46 h. ago Taiwan sets out new rules outlining when troops can shoot down drones

Taiwan has for the first time formally outlined the circumstances under which its troops can shoot down incoming drones. The move is part of a broader effort by the island’s defence ministry to codify its rules of engagement and strengthen its ability to respond to mounting military pressure from mainland China. The new procedures, disclosed in the recently released National Defence Report 2025, set out a four-step standard operating procedure – identification and monitoring, alert and...

Events

68 h. ago No major PLA activities near Taiwan after ‘troublemaker’ Lai’s policy speech

The People’s Liberation Army has refrained from conducting a large-scale drill near Taiwan following its leader’s annual policy speech – an address seen as less provocative than last year’s, which drew sabre-rattling from Beijing. Figures released by Taiwan’s defence ministry showed there was no increase in the number of PLA warplanes and warships detected near the island following William Lai Ching-te’s Double Tenth address on October 10. According to the Taiwanese figures, the PLA conducted...

Events

68 h. ago No major PLA activity near Taiwan after ‘troublemaker’ Lai’s policy speech

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has refrained from conducting a large-scale drill near Taiwan following its leader’s annual policy speech – an address seen as less provocative than last year’s, which drew sabre-rattling from Beijing. Figures released by Taiwan’s defence ministry showed there was no increase in the number of PLA warplanes and warships detected near the island following William Lai Ching-te’s Double Tenth address on October 10. According to the Taiwanese figures, the PLA...

Events

4 d. ago US Treasury chief to talk with Chinese vice premier on trade issues

US Treasury chief to talk with Chinese vice premier on trade issues  Anadolu Ajansı

Politics

4 d. ago Germany’s military conscription ‘draft lottery’ plan raises alarm

Germany is seeking to boost military recruitment to deter a hostile Russia, but a proposed “draft lottery” has sparked a row in the ruling coalition and unsettled many young people. The flashpoint issue of bringing back any form of military conscription has rattled the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the centre-left Social Democrats of Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. Merz, citing dangerous tensions between Nato and Russia and doubts about future US security commitment to Europe,...

Events

4 d. ago Top US and China trade envoys set for talks after ‘constructive’ video call

China and the United States are set to hold fresh trade talks next week, following a video call between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Saturday morning Beijing time. “Vice-Premier He Lifeng and I engaged in frank and detailed discussions regarding trade between the United States and China,” Bessent wrote on social media after their call. “We will meet in person next week to continue our discussions.” In its readout, China described He’s discussions with...

Politics

5 d. ago China’s No 2 general He Weidong expelled from the Communist Party

China’s second-ranked military general has become the latest in a series of top brass to come under investigation for corruption, China’s Ministry of National Defence announced on Friday. He Weidong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of the 24-man Politburo, was expelled from the Communist Party and the army, the ministry said. He is the first serving member of the present Politburo, the Communist Party’s top decision-making body, to face such an...

Politics

5 d. ago China expels He Weidong, Miao Hua and 7 other generals from party and military

China’s second-ranked military general has become the latest in a series of top brass to come under investigation for corruption, China’s Ministry of National Defence announced on Friday. He Weidong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of the 24-man Politburo, was expelled from the Communist Party and the army, the ministry said. He is the first serving member of the present Politburo, the Communist Party’s top decision-making body, to face such an...

Events

6 d. ago Trump and Israel warn of resumed fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not respect deal

Israel’s defence minister threatened on Wednesday to resume fighting if Hamas does not honour the terms of a US-backed ceasefire that halted the war in Gaza. The statement from Defence Minister Israel Katz’s office came after Hamas handed over the remains of two more deceased hostages, and said it would be unable to retrieve any more bodies from the ruins of Gaza without specialised equipment. Since Monday, under a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, the Palestinian...

Events

6 d. ago New Zealand calls on US to counter China’s Pacific mineral push

New Zealand’s defence minister warned in an interview that small countries in the South Pacific face growing pressure from great power competition for their rare minerals and fisheries wealth, and that more action was needed from regional neighbours to help in preserving island nations’ sovereignty. Judith Collins, who also oversees New Zealand’s intelligence and space portfolios, spoke on Wednesday before departing for Washington, where she will meet Trump administration officials including...

Politics

2 w. ago Singapore to deepen defence ties with Asia’s ‘resident power’ Australia

Australia and Singapore are in discussions to boost bilateral defence ties, including enhanced reciprocal access to naval and airbases, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday. Under the deal, Australia will be able to deploy more of its forces in Asia and “will mean stronger facilitation for Australia to participate in Asia”, Wong said during a joint press conference in Canberra, adding that the details are still being worked out. “We see Australia as a resident power in Asia and your...

Politics

2 w. ago Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

Fuchsia Dunlop is a British author and chef specialising in Chinese cuisine, particularly Sichuanese food. She has written seven popular books and is arguably the Western world’s most knowledgeable person about the diverse food cultures and cooking techniques of China’s various regions. In this interview, Dunlop talks about the comparisons that are often made between Chinese and Western cuisines, as well as her passion for China’s food culture and views on how it is changing. What are your...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Master of its own house’: Malaysia’s trade chief defends slow

In an era marked by geopolitical rifts and economic volatility, Asean shines as a beacon of stability and potential, according to Malaysia’s trade minister. Tengku Zafrul Aziz offered a robust defence of the 10-nation bloc’s consensus-driven approach at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore on Thursday, insisting that its slow deliberations were a strength, not a weakness. Addressing an audience of business leaders, government officials and investors, Zafrul argued that the Association...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s Gaza plan: Hamas seeks changes as Israel issues ‘last’ warning

Israel’s defence minister issued a final warning for Gaza City residents to flee south on Wednesday, as Hamas weighed US President Donald Trump’s plan to end nearly two years of war in the Palestinian territory. Witnesses reported heavy bombardment in Gaza’s largest urban centre, as Israel Katz warned the military was tightening its encirclement of the city. “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City,” Katz...

Events

3 w. ago Singapore’s defence chief urges against protectionism, ‘nativist instincts’

Corporate leaders should reject rising protectionism and nativist instincts by taking an active role in shaping global integration, Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Wednesday, as top figures at the Milken Institute Asia Summit warned of risks from technological disruption, geopolitical fragmentation and zero-sum thinking. Opening the summit in Singapore, Chan said business leaders should not be bystanders in times of upheaval but instead help steer political discourse and...

Politics

3 w. ago Chinese Ambassador Reaffirms Position on Ukraine Peace Talks, Avoids Direct Criticism of Russia

Chinese Ambassador Reaffirms Position on Ukraine Peace Talks, Avoids Direct Criticism of Russia  UNITED24 Media

Politics

3 w. ago China, North Korea FMs signal firm ties and united stance against unilateralism

The North Korean and Chinese foreign ministers pledged to strengthen ties and deepen alignment against unilateralism and hegemonism – in a potential veiled swipe at the United States – at their second meeting in Beijing within a month. Sunday’s talks between North Korea’s Choe Son-hui and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi were held against the backdrop of a possible China-US leadership meeting in the coming weeks, and close behind China’s Victory Day parade on September 3. “Pyongyang is willing to...

Economics

3 w. ago North Korean, Chinese diplomats reach ‘complete consensus’ at talks: State media

North Korean, Chinese diplomats reach ‘complete consensus’ at talks: State media  NK News

Politics

3 w. ago US and Chinese officials agree to keep talking ahead of possible Trump

Senior officials from the United States and China agreed to step up communications to help manage their differences following a meeting in New York on Thursday. Chinese foreign -vice-minister Ma Zhaoxu told US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau the Taiwan question was “purely China’s internal affair”, while the American called for concrete efforts to tackle the fentanyl crisis and repatriate undocumented Chinese nationals. “China urges the US to adhere to the one-China policy, honour...

Politics

3 w. ago North Korean envoy due in China soon after Seoul sought help with Pyongyang

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui will begin a four-day visit to China on Saturday, days after South Korea urged China to help broker inter-Korean talks. Choe will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, state-owned Xinhua News Agency and Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday. Her trip closely follows leader Kim Jong-un’s appearance at China’s Victory Day parade on September 3 and his meeting with President Xi Jinping this month – his first since 2019....

Politics