China silent amid reports of Trump’s threat to bomb Beijing

China has yet to publicly address reports of leaked audio in which President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Beijing over Taiwan, though search results suggest the Great Firewall is censoring relevant information.

“Bomb the shit out of Beijing”: Recordings from a May 14, 2024 fundraiser at New York’s Pierre Hotel document Trump recounting alleged threats to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, per audio obtained by journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf for their new book on the election. Trump claimed he warned Putin about striking Moscow if Russia moved against Ukraine, saying the Russian leader showed partial belief despite initial doubt. Trump also recalled telling Xi, “If you go into Taiwan, I’m going to bomb the shit out of Beijing. I said, I have no choice, I got to bomb you.” He added that Xi “thought I was crazy,” but “we never had a problem.” The recordings, first reported by CNN Tuesday, additionally captured Trump outlining deportation plans for student protesters and sharing his perspective on welfare recipients’ electoral choices.

How China, Russia are responding: China appears to be restricting information on Trump’s threat to Beijing while allowing discussions on his threat to Moscow, according to a Newsweek analysis. Some local news outlets also aired CNN’s audio but stopped broadcasting before Trump’s China remarks. The Rebel Yellow surveyed headlines from major Chinese state outlets since Tuesday, but found no reports on Trump making such a threat.

On the other hand, Kremlin spokespersn Dmitry Peskov declined confirming the allegations, citing misinformation concerns. Russia previously disputed November phone call reports between Trump and Putin as untrue.

Broader implications: The potential censorship of the news highlights China’s concern over public discussions on Taiwan as Trump expresses growing frustration with Putin regarding the prolonged Ukraine conflict. Interestingly, these revelations surface amid Taipei’s massive Han Kuang military exercises, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent warning about Chinese invasion possibilities.