Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (October 2, 2026) - October 02, 2026
This episode covers several major international political news stories: US President Trump stated that military actions against Iran may escalate after the midterm elections; US Trade Representative Greer urged the G20 to address industrial overcapacity; Russian drones attacked a school in Kyiv; US Secretary of War Hegseth announced the establishment of an autonomous combat command and launched Project Meridian; a flydubai flight co-pilot attacked the captain and was subdued by passengers; US lawmakers expressed concern and questioned South Korea's closer ties with China and the flow of US F-35 fighter jet components to China.
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Hello listeners and friends, welcome to the VOA Chinese broadcast, I am Lin Sen. Reporting to you today's program from the US capital, Washington. The main contents of today's program are: US President Donald Trump said that the United States may escalate military actions against Iran after the midterm elections. US Trade Representative Greer urged G20 member states to take stronger measures to address the problem of industrial overcapacity, especially overcapacity caused by non-market policies. Ukrainian officials said that a Russian drone attacked a school in Kyiv on the morning of October 1, causing a fire. US Secretary of War Hegseth announced on September 30 that a new four-star autonomous combat command will be established to accelerate the enhancement of US military autonomous systems and robotic combat capabilities.
US President Donald Trump said that the United States may escalate military actions against Iran after the midterm elections. Trump told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly last week that Iran is counting on the outcome of the November midterm elections, while insisting that the election results will not affect his decision-making regarding the Iranian regime. In an interview with Time magazine published on Thursday, October 1, the president, when asked if he plans to bomb Iran after the elections, said that striking Iran is possible. Trump revealed that the United States is in good shape regarding ammunition reserves and can carry out further military operations. On another occasion, he told reporters on Wednesday that before the two countries reach an agreement, he does not rule out the possibility of taking military action against Iran. US officials said that the military and economic measures implemented against Iran are intended to pressure the regime to negotiate on its nuclear program and abandon its malign activities. When asked how he intends to reach an agreement with the regime leaders he called lunatics, Trump replied that maybe you can blow them up. He said we must make a decision, either blow them up or make a deal, but the time has come, and this will all be over soon anyway. Trump said last week that given the deadlock in negotiations on the Iranian issue and the crisis in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, he needs to make a major decision on the Iranian issue. He asked, will I reach an agreement with Iran to let them rebuild their homeland and build a country stronger than ever before, perhaps becoming one of the strongest countries in the Middle East and even the world, or should I quickly eliminate the Islamic Republic, leaving them no chance to kill and destroy people and the country again? In his interview with Time magazine, Trump reiterated the warning to eliminate Iran.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged G20 member states to take stronger measures to address industrial overcapacity, particularly overcapacity caused by non-market policies. While Greer did not explicitly name China, China's state-led production model has long been a core concern for the United States. Chairing the G20 Trade Ministerial Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Greer noted in his opening remarks that when non-market policies and practices allow production to far exceed domestic demand, the consequences spill across borders, with excess capacity spilling into global markets and putting pressure on producers and workers elsewhere. The US holds the rotating presidency of the G20 this year; although Greer did not single out China by name, the Trump administration has continuously engaged G20 members regarding China's industrial subsidies and overcapacity, calling on relevant countries to pay attention to the issue. The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting hosted by the US in late August similarly listed global imbalances and industrial overcapacity as core discussion topics. However, China has denied these accusations, stating that such claims are used to justify protectionist measures. The G20 communique released at the time criticized models relying excessively on exports to drive economic growth, with China being the sole dissenting party opposing the statement. Since last year, the US has imposed additional tariffs and reached bilateral trade agreements aimed at reducing trade spreads, strengthening supply chains, and bringing greater fairness, reciprocity, and balance to the global economy. He also called on G20 nations to re-examine the WTO principle of Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) treatment. He stated that the MFN principle, especially when applied unconditionally, limits the ability of economies to effectively respond to distorting policies and adapt to changing market environments. According to Greer, structural overcapacity and production, the MFN principle, the weaponization of food, and forced labor in global supply chains are the four key areas President Trump has focused on over the past year. A statement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative on September 25 noted that these four areas are also the topics for discussion among G20 trade ministers this meeting. Addressing the weaponization of food, Greer said that coercive trade actions involving food, agricultural products, and agricultural inputs have severe consequences for economies and their people, while forced labor enters the market with artificial price advantages, creating an unfair competitive environment for workers and businesses while undermining trust in the fairness of the global trading system.
Ukrainian officials said that a Russian drone struck a school in Kyiv on Thursday morning, October 1, triggering a fire while more than 100 students were sheltering inside, as Moscow intensified air strikes on the Ukrainian capital. No injuries were reported in the incident. Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated on Telegram that the drone hit a building in the Solomianskyi District while children were taking refuge in the shelter. School principal Valentyna Chona said, "They spare no one; children are our future, the future of our country." Klitschko added that two other drones attacked areas near the support beams of the South Bridge over the Dnipro River. City officials stated that inspectors found no major damage, bus routes resumed operation, but subway services crossing the bridge remained suspended pending further checks. City authorities said that dust entered the train cars through the ventilation system during the explosion, though neither passengers nor drivers were injured. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that he spoke with senior military and government officials on Thursday to discuss infrastructure protection. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense will review agreements with partner countries regarding air defense ammunition and F-16 fighter jets, with an updated delivery schedule to be announced within 24 hours. He noted that it is crucial to have more missiles in October. He also mentioned that Ukrainian forces struck a site in Russia's Oryol region used for storing and launching attack drones. Local authorities reported that a Ukrainian drone exploded in Russia's Belgorod Oblast in Grayvoron, resulting in one death. Kyiv is urging partners to step up economic pressure on Moscow. On Thursday, the UK imposed sanctions on 31 Russian individuals, entities, and vessels, citing their involvement in spreading disinformation, evading energy sanctions, and abusing Ukrainian civilians in occupied territories. Denys Seniik, Charge d'Affaires at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, told the Associated Press that Ukraine will submit a list of Russian companies, vessels, and individuals it wants sanctioned to the US government this week.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on September 30 the establishment of a new four-star Autonomous Warfare Command to accelerate the enhancement of the U.S. military's autonomous systems and robotic combat capabilities. In addition, the Pentagon will launch the Meridian Initiative to study future warfare. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will co-lead this initiative alongside Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced this project to study future warfare while delivering a state-of-the-force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on the 30th. "Therefore, today we are going to leverage a unique source of American strength that our adversaries do not possess: our innovators, veteran leaders, and technical experts. These visionary and action-oriented individuals will predict creative solutions for future conflicts. For this reason, today, under my direction, I am announcing the launch of the Meridian Initiative, led by the best talent in America to study future warfare." Under the leadership of the Department of Defense's Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, the Meridian Initiative will be co-led by three of America's most outstanding talents: Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich. The Meridian Initiative focuses on future warfare, but it is not intended to develop new strategies or new policies—we are already doing that. Instead, its purpose is to look to the future in an innovative way to identify the domains we must conquer and the capabilities we must master. Elon Musk is the founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. SpaceX's new rocket entered Earth's orbit for the first time on September 28, delivering 26 next-generation Starlink V3 broadband satellites into orbit. Palmer Luckey is the co-founder of Anduril Industries, a defense technology company specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of advanced autonomous defense systems. Taiwan recently announced it would purchase over 2,000 attack and reconnaissance drone systems manufactured by the company. Newt Gingrich was the first Republican Speaker of the House since 1953 and was named Time magazine's Person of the Year in 1995. Hegseth also announced the establishment of the Autonomous Warfare Command on the 30th. "First, today, under my direction, we are announcing the establishment of the Autonomous Warfare Command, or Auto Warcom. This is a new four-star combatant command that will have service-like authorities, with the goal of expanding autonomous systems and robotic capabilities across the joint force, achieving the fastest transformation in modern military history during peacetime."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump have praised the actions of passengers on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, after they worked together to prevent a potential crash following the co-pilot's stabbing of the captain. Investigators are looking into the attacker's motives. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning. Flight tracking data shows that the flydubai airliner, carrying 174 people, rapidly descended from an altitude of about 10,000 meters to 5,000 meters and issued multiple distress signals. Passengers on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stated that they worked together to subdue the co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to attack the captain in an effort to crash the plane. We saw on the chart that the plane's altitude at the time was 16,000 feet; given the situation, we realized we were likely only 5 to 6 seconds away from the plane losing control and suffering a catastrophic outcome. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with one of the passengers, an Israeli plumber who helped thwart the attack attempt. I ran toward the cockpit, and at that moment, the nose suddenly dove sharply, which threw me off balance. I was thrown to the side, landing right where the flight attendants stand just outside the cockpit. Both pilots were in their seats; one was slumped over, and the other was lying on the control panel. Another person and I rushed in. I grabbed the assailant, basically using a chokehold to restrain him, and dragged him out first. I started pulling the control stick back. The plane then began to level off slightly. After two off-duty flydubai pilots took over the cockpit, the flight landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the attack appeared to be an act of terrorism. I did speak with Netanyahu at length about this; it seems the co-pilot might have been a terrorist, or perhaps a madman. He stabbed the captain, who was very seriously injured at the time, and I believe he remains in critical condition. Trump, Netanyahu, and Indian Prime Minister Modi all praised the flight's Indian captain, who, despite being stabbed, managed to press the cockpit door unlock button, allowing the crew and passengers to enter and subdue the co-pilot. The patience, composure, and courage displayed by the Indian captain, Smit Machhar, are admirable. As the Israeli Prime Minister said today, this Indian man prevented another 9/11-style event. Smit's heroic actions have made every Indian deeply proud. It is reported that the captain of the flight is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and is in stable condition. There were no reports of injuries among the passengers, who subsequently returned to Israel to reunite with their families and friends.
Indian Prime Minister Modi praised the Indian pilot of flydubai, Smit Machhar, at an event on October 1st, stating that he made every Indian proud. A day earlier, the flight's co-pilot had stabbed Machhar, but he still managed to press the unlock button for the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to subdue the co-pilot. Another set of pilots took over the controls, eventually landing the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Regarding the stock market, on Thursday, the three major stock indices saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average rise by 0.04%, the S&P 500 index rise by 0.19%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index rise by 0.04%.
On September 30, Representative John Moolenaar, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, issued a statement saying that he had written a letter on Monday to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing concern that South Korea's growing alignment with China could potentially undermine the U.S.-South Korea alliance. The Republican congressman from Michigan mentioned in the letter issues such as close high-level contacts between South Korean and Chinese leaders, South Korea deepening its semiconductor investments within China, discriminating against American companies while favoring China-linked enterprises, and South Korean leaders criticizing U.S. forces in Korea and being dismissive of the security situation regarding Taiwan. Moolenaar stated in the letter that recent developments in the Republic of China's economic, technological, and diplomatic posture toward the People's Republic of China pose significant risks to the United States. Moolenaar wrote that the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea remains indispensable, and precisely for that reason, it is essential to closely monitor the potential for friction to evolve into a structural shift by Seoul regarding its alliance, and to take coordinated action when necessary. The letter was also copied to the U.S. Secretary of War, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Trade Representative. Referring to the contacts between South Korean and Chinese leaders, Moolenaar said that CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping made an extremely unusual and explicit reference to the history of joint sacrifices made by China and South Korea 80 years ago in fighting Japanese militarism, in an apparent attempt to create a rift between two U.S. allies at a time when the Taiwan issue is causing a deterioration in China-Japan relations. Yonhap News Agency previously cited military sources as reporting that on February 20 of this year, more than a dozen U.S. military aircraft stationed in South Korea entered the non-overlapping zone between South Korea's air defense identification zone and China's air defense identification zone during a drill conducted without South Korean military participation, prompting China to scramble jets and leading to a brief standoff. Yonhap also reported that South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back called the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, General Xavier Brunson, to protest the incident. Current South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, a member of the Democratic Party, said in an interview with Japanese media during his campaign in January 2024 that it would be beneficial for South Korea to avoid unnecessary involvement in the Taiwan Strait situation, stating at the time that what happens in the Taiwan Strait has nothing to do with us. In contrast, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated during parliamentary questioning in November 2025 that a contingency in Taiwan could potentially constitute a survival-threatening situation for Japan, remarks that immediately led to a severe deterioration in Japan-China relations. This week, Lee Jae-myung posted on the X platform to praise the booming trade between South Korea and China, saying that diplomatically, the U.S.-South Korea alliance is the most important, but managing relations with China is also important. On the other hand, South Korea continues to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and has promised massive investments in the United States. Last week, Lee Jae-myung met with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and Trump subsequently hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington for a state visit. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also held a meeting in New York during the UN General Assembly, and the chief diplomats of the three countries issued a joint statement on September 21 emphasizing the progress made in trilateral cooperation, with the U.S. reaffirming its ironclad commitment to the defense of Japan and South Korea. On Wednesday, President Trump unveiled a USD 200 billion investment package from South Korea, including a proposed USD 54 billion investment in a long-stalled liquefied natural gas project in Alaska. However, Seoul quickly indicated that the Alaska LNG project has not yet been finalized. South Korea's Ministry of Industry stated in a statement on Thursday that South Korea will begin reviewing the project to assess its commercial viability and compliance with legal procedures. The statement said that no decision has been made yet regarding whether to invest or the scale of the investment.
U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker met with Taiwan's Representative to the U.S., Alexander Yui, on Capitol Hill on September 29, where the two exchanged views on the U.S. security commitment to Taiwan. The summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded last Friday. Ahead of the meeting, there were expectations that Xi would likely continue to seek concessions from the U.S. on the Taiwan issue during the summit. A Reuters report prior to the meeting mentioned that sources indicated Xi might pressure Trump to halt arms sales to Taiwan based on the 1982 U.S.-China August 17 Communiqué regarding arms sales to Taiwan. Following the Trump-Xi summit, neither the U.S. nor China mentioned Taiwan in their respective readouts of the talks, and Trump stated last Saturday that he and Xi did not spend much time on the Taiwan issue.
共和党籍的密西西比州联邦参议员威克的办公室星期二晚间发布新闻稿说,威克主席当天与台湾驻美代表于大雷会面,两人讨论了美国对台湾的安全承诺以及中国对印太地区盟友加剧咄咄逼人行动。威克说,今天我很高兴与来自台湾的于大雷大使见面,我们就中共影响力日益增强的背景下美台伙伴关系的重要性进行了富有成效的讨论。1979年国会通过了台湾关系法,它依然是我们的国家大法,这部法律规定美国有义务提供足够数量的国防物资和服务,以确保台湾有能力抵御中国的侵略。作为国会议员,我们有责任确保该法得到遵守,并确保关于台湾国防需求的决策基于我们对军事必要性的共同评估。他还说,在里根政府期间,美国在关于台湾的安全合作方面做出了一套外交保证,也就是所谓的六项保证。里根总统表明,我们不会与中国共产党磋商对台军售,第40任总统当时做出的承诺是正确的,如今我们维持那个先例也会是明智的。威克表示,近年来中国解放军进行了大规模的军事扩张,并日益利用其日益增强的实力以咄咄逼人的姿态胁迫我们在印太地区的盟友,包括日本、菲律宾、尤其是台湾。他接着说到,作为回应并根据台湾关系法,国会以授权并拨款大幅增加资源,以向台湾提供更完善的培训、安全援助和武器销售,这些授权必须用于国会所预期的目的。威克最后强调,台湾人民已经选择了民主政体,结果是他们建立了一个充满活力和先进的经济体,美国的最佳利益在于台湾继续作为一个自由、独立和主权国家,这需要我们持续的支持。
曾在特朗普总统第一个任期内担任国务院中国政策顾问的学者余茂春说,美国政府唯一关于对台军售的指导方针就是罗纳德·里根总统1982年8月17日与同日宣布的817公报,确立了此类军售的任何削减均取决于台湾海峡的和平以及中国所宣称的寻求和平解决台湾问题的基本政策能否持续。目前是美国哈德逊研究所高级研究员及中国中心主任的余茂春星期一在X平台贴出1982年8月17日由里根总统签名写给时任国务卿乔治·舒尔茨及国防部长温伯格的白宫备忘录。这份原来被列为机密的文件后来被特朗普第一任的国家安全顾问约翰·博尔顿在2019年8月30日解密。里根总统在备忘录中提到,他当天同意与中华人民共和国签署关于美国对台军售公报是有前提的。备忘录写道,美国是否愿意减少对台军售完全取决于中国是否继续致力于和平解决台湾与中华人民共和国之间的分歧,应当明确认识到将这两件事联系起来是美国外交政策中一向永久性的基本原则。
Following reports that F-35 fighter jet components were recently diverted to Hong Kong during transit and held by the Chinese government, bipartisan lawmakers in Congress have sent separate letters to Secretary of Defense Hegseth, calling for a review of the security of the U.S. military supply chain. Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Tennessee, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, sent letters to Secretary Hegseth on September 29 regarding the news that F-35 components had fallen into Chinese hands. Cotton is the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Krishnamoorthi is a ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Bloomberg first reported last week that in late May of this year, a shipment including U.S.-made F-35 cockpit canopies and weapon bay doors, while being transported by UPS from Australia to the United States for maintenance or disposal, stopped in South Korea before being diverted to Hong Kong. These components subsequently went missing and are believed to be held by the Chinese government. According to reports, these canopies and weapon bay doors are coated with radar-absorbent materials. It is reported that the Department of Defense is investigating the matter. In his letter, Cotton stated that we cannot afford to have U.S. military equipment fall into the hands of foreign adversaries due to vulnerabilities in commercial shipping links. The Republican senator said that the Pentagon uses contractors and commercial carriers to transport military equipment globally, an arrangement that provides convenience and speed, but he added that these advantages cannot come at the cost of compromising the maintenance of U.S. military superiority. In his letter to Hegseth, Cotton encouraged the Department of Defense to conduct a five-part review of the U.S. military supply chain: first, the Department's chain of custody requirements for military equipment and materials transported by contractors and carriers; second, the Department's ability to track the location and transport routes of such cargo; third, procedures for approving and reporting changes to transport routes; fourth, standards for allowing cargo to transit through foreign jurisdictions; and fifth, safeguards to prevent military materials from transiting or being diverted to jurisdictions controlled by China and other adversaries. In his letter, Krishnamoorthi questioned the Pentagon's and commercial shipping companies' policies for tracking sensitive U.S. military equipment, writing that possession of F-35 components could allow the CCP to reverse-engineer U.S. stealth technology, thereby threatening our service members and national security, and that such an incident should never have occurred. The Democratic representative posed a series of questions to Secretary Hegseth in his letter and requested a response by October 12, including a request for a detailed explanation of the chain of custody for the equipment from the time it left Australia until it was reportedly diverted to Hong Kong, as well as what additional measures the Pentagon has taken or plans to take.