China Insider | State of Press Freedom in China, CCP Changes Approach to Lying-Flat Movement, KMT Internal Division and Taiwan’s Special Defense Budget

In this week’s episode of China Insider, Miles Yu discusses the state of press freedom and media rights in China in the wake of the 2026 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, where China ranked 178th out of 180 countries. Next, Miles covers the CCP’s latest attempt to address the issue of youth disenfranchisement, claiming foreign intelligence operations are behind the popular Lying-Flat movement. Finally, Miles breaks down the fallout following KMT Leader Cheng Li-wun’s visit to Beijing, and the impact of emerging internal divisions within the party on the special defense budget proposal. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute’s China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world’s future.