Decoding transatlantic relations with Beijing.

By PHELIM KINE

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Hi, China Watchers.

Let’s get to it. — Phelim. Today we look at DOGE’s threat to Radio Free Asia, kick the tires of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s China policy and gauge anxiety levels on Guam about a possible future conflict with China.

‘A gift to the CCP’ —Lawmakers rail at DOGE move on Radio Free Asia

Radio Free Asia — the U.S. government-funded broadcaster that beams local language news to populations living under authoritarian rule across Asia — is now in the crosshairs of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

It was reported this week that DOGE staffers have been probing the operations of the agency that oversees RFA and other similar regional outlets. Your China Watcher host has more details about actions being taken against the broadcasters.

DOGE personnel have taken steps to starve RFA — a key tool for the U.S. government to counter Beijing’s censorship and influence abroad — of its congressional funding, two people familiar with the cost-cutters’ activities at the agency told China Watcher. We granted them anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

“DOGE has imposed a 30-day freeze on funding to RFA and other AGM media outlets and is looking to make that permanent,” said one of those two people. That funding freeze coincides with an ongoing effort by DOGE personnel within the agency to tally contracts and grants that sustain RFA in a bid to determine “how they could be cut off,” said the second person.

RFA aims to deliver “uncensored, domestic news and information” to countries including China, Tibet, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. And Beijing hates it. “For the past 28 years, RFA has never ceased its fabrication, attack and smear campaign against China,” Chinese state media reported in 2023.

Democratic lawmakers are rallying to defend the award-winning media platform.

“Radio Free Asia has provided a rare free speech platform inside some of the world’s most challenging authoritarian regimes,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, warned that closing RFA would damage U.S. soft power overseas.

“Cutting funding to RFA would be a gift to the Chinese Communist Party particularly in the developing world, where Beijing is already pouring billions into reshaping the media landscape to serve its authoritarian interests,” said Krishnamoorthi.

And even some Republican supporters of the media platform are speaking out.

“Gutting Radio Free Asia and other U.S. Agency for Global Media platforms counters the principles of freedom our nation was founded on and cedes leverage to the Chinese Communist Party, North Korea and other regimes,” said Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), chair of the House Select Committee on East Asia and Pacific.

Kim isn’t alone in the GOP in such views. RFA “emits some of the only transparent reporting from most countries in Southeast Asia, where the CCPs disinformation campaigns are the strongest,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

RFA is overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which also supervises outlets including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Cuba-focused Radio and Television Martí. Radio Free Asia declined to comment on DOGE’s threat to its operations. Neither DOGE nor AGM responded to requests for comment. Kari Lake, who AGM’s acting executive director Ramon Napoli appointed the agency’s special adviser last month, declined to comment.

TRANSLATING WASHINGTON

— EMBASSY TO WORLD: CHOOSE CHINA: Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu has rolled out a nifty new graphic on X to throw shade on the Trump administration’s foreign and trade policies. The six-panel graphic doesn’t tread softly. For example, an image of a jumble of U.S. dollars, weapons and a pool of blood is captioned “Scare.” Next to it is an image of a robot, a Chinese-style high speed train and an electric vehicle with the caption “Share.” In case we all miss the point, Liu’s text for the X post reads “Always choose the right side. #China