Steve Yates (葉望輝)

Senior research fellow for China & nat sec @Heritage. Pod host: @NSwithYates on @iheartradio. Former WH deputy national security advisor to the VP.

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

My sincere thanks to @HouseForeignGOP for inviting me to address this topic of great policy and personal importance.

[House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority @HouseForeignGOP]

“In October of 2023, our family joined the growing circle of American families devastated by fentanyl.”

Listen to @Heritage’s @SteveYates share his personal story of how the fentanyl crisis, fueled by China, ended up costing his own daughter’s life:

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Talking to Beijing is fine. Summits are fine. But talk from strength.

In a one-man system, a deal lasts as long as it serves that one man. So verify, phase things in, enforce.

Done until when?

https://t.co/HTvW11fgpj

[Karol Markowicz @karol]

I ask @SteveYates how he started @NSwithYates and we talk the greatness of @BuckSexton, the @clayandbuck podcast network, and our love of @Crockett_Coffee. We have a good thing going! https://t.co/d2xcJIVigv

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

A strong leader and a strong country aren't the same thing.

Before Shenzhen, know who's across the table.

https://t.co/HTvW11fgpj

[Nation States with Yates @NSwithYates]

Five summits in about a year. Who is the man across the table?

"Xi Jinping has made himself stronger. Whether he's made China stronger is far from clear."

https://t.co/wOSnRtabW6

Stay Strong, America! 🇺🇸

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

@RebelCartoon Check out the full episode and you will find that your comment is fairly consistent with the message.

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Busan, Beijing, Washington, Shenzhen, Miami. Trump–Xi summits on track for a record pace. Before the next deal, Americans should know who Xi Jinping really is. https://t.co/5wDwUhpZbX

[Nation States with Yates @NSwithYates]

President Trump and Xi Jinping could meet FIVE TIMES in roughly one year.

Who is the man sitting across the table?

Tuesday: Xi's ruthless rise. Thursday: the Iran war reckoning. 7 PM ET.

https://t.co/ukko6zFChN

Stay strong, America! 🇺🇸

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Desmond's distinction explained:

Alice Huang looks more like a commercial fixer (掮客) who may also have served as a clean-handed front (白手套) for business interests than like a dedicated Ministry of State Security-style intelligence operative.

That distinction is meaningful in Chinese political-commercial jargon: one emphasizes deal facilitation and possible fronting for private or elite commercial interests; the other would emphasize formal intelligence collection and reporting to the state security apparatus. Both roles can overlap in practice, but they are not the same thing.

[Desmond Shum @DesmondShum]

Alice Huang: The Spy Narrative Misses Her Real Business

Everyone on X seems to treat the “Alice Huang is a Chinese spy” narrative as established fact. I say, not so fast.

Having spent over two decades doing business in China, I recognize a different character: the 掮客 (commercial fixer) and 白手套 (white glove)—an intermediary who shields the real principals behind a deal.

Her career in Shanghai’s murky capital markets, followed by Megaspeed’s $4.8 billion in Nvidia chip purchases, reveals a strikingly similar pattern.

The relevant questions should be: Whose money? Whose chips? Whose interests?

My latest Substack follows the money rather than the sensational spy narrative.

https://t.co/qXUo4DNiIa

[Fox & Friends First @FoxFriendsFirst]

And Don't Miss @MarkBednar @SteveYates @butch_wilmore And More On Fox & Friends First!

[The Dana Show @DanaLoeschRadio]

.@SteveYates from @Heritage joined @DLoesch to react to the Nvidia scandal, how this affects our national security, how the Iran issue should have been communicated better, their strategy moving forward and much more. #DanaRadio

Podcast: https://t.co/A9ZuQuXLQ5

[Melissa Chen @MsMelChen]

Whilst y'all are distracted by the political chaos wrought by the midterms and NVIDIA stock tanking thanks to Jensen's indiscretions, there's been a flurry of unusual PLA buildup and activity around the waters of East Asia.

The Chinese have put more than 100 vessels out to sea including 2 different carrier strike groups (CSG).

> The Liaoning CSG completely circled the Philippines 🇵🇭 and is now conducting exercises out in the pacific

> The Fujian, China's newest carrier, has been seen out in the South China sea, photographed yesterday showing a full aircraft complement on deck (see below)

Beijing appears to be conducting what is one of the largest naval exercises in Chinese history and the first time we've seen multiple Chinese CSGs out to sea beyond their immediate coast.

China 🇨🇳 maintains it is routine and not aimed at any country (😉), though it has a pattern of timing military pressure around political calendars for psychological, opportunistic effect.

Whether the Chinese activity was deliberately timed to US political distraction or perceived weakness is up for interpretation. The deployments started well before election day and align with routine seasonal training cycles plus the need to work up Fujian and practice multi-carrier operations.

At the same time, conducting a large, relatively unpublicized deployment while the US 🇺🇸 was distracted with elections and the Iran War fits patterns of probing attention and response.

Taiwan 🇹🇼 also faces local elections later in November, another potential factor in the broader gray zone pressure.

Generally these exercises are for practice with a layer of signaling and testing.

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

@tomborelli Thank you, Tom! I so appreciate Team Borelli.

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Grateful to every listener. Over 1 million downloads since May, and nearly 400,000 in October alone. We're just getting started.
https://t.co/fagG1AvS8S

[Nation States with Yates @NSwithYates]

🚨 Over 1 MILLION downloads 🇺🇸 — and nearly 400,000 in October alone.

Started in May. This milestone belongs to YOU. Thank you for listening and sharing. We're just getting started.

https://t.co/IfhecUCBQF

Stay Strong, America! 🇺🇸
#NationStatesWithYates

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Three things to watch in Shenzhen: no new concessions on Taiwan's status, arms sales that move forward, trade results Americans can check.

"Arms for Taiwan aren't a bargaining chip." Keeping that commitment is how you prevent a war.

https://t.co/HSbX4uLAIM

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

@StrongerNavy Still TBD. Decision rests with the new Speaker - continuity, change, or drop.

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

The House China Select Committee lives or dies in the January rules package.

"A committee created to examine the CCP's conduct that turns into a committee pursuing a treaty with the CCP is a different institution."

Full episode:
https://t.co/RBdsi2ePWi

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

@karol Solid crew.

[Heritage Foundation @Heritage]

🚨@SteveYates joins The Forum!🚨 What comes next for America? What should come next for conservatism? The Forum will bring together leading voices from across the conservative movement for three days of timely conversations, spirited debate, and meaningful networking.

Use code TFSM and join us at The Forum 2026: https://t.co/XnBwqtnarq

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

Miller Time

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

How to score the Shenzhen meeting: no new concessions on Taiwan's status, arms sales that move forward, and trade results Americans can check.

"Arms for Taiwan aren't a bargaining chip."

https://t.co/HSbX4uLAIM

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

New Nation States: Trump's Asia trip, Manila then Shenzhen, and the Taiwan test Beijing is running before the handshake.

Cold open: jets, a dark Coast Guard ship off Pratas, and a summit with Xi. "Those two facts are connected."

https://t.co/HSbX4uLAIM

[Steve Yates (葉望輝) @SteveYates]

In his own words.

[Christian Heiens 🏛 @ChristianHeiens]

This is Gene Wu, the new Majority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives.