Ford's China ties, Huawei trial, and five geopolitical signals for September 9, 2026

US-China: Washington challenges Ford's Chinese partnerships

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged Ford CEO Jim Farley to cut ties with CATL, Geely and BYD, saying the partnerships raised profound national-security concerns. 1
• Ford's Marshall, Michigan battery plant uses technology licensed from CATL, which appears on the Pentagon's list of companies accused of ties to China's military. Ford said it owns the plant, controls its operation and employs its workforce. 1
• Ford plans to keep producing the Lincoln Nautilus in China until 2030, while major automakers are urging Congress to tighten restrictions on Chinese vehicles and bar BYD from receiving waivers. 1

US-China: Huawei's Iran case reaches trial

• U.S. prosecutors allege that Huawei defrauded HSBC and other banks over its Iran business, sought to steal trade secrets from five U.S. technology companies, and violated U.S. sanctions. Huawei pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. 2
• The indictment covers alleged conduct from about 1999 to 2020, including the use of Skycom to obtain embargoed U.S. goods and technology and move money through international banking; prosecutors said HSBC cleared more than $100 million in related dollar transactions. 2
• Reuters said the trial is expected to last about three months and will overlap with the planned September 24 meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump. A conviction could strengthen Washington's case for keeping Huawei on the U.S. trade blacklist. 2

Russia-Ukraine: Russian drones hit the Ukraine-Moldova border crossing

• Russian drones struck the Starokozache crossing between Ukraine and Moldova in the Odesa region on September 9, killing two civilians and injuring three others, Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said. 3
• The attack caused a major fire, and officials temporarily halted passenger and vehicle traffic across the border. 3
• Russia also attacked Kyiv overnight, causing fires but no reported casualties in that wave, after Moscow resumed near-constant air attacks following a brief pause during a visit by U.S. peace negotiators. 3

Middle East: Israel orders the British consulate in East Jerusalem to close

• Israel told the British consulate in East Jerusalem to close, and diplomats assigned there will lose their accreditation within 30 days, Reuters reported on September 9. 4
• British representatives assigned to a U.S.-led Gaza coordination mission in Israel and British diplomats based in Ramallah must leave within seven days, according to two sources familiar with the matter. 4
• Foreign Minister Gideon Saar linked the move to Britain's sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank; Britain, France and Canada also said they would ban imports of goods from the settlements. 4

Taiwan Strait: Taipei reports six PLA sorties and 11 ships

• Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it detected six PLA aircraft sorties, eight PLAN ships and three official Chinese ships from 6 a.m. September 8 to 6 a.m. September 9, Taiwan time. 5
• Two of the six aircraft sorties entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern air-defense identification zones, according to the ministry. 5
• Taiwan said its armed forces monitored the activity with combat-air-patrol aircraft, Navy ships and coastal missile systems; the ministry's map identified four fighter sorties and two support-aircraft or unmanned-aerial-vehicle sorties. 5