US Government Funding Secured, Radio Free Asia Resumes Broadcasting to China

President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill into law on February 3, 2026, ending a brief partial federal government shutdown. The bill also includes funding that has allowed Radio Free Asia (RFA) to resume broadcasting services to Greater China, Tibet, and other regions.

Shutdown and Funding Resolution

The shutdown, lasting three days, concluded with the passage of the funding bill by both the House and Senate. The legislation provides $653 million for the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFA, Voice of America (VOA), and other government-funded broadcasters. PBS NewsHour reported on the bill signing on February 4, 2026.

This funding represents a decrease from the $867 million allocated in the previous two years, but is $153 million more than the amount President Trump had requested for a shutdown of the USAGM, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

RFA Resumes Broadcasting

RFA, a public international broadcaster established by the U.S. Congress, had suspended some broadcasting services due to financial difficulties. The organization resumed broadcasting in Mandarin, Tibetan, and Uyghur, providing independent reporting to regions with limited access to free information. RFA President and CEO Bei Fang announced the resumption of services on LinkedIn, stating it is “one of the few independent reports in the world available in the local language in the region.”

The resumption of broadcasting was initially enabled by a private contract with a transmission service provider, with the expectation of continued funding through the newly approved congressional budget.

Previous Funding Concerns and USAGM Leadership

In March 2025, President Trump approved an executive order aimed at minimizing USAGM personnel and functions. This move drew criticism from some members of Congress, who argued it could benefit U.S. Adversaries like China and weaken American international influence, according to reports from The Straits Times and The Guardian.

Kari Lake, appointed by President Trump as acting CEO of USAGM, had previously halted subsidies to RFA, citing concerns about wasteful spending and perceived anti-Trump bias, leading to layoffs.

Chinese Government Response

The Chinese government, while not directly commenting on U.S. Internal affairs, expressed displeasure with RFA’s reporting. Liu Fengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, stated that RFA has “been spreading false information and disparaging China for a long time” and called for more objective reporting on China and U.S.-China relations.