China in Focus

Some solar panel production lines are moving out of China. The shift follows new U.S. import restrictions on products tied to forced labor. Supply chains are shifting back to the United States. A new bill aims to help boost that process, especially for American semiconductor manufacturing. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is calling on Americans to watch an award-winning film. He calls the movie an “honest, scathing indictment of the Chinese Communist Party.” The European Union takes action against China to back one of its member countries. Now, the organization is launching a case against the Chinese regime with the World Trade Organization. Thousands of blossoms go up in flames. A Hong Kong ​​flower farmer is cutting his supply in half ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday after strict pandemic measures sent demand on a downward spiral.

Amid high tensions between China and Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen answers a question that no Taiwanese president has in the past 40 years: whether American troops are stationed on Taiwanese soil. A veteran in Taiwan tells how, as a soldier, he shot from an island at Chinese ships. That spot lies just 2 miles from China's coast. U.S. President Joe Biden says America's commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid." In a major stock fall, China’s largest tech company Alibaba has lost nearly $350 billion in the world's biggest wipeout. Flooding, power shortages, and strict pandemic prevention measures are all sending food prices soaring in China. Some vegetables are reportedly twice as expensive as before. A renowned doctor in Australia urges banning all Chinese surgeons from Western hospitals, saying they knowingly help cover up communist China's forced organ harvesting industry.

Capitol Hill is debating the Endless Frontier spending bill. But one amendment has already passed -- blocking funding for ‘gain of function’ virus research in China’s Wuhan lab. The lab leak theory resurfaces in news headlines. U.S. President Biden says he's asked the intelligence community to dig deeper into the origins of the pandemic. China’s flood season kicks off early this year. Nearly 80 rivers in Southern China have already surpassed warning levels and may soon start to overflow. And, Hollywood actor John Cena is apologizing to Chinese fans after he referred to Taiwan as a country. Many Americans are accusing him of appeasing the Chinese regime for access to the Chinese market. But a Hollywood producer says, this is part of a bigger systemic issue.

Another virus is causing problems in China. While the world is battling the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, China sees another deadly infectious disease surfacing. ​​ A major Chinese city goes into semi-lockdown after a new outbreak struck the area—the first time in 7 months. No deaths post-vaccination in China? The country has given the world’s highest number of shots, though no deaths have been reported. How involved are Chinese companies, when it comes to the American entertainment industry? A U.S. music giant is making gains, and one Chinese company is celebrating. Fortune 500 companies are fleeing China. But what’s driving them away?

A key U.S. ally in the Middle East is reportedly making its own missiles with Chinese technology. A move that could complicate the regional power struggle. A sudden change of China's virus control policy sent a U.S. flight turning back in midair. The incident put some of the passengers in limbo—most of whom are Chinese. 13 million people were locked down in one northern Chinese city. The move follows a pandemic surge, sparking panic buying and other forms of chaos. In an unprecedented move, a Chinese province is offering 'baby loans' to address population problems. That means couples with multiple children can apply for as much as $31,000. And in a Christmas Eve announcement, Japan revealed it won’t be sending government officials to the Beijing Olympics. But, they’re not calling it a boycott.

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai reappears after vanishing from the public eye. The International Olympic Committee confirmed her whereabouts, but her return is only prompting more doubts. Reporters or special agents? Some Chinese reporters appear to be tasked with special objectives. One professor, who worked in China, shares details about his unexpected interactions with them. A new U.S. project, aimed at countering Chinese military aggression, will develop new technology to defend against weapons that could bring nuclear warheads to America. China calls Australia "naughty," while Australia responds by calling China "silly" and "funny," over nuclear submarines.

Alleged ties between Wuhan’s virology lab and the Chinese military. Documents from a state-funded project seemingly reveal evidence of their collaboration. A new plagiarism scandal strikes in China. An automaker there is found to have copied car designs from Western vehicles. Another big company finds itself in Beijing’s crosshairs. The communist regime is launching a new antitrust investigation into an online food delivery giant. That's after targeting E-commerce giant Alibaba. A wind farm project near a U-S Air Force base at the Southern border is in the spotlight. It's owned by a former officer from China's military. But a new bill in Texas is putting a stop to foreign nationals getting quite so close to American military centers. And a Hong Kong immigrant tells her story of harassment from Communist China. Since fleeing to Canada, she's faced continuous phishing calls and email scams, all working to track her down.

A top Chinese artificial intelligence company lost about $2 billion in market value in a single day. That’s despite huge amounts of government subsidies. A man who survived Wuhan’s virus outbreak is speaking out. He describes a strict lockdown, and what the infection took from him. China’s richest man hasn't been seen in public for months. One German businessman who spent 7 years in a Chinese prison, says he may have an idea of what happened to the tycoon. And the Chinese Communist Party Head says his country is against the concept of “whosoever has the bigger fist, gets the final say.” Commentators point out the irony.

Apple becomes the top-selling smartphone vendor in China, again. The previous leader, Huawei, is suffering major losses thanks to U.S. sanctions. Supply chain problems are expected to get worse, and soon. That’s because of two upcoming events in China: the Lunar New Year holiday and the Winter Olympics. The Chinese regime is making some edits to a Hollywood blockbuster—so that authorities, instead of anarchists, win the game. It’s one of the many examples of censorship foreign films face in China. Just a few days remain before the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Locals say the atmosphere in Beijing is growing tense amid rising virus cases. And outside Beijing, workers in full protection gear are seen testing tables, chairs, and more.

China criticizes the United States as "irresponsible" after Washington blocked a number of China-bound flights. But the outcry comes after Beijing halted a number of U.S. flights before the first of the year. China’s WeChat kicks the Australian prime minister off its platform. Now, his account and its 76,000 followers have been "rebranded" as an information site for Chinese Australians. Almost 40 Chinese aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense zone this weekend—the largest incursion in four months. COVID-19 has reportedly found its way into Beijing’s Olympic bubble—despite strict isolation measures for everyone involved in the Winter Games. Some Chinese citizens are saying enough is enough. Some have started standing up against the communist regime’s pandemic rules.

Chinese Communist leader Xi Jinping warns foreign forces not to bully Beijing. The punishment for doing so? In his words: “the blood and flesh of 1.4 billion Chinese people.” On the eve of the Chinese regime’s anniversary, crowds packed Hong Kong’s airport, many of them headed to the UK. Some even paid double the price for their one-way tickets. Extreme weather hits China’s coastal Shan-dong Province. Raging through the day and night, it set a new record for the city's history. A group of Chinese women, seen dancing to pro-Communist music in New York City. One man filmed them, and condemned them online. But Chinese state media soon adopted the clip, adding their own spin. And a lawsuit in Serbia reaches a verdict -- involving the country’s police, eleven European citizens, and the Chinese regime. A filmmaker there tells us the story.

A record-breaking rainstorm hits China. Collapsed streets, flooded subway stations, deaths, and injuries -- all revealed through social media. An explosion ignites at a metal factory in Central China. That’s after river water flooded the facility-- getting into high-temperature solution inside a metal alloy tank. Today marks 22 years since the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting people who practice Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline. The U.S. State Department calls on Beijing to bring an end to the repression. A Chinese citizen is detained for killing two Chinese Communist Party officials. That's after his house was forcibly demolished by order of authorities. And one European country is going against a rule set by Beijing. That’s as Taiwan sets up the first ever "Taiwanese Representative Office” in Lithuania.

It’s T-minus one day until the Beijing Winter Olympics. The State Department says American athletes have the right to protest—as more and more speak up against human rights abuses there. On the other hand, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging them to stay silent until they’ve left Beijing, for their own safety. In a last-ditch effort to get its human rights narrative under control, Chinese regime officials are arresting dissidents and reining in social media chatter. The goal? To prevent people from speaking out during the Games. An Olympian sheds tears while in Beijing, after she was sent into isolation for seven days. She had been blocked from entering the Olympic Village over a positive virus test, but was still kept out, even after testing negative. One Chinese man is headed to a U.S. prison. He’s sentenced to spend two years there, as punishment for his part in a million-dollar fake iPhone scheme.

A sexual assault allegation takes the Chinese internet by storm. One of China’s biggest sports players is accusing a former top official of sexual misconduct. Reports say people in China are stocking up on essentials, while Chinese state-owned media outlets are spreading fake news about Taiwan, saying island residents are panic-buying over fear of a war. Combating a pandemic isn’t an easy task, but for residents in one Chinese city, leaving town isn’t either. One young woman tells her story after a 7-month ordeal. Yahoo is leaving China, completely. An expert says U.S. companies like Yahoo cannot afford China's censorship. China’s reported hypersonic missile test surprises the United States. But according to a former Defense Department official, this is not enough to serve as a wake-up call.

Over 3,000 fake vaccination cards from China are seized at the U.S. border. They're even fitted with a counterfeit CDC logo. Extensive waiting lines form at an airport in Shanghai. Chinese students there are waiting to board U.S.-bound flights, despite skyrocketing ticket prices. China brings 300 study abroad programs to an end for college students. One-tenth of the shut-downs involve American universities. Beijing ups its harsh rhetoric surrounding America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, while a China affairs analyst points out a major U.S. problem tied to China. Beijing holds military drills near Taiwan. Eleven Chinese aircraft entered the island’s air defense zone, including two nuclear-capable bombers.

Reports emerge of worsening panic buying in China. Some have even been spotted fighting over goods in stores amid concerns over possible repeat pandemic lockdowns. Donated organs come with official price tags in China. Six provincial departments co-released a price guide for transplants. But critics say it may encourage killing for profit. Fourteen candidates are forced to withdraw from an upcoming election in Beijing. Police threatened them over not being appointed by the communist government. China's nuclear threat level has increased 150 percent over the past year, according to the newest Pentagon report on China. U.S. Customs has detained products from the world’s largest solar cell manufacturer. The Chinese company is accused of involvement in Xinjiang’s human rights violations.

The Chinese regime says it will continue to upgrade its nuclear weapons. The statement comes just a day after Beijing pledged to work toward "a world without nuclear weapons." The Chinese Communist Party “is not qualified to host the Olympics.” That’s what a former Chinese Olympian says—after competing for years under the regime. An iPhone and an iPad exchanged for a small bag of rice, and two packs of cigarettes traded for vegetables— in the Chinese city Xi'an, residents turn to bartering to cope with lockdown orders. About 20,000 bottles of Lithuanian rum get redirected to Taiwan after Beijing blocked the shipment amid trade tensions. And with another tough year behind us, families are finding hope in a premier classical Chinese dance performance. The performance presents the audience with the lost world of traditional Chinese culture and a glimpse of what the nation looked like before communism.

A Chinese biotech company tied to the country’s military had reportedly tried to set up virus test labs in the US. An expert says Beijing could’ve used it to collect DNA data from Americans. Tiktok's Chinese parent company breaks a deal with a US software company. That’s after president Biden halts a Trump-era ban on the app -- and plans to reevaluate it. A World Health Organization expert says China refused to hand over data about early CCP virus cases in Wuhan. The information could help with a probe into the virus’ origin. And almost 60 countries condemn Beijing for arresting Westerners and using them as diplomacy leverage. The US is also joining the cause.

China mandates strict prevention measures against the latest Delta variant surge. Questions are rising over the Chinese Communist Party's "zero tolerance" lockdown strategy and if it’s actually working. A video emerges from China’s new virus hotspot. Rumors circulating online say a student there died shortly after getting a dose of a Chinese-made vaccine. China’s "bat woman" scientist warns of more deadly COVID-19 variants to come. She’s the researcher behind Wuhan’s controversial virus lab. In the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci gave a similar warning. Locals say authorities in one Chinese city released water from nearby reservoirs without warning, flooding the area in the middle of the night. It’s the second report of its kind. China's antitrust regulators are investigating top American investment firm Blackstone over its $3 billion deal with one of China’s largest real estate developers.

Cybersecurity is on the docket ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The British Olympics Association is offering new smartphones to its athletes—to block personal data from landing in the communist regime’s hands. In Beijing, police are greeting early arrivals to the Games. Officers then accompany the visitors straight from the airport to a closed area where they’re met with a set of strict policies. For Chinese residents, lockdown orders are still in full force in Xi’an city. With meat and other food supplies becoming more scarce as people are forced to stay home, one local asks his neighbors for an unusual favor. Amid Xi’an’s wide-reaching shutdown, state workers vowed to deliver food door to door. But for those who do receive groceries, there may be a catch. Citizens must thank the Communist Party, sometimes on film, before the food is handed over. And outside China, Lithuania defends itself while under fire from Beijing. It's calling on other European nations to stand up to Chinese aggression.

China steps up as the world’s biggest feature film market. It’s giving Hollywood even more incentive to comply with Beijing’s censorship. A New Yorker recounts being put under lockdown in Shanghai. Living in isolation for two months once drove him to a dangerous point. A top U.S. military commander fears China is speeding up plans to replace the U.S. on the world stage. That’s as the communist regime deepens a plan to recruit technology talents from around the world. And the International Olympic Committee is going to buy CCP-virus vaccines from China. But this year's host country, Japan, is refusing to use them.

Tesla releases data from a car crash after a Chinese car owner accuses the company of a brake system failure. $120M worth of trade secrets, stolen by a Chinese chemist. They were taken from U.S.-based companies like Coca Cola. China’s most famous tech billionaire is evading the public eye. A comment he made nearly 10 years ago is now in the spotlight, as it seems to have predicted his own fate. Former U.S. President Trump is warning the Biden Administration not to push Russia toward a Chinese partnership. He says the two may pose an even greater threat to America, if allied together. And Australia has canceled two infrastructure deals with Beijing. Authorities there cite the country's national interests, but Beijing says the action has wronged China.

A Canadian lab is questioned on why it sent deadly virus samples to China’s Wuhan lab. This, after the Canadian lab refused to present related documents. More than 100 lawmakers around the world say Taiwan should receive an invitation to a World Health Organization forum. That’s because of its glowing track record of pandemic control and prevention. Chinese telecom giant Huawei reported a nearly 17 percent drop in its first quarter revenue. The plunge is mostly due to former U.S. President Trump's sanctions on China. U.S. President Biden appears to take a tough stance toward Beijing in his 100-day speech. But conservative scholars are concerned about some aspects of his foreign policy. And a Chinese national receives a 14-year prison sentence, over charges tied to Mexican drug cartels. Prosecutors say China-Mexico drug trafficking is now more sophisticated.

Beijing now allows couples to have up to three children. But the major policy shift is seeing mixed reactions. Questions circulate surrounding the pandemic lab leak theory. A video captures scientists at Wuhan’s Virology institute using lax safety precautions. Hong Kong democracy figure Jimmy Lai and other activists are getting extra prison time. That’s as authorities attempt to stop a long-time Hong Kong tradition, honoring the Tiananmen Square massacre. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seize 30,000 Chinese-made necklaces. The makers claim they can protect people from the virus. But American authorities say they could actually poison people. And the family members of a Chinese dissident based in Australia may face punishment in China. Beijing is looking to silence the man by using his child as collateral.

Chinese state-run media reports are focusing on the effectiveness of the ongoing rescue work amid severe flooding. But social media users are painting a different picture. Chinese citizens are questioning why authorities didn’t give notice before opening the floodgates of a reservoir, after the released water flooded residential areas downstream. A third Chinese dam failed amid heavy rains. First, there was an over 60-foot-wide breach in the structure. Later, soldiers blasted a gap in it Wednesday, hoping to let floodwaters out. Chinese state-backed media are airing reports about severe flooding in Europe. But they’re not giving much detail on flooding on home soil—instead praising the beauty of Beijing's post-rain sky. In the United States, the FBI tells American pipeline operators to secure their systems against foreign threats. Hackers working for the Chinese Communist Party are known to have accessed at least 13 systems between 2011 and 2013.