CHINA PURGES TOP MILITARY OFFICIALS
The CPC has expelled nine senior military officials for severe discipline violations and major corruption. Among them is He Weidong, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and China's highest-ranking uniformed officer, the most senior military figure purged since Xi Jinping took power in 2012. Others removed include top political officers: Miao Hua and He Hongjun of the CMC's political work department, Qin Shutong, Army political commissar, and Yuan Huazhi, Navy political commissar. Also expelled were Lin Xiangyang, Eastern Theatre commander; Wang Houbin, Rocket Forces commander; Wang Chunning, Armed Police commander; and Wang Xiubin, deputy director of the CMC's joint operations command. The Defense Ministry said the men now face prosecution and described their arrest as a "significant achievement in the party and military's anti-corruption campaign." (NHK World, October 17, 2025)
[EDITOR'S NOTE: The crackdown began in July with the CMC issuing "iron rules" for cadres and vowing to eliminate the military's "toxic influence." Recent purges included former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, and top Rocket Forces generals. Foreign Minister Qin Gang also vanished in 2023, and Liu Jianchao, the head of the CPC International Department, was detained this July.]
CHINA CRACKS DOWN, ARRESTS DOZENS OF CHRISTIANS
PRC authorities have intensified their crackdown on underground churches. Authorities have launched coordinated raids across at least 10 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. In May, police detained Pastor Gao Quanfu of the Light of Zion Church in Xi'an for "using superstitious activities to undermine the implementation of law." In June, courts sentenced several members of Shanxi's Linfen Golden Lampstand Church to prison for "fraud." Police arrested pastors, leaders, and members, including pastor Jin Mingri in Beihai, Guangxi, and Pastor Sun Cong of Zion Church for "illegal use of information networks." (BBC, October 15, 2025)
LICENSING DEAL FOR TIKTOK ALGORITHM RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS
The recent licensing deal allowing ByteDance to retain control over TikTok's algorithm raises "serious concerns," said the chair of the House Select Committee on China, Representative John Moolenaar. "I think anytime you have (China) with leverage over the algorithm, I think that's a problem. You have to have a new algorithm," he added. President Trump has approved the plan to sell TikTok's U.S. operations, declaring that it met 2024 national security requirements and giving the parties – ByteDance and a consortium of U.S. investors led by Oracle – 120 days to complete the deal. Trump said U.S. partners would monitor and retrain the algorithm, with operational control going to a new joint venture. Under the deal, ByteDance will retain less than a 20% share in TikTok and have the ability to appoint one of seven board members, with Americans filling the rest. (Reuters, October 16, 2025)
DUTCH GOVERNMENT SEIZES PRC CHIPMAKER NEXPERIA
Amid rising trade tensions, the Dutch government has seized control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker, as a means of better securing Europe's chip supply. Nexperia, a subsidiary of China's Wingtech Technology, produces high-volume chips for cars, electronics, and other sectors. To prevent disruption of Nexperia's chip supplies, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs invoked the "Goods Availability Act," which allows intervention to protect access to critical goods during emergencies. The ministry cited "serious governance shortcomings and actions" within Nexperia that threatened Dutch and European control over key technologies and warned of risks to economic security, especially in the automotive sector. Amsterdam called the move "highly exceptional" but necessary to protect vital technological capabilities. (CNBC, October 13, 2025)
DESPITE CHINA'S THREATS, UK DELAYS CHINA'S MEGA-EMBASSY AGAIN
The British government has delayed construction on China's new embassy in London for a second time, citing security concerns, with a new decision due by December 10. Despite Beijing's warnings of "consequences," UK officials remain wary of the project's scale, secrecy, and potential risks to national security. Officials raised alarms over the site's proximity to sensitive infrastructure, including fiber optic cables in London. The proposed complex at the Royal Mint Court, which was acquired for £255m in 2018, would be Europe's largest embassy, housing 200 staff, a tunnel, and spanning 20,000 sq. meters. Critics fear the facility could enable surveillance and/or cyber infiltration, citing Beijing's refusal to fully disclose internal layouts for "security reasons." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that in August, Xi Jinping raised the embassy during their first phone call. (BBC, October 17, 2025)
Want these sent to your inbox?
Subscribe
