Reports following the outbreak of conflict between the U.S./Israel, and Iran in early 2026 indicate that the hostilities have exposed long-term and direct Chinese involvement in Iran’s military projects, primarily through technological, intelligence, and material support, rather than direct combat involvement.
Based on information available as of March 2026, Chinese involvement in Iranian military projects includes:
Reports indicate China has heavily supported Iran’s ballistic missile program, including providing precursors for solid rocket fuel. In early 2026, shipments of sodium perchlorate, a key component of rocket fuel, were reported to have departed from China’s Gaolan Port for Iran.
Intelligence reports suggest China has provided satellite navigation (specifically BeiDou) and radar technology, enhancing the precision of Iranian missile and drone strikes against U.S. and Israeli targets.
Chinese-made components—including sensors, semiconductors, and voltage converters—have been identified in Iranian drones used by regional proxies and provided to Russia.
Amid the 2026 conflict, allegations arose regarding potential Chinese sales of air defense systems (such as HQ-9B) and anti-ship missiles (CM-302) to Iran.
China has been accused of supplying military-industrial components under the guise of commercial trade to evade sanctions, providing key technical inputs for Tehran’s military production.
While some reports highlighted large-scale clandestine weapon deliveries, other analyses suggest Beijing has largely avoided direct, public military support to Iran, opting instead for intelligence, surveillance, and technology sharing, as well as providing a crucial economic lifeline by purchasing the vast majority of Iranian oil.
Chinese experts are dying in Iran
In the most alarming escalation yet of the CCP’s secret war in Iran, up to 300 Chinese military-industrial experts are now feared dead or permanently missing after U.S.-Israeli strikes. The regime had secretly deployed 500 to 600 specialists to assist Tehran with advanced weapons, communications systems, and military manufacturing.
This devastating new toll — far higher than previously reported — was revealed in a direct conversation between Canadian writer and dissident Sheng Xue and her trusted source inside the Chinese Communist regime, a former senior official told a Chinese national in exile in Canada tied to the Chinese military industrial complex.
In addition to the three top radar experts from China Electronic Technology Group Corporation (CETC)’s 14th Research Institute and the seven DJI technicians already reported killed, more than 70 other Chinese experts have now been confirmed as “unable to return home” and have lost all contact. Internal estimates put the total Chinese losses at around 300.
These experts mainly came from the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) — specifically the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Academies. (The 1st and 5th were not involved; the 6th handles only surveying and navigation.)
Almost all of Iran’s current tactical missiles and key weapons systems were developed or manufactured with direct assistance from these Chinese experts working on the ground.
Information Leaks and Internal Crackdown
As details of these casualties have leaked overseas and caused an international sensation, the CCP has launched a fierce internal crackdown, investigating and arresting anyone suspected of leaking information.
Both the CIA and Israel’s Mossad have already obtained the full picture of the Iranian military program, possibly including a well-known Mossad agent, Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Qods Force. He noted that President Trump himself publicly referenced the situation.
For families of the missing, the regime’s official line is simply “on a business trip and not yet returned.” They are strictly forbidden from speaking to outsiders. Nevertheless, the truth continues to spread quietly through personal networks because the experts have been unreachable for weeks.
Huawei and the Chinese military-industrial system have proved again in the Iran war, where Chinese Huawei communication technicians are working on a military project in Iran. It would be impossible to comprehend that a Chinese technician would be working on a military project without the knowledge of the People’s Liberation Army.
In a separate bombshell revelation, a PLA insider told Global Defence Corp that Huawei is 100% a military enterprise. Despite its massive civilian business facade, its real ownership and control rest entirely with the Chinese military. The company is a classic example of the CCP’s “military-civil fusion” strategy — a private-looking shell that is in reality a fully integrated arm of the People’s Liberation Army.
This latest leak dramatically expands on earlier exclusive reports by Sheng Xue.
The original disclosure revealed that three senior radar technicians from Nanjing’s elite CETC 14th Research Institute — Beijing’s top anti-stealth team targeting F-35 and F-22 fighters — were vaporized in the first wave of U.S. strikes, with no bodies recovered.
A follow-up confirmed seven DJI technicians were also killed and that 300–400 Chinese military personnel were trapped in underground bunkers whose coordinates had been leaked to Israel.
Most recently, compensation details emerged: the most senior victim’s family received 5 million yuan ($726,691.50), while the other two families each received only 2 million yuan ($290,676.60) — sums widely viewed as insultingly low, especially compared with the 20+ million yuan paid in the 2016 Lei Yang police death case after massive public pressure.
While Chinese experts continue to die in Iran for Xi Jinping’s reckless proxy adventure, the regime’s response remains the same: silence, censorship, internal purges, and hush-money payments to grieving families who are forced to sign confidentiality agreements.
An extensive CCTV network built by China
Iran is rapidly constructing an extensive, AI-driven surveillance network heavily reliant on Chinese technology, with Chinese companies providing the infrastructure needed for monitoring citizens, curbing protests, and enforcing social regulations. This cooperation, often involving advanced CCTV cameras, facial recognition, and data analytics, aligns with a broader strategy of “cyber sovereignty” aimed at enhancing state control over the population.
Major Chinese surveillance firms, including Hikvision, Dahua, and Tiandy, have been documented supplying advanced cameras and smart surveillance equipment to Iran.
Beyond supplying cameras, Chinese firms like ZTE and Huawei have long been involved in building Iran’s communication infrastructure, including internet filtering and surveillance equipment that enables the integration of surveillance networks into city-level monitoring.
The 2021 25-year strategic partnership agreement between Beijing and Tehran has further cemented this collaboration, facilitating ongoing military and technological cooperation despite international sanctions.
Experts noted that the surveillance technology used in Iran mirrors that utilized by China to surveil and control its own population, particularly in Xinjiang.
Despite Western sanctions on some of these entities, Chinese firms have continued to provide technology to Iran, often through intermediaries and resellers to circumvent restrictions.
Huawei is a PLA-backed organization proved in Iran
Huawei is not officially part of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) or a state-owned enterprise, but it faces allegations of close, opaque ties to the Chinese military. Founded by former PLA engineer Ren Zhengfei, the company has faced international scrutiny over potential security risks, leading to restrictions.
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei served in the PLA Engineering Corps from 1974 until 1983 before founding the company in 1987, prompting concerns about long-term institutional ties.
Reports have identified at least 10 research projects where Huawei employees worked with the PLA on topics like artificial intelligence and satellite analysis, though Huawei has stated these were in a personal capacity rather than official company collaboration.
Numerous countries, including the US and Australia, have flagged Huawei as a security risk, with the US Pentagon previously listing it as having ties to the Chinese military.
While often described as a private, employee-owned company, some investigations suggest the company lacks transparency and autonomy from the Peoples Liberation Army or the Chinese state.
Huawei has consistently denied having any direct affiliation or “special connection” with the PLA, but its operating structure and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party prove otherwise.
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