The US defence chief touted a message of peace, communication and “flexible realism” with China in a speech over the weekend, foreshadowing an American national defence strategy that is expected to be released soon. In his keynote address at the annual Reagan National Defence Forum on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington was…
Fallout continues after Japanese prime minister said use of force against Taiwan would be ‘survival threatening’ for Japan. Published On 5 Dec 20255 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Japan and China have escalated their war of words at the United Nations following unprecedented remarks from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae…
Beijing has dismissed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s latest remarks on Taiwan as “prevarication”, warning that it “absolutely does not accept” her continued refusal to retract comments made in early November. On Wednesday, Takaichi appeared to attempt to dial down weeks of tensions when she told a parliamentary questioning session that Tokyo’s “fundamental position regarding…
Japan’s “Empress of Pop” Ayumi Hamasaki stood alone on a brightly lit stage in Shanghai, her voice echoing through a stadium filled with empty seats. Hours before showtime, she was informed that her concert could not proceed with an audience for “an inevitable reason”. The vague explanation has become familiar to organisers of Japanese cultural…
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed Beijing’s position on Taiwan during talks in Beijing on Tuesday, following recent remarks by Japan’s prime minister suggesting Tokyo could respond to a potential Chinese attack on the island. Speaking with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, who accompanied President Emmanuel Macron on a three-day state visit to China, Wang…
The Chinese Communist Party is putting the squeeze on Japan to punish its new Prime Minister for telling the truth. Asked in Parliament on Nov. 7, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi explained that an attack by Beijing on Taiwan could be “survival-threatening” for Japan, potentially triggering a military response. Cue the weekslong campaign of outrage and…
Tokyo is considering exporting a missile system to the Philippines as it seeks to ease its weapons-export restrictions, Japanese media reported – a move likely to draw criticism from Beijing. The missile system, dubbed Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile, is of the same type that Tokyo plans to deploy on Yonaguni, an island only 110…
Revenues of China’s top military firms fell 10% last year. (EPA Images pic) HONG KONG: Revenues at China’s giant military firms fell last year as corruption purges slowed arms contracts and procurement, according to a study released today by a leading conflict think tank. The Chinese declines contrast with strong revenue growth globally for big…
Spain’s Agriculture Ministry said it has halted all pork exports to China after two wild boar found dead near Barcelona tested positive for African swine flu, the first cases in three decades. The outbreak, the first since 1994, coincides with Spanish efforts to court Beijing and gain market share in the pork sector and after…
Even in these turbulent times, Hong Kong has reasons to count its blessings. I refer to the fundamentals of our global competitiveness, which will protect us from the fiercest storms of the current cycle of economic and geopolitical turmoil. We cannot be immune, given that many economies worldwide face challenges more severe than at any…