Guests – Ava Chen, Joel Strabala, Laurie Moore
China Watch Wednesday: Trump's Peace Diplomacy and the Xi Jinping Factor
The world witnessed something extraordinary on August 15th when President Trump met with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. While many spent hours following the negotiations and conversations throughout that day, the true significance of this meeting may not be fully appreciated until we look back a year or two from now and understand what the Trump administration accomplished.
The Alaska Summit's Strategic Messaging
The meeting demonstrated that America is back in charge. From the arrangements of how Putin landed to the security protocols, every detail sent a powerful message about American leadership. The reciprocal security arrangements were particularly telling - if President Trump had ten guards, Russia would have ten guards; if Trump's guards carried certain weapons, the Russian counterparts would have similar weapons. This equal footing approach was unprecedented.
Perhaps most striking was Putin sitting in Trump's presidential limousine, "the beast" - an unprecedented gesture considering Putin and Russia have been largely outcasted by the West for decades. When international courts and democratic nations have shunned Russian leadership, Trump's approach of treating Putin as a world leader while maintaining American strength created a powerful visual.
The friendly image crafted around Putin's visit - attending a hockey game, paying tribute to fallen Russian soldiers - raised important questions about why the US was treating an outcasted leader this way. The answer lies in Trump's commitment to brokering peace and stopping unnecessary killing and slaughtering over territorial disputes.
Trump's Masterful Diplomacy
President Trump's approach to bringing people together is masterful. After three years of war between Ukraine and Russia, getting Putin and Zelensky to sit down in a room with Trump and emerge with peace talks represents unprecedented diplomatic achievement. Trump fed Putin's ego, showed respect, and treated him as the world leader of Russia that he is, while the show of military force overhead set the stage for serious negotiations.
The visual dynamics were striking - Trump's height advantage over Putin, the red carpet walk, the B-2 flight overhead - all carefully orchestrated to show the world that the United States is absolutely in control. The choice of Alaska itself was deeply symbolic, recalling the 1867 treaty when Russia sold Alaska to the United States to fund their Crimean War.
What emerged from these meetings was a clear desire for peace among world leaders. The European leaders and Zelensky all expressed wanting peace, and Trump's subsequent coordination of meetings between himself, Putin, and Zelensky represents the kind of leadership that could change the world for the good of all humanity.
The China Factor: Lurking Behind Every Negotiation
Xi Jinping's Absence is Strategic
While Xi Jinping wasn't physically at the negotiating table, his interests and China's influence lurked behind every conversation from August 15th through August 18th when Trump met with European leaders and Zelensky at the White House. As the saying goes, "if you're not at the table, you're on the menu" - and Xi Jinping understands this dynamic perfectly.
China's relationship with the parties at these negotiations is uniformly problematic. Ukraine has grown increasingly frustrated with the Chinese Communist Party's aid to Russian troops and military support. Ukraine has even threatened to release more information about how the CCP is actually helping and aiding Russia in this three-to-four-year war.
European leaders sitting at the table each have their own grievances with China - from dumping issues with electric vehicles to cybersecurity threats to trade disputes. Every nation represented in the White House on August 18th shares the same complaint list that democracies worldwide have regarding China's predatory activities across economic, trade, finance, cultural, and entertainment fronts.
Russia-China Relations: Alliance of Convenience
Even Russia harbors deep suspicions about Chinese intelligence and espionage activities. Just six days before the Alaska summit, on August 14th, intelligence leaked from hackers revealed documents from Russian intelligence services. The hacking group "Black Moon" published information showing how Russia has been providing the Chinese People's Liberation Army with automated command systems and military expertise, while simultaneously remaining deeply suspicious of Chinese intelligence operations.
Despite Putin and Xi Jinping's declaration of a "no-limit partnership" in February 2022 and their personal financial entanglements, national interests ultimately trump personal relationships. Putin understands that betting on dictators carries high risk - dictators eventually die, and their control often dies with them.
The leaked documents reveal Russian intelligence's extreme caution toward Chinese espionage activities because China employs the same infiltration, theft, and technology stealing tactics against Russia that they use against the free world. This creates an inherently unstable alliance built on mutual suspicion rather than trust.
Domestic Implications: Holding China Accountable
The Bio-Weapon Investigation
Important developments are emerging domestically regarding holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for the bio-weapon released in 2019. The Select Committee on the CCP, chaired by Chairman Moolenaar, has urged local state leaders to end their ties with Chinese Communist Party-linked groups. There's growing pressure for the Trump administration to root out CCP police stations like the one discovered and shut down on April 17, 2020, as these espionage networks pose daily threats to American lives, properties, and assets.
A significant development emerged from Cash Patel's appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast on June 6th, where he mentioned that the FBI discovered Dr. Fauci's phones just two days prior. This revelation, combined with previous intelligence about Xi Jinping's financial and personal relationships with the director general of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, suggests major accountability measures may be forthcoming.
New FBI Leadership
The appointment of Andrew Bailey as co-deputy director of the FBI represents a strategic move in this accountability effort. Bailey, who served as Missouri's Attorney General from 2023, successfully pursued a lawsuit against the Chinese Communist Party for hoarding PPE, engaging in disinformation, and covering up COVID-19 information. This resulted in a $24 billion default judgment against the Chinese government earlier this year.
Bailey's experience with COVID-19 cases from 2021 to 2024, combined with Cash Patel's intelligence insights, suggests the FBI is positioning itself to pursue Dr. Fauci and potentially expose unrefutable evidence of communications between Fauci and Chinese Communist Party officials. If sufficient evidence emerges, the CCP regime could be officially labeled as a criminal terrorist organization.
Economic Warfare: Trade and Agriculture
The Soybean Strategy
Trump is playing a sophisticated multi-dimensional chess game against what many consider the enemy of the free world. His trade strategy demonstrates this complexity perfectly. While giving China some leeway by moving the trade deadline to November 9th for tariff negotiations, this move actually serves American farmers who have been pressing the White House about soybean sales.
China historically purchased almost half of American soybeans, with sales reaching nearly $13 billion last year. However, due to trade tensions, Chinese purchases dropped dramatically to only $2.75 billion this year. American farmers need buyers for their soybeans to avoid devastating losses, making China's status as the world's largest soybean buyer a critical factor.
China's turn toward Brazilian cargo shipments creates additional trade tensions, but Trump's approach of using this agricultural leverage while simultaneously pursuing accountability measures shows strategic thinking. He's giving everyone what they need - lower-income wage earners hope through eliminating taxes on tips, farmers potential markets for their crops - while maintaining moral obligations to save the world from criminal and terrorist activities.
The Broader Economic Challenge
The soybean crop is down 81 percent, demonstrating how China's economic warfare affects American agriculture. This agricultural pressure comes alongside China's manipulation of currency markets to harm the global economy and their near-monopoly position on rare earth critical minerals, which threatens not only the United States but European nations as well.
This economic manipulation is why European nations are considering boycotting China's September 3rd parade, especially since Putin plans to attend. The CCP's intransigent stance is inadvertently pushing allies together - the US, Europe, Ukraine, and now potentially even Putin as a willing player who might gain more from the free world than from a sinking Chinese ship.
Local Politics: Election Integrity and Security
Ward 3 Recount Complications
Back in Tucson, the Ward 3 city council race demonstrates how election integrity issues affect local governance. With Kevin Dahl leading Sadie Shaw by only 19 votes, Arizona state law requires a recount, but this must go through judicial review and approval before beginning. Additionally, Shaw has filed a lawsuit challenging both the election results and Dahl's candidacy.
The complications extend beyond the narrow margin. Over 300 ballots had anomalies, and there are allegations of financial improprieties regarding Dahl's campaign donations. While recounts typically don't change results significantly due to machine scanning accuracy, the legal challenges could extend the uncertainty well into the timeline for the November election.
This situation affects the entire city since all voters now participate in ward elections, and every day of delay creates more complications for the electoral process. The ballots remain under strict control with minimal possibility of additional ballot insertion, so any count changes would likely be minor - perhaps one or two votes due to machine sensitivity differences.
Congressional District 7 Special Election
Early ballots drop next Wednesday for the CD7 special election, with three voting centers opening: the recorder's main office on Stone Avenue, the east side office on Broadway Boulevard, and the Country Club office at 6550 Country Club. This 15-month term election represents an opportunity for voters to change direction if they're dissatisfied with recent representation.
The importance of poll worker participation cannot be overstated. Paid positions are available through recorder.pima.gov, where interested citizens can fill out forms, submit resumes, and undergo interviews to support election integrity. These positions are crucial for maintaining proper election oversight and ensuring accurate vote counting.
Campus Safety and Immigration Concerns
University of Arizona Incident
Yesterday's stabbing on the University of Arizona campus highlights broader safety concerns. A 17-year-old girl was hospitalized while a 17-year-old male was arrested following the incident near the main library around 2:12 PM. Neither the victim nor suspect appear to be students, raising questions about campus security and access control.
This incident follows another student death in Maricopa County, demonstrating how leadership and policy decisions affect community safety. The presence of non-students involved in campus violence suggests inadequate security measures and highlights the need for enhanced law enforcement presence on educational grounds.
Driver's License and Voting Integrity
The recent death of three Florida citizens caused by a truck driver who was in the country illegally and couldn't read or write English demonstrates the dangerous consequences of inadequate English proficiency requirements for driver's licenses. California's practice of distributing licenses without proper verification creates safety hazards that extend beyond state borders.
The "Only Citizens Vote" bus tour arriving in Tucson represents grassroots efforts to address voting integrity concerns. Opening at 2 PM at The Bridge Church West (8150 North Sandy Desert Trail), this event focuses on ensuring only eligible citizens participate in elections. Current systems that issue driver's licenses to non-English speakers while providing potential voting access create obvious opportunities for electoral corruption.
The DMV should issue distinctive identification levels - one for U.S. citizens enabling both driving and voting privileges, and different forms for non-citizens that clearly indicate their status and limitations. Currently, only a small notation on the back of licenses indicates voting eligibility, creating confusion and potential for misuse.
Media Coverage and Public Awareness
Mainstream Media's Inadequate Response
The mainstream media's failure to properly cover these momentous diplomatic achievements represents a significant disservice to public understanding. The meetings in Alaska and subsequent White House negotiations deserve recognition as potentially world-changing events, yet they receive minimal coverage or analysis.
This lack of coverage means many Americans remain unaware of the strategic importance of Trump's diplomatic initiatives. The media's tendency to downplay significant diplomatic achievements while amplifying minor controversies distorts public perception of genuine progress toward world peace.
The visual impact of these diplomatic meetings - from Putin in Trump's limousine to the carefully orchestrated military displays - creates powerful international messaging that reshapes global perceptions of American leadership. Yet without proper media coverage, these strategic communications reach limited audiences.
Looking Forward: Strategic Implications
Changing Global Dynamics
Circumstances have changed dramatically for all parties involved in these conflicts. Ukraine's population cannot continue dying in a war approaching four years. Russian people face economic hardship as their economy remains on war footing, with Chinese investment decreasing and financial pressures mounting.
Putin faces internal political rivalries, popular dissent, and economic challenges that make ending the war and gaining what he can from negotiations with the free world increasingly attractive compared to continuing dependence on a declining Chinese partnership.
The United States is resetting the world order established over the past 70-80 years, taking charge through high-stakes meetings that will shape the next two to four decades. This restructuring centers on addressing what many consider the number one global challenge: the Chinese Communist Party.
The Path to Resolution
Trump understands exactly who he's dealing with - a KGB leader and a communist dictator with deep historical backgrounds. However, he also understands that addressing the elephant in the room requires getting Xi Jinping metaphorically "on the menu" since he's not willing to come to the negotiating table.
The best path forward may involve toppling the Chinese Communist regime entirely, as the Chinese people themselves are peace-loving and freedom-yearning. The only obstacle standing between global peace and prosperity is the CCP, specifically Xi Jinping's dictatorship, which is increasingly showing signs of becoming a hereditary dynasty with his daughter scheduled to appear politically at Tiananmen Square during the September 3rd military parade.
The convergence of economic pressure, diplomatic isolation, legal accountability measures, and strategic alliance-building creates unprecedented opportunities for reshaping global power dynamics. Trump's surgical precision in applying economic and diplomatic pressure while building coalitions among former adversaries demonstrates masterful statecraft that prioritizes both American interests and global stability.
The coming months will reveal whether this comprehensive approach can achieve the seemingly impossible: bringing peace to multiple global conflicts while holding authoritarian regimes accountable for their actions against free peoples worldwide.