The BRICS group wrapped up its two-day leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The summit’s final communique is a 16,000-word doorstop that covers numerous issues from economics to education.
The communique avoids any direct mention of the United States, and references to “unilateralism” and other coded criticism are also relatively scarce. Rather, the communique keeps the focus on the BRICS’ vision of the strengthening and reform of the global multilateral system ...
Category: Intelligence
Philippines Says Suspected Spy Confessions in China ‘Scripted’
The Philippines said on Saturday that the supposed confessions of three Filipinos arrested by China for alleged espionage appear to have been "scripted" and urged Beijing to respect their rights. Manila's reaction came two days after Beijing said it had "destroyed" ...
China Arrests Three Filipinos Suspected of Spying
China on Thursday said it had "destroyed" an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country. The announcement comes as the two countries continue to confront each other over disputed territory in the ...
U.S. Fentanyl Pressure Expands from China to India
A new U.S. intelligence report named both China and India as “state actors” involved in supplying precursor chemicals used to make the illegal drug fentanyl. "China remains the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment, followed ...
Trump, China, and the Big, Baffling World
Amid the upheavals of Donald Trump’s first weeks back as U.S. president, a key point of overlap between his shredding of the Atlantic partnership and his ending of U.S. foreign assistance to the developing world has been largely ignored: the impact of these choices’ impact ...
China’s $4.4 Billion Bet on Indonesia’s New Capital: A Strategic Utility Tunnel for Power and Sensitive Fiber Optics
In a move that underscores Beijing’s growing role in Indonesia’s ambitious new capital, Nusantara IKN, the Indonesian government has given China Harbour Indonesia the green light to develop a massive multi-utility tunnel (MUT) and road infrastructure project, including fiber optics, worth approximately $4.4 billion.
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Philippines Arrests Chinese Man for ‘Spying’ on Military Camps
Philippine security officials said on Monday they had arrested a Chinese software engineer suspected of spying on Filipino military and police camps. The arrest comes as maritime confrontations between the Philippines and China over contested reefs and waters in the strategic ...
China Suspected of Ramping up Spying Capacity in Cuba: Report
China appears to have ramped up its capacity for espionage in Cuba, potentially giving Beijing a window to sensitive military data from Florida, a US think tank said. The Center for Strategic and International Studies analyzed satellite imagery from four sites ...
U.S. Intelligence Report Details Mounting Anxieties Over China’s Increased Influence in the Global South
The U.S. intelligence community is becoming increasingly worried about Beijing's desire to challenge U.S. leadership around the world with the introduction of a new Chinese-led international governance architecture. The intelligence community (IC) detailed its concerns in the latest edition of an ...