tariffs on imported steel and aluminum remain. The U.S. imposes a 50% tariff on most steel imports, a policy that outsiders believe is aimed directly at China as Trump returns to the White House. A New York Times report in February 2025 stated that China dominates the global steel and aluminum industry, and China's massive, modernized steel mills produce as much, if not more, of these two metal materials annually as the rest of the world combined. Michael Wessel, a long-time trade advisor to the United Steelworkers, said that China's overcapacity is causing shocks to the global market, severely harming the interests of U.S. producers and workers. Steel overcapacity is also a key topic for the first day of the upcoming G20 trade ministerial meeting. On Wednesday morning, the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity will specifically discuss the issue of global steel overcapacity. According to the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity website, member countries will discuss measures to address the worsening global steel crisis and its ongoing impact on their respective steel industries. The meeting will be hosted by the United States, and ministers, officials, and senior representatives from member countries of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity and other invited nations will attend. China withdrew from this forum in 2019, claiming that the forum had completed its mission.

US President Donald Trump went to Joint Base Andrews to welcome visiting dignitaries for the first time in 11 years. The White House subsequently welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping with a 21-gun salute, an honor guard, and a flyover by fighter jets. During the three-day visit, the heads of state of the US and China held talks and announced a series of summit outcomes. On September 23, President Trump and First Lady Melania personally came to Joint Base Andrews near Washington to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan upon their arrival, kicking off a three-day state visit. This was the first time an American president went to Joint Base Andrews to welcome visiting guests since President Obama welcomed Pope Francis in 2015. The next day, President Trump and the First Lady welcomed Xi and his wife again at the White House. About 479 US service members participated in the welcome ceremony, which featured a 21-gun salute and an honor guard. A B-2 bomber and four F-22 fighter jets subsequently flew over the White House. In his welcoming remarks, President Trump talked about US-China cooperation during World War II, mentioning a Chinese phrase still in use today: Gung Ho. It was the encounter between the US Marine Corps and the Chinese people that inspired them to adopt a Chinese term still used today, Gung Ho, which the Marines use to express great enthusiasm, though in Chinese, its literal meaning is working together. Moving from the story of wartime cooperation, President Trump then turned to the issue of artificial intelligence that both countries face today. During this visit, we will also discuss urgent issues regarding security technology and superintelligence. Both the US and China are AI superpowers, with the ability and responsibility to develop and manage AI well, ensuring that its development remains under human control and benefits the people. Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks at the White House, while First Lady Melania accompanied Peng Liyuan to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, where local Chinese school students sang "Jasmine Flower". That evening, President Trump and the First Lady hosted a state dinner in the East Room of the White House. The 132-guest list released by the White House included American tech and business figures such as Musk, Bezos, and Jensen Huang. President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our two peoples will endure forever. On September 25, the final day of the visit, President Trump and First Lady Melania invited Xi and his wife to a tea chat in the Red Room of the White House, followed by a visit to the US National Archives to view founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I think we have made tremendous progress, very significant progress, which is very positive for both countries. I think our farmers will be very happy. Many very positive things have happened. The US is very satisfied with this visit, and I believe China is very satisfied too. This is a good thing for both countries, and the entire visit has been very productive. At the conclusion of the three-day visit, the US and China announced a series of outcomes, including extending the trade truce and continuing cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and anti-narcotics. At the same time, some long-standing differences between the two countries remain, and one outcome of the summit has already been implemented: Xi Jinping announced during his visit that two giant pandas, Pinghe and Fushuang, will settle at Zoo Atlanta. Just three days after Xi left the US, on September 27, regarding the arrival of the two giant pandas in the US, VOA News Washington reporting.

An official from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense stated on September 29 that the explosion last week in the Demilitarized Zone that injured two South Korean personnel was caused by landmines laid by North Korea. The official pointed out that this incident violated the armistice agreement, and South Korea must take countermeasures. South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul stated in the National Assembly Defense Committee that these landmines appear to have been laid by North Korea during border construction work near the Military Demarcation Line. The South Korean military stated that another North Korean-made landmine was discovered near the explosion site on the 29th. Kang Shin-chul stated that as lawmakers said, this is clearly a violation of the armistice agreement. Given that the responsibility lies with North Korea, we will take corresponding countermeasures. We have a variety of response options to choose from, including necessary measures, which will be implemented in stages.

Although the flooding in Bangkok has eased, a German tourist who could not find his luggage at a Thai airport said it was simply chaotic. At Thailand's main airport, passengers are anxious due to flight cancellations and luggage delays. Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri told reporters that about 5,600 pieces of luggage from Thai Airways flights are stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan Province, and it is expected that these bags will be processed within 72 hours. Last week, Bangkok experienced about 320 millimeters of rainfall in two to three days, which is almost equivalent to the total rainfall Bangkok usually receives in the entire month of September. The three major stock market indices fell: the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.26%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.17%, and the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.09%.

Four U.S. senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties have introduced a bill aimed at preventing the federal government's most sensitive national security systems from using Chinese-made optical transceivers, with two major Chinese manufacturers named in the bill. Pennsylvania Republican Senator Dave McCormick, Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, and Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman introduced the Securing National Security Systems from Chinese Optical Transceivers Act on September 25. Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his state visit to the United States on this day. Optical transceivers are devices that convert and transmit optical and electrical signals and are key modular components of artificial intelligence infrastructure, including data centers. The senators pointed out that Chinese manufacturers have become major suppliers of optical transceivers, and because advanced transceivers may contain reprogrammable firmware, using them in national security networks could pose potential supply chain and security risks. The bipartisan senators also mentioned that in June of this year, the U.S. Department of Defense designated the major Chinese manufacturer Zhongji Innolight as a Chinese military company, yet current law does not prohibit the use of optical transceivers associated with foreign adversaries in systems handling the U.S.'s most sensitive information across the government. In addition to Zhongji Innolight, the bill also directly names another Chinese manufacturer, Eoptolink. The bill extends existing federal procurement restrictions on semiconductors to apply to specific optical transceivers in critical systems. The bill also establishes compliant supply channels based on a five-year transition period for suppliers and allows for waivers when necessary to ensure supply security and national security. The main contents of the bill include: prohibiting the federal government from procuring regulated optical transceivers for national security systems; this move builds on the existing federal framework restricting specific Chinese semiconductor products; the scope of regulation covers Zhongji Innolight, Eoptolink, and their subsidiaries and affiliates, as well as other companies identified by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Commerce as being associated with adversaries, including regulated transceivers that use firmware, software, and components from the aforementioned companies; establishing a five-year transition period before the ban takes effect to allow trusted manufacturers in the U.S. and its allies time to expand capacity while minimizing disruption to the federal supply chain; mandating the Department of Commerce to assess the production capacity of the U.S. and its allies and develop strategies to strengthen the trusted optical transceiver supply chain; and allowing for limited and renewable waivers in cases where trusted alternative products are unavailable, with each waiver to be reported to Congress. Several organizations, including the Alliance for American Manufacturing, founded by U.S. manufacturers and the United Steelworkers, and the advocacy group Foundation for Defense of Democracies, have expressed support for this bill. A bill must be passed in identical versions by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and signed by the President to become law; the current session of Congress will expire in early January next year.

As Beijing continues to increase its diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan, and as Taiwan faces an increasingly complex international security environment, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te stated that Taiwan is deepening cooperation with democratic partners to build a safer and more resilient drone supply chain, providing a more solid foundation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. On Monday, Lai traveled to the Chiayi region in southern Taiwan to preside over the inauguration ceremony of the new drone testing site in Minxiong, which belongs to the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), a research institution under the Ministry of National Defense. He said that unmanned systems have become a vital force in modern defense, and Taiwan must deepen cooperation with democratic partners to create a safer and more resilient drone supply chain. He is committed to promoting Taiwan as a democratic supply chain hub for drones in Asia. The groundbreaking ceremony for the aerospace and drone industrial park and the inauguration ceremony for the Minxiong campus of the CSIST, a defense technology and weapons R&D agency under Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, were held on the same day. Lai presided over the groundbreaking and the inauguration of the drone testing site that morning. According to a press release from the Presidential Office of Taiwan, Lai stated that what he witnessed in Chiayi was a key milestone in the development of Taiwan's aerospace and drone industry. The newly inaugurated Minxiong campus saw an investment of over NT$1.1 billion from the CSIST on its east side, completing a drone system integration testing site, R&D facilities, an R&D building, and related infrastructure. In the future, it will undertake tasks related to drone R&D, testing, verification, and production. The industrial park held on the same day is located on the west side, with the central government investing NT$6.9 billion. It is expected to be completed in 2028 and will feature production plants, testing equipment, test flight facilities, and R&D spaces to attract domestic and international companies to move in. Lai said that the inauguration of the Minxiong campus and the groundbreaking of the industrial park represent the landing of national-level R&D and production capabilities in Chiayi, driving the scaling of the drone industry. The strategic significance of this layout has become even more prominent with changes in the international situation. From the battlefields of Ukraine to security in the Indo-Pacific region, unmanned systems have become an important force in modern defense. Beijing is continuously increasing pressure on Taiwan, with military aircraft and warships operating around Taiwan almost every day. On Monday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected three PLA aircraft, five warships, and four official ships operating in the sea and airspace around Taiwan. In September, the Taiwan government passed a total budget supplementary bill, allocating an additional NT$145.7 billion (approximately US$4.59 billion) to the 2026 defense budget. This includes three priority drone projects, such as medium-range anti-tactical ballistic missile systems and unmanned vehicles, totaling NT$55.9 billion, including over 600 coastal reconnaissance drones, over 40,000 coastal attack drones, and over 100 small suicide drone boats. Lai pointed out that Taiwan possesses world-class semiconductor and information and communication strengths, as well as a deep foundation in precision manufacturing. The Ministry of Economic Affairs expects to invest a total of NT$44.2 billion from last year through 2026 to comprehensively strengthen the drone industry's capabilities. Taiwan's drone industry is accelerating its growth, with an output value of NT$12.9 billion last year, more than 2.5 times that of the previous year. Currently, 267 companies have invested in system integration and the manufacturing of key components. At the newly inaugurated medium-to-large drone system integration testing site at the CSIST Minxiong campus, the Albatross II drone and the Sky Falcon target drone were displayed. The system integration testing for the Albatross drone includes the assembly of landing gear and tail wings, full-aircraft wiring harness testing, installation of engine accessory compartments and various modules, and static testing of the flight vehicle system. The system integration testing for the Sky Falcon target drone includes full-structure assembly, oil and gas line assembly, tail section calibration, and electronic testing.

President Trump said on September 28 that he did not discuss the possibility of selling weapons to China with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the US-China summit the previous week. US Ambassador to China David Pande (Note: keeping original name spelling or context) previously stated in a television interview that President Trump had asked whether Xi Jinping was interested in buying US weapons, after which the US government clarified that the US has no plans to sell weapons to China. On September 28, during an event in the Oval Office of the White House, President Trump was asked by a reporter whether Ambassador Pande's statement on Fox News Sunday—that Trump had indicated the US would sell military equipment to China—was accurate, and whether he had made such a suggestion. President Trump asked the reporter if they were referring to selling weapons to Taiwan, to which the reporter replied that Pande was talking about selling weapons to China. Trump responded, "I've never heard of that, I'll have to ask him. You mean we're going to sell to them, they might want to buy because the equipment we manufacture is indeed better than theirs, so maybe that's a good idea, but we didn't discuss this. They were probably talking about Taiwan, I think he meant Taiwan." In that Sunday TV interview, when Ambassador Pande was asked by host Shannon Bream about reports that a 14 billion dollar Taiwan arms order and security assistance project had been delayed, Pande emphasized that US policy towards Taiwan has not changed. He said President Trump's position on the Taiwan issue is as firm as anyone he has ever seen, and he has made it clear that we have not changed the one-China policy, and we support the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances. Pande said Trump had previously approved 11 billion dollars in arms sales to Taiwan, and the US continues to discuss other potential arms sales projects. A US State Department official responded to a Voice of America request for comment on Sunday night, stating that US law prohibits the sale of weapons to China, and there is no proposal or plan to sell weapons to China. China is currently included on the sanctions list of the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and the US maintains a policy of denial in principle regarding the export of defense articles and defense services to China. The White House-released document on the outcomes of the Trump-Xi summit also did not mention the two discussing the sale of US weapons to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping paid what the White House praised as a historic state visit to the US last week. President Trump said on September 28, "We had a great meeting with President Xi. On a scale of 0 to 10, I give him a 12. Very respectful, very good, a great meeting."