Alice Han

Welcome to China Decode.

I'm Alice Han.

In today's episode of China Decode, we're discussing how China is confronting the protests in Iran on the heels of Trump's intervention in Venezuela.

Plus, we'll chat with Dr. Michal Maiden about what Venezuela's oil loss means for China.

And then we'll take a look inside China's so-called fat prisons.

Now, that's all coming up.

But first, let's do a very quick check-in with how the Chinese markets are starting the week.

On Monday, the Shanghai A-share index closed up over 1% as trading volume on the exchange hit an all-time daily high.

The Hang Seng A-share index ended the day up 1.4%, led by strong gains in the tech sector.

Alibaba Health, the healthcare arm of Alibaba, closed up 10% after announcing a new pharmaceutical partnership.

And tech giants with food delivery applications such as Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan all surged on news that the Chinese State Council's Anti-Monopoly Committee would be investigating the delivery sector to curb the ongoing price war.

Alright, let's get into it.

For years, Beijing quietly built economic dominance across Latin America, with Venezuela as a linchpin for oil, loans, and influence.

Now, Trump has upended that balance, capturing Nicolas Maduro, asserting control over Venezuelan oil, and reviving a hardline Monroe Doctrine he calls now the Donro Doctrine.

Meanwhile, Trump's threats against Iran have drawn Beijing's ire.

China says it opposes foreign interference and calls for peace and stability in the Middle East, underscoring that coercion abroad risks friction with China on multiple fronts.

In short, Trump is betting on force in Latin America and the Middle East, but China's economic and diplomatic footprint and its willingness to cooperate where it suits makes this a much more complicated game.

James, I'm going to throw this straight to you.

We've got a crisis now in Iran too with massive protests and hundreds seems dead.

This is coming on the heels of a Venezuela crisis.