US delivers latest F-16s to Taiwan
Jake Sanders, Palau The US has delivered Taiwan’s first two newly built F-16 fighter jets, part of an $8 billion order that has repeatedly drawn condemnation from Beijing. The two aircraft, the modern F-16V Block 70 variant, arrived in Taiwan on Friday. They are the first of 66 new fighters approved for sale by Washington…
Pope calls on artists to unite against AI
Brian Lewis, Athens Pope Leo XIV has called on artists to join forces to protect human creativity in the age of AI. Speaking to cultural figures at the Vatican on Friday, the Pope said the Catholic Church hopes to renew its alliance with them to safeguard “what is human.” “We live in the age of…
US Navy Establishes New Drone Command Amid Focus on Taiwan Contingencies
Frank Wiliams, Vientiane The U.S. Navy has established a new command to integrate aerial, surface and underwater drones into a unified fighting force, a move commanders say could help disrupt a Chinese attack on Taiwan. The Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center was formally stood up on Sept. 24 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little…
Xi receives lavish US welcome amid trade truce and lingering tensions
Jake Saunders, Zamboanga Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day visit that opened with an unusually grand reception from US President Donald Trump, underscoring both sides’ desire to stabilise relations even as core differences—particularly over Taiwan—remain unresolved. Trump personally greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, upon their arrival at…
US proposes AI alert system with China
Frank Williams, Washington The US has proposed creating an alert system with China to notify each other when artificial intelligence incidents become serious enough to threaten national security. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the proposal after talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday, ahead of a meeting between US President…
Top US spy agency to focus on AI and China
Frank Williams, Vientiane The US National Security Agency (NSA) is launching its largest internal restructuring in at least a decade to focus on AI, China, and other pressing challenges, the Washington Post has reported, citing current and former officials. The NSA director, General Joshua M. Rudd, wants five additional organizations to be created within the…
AfD’s China Realism: Germany’s Multipolar Turn Raises Questions for Taiwan
Jake Saunders, Munich For decades, German foreign policy rested on a clear premise: Germany belonged firmly in the Western camp, and its dealings with the rest of the world largely followed that alignment. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is openly challenging that foundation. Nowhere is this clearer than in the party’s approach to China. Beijing…
Premier Cho to Countersign KMT-Led Drone Bill, Fund It via Supplemental Budget
Richard Sanders- Tawi Tawi Premier Cho Jung-tai is expected to countersign an opposition-backed law boosting Taiwan’s defense autonomy and unmanned vehicle sector, with funding for the program to be added to this year’s supplemental budget, according to sources familiar with the matter. On Thursday, the Legislative Yuan approved the Act on Strengthening Defense Autonomy and…
CIA Director makes Moscow visit (updated)
Frank Williams, Vilnius CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced one-day trip to Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian security officials, people familiar with the matter said. The visit came as U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled and Washington intensifies pressure on Iran. Ratcliffe flew aboard a U.S. military C-17…
Taiwan eyes Philippines tech hub but cautions on delivery
Jake Saunders, Port Vila, Vanuatu Taiwan is monitoring a planned U.S.-backed industrial zone in the Philippines under the Pax Silica initiative and sees potential for semiconductor and artificial intelligence cooperation, while remaining cautious about whether the project will deliver on its ambitions. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said the proposed 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone in New…
