Guests - Dave Smith, Stephen Mundt, Betsy Smith

China Watch Wednesday: US-China Relations and Military Posturing

The diplomatic relationship between the United States and China continues to evolve under the Trump administration, with recent developments highlighting both tension and cautious dialogue. Secretary of War Pete Hagseth held his first call this week with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, a conversation that comes as Beijing deepens ties with Moscow and demonstrates its military capabilities.

Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Sean Parnell reported that Hagseth clearly communicated that the U.S. has vital interests in the Asia Pacific region, which remains the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests. Despite growing boundary testing by both nations, Hagseth emphasized that the United States does not seek conflict with China, nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the People's Republic of China. The call was described as "candid and constructive," with both defense chiefs agreeing to further discussions.

Meanwhile, Xi Jinping continues to showcase China's strength while President Trump accuses Beijing of conspiring against the United States. The Chinese leader recently hosted a military parade featuring public appearances with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and heightened tensions over Taiwan.

Taiwan remains a critical flashpoint, with Xi Jinping repeatedly stating his ambition to "take back" the island. During the recent military parade, Xi emphasized that the People's Liberation Army would "resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity," a clear reference to his Taiwan ambitions. Xi has set 2027—the 100th anniversary of the PLA—as a deadline for what he calls "military modernization," a timeline that U.S. officials warn could coincide with preparations for an invasion of Taiwan.

China's show of force included displays of its full nuclear triad, hypersonic missiles, and new stealth drones. This demonstration came just two months after the U.S. hosted its own military parade to coincide with the Army's 250th birthday, creating a tit-for-tat dynamic between the superpowers.

In recent years, Beijing has strengthened security partnerships with Moscow through arms transfers and military technology exchanges, though these relationships appear largely one-sided. China has been accused of acquiring intellectual property and technology through both legal and illegal means, including reverse engineering equipment recovered during conflicts. The U.S. has also accused North Korea of supplying munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine, creating what some observers call a "trifecta of evil" between Russia, North Korea, and China.

Despite these tensions, President Trump has suggested he may meet with Xi in the future as trade negotiations continue. However, there's concern that authoritarian leaders like Putin, Xi, and Kim Jong Un—who don't face electoral pressures—may be trying to "run out the clock" on Trump's administration, necessitating accelerated diplomatic efforts.

US Congressional Delegation Planning Visit to China

A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives will make an official trip to China later this month, led by Democratic Representative Adam Smith from Washington State, the former chair and current top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. While the exact timing of the trip remains unclear, it's confirmed that both Democratic and Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee will participate, though current Republican chair Mike Rogers will not be part of the delegation.

The trip comes amid strained relations between Washington and Beijing, with numerous contentious issues on the table including trade, technology sharing, cybersecurity, TikTok ownership, lingering COVID-19 concerns, and policies related to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Beijing and Washington agreed to this meeting on August 11th and extended their tariff truce for another 90 days, until November 11th. Currently, the U.S. maintains 30% levies on Chinese imports while China imposes 10% duties on U.S. goods. Despite Chinese claims that these tariffs haven't impacted their economy, reports suggest otherwise.

Military Expert Stephen Mundt on US-China Relations

Retired General Stephen Mundt offered his perspective on U.S.-China relations, expressing concern about what he sees as inconsistent policies from the Trump administration.

"I am totally lost on their policies with China and Russia," Mundt stated. "The reason I'm lost is because they are all over the map." This confusion, he suggests, extends to the American public as well.

Mundt highlighted several concerning developments in Chinese-American relations, including Chinese land purchases near sensitive U.S. facilities, territorial expansion in the Pacific region, and espionage concerns related to Chinese students in American universities.

"We've talked about how they want to extend their reach in that region and have tried to take over different islands and pieces so that they can control more of that," Mundt explained. "We talked about Taiwan and the issue there. And so then you get into their students coming to this country that are spying on us and we know they're spying."

Despite these concerns, the U.S. recently increased the cap on Chinese students from 300,000 to 600,000, a move Mundt finds troubling. "Someone comes out and has the brilliant statement that says, 'Well, you know, maybe if we educated them and stuff, they'll be more inclined to like us.' No, that's not what happens."

Mundt argues that universities dependent on foreign student revenue should reconsider their business models: "If some of our colleges won't exist if we don't bring in these students, well, then those colleges shouldn't exist."

The general also expressed concerns about TikTok's continuing operation in the U.S. despite security warnings: "TikTok has given access to our children, to our people, to the Chinese. I don't know why we continue to have that line of communication. They're analyzing us. They're analyzing our patterns. They're analyzing everything about us to exploit weaknesses."

On pharmaceutical dependencies, Mundt supported Trump's efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing: "The pharmaceutical companies are now upset because Trump wants to remove the pharmaceuticals that are being made in China. They had 80% of our pharmaceuticals, which is probably an intelligent thing to do if you're afraid that they're going to hurt you."

China's Territorial Encroachment in Disputed Waters

Chinese oil rigs in waters claimed by Taiwan have stirred controversy in recent days, with analysts suggesting these structures are part of a strategy to normalize encroachment. Under the United Nations Convention, governments are entitled to exclusive access to resources within certain nautical boundaries, but China claims sovereignty over the entire South China Sea, creating overlapping claims with several other governments in the region.

"This is exactly what bullies do," explained Mundt. "I go right up to the line. I see what you do. I step over the line. I see what you do. I keep pushing it because if you want to correct behavior, you have to have consequences. And the problem is, we say, 'Well, we don't like that,' but there's no consequences."

Mundt noted that China has openly stated its goal to become the world superpower by 2049 and to take Taiwan between 2027 and 2028. "We don't have a fieldable strategy right now to defend that," he warned.

The general emphasized the need for clear, unequivocal responses from the U.S.: "If you do this, this is what we're going to do." He expressed frustration that despite U.S. threats of tariffs against China for continuing to buy Russian oil, those consequences haven't materialized, undermining American credibility.

Japan and South Korea have also protested Beijing's operations in the East China Sea, but Mundt suggested that objections without enforcement are ineffective. "You can object, but if you don't do anything to remove those structures or you don't demand that the structures get removed... just saying no, unfortunately, isn't enough."

Law Enforcement Challenges and Public Safety Concerns

National Police Association spokesperson Betsy Brantner Smith joined the discussion to address recent incidents involving public transportation and law enforcement. A Sun Tran bus driver was recently assaulted at a drop-off location near Udall Park in Tucson, highlighting ongoing safety concerns with the city's free bus service.

"This is our bus service. We have people that are obviously mentally ill, have criminal intentions, are causing fights," the host noted. "That's not happening in California. That's not happening in New York. That's not happening in Chicago. That's happening right here in Tucson, in your city."

The discussion turned to a recent fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian immigrant in Charlotte, North Carolina, by a man with a history of mental illness and criminal behavior. The perpetrator had been arrested 14 times previously and had been court-ordered to receive mental health treatment that never materialized.

"It was preventable," Smith agreed. "This is his own mother took him before a judge and said, 'He is schizophrenic. I can't handle him. I need some help.' And so the judge actually ordered a mental health evaluation, but it never happened because victim witness services and the prosecutor's office both dropped the ball."

Smith pointed to larger systemic issues in mental health care: "When you have someone like Jared Loughner, there's no place for them to go. Back in the '70s and '80s, as law enforcement officers, we had hospitals, mental health institutions that we could take people to. And then because of an exposé about a facility in New York, they all ended up closing."

The conversation highlighted how deinstitutionalization has left families with nowhere to turn when dealing with severely mentally ill relatives. "His mother had no one to turn to, no place to take him. She tried, she actually gets credit for it," Smith noted.

Smith also discussed how the Charlotte stabbing case became politicized in media coverage, with some outlets initially reluctant to cover the story. "This case in Charlotte, North Carolina, didn't even make national news until conservative influencers started to show the video, started to talk about it online. Then Fox and Newsmax jumped on it and they ultimately forced the other networks to start talking about it."

The speakers expressed frustration with what they see as leniency in the justice system and policies that prioritize criminals over public safety. They called for stronger consequences for criminal behavior and better mental health resources to prevent similar tragedies in the future.