Taiwan Expert on China, Venezuela Blockade

Crude Moves: CCP Flexes Near Taiwan as U.S. Oil Squeeze Blocks Venezuela Routes to China

China’s recent escalation of military drills around Taiwan is raising alarms in Washington, but the broader context surrounding these moves deserves closer examination. While Beijing routinely uses drills to signal resolve, the timing coincides with a separate and potentially related development: the Trump administration’s stepped-up enforcement actions preventing Venezuelan oil exports from reaching China.

Watch the Trailer for Philipp’s new documentary, Truth Under Fire: The Framing of Charlie Kirk

Joshua Philipp, investigative reporter at The Epoch Times, is available for interviews to break down what’s really happening in Venezuela, China, Russia, and even Iran. How does the small country of Guyana—the site of the infamous Kool-Aid drinking Jonestown mass murder suicide went down—play into all this as well. Few remember that Soviet Russia was an ally of the Jim Jones cult.

As the U.S. tightens pressure on energy flows from Venezuela, both China and Russia have publicly criticized what they describe as an American blockade. At the same time, China is expanding its military posture near Taiwan, and Russia continues its heavy bombardment of Ukraine. Whether these developments are directly coordinated or merely overlapping responses to shared pressure, the convergence is difficult to ignore.

Joshua Philipp can help shed light on these interconnected dynamics. Rather than viewing each flashpoint in isolation, Philipp can explore whether U.S. energy enforcement is becoming part of a wider strategic environment—one that may be influencing how America’s adversaries posture militarily and diplomatically across multiple regions.

Each of these countries is operating under significant internal strain. Russia, after years of sustained war in Ukraine, is increasingly war-weary, economically stressed, and reliant on external partners to maintain momentum. Iran’s regime faces deep domestic unrest, economic weakness, and legitimacy problems at home. China, meanwhile, is grappling with slowing growth, debt stress, a fragile property sector, and declining confidence—all while trying to maintain access to stable energy supplies.

Against that backdrop, the loss or disruption of Venezuelan oil shipments may loom larger than it appears on the surface. If Chinese access to Venezuelan crude becomes increasingly constrained, will Beijing turn more heavily toward Iran to fill the gap? And if so, what does that mean for Iran’s leverage—and for U.S.–Iran relations at a time when the regime is already under pressure?

Philipp can also examine whether these developments point to a looser alignment among Russia, China, and Iran—less a formal alliance than a shared resistance to U.S. pressure. Are these countries simply reacting independently to American actions, or are they learning how to exploit pressure points that stretch U.S. attention across energy, military, and diplomatic fronts?

This is not a story with simple answers, but it is one that demands careful analysis. By unpacking the economic vulnerabilities, strategic signaling, and energy dependencies at play, Joshua Philipp can help audiences better understand what may be driving this moment of heightened global tension—and where it could lead next.

Relevant Article(s)

China stages record drills designed to encircle Taiwan | Reuters

Oil loading in Venezuela slows, more ships make U-turns after new US interceptions | Reuters

Relevant Guests if Philipp not available: Bill Conroy, Adam Hardage, Jeff Crouere

OPTIONAL Q&A:

How significant is the timing between U.S. efforts to block Venezuelan oil shipments to China and Beijing’s decision to escalate military drills around Taiwan?
Do you see these moves by China, Russia, and Iran as coordinated responses to U.S. pressure, or more as parallel reactions driven by their own internal weaknesses?
With Russia continuing its bombardment of Ukraine despite clear signs of war fatigue, how sustainable is Moscow’s posture, and what role does China play in keeping Russia economically and strategically afloat?
China’s economy is facing serious structural stress—slowing growth, debt issues, and declining confidence—how does energy security factor into Beijing’s broader strategic calculations right now?
If Venezuelan oil becomes less accessible to China, is Iran the most likely alternative supplier, and how much leverage would that give Tehran at a moment when its regime appears unusually fragile?
Could increased Chinese reliance on Iranian oil complicate U.S.–Iran relations further, particularly as Washington weighs pressure versus diplomacy with Tehran?
To what extent might China be using Taiwan as a pressure point to signal costs to the U.S. without directly confronting American forces over energy enforcement in the Western Hemisphere?
Looking at the broader picture, are we witnessing a temporary spike in tensions driven by circumstance, or the early stages of a more durable realignment among U.S. adversaries under shared strain?

ABOUT JOSHUA PHILIPP…

Joshua Philipp is an award-winning journalist and Senior Investigative Reporter at The Epoch Times. He is the host of ‘Crossroads,’ a news and analysis program on EpochTV. His works have included breakthrough investigations into the origins of Covid-19 and the Wuhan laboratory in the early days of the pandemic. He spearheaded the first documentary on the lab leak origins of the COVID-19 virus, released in April 2020. This groundbreaking documentary garnered over 75 million views, and while many tried to label it misinformation, its findings have since been vindicated by the White House and US intelligence agencies.

EXPERT ANALYSIS FROM JOSHUA PHILIPP

Joshua Philipp, senior investigative reporter at The Epoch Times and a recognized China expert, has mapped out these networks during his 15-plus years of research into the CCP. He provides a deeper context on the CCP’s attempts to subvert the systems and institutions in the United States. As the Chinese regime states, they aim to “strangle you with your own systems,” and that tactic is playing out across key industries and institutions in the US.

Josh is also a leading expert on Chinese unconventional warfare and United Front operations, which he has investigated and exposed since 2008. His 15-plus years of research and investigations on the Chinese Communist Party, subversion, human rights abuses and related topics give him unique insight into the global threat and political landscape.

DOCUMENTARIES/SERIES

• Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Coronavirus

• The Final War: The 100-Year Plot to Defeat America

NOTABLE APPEARANCES

• The National Press Club

• Harvard University

• CPAC

• Turning Point USA

• Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News
• Steve Bannon’s War Room

• The U.S. Air Academy

CONTACT: Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983 or by email Jerry McGlothlin at bookings@specialguests.com.