7 h. ago China’s Xi calls for oversight, Trump’s Golden Dome: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump’s Golden Dome: will the numbers add up to deter China in the Indo-Pacific? The planned defence system could make it harder for the PLA to strike US bases like those in Guam and Okinawa, or warships trying to defend Taiwan. 2. Beijing sanctions South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino China has sanctioned the former Senate majority...

Politics

55 h. ago Taiwan's VP stands firm against Beijing's intimidation tactics

Taiwan's VP stands firm against Beijing's intimidation tactics  Firstpost

Economics

66 h. ago Why China may be keeping a close eye as Trump gets drawn into the Middle East

As the US gets more entangled in the Israel-Iran conflict, China is likely to be keeping a close watch and picking up some clues on American interventionism in regional disputes. According to one China watcher, Beijing may be a “long-term beneficiary” of the American retreat from stable leadership, as Washington’s strikes on Iran have revealed it to be an uncertain and unpredictable global power. More significantly, the conflict has revealed Washington’s reluctance to engage in a prolonged war,...

Politics

66 h. ago Japanese angered by Trump’s Iran strike comparison to atomic bombings

Japanese leaders and survivors of the atomic bombings have denounced President Donald Trump’s comparison of the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities to the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, describing his remarks as deeply inappropriate and historically insensitive. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki condemned Trump’s comments, saying the use of nuclear weapons was “unacceptable” no matter the circumstances – a lesson that should be self-evident from the...

Events

3 d. ago Why Israel’s spy tactics against Iran have sparked fears in Taiwan

Israel’s sweeping intelligence operations against Iran have jolted Taiwan’s security community, raising concerns that Beijing could adopt similar tactics to cripple the island’s leadership or critical infrastructure. As assassinations and sabotage rattle Tehran, analysts in Taipei warn that Beijing’s infiltration of Taiwan is no longer a purely political threat, and it might be laying the groundwork for high-stakes covert warfare. In recent months, Taiwan has seen a surge in espionage cases...

Politics

3 d. ago China's secret Taiwan plan exposed: Czech intel report says Beijing plotted car crash to scare Taipei’s VP

China's secret Taiwan plan exposed: Czech intel report says Beijing plotted car crash to scare Taipei’s VP-elect  Firstpost

Events

4 d. ago US Strikes on Iran a Deterrent, Sending Broader Message to Beijing Regarding Taiwan: Analyst

US Strikes on Iran a Deterrent, Sending Broader Message to Beijing Regarding Taiwan: Analyst  NTD News

Events

4 d. ago Will the US strikes on Iran push China to ramp up its nuclear arms programme?

Instead of crushing Tehran’s nuclear programme, Israeli and US strikes on Iranian facilities in the past week might have dealt a blow to international nuclear non-proliferation efforts. Analysts warned that the attacks might not only encourage Iran to accelerate its nuclear weapon programme, but also prompt countries such as China and North Korea to expand their deterrence efforts. The pre-emptive strikes also risked setting a precedent for US adversaries to justify similar action against any...

Events

4 d. ago Iran Joins China and Russia in Security Talks After US Strikes

Iran Joins China and Russia in Security Talks After US Strikes  Newsweek

Events

4 d. ago China should be alert to risk of US being drawn into war by allies, analyst says

There is more risk of a global military conflict breaking out under Donald Trump’s leadership, with the US more likely to be drawn into wars involving smaller nations or allies, according to Chinese analysts. The assessment came after the United States joined Israel’s war against Iran last weekend, carrying out military strikes on three nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic. US officials have signalled that the operation was a one-off intervention and – hours after Iran launched a missile attack...

Events

4 d. ago China Policy Analyst: Beijing Silent on Iran Strike—Here’s Why

China Policy Analyst: Beijing Silent on Iran Strike—Here’s Why  NTD News

Events

5 d. ago Beijing flexes muscle with 33 warplanes, 5 vessels near Taiwan after President Lai ‘country’ remark

Beijing flexes muscle with 33 warplanes, 5 vessels near Taiwan after President Lai ‘country’ remark  ThePrint

Politics

5 d. ago Trump’s Iran strike rattles Beijing as China weighs US resolve on Taiwan

Trump’s Iran strike rattles Beijing as China weighs US resolve on Taiwan  Moneycontrol

Politics

5 d. ago How Trump’s Strike on Iran Might Affect China’s Calculus on Taiwan

How Trump’s Strike on Iran Might Affect China’s Calculus on Taiwan  The New York Times

Politics

5 d. ago US strike on Iran highlights China’s need for strategic bombers, analysts say

Strategic bombers remain “irreplaceable” for China’s military – even as it makes progress with sixth-generation fighters and long-range missiles – given their role in global strikes and nuclear deterrence, analysts say. They pointed to the American B-2 stealth bombers that hit Iran’s three nuclear sites on Saturday, dropping bunker-buster bombs directly over the facilities before returning unscathed. Seven of the B-2 bombers were flown nearly 27,000km (16,700 miles) – supported by more than 100...

Events

6 d. ago Trump, at Nato summit, defends US strikes on Iran nuclear facilities

US President Donald Trump rejected media reports that US air strikes only partly damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities as “fake news” on Wednesday, maintaining his claim that the targeted sites had been “obliterated”. Speaking to reporters during the Nato summit in The Hague, Trump said that the US had carried out a “massive” precision strike on Saturday against Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. “It was very, very successful. It was called obliteration. No other military on earth could’ve done...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump defends US strikes on Iran nuclear facilities at Nato summit

US President Donald Trump rejected media reports that US air strikes only partly damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities as “fake news” on Wednesday, maintaining his claim that the targeted sites had been “obliterated”. Speaking to reporters during the Nato summit in The Hague, Trump said that the US had carried out a “massive” precision strike on Saturday against Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. “It was very, very successful. It was called obliteration. No other military on earth could’ve done...

Politics

6 d. ago Did US strikes wipe out Iran’s nuclear facilities? Chinese experts sceptical

Chinese defence experts expressed scepticism about US President Donald Trump’s claim that air strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s biggest nuclear facilities, following reports that core components of Tehran’s nuclear assets remained intact. CNN reported on Tuesday that an assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm, was at odds with Trump’s claim that Iran’s enrichment sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – were “completely and totally obliterated”. While the full...

Events

6 d. ago China, Taiwan clash over history, Beijing says can't 'invade' what is already its territory

China, Taiwan clash over history, Beijing says can't 'invade' what is already its territory  MarketScreener

Events

6 d. ago Beijing vows retaliation after Taiwan blacklists Chinese tech firms, including Huawei (TSM:NYSE)

Beijing vows retaliation after Taiwan blacklists Chinese tech firms, including Huawei (TSM:NYSE)  Seeking Alpha

Politics