14 h. ago Why US strikes on Iran could tighten North Korea’s nuclear grip, rattling China

Last month’s US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities could strengthen North Korea’s view that nuclear weapons are vital for its survival, deepening Pyongyang’s distrust and reinforcing its commitment to nuclear arms, security experts have warned. They added that the attacks were likely to undermine denuclearisation efforts on the Korean peninsula, a goal shared by Beijing, and that increasing US pressure on North Korea risked destabilising the region and encouraging nuclear...

Events

20 h. ago Did the US really ‘obliterate’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions, or just UN oversight?

Two weeks after the United States launched air strikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites, mounting evidence is puncturing President Donald Trump’s boasts that the facilities were “obliterated”. From the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to leading American non-proliferation experts, scepticism is growing over Washington’s assertions that the strikes set back Tehran’s nuclear weapons ambitions “by years”. Trump “appears to have already lost interest”, according to Barbara Slavin, a...

Events

4 d. ago Nuclear talks ‘a trap’? North Korea doubts US intentions after Iran bombing

When the US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites last month, Washington may have inadvertently sent Pyongyang the clearest signal yet that relinquishing its nuclear arsenal could expose North Korea to the very attacks it aims to avoid. Political analysts say Washington’s hardline approach to Iran’s uranium enrichment has only cemented the North Korean leadership’s deep-seated conviction that nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent. Compounding this, as Pyongyang has forged closer strategic bonds with...

Events

4 d. ago US strikes on Iran: The impact ripples on, from Baghdad to Beijing

US strikes on Iran: The impact ripples on, from Baghdad to Beijing  The Straits Times

Events

7 d. 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

7 d. 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

8 d. ago Talks over threats: South Korea tries a new tack to sway its nuclear neighbour

On a day heavy with memory, South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung invoked the language of peace, urging restraint and dialogue even as the nuclear-armed North forges deeper ties with Russia and the Korean peninsula bristles with tension. “The surest way to secure our safety is to build peace – peace so strong that there is no need to fight,” Lee said in a solemn social media post, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the onset of the Korean war. The conflict from 1950–53 left millions dead and...

Events

8 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

8 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

8 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

8 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

9 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

9 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week ago Is it time for change in Iran? Leave it to Iranians to decide

Within hours, the Israel-Iran ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump appears to have collapsed. Initially, there was a glimmer of hope for de-escalation. Israel confirmed its acceptance of the ceasefire proposal and even reopened its airspace for emergency flights, while Iranian state media said a ceasefire had been “imposed on the enemy” after Tehran’s missile attacks on an American base in Qatar. Iran reportedly issued a warning before launching the strikes in response to “blatant...

Politics

1 week ago Chinese airlines’ advantage, Chongqing as key trade hub: 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. As skies in Mideast close, China airlines have key advantage – Russian airspace Western airlines risk suffering greater disruption than their Chinese rivals this summer, as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel – compounded by US military strikes – forces most carriers to avoid flying over dangerous airspace on China-Europe routes. 2. Suez Canal...

Politics