RH 10.8.25 | China Rages, Taiwan Arms Up, AI Goes Rogue

Strap in — this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast is a high-octane dive into the latest power plays shaking the Indo-Pacific and cyberspace. It’s October 8th, 2025, and Beijing is fuming while Taiwan is doubling down. We’ve got China’s meltdown over President Lai Ching-te’s praise of Donald Trump, Taipei’s new defense budget that’s starting to look like a war chest, and the U.S. stepping in with legislative and military muscle to keep the lights on — literally.

We start with the story lighting up diplomatic wires: Taiwan’s President Lai calls Trump a potential Nobel Peace Prize winner if he can convince Xi Jinping to drop the threat of force. China loses it — calling Lai “a prostitute for foreigners” in one of the most unhinged official statements in recent memory. Hours later, Chinese warplanes and ships buzz Taiwan again. Subtle? Not exactly.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s prepping like it’s game day. Defense spending’s climbing past 3% of GDP and headed for 5% by 2030, with U.S. officials pushing for an even bolder 10%. Trump’s Pentagon pick, John Noh, backs the idea fully. It’s all part of a shift toward asymmetric warfare — think missiles, drones, and rapid-response units instead of massive tanks and ships. The goal? Make any Chinese invasion a nightmare.

But money can’t fix everything. Taiwan’s biggest weak spot isn’t its military — it’s energy. Ninety-seven percent imported. Half its electricity from liquefied natural gas. If China blocks shipping lanes, Taiwan could go dark in under two weeks. So Washington’s moving fast, drafting legislation to insure LNG deliveries and keep convoys running if Beijing tries a “quarantine.” Because once Taiwan’s grid goes down, so does the global tech supply chain — no chips, no phones, no peace.

Across the region, Japan’s joining the action with record-breaking war games alongside the U.S. and Australia. New Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi isn’t holding back, and Tokyo’s tightening ties with Taipei in ways that will drive Beijing up the wall.

And while China flexes its hardware — hyping new fighter jets and drones — it’s also ramping up online. From a busted espionage case in the UK to AI-powered cyber campaigns, Beijing’s digital shadow is spreading fast. OpenAI even banned Chinese, Russian, and North Korean accounts caught using ChatGPT for surveillance, hacking, and phishing. Yes, the bots are now spies too.

It’s a wild world where military drills meet malware and diplomacy meets disinformation. Tune in for RH 10.8.25 | China Rages, Taiwan Arms Up, AI Goes Rogue — where global power politics, tech warfare, and a dash of chaos all collide.