Taiwan Leader Responds to Pres. Trump | China in Focus

Welcome to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story. No promises to Beijing but no clear answer on defending Taiwan. After the Trump-Xi summit, Taiwan's president responds to President Trump's concerns. Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading to China just days after President Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping. The Kremlin says it has serious expectations for the meeting. More on what Russia hopes to get out of the talks. A powerful documentary on forced organ harvesting in China premiered over the weekend in Washington. We'll hear why the experts behind the documentary say the world can't stay silent. And Australia is forcing China-linked investors out of a key rare earth miner. Officials are ordering major shareholders to divest over national security concerns tied to Chinese influence. President Trump's summit with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping last week is still having effects. Both China and the U.S. announced deals involving agricultural products and rare earths. However, there are slight differences between their versions of the agreements. It also remains unclear whether China can honor the deals this time. NTD's Dinah Monaghan has more. The U.S. and China launched two new forums they say expand economic relations. The U.S.-China Board of Trade and the U.S.-China Board of Investment. Beijing has also committed to buying at least $17 billion annually in U.S. agricultural products through 2028, in addition to soybean purchases agreed in 2025. Under the Phase 1 trade deal, Beijing pledged to increase purchases of American goods, but China ultimately fell about 60% short of those commitments, according to the Congressional Research Service. In 2018, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on China over alleged unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. China responded with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including agricultural products. The White House says China also approved an initial purchase of 200 American-made Boeing aircraft for Chinese airlines. The White House also says China is restoring market access for U.S. beef. Under the deal, Beijing will provide a pathway for more U.S.-based beef processing plants to export to China and ease restrictions on U.S. poultry. Over 400 beef plants were unable to export to China over the past year after Chinese customs halted export clearances. The White House also says China has agreed to address U.S. concerns over shortages of rare earth minerals and related technologies used in smartphones and military systems. Beijing expanded export restrictions on rare earths last year amid trade tensions with the United States. U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue says President Trump is trying to right the ship after what he calls decades of decline in the United States, speaking on Fox News. Where we saw some of our strategic industries hollowed out by the Chinese. And it was an unlevel playing field that allowed that to happen. And that's why he's fighting right now to correct that. Rare earth elements, magnets, commercial shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, as you said. We're in a potential time of vulnerability, and the Chinese have showed the world, frankly, that they're willing to weaponize it. U.S. officials in the past have repeatedly accused China of failing to honor past trade and export agreements. Daniel Monahan, NTD News. We are seeing differences between the Chinese and American versions. Beijing says tariff cuts will be part of the agreements, but Washington's statement does not mention tariffs. The U.S. says China will buy 200 Boeing planes. However, China only refers to an aircraft deal without giving a number. Beijing also says Washington must ensure supplies of engines and parts. On top of that, China's statements also make no mention of rare earths, a key issue for the U.S. And China's foreign ministry did not provide details on any specific trade agreements. President Trump said that during his visit to China last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke a lot about Taiwan. Now Taiwan's president is responding after President Trump told reporters he does not want Taiwan to declare independence. Following the Trump-Xi summit, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-de posted a statement on Facebook outlining five points. One of them directly addressed President Trump's remarks in a recent interview where he said he does not support Taiwan declaring independence. Lai says Taiwan is already a sovereign, independent democracy and that there is no so-called Taiwan independence issue. Taiwan's representative to the U.S. later elaborated on the issue in an interview with CBS. My president just made a statement recently, just now. And it means that Taiwan is independent from the Chinese aggression, from the PRC, actually. But we're not the ones creating all this trouble. And that's why, you know, it's like we, our house, there's intruders trying to get into our house. We're trying to be part of our security system. And then they complain, the intruder complains that because we're trying to improve our security system, it's making his job harder. When asked about President Trump's comments aboard Air Force One, he said future U.S. arms sales to Taiwan would be decided after talks with Taiwan's leadership. Taiwan's envoy did not directly answer questions about a possible phone call between President Trump and Lai. Instead, he said any official statement should come from Washington. Before formally entering the White House during his first term, President Trump spoke by phone with former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. Although Trump said he discussed Taiwan extensively with Xi in Beijing, he also made clear that he gave China no commitments. When asked whether the U.S. would send troops if China attacked Taiwan, President Trump declined to answer. Taiwan's envoy said U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are in the interests of both Washington and Taipei. We believe in peace through strength. So actually it makes more sense for the United States to sell us the arms so we can defend ourselves. So you don't have to send your army 9,500 miles away to defend us. During the China trip, both President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed. They also said Washington does not want In his statement, Taiwanese President Lai said Taiwan has always been a firm defender of the current cross-strait status, not to the side trying to change it. Lai said China's continued military expansion in and around the Taiwan Strait makes Beijing the source of instability in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin said to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday. The visit comes just days after President Trump's summit with Xi in Beijing. Putin and Xi are expected to discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and key international and regional issues. A Kremlin spokesperson said Moscow has serious expectations for the meeting. We have very high expectations. The relations are indeed highly diverse. Gerard Felode, senior counsel of the Lawfare Project, said China has the upper hand I think that Putin is now in a position where he really needs China both as an export for its oil products but also as a source for military equipment and used goods. So the partnership between Russia and China is something that is very key on Putin's mind going forward. I think in Russia there is more fatigue and there is more damage that has been done by U.S. sanctions. So Russia has become over the years increasingly reliant on China, which now does have the upper hand. It's the senior partner in this relationship. Felode noted that for China, securing a reliable energy source is something Beijing can get in return. China can have a reliable source of oil, which it needs to maintain its economy, which is currently somewhat stagnating, especially because of the shortages that are coming out of the stranglehold on the Indo-Pacific. The timing is notable. The announcement of Putin's visit comes less than 24 hours after Trump wrapped up his trip to China. Well, if anything, Russia wants to show that it is unafraid to compete with America on the same global stage. But it's also sending a message, intentional or not, that China is increasingly becoming a key player in international affairs, hosting leaders of both countries in close succession, indicates that the importance of all sides that we bring with China as the world develops its current entanglement with When asked if Putin and Xi would discuss a gas pipeline linking Russia and China, the Kremlin didn't deny. The two sides signed a deal to build the pipeline last year, but the Chinese regime has the final say on when and how the project moves forward. The pipeline could deliver more than 50 billion cubic meters of gas to China each year. The wariness on the part of China, however, is that it does not want to become too reliant on Russian oil and gas. So while a pipeline would simply be in China's short-term and perhaps medium-term interests, it would want to negotiate terms where it's not investing too heavily into this project and probably relying on Russian funding for a large portion of construction. Putin is also set to visit China in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. The new documentary that's been a decade in the making, The Silent Harvest, shines a light on the brutal practice of forced organ harvesting in communist China. It was released globally online over the weekend. Entity's David Zhang tells the story. Silence is the biggest accomplice to crimes against humanity. Ten years in the making, Silent Harvest is a documentary about the forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience in China. I've never seen a community weather persecution with such dignity and grace as I've seen fallen death of practitioners suffer in such an incredible way. The 90-minute documentary features interviews with doctors, medical experts, and victims from around the world. They discuss the scale and brutality of forced organ harvesting, a crime against humanity. It's sad that there is a government that does not put a value on life. And obviously that is what is happening in the Chinese communist world. If we don't stop forced organ harvesting in China, then we can imagine that our children and grandchildren will be monsters or victims of monsters. We will become monsters or victims of monsters. I would rather be the victim of a monster than be a monster. But the reality is that's going to be the choice. And so if we don't stop forced organ harvesting in China, we're doomed. The organization behind the production Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting, or DOFL, is a recipient of the 2019 Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice and has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. For 20 years, DOFL has advocated for ethical transplantation practices through education and research. The organization believes the silence from the medical community is part of what fuels this lucrative and evil practice. Even the innocent person who's just trying to get some glory, they don't know when they go and someone is killed for the body part that's going in. I mean, there's a range of, I think, moral, economic, there's a lot of reasons everyone should care about this. The documentary is available online, free to watch at SilentHarvestMovie.com. David Zhang, NTD News, Washington, D.C. Australia forcing China-linked investors out. On Monday, Australia's Treasury ordered six shareholders in Northern Minerals to divest their stakes over concerns about Chinese influence. Five of those targeted are based in China or Hong Kong, while one is registered in the British Virgin Islands. Reports say the British Virgin Islands-listed investor was among shareholders with ties to China. Together, they hold nearly 27% of the company's shares, according to government and market data. The move targets a rare-earths miner under Australia's national security and foreign investment rules. Northern Minerals is developing a heavy rare-earth deposit used in defense systems and semiconductors in Western Australia. Officials say the order is aimed at protecting the national interest, giving investors two weeks to sell. The company says it is reviewing the decision. Japan reaffirming its commitment to stable ties with China. On Monday, Japan's foreign minister said the country remains committed to a mutually beneficial relationship with Beijing despite rising tensions. The two neighbors remain deeply connected economically due to their geographic proximity. Relations between the two countries have worsened following Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks last November on Taiwan security. She suggested that a Chinese military move against Taiwan could prompt Japan to become involved militarily. China has since stepped up criticism of Japan's growing defense budgets. Last month, Japan lifted long-standing restrictions on military equipment exports, allowing the sale of weapons abroad. The move marks a major shift from Japan's post-World War II defense policy as it seeks to strengthen its weapons industry. Beijing responded, urging Tokyo to change its rhetoric on Taiwan and slow what it calls re-militarization efforts. Coming up, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited communist Cuba in the shadow of President Trump's visit to China. A former CIA agent breaks it down for us. And Chinese property giant Evergrande's collapse is triggering a new legal fight. Liquidators are now seeking billions from accounting giant PwC over audits tied to the failed developer. Welcome back to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. While President Trump and key administration officials were in Beijing last week, a less publicized but equally fascinating meeting took place in Cuba. It was led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. To unpack the meeting, NDD's Kerry Dunst was joined by retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Peter Brown, now a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute. It was a very interesting meeting because this is an area in which the tension between the United States has been escalated for decades. It's generally not visible to the public, but Cuba has been penetrating the United States, both at the highest levels of our government and the Cuban American exile community in South Florida, with a very sophisticated and ideologically pure almost human intelligence scheme to undermine the United States diplomatically, militarily, and economically. And so sending Director Ratcliffe is a signal that the United States will continue to pressure Cuba, not just in the diplomatic and economic fronts as we've seen with oil sanctions, but also on the intelligence side, where Cuba has been literally attacking the United States for decades. The names of, you know, Arrocha, Montez, Myers, the Wasp Network, or the Cuban Five, are all relevant to this, and it's an ongoing effort by the Cubans. And can you remind our audience about Cuba's leadership? Obviously, Fidel Castro led a communist revolution, very brutal against the people, even though it was put in the guise of helping to liberate the people. After he died, his brother Raul takes over, and now there's this gentleman, Miguel Diaz-Canel. He's the first non-Castro to lead in decades. But what is the leadership like? You've described that they've, for the last decades or more, have been infiltrating America. Who is in charge of Cuba, and who is negotiating with Ratcliffe? Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, though in his 90s now, remains significantly in power, though notionally behind the scenes. And he is under investigation now, prompted in part by the Attorney General here in the great state of Florida, but also the U.S. Department of Justice for possible indictment for the Brothers to the Rescue civilian aircraft shootdown back in 1996. And so he is still behind the scenes and very much in power. There's also a generation of Cuban generals and other officials who operate the corrupt commercial network that supports the Cuban military and regime, GAESA, like their General Services Administration, run through the Cuban military, and it siphons off so much of the income of Cuba, both the business income and the remittances from Cuban Americans in the U.S. And the grandson, Raulito, is, though not in an official government position, appears to be a significant player behind the scenes and has met with U.S. officials. Who is actually in charge is a little bit difficult to suss out, but I would say, as with all communist regimes, there's an initial generation of possibly true believers, but then succeeding generations, certainly by the time you get to the second and the third, recognize that socialism, communism just don't work. And their only way to survive is by repressing the internal people and siphoning off as much of the economy as they can for their own gain, which is what they've been doing for decades. And President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio of Cuban descent making a strong push to root out communist influence in the U.S. In that respect, what was the significance on Cuba of the extraction of Maduro and his loss of grip on power in Venezuela? Well, just like Venezuela was kind of a hotbed of external influence, including Chinese, Iranian, Lebanese, Hezbollah, and others that facilitated drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorist financing, so too Cuba, and to a lesser extent, but geographically similar, the Bahamas present a unique geographic vulnerability because in exchange for discounted nickel, cobalt, and also this human intelligence capability that Cuba has, they have ceded first to Russia, now to the People's Republic of China, strategic territory, terrain from which now the Chinese government can electronically and technologically spy on the United States. Remember that Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida at some points, the Bahamas only 50 miles from Florida. Florida has three combatant commanders, who's prosecuting military operations against Iran right now. U.S. Southern Command, the Joint Interagency Counterdrug Task Force in Key West, and the vast majority of government and commercial space activity from Cape Canaveral. Those are all vulnerable to be spied on by Cuban-based Chinese electronic operations, and Cuba has traded away its own sovereignty in return for financial support from China, and in doing so, places the United States at great risk. It'll be very fascinating to see as the sanctions start to wear them down. Apparently, they don't have power consistently for the people throughout the day. A lot could happen over the next month or sooner. Rear Admiral Peter Brown, thanks for sharing your analysis. Thank you, Kerry. Always a pleasure to be with you. Thank you for the work you do. Liquidators for failed Chinese property giant China Evergrande are now going after one of the world's biggest accounting firms. In a Hong Kong court Monday, they accused PwC of negligence in its auditing work and are seeking roughly 8.4 billion dollars in damages tied to Evergrande's collapse. The case is the latest fallout from China's property crisis, which deepened after Evergrande defaulted in 2021. The developer had racked up more than 300 billion dollars in debt, making it the world's most heavily indebted property company. Liquidators say PwC failed to catch major problems in Evergrande's finances before the company collapsed. They're seeking damages from PwC International, as well as the firm's Hong Kong and mainland China units. PwC's lawyers argued the global company should not be held directly responsible because its regional firms operate separately. The accounting giant has already been hit with major penalties over its Evergrande audits. Chinese regulators suspended PwC's mainland China business for six months and hit the firm with a 65 million dollar fine. Hong Kong regulators also fined the firm and ordered compensation for minority shareholders. Meanwhile, creditors are still owed about 45 billion dollars and only a small amount of Evergrande's assets has been recovered so far. That's all for today's China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. If you have any feedback on the show or have something you'd like to see us cover, send us an email at ChinaInFocus at NTD.com. We'd love to hear from you. For on-the-clock original news coverage, visit us at NTD.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you tomorrow.