Screenshots on the surroundings of Guiyang Airport (in Chinese)

 Screenshots by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Screenshots on the surroundings of Guiyang Airport

 Screenshots by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Something big is going to happen within the Chinese Communist regime

 Translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Something big is going to happen in Zhongnanhai

Report by : Wang Youqun / Editor : Zhongkang / Source : Epoch Times / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0318/2191359.html / Image : On 4 March 2025, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong at the opening ceremony of the CPPCC meeting. (Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images)

Recently, some media people who have close ties with people in the CCP system have successively reported overseas that more high-ranking figures in the CCP military have been arrested.

Although these news have not been confirmed by the CCP authorities, from the experience of recent years, rumors about the dark side of the CCP’s internal struggles are often far ahead of predictions. Since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the internal struggles at the top have continued. Perhaps now this internal struggle has escalated again, and something big has happened in Zhongnanhai again.

Has He Weidong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, been arrested?

On 13 March 2025, Zhao Lanjian, a former Chinese media person living in the United States, released an "exclusive revelation" on the X platform: "According to authoritative sources, He Weidong, a member of the 20th CPC Central Political Bureau and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was taken away on the spot when he returned to the (August 1) building after the (closing) meeting of the (National) Congress on the 11th! At present, (He Weidong's) residences in Beijing and Shanghai have been searched, and the situation is extremely tense."

"He Weidong has long been an important member of Xi Jinping's core circle in the military. He was the commander of the Eastern Theater Command and was directly responsible for Taiwan Strait affairs. He has great influence in the party and the military. This sudden incident indicates that the Chinese military may usher in a high-level shock again!"

On 14 March 2025, Zhao Lanjian broke the news again: "The news that Vice Chairman of the Military Commission He Weidong was arrested has been confirmed by a second channel."

On 15 March 2025, independent commentator Cai Shenkun said in a self-media program that he was not sure whether Zhao Lanjian's revelation was true, but a friend in China gave him a hint through voice, saying that He Weidong's accident was true, and the top leaders of the military also conveyed it. The friend also told him about the arrest of Li Shangfu and Miao Hua.

On 14 March 2025, the CCP held a symposium in Beijing on the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the "Anti-Secession Law". Those attending the symposium included: Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP and Chairman of the National People's Congress, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CCP and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shi Taifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CCP, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Minister of the Central United Front Work Department, Wang Xiaohong, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, State Councilor, and Minister of Public Security, and Liu Zhenli, member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Military Commission.

The specifications of this meeting are relatively high, and it is a political declaration against the so-called "Taiwan independence". According to common sense, He Weidong, member of the Political Bureau of the CCP and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, should attend, but He Weidong did not attend.

If He Weidong was arrested, what is the reason?

Judging from the situation since the outbreak of the Rocket Force case in 2023, most of the fall of senior CCP generals was first exposed overseas and then confirmed by the CCP officials.

On 13 September 2023, Zhao Lanjian took the lead in breaking the news on the X platform that Li Shangfu, member of the Central Military Commission, State Councilor, and Minister of National Defense, was arrested on 6 September 2023. The next day, Zhao Lanjian corrected that Li Shangfu was arrested on 1 September 2023. On 27 June 2024, Xinhua News Agency reported: On 31 August 2023, the Military Commission Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commission filed a case for investigation into Li Shangfu's serious violations of discipline and law. The date reported by Xinhua News Agency is one day earlier than the date of Zhao Lanjian's revelation. Because there is a one-day time difference between the United States and China, this time point basically coincides. This also proves that Zhao Lanjian's revelation about Li Shangfu's arrest is accurate.

Now, I cannot confirm whether He Weidong has been arrested. However, I think this possibility exists.

First, He Weidong's extraordinary promotion and reuse has made many people in the military dissatisfied.

He Weidong is a "dark horse" who emerged at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Why do you say that? Because he was not even a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress, nor a member or alternate member of the 19th CPC Central Committee, but he was promoted to the 20th CPC Central Committee, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission at the First Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

After the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1949, the vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission were all selected from the members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and they must have the qualifications of members or alternate members of the Central Committee before that. He Weidong became the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, breaking the previous 72-year convention.

Is He Weidong a genius in the army? Has he made extraordinary achievements? No. Otherwise, how could he not even become an alternate member of the Central Committee at the 19th CPC National Congress?

According to common sense, common sense, and common sense, for retired old military leaders, such as former vice chairmen and members of the Central Military Commission, they must be dissatisfied. Why did he suddenly sit in such a high position? For active senior generals who are older, more capable, and have made more contributions than He Weidong, they must be dissatisfied. Why should he be promoted instead of me? For middle and lower-level officers who find it difficult to be promoted, they must be dissatisfied. Why did he rise to the top in one step?

Once there is a chance to drive He Weidong out of office, these people will push him down.

Second, He Weidong and Zhang Youxia are dissatisfied with their power struggle.

Zhang Youxia is the first vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and He Weidong is the second vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

But Zhang Youxia is much older than He Weidong. Zhang Youxia has led troops in battles; as early as the 17th CPC National Congress in 2007, Zhang Youxia was a member of the Central Committee; at the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, he was promoted to member of the Central Military Commission; at the 19th CPC National Congress, he was promoted to member of the Political Bureau of the CPC and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission; at the 20th CPC National Congress, he was re-elected as member of the Political Bureau of the CPC and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

He Weidong has no actual combat experience and was promoted by "helicopter" at the 20th CPC National Congress.

Shortly after the 20th CPC National Congress, a major case of the Rocket Force broke out. On 26 July 2023, the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission issued the "Announcement on the Collection of Clues of Illegal and Disciplinary Violations of Equipment Procurement Bidding Review Experts of the Whole Army". The announcement requires a six-year retrospective investigation, that is, to before October 2017. Before October 2017, Zhang Youxia served as the Minister of the Equipment Development Department of the Military Commission.

The result of the retrospective investigation is that a group of Zhang Youxia's old subordinates were investigated, including Li Shangfu, who succeeded Zhang Youxia as the Minister of Equipment Development Department of the Military Commission and was later promoted and reused as a member of the Central Military Commission, State Councilor, and Minister of National Defense.

After the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the anti-corruption campaign in the military was directed at Zhang Youxia's cronies, which made Zhang Youxia very embarrassed. Under this circumstance, He Weidong, the second vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Zhang Youxia, the first vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, competed with each other.

On 8 February 2024, Xinhuanet published a report "Zhang Youxia and He Weidong visited the troops stationed in Beijing to investigate and visit and comfort the officers and soldiers." When reprinting this report, People's Daily changed the title to: "He Weidong and Zhang Youxia visited the troops stationed in Beijing to investigate and visit and comfort the officers and soldiers."

There is no problem with the title of Xinhuanet. Zhang Youxia is older than He Weidong and should have been ranked before He Weidong. However, the title of People's Daily is very abnormal. This is probably the result of manipulation by He Weidong and the people behind him.

On 5 March 2024, He Weidong attended a discussion with the military delegation and made remarks to combat the army's "false combat capability".

What is the army's "false combat capability"? He Weidong's remarks may be a reference to the various corruption issues in the military equipment development department in the procurement of arms, and the spearhead may be directed at Zhang Youxia.

But He Weidong was immediately banned as soon as he made this statement. On Xinhua News Agency, CCTV.com, China Daily, and even the only news portal of the Chinese Communist Army, "China Military Network", searching with "He Weidong" and "false combat capability" as keywords, no relevant reports were found. This may be Zhang Youxia's counterattack against He Weidong.

Third, He Weidong may be implicated in the Miao Hua case.

On 28 November 2024, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense reported that Miao Hua, a member of the Central Military Commission and the director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, was investigated for suspected "serious violations of discipline".

This was the news that shocked the world at the end of last year. Because Miao Hua's predecessor, Zhang Yang, the first director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission after Xi's military reform in 2015, hanged himself at home on November 23, 2017, during the investigation, due to serious corruption. Now, Miao Hua is under investigation for "serious violations of discipline". People at home and abroad are very shocked by the corruption of senior generals in the Chinese Communist Army.

Because Miao Hua's position in the military is very critical, he is the main operator of Xi's "political construction of the army", the most important assistant to Xi in selecting and appointing senior generals in the army, and the "chief political commissar among political commissars" in the military who is responsible for supervising military leaders. After Miao Hua's fall, a group of senior generals may be implicated.

Miao Hua and He Weidong have both worked in the 31st Group Army. Miao Hua was the director of the Political Department of the 31st Group Army, and He Weidong was the chief of staff and deputy commander of the 31st Group Army.

After Miao Hua became the director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission in August 2017, He Weidong was promoted to commander of the Eastern Theater Command in 2019. Miao Hua was responsible for the investigation of He Weidong's promotion this time. Did He Weidong give money to Miao Hua?

In the 20th Central Military Commission, He Weidong, the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission in charge of political work, became Miao Hua's immediate superior.

As a member of the 20th Central Military Commission and director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, Miao Hua continued to be responsible for the selection and appointment of senior military generals. The scope of selection and appointment includes the military and political leaders of the 15 departments of the Military Commission, the five major war zones, the major services, the armed police forces, and military academies. Among those senior generals who want to be promoted and reused, many may have given money to Miao Hua, and may have given money to He Weidong through Miao Hua.

After Miao Hua was arrested, it was reported that some senior generals who were closely related to him were investigated, including: Qin Shutong (General), the former political commissar of the Army, Yuan Huazhi (General), the current political commissar of the Navy, and Wang Chunning (General), the commander of the armed police.

After the Miao Hua case, he may have confessed He Weidong.

Fourth, He Weidong is Xi Jinping's "first confidant in the military".

He Weidong, who was not even a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress, became a member of the 20th CPC Central Committee, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, all thanks to Xi Jinping's personal promotion and reuse. Without Xi Jinping, there would be no He Weidong today.

Xi Jinping has promoted and reused many senior officials in an exceptional manner. There is no second person like He Weidong who has risen to the top in one step. So some people say that he is Xi Jinping's "first confidant in the military".

Qin Gang is the youngest party and state leader promoted and reused by Xi Jinping himself - a member of the Central Committee, a state councilor, and a foreign minister.

Qin Gang's rise from the vice-ministerial-level Chinese ambassador to the United States to the ministerial-level Chinese foreign minister to the vice-state-level state councilor is also a "three-step jump", but it was not completed at one time. Instead, he was promoted and reused by Xi as foreign minister in December 2022 and as state councilor in March 2023.

Miao Hua is considered to be Xi's "confidant among confidants". But Xi's promotion and reuse of Miao Hua was not done all at once. Miao Hua was promoted and reused by Xi as the director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission in August 2017, and was promoted and reused by Xi as a member of the Central Military Commission at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2017. He was re-elected as a member of the Central Military Commission at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022.

If nothing unexpected happens, Miao Hua is likely to be promoted and reused by Xi as a member of the next Politburo of the Communist Party of China and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Miao Hua's sudden fall from power in November last year is a major blow to Xi.

If He Weidong is really arrested now, it will be a huge blow to Xi.

Since Xi Jinping took down a group of senior generals such as Zhang Youxia's confidant Li Shangfu in 2023, the internal struggle between Xi and Zhang has been staged in the Chinese Communist Army. During and after the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in July 2024, due to Xi's sudden illness, the internal struggle between Zhang and Xi reached a climax. Some of Xi's trusted people in the military have been transferred, such as Xi's military secretary Zhong Shaojun, or arrested, such as Miao Hua, Xi's "trusted among trusted people". Xi's military power has been weakened.

Now there is news that He Weidong has been arrested. If true, this may be another climax of the struggle between Xi and Zhang.

Conclusion

Since Xi Jinping came to power, he has been grasping military power. However, until now, Xi has not been able to truly control military power.

Xi has been purging political enemies by fighting corruption. In the more than 12 years since Xi came to power, more than 720 senior officials at the vice-provincial and ministerial level and other central management cadres have been investigated, including more than 200 senior military generals. Xi has offended too many senior officials. In addition, Xi's domestic and foreign affairs have been a mess, and there are many people who oppose Xi in the Communist Party and the military.

If He Weidong is really arrested this time, Xi's military power will be further weakened, and Xi's future will be very bad.

The CCP is powerless to turn the tide on Panama Canal control

Translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

News (1) to (5) / Editor : Fang Xun / Source: RFA / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0318/2191296.html / 

Image : A cargo ship passes through the Panama Canal on 13 August 2024. (Enea Lebrun/Reuters)

News (1)

Li Ka-shing was criticized for selling Panama Ports, CCP sends delegation to Panama 

Cheung Kong Hutchison, controlled by Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, recently announced that it would sell its Panama Canal port and other businesses to an American consortium, which aroused strong dissatisfaction from Beijing that issued a series of articles criticizing it. At the same time, Beijing sent the deputy minister of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to lead a delegation to visit Panama. But are these measures useful? How much influence does Beijing still have on Panama?

According to China's official media Xinhua News Agency on Sunday (16 March 2025), Ma Hui, deputy minister of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, led a delegation of the Communist Party of China to visit Panama from 14 to 15 March 2025, met with leaders of major political parties in Panama, and held talks with think tank scholars.

According to the report, Ma Hui said that China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Panamanian political parties and think tanks, enhance mutual "understanding and trust", and consolidate the public opinion basis for China-Panama friendly relations. The Panamanian side said that it is "willing to deepen friendly exchanges between the two sides and build consensus on cooperation" to promote the sustainable development of Panama-China friendship.

News (2)

Ta Kung Pao published three articles in a row to criticize Li Ka-shing

Currently, Cheung Kong Hutchison, controlled by Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, plans to sell its Panama Canal port and other businesses to a consortium led by Blackrock of the United States, which has aroused strong dissatisfaction from Beijing. The Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao, which is officially controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, published three comments on 13, 15 and 17 March 2025, criticizing Li Ka-shing and issuing a warning to Hong Kong people.

Among them, the article on the 17th was titled "Drinking Water and Remembering the Source, Having Responsibility and Relying on the Motherland for Development", emphasizing that Hong Kong must "maintain a high degree of consistency with national interests", "connect with national strategies", "in the face of major issues... must stand firmly with the country and have the courage to shoulder historical responsibilities", etc.

On the 13th and 15th, Ta Kung Pao also published two articles that severely criticized Cheung Kong Holdings for selling its Panama Ports and other businesses to an investment group led by BlackRock, accusing the deal of being a hegemonic act of the United States using state power to directly intervene and manipulate, and citing netizens criticizing Cheung Kong Holdings for betraying and "selling out all Chinese people" and "will eventually bear the historical infamy". Both articles were forwarded on the official website of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the ministry in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs in China, attracting attention.

Hutchison Whampoa's stock price fell 6.4% at the close of trading last Friday (14th). According to Reuters, this shows that Cheung Kong Hutchison will face complex geopolitical pressures as Trump puts pressure on China and investors worry that the deal may not be supported by Beijing.

Liu Mengxiong, a former member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, told Radio Free Asia that under Trump's accusations about the Panama Canal and the current severe trade war situation, Cheung Kong Hutchison, as a listed company, only made a business decision responsible to shareholders: "When the international geopolitical situation changes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. As a company, Cheung Kong Hutchison's practice is understandable."

Liu Mengxiong believes that Hong Kong is a society ruled by law. According to the provisions of the Basic Law, Cheung Kong Hutchison's sale of assets is completely legal and should not be subject to political or moral kidnapping. The accusation of the Ta Kung Pao is unreasonable: "This accusation is absurd in theory, untenable in law, confusing in logic, and harmful in terms of impact."

Liu Mengxiong believes that Cheung Kong Hutchison and BlackRock have only reached an agreement in principle. If Beijing really believes that it is a matter of national interest, it should let China's state-owned enterprises and central enterprises directly propose higher prices for acquisitions: "You do not conduct commercial negotiations, but use the criticism methods of the Cultural Revolution to politicize and demonize the business decisions of Cheung Kong Hutchison. This is unreasonable."

News (3)

Expert: Beijing has not been more proactive in engaging with the U.S.

Timothy Ho, senior researcher for international defense at the RAND Corporation, a US think tank Heath told Radio Free Asia in writing: "I am surprised that Beijing has not been more proactive in engaging with Washington to discuss options that can safeguard China's interests. Perhaps they could propose selling the canal to a third party that both China and the United States trust but Beijing must also be careful not to overreact, threaten retaliation or take other drastic measures because this will only confirm Washington's suspicions and strengthen their determination to control the canal. Overall, China seems relatively passive in responding to Trump, perhaps because Beijing has not yet fully decided on the best strategy or method to deal with Trump."

China's independent political scholar Chen Daoyin previously told this station that from the Ta Kung Pao article, it can be seen that Beijing did not know in advance that Li Ka-shing was doing this deal with the United States. At the same time, there was no deal between the Chinese and American governments. China views this deal from the perspective of strategic confrontation between China and the United States. He pointed out that China currently has no evidence, so it does not want to publicly accuse the United States of pressure, so it can only catch wind through third-party media.

News (4)

Trump vows to "take back" the Panama canal as Panama withdraws from the "Belt and Road"

In recent years, China's influence in Latin American countries has increased through the "Belt and Road" investment and various infiltrations. Trump raised the Panama Canal issue immediately after he was elected as the US President, arguing that China controls this important waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, violates the treaty between the United States and Panama, and charges excessive fees to U.S. ships. He vowed to "take back" the Panama Canal.

Panama strongly opposed it verbally, but then launched an investigation into the Panama Ports Corporation office controlled by Hutchison Ports and considered canceling its contract with Cheung Kong.

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio went to Panama on his first visit after taking office, and made it clear that the current situation of the Panama Canal was "unacceptable" and that if no immediate changes were made, the United States would need to take necessary measures to protect its rights under the treaty. After the meeting, Panamanian President Mulino announced that he would withdraw from China's "Belt and Road" plan.

On 4 March 2025, the day Trump gave a speech in Congress, Cheung Kong Hutchison announced that it had reached a principle agreement with a consortium led by BlackRock to sell its 43 ports in 23 countries for US$22.8 billion, including a 90% stake in Panama Ports Corporation. Trump welcomed the deal.

Image : Balboa Harbor photographed in Panama City after Hong Kong's CK Hutchison agreed to sell its stake in a major port operator in the Panama Canal to a consortium backed by BlackRock. (Enea Lebrun/Reuters)

As for whether Beijing can still choose to intervene in CK Hutchison's sale plan or formulate other response measures, Xie Tian, ​​a professor at the Aiken School of Business at the University of South Carolina, told Radio Free Asia: "First, it is politically inappropriate and uneconomical, and second, it does not have many legal reasons to stop it. Because it is a Hong Kong company, it does not involve approving these things. The most important thing is that it (originally) used Hong Kong capital to acquire, and now it is suffering from it."

Liu Mengxiong believes that Latin America is the backyard of the United States and has great influence. It is difficult for China to reverse the results such as Rubio's visit leading to Panama's withdrawal from the "Belt and Road Initiative".

News (5)

The White House has instructed the U.S. military to formulate a plan to station troops in Panama

The Panama Canal is an important hub for global shipping. The canal carries 6% of the world's seaborne trade volume and is a "throat" connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The canal was built and managed by the United States for a long time. In 1964, anti-American riots broke out in the Canal Zone, leading to the renegotiation of the Canal Treaty. In 1977, the United States and Panama signed an agreement to jointly supervise for a period of time and handed control to Panama in 1999. At the end of 1999, Li Ka-shing's company won the management rights of the ports at both ends of the Panama Canal. At that time, U.S. congressmen expressed concerns about this, but then-President Clinton said that this would not pose a threat to U.S. security.

According to U.S. media reports, two U.S. officials said on 13 March 2025 that the White House has instructed the U.S. military to develop a plan to station troops in Panama to achieve President Trump's goal of "taking back" the Panama Canal. According to a memorandum from the U.S.Department of Defense, the Trump administration has formally asked Department of Defense officials to provide reliable military options to ensure that the United States can have unrestricted access to the Panama Canal, thereby ensuring fairness in U.S. military and business.

"Now what the Chinese Communist Party does is useless, it's too late." Xie Tian said.

News (6)

Beijing has launched an investigation into Li Ka-shing

Reporter : Wang Duruo / Editor : Zhongkang / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0318/2191332.html

According to people familiar with the matter, the Chinese Communist government has recently begun investigating the sale of overseas port businesses by Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Hutchison Holdings, a sign that Beijing is unhappy with the company's divestment of its Panama business under pressure from the United States.

According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the matter said that the State Administration for Market Regulation and other agencies have received instructions from the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party to investigate whether the transaction has security loopholes or violates antitrust regulations.

Cheung Kong Hutchison recently announced that it would sell 43 ports to a consortium led by BlackRock for $19 billion. U.S. President Trump called the deal "a symbol of the United States taking back the Panama Canal."

Because the ports are located outside China and Hong Kong, it is unclear how the Chinese Communist Party will intervene in the deal. People familiar with the matter said that Beijing's review does not mean that action will be taken but transactions of this size usually attract the attention of regulators in the Chinese Communist Party and other countries.

Investors generally welcomed the unexpected port sale, believing that it was a favorable way for Li Ka-shing to exit related businesses in the face of increasing political scrutiny and trade barriers.

However, the Chinese Communist Party's dissatisfaction may affect the deal. Last week, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office forwarded a critical article from the Ta Kung Pao that criticized Li Ka-shing's business group for "bowling" under pressure from the United States. Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also implicitly criticized "some Hong Kong businessmen" on social media for putting commercial interests above national interests.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in an interview before the Executive Council on 18 March 2025 that the widespread discussion of the matter reflects the society's concern about it and deserves serious consideration.

Despite pressure from Beijing, CK Hutchison's 12% of revenue comes from China and Hong Kong, with most of the rest coming from Europe, North America and Australia.

Image : Li Ka-shing photo (Antony Dickson/AFP via Getty Images)

News (7) to (9) / Editor : Wenbin / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/03/19/a103968446.html

News (7)

Li Ka-shing sold the port without asking Beijing for permission, Xi is angry but can do nothing

Image : Li Ka-shing's company recently announced that it will sell 43 port businesses, including ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, to American companies, which has made the CCP extremely angry. The picture shows Li Ka-shing's profile photo. (Lopez/AFP/Getty Images)

Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing's company recently announced that it will sell 43 port businesses, including ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, to American companies, which has made the CCP extremely angry. The latest news indicates that the CCP leader Xi Jinping is angry about the deal but he is unable to stop it.

CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, owned by Li Ka-shing, recently announced that it would sell all of its 43 port businesses in 23 countries to an investment team led by Black Rock, including the Port of Balboa and the Port of Cristobal, located at both ends of the Panama Canal.

News (8)

The CCP plan failed after losing its bargaining chip with Trump

When President Trump first took office, he vowed to "take back" control of the Panama Canal, arguing that the canal, which has a very high strategic and economic status, had long been infiltrated by the CCP, threatening the US economy and national security.

Li Ka-shing's deal to sell the port has aroused official dissatisfaction from the CCP. The Wall Street Journal quoted sources on March 19 as saying that the CCP leader Xi Jinping was angry about this, partly because CK Hutchison made the decision without the consent of the Beijing authorities.

The report quoted people familiar with the Beijing authorities' thinking as saying that the CCP government originally intended to use the Panama Canal port issue as a bargaining chip with the Trump administration, but because of Li Ka-shing's above-mentioned transaction, the CCP's original plan failed.

Hong Kong's Ming Pao recently quoted a Chinese official as saying privately that Cheung Kong's deal was not notified to the Chinese authorities in advance, making the Chinese authorities very passive and unable to deploy countermeasures. There are rumors within the Chinese Political Consultative Conference that Beijing officials tried to contact Li Ka-shing, a senior adviser to Cheung Kong, to discuss the incident, but failed.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Xi Jinping's dissatisfaction showed that he did not like to be portrayed as a loser. But people familiar with the matter said that it would not be easy for Beijing to stop the deal.

Bloomberg recently reported that several Chinese government departments have received instructions to investigate whether the transaction poses national security risks and antitrust violations. However, although the Chinese officials are unhappy, there is no easy way to stop Li Ka-shing's deal, because the assets sold this time are all located outside China and Hong Kong, and all parties to the transaction are confident that the transaction will be completed.

The port sold by Li Ka-shing is located at the entrance and exit of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal, which is about 81 kilometers long and connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, is one of the world's important trade waterways. According to multiple media reports, there are five major ports distributed along the Panama Canal, namely Manzanillo, Balboa, Colon, Rodman, and Cristobal.

Among them, Manzanillo is the port with the largest container transportation volume in Panama, operated by the American multinational company SSA Marine. The other two ports, Colon and Rodman, are operated by companies under Taiwan Evergreen Group and Singapore Port Authority, respectively.

The two ports sold by Li Ka-shing this time are Balboa and Cristobal. Geographically, the former is located at the entrance of the canal on the Pacific side of Panama Bay, and the latter is located at the Atlantic exit of the Panama Canal, which is extremely important.

News (9)

Trump takes back the Panama Canal and hits the CCP's "Belt and Road" hard

The United States completed the construction of the Panama Canal in 1914 after 10 years and at great expense. In 1977, then-U.S. President Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty and the Permanent Neutrality of the Panama Canal with Panama, gradually transferring control of the Panama Canal to the Panamanian government.

Some analysts pointed out that controlling the Panama Canal is equivalent to controlling the throat of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. If the United States controls these key ports, once a dispute arises, the United States will block the passage of Chinese ships. Next, the United States may use this transaction as a "model" to acquire more key ports around the world, leaving Chinese ships "nowhere to rely on".

On the other hand, Li Ka-shing's transaction is considered to have dealt a heavy blow to Xi Jinping's "Belt and Road" ambitions.

In 2018, Panama joined the CCP's "Belt and Road" initiative just one year after breaking off diplomatic relations with Taiwan, becoming the first country in the Western Hemisphere to join the CCP's "Belt and Road".

Many of the ports sold by Li Ka-shing are located in countries along the "Belt and Road", and the Panama Canal is a core channel for China's maritime trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. Once the United States controls these ports, the CCP's "Belt and Road" layout in this region may be severely impacted.

News (10) to (14) / Host : Qin Peng / Publisher : Qin Peng Observations Production Team / Editor : Li Hong /  https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/03/19/a103968412.html

News (10)

Did Li Ka-shing anger Xi? The secret behind the abuse in Beijing and Hong Kong

What on earth did Li Ka-shing anger Xi Jinping, and why he should be pursued? Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also said that transactions "must be in accordance with the law and regulations". At a sensitive moment, Chinese diplomatic officials visited Panama.

Zhongnanhai's global ambitions are being exposed. They are trying to control important ports around the world to promote the hegemony of the Chinese Communist Party at a critical moment. Huawei and other companies have played an important role in this.

Hong Kong businessman and former member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Liu Mengxiong criticized the Chinese Communist Party: undermining the Basic Law and "one country, two systems".

This episode is still an exclusive program for the Clean World. Please subscribe to my Clean World channel in the comment area. I usually do three exclusive programs here every week. Thank you.

News (11)

Game of the coward: Beijing and Hong Kong jointly abuse and intimidate Li Ka-shing

Recently, the CCP's fierce criticism of Hong Kong business tycoon Li Ka-shing and his Cheung Kong Group for selling Panama Port and other assets has set off a storm of public opinion. The official media accused Li Ka-shing of "selling out the country" and "betraying national interests." However, the real motive behind this abuse is far from the superficial patriotic sentiment, but exposes the CCP's ambition in global geopolitics and its anxiety about losing influence.

News (12)

Behind the storm: the CCP's strategic anxiety

Li Ka-shing's $22.8 billion sale involves ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, but retains businesses in mainland China and Hong Kong. There are three reasons why the CCP reacted fiercely:

First, it lies in the strategic position of the Panama Canal.

As the throat of global trade, the Panama Canal carries about 6% of maritime cargo volume each year, accounting for 21% of China's merchant ship cargo volume, and is the core route for China's trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. Li Ka-shing's latest transaction has transferred an important strategic asset in the backyard of the United States in the eyes of the CCP to American capital, and U.S. President Trump is still threatening to use force to "regain control of the canal" and impose a special fee of US$1 million on Chinese-made ships entering the United States. All of these have touched the sensitive nerves of the CCP.

So far, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the CCP and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have continuously reprinted articles from the Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao, slamming Li Ka-shing and his companies, saying that they are: profit-seeking, profit-forgetting, ignoring national interests and national justice, and "betraying and selling out all Chinese people."

Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also followed the official actions and declared: Perhaps Hong Kong has been governed by foreign countries for too long, and some Hong Kong businessmen mistakenly believe that "businessmen have no motherland" and think that everything is "business".

On 18 March 2025, Bloomberg News quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that some regulatory agencies, including the State Administration for Market Regulation of China, were instructed by senior officials to begin reviewing whether the sale had security concerns or antitrust behavior.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also said in response to reporters' questions on March 18 that he opposed foreign governments using coercive means in international economic and trade relations, and said that any transaction must be legal and compliant, and the Hong Kong government will handle it in accordance with the law.

Secondly, this also reflects the CCP's inability to confront the United States and only dare to vent its anger on a private enterprise.

On the surface, this is anger at "asset loss", but in fact, the CCP's control over Panama is limited, and Cheung Kong's port business is not directly controlled by it. What practical problems can Beijing and Hong Kong solve by jointly scolding Li Ka-shing and investigating Cheung Kong's transactions?

However, it seems that the CCP has another plan: to disrupt the transaction and let Cheung Kong, as a company, confront the United States. On March 18, Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, wrote an article in which he supported the Hong Kong government's measures to block the transaction, and said that Cheung Kong Hutchison "might as well stand up and bravely deal with the threats from the United States."

However, there is one question that cannot withstand in-depth questioning: If the CCP really thinks that this is a strategic asset that cannot be lost, why not let state-owned enterprises or China Investment Corporation acquire these ports, and then directly confront the United States?

Netease users also mocked the CCP for its incompetence and shamelessness: "If Li Ka-shing has violated the law, please arrest him and seal up his company in time. If he has not violated the law, do not force him to obey your will. If you have military strength, attack and occupy the Panama Canal. If you have financial resources, use money to pound him until he is willing to sell to you. There is a company that wants to dig mud for a high salary, but your boss asks you to put the overall situation first, take less salary and work overtime without pay. Are you willing? If you get angry outside and go home to curse in the street, what kind of person is that?"

Hong Kong businessman and former CPPCC member Liu Mengxiong also criticized that the attack on Cheung Kong's asset disposal is a fallacy and violates the Basic Law.

News (13)

The Ta Kung Pao article is full of logical confusion

Liu Mengxiong said that the Ta Kung Pao article is full of confusion of facts and logic:

1. The 43 ports and 199 docks in 23 countries overseas under the Cheung Kong Group are 100% private legal property, not assets of China's central enterprises or state-owned enterprises, and are definitely not owned by the people of the country. Now the successful sale at a price exceeding the valuation is in line with the interests of the majority of shareholders, and the market evaluation is positive. How can it be called "losing power and humiliating the country"? How can it be called "betraying and selling out all Chinese people"?

2. These ports were acquired in the past few years. If the sale now is "losing power and humiliating the country" and "betraying and selling out all Chinese people", then the governments of the 23 countries and the previous consortium were the first to "lose power and humiliate the country" and "betray and sell out all X people"? It doesn't make sense at all.

3. In the past 40 years, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Ta Kung Pao have never praised Cheung Kong Holdings' acquisition for "bringing glory to the country" and "representing all Chinese people". Why are they now sinners? The confusion of logic is simply absurd!

4. Liu Mengxiong questioned, since it is related to "national interests, national justice", etc., why did the relevant parties neither support Cheung Kong Holdings nor propose to take over?

5. Liu Mengxiong believes that the Ta Kung Pao article has raised the transaction to a political level, which just confirms the U.S. accusation that "the Panama Canal is controlled by China", bringing unpredictable chain reactions, affecting other Hong Kong consortiums with major international investments, and everyone is in danger. This is absolutely "handing a knife to the opponent".

Moreover, the CCP's incompetence is also reflected in the fact that it dares not directly criticize the United States and Trump, but at a sensitive moment, from 14 to 15 March 2025, Ma Hui, Deputy Minister of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, led a CCP delegation to visit Panama, met with leaders of major political parties in Panama, and held discussions with think tank scholars.

From a legal perspective, the canal port belongs to a company under Li Ka-shing, and the sale is a transaction between it and BlackRock. What can the Panamanian government do in the face of U.S. pressure? The CCP dares not to confront the United States head-on, and only dares to act in private, which is also a manifestation of cowardice. And whether it is verbal abuse or visits, I am afraid it is powerless to turn the tide.

News (14)

The CCP's global port layout: Dual ambitions of economy and military

However, the high-level officials from Beijing and Hong Kong went out together, which represented the Zhongnanhai's fury, indicating that it was Xi Jinping's own intention to oppose the transaction. Why did he oppose it?

Is it really just because the US's claim back of the Panama Canal made the CCP nervous, so it took out its anger on Li Ka-shing? Or as some people say, high-profile accusations are used to divert domestic economic difficulties, incite nationalism, cover up internal contradictions, and at the same time hit Hong Kong capital and warn other chaebols not to "betray the motherland". Is it that simple?

Of course not. There are deeper reasons why the CCP has done this so loudly. This is also the third real reason that the authorities dare not say: the CCP has long been deploying overseas ports, and has always hoped to help them play an important role in the global hegemony. But now, Xi Jinping is facing the panic of the imminent collapse of this strategy.

1. The CCP's port network all over the world: half of them have military potential

Developing a global port network is the core pillar of the CCP's implementation of the "Belt and Road" and "Maritime Silk Road". According to statistics, Chinese companies (such as COSCO Shipping and China Merchants Group) own or operate about 100 to 130 port projects in more than 50 countries, covering Asia (such as Gwadar), Europe (such as Piraeus), Africa (such as Djibouti) and Latin America (such as Chancay). Most of these ports are located in throat areas such as the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal, and more than half have the potential for military conversion.

This ambition of the Chinese Communist Party has attracted increasing international attention in recent years. Trump only talked about the Panama Canal this time, but in fact, in January this year, the US media reported that the Chinese Communist Party’s layout of global ports has caused concerns in the United States.

The impact of the Chinese Communist Party’s layout on global security cannot be underestimated:

First, in terms of economy, the ports controlled by China handle key nodes of global trade. If a conflict occurs, it may affect the supply chain of other countries by delaying goods or selectively blocking them. For example, during the Taiwan Strait crisis, the Panama Canal was used to interfere with the mobilization of US troops.

Second, in terms of military, the CCP’s establishment of a military base in Djibouti and other cases show that these ports can be quickly transformed into supply points for the Chinese Navy in the future, enhancing its long-range projection capabilities.

Third, in terms of geopolitics, the CCP’s implementation of “debt diplomacy” (such as the 99-year lease of the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka) can force some small countries to get closer to the CCP in international affairs and weaken the multilateral order dominated by the West.

The transactions of Li Ka-shing’s company were amplified and criticized by the Xi authorities because they touched the sensitive points of this layout. The CCP tried to transform economic influence into military and political leverage through port control, so any “derailment” behavior was seen as a challenge to its global ambitions.

There are currently more than 100 overseas ports owned or operated by mainland Chinese companies. If the CCP owned the 43 ports in Li Ka-shing’s hands, it would have greater influence. But unfortunately, the CCP had no vision before, and now it has been awakened by Trump, and it has realized it belatedly and started to worry.

After the outbreak of this incident, some netizens dug out that in 2015, Li Ka-shing wanted to sell 40% of the port assets to mainland Chinese companies, but failed to reach an agreement because of the high asking price. The CCP itself has no vision and no future, who can be blamed?

2. Huawei's software and optical fiber: a secret weapon of technological penetration

Huawei plays a key role in the CCP's global logistics strategy. Its smart port solutions combine 5G, AI and cloud computing and are widely used in ports around the world. For example, in Tianjin Port, Huawei's "car-cloud collaboration" system realizes unmanned truck transportation; in Yangshan Port, the remote control platform realizes equipment operation 100 kilometers away through the optical fiber network; in Piraeus Port in Athens, Greece, Huawei's 5G and digital twin technology improve operational efficiency.

Huawei's optical fiber technology ("all-optical network") is the basis of these systems, providing high-speed data transmission and monitoring capabilities. For example, Huawei's optical fiber network in Djibouti Port not only serves business, but also communicates with Chinese military bases; its optical fiber sensing technology (OptiXsense) is used for port security protection. Although these technologies have improved efficiency, they also bring hidden concerns: data is used for intelligence collection and even paralyzes port operations during wartime.

The U.S. report pointed out that Huawei's port software (such as the Logink platform) may be embedded with backdoors, threatening the logistics security of other countries. Therefore, in December 2023, US President Biden signed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a clause prohibiting the Pentagon from using any seaport that relies on the Chinese logistics platform (Logink).

3. Zhenhua Heavy Industries' Crane Empire: The Other Side of Hardware Control

In addition to Huawei, Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), located in Shanghai, China, has further strengthened the CCP's hardware control over global ports. Zhenhua occupies about 70% of the global port crane market and provides equipment for more than 300 ports in more than 90 countries, including the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Baltimore in the United States. Its products are known for their low cost and high efficiency, but security risks cannot be ignored.

A 2024 US Congressional report revealed that Zhenhua cranes have built-in undeclared cellular modems that may be used for remote data transmission or control. If these devices are embedded with backdoors, they may be used in conflicts to paralyze ports (such as cutting off power or stopping loading and unloading) or monitor the movement of military goods.

This global penetration means that even if the port operation rights are not in the hands of Chinese companies, hardware dependence may still allow the CCP to retain potential control, which, together with Huawei's software layout, forms a dual threat of "soft and hard".

And 90% of US military goods are transported by merchant ships, which will allow port operators to gain insight into whether the United States is stepping up its actions in certain places, thus posing a potential security threat.

In short, from Li Ka-shing's transactions to the CCP's global port network, to the technological penetration of Huawei and Zhenhua Heavy Industries, we can see a bigger picture: the CCP is trying to dominate the lifeline of global shipping through economic, technological and geopolitical means.

However, with Trump's re-election, this ambition is being exposed, and as a result, the CCP feels that it is in a state of panic, but does not know how to deal with it, so it is at a loss and can only rely on verbal abuse and purposeless visits to try to save the defeat. However, this further exposes their ambitions...

What else can they do next? Let's wait and see.

News (15)

A broken manhole cover appeared on a street of Wuhan. A thin layer of plastic and several thin wires

Reporter : Li Li / Editor: Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/03/18/a103968327.html / Image : 

On 17 March 2025, a broken manhole cover suspected to be made of plastic appeared on a street of Wuhan. (Internet video screenshot)

CCP officials are corrupt, and the same is true in projects related to people's livelihood. There are shoddy projects everywhere. On 17 March 2025, a broken manhole cover suspected to be made of plastic appeared on the streets of Wuhan, triggering public criticism.

The online video shows that a large hole appeared in a manhole cover on the street. The manhole cover is very thin and has been broken in half, exposing the thin wire inside. The netizen who filmed the video said, "On the way to Huangpi, Wuhan, to go fishing, I saw a plastic manhole cover for the first time, which overturned my cognition."

While breaking the broken manhole cover with his hands, the netizen said, "These manufacturers are really brave, one dares to produce, and the other dares to use it."

The video has attracted attention and heated discussions on the Internet.

Some netizens said, "If it rains and water accumulates, people walking on it will fall into the sewer and no one can find them. This has happened before", "It's as thin as paper, and it's not strong enough, which is the most terrifying", "It's said to be a new product with special materials~ In fact, it's all shoddy work... and the cost is still very high!".

Other netizens said that this kind of manhole cover is very common, "I have seen many of this kind of manhole covers in Wuhan, and they are very easy to break", "It's really necessary to manage the projects of the street construction party in Wuhan. Now the street is responsible for the renovation of the old water in the community, and the quality of the project is very poor if the supervision is not in place", "There are also some in front of my house", "It's normal, the sidewalk power grid manhole covers in Hangzhou are also plastic."

According to a mainland media report on March 18, a staff member of the Huangpi District Urban Management Bureau said that the manhole cover was managed by the Huangpi District Chuanhengdian Street. Regarding whether the material of the broken manhole cover was plastic, the staff member said, "I am not very professional in this regard. I need to ask the staff of the department specifically. There will be a reply after the investigation is clear. There is no way to reply now."

A staff member of the Jianghan District Urban Management Bureau said, "It is made of special materials and is specially used on the sidewalk. It may be that a car ran over it, causing it to break. The same type of manhole cover is also different. The one used on the road is iron."

Netizens criticized, "It must have received kickbacks" and "In order to make money, they don't care about other people's lives."

On mainland social media, there are often cases where people fall into the manhole cover and get injured or even die because the manhole cover disappears or is damaged and not replaced in time. Previously, many people reported that the local sewer manhole cover was of poor quality. On 17 November 2024, a villager in Lanzhou, Gansu posted a video on social media saying that the newly replaced manhole cover on the village road was of poor quality and even "broken at the touch."

Beijing fears Chinese people

 Direct translation

"Eunuchs deceive the emperor"! Are the people of Beijing making the CCP tremble? [Apollo Network Report]

—It shows how many evil things the CCP has done, and they are afraid that the people of Beijing will end up in such a situation.

Reporter : Sun Ruihou / Editor : Fang Xun / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0318/2190953.html

Back then, many office workers in Beijing were under pressure from high housing prices and mistakenly believed that Yanjiao was Beijing's "back garden" and that the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei was the general trend. Independent commentator Cai Shenkun reposted a netizen's video on the X platform on March 16 and said with emotion: The migrant workers in Beijing once settled down in Yanjiao, but decades later, the CCP's evil policies have made Beijing and Hebei a strict barrier. The journey from Yanjiao to Beijing is like "going to the battlefield", and the lives of commuters have fallen into misery, exposing the CCP's indifference and fear of the people.

A friend complained to Cai Shenkun: I still live in Yanjiao, commuting to Beijing every day, and living a typical commuting life. But after the National Day in 2024, the control of the checkpoints entering Beijing has been upgraded. Each car must check the ID cards of all passengers. Even intercity bus passengers must get off the bus and check one by one, and private cars must open the trunk for inspection. The original 20-minute inspection time has been extended to more than 1 hour, and the three-kilometer road to Beijing often takes more than an hour, and the commuting pressure has increased dramatically. Behind this is the CCP's strict control over Beijing residents, fearing that the movement of people will cause unrest, which shows its extreme distrust of the people.

Cai Shenkun criticized that the so-called integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei has become another example of the CCP's "empty" policy. Since Xi Jinping proposed it in 2014, this slogan has been shouted loudly, but there has been no substantive action. Only in Hebei can the Beijing medical insurance be used. The roads are blocked and checkpoints are everywhere. You need to swipe your ID card to ride a bike, drive or walk. 99.9% of commuters are tossed in the most clumsy and inefficient way. The staff are slow and do not care about the urgent needs of office workers. Netizen Hans Chang angrily pointed out: "It can be seen how many evil things the CCP has done, and it is afraid that the people will be in such a situation." Self-media person Zhang Tianliang sighed: "It's not so difficult for me to travel back and forth from the United States to Canada." WangDa316158 satirized "eunuchs deceived the emperor, and the people were stuck on the road." Manixsteven was more scathing: "In the eyes of the red regime, Yanjiao people are like cattle and horses, and no one cares about the hard commuting."

The CCP's evil policies not only make commuting in Yanjiao a nightmare, but also expose its fear and control of Beijing people. The integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei has become an empty shell, and public resentment is boiling.

At that time, many office workers in Beijing were forced to think that Yanjiao was really Beijing's back garden and that the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei was the general trend. In particular, the Beijingers who could not afford to buy houses in Beijing ran to Yanjiao to settle down and buy houses. Unexpectedly, decades later, the barriers between Beijing and Hebei are strict. Whenever something happens in Beijing, going from Yanjiao to Beijing is like going to the battlefield, which is unbearable for office workers. I received a message from a friend today, describing the road from Yanjiao to Beijing... pic.twitter.com/gaw9nKOb0F

— Cai Shenkun (@cskun1989) March 16, 2025

Editor: Fang Xun Source: Sun Ruihou of Apollo.com Please indicate the author and source and keep it complete when reprinting.

URL of this article: https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0318/2190953.html

The White House on the major crimes of the Voice of America

 Direct translation

Big news! The White House lists the major crimes of Voice of America

—The U.S. Agency for Global Media has been significantly downsized, and the future of Voice of America is uncertain

Editor: Zhongkang / Source: Epoch Times / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0317/2190809.html / Image : Kari Lake, special adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on 21 February 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Following Trump's executive order to cut federal agencies, the US Agency for Global Media said it would significantly reduce its size. Almost all employees of Voice of America have entered administrative leave mode, and the radio station is likely to face closure.

On 15 March 2025, the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) issued a statement on "substantial reductions in the size of the agency." The statement said that the executive order signed by President Trump the day before to "continue to cut federal bureaucracy" affected employees of all grantees. Most of the staff of the US Agency for Global Media will be on paid leave from now until further notice.

The statement mentioned five "shocking findings" about the agency:

1. Large-scale violations of national security, including the infiltration of spies and terrorist sympathizers and/or supporters into the agency;

2. Eye-popping self-interested transactions involving contracts, grants and high-value settlement agreements;

3. Huge overspending;

4. Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on fake news companies;

5. Frequent repetition of arguments of hostile forces to the United States in the program.

The statement mentioned that the US Agency for Global Media spent nearly $250 million to rent a luxury building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, but there was no broadcasting facility required for work. Kari Lake, special adviser to the media agency, canceled this "extremely expensive 15-year lease."

The statement said that the agency was beyond redemption. It was a completely corrupt and huge agency that had become a major burden on American taxpayers. It had become a national security risk and was beyond redemption. Although there were bright spots within the agency, with talented and dedicated civil servants, this was only an exception, not the norm.

Two days ago, Lake posted on X that "it has been decided to cancel the expensive and unnecessary news communications contracts of the US Agency for Global Media, including tens of millions of dollars worth of contracts with the Associated Press, Reuters and AFP." She said this saved American taxpayers about $53 million.

"We shouldn't pay external news companies to tell us what the news is. We should make the news ourselves," she said.

Trump signed an executive order on 14 March 2025, requiring the statutory functions and related personnel of seven government entities to be reduced to the minimum required by law, and the United States Agency for Global Media is one of them.

The agency is responsible for managing multiple international broadcasting organizations funded by the U.S. government, including: Voice of America, which provides multilingual news; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which mainly targets Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Russia; Radio Free Asia, which mainly targets China, North Korea and parts of Southeast Asia; Middle East Broadcasting Network, including Arabic channels Alhurra and Sawa Radio; Cuba Broadcasting Office.

Michael Abramowitz, head of Voice of America, said in a statement that "almost" all of the organization's 1,300 employees have been suspended.

An insider told the Epoch Times on 15 March 2025 that Voice of America "will not be working on Monday (17th)."

Dr. Gong Xiaoxia, a current affairs commentator and former head of the Mandarin group of Voice of America, revealed in the program "Fang Fei Time" that all employees of the Chinese department of Voice of America have received administrative leave notices. According to government regulations, they can be "fired" after 30 days of administrative leave. Voice of America is likely to face the end of being closed.

Voice of America began broadcasting as early as 1941, and has a history of more than 83 years. After the establishment of the Communist Party of China, Voice of America continued to broadcast to China and was regarded as an "enemy station" by the Communist Party of China. Listening to "enemy stations" means being sentenced to heavy sentences, but in that country with information blockade, there are still a large number of people, including senior Communist Party officials, who risk their lives to secretly listen to Voice of America through shortwave to obtain real external information.

Veteran reporter Fang Wei said in a self-media program that his deepest impression was the "June 4" Tiananmen Massacre. "After the shooting in Beijing, everyone had only one source of information, which was Voice of America."

So many Chinese people over the age of 55 have a special feeling for Voice of America, because Voice of America accompanied them through those difficult years.

With the popularization of the Internet, VOA has gradually changed in all aspects, and its stance and ideology have also changed greatly in recent years.

On 15 March 2025, the White House website published an article titled "Radical VOA". The article lists a large number of "radical" aspects of VOA over the years. These include: VOA management told employees not to call Hamas and its members terrorists unless quoted; multiple journalists posted anti-Trump remarks on social media; accused of "having been infiltrated by anti-American, pro-Islamic national interests"; fired journalists under pressure from the Chinese Communist government; broadcast programs about transgender immigrants seeking asylum in the United States, etc.

The article quoted Dan Robinson, a senior VOA reporter, as saying: "I have observed the agency's bureaucracy and many of its journalists, and concluded that the agency has essentially become an arrogant rogue agency that often reflects the left-leaning bias consistent with the partisan national media. It tries to evade responsibility for violating journalistic standards and mismanagement."

Some employees within VOA are overwhelmed by the possibility of its closure. A VOA reporter told the Epoch Times, "I'm really confused. I'm a little anxious. I don't know what Trump wants to do with the China broadcast." The reporter said that he dislikes the left and supports Trump. He believes that the United States needs to fight the CCP in all aspects, and Chinese radio media is indispensable.

Another VOA staff member expressed concern. He said that canceling the China broadcast would benefit the CCP.

However, Gong Xiaoxia believes that the government's current issue is not a question of whether it should be done or not, but a question of cost-effectiveness. If you consider it from this perspective, the VOA is actually doing very badly.

Gong Xiaoxia also mentioned that now is the era of self-media. Everyone has information channels, but some media are not credible, so we must resolutely be a reliable media and a credible media. Traffic is not the most important thing. She said, "I don't care how many people watch it. I just hope that serious people watch it. I will never do something that is sensational. This is what serious media people should do."

However, she also said that when there are a lot of people behind them who need to eat, it is difficult for the media to strike a balance between the two.