China's Neighbors Unite Against Beijing | China in Focus

Welcome to China in Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story on America's 250th birthday. President Trump taking on communism again. It's like a cancer. You got to cut it out. You got to cut it out fast. A Chinese pastor Ezra Jing finally reunited with his family in the U.S. His family thanked President Trump. Alarm in the Pacific. China tests a submarine-launched ballistic missile. How it could pose a new challenge for the U.S. Beijing renewing its pressure campaign on Taiwan. The Chinese Coast Guard announcing a new patrol in waters east of the island. The 4th of July parade in Washington, D.C. was canceled due to hot weather. But one marching band and a waist drum team kept on playing in front of the U.S. Capitol. They delivered an important message. And flooding season in southern China. Streets transformed into raging rivers. Cars swept away and people stranded on rooftops. President Trump used three recent speeches to deliver his strongest warnings yet about what he calls a growing communist threat in the United States. On Independence Day, he called communism a cancer. NTD's Dana Monaghan has the key takeaways. Speaking at the Salute America celebration, President Trump saying American warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world just to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We'd like to stop a threat like that immediately and before it begins. It's like a cancer. You got to cut it out. You got to cut it out fast. The president says America stands at a pivotal crossroads ahead of the midterm elections. Speaking at a recent Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, President Trump saying communists always target faith. All communists are godless. They don't believe in God. This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence. In my opinion, they want to end religion. They have to end religion because their ideology doesn't work. If you have strong religion, people like you that are so incredible and love our country so much and love God. The president also discussing the recent rise on the left of democratic socialists, who he calls communists. He says the seeds of that can be seen in the last administration, which he accused of carrying out a reign of persecution and repression against Christians and people of faith. They turned a nation founded on freedom for believers into a place where Catholics were targeted by the FBI, where pro-life grandmothers were put in jail for praying, and where members of our military were thrown out of the armed forces for their religious beliefs. The radicals responsible for these offenses would have loved nothing more than to mark America's 250th anniversary by driving God from our public square once and for all. The president referring to cases involving protests against late-term abortion and COVID vaccine mandates. God bless the United States of America. Speaking at Mount Rushmore, President Trump saying the American identity is under renewed attack. A generation after we fought and won the Cold War against the menace of communism, there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success. President Trump saying communism has killed 100 million people just in the last century alone. Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It's death, tyranny, and the pursuit of evil. The godless communist morality states that anything is justified to bring about inhuman visions, and they have no respect for law, justice, principle, tradition, or your God-given rights. It's an ideology of mass theft, mass control, mass lies, and mass murder. He said such doctrines have no place in a democracy because they ultimately seek to eliminate freedom and democracy once in power. You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America. You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both. President Trump also criticized what he called Marxist narratives about American history, arguing they unfairly portray the nation's founders and heroes as oppressors while undermining America's future. Our American ancestors did not shed their blood at Concord and Trenton, Gettysburg and Shiloh, Midway and Normandy. Just so that a band of thieves, radicals, and lunatics could come in and loot, pillage our nation, our heroes died to win, build, and to save, and to build truly a great country, the greatest country ever in the world. He renewed his call to end the Senate filibuster and pass the Save America Act, saying the bill would strengthen election integrity and save America's democracy. Daniel Monaghan, NTD News. A Chinese pastor finally reunited with his family after spending months in a Chinese prison. Underground church pastor Ezra Xing is now free in the U.S. His release comes less than two months after President Trump said he personally raised the pastor's case with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping. Xing is the founder of the Zion Church in Beijing. He was arrested last October alongside 17 other church leaders. It was one of China's largest clampdowns on a single underground church in decades. Christian human rights organization China Aid says Xing arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday after being released from prison. President Trump said he brought up Xing's detention during his meeting with Xi earlier this year. Supporters say Xing's freedom is an encouraging step. They are now calling for the release of the remaining members of the church who are imprisoned. Pastor Xing's daughter Grace Drexel told NTD in a statement, we thank God for this tremendous miracle. We also thank President Trump and his administration for their tremendous leadership. She added that this could not have happened without the direct intervention from the head of the CCP, Xi Jinping. She and her family hope this is a signal of a positive turn for people of faith in China. Reacting to the news, Senator Rick Scott said the U.S. cannot stop holding communist China accountable for all of their crimes, adding his friend Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai remains unjustly imprisoned because he stood up for freedom. Lai is 78 years old and suffers from diabetes. He has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. President Trump also raised his case with Xi Jinping. A rare submarine-launched missile test in the Pacific, China says it test fired a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine. It sent a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean. Beijing called it a routine training exercise, but several aspects of the launch are drawing attention. This type of missile could potentially reach the continental United States. It was a rare sea-based launch. Most of China's previous long-range missile tests have been conducted from land. Sea launches dramatically shorten the distance to the United States, leaving the U.S. with far less time to detect and respond to a potential nuclear attack. It marks Beijing's first launch since 2024. China says countries were notified in advance. The move quickly triggered concern across the region. Australia called the test destabilizing, pointing to China's rapid military build-up and lack of transparency. New Zealand called the development unwelcome, while Japan expressed serious concern after being notified of possible debris in its waters. Australia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilizing to the region. Japan conveyed its serious concern about China's increasing military activity. We will continue to do our utmost for the warning and surveillance activity, while closely watching related activity. The timing of the launch is also drawing attention, coming just hours after Australia and Fiji signed a new defense agreement, the two nations pledging to respond together to any common danger in the region. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the launch a reminder of the need for regional cooperation to preserve what she described as an ocean of peace. Analysts also note the presence of three Chinese satellite tracking vessels in the region, suggesting the test was closely monitored across the Pacific. The missile launch comes as China's neighbors are banding together amid concerns over Chinese aggression. India and Japan just signed sweeping agreements to expand their cooperation. The deals are around energy and national security. The Indian prime minister has just arrived in Indonesia for a state visit. He is then set to visit Australia and New Zealand to bolster ties in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan and the Philippines are also in the process of boosting intelligence sharing. Zooming out, Washington has been calling on its Asian allies to up their military spending to further deter Chinese aggression. The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over. We need partners, not protectorates. Hank Seth said the U.S. will prioritize working with model allies. He added that those nations will get expedited arms sales and expanded intelligence sharing. Beijing is squeezing Taiwan even harder. China's Coast Guard on Saturday announced a new law enforcement patrol in waters east of Taiwan. It claims the area falls under China's jurisdiction. Taiwan rejects the claim, saying the Chinese communists have no sovereignty over waters east of Taiwan. It also condemned the patrol, saying it's illegal expansion of power in violation of international law. Taiwan's Coast Guard sent vessels to monitor two Chinese ships that were sailing 60 miles east of Taiwanese airbase. The Chinese ships remained outside of restricted waters. Beijing's new patrol is the latest in a series of escalating pressure tactics against Taiwan. Last month, five Chinese ships claimed jurisdiction over waters near the island. They questioned three commercial vessels about their origin and destination. The Chinese ships have since been expelled. And prior to that, Beijing also sent four vessels east of Taiwan, calling it a special operation. Days of harassment from Chinese ships pressure Taiwan to ramp up its defense. Last month, for the first time, Taiwan's military used American-supplied HIMARS launchers to fire more than 30 rockets into waters facing China. HIMARS is a type of long-range precision fire launcher. Well, the 4th of July parade in D.C. was canceled due to hot weather. Celebrations featuring a marching band and a waste drama team continued right in front of the U.S. Capitol. Performers reminded folks about the atrocities happening in communist China, while expressing gratitude for the freedoms and joy in America. NTD's Sam Wong has the story. In the sweltering heat of D.C., the sounds of marching band and waste drums echoing through the streets in front of the U.S. Capitol. This, as folks from all over the country gather to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Although the 4th of July parade has been canceled due to heat, some have decided to stick around for the occasion. Dressed in ancient Chinese-style costumes, the Tianguo marching band is showcasing the beauty of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice based on the core principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. They're accompanied by a waste drum team that's bringing some rhythm to the celebration. Our Falun Dafa group has been participating in the 4th of July parades for more than 20 years. The stories of Falun Dafa practitioners here are no longer just a story of one person. There are dozens, hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of stories. Together, they are living proof that this land of America is still a place full of hope. Despite being welcomed worldwide, Falun Gong practitioners in China have been subjects of a state-backed persecution campaign since 1999. An untold number of them lost their lives due to torture, forced labor and other forms of abuse, such as forced organ harvesting. Many of them sought refuge here in the United States, where human rights are valued and treasured. Here is the land of the free, where all freedoms are being protected, all human rights are being protected, and we are very grateful for everything that this country provided for us. And yeah, it's just very, very important and we really want to contribute and to be a part of this whole celebration. The performance catching the eyes of many onlookers. I'm loving it and I'm loving what this stands for because this stands for freedom coming from a country that doesn't celebrate freedom. So I'm glad to see this because I know what this means here, Falun Dafa. We are able to take the opportunity because we are a free country. So it's very exemplary what they're doing. No communism ever for the U.S. Let's remember where they came from. Let's remember why they're here and the freedoms they enjoy. Let's welcome them, you know. I just stopped on my scooter right here to celebrate them because they're celebrating us. Sam Wong, NTD News, Washington, D.C. Devastating floods in China. A series of dam failures and reservoir overflows over the weekend have left 170,000 people under imminent threat in Hangzhou, southern China. Typhoon Maysak triggered days of torrential rainfall, prompting local authorities to raise the emergency response to Level 1, the highest possible alert. The dams of at least three reservoirs in the region have collapsed, sending floodwaters into downstream villages. Images from the area show streets transformed into raging rivers, cars swept away and people stranded on rooftops. Internet and power are completely out across the region. Coming up, Chinese and Russian navies kicking off joint exercises off China's eastern coast. The drills come on the heels of an action that startled Japan and South Korea. A new report details an American environmental group's alleged ties to Beijing. We take a look at the details. More on that after the break here on China In Focus. Welcome back to China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Chinese and Russian navies kicking off a week of joint exercises off the eastern Chinese coast. That's according to the Russian Pacific Fleet. The two countries have been holding joint exercises annually since 2012. Just last week, Chinese and Russian bombers flew without warning into Japan and South Korea's air defense identification zone. That prompted Japan and South Korea to deploy fighter jets in response. Air defense identification zones are areas of airspace where aircraft are expected to identify themselves before approaching another country's sovereign airspace. On America's 250th birthday, two U.S. lawmakers renewed calls to protect Falun Gong practitioners from persecution. Senator Todd Young urging his colleagues to ensure the Chinese Communist Party cannot intimidate people exercising their freedoms here in the United States. And today's Melina Weiskopf has more. As America celebrates 250 years of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, lawmakers renew calls to combat human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party and its transnational repression on U.S. soil. Senator Todd Young said America was founded on the principle that every person is endowed with inherent dignity and the freedom to live according to their conscience. The senator said at stake are core American values, including free speech, religious liberty and the principle that no foreign authoritarian regime should be allowed to undermine our constitutional freedoms on American soil. He told Minghui.org, a Falun Gong website, that those values guide his work in the Senate. Young is a co-sponsor of the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill meant to sanction Chinese Communist Party officials who engage in harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience. The human rights atrocity has continued for over 25 years. Between 2001 and 2003, about 3,000 to 4,000 Falun Gong practitioners had died as a result of forced organ harvesting at a hospital she and her husband worked at in Suzhetun, according to estimates by some of the doctors involved. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation practice rooted in the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. Congressman Pat Ryan on July 4 told Minghui.org that he's proud to co-sponsor the Falun Gong Protection Act and stand with practitioners against CCP persecution today and every day. The combat veteran who risked his life to protect American values said, as we celebrate 250 years of this country, we also recommit to protecting the freedoms that our founding fathers envisioned. Senator Yang urges his colleagues to continue to expose the persecution to ensure the CCP cannot intimidate people exercising their freedoms here in the United States. The Falun Gong Protection Act has passed the House and a similar bill has advanced out of Senate committee, awaiting a final vote by the full body. A new report is raising national security concerns about an environmental group's ties to China. The report alleges the group has been cooperating with Chinese government-linked institutions. A report released by State Armor alleges the Environmental Law Institute, or ELI, has spent decades promoting climate policies that undermine U.S. energy production while cooperating with Chinese government-linked institutions. State Armor says ELI's Climate Judiciary Project has trained more than 2,000 U.S. judges on climate law, using legal theories that could expand litigation against American energy companies. The report argues those legal frameworks place growing pressure on U.S. energy producers, while China faces no comparable constraints. The report also alleges ELI advised Chinese regulators through environmental governance programs, providing what State Armor describes as U.S. regulatory best practices. It also says ELI maintained partnerships with Chinese universities and institutions that have ties to Beijing's military, intelligence, and influence operations. The report says Beijing has secured strategic advantages by gaining access to Western expertise, while the United States imposed tougher environmental and legal constraints on its own energy industry. The report also notes a House Judiciary Committee investigation opened in January, and says State Armor is urging Congress to review ELI's ELI says its mission is to advance practical environmental law and international cooperation, and told Fox News its China programming ended in 2024. It says the programming was intended to share evidence-based environmental best practices, not advance Chinese government interests, and that it works with dozens of countries to advance environmental protections. But State Armor says ELI has continued publishing research by academics from Chinese state-run universities, and hosting Chinese legal scholars involved in China's environmental policy. It says the organization's work has instead advanced the Chinese Communist Party's strategic interests, while undermining American energy security and industrial competitiveness, what it calls American unilateral disarmament in energy production, as China continues expanding its industrial base. Daniel Monahan, NTD News. 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 chinainfocusantd.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.