Strap in—today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast takes you straight into the heart of Beijing’s latest power plays, military theatrics, and regional chess moves. The pace isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating. We’re talking aircraft carriers, nuclear posturing, tech espionage, and a deadly Hong Kong fire that’s testing Beijing’s grip just as much as its image. 

We kick off with China’s latest warning shot—literally and figuratively—toward Japan. The People’s Liberation Army wrapped up five days of intense naval and air drills in the Bohai Strait and Yellow Sea, featuring the brand-new Fujian aircraft carrier in its first at-sea training. The symbolism? Crystal clear. The Fujian is Beijing’s statement piece: “We’re here, we’re modern, and we’re ready.” Add in the Sichuan, a next-generation amphibious assault ship built for far-sea operations, and you’ve got a Navy that’s no longer playing defense. Japan’s missile deployments near Taiwan have officially entered the crosshairs, and China’s rhetoric is getting sharper by the hour. 

Then it’s nukes. Beijing’s new white paper lays bare an ambitious modernization of its nuclear forces—launch-on-warning systems, hardened silos, and mobile launchers designed for survivability. It’s the “no-first-use” policy with a side of plausible deniability. And while Beijing denounces Washington’s “Golden Dome” missile defense plans as destabilizing, it’s building its own counter-systems at warp speed. The world’s watching, and the arms race is looking more digital, orbital, and immediate than ever. 

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te isn’t blinking. He’s appointed U.S.-educated strategist Dr. Hsu Szu-chien as vice defense minister to push through a $40 billion defense reform. Think AI-driven command grids, drone fleets, and domestic missile production. Add President Trump’s deliberate silence after his latest call with Xi, and you’ve got a game of poker where no one’s folding—just raising. 

We also take you through Southeast Asia, where Thailand and Vietnam are sliding closer to Beijing’s orbit. From Huawei and ZTE’s 5G wins in Hanoi to China’s growing investment in Thai infrastructure, the region’s tilt is unmistakable. But there’s resistance brewing, too—Bangkok’s new tariffs on Chinese imports are a quiet act of rebellion against economic domination. 

Finally, a deadly blaze in Hong Kong exposes cracks in China’s “stability-first” model, while a drone strike on the Tajik-Afghan border kills three Chinese nationals, reminding everyone that Beijing’s global reach comes with real-world risks. 

From carriers to cyber, nukes to neighbors—this episode’s packed. Listen in for sharp analysis, fast context, and the kind of insider energy only Restricted Handling delivers.