RH 7.7.26 | China: Pacific Missile Test, Taiwan Pressure & Rare Earth Leverage

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/  China is sending signals across the Indo-Pacific, and in today's episode of The Restricted Handling Daily Intel Brief, Ryan and Glenn break down what Beijing's latest moves mean for the future of US-China competition.  The biggest story is China's rare test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the Pacific. On the surface, Beijing described the launch as routine military training. But the strategic message behind the move is much bigger. China is demonstrating that its sea-based nuclear capabilities are becoming more advanced, more visible, and more central to its effort to build a modern nuclear deterrent.  Ryan and Glenn unpack why a submarine-launched missile matters, how China's nuclear modernization is changing the strategic equation, and why US allies across the Indo-Pacific are paying close attention. The conversation explores how Beijing is trying to influence decision-making in Washington by making sure leaders understand the potential risks of any future confrontation over Taiwan or other regional flashpoints.  The episode also examines the growing competition for influence in the Pacific. Australia and Fiji have signed a major defense agreement as Canberra works to strengthen security relationships with island nations increasingly caught between Beijing and Washington. The team looks at why Pacific island states have become such an important arena for geopolitical competition and why China's military activities are shaping diplomatic decisions across the region.  Ryan and Glenn also dive into the latest pressure campaign around Taiwan. China is expanding maritime activity beyond traditional military exercises, including increased coast guard and government vessel operations east of the island. These moves may appear routine on the surface, but they represent a broader strategy of gradually normalizing Chinese presence and claims in contested areas.  Beyond military issues, this episode explores China's use of economic leverage, including growing concerns in Japan over restrictions on rare-earth materials critical for advanced technology, manufacturing, and defense industries. The discussion highlights how Beijing uses trade, supply chains, and industrial dominance as strategic tools alongside its military capabilities.  The episode closes with China-Russia naval cooperation and what continued military interaction between Beijing and Moscow means for the broader Indo-Pacific security environment. While both countries describe their exercises as defensive, the repeated pattern of cooperation is closely watched by the United States and its allies.  From nuclear deterrence and Taiwan tensions to Pacific alliances, economic coercion, and China-Russia coordination, this episode provides a clear look at the multiple tools Beijing is using to reshape the international security environment.  If you want the intelligence analysis behind the headlines, this is the briefing you need to understand China's next moves.  👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/  Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Save a few hours of your time getting ahead of the news cycle at restrictedhandling.com.