Jake Sanders,Editor The US and China have agreed to reopen top-level military-to-military channels following a recent bilateral meeting of their top brass in Malaysia, according to War Secretary Pete Hegseth. The communications are a key de-escalation mechanism that Beijing cut in 2022 after a formal visit to Taiwan, a self-governed region viewed by Beijing as…
Ed Castro China has agreed to suspend its latest rare earth export controls in exchange for reciprocal US cuts on tariffs and restrictions, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement published on its website on Thursday. Beijing’s earlier limits on the critical materials remain in place. The agreement followed a face-to-face meeting between Chinese…
Francis Tuschek, Quito,Equador In a significant diplomatic move, earlier this month China was admitted as an observer in the Andean Community—comprising Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru—marking a notable expansion of its influence in Latin America. While the gesture may appear symbolic on the surface, analysts see it as a strategic step in China’s broader effort…
Ed Castro US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated yesterday that Taiwan should not worry about being used as a bargaining chip in ongoing US-China trade talks. During a flight from Israel to Qatar en route to Asia, Rubio reassured that no trade deal would jeopardize Taiwan’s position or result in favorable trade treatment in…
Francis Tuschek, Seoul The United States has launched a special initiative called Project Portero to combat fentanyl and other drug trafficking originating from Mexico. This effort underscores the U.S. commitment to addressing the opioid crisis and disrupting the flow of illegal drugs across its borders. Yesterday, Mexico handed over an alleged Chinese fentanyl kingpin, Zhi…
Richard Sanders German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has been forced to cancel an upcoming trip to China after Beijing reportedly declined to arrange high-level meetings with him, multiple media outlets reported on Friday. Wadephul was scheduled to depart for Beijing on Sunday to discuss China’s export restrictions on rare-earths and semiconductors, as well as the…
Ed Castro US President Donald Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week as part of a trip to Asia, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday. Trump will depart for Malaysia and South Korea, where he will meet Xi next Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (APEC)….
Jake Sanders, Taipei The United States Department of State has condemned China’s increasing military presence around Taiwan, emphasizing that such actions are unjustified and escalate regional tensions. The statement comes as China’s military has ramped up activities ahead of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military drills, scheduled to commence on Wednesday. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of…
Richard Sanders The Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) announced plans to send a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, to advocate for Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), scheduled from Monday to May 27. Despite Taiwan’s extensive contributions to global health, the country has been repeatedly excluded from the WHA due to pressure from…
Dave Sullivan Copenhagen, May 13, 2025 — In a compelling speech at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas highlighted the pressing challenges facing global democracy and called for renewed commitment to its defense and resilience. Addressing a gathered audience, Kallas expressed concern that democracy is no longer the dominant model worldwide,…