G7 Foreign Ministers Warn China’s Actions East of Taiwan Threaten Regional Stability
Frank Williams, Paris PARIS/TAIPEI — Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations have issued their strongest collective expression of concern to date over China’s increasingly assertive activities in the waters east of Taiwan, saying the operations threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping. In a joint declaration released…
Panamanian Lawmaker Urges Taiwan to Open Trade Office in Panama to Rebuild Ties
Richard Sanders, Tokyo Panamanian lawmaker Jhonathan Vega has urged Taiwan to set up a trade office in Panama, saying it would deepen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation as the two sides quietly rebuild informal links years after Panama switched diplomatic recognition to China. Speaking to Taiwan’s Central News Agency on the sidelines of the…
Taiwan’s Watchful Eye on Shenzhen: Fears of a Great-Power Bargain Over Its Future
Richard Sanders, Zamboanga As leaders from the United States, China and Russia eye a possible meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19, Taiwan is watching with growing unease. While nothing is confirmed, the mere prospect of Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin sitting down together…
Pakistan makes U-turn on Taiwan airline ban – media
Richard Sanders, Sihanoukville Pakistan has restored overflight rights to two Taiwanese airlines after they stopped using its airspace three days earlier, according to AP, Bloomberg and Dawn. On Wednesday, Islamabad issued permits allowing Taiwan-based China Airlines and EVA Air to use Pakistani airspace until March 27, 2027, the outlets reported, citing official documents. Hours earlier,…
Putin, Xi and Trump could hold ‘historic summit’
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump could hold a first-of-its-kind three-way meeting on the sidelines of next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Wednesday. Speaking to the Russian outlet Vesti, Ushakov described the potential gathering as “historic,”…
FBI Arrests California Woman at LAX Accused of Spying on Taiwanese President’s Family for China
Brian Lewis, Los Angeles A 34-year-old woman was arrested by the FBI at Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to board a flight to China, accused of conducting surveillance on relatives of Taiwan’s president on behalf of the Chinese government. Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, faces charges of acting as an unregistered foreign…
China’s Joint Air Facility in Laos Seen as Step in Broader Indian Ocean Ambitions
By Frank WilliamsVientiane The opening of a joint Chinese-Laotian air support and training center is part of Beijing’s long-running effort to project power toward the Indian Ocean, a Taiwanese defense analyst said. China’s Ministry of National Defense announced last Wednesday that the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Keun Airport in Vientiane Province,…
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…
