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RH 2.24.26 | China: Tariffs, Taiwan, Blackwell Chips & Iranian Missiles
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast
https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down a fast-moving 24 hours in US-China competition that touches tariffs, Taiwan, AI chips, nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, Iranian missiles, oil markets, and critical minerals. Yes, all of that.
President Trump is heading to Beijing March 31 through April 2, but the legal ground under his trade strategy just shifted. The US Supreme Court struck down major portions of his tariff framework, forcing a pivot to a temporary 15 percent tariff under Section 122 authority. That move drops effective tariff rates on Chinese goods and changes the leverage calculus heading into a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping. We walk through what that means and why Beijing is staying publicly calm while quietly preparing its next moves.
Taiwan is right at the center. A proposed 20 billion dollar US arms package that includes Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptors, NASAMS systems, and advanced missile defense integration is now politically sensitive ahead of the summit. We explain why this package matters for Taiwan’s ability to survive a PLA missile barrage and how China is linking arms sales to diplomatic optics. We also cover Taiwan tracking PLA Navy vessels and Chinese balloons around the island as gray zone pressure continues.
On the technology front, things get even hotter. US officials confirmed that Chinese AI firm DeepSeek trained its latest model on Nvidia Blackwell chips, despite export controls banning those shipments to China. At the same time, Anthropic accused multiple Chinese AI companies of generating over 16 million interactions to extract capabilities from its Claude model. This is the AI race in real time, and it is not theoretical.
We also dive into nuclear arms control talks in Geneva involving the US, Russia, and China, plus new US allegations about a 2020 Chinese low-yield nuclear test. Add in China restricting exports to 40 Japanese entities, accelerating land reclamation in the South China Sea, and deploying its new aircraft carrier Fujian, and you get a region that is not exactly relaxing.
Then we shift to the Middle East, where Iran is nearing a deal to buy Chinese CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles as US carriers operate nearby. Oil tanker rates are surging. GPS spoofing is being reported. Markets are reacting before missiles ever fly.
Finally, we cover cobalt. Glencore is moving nearly 2,000 metric tons toward US stockpiles as Washington quietly works to secure critical minerals.
If you care about US-China relations, Taiwan security, export controls, AI competition, nuclear modernization, or global energy markets, this episode is packed. It is serious analysis without the robotic tone. Sharp, clear, and built for people who want the real picture.
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast
https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Save a few hours of your time getting ahead of the news cycle at restrictedhandling.com.
View all episodes
By Restricted Handling👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast
https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down a fast-moving 24 hours in US-China competition that touches tariffs, Taiwan, AI chips, nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, Iranian missiles, oil markets, and critical minerals. Yes, all of that.
President Trump is heading to Beijing March 31 through April 2, but the legal ground under his trade strategy just shifted. The US Supreme Court struck down major portions of his tariff framework, forcing a pivot to a temporary 15 percent tariff under Section 122 authority. That move drops effective tariff rates on Chinese goods and changes the leverage calculus heading into a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping. We walk through what that means and why Beijing is staying publicly calm while quietly preparing its next moves.
Taiwan is right at the center. A proposed 20 billion dollar US arms package that includes Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptors, NASAMS systems, and advanced missile defense integration is now politically sensitive ahead of the summit. We explain why this package matters for Taiwan’s ability to survive a PLA missile barrage and how China is linking arms sales to diplomatic optics. We also cover Taiwan tracking PLA Navy vessels and Chinese balloons around the island as gray zone pressure continues.
On the technology front, things get even hotter. US officials confirmed that Chinese AI firm DeepSeek trained its latest model on Nvidia Blackwell chips, despite export controls banning those shipments to China. At the same time, Anthropic accused multiple Chinese AI companies of generating over 16 million interactions to extract capabilities from its Claude model. This is the AI race in real time, and it is not theoretical.
We also dive into nuclear arms control talks in Geneva involving the US, Russia, and China, plus new US allegations about a 2020 Chinese low-yield nuclear test. Add in China restricting exports to 40 Japanese entities, accelerating land reclamation in the South China Sea, and deploying its new aircraft carrier Fujian, and you get a region that is not exactly relaxing.
Then we shift to the Middle East, where Iran is nearing a deal to buy Chinese CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles as US carriers operate nearby. Oil tanker rates are surging. GPS spoofing is being reported. Markets are reacting before missiles ever fly.
Finally, we cover cobalt. Glencore is moving nearly 2,000 metric tons toward US stockpiles as Washington quietly works to secure critical minerals.
If you care about US-China relations, Taiwan security, export controls, AI competition, nuclear modernization, or global energy markets, this episode is packed. It is serious analysis without the robotic tone. Sharp, clear, and built for people who want the real picture.
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast
https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Save a few hours of your time getting ahead of the news cycle at restrictedhandling.com.