CHINA SOLD IRAN THE SPY SATELLITE IT USED TO TARGET U.S., ARAB ASSETS
Leaked documents reveal that in late 2024, Iran's IRGC Aerospace Force secretly acquired the TEE-01B reconnaissance satellite from China. Launched from China, it enables high-resolution targeting by Tehran against U.S. assets. March imagery confirms Iranian commanders tasked the satellite to monitor key sites targeted by missile and drone strikes, including Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. These logs coincide with the confirmed destruction of a U.S. AWACS plane and damage to five refueling planes. The satellite also surveilled Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and Erbil Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan during attacks claimed by the IRGC. Additional military targets included Kuwait's Camp Buehring and Ali Al Salem, Djibouti's Camp Lemonnier, and Oman's Duqm Airport. (Financial Times, April 15, 2026)
RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS HELP OFFSET MIDDLE EAST SUPPLY SHORTFALLS
After meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged that Moscow will fill the "resource gap" created by the U.S.-led blockade of Iran. In Q1 2026, 90% of Russia's crude exports were delivered to China and India, with Beijing buying record volumes of Urals grade crude to offset Middle East imports, which fell year-on-year in March. Meanwhile, Russia has seen a revenue windfall, with Brent crude surpassing $120 per barrel. Beijing has condemned the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as "dangerous and irresponsible." Russian President Vladimir Putin will reportedly travel to Beijing the week after President Trump meets with Xi Jinping on May 14–15. (CNBC, April 15, 2026)
CHINA AND TURKMENISTAN INK DEAL TO EXPAND GALKYNYSH GAS FIELD
China's CNPC and Turkmengaz have finalized a $5.1 billion agreement to develop the fourth phase of Turkmenistan's Galkynysh gas field. Entirely Turkmen-financed, the project tasks CNPC with drilling production wells and constructing a facility to process 10 bcm of annual commercial gas. This expansion bolsters a supply chain that currently provides the bulk of Turkmenistan's 30 bcm in annual exports to China. While attending the groundbreaking ceremony in Ashgabat, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for "enhancing the quality" of energy ties, and urged a "strategic, long-term view" to scale cooperation and improve production efficiency. The two sides are currently negotiating a gas pipeline branch to China. (Reuters, April 16, 2026)
[EDITOR'S NOTE: This agreement cements Central Asian gas as a cornerstone of China's energy security strategy. While China secures a primary supplier, Ashgabat is leveraging this $5.1 billion investment to modernize infrastructure and expand competing export routes. By advancing pipelines to South Asia via Afghanistan and backing Trans-Caspian routes to Europe, Ashgabat aims to diversify exports and mitigate over-reliance on China.]
SEVEN NUCLEAR REACTORS TO BE COMMISSIONED THIS YEAR
Seven nuclear power reactors are scheduled to be completed and commissioned in China this year. Last month, in its latest five-year plan draft, Beijing set a goal of generating 110 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2030 – a 76% jump from the end of 2025. The high target underscores Beijing's prioritization of the around-the-clock reliability of carbon-free nuclear electricity. With the world's largest build-out nuclear capacity, China is operating 60 commercial nuclear reactors, with 36 units under construction, including two that have already started operations this year. (Bloomberg, April 16, 2026)
TIANLONG-3 ROCKET FAILS ON DEBUT
The debut launch of Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket ended in failure at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center due to an ascent-phase anomaly. Designed as a reusable competitor to the Falcon 9, the 72-meter kerosene-liquid oxygen vehicle can deliver 22,000 kg into low earth orbit. Space Pioneer issued a formal apology and launched an investigation into the cause. This marks China's third orbital failure out of 19 attempts in 2026, following earlier losses of a Ceres-2 and a Long March 3B. The Tianlong-3 program has faced significant headwinds; a 2024 test explosion forced a two-year redesign of the heavy-lift vehicle's first stage. But despite these setbacks, the company raised $350 million in late 2025 to fund its development. (SpaceNews, April 3, 2026)