Strap in for this high-octane edition of The Restricted Handling Podcast, where we break down the latest power plays, cyber moves, and diplomatic drama coming out of Beijing. From aircraft carriers and espionage campaigns to trade détente and digital censorship, this episode dives headfirst into the whirlwind of China’s last 24 hours — and trust us, it’s a full-throttle ride. 

We start in the South China Sea, where China just dropped anchor on its newest symbol of military might: the 80,000-ton CNS Fujian, its most advanced aircraft carrier yet. With electromagnetic catapults, stealth-capable fighters, and ambitions stretching to Guam, this move signals that Beijing’s blue-water navy dreams are becoming reality. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s radar screens are lighting up again as Chinese aircraft and warships continue testing the median line — and Tokyo’s patience is running out after a Chinese diplomat threatened Japan’s prime minister online. It’s like Beijing’s “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy just logged back on. 

But it’s not all missiles and megaphones. There’s some cautious smiling at trade tables too. China has eased export bans on critical minerals and chips, temporarily cooling off tensions with Washington and Brussels. Auto manufacturers can breathe again as Nexperia chips are back on the market, and Beijing’s even suspending port fees for U.S. ships. It’s a short-term truce dressed up as goodwill — and it’s buying China some breathing room. 

Back home, Beijing’s propaganda machine is in overdrive. State TV is parading confessions from scam lords extradited from Myanmar, showing off the “success” of China’s crackdown on cross-border cybercrime. At the same time, Apple got an order to pull LGBTQ+ dating apps Blued and Finka from its China App Store — a chilling reminder that censorship is still one of the regime’s favorite tools. 

And if that wasn’t enough cloak-and-dagger action, we’ve got new revelations from cybersecurity investigators uncovering a China-linked espionage campaign inside a U.S. policy nonprofit. Think malware, DLL sideloading, and stealth persistence — the digital fingerprints of Beijing’s APT playbook written all over it. 

Plus, FBI Director Kash Patel’s secretive visit to Beijing adds another twist — fentanyl diplomacy meets quiet law enforcement cooperation in a geopolitical balancing act that feels more “House of Cards” than Harvard Law. 

All this and more in today’s episode — where China’s carriers, crackdowns, chips, and cyber shadows collide. Tune in for 20 minutes that’ll leave you smarter, sharper, and maybe just a little more skeptical about what’s really going on behind the red curtain. 

Listen now to RH 11.10.25 | China: Carriers, Crackdowns, Chips & Cyber Shadows — because geopolitics doesn’t sleep, and neither do we.