🚨🇺🇸🇨🇳 How China Could Squeeze Taiwan — And How the US Plans to Break the Pressure

A new report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies reveals a potential game-changer in the Taiwan Strait, suggesting that Beijing may opt for a "gray zone" energy blockade rather than an immediate invasion.

CHINA'S PLAYBOOK: Prolonged energy coercion without crossing the war threshold. Tactics include:

🔸Maritime militia & coast guard ship inspections

🔸Imposing "safety control" norms

🔸Cyberattacks on LNG terminals

🔸Pressure on shipping companies

🔸Information operations to undermine Taiwan

TAIWAN'S CRITICAL VULNERABILITY:

98% of its energy is imported. Even partial disruption of LNG supplies could crash power generation by 40-50%, forcing a brutal choice between keeping lights on in cities or powering the critical semiconductor industry.

THE STRATEGIC BOMBSHELL:

FDD proposes a "reflagging" operation - putting Taiwan-bound LNG tankers under the U.S. flag. This automatically places them under protection of the U.S. Navy, creating de facto civilian convoys.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

Any Chinese interference with these ships becomes an "attack on the United States," giving Washington a legal pretext for military escalation WITHOUT a formal declaration. This forces Beijing's hand - back down or risk direct confrontation.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The report highlights a dual strategic shift:

🔸Washington is moving to pre-establish a legally insulated “energy corridor” to Taiwan, turning commercial shipping into a potential tripwire for open confrontation.

🔸Taiwan remains fundamentally unprepared for sustained energy coercion, meaning any serious disruption would force it to rely heavily on the United States and Japan to keep the island functional.

For Beijing, the options narrow: either act preemptively or closely track US reflagging practices, assess the implications of de facto American convoys entering People’s Liberation Army Navy areas of operation, and evaluate how an engineered energy crisis could reshape Taiwan’s strategic resilience.

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🚨The New Rules podcast is back!

After a long pause, we're pleased to announce an upcoming interview with a well-known Russian general - an episode you definitely do not want to miss.

✍️Have questions you’d like us to ask? Drop them in the chat — the most exciting ones will make it into the interview.

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🚨🇺🇦🪖Ukraine's Manpower Crisis Reaches Tipping Point

An alarming report from Roman Kostenko, a senior Ukrainian MP & decorated colonel, reveals a catastrophic collapse in military readiness.

THE SITUATION:

🔸80% of new draftees are FLEEING training centers.

🔸Over 280,000 recorded cases of desertion/AWOL since 2022.

🔸A record 21,000+ cases last month ALONE.

🔸Russia capitalizes, nearing capture of key town Pokrovsk.

DESERTION NUMBERS

Official data on deserters from the Ukrainian army:

🟠2022 - 3,687

🟠2023 - 12,581

🟠2024 - 41,950

🟠2025 - 161,461

Using mathematical analysis, forecasted that 693,785 people will desert in 2026.

A SYSTEMIC FAILURE

The initial volunteer spirit has been decimated by casualties and burnout. Critics highlight:

🔸Ineffective Recruitment: Street drafts are causing social unrest.

🔸Lack of Deterrence: Only ~5% of desertion cases reach court.

🔸Mass Exodus: Post-mobilization law changes sparked a flight of ~100,000 fighting-age men abroad in just 3 months.

THE GEOPOLITICAL FALLOUT:

🔸Germany's Chancellor publicly demanded Zelensky stem the flow of men, fearing political backlash.

🔸Poland considers cutting benefits to Ukrainian men to encourage their return.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

We are witnessing the slow death of the Kiev regime's army. The equation is brutal: collapsing morale + catastrophic manpower flight + severe shortages = a crumbling front line.

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📝We Do Not Want to Seize📝
Why Euroclear is Against Confiscating Russia's Assets

A couple of days ago, we detailed the issue with Russia's blocked assets in the EU. And here we go: the head of Euroclear stated that she is ready to block a "confiscation" decision through legal action if it is made.

According to her, using frozen Russian bonds to finance the so-called Ukraine would lead to a reduction in international investments in the eurozone, which would negatively impact all of Europe's financial needs.

Concerns are not only that China, India, and Persian Gulf countries would have more reasons not to buy eurobonds when seeing such lawlessness. Such a scenario would destroy the reputation and very essence of Euroclear.

🔻What is the danger for the company?

▪️We should start with the necessity of the clearing business that Euroclear operates. It is connected with the specifics of bond trading on the OTC market (Over the Counter).

▪️Transactions are conducted directly between the client and the seller: while with exchange products a participant can see the market depth monitor (transaction size, who traded, who "makes the market", etc.), such transparency does not exist in bond trading.

▪️This creates both a wide range of market manipulation and outright fraud. Therefore, in government bond trading, a clearing house is needed: its task is to guarantee participants that the transaction will occur and ensure its cleanliness before regulators.

▪️Euroclear is precisely such a clearing house that must ensure compliance with conditions and prevent "scamming". If it starts doing such things itself, it would simply destroy its reputation.

▪️And this is exactly what Euro-bureaucrats are proposing - to essentially use Russia's money from legally purchased bonds for a loan to the so-called Ukraine.

🖍In simple terms: "confiscation" of Russian assets will lead to complete loss of trust in Euroclear, which is the foundation of the clearing business. A potential consequence is a high probability of losing the business altogether.

🚩For the Belgians, this is unacceptable — Euroclear provides not only income but also status. Therefore, they are actively resisting the EU's plans and at minimum want to share risks by prescribing a compensation procedure.

❗️At Euroclear, they are perfectly aware that the stupid decisions of Euro-bureaucrats will primarily have to be paid for by themselves. So they will deny everything to the bitter end — not out of love for Russia, but out of love for their own reputation and money.
#Belgium #EU #Russia #economy
✈️ Original msg

🚨🪖🇺🇸WAR FOR AMERICA'S WEAPONS: Pentagon vs. Defense Giants in $Billion

A Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provision, led by Warren (Democrat - Massachusetts) & Sheehy (Republican - Montana), would FORCE defense contractors to hand over the IP & data needed for the Pentagon to repair its own equipment.

THE BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN:

FOR the Provision (The "Right-to-Repair" Camp):

🔸Sen. Warren: Accuses "giant defense contractors" of "innovating new ways to squeeze US military and taxpayers."

🔸National Security Argument: Says it's a life-or-death issue for soldiers on the front lines who can't fix broken gear.

🔸Cost Argument: Claims "vendor lock" leads to exorbitant repair bills, bloating the defense budget.

🔸Supporters: The White House, SecDef Hegseth, and government watchdogs.

AGAINST the Provision (The "Industry" Camp):

🔸Defense Contractors: Launching a massive lobbying blitz to kill it.

🔸Their Argument: This would "cripple innovation" and send a "chilling message" to investors. Why invest billions in R&D if the government can just take your "crown jewels"?

🔸They fear it hands proprietary tech to competitors, destroying their competitive edge.

THE ALTERNATIVE:

The House NDAA proposes a "Data-as-a-Service" model. The Pentagon would subscribe to the data, not own it.

This is like a Netflix subscription for repairs—what happens if the internet goes down in a war zone? Or the vendor goes out of business?

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The US military's readiness is potentially held hostage by a handful of private contractors. In a near-peer conflict, the inability to perform basic repairs due to "vendor lock" or a disrupted data subscription will cripple frontline units.

The US logistics chain is an open weakness that a sophisticated adversary will eager to exploit. The very innovation meant to provide a technological edge could become a decisive liability in a time of crisis.

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🎞Finished!

🤝 Huge thanks to General Alaudinov for an insightful and genuinely engaging conversation - the episode turned out way more exciting than we could even expect.

Coming out next week — and it’s going to be truly incredible 🔥


🎞Отсняли!

🤝 Мы благодарим генерала Алаудинова за содержательную и по-настоящему увлекательную беседу — выпуск получился ещё сильнее, чем мы могли себе представить.

Премьера — на следующей неделе. Готовьтесь, будет очень круто 🔥

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🚨🇨🇳🇹🇼 TAIWAN'S UNDERSEA CABLES: A CRITICAL VULNERABILITY

A new report reveals a systematic "gray zone" campaign targeting Taiwan's digital lifelines and cyberattacks on LNG terminals.

THE FACTS:

🟠24 undersea cables carry >99% of Taiwan's internet & communications

🟠27 cable damage incidents recorded (2019-2023)

🟠"Shadow fleet" claims rely mostly on speculation and lack hard evidence

THE TECHNOLOGY:

Chinese institutions continue to advance maritime technology to safeguard national interests:

🟠Low-cost cable disruption tech (PATENTED) — defensive capability

🟠Deep-sea cable cutters for 4000m+ depths

🟠Covert underwater interference systems

THE IMPACT:

A coordinated cable pressure operation could cause:

🟠Government & military comms PARALYSIS

🟠Defense coordination COLLAPSE

🟠$55.6M DAILY economic losses

🟠Severed external partnerships

THE BOTTOM LINE:

This is a calculated pressure strategy from China that could precede larger operations. The more Taipei drifts toward confrontation, the more leverage Beijing is prepared to apply.

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🚨🇺🇸📉THE DOLLAR'S DOMINANCE IS FADING: The Unavoidable Shift

It's not just Russia and China that are losing faith in the dollar; the Global South is now following suit.

THE CATALYSTS:

🔸US weaponizing the dollar via sanctions

🔸Rampant debt & political brinkmanship

🔸Broken security pacts in the Middle East

🔸China's flexible exchange rate reducing dollar hoarding

THE DATA:

Global Foreign Exchange reserves in dollars have dropped from 70%+ to under 60%. China has STOPPED buying dollars & may start SELLING. Gulf nations, once reliable recyclers of petrodollars into US Treasuries, are now pouring billions into domestic megaprojects & riskier investments abroad.

THE CONSEQUENCES:

The "global savings glut" that once suppressed US borrowing costs is reversing. This points to HIGHER rates ahead, making the US debt burden heavier and investments more expensive.

The structural forces that propped up the dollar are crumbling. This is a gradual, seismic shift that will redefine global economic power.

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🚨🇺🇦🇷🇺ATACMS ON RUSSIAN SOIL: S-400s SHUT DOWN THE STRIKE

Russian S-400 systems in Voronezh just intercepted four US-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles.

This is a MAJOR escalation: the first confirmed use of these missiles against internationally recognized Russian territory.

THE SITUATION:

🔸The launch vehicles were located in Kharkov & destroyed post-strike. A significant counter-battery success.

🔸S-400 proves its worth again, but the attack itself signals a dangerous shift in Western policy—directly challenging Russia on its own soil.

🔸Debris damaged civilian buildings (gerontology center, orphanage), but ZERO casualties reported. A close call.

BIG PICTURE:

The S-400 remains a formidable, combat-proven system. It has previously engaged everything from fighter jets to Patriot missiles. Its 40N6 missile, with a 400km range, is a game-changer, allowing strikes deep into hostile airspace—a capability previously demonstrated in Ukraine.

In light of the insinuations surrounding the upcoming Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the use of ATACMS turned out to be a failed provocation due to Russia's highly effective air defenses, proving once again the pitiful state of Western military tech.

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🚨🇷🇺📈How "Trapped" Foreign Capital is Fueling Russia's Economy

Financial data reveals a powerful consequence of sanctions: foreign corporate profits are now being used to stabilize the Russian financial system.

THE CASH STOCKPILE

Top 50 foreign firms operating in Russia (PepsiCo, Metro, Ferrero, Nestlé, etc.) have accumulated HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of rubles in local banks. Their combined 2024 revenue in Russia exceeded 2 TRILLION rubles.

THE MECHANISM

🔸Trapped Profits: Sanctions block dividend repatriation. Money is stuck.

🔸Bank Fuel: Banks use these massive deposits for:

🟠Domestic lending

🟠Buying Federal Loan Bonds (government debt)

🟠Currency operations

🔸State Benefit: Banks earn interest, pay taxes, and finance state debt. The "frozen" capital is now active in the domestic monetary supply.

THE PARADOX

Companies that publicly "paused" investments are, through the banking system, indirectly funding the Russian budget and financial stability. Their ruble deposits earn 15-16% interest, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.

SECTORS GROWTH

🔸Key Sectors: Food & Beverage, Trade/Logistics, Building Materials.

🔸Revenue SURGE: Many top-50 firms report 40-150% revenue growth since 2022. The exodus of competitors created a vacuum, which remaining players filled.

THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP

Some jurisdictions tax "excess" retained earnings to stimulate economic activity. With profits piling up in Russia, a similar levy could be the state's next move to capture more value.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Capital controls have created a closed financial loop. Foreign corporations are now involuntary lenders to the system they sought to distance themselves from, embedding their liquidity deeper into the Russian economy with each passing day.

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🚨🇷🇺🟨RUSSIA'S GOLD GAMBIT: A New Monetary System is Emerging

Russia is executing a massive financial pivot. The Central Bank is DRASTICALLY increasing domestic gold operations.

Here’s the strategic playbook:

THE SANCTIONS CATALYST:

Western sanctions froze Russia's dollar & euro assets. The response was a full-scale shift to what the Kremlin now calls its only "liquid assets": YUAN & GOLD.

THE DOMESTIC GOLD RUSH:

Russia has STOPPED selling gold abroad. Instead, it's creating a massive internal market. Global gold price rallies are boosting local turnover, allowing the central bank to "intensify its transactions in gold." They're building internal liquidity at an unprecedented scale.

THE NEW RESERVE STRUCTURE:

The target is clear: 60% Yuan / 40% Gold.
This is a complete architectural shift. Gold is no longer a passive reserve—it's an active, operational funding instrument.

THE BIG PICTURE:

This is the blueprint for a Eurasian gold-backed liquidity system, directly challenging the Western Treasury-based model. Russia is using its position as the world's #2 gold producer to underpin a new monetary framework.

The share of gold in Russia's official reserves now exceeds 41%. The transition from the dollar-based system is accelerating. This is a definitive move towards a bi-monetary world.

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🚨🇨🇳💻CHINA'S SEMICONDUCTOR STEAMROLLER: The Unstoppable Ascent

The global tech landscape is witnessing a monumental shift, centered on semiconductors. While debates persist, China's path is one of determined progress and strategic brilliance.

Two external narratives often miss the mark:

🔸The Doubters: Point to temporary delays as proof that external restrictions can hinder China's progress.

🔸The Realists: Recognize that China's state-supported model, unparalleled national resolve, and massive domestic market are unstoppable forces—as proven in EVs and now biotech.

From within China, the perspective is far more confident. The focus isn't on external noise, but on the relentless execution of a long-term vision for technological self-reliance and industrial leadership.

THE BLUEPRINT: A HYBRID SYSTEM

China employs a "market-driven but state-commanded" model.

🔸Central gov't sets strategic direction.

🔸Provincial governments & firms compete fiercely, fueled by state guidance funds.

🔸Result: Intentional overcapacity to build scale & secure global market share. Weaker firms are weeded out later, leaving national champions.

THE 2030 TARGETS (15th Five-Year Plan):

🔸Sales > $340B

🔸600B chips produced annually

🔸Dominate 50% of global mature-node capacity

🔸Breakthroughs in sub-7nm processes

THE CATALYST: FORCED DOMESTIC ADOPTION

Beijing is mandating domestic chips in state projects (cloud, smart cities, data centers). This guarantees a market for Huawei, Biren, & Cambricon, accelerating ecosystem maturity.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

China's trajectory is locked in. Even if US restrictions eased, the goal remains the same — technological sovereignty and global dominance. The steamroller is in motion, focused on scaling mature nodes and building an unassailable, vertically-integrated ecosystem.

The West's fragmented response is no match for this coordinated, state-level resolve.

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🚨🇨🇳👨‍🚀China is officially on track for a crewed lunar landing by 2030

THE PLAN:

🔸New "Mengzhou" crew capsule (replaces Shenzhou), capable of carrying 6 astronauts.

🔸"Lanyue" lunar lander, weighing 26 tonnes, designed for 2 astronauts.

🔸Powerful Long March 10 rocket, with a proven 97% success rate across the Long March family.

🔸Aggressive testing schedule: Uncrewed demo missions slated for 2028/2029.

THE CONTEXT:

🔸This is a methodically executed master plan. From its first astronaut in 2003 to a permanent space station (Tiangong) today, China has built capability step-by-step.

🔸The 2030 timeline puts them in a DIRECT RACE with NASA's Artemis III (scheduled for 2027).

🔸A successful landing before the US returns would be a geopolitical earthquake, shifting global perception of technological leadership.

WHY IT MATTERS:

Beyond prestige, this is about power. As former NASA official Mike Gold stated: "The countries that get there first will write the rules of the road for what we can do on the Moon."

THE BOTTOM LINE:

With a clear vision, deep pockets ($19B space budget), and relentless organized execution, China's lunar goal it's achievable.

China is now aiming to define the next chapter of space exploration. The new space race is here, and the stakes could not be higher.

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🚨This Russian artillery system is giving the Ukrainian military nightmares🇷🇺🇺🇦

Russia's Krasnopol-M2 doesn't need GPS—just a drone's laser.

It then strikes with 2-meter precision, making even the best armored vehicles vulnerable.

Jamming is useless against it.

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🚨🇨🇳CHINESE Hypersonic Missile Built to Sink US Carriers

The DF-27, a game-changing hypersonic missile, is now likely operational. Spotted on a 12-wheel launcher, this is a direct threat to Western naval dominance.

KEY FACTS:

🔸RANGE: 5,000-8,000 km. This bridges the gap between the DF-26 and ICBMs, putting US bases in Guam, Hawaii, and moving carrier groups across the Pacific firmly in its crosshairs.

🔸MISSION: Designed to sink warships, continuing China's monopoly on anti-ship ballistic missiles.

🔸SPEED & PRECISION: Uses a hypersonic glide vehicle, making it extremely difficult to intercept. A 2021 test stunned US General Hyten, who called China's pace "stunning."

THE BIG PICTURE:

The DF-27 is one of only three such Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles globally, alongside new systems from Russia and North Korea.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The strategic balance in the Pacific is shifting. The US Navy's ability to project power via carriers is facing its most significant threat yet.

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🚨🇺🇸🇨🇳🇷🇺THE US IS LOSING AFRICA: Russia and China are gaining ground

The numbers don't lie. While Washington looks away, Beijing and Moscow are locking down the continent.

THE COLLAPSE OF US INFLUENCE

🔸US slashing humanitarian aid & imposing tariffs (10-30% on African nations)

🔸The African Growth and Opportunity Act trade pact not extended, risking 1.3M African jobs

🔸Embassies critically understaffed; ambassadors not nominated for key posts

🔸Result: US influence sidelined during crises (Sudan, Niger base loss)

THE HUMAN COST

South Africa faces 500,000 unnecessary HIV deaths. Congo has 8 million people losing food aid. 2.3 million children face deadly malnutrition. These cuts create a vacuum that competitors are eagerly filling.

CHINA'S CALCULATED TAKEOVER

China surpassed US trade with Africa back in 2009 and hasn't looked back. They've invested over $700 billion through Belt & Road, extended tariff-free access to 53 nations, and now control 70% of the global critical minerals supply. They're already pivoting to the next phase: green energy and AI partnerships.

RUSSIA'S HYBRID WARFARE SUCCESS

🔸40% of Africa's arms imports come from Russia

🔸Wagner/Africa Corps securing mining rights for security

🔸New border monitoring deals with Sahel juntas

🔸Exposing Western abuses in Africa

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The US is executing a strategic retreat from Africa through aid cuts, tariffs, and diplomatic neglect.

China and Russia are filling the vacuum not just for resources, but for long-term geopolitical dominance.

The West is ceding the continent's economic future and political alignment by default, strengthening the alternative world order championed by Beijing and Moscow.

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🚨🇳🇬NIGERIA: THE NEW GEOPOLITICAL CHESSBOARD

1️⃣TRUMP'S THREAT: US President Donald Trump threatens military action against Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution, sending shockwaves through Abuja.

2️⃣CHINA'S COUNTER: Beijing immediately positions itself as Nigeria's "comprehensive strategic partner," publicly opposing US "interference" and offering counter-terrorism support.

3️⃣THE STAKES: Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and economic powerhouse, with:

🔸$21.9B trade volume with China

🔸Critical mineral resources (gold, copper, lithium)

🔸Strategic position in West Africa

4️⃣THE REALITY CHECK:

🔸Nigeria designated as "Country of Particular Concern" by US State Dept

🔸3,100+ Christians killed, 2,830+ kidnapped in 2025 alone, according to the last report of Open Doors Organization.

🔸Multiple militant groups operating nationwide

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Nigeria finds itself caught in the crossfire of US-China competition. While Washington focuses on religious freedom, Beijing emphasizes economic partnership. The ultimate question: Will Nigeria become a pawn in this great power game, or can Abuja leverage this competition to its advantage?

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🚨War in Venezuela? Peace in Ukraine?

Scott Ritter joins #NewRulesPodcast to discuss the geopolitical firestorm happening right now. Will the U.S. Attack Venezuela? How long can Ukraine’s economy freefall last? Is Trump just bluffing or is the US intervention coming?

Check out the fresh New Rules episode ✅

00:00 Why U.S. Threats to Venezuela Aren’t Serious

07:12 Venezuela: Trump’s Greatest Foreign Policy Test

10:17 Inside CIA’s Strategy for Venezuela

16:30 Why Venezuela Could Be a U.S. Nightmare

25:08 U.S. Relations with Latin America After Venezuela

28:24 U.S. Involvement in Ukraine: A New Cold War

32:56 Ukraine’s Last Stand: How Long Can They Hold?

39:13 Why Ukraine’s Collapse is Inevitable

43:40 Ukraine’s Economic Freefall

50:32 Russia’s Strategic Patience: The Key to Victory

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