U.S. To Redirect Sanctioned Oil From China to Hit Iran

Welcome to China In Focus, Tiffany Meyer, our top story, Washington mulling a move that

may free several hundred million barrels of oil, but the Treasury Secretary says about

the possibility of lifting sanctions on a Russian and Iranian oil back for China.

In the coming days, we may un-sanction the Iranian oil that's on the water.

It's about 140 million barrels.

President Trump, hosting Japan's Prime Minister at the White House, topping the agenda

of the Iran War, China, and Rare Earth Minerals.

We have the key takeaways.

U.S. intelligence is shifting its outlook on China and Taiwan, saying a 2027 invasion

isn't expected, but warning the broader threat from Beijing is still growing.

And senior Trump administration officials say Taiwan remains a top priority in arms sales,

pushing back on concerns the Iran military operation has shifted focus.

Washington is considering a new bold method to lower oil prices, Treasury Secretary

Scott Bessent announced Thursday that the U.S. may lift some sanctions on Iranian and

Russian oil.

The move will specifically target cheap shipments currently bound for China.

Here's Bessent speaking on Fox News.

In the coming days, we may un-sanction the Iranian oil that's on the water.

It's about 140 million barrels.

So depending on how you count it, that's 10 days to two weeks of supply, that the Iranians

had been pushing out, that would have all gone to China.

And since we will be using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians to keep the price

down for the next 10 or 14 days and at Treasury, we un-sanctioned Russian oil.

We knew that there were about 130 million barrels on the water.

And we created supply that is beyond the straits of her moose.

Bessent says the move aims to balance global supply after the bottleneck in the strait

of her moose while calling out Beijing for fueling global terror by funding Iran.

Iran is the head of the snake for global terrorism.

They are the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

And the Chinese have been buying 90, 95 percent of the Iranian oil.

So they were funding the leading sponsor of global terrorism.

They were getting a discount by buying that oil.

The Treasury Secretary slammed China saying it has once again shown its true colors amid

global oil tensions.

We have the Chinese who have once again proven themselves to be unreliable suppliers.

This is why the U.S.

We are determined.

We don't want to decouple via trade, but we do need a strategic decoupling.

And what the Chinese have stopped exporting during the Iran conflict here is they've cut

off all refined product exports to the rest of the world.

President Trump hosting Japanese Prime Minister Sinai Takaiichi at the White House Thursday.

It's the Japanese Prime Minister's first trip to the U.S. since taking office in October.

Looming in the background, whether Japan would safeguard the flow of oil through the

strait of her moose and Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, entities I was tell as

the details.

The President in his meeting today is praising Japan for what he calls his tremendous support

as well as for, quote, stepping up to the plate on Iran.

It comes as Japan is joining five of the nations, including, for example, Germany, Italy,

France, UK, and the Netherlands, to issue a joint statement today saying that they are

ready now to support what they call appropriate efforts to reopen the strait of her moose.

Of course, it marks a shift in stances after these nations first showed reluctance upon

being called by President Trump to join efforts to help secure the key waterway.

You're so President, talking about that today, much.

We're defending the strait for everybody else, and then in the case of NATO, they don't

want to help us defend the strait, and they're the ones that need it.

But now they're getting much nicer, because they're seeing my attitude.

They're getting much nicer, but as far as I'm concerned, it's too late.

As oil prices surge, President Trump said it also deterring attacks against energy facilities

across the Middle East.

Iran is right now retaliating against Israel after Israel struck one of Iran's major gas

fields.

And President Trump said, while saying that Israel will stop launching attacks against

Iran's gas fields, he's also warning Iran that if it continues to hit neighbor in

countries, especially, if it again hits Qatar, the U.S. will quote, blow up the entirety

of Iran's gas field.

Meanwhile, the President also reassuring Americans that gas prices will come down soon, and that

he does not plan to send U.S. troops on the ground.

Watch.

I thought there was a chance it could be much worse.

It's not bad.

And it's going to be over with, pretty said, no, I'm not putting troops anywhere.

If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you, but I'm not putting troops.

And we will do whatever is necessary to keep the price.

Takaichi says Japan has been consistently open to dialogue with China, and she hopes

the U.S.

China relationship will support regional security and global supply chains.

President Trump says he expects a great trip to China, and that he'll be speaking in support

of Japan when he meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

New U.S. intelligence is reshaping how officials see tensions between China and Taiwan.

It eases concerns about an invasion as soon as next year, but warns the broader threat

from Beijing is still growing.

Officials say China wants to take Taiwan without using force, even as it continues expanding

its military.

According to the latest annual threat assessment released Wednesday, China is not planning to

invade Taiwan by 2027, and does not have a fixed timeline that's a reassessment from

earlier warnings that pushed the U.S. and Taiwan to ramp up military preparations.

However, the report makes clear the threat hasn't gone away.

China is still developing the capability to take Taiwan if ordered, but officials warn

a full-scale invasion would be risky, especially if the U.S. gets involved.

The Chinese regime considers Taiwan part of its territory and has set a goal taking

control of the island nation by 2049.

That's despite never having ruled it.

Taiwanese officials say they are not easing up, warning the threat remains constant, even

if China delays its timeline.

The military operation against Iran won't delay U.S. arms sales to Taiwan or change policy

toward the island.

That's what senior Trump administration officials told Congress on Tuesday.

Here's principal deputy assistant secretary of state for political military affairs, Stanley

Brown.

I would say that in regards to Taiwan, in the last 90 days, we have moved 11.1 billion

dollars to Taiwan, so in regards to overall, have we delayed moving things to Taiwan, we

have it.

Michael Miller, director at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, reiterated the Trump

administration's priorities for deciding which countries get U.S. arms sales first.

The vision of security cooperations cases since Taiwan is our top priority.

The hearing comes as lawmakers and officials raise concerns whether the Iran strikes may

have pulled weapons from the arms package prepared for Taiwan.

Senior officials overseeing U.S. arms sales responded, saying the operation has not and will

not have such impact.

Brown added that the administration is working to expedite shipments of an approved multi-billion

dollar arms package to the island.

Last week, Reuters reported that another major arms sales to Taiwan could be signed by

President Trump following his trip to China.

That was before the Trump Xi Summit was pushed back to the end of April.

The sale is expected to break records at a $14 billion price tag and includes advanced

interceptor missiles.

These officials unanimously agree the administration's policy on Taiwan has not changed.

The U.S. is bound by law to provide the island with weapons to defend itself from the Chinese

military, and Washington does not have to consult Beijing on those sales.

China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been developing missile delivery systems

with nuclear payloads that can strike the continental U.S.

That's what top U.S. intelligence officials told lawmakers at a hearing earlier this

week.

Antideas Crispot reports.

The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan

have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced or traditional missile

delivery systems that put our homeland within range, and is meant to be capable of penetrating

or bypassing U.S. missile defenses.

China is the most capable competitor in the field of artificial intelligence.

Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, opening the annual threat assessment

in the Senate, warning of growing capabilities of U.S. adversaries.

China and Iran, front and center.

The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, pointing to his agency's expanded intelligence collection,

especially on China.

Our foreign intelligence collection, up by 25 percent overall, and in important categories

like China, for instance, up 100 percent.

With regard to counterterrorism, those are classified numbers, but they're off the charts

good.

Senate intelligence chairman Tom Cotton also raised concerns about Iran's missile capabilities.

I've heard some analysts say that Iran could have had intercontinental missiles to threaten

the United States in his fewest six months.

Would you agree?

You're right to be concerned about Iran's development of longer-range ballistic missiles.

We know that Iran is gaining experience through its so-called space-launched vehicle program.

Unimpeded, yes, a senator, they would have the ability to range missiles to the continental

U.S.

Questions also turning to possible collaboration between U.S. adversaries.

Russian intelligence sharing with Iran in the current conflict.

What do we know?

If there is that sharing going on, that would be an answer that would be appropriate for

a closed session.

Is it occurring?

If it is occurring, that would be an answer appropriate for a closed session.

Okay, that's sort of the first cousin of a yes.

Chairman Cotton suggesting the FBI should investigate unlawful disclosure of classified information.

Media is not a classification authority and that kind of story whether true or not might

be better suited for the FBI to investigate.

It sounds like something Russia and China would do.

Communist Russia used to do it during the Cold War and communist China has always done

stuff like that.

Senator Mike Rounds raising concerns about Iran building up offensive capabilities during

negotiations.

Were they building additional ballistic missiles?

Yes.

Were they continuing to develop them?

Yes.

Were they building their offensive capabilities while they were negotiating with us at a faster

rate than we could build defensive capabilities?

Yes.

Were they continuing to deliver additional resources to terrorist organizations in the region?

Yes.

The hearing moving into a closed session where senators say the most sensitive intelligence

on Iran, China, Russia and other threats will be discussed.

China is conducting explosive nuclear testing and is trying to hide it.

That's according to the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

His officials say China may be secretly conducting explosive tests despite longstanding global

agreements meant to ban them.

Administrator Brandon Williams told Axios that a recent Govini conference, the suspected

tests, could reach yields in the hundreds of tons.

This raising concerns about whether China is following international agreements.

Those tests would violate the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, it packed signed

by nearly 200 countries at BAN's explosive nuclear testing.

Even though China signed the agreement, it was never fully approved.

In October, President Trump called for the U.S. to resume testing, setting concerns about

foreign adversaries and saying America should remain on equal footing.

The White House said on Wednesday that China had agreed to postpone President Trump's

visit.

Here's White House Prosecudate Caroline Lovett.

Give us an update on what you're hearing from the Chinese about when this trip might

be received.

We're working with them.

They have agreed to postpone the trip.

I think they understand the President's rationale for doing so, but again, we're working

on those dates.

The President has some things here at home in May that he has to attend to.

And I'm sure President Xi is a very busy man as well.

So we'll get the dates on the books as soon as we can and we'll keep all of you posted.

Lovett, so the White House, was working to secure a new date for the visit as soon as

possible.

America's medicine supply chain is at risk, roughly 90 percent of drugs that Americans

use daily run through Chinese controlled inputs.

lawmakers exploring the issue and a public hearing Wednesday.

And today's Malina Weiscup has the takeaways.

It's in the last five years, China went from zero to 48 percent of large global pharmaceutical

licensing deals.

Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP emphasized that for most of American history,

medicines were made in our country or made somewhere we trusted.

But that's no longer true, and it's a problem many Americans are unaware of.

Witnesses emphasized today that this didn't happen naturally through market forces.

It was an intentional design by the Chinese Communist Party.

They don't look at it as a business enterprise.

I believe they look at it as a strategic asset that they can use to leverage against us.

So the cost of production is irrelevant to them.

They're going to work to drive anybody out of business if they have to.

Patrick Cashman is the last remaining US-based manufacturer of a Moxasillin, the most commonly

prescribed antibiotics.

Through decades of Chinese state subsidies and low environmental standards, the CCP drove

Western competitors out of the market.

The goal to put Western countries in a bind.

In a conflict scenario, or even a target at export, restricted Americans are going to

die because of this.

I want this committee to understand that this hearing is not about the supply chain of

vulnerabilities we've already accepted as serious those are.

It's about where China is going next.

The question at the front-end center, how can the U.S. increase access to crucial medicines?

And protect Americans from the CCP leveraging public health and its unrestricted warfare against

the U.S.

Whether the top targeted actions we should take right now to reduce our dependence on China

for essential medicines that patients rely on every day.

Full ensuring of those medicines, including figuring out ways to make the key starting materials

here, either chemically or using synthetic biology, is the way to do this.

The winnest is emphasized that the keys to moving toward a loosening China's grip on

our medicine supply involve investment in domestic manufacturers and working with allies.

Reporting from Washington, D.C., Melina Weisskub, NTD News.

Coming up, how much influence does pro-Beijing and pro-North Korea factions have inside South

Korea and expert Brexit down?

More on that, after the break here, on China in focus.

The young generation start to realize the dangerous situation of South Korea, so...

Welcome back to China in focus.

Tiffany Meyer, we now turn to the Chinese Communist Party's expanding influence inside South Korea.

How much influence does pro-Communist China and North Korea factions have on the country's

politics?

David Kim, president of Truth Forum, breaks down the tension and divide inside South Korea

over China.

Take a look.

I want to dig into that because often in the U.S., we see South Korea as a democracy

and ally, of course.

But inside South Korea, there are a lot of factions, or they have a lot of voice that are pro-Communist

China, even pro-North Korea.

How much influence do those factions have inside South Korea?

I'm kind of very sad to say this, but the current ruling party, and EJM, the current president,

is very pro-North and pro-China.

So their influence at the moment in South Korea is immense, because they are in power.

I'm not exaggerating.

The current ruling party, and EJM has shown a lot of pro-China orientation in many different

cases.

For example, Korea, under criminal law, we have espionage law, but the current regulation

is only possible toward an enemy state, which means North Korea.

So the conservative party tried to revise and expand the application toward foreign countries,

targeting actually China.

But the current ruling party denied, rejected the revision of it, and EJM as well.

In another case, after Lee got in power, Lee's EJM got elected, many people started

to realize the danger of the election integrity as take, and the China's influence in South

Korea.

So people started to speak up.

Young generation started to realize the danger situation of South Korea.

So they protest in front of Chinese embassy in South Korea, but the government vanded.

So which means a lot, I think.

This is the current situation of South Korea, and they even tried to classify anti-China

expression as hate speech by law.

This is the situation of Korea.

What is happening is Korea.

I want to dig into that very quickly.

So if you protest against the Chinese Communist Party that's labeled as hate speech, what

if you protest against the South Korean government, for example, is that labeled the same?

The law is not just passed, but there is movement regulated by law, and those kinds of control

is expanding.

They try to expand those kinds of control by law.

For example, they try to control people's expression against the government, mainly

currently raised by churches, because churches are speaking up, leading this kind of protest,

and the government try to control the churches and their expressions, political expressions.

And they claim separate of state and church principle, but actually is wrong application.

I want to get into solutions in a little bit, but very quickly on the U.S. side, of course,

South Korea is a very important ally in the region, and we're seeing growing Chinese

aggression in that area, of course, economically as well as an important partner.

With these, say, pro-China factions, are you seeing or having a sense inside South Korea

that that type of sentiment is undermining support for U.S. South Korea alliances, especially

the military presence, for instance, of U.S. troops there?

One positive thing is that the general public in South Korea are aware of the danger of

China's silent invasion.

So, Regent Paul shows that 82% of South Korean people is worried about China's expanding

influence in South Korea, but the problem is politics.

Inside politics, not many voices are coming out.

Considering growing concern from inside public, in politics, no politician is active in

dealing with China's challenge.

So that is, I think, that shows, in a sense, the situation of a dangerous situation of

South Korea.

You mentioned earlier that the churches have been trying to speak out, and at least it seems

that most of the population understands the China threat, especially the China's influence

operations inside South Korea.

Of course, there's the work of truth forum.

Are there other efforts being done to counter the Chinese influence operations in South

Korea?

In all those kind of protests against communism and Marxism and socialistic policies,

Korean churches has been the core of this protest.

So, Lee Jae-myeong and Moon Jae-in, which is former leftist party, leftist ruling party

in Korea, they arrested several pastors who protest against the policies.

So I'd like to mention you that majority South Koreans, people, is truly supporting

rock US alliance, which is the foundation of our economy and defense.

And I truly appreciate that America spread these basic principles of freedom and truth.

The Korea, South Korea is established after the example of United States.

So I believe Korea can be this much prosperous.

But I'd like to mention that Korea is getting through the same challenge as you take in

United States.

The post-modernism and Marxism has spread a lot inside the society and universities.

And those kind of ideas are covered as democracy or DEI policies, whatever, but actually spreading

those kind of leftist agenda.

Now, this has been a very fascinating conversation, David Kim.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you very much.

That's all for today's China Infocus.

To me, Meyer, if you have any feedback on the show or how something you'd like to see

us cover, send us an email at ChinaInFocusNTD.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

From the clock, original news coverage, visit us at NTD.com or download our NTD app.

Thanks for watching.

See you tomorrow.