Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast! AllRH 9.26.25 | China Soybeans, Drones, Sub Wars & Summit Talk, Of

We kick off with Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s high-profile New York visit—the first by a Chinese premier in nearly a decade. He compared the U.S.–China relationship to a married couple that bickers but can’t break up, pitching stability to Wall Street power players like Goldman Sachs and Citadel. With Trump and Xi potentially lining up summits in South Korea, Beijing, and the U.S. over the next year, the stage is set for some serious geopolitical theater. But don’t let the cozy metaphors fool you—behind the handshakes lies a battlefield of trade disputes, tech rivalries, and fentanyl diplomacy.

Next, we zoom into China’s climate and tech maneuvering. At the Climate Forward forum, Beijing was called out for setting underwhelming emission goals but still dominating the renewable energy race. From solar to EVs to even secretive fusion projects, China is cashing in while America skipped a global climate summit entirely. U.S. corporations like Microsoft and Google say they’re playing the “long game,” but in the short term, their AI data centers will guzzle power—some of it still dirty. Bottom line: China’s grabbing supply chain dominance while America risks sitting on the sidelines.

On trade, it’s all about soybeans. China has booked zero U.S. soybean orders going into harvest—zero, the first time since records began. Instead, it’s stockpiling cheaper beans from Brazil and Argentina. That’s a $12.6 billion market evaporating overnight and a direct hit on U.S. farmers, many of them in Trump-leaning states. Beijing knows exactly where to apply pressure, and it’s using tariffs north of 20% to do it.

Then, the drones. Chinese engineers have been working inside Russia with sanctioned arms maker Kupol, helping refine attack drones now flying against Ukraine. From AEE’s one-way attack drones to Hunan Haotianyi’s VTOL models, Chinese parts and expertise are deepening Russia’s strike capabilities. At the same time, Beijing’s testing two massive unmanned subs—130 feet long—out of Hainan. Think bigger payloads, longer range, and AI-driven undersea presence that could complicate U.S. and allied naval ops for years.

Finally, we tackle China’s warning to the Philippines after water cannon clashes at Scarborough Shoal, plus why Chinese EV-tech startup Momenta is ditching a U.S. IPO for Hong Kong.

If you care about U.S.–China relations, global trade wars, drones, subs, soybeans, or just want a briefing that blends sharp intel with a little attitude, this episode is your perfect ride-along.

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