The latest episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast takes you deep into the fast-moving world of U.S.–China tension — a geopolitical rollercoaster featuring trade threats, tech crackdowns, cyber espionage, and a looming Trump–Xi showdown that could reshape global markets.

Today’s episode dives into the heart of the storm as Beijing’s new rare-earth export licensing system goes live, giving China near-total control over critical materials used in everything from EVs to fighter jets. It’s a strategic chokehold disguised as a trade rule, and the U.S. isn’t having it. President Trump fires back, threatening 100% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1 if Beijing doesn’t back down. This sets the stage for a high-stakes face-off between two leaders who thrive on brinkmanship.

We break down the behind-the-scenes negotiations in Malaysia, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng are trying to prevent an all-out tariff war. Spoiler: it’s tense, and neither side looks ready to blink. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s government is tightening its grip at home. We cover his massive military purge, the surprise promotion of anti-corruption enforcer Zhang Shengmin, and the new five-year plan built around AI, advanced manufacturing, and total self-reliance. Xi’s message is simple — China won’t depend on anyone, least of all the U.S.

From South Korea’s anti-China protests to Europe’s flood of cheap Chinese imports, the ripple effects of Beijing’s strategy are shaking capitals across the globe. We explore how European leaders are torn between protecting their markets and avoiding Chinese retaliation — and how online giants like Shein and Temu are exploiting trade loopholes to dominate the fashion and consumer scene.

Then we zoom out to the broader chessboard: China’s state oil giants pausing Russian crude imports, the massive cyber espionage campaign exploiting Microsoft’s ToolShell vulnerability, and Beijing’s “scientific research” ships creeping into Japan’s waters. Add in Xi’s floating “fish farms” in the Yellow Sea and a propaganda-friendly crackdown on scam networks in Myanmar, and you’ve got the full picture of a China that’s flexing hard — at home, online, and on the seas.

It’s all here: the rare-earth squeeze, the tariff brinkmanship, the espionage drama, and the digital shadow war shaping the next phase of great-power competition.

Tune in for sharp insights, dry humor, and the kind of geopolitical storytelling that cuts through the noise. The Restricted Handling Podcast — where intelligence meets attitude.