Beijing blacklists EU firms over Taiwan weapons links
Justin Wong, Staff Writer Beijing has barred seven EU-based entities from receiving Chinese dual-use goods, citing their involvement in arms trade with Taiwan. The companies listed by China’s Commerce Ministry on Friday include German radar manufacturer Hensoldt, Belgian firearms producers FN Browning Group and its subsidiary FN Herstal, as well as four Czech entities: Omnipol,…
U.S.–Iran Conflict and Energy Strategy
Justin Wong – Wellington The war that erupted on February 28, 2026, following U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure, has rapidly escalated into a global energy crisis. Iran retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz, halting nearly 20 million barrels per day of oil shipments—about a quarter of global seaborne trade. In response, President Trump ordered…
From Hoax to Reality: How Snowden’s Revelations Revive Fears of Māori Surveillance in New Zealand
Francis Tuschek, Taipei In 2004, New Zealand was shaken by claims that the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) was spying on Māori organizations under a covert program known as Operation Leaf. The allegations, which suggested surveillance of Māori political movements, were later exposed as a hoax. Yet the controversy left a deep scar, fostering mistrust among…
When Intelligence Is Ignored, What’s the Point?
Dave Chamberlain, Honiara In the annals of modern geopolitics, few episodes illustrate the futility of intelligence gathering more starkly than the moment when eighteen U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly told the President that Iran was not a nuclear threat—only to have that collective judgment brushed aside. Instead, the President leaned on assertions from Mossad, reinforced in…
Marcos Appoints Oban as National Security Adviser
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed retired General Ricardo David Oban Jr., former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as the country’s new National Security Adviser. The move is seen as a strategic effort to bolster the administration’s national security leadership, pairing Oban’s military expertise…
Israeli Defense Firms Secretly Reengage with Taiwan Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh Israeli defense companies are discreetly reestablishing ties with Taiwan after a 25-year hiatus, adopting a stealth approach shaped by security concerns and regional sensitivities. The renewed cooperation offers Israel a fallback option should its relationships in the Middle East deteriorate further. The partnership recalls earlier decades when Taiwan operated Israeli-made Gabriel…
US losing AI drone race to Russia and China – NYT
Richard Saunders, Manila The US has fallen behind Russia and China in the development of AI-powered drones, the New York Times has reported, citing unnamed US defense and intelligence officials. The next-generation unmanned military aircraft are capable of identifying and striking targets, as well as coordinating attacks without human input. A military parade in Beijing…
China offers economic boons to Taiwan
Richard Saunders, Siem Reap China has unveiled a set of new economic incentive measures for Taiwan, offering to resume some ties with the island. The announcement comes after a visit by the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), to Beijing. Taiwan has been a de-facto self-governing territory since 1949, when Chinese nationalist…
China’s Xi touts ‘great rejuvenation’ during Taiwanese opposition leader’s visit
Francis Tuschek, Tokyo China’s President Xi Jinping met with the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday and stressed that no global changes would stop “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” including its people across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan de facto became a self-governed territory after Chinese nationalist forces lost…
Ukraine missile company under investigation
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh In less than two years, a little-known Ukrainian startup has secured nearly $1 billion in state contracts, built one of the country’s most ambitious missile programs – and drawn the attention of anti-corruption investigators. A February article by Deutsche Welle and subsequent interviews with co-founder Denis Shtilerman have helped propel Fire…
