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China’s New Aircraft Carrier Enters Service in Key Move to Modernize Fleet

By Peter Catterall China's third aircraft carrier entered service this week, state media said on Friday, marking a key milestone in President Xi Jinping's drive to modernize the military. The Fujian joins China's fleet ...

Documents Show New Zealand Unease Over Chinese Warships in South Pacific

By Steven Trask China set off alarm bells in New Zealand when it dispatched powerful warships on unprecedented missions in the South Pacific without explanation, according to military documents obtained by AFP. Beijing has spent ...

Chinese Vessels Collide While Pursuing Philippine Boat in South China Sea: Manila

A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its coast guard while chasing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea, Manila said Monday, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation. The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as ...

China Says German Plane Laser Claim ‘Inconsistent With Facts’

Beijing dismissed on Wednesday claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as "completely inconsistent with the facts". The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft ...

Tensions Soar as Chinese Navy Helicopter Closes in on Philippine Plane Over South China Sea

Tensions in the South China Sea escalated dramatically on Tuesday when a Chinese navy helicopter came within a mere 3 meters of a Philippine patrol plane in contested airspace over the Scarborough Shoal. The close encounter forced the Filipino ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke

When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...

China’s Navy Unveils New Frigate Amid Rising South China Sea Tensions

China has added a new-generation frigate to its naval fleet, underscoring its drive to bolster maritime strength amid intensifying competition with the United States and other powers. The commissioning of the Luohe, the first Type 054B frigate, was marked ...

Letter From Taipei: Why Taiwan Remains Such a Surreal Place

I’ve been in Taipei for the past week, reacquainting myself with a city that I first fell in love with back in 1989 when I came here right out of high school to study Mandarin. Living in Taipei back then was a somewhat surreal experience. People were ...

PLA Navy at the Ready to Enforce Beijing’s New “No Trespass” Rule in the South China Sea

A Chinese Navy amphibious assault ship shadowed by its support vessels appeared near the disputed Spratly Islands on Friday in an apparent signal that the PLA Navy plans to actively enforce Beijing's new "no trespass" rule in the South China Sea. ...

Saudi Arabia, China to Hold Joint Naval Exercises This Month

The Chinese and Saudia Arabian navies will conduct a second round of joint naval exercises later this month off the coast of Guangdong in southern China. "This joint training focuses on overseas maritime counter-terrorism operations, conducting exercises on sniper tactics, boat ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: U.S. President Joe Biden Said He Will Travel to Vietnam “Shortly”

U.S. President Joe Biden said he will travel to Vietnam “shortly” and that Hanoi is interested in elevating its relationship with the United States and become a major partner. This follows a trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Vietnam in April. Asked about the comments, a ...

South Korea’s Growing Reliance on Saudi Oil Could Make It Vulnerable in the Event of a Taiwan Conflict

South Korea imported 31 million barrels of Saudi Arabian oil last month, up 30% compared to the same time last year, according to new data from the Korea Customs Service. Today, South Korea is Asia's ...

China, Cambodia Break Ground on Controversial Navy Base Renovation Project

Cambodian and Chinese officials dismissed international concerns about a new Chinese-financed upgrade of a navy base in the southern Preah Sihanouk province during a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday. Defense Minister Tea Banh and China's ambassador Wang Wentian both refuted reports published earlier this week by T