Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh A bipartisan group of US senators is urging President Donald Trump to advance a long‑pending US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan, which has been paused ahead of Trump’s upcoming trip to China. The sale, approved in principle last year, has reportedly been stalled as the White House seeks to avoid friction…
Francis Tuschek, Taichung Washington’s pressure campaign on Iran is drawing renewed scrutiny as the Trump administration weighs military options ranging from targeted airstrikes to the possibility of a more extensive bombing campaign coming soon. Officials say the White House remains committed to maintaining its blockade on Iranian ports and energy exports, a policy that has…
Frank Williams, Phnom Penh The United States will struggle to defend itself against advanced missile systems developed by China and Russia, senior Pentagon officials told lawmakers as they called for funding for the proposed Golden Dome missile defense program. President Donald Trump unveiled the initiative shortly after taking office in January 2025, proposing a large-scale…
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,…
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…
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…
Jake Saunders, Kuala Lumpur Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Friday proposed a nearly $40 billion military buildup amid tensions with Beijing. This came just days after the head of the self-governing island’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), traveled to the mainland seeking rapprochement in the first such visit in a decade. Taiwan became a…
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh A hacker group calling itself FlamingChina has allegedly stolen an unprecedented cache of sensitive Chinese data — including classified defense materials and missile schematics — from a state-run supercomputing facility in what experts say could be the largest known cyber theft targeting China. Cybersecurity researchers familiar with the case believe more…
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh Taiwan’s skies recently saw an unexpected pause in Chinese military activity that left defense observers guessing. For nearly two weeks, no People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were recorded flying near the island—a rare silence in what has become a near-daily pattern of incursions. According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, Chinese warplanes resumed…
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh – Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to intensify his campaign against corruption in the armed forces, warning that disloyalty and graft will not be tolerated as Beijing faces mounting scrutiny over internal discipline and foreign espionage threats. Speaking to delegates from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People’s Armed…