Guests - Ava Chen, Dave Smith
China Watch on YouTube
China Watch Wednesday: CCP Espionage, Military Ambitions, and Internal Unrest
Kathleen Winn with Ava Chen
On Christmas Eve, radio host Kathleen Winn welcomed Ava Chen from the New Federal State of China for a special edition of China Watch Wednesday. The discussion focused on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) sophisticated espionage tactics, military buildup, and growing domestic challenges.
Seagulls, GPS Trackers, and Made-in-China Backdoors
The conversation began with a bizarre story from India: authorities discovered a seagull near a critical naval base fitted with a GPS tracker. Initial investigations suggested it was part of a legitimate Sri Lankan wildlife conservation study. However, the device was manufactured in China, meaning all tracking data flowed directly to Beijing.
Ava Chen emphasized the broader implications: "Everything you track goes directly accessible by Beijing." She tied this to the CCP's "Made in China 2025" initiative, which has flooded global supply chains with Chinese-made electronics—often at below-market prices—to dominate industries while embedding backdoors for intelligence collection.
"They're killing multiple birds with one stone," Chen said. "They hurt critical industries in the West, but they also ship products with built-in access points." Examples include electric vehicles and everyday electronics, where Chinese components provide potential surveillance capabilities.
Military-Civil Fusion: Blurring Lines for Military Advantage
Chen explained the CCP's Military-Civil Fusion strategy, a deliberate policy to camouflage military advancements under civilian guise. "They say it's civilian research, but the true intention is to develop military-capable technology," she noted.
This approach allows Chinese academics and companies to acquire cutting-edge knowledge from Western universities and partnerships without raising alarms. Under China's national security laws, every company and individual must cooperate with intelligence requests—refusal means jail.
Chen cited a recent letter from Senator Tom Cotton to Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighting Airwallex, a Chinese-linked payment processor operating in the U.S. with a money transmitter license. The company serves major American corporations, including Pentagon contractors, giving Beijing potential access to sensitive data like Social Security numbers, salaries, and travel patterns.
Advanced Surveillance and Potential Bioweapons
The discussion turned darker with reports of Chinese scientists developing mosquito-sized drones ostensibly for stealth surveillance—but easily repurposed as weapons. "You only need 2 milligrams of fentanyl to cause death," Chen warned, illustrating how such technology could deliver toxins undetected.
She argued that the CCP already benefits from third-party deployments of Chinese tracking devices worldwide, unknowingly feeding data back to Beijing.
The Pentagon's Latest Assessment of CCP Military Power
Chen highlighted the U.S. Department of Defense's annual report on China's military and security developments, released just hours earlier. Key concerns include:
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is explicitly built to fight and defeat the United States, referred to as the "strong enemy."
Beijing is preparing for "national total war," mobilizing the entire society for potential conflict.
Growing capabilities—nuclear forces, long-range missiles, cyber, and space systems—now directly threaten the U.S. homeland.
The U.S. is no longer insulated from attack, complicating political decision-making and escalation control.
Chen also noted recent purges of PLA leadership, many of whom were personally promoted by Xi Jinping. "The people closest to the dictator are usually the first to be purged," she observed, comparing Xi's tactics to those of Mao and Stalin.
Rising Unrest in Rural China
Despite intense control, cracks are appearing. Chen reported 661 rural protests by late November—a 70% increase from the previous year. Economic collapse has left millions of migrant workers unemployed, many returning home only to find their farmland seized by cash-strapped local governments for development.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture issued orders to prevent large-scale returns to rural areas, fearing organized resistance away from urban surveillance.
The New Federal State of China and Miles Guo Update
Chen praised grassroots organizing by supporters of the New Federal State of China (NFSC), citing last year's Zhengzhou Night Ride protests involving 200,000 students in under four months.
She shared anecdotes of secret recognition among NFSC supporters inside China, where Miles Guo's broadcasts continue to spread despite heavy censorship.
On Guo's legal case, Chen reported that sentencing—originally set for January 20—has been delayed to April 13, 2025, to allow new counsel time to review extensive materials. A court order also seeks to examine third-party claims, potentially exposing CCP-linked creditors.
Holiday Warnings: Toxic Toys and Propaganda Dolls
Chen closed with consumer alerts: fake Labubu dolls from China contain dangerous chemicals, while some AI-powered children's toys promote CCP talking points—such as claiming Taiwan is a Chinese province—and even discuss inappropriate topics with young children.
Local Politics and National Reflections
Kathleen Winn with Dave Smith
Later in the broadcast, Kathleen Winn welcomed Pima County GOP Chairman Dave Smith for a wide-ranging discussion on local victories, national challenges, and the year ahead.
A Christmas Present: Restored Election Observation Rights
Winn celebrated the newly approved Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), which closes a loophole that had prevented observers at early voting sites in Pima County—the only county in Arizona to restrict access.
"Early voting sites now must allow observers from all legitimate parties," Winn explained. The change came after documented evidence of repeated denials, legal pressure, and bipartisan agreement that transparency strengthens democracy.
Smith added, "How would having observers affect anybody's franchise? It only makes the votes more credible."
Stolen Elections and Eroding Trust
The pair decried persistent election integrity concerns, citing ongoing Department of Justice investigations and documented irregularities. Smith argued that unaddressed issues lead to voter helplessness: "People stop participating because they feel it doesn't matter."
Winn emphasized the need to close every loophole legally and logically, noting grateful feedback even from Democrats who recognize the importance of universal protections.
National Divisions and Media Propaganda
Smith criticized post-constitutional governance trends and relentless negative media coverage despite improving economic indicators. "It's a constant cacophony against America, against our history, against our president, against our faith," Winn said.
Both expressed optimism about cultural shifts—resurgent faith among youth, growing appreciation for family and motherhood—countering decades of cultural messaging.
Looking to 2026
With midterm elections approaching, Winn and Smith stressed unity within the Republican Party and the critical need to retain legislative control and recapture statewide offices in Arizona.
"2026 is the most important thing for Arizona," Winn declared, urging continued civic engagement and voter turnout.
As the broadcast closed on Christmas Eve, both segments underscored a shared theme: vigilance against external threats and internal divisions is essential to preserving American freedom and prosperity.
Merry Christmas from Winn Tucson on 1030 The Voice.