The John Batchelor Show 867: AKING OF THE JBS, FEATURING GORDON CHANG, JIM HOLMES, PETER HUESSY, STEVE YATES, 5-12-26 SEPTEMBER 1932.
May 13, 2026
Steve Yates, U.S.-China summit analyst with national security experience. Peter Huessy, nuclear deterrence specialist. James Holmes, maritime strategist focused on the South China Sea. Gordon Chang, China commentator. They discuss Indonesia pivoting toward the U.S., the strategic choke point of the Malacca Strait, China’s opaque nuclear buildup and proliferation links, summit diplomacy without formal documents, and tech and space competition.
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China Separates Island Sovereignty From Maritime Rights
- UNCLOS governs maritime zones separate from land sovereignty, which China exploits by disputing EEZs even if it disavows island sovereignty.
- Holmes notes The Hague arbitration rejected many of China's South China Sea claims, exposing China's double standard.
Plan For Strait Contingencies But Use Blockades Sparingly
- The U.S. plans for contingencies like blocking straits but would treat actual practice of a Hormuz-style blockade as a grave decision requiring careful thought.
- Holmes warns blockades are hard and that U.S. strategy emphasizes holding the first island chain both defensively and offensively.
China's Nuclear Build-Up Lacks Transparency And Raises Risks
- China's military modernization includes rapid expansion of nuclear-capable and dual-use systems with little transparency, raising regional intimidation risks.
- Peter Huessy warns China may use ambiguity and threats to deter outside intervention, including implied nuclear responses to Taiwan scenarios.