Richard Saunders, Subic Bay Taiwan is closely monitoring reports after a senior U.S. official reiterated claims that China conducted an underground nuclear explosion in June 2020 — an allegation Beijing has again dismissed as baseless political manipulation. Speaking at an event hosted by Washington’s Hudson Institute, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher…
Richard Saunders, Macau — The U.S. military intervention in Venezuela in January 2026 — codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve — reverberated well beyond Latin America, prompting close scrutiny in Taipei and across Asia. By capturing President Nicolás Maduro and striking key targets in Caracas, Washington not only reshaped Venezuela’s political landscape but also redrew the boundaries…
Richard Saunders, KL Last week, President Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency targeting the Government of Cuba, citing the regime’s alliances with hostile nations and its support for terrorist groups as a direct and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. In a sweeping executive order issued Friday,…
Richard Saunders The US dollar has reached a four-year low, having dropped 2.3% in January following a 9% decline in 2025. However, US President Donald Trump seems unfazed by the downturn, calling the level of the greenback “great” in comments on Tuesday. But Trump’s position on the dollar has hardly been consistent – or even…
Martin Haffner,London Washington’s reliance on sanctions and financial restrictions is accelerating a global shift away from the US currency, according to Brazilian economist Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr. The United States has become the “main enemy of the dollar,” former International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive director Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr. said in an interview, arguing that…
Francis Tuchek, Kaoshiung As more nations conduct oil transactions outside the traditional petrodollar system, the erosion of dollar demand is weakening U.S. Treasury bonds and prompting Trump’s geopolitical maneuvers aimed at securing energy resources. Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, they suggest, have become a focal point in this struggle to preserve the dollar’s role at the…
Francis Tuschek, Washington The US ban on imports of new foreign drones discriminates against Chinese companies and should be lifted, Beijing has said. Shenzhen-based UAV manufacturer DJI, the largest in the world, currently sells more than half of all commercial drones operated in the US. On Monday, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) forbade imports…
Richard Sanders In a recent unveiling of the National Security Strategy (NSS) by the Trump administration, analysts spotlighted a notable shift in rhetoric concerning China, especially in relation to Taiwan. Unlike the Biden administration’s strong assertions regarding China as “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge,” the new NSS takes a more subdued approach, focusing significantly on…
Martin Haffner, Associate Editor The US and Chinese armed forces conducted “frank and constructive” discussions on maritime security this week, as announced by the Chinese navy on Thursday. This engagement marks a significant step in restoring military communications between the two countries after months of heightened trade tensions. The discussions, held from Tuesday to Thursday…
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…