But a closer look suggests otherwise. These military maneuvers, while visually forceful, are not necessarily preludes to war. Instead, they reflect a strategy of shaping; an attempt by Beijing to project strength, shift psychological balance, and alter the perception of risks and costs associated with a Taiwan contingency. Rather than an operational rehearsal for invasion, China’s dual-carrier deployment was a carefully staged demonstration, meant to be seen and interpreted, not executed.
tirsdag 15. juli 2025
How Can Washington Break Beijing’s Encirclement of Taiwan?
U.S.-China relations are increasingly caught in a spiral of mutual suspicion and reactive escalation. In June, China’s navy deployed its dual aircraft carrier groups — Liaoning and Shandong — beyond the Second Island Chain for the first time, conducting more than 700 aerial sorties near Japan’s exclusive economic zone. For many in Washington, this unprecedented move signaled a heightened risk of imminent conflict over Taiwan. At the same time, Beijing has intensified its gray-zone pressure tactics, including underwater cable cutting and illegal sand dredging near the island. These developments appear to confirm fears of a looming military showdown.
But a closer look suggests otherwise. These military maneuvers, while visually forceful, are not necessarily preludes to war. Instead, they reflect a strategy of shaping; an attempt by Beijing to project strength, shift psychological balance, and alter the perception of risks and costs associated with a Taiwan contingency. Rather than an operational rehearsal for invasion, China’s dual-carrier deployment was a carefully staged demonstration, meant to be seen and interpreted, not executed.
But a closer look suggests otherwise. These military maneuvers, while visually forceful, are not necessarily preludes to war. Instead, they reflect a strategy of shaping; an attempt by Beijing to project strength, shift psychological balance, and alter the perception of risks and costs associated with a Taiwan contingency. Rather than an operational rehearsal for invasion, China’s dual-carrier deployment was a carefully staged demonstration, meant to be seen and interpreted, not executed.
Taiwanese investment in China steadily declining
Investment in China fell due to increasing costs, the US-China trade war and China’s economic development slowdown, a spokesperson said.The percentage of Taiwanese businesses investing in China has been steadily declining since 2010 due to increased costs, the US-China trade war and the slowdown of China’s economic development, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) spokesperson Li Pao-wen said.
In terms of Taiwan’s total outward investment, the percentage of businesses investing in China has dropped from 83.8 percent in 2010 to 11.4 percent in 2023, 7.5 percent last year and 2.7 percent in the first quarter of this year, Li said in an exclusive interview with Liberty Times, the Taipei Times’ sister paper. Li said that 70 percent of these businesses experienced a drop in profits last year, and this trend is unlikely to change in the short term.
In terms of Taiwan’s total outward investment, the percentage of businesses investing in China has dropped from 83.8 percent in 2010 to 11.4 percent in 2023, 7.5 percent last year and 2.7 percent in the first quarter of this year, Li said in an exclusive interview with Liberty Times, the Taipei Times’ sister paper. Li said that 70 percent of these businesses experienced a drop in profits last year, and this trend is unlikely to change in the short term.
China’s fast-growing high-speed railway network faces reality
The financial situation of China’s high-speed railway network has raised concerns among Chinese commentators as the facility is facing growing debt and weakening passenger spending power.
In February this year, a group of Chinese commentators said a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) had found that China’s high-speed railway saw an “about 100 billion yuan of total loss” in the nine months ending December 31, 2024. NAO’s website did not officially announce this widely reported figure.
Since then, Chinese commentators have started debating the matter. Some said the country should not have extended its high-speed railway to remote places without calculating the costs over the past two decades. Others said China’s high-speed railway has value as a public facility that connects people in less developed areas to large cities.
In February this year, a group of Chinese commentators said a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) had found that China’s high-speed railway saw an “about 100 billion yuan of total loss” in the nine months ending December 31, 2024. NAO’s website did not officially announce this widely reported figure.
Since then, Chinese commentators have started debating the matter. Some said the country should not have extended its high-speed railway to remote places without calculating the costs over the past two decades. Others said China’s high-speed railway has value as a public facility that connects people in less developed areas to large cities.
China Blasts US Ally Over Spying in Air Defense Zone
China has accused Japan—a United States treaty ally in Northeast Asia—of sending spy planes to its so-called Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the contested East China Sea. The remarks from Beijing come after Tokyo said YS-11EB intelligence-gathering aircraft had experienced close aerial encounters with Chinese planes while conducting surveillance over the region last week.
Japan forms part of a defensive island line known as the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to restrict China's military activities in its immediate waters, including the East China Sea, which lies off China's eastern coast and separates it from Japan.
Japan forms part of a defensive island line known as the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to restrict China's military activities in its immediate waters, including the East China Sea, which lies off China's eastern coast and separates it from Japan.
Taiwan Deploys HIMARS, Patriot, Stinger Weapons in China Invasion Exercise
Photos showed Taiwan's military training with several newly acquired U.S.-made defense systems over the weekend during the self-ruled island's largest-scale annual military exercise, now in its seventh day. The systems made an appearance in the densely packed Taipei metropolitan area as part of drills aimed at defending the capital against a potential invasion by China.
The 41st Han Kuang exercise is taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has vowed to unify with it—by force, if necessary. This year's live-fire component is the longest ever, reflecting the seriousness with which Taipei views the threat. The United States is the island's primary arms supplier, though Washington has carefully maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would come to the island's defense.
The 41st Han Kuang exercise is taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has vowed to unify with it—by force, if necessary. This year's live-fire component is the longest ever, reflecting the seriousness with which Taipei views the threat. The United States is the island's primary arms supplier, though Washington has carefully maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would come to the island's defense.
China’s second-quarter growth beats forecasts but deflation fears fuel calls for stimulus, deeper reform
China’s economy grew at a faster-than-expected rate in the second quarter, keeping the country on track to meet its full-year target of 5% and easing some pressure on policymakers to step up stimulus to underpin growth.
China’s gross domestic product expanded by 5.2% in the second quarter, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. While the growth rate beat Reuters-polled economists’ estimates of a 5.1% growth, it represented a slowdown from the 5.4% in the first quarter. In June, retail sales growth slowed to 4.8% from a year earlier, compared with the 6.4% year-on-year increase in May. That figure also disappointed Reuters-polled economists’ forecast of 5.4%.
China’s gross domestic product expanded by 5.2% in the second quarter, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. While the growth rate beat Reuters-polled economists’ estimates of a 5.1% growth, it represented a slowdown from the 5.4% in the first quarter. In June, retail sales growth slowed to 4.8% from a year earlier, compared with the 6.4% year-on-year increase in May. That figure also disappointed Reuters-polled economists’ forecast of 5.4%.
Nvidia says it will resume H20 AI chip sales to China ‘soon,’ following U.S. government assurances
NVIDIA said Tuesday that it hopes to resume sales of its H20 general processing units to China, in a major win for the company that has suffered from U.S. export curbs. The U.S. government in April told Nvidia it would require a license to sell the chips to China, the company said in a filing, effectively halting their sales. The H20 chips had been designed specifically to bypass earlier export controls on Beijing. “The U.S. government has assured NVIDIA that licenses will be granted, and NVIDIA hopes to start deliveries soon,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.
mandag 14. juli 2025
Iran and China Challenge US as Alliance Grows
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit alongside key partners including Russia, marking a significant moment in Tehran's growing alliance with Beijing following its recent conflict with Israel.The visit highlights a strategic alignment as China continues purchasing Iranian oil and transferring missile-related materials and air-defense systems to Tehran, while Russia's presence signals Moscow's shared interest in challenging U.S. influence in the region.
Iran's growing partnership with China after its recent conflict with Israel—and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear targets— underscores Beijing's expanding influence in the Middle East.
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Iran's growing partnership with China after its recent conflict with Israel—and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear targets— underscores Beijing's expanding influence in the Middle East.
Read more
The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters
The man gazes earnestly into the camera, the glow from his computer monitor reflecting off his black-rimmed glasses. “This is more than just a cultural moment,” he says with a smile. “It’s something truly meaningful. This is about mutual respect, kindness, and efforts to understand each other. This feels so good!” he exclaims in a video he posted to RedNote, a China-based social media platform similar to Instagram.
It was January 14, 2025, and Zheng Yubin was speaking in English to American users who had recently surged onto the platform—more than half a million in just two days. Noting that the U.S. and China were sometimes viewed as rivals, he enthused that “today, through this connection, we are seeing something different, a more personal and human side. It’s not just about nations, it’s about individuals . . . people who share the same hope for more freedom and a bigger world. So once again, welcome!”
Over the following weeks, RedNote, also often referred to by its Chinese name of Xiaohongshu, played host to what appeared to be heartfelt exchange, as many Chinese users embraced the influx of Americans. Users from the two countries asked each other about their everyday lives, swapped cat photos, and even did homework together.
It was January 14, 2025, and Zheng Yubin was speaking in English to American users who had recently surged onto the platform—more than half a million in just two days. Noting that the U.S. and China were sometimes viewed as rivals, he enthused that “today, through this connection, we are seeing something different, a more personal and human side. It’s not just about nations, it’s about individuals . . . people who share the same hope for more freedom and a bigger world. So once again, welcome!”
Over the following weeks, RedNote, also often referred to by its Chinese name of Xiaohongshu, played host to what appeared to be heartfelt exchange, as many Chinese users embraced the influx of Americans. Users from the two countries asked each other about their everyday lives, swapped cat photos, and even did homework together.
Censor-busting dissident shines light on overworked Chinese students
An 8th grader from Hunan province was “extremely stressed” — for good reason. His top-ranking middle school demanded he study 85 hours a week, with just two days off a month. “Teachers threatened us that if we reported it, we would be expelled from school,” the student wrote. His story and more than 4,000 like it have been submitted anonymously to a crowd-sourcing website that is shining a light on overworked Chinese students who are nervous about speaking about their plight to authorities.
The site is called 611Study.ICU. The creator says that is a dark reference to the brutal schedule common at Chinese middle and high schools: classes from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. which leaves students “sick in ICU” - or “intensive care unit.”
The site is called 611Study.ICU. The creator says that is a dark reference to the brutal schedule common at Chinese middle and high schools: classes from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. which leaves students “sick in ICU” - or “intensive care unit.”
Chinese Activists Are in Shock over Cuts to U.S. Human Rights Programs
On April 22, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a wide-ranging reorganization of the State Department. Though the details of the restructuring have yet to be published, it seems clear that human rights will be downgraded, and a number of staff positions related to human rights and other key thematic concerns will be cut. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) was singled out for particular scorn by Secretary Rubio: He falsely labeled it a “platform for left-wing activists to wage vendettas,” and claimed that it pursued “radical causes at taxpayer expense.”
The move was just the latest in a series of efforts, many of them initiated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to downsize or eliminate key instruments of American human rights diplomacy, some of which have been around for decades, and whose track record is very strong. Unless these moves are quickly reversed, the U.S. government will lack the tools it needs to formulate and implement a serious human rights policy. Authoritarian leaders around the world, including Chinese Party Secretary Xi Jinping, are watching closely, and will no doubt celebrate if these cuts turn out to be permanent.
The move was just the latest in a series of efforts, many of them initiated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to downsize or eliminate key instruments of American human rights diplomacy, some of which have been around for decades, and whose track record is very strong. Unless these moves are quickly reversed, the U.S. government will lack the tools it needs to formulate and implement a serious human rights policy. Authoritarian leaders around the world, including Chinese Party Secretary Xi Jinping, are watching closely, and will no doubt celebrate if these cuts turn out to be permanent.
søndag 13. juli 2025
‘High probability’ Trump and Xi will meet this year, Rubio says
There is a “high probability” that US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday. “The odds are high,” Rubio told journalists gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday. “I think both sides want to see it happen.”
Rubio said he was unable to provide a date for any potential meeting but said there was a “strong desire on both sides to do it.” He added that it’s necessary to build the “right atmosphere” ahead of any such meeting in order to enable concrete deliverables. The US top diplomat met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday for the first in-person meeting between the two foreign ministers, which comes as the US and China navigate trade frictions – and compete for influence in Asia.
Rubio said he was unable to provide a date for any potential meeting but said there was a “strong desire on both sides to do it.” He added that it’s necessary to build the “right atmosphere” ahead of any such meeting in order to enable concrete deliverables. The US top diplomat met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday for the first in-person meeting between the two foreign ministers, which comes as the US and China navigate trade frictions – and compete for influence in Asia.
North Korea reaffirms support for Russia's war in Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered Moscow his "unconditional support" on the war in Ukraine, according to state media reports. In talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in North Korea, Kim said that Pyongyang stood by "all the measures taken by the Russian leadership" to tackle the "root cause of the Ukrainian crisis".
Western officials believe Pyongyang has sent an estimated 11,000 troops to Russia over the last year to fight against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Western officials believe Pyongyang has sent an estimated 11,000 troops to Russia over the last year to fight against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The deadly drug that’s complicating US-China trade
Since US President Donald Trump – just days into his second term – began imposing tariffs on China for its role in the flow of deadly opioids like fentanyl into the United States, Beijing’s message has been clear.
The fentanyl crisis is the “US’s problem,” Chinese officials have repeatedly said, and China has already done “tremendous work” to address the issue.
“We stand ready for practical cooperation with the US based on equality and mutual respect. That said, we firmly oppose the US pressuring, threatening and blackmailing China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue,” a spokesperson said in March, after Trump’s fentanyl tariffs were raised to 20% on all Chinese imports into the US. But as those tariffs remain in place months later and, despite a truce de-escalating other duties, Beijing is signaling it’s paying attention to the issue – and may be prepared to do more.
The fentanyl crisis is the “US’s problem,” Chinese officials have repeatedly said, and China has already done “tremendous work” to address the issue.
“We stand ready for practical cooperation with the US based on equality and mutual respect. That said, we firmly oppose the US pressuring, threatening and blackmailing China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue,” a spokesperson said in March, after Trump’s fentanyl tariffs were raised to 20% on all Chinese imports into the US. But as those tariffs remain in place months later and, despite a truce de-escalating other duties, Beijing is signaling it’s paying attention to the issue – and may be prepared to do more.
torsdag 10. juli 2025
China Braces for Summer of Northern Floods and Southern Droughts
Amid mounting global climate pressures, Chinese authorities are warning of a more extreme year ahead, one likely to be marked by frequent and severe floods. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment reported in late June that 2024 was China’s warmest year in 64 years and saw the most major river floods since 1998. But 2025 could be more challenging, the report added. The Ministry of Water Resources warned that this year’s flood season would last longer, with vulnerable northern river basins at risk of sudden, intense impacts.
“China entered flood season on March 15, 17 days earlier than average,” said Yan Peihua, a senior official at the ministry, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV earlier this month. On July 1, China’s peak flood season began, the Ministry of Water Resources announced.
At a briefing the same day, the ministry predicted a nationwide pattern of northern floods and southern droughts through July and August. Most flooding is expected to occur in small- and medium-sized rivers, where water levels can rise quickly with little warning.
“China entered flood season on March 15, 17 days earlier than average,” said Yan Peihua, a senior official at the ministry, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV earlier this month. On July 1, China’s peak flood season began, the Ministry of Water Resources announced.
At a briefing the same day, the ministry predicted a nationwide pattern of northern floods and southern droughts through July and August. Most flooding is expected to occur in small- and medium-sized rivers, where water levels can rise quickly with little warning.
India and China strive to reset ties but with caution
After years of border tensions, India and China appear to be gradually moving towards resetting ties - but larger challenges and suspicions remain. The visit of two senior Indian officials to China late last month was seen as a sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.
In June, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made separate visits as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings. The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian security grouping that also includes China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. Singh's visit was the first by a senior Indian official to China in five years. At the heart of India-China tensions is an ill-defined, 3,440km (2,100-mile)-long disputed border. Rivers, lakes and snow-caps along the frontier mean the line often shifts, bringing soldiers face to face at many points, sometimes sparking skirmishes.
In June, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made separate visits as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings. The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian security grouping that also includes China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. Singh's visit was the first by a senior Indian official to China in five years. At the heart of India-China tensions is an ill-defined, 3,440km (2,100-mile)-long disputed border. Rivers, lakes and snow-caps along the frontier mean the line often shifts, bringing soldiers face to face at many points, sometimes sparking skirmishes.
The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and riskier than ever
Tensions are growing at the top of the world. US President Donald Trump wants Greenland, Russia is modernising its Arctic military bases, Chinese icebreakers are opening new routes and spies are being unmasked. But as the battle for one of the world’s coldest places heats up, an increasingly fragile security balance may be breaking down, leading to an escalating arms race.
President Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to control Greenland. “We need Greenland for national security purposes,” he has said. “I've been told that for a long time.”
The question of why a territory with only 56,000 or so people matters comes down to geography.In the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union, nuclear weapons were the ultimate instruments of war, holding the balance of terror. And the fastest route for weapons to reach their targets was over the North Pole. At the dawn of the Cold War, the US established an important base in the remote North of Greenland at a place called Thule - recently renamed Pituffik Space Base, which I visited in 2008.
President Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to control Greenland. “We need Greenland for national security purposes,” he has said. “I've been told that for a long time.”
The question of why a territory with only 56,000 or so people matters comes down to geography.In the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union, nuclear weapons were the ultimate instruments of war, holding the balance of terror. And the fastest route for weapons to reach their targets was over the North Pole. At the dawn of the Cold War, the US established an important base in the remote North of Greenland at a place called Thule - recently renamed Pituffik Space Base, which I visited in 2008.
Trump wants to talk business with Africa in hopes of countering China. But a US summit excluded Africa’s big players
The White House hosted an “African leaders” summit of sorts this week. But only five countries from the continent of more than 50 nations were welcome to join. US President Donald Trump hosted a working lunch in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, bringing together the presidents of Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Gabon for a discussion focused on “commercial opportunities,” a White House official told CNN.
“This discussion and lunch dialog with African heads of state was arranged because President Trump believes that African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities which benefit both the American people and our African partners,” the White House official said. The multilateral lunch is scheduled for noon in the State Dining Room of the White House.
Going into the meeting, Liberia said that the “high-level summit” intends “to deepen diplomatic ties, advance shared economic goals, and enhance security cooperation” between Washington and “select African nations.”
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