The Restricted Handling Podcast is back, and today’s episode is packed tighter than a Beijing bullet train at rush hour. We’re diving deep into the fast-moving storm around China — from power plays and purges to AI-driven warfare and a diplomatic showdown that could reset global trade. 

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are heading into their Seoul summit with the fate of the global economy, rare earth supply chains, and the U.S.-China rivalry all hanging in the balance. Before boarding Air Force One, Trump inked a major rare earth minerals deal with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, calling it the start of a “new golden age” between Washington and Tokyo. It’s flashy, symbolic, and strategic — a direct challenge to Beijing’s control over the world’s most critical resources. 

Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s government is cleaning house — aggressively. The Chinese Communist Party’s Fourth Plenum just revealed a purge straight out of a Cold War thriller: missing generals, vanishing bureaucrats, and empty chairs where power players used to sit. Over 22 top officers from China’s Rocket Force have been removed, and Xi’s loyal enforcer Zhang Shengmin is now the second most powerful man in the military. The message is clear: absolute loyalty or absolute disappearance. 

We also break down China’s AI militarization revolution, where the PLA’s DeepSeek system — a next-gen AI model — is being fused into battlefield command, autonomous vehicles, and even robot dogs that scout and clear explosives. Think Black Mirror meets Red Alert. Beijing says human commanders are “still in charge,” but when your AI can simulate 10,000 battle scenarios in under a minute, you have to wonder who’s really calling the shots. 

On the diplomatic front, China’s Premier Li Qiang is busy signing an upgraded free trade pact with ASEAN nations while warning against “external interference” — a polite jab at Washington’s presence in Asia. Over in London, the UK’s espionage drama continues as a Chinese spy case collapses, and in Zambia, a massive toxic spill from a Chinese mine exposes Beijing’s darker side of global expansion. 

We’ve got it all this week: trade truces, tech wars, AI arms races, environmental scandals, and the biggest U.S.-China faceoff since Trump’s first term. 

If you care about geopolitics, global security, or just like your foreign policy with a bit of attitude — this episode’s for you.