A familiar refrain as China and Japan, uneasy neighbors in East Asia, begin 2026 at odds again They’re at it again The Independent UK · Jan 8
South Korean leader compares himself and Kim Jong Un to ‘penguins’ Lee Jae Myung pushes to reset ties with North Korea after summit with Xi Jinping The Independent UK · Jan 8
‘Hard to say who’s winning’: China and Australia battle for influence in Solomon Islands policing Beijing and Canberra have adopted different strategies to support policing in the Pacific nation and observers are split on which is proving more effective The Guardian - AU · Jan 8
Prime Minister Mark Carney to visit China next week as Canada pivots away from the US Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit China next week where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping as Canada looks to reduce its over reliance on the United States The Independent UK · Jan 7
US reportedly warns Maduro ally Diosdado Cabello he could be next Interior minister told he must back acting president, while Marco Rubio lays out three-point plan for Venezuela The Guardian - UK · Jan 7
China touts new microwave weapon that ‘can destroy drone swarm from 3km away’ Chinese military hardware is under intensified scrutiny this week after its radar systems failed to warn Venezuela of impending US attack The Independent UK · Jan 7
Japan Rocked by Nuclear Security Scare After Agency Worker Loses Sensitive Phone in China A Japanese nuclear safety worker lost a phone containing confidential data in China, prompting the Nuclear Regulation Agency to warn of a potential security breach. International Business Times UK · Jan 7
Exiled dissident says Elon Musk’s X sided with Chinese Communist Party in suspending his account: lawsuit Exclusive: Chen Pokong, who fled to the United States in 1996, claims that X unilaterally shuttered his account based on disinformation circulated by Beijing The Independent UK · Jan 7
Venezuela to continue supplying oil to US ‘indefinitely’, White House says US to remove some sanctions to allow it to keep selling country’s supplies after laying claim to blockaded crude The Guardian - UK · Jan 7
China announces another new trade measure against Japan as tensions rise China has escalated its trade tensions with Japan by launching an investigation into imported dichlorosilane, a chemical gas used in making semiconductors The Independent UK · Jan 7
Could China be using the US strike on Venezuela as a playbook for Taiwan? Analysts have warned China may have taken note of the precedent set by Trump’s ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro The Independent UK · Jan 6
Ireland’s China visit underscores EU divisions over how to handle Beijing Ireland’s prime minister, Micheál Martin, arrived in Beijing this week for the first visit by an Irish leader to China in more than a decade, placing Ireland at the centre of a rapidly evolving European strategy towards the world’s second-largest economy. Radio France Internationale · Jan 6
Met terror police review allegations over new Chinese super-embassy in London China’s controversial plans to build a mega-embassy next to the Tower of London are expected to be approved by ministers this month Evening Standard · Jan 6
South Korean president grins in selfies with China’s Xi as part of four-day charm offensive Xi frames South Korea and China as historic allies against Japanese militarism The Independent UK · Jan 6
Caixin Global · Jan 6 Energy Insider: China’s Railway Investment Hits Record High Beijing warns against EU carbon border tax, Rail passenger trips miss 2025 target despite record volume
The Independent UK · Jan 6 China bans exports to Japan of dual-use goods that could enhance Tokyo's military power China has banned exports to Japan of dual-use goods for military purposes
The Guardian - UK · Jan 6 What does the US raid in Venezuela mean for China’s designs on Taiwan? Perception that Chinese-made weapons could not stop a ‘decapitation strike’ may give Beijing pause for thought
Latin Times · Jan 5 Xi Jinping Appears To Slam U.S. Capture Of Maduro Without Mentioning Operation: 'Unilateral Hegemonic Bullying' Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to slam the capture of Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. without specifically mentioning the episode.
The Guardian - UK · Jan 5 Trump’s attack leaves China worried about its interests in Venezuela Maduro had just affirmed ‘strong bonds of brotherhood’ with Beijing when US made its shocking intervention
The Independent UK · Jan 5 China and South Korea pledge to bolster ties as regional tensions rise South Korea and China have pledged to boost trade and safeguard regional stability
Latin Times · Jan 5 Several Tankers Loaded With Venezuelan Crude Reportedly Left The Country Despite U.S. Blockade Several tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil have left the country's waters with their transponders off despite the U.S. blockade, according to a new report.
The Independent UK · Jan 5 This Vietnamese town boomed as factories left China. Now it’s asking what’s next? Once known for its rice fields and folk songs, Bac Ninh has become one of Vietnam’s busiest factory zones
The Independent UK · Jan 5 Kim Jong Un cites US threat in wake of Venezuela attack after North Korea tests hypersonic missiles Analysts say Nicolas Maduro’s capture by US is reinforcing Pyongyang’s belief that ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons are essential to deter foreign intervention
Axios · Jan 4 Rubio faces ghosts of American interventions after spearheading Maduro takedown Marco Rubio is suddenly facing his most daunting puzzle in his 28 years in politics.
International Business Times UK · Jan 4 North Korea Stages New Missile Launch Off Its East Coast North Korea conducts new missile launches towards the Sea of Japan, with neighbouring countries maintaining close surveillance.