Welcome to The Restricted Handling Podcast—your front-row seat to the high-stakes, fast-moving world of geopolitics, international security, and the never-ending chess match between Washington, Beijing, and Moscow. In this episode, we break down the latest headlines with the energy of a live show and the sharpness of a presidential briefing.

First up: China’s brand-new aircraft carrier, the Fujian, just cruised through the Taiwan Strait like it was rolling down the catwalk at Fashion Week. Bigger and badder than its predecessors, this carrier is on track to anchor China’s ambition to dominate the Western Pacific. We’ll talk through what makes the Fujian different, why its electromagnetic catapults matter, and what its commissioning means for Taiwan, Japan, and U.S. forces in the region.

Then we dive into Beijing’s latest stunt in the South China Sea: declaring Scarborough Shoal a “nature reserve.” Sounds nice, right? But this is straight-up lawfare wrapped in green PR. Manila is calling foul, the Hague ruling is still hanging out in the background, and China’s coast guard is already flexing the muscle to enforce it. We’ll break down how this move undercuts the Philippines, impacts U.S. treaty obligations, and sets up more maritime confrontations.

From the water to the parade ground, China also just rolled out its full nuclear triad for the first time. We’re talking ICBMs, SLBMs, and even an air-launched ballistic missile—all marching through Beijing under Xi Jinping’s watch. With estimates that China now has roughly 600 nuclear warheads, this display wasn’t just about pride—it was a message to Washington, Tokyo, and anyone else watching.

Meanwhile, U.S.–China diplomacy is heating up. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth both got on the phone with their Chinese counterparts. A Trump–Xi face-to-face could be coming at the APEC summit in South Korea. But tariffs, fentanyl, and TikTok are clogging the runway. We’ll unpack what’s at stake.

And don’t think Russia is sitting this one out. Putin was in Beijing again, pen in hand, signing deals. But once you look past the photo ops, the power imbalance is obvious. Moscow is still the junior partner, stuck chasing Chinese financing, pipelines, and bond markets to keep its war economy afloat.

Oh, and if you’re a U.S. farmer, buckle up: China hasn’t booked a single soybean order this season. That’s leverage, baby, and it’s hitting wallets in the Midwest.

This episode brings you the inside scoop on the Fujian, Scarborough Shoal, China’s nukes, U.S.–China talks, and Russia’s second-fiddle role—all in one packed, punchy session.