Beijing

Taiwan fears China may exploit US distraction from Middle East war

"This is a moment for China to exercise influence," said a senior Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at a press conference on the latest round of economic talks with the US, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 3, 2026.
A still image released by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which accompanied a press release describing the operation dubbed "Epic Fury", an attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, shows a rocket launch from a ship, in this picture obtained from social media released on February 28, 2026.

US and Israel dismantle Iran's regional terror network in coordinated strike - opinion

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July 2025. A 2023 deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran was marketed as a diplomatic masterstroke, but in light of recent events is collapsing.

Saudi Arabia expelling Iran's military attaché brings Riyadh-Tehran normalization into question

Longstanding ties: Then-Iranian president Ali Khamenei reviews an honor guard in front of Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during an official visit to China, 1989.

The Iran war is not about Israel, it's about China - opinion


Anger simmers over Hong Kong deadly blaze as Beijing warns against 'disruption'

A deadly Hong Kong high-rise fire has killed 128, left 150 missing, and led to 11 arrests amid anger over faulty fire alarms, unsafe renovations, and calls for government accountability.

Police officers carry bodies recovered from a fire-damaged residential block at Wang Fuk Court housing estate following a deadly fire on Wednesday, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, November 30, 2025.

Trump team seeks Taiwan's help to train US chip plant workers, sources say

The Trump administration is negotiating a deal for Taiwan to invest in US chip plants to boost its semiconductor industry.

Students dressed in white protective suit and a face mask visit a clean room as part of a summer camp organised by US chip designer Synopsys with the goal to attract more youth to Taiwan's semiconductor industry, in Hsinchu, Taiwan July 18, 2025.

Returning to China is not an option for Taiwan, Premier Cho Jung-tai

President Xi told Trump that he sees Taiwan returning to China as part of Beijing's world vision.

Supporters of Kuomintang (KMT) party attend a rally against the recall campaign ahead of Saturday's vote for lawmakers, in Taipei, Taiwan July 25, 2025.

With a sushi lunch, Taiwan president shows support for Japan in China dispute

Beijing has indicated it will halt Japanese seafood imports following a rise in tensions after Japan's prime minister suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te shows his sushi lunch of yellowtail and scallops from Japan, in Taipei, Taiwan, in this handout image released November 20, 2025.

Japanese divided on military response to China over Taiwan, Kyodo poll shows

A survey shows that over half of the population backed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's plan to increase defense spending.

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of Japan's ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Chinese Coast Guard ship formation sails through Japan-administered Senkaku Islands

China and Japan have repeatedly faced off around the Japan-administered islands, which Beijing calls Diaoyu and Tokyo calls the Senkaku.

An aerial view of a China Coast Guard ship navigating near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, August 13, 2025.

Taiwan's new opposition leader takes over, warning against risk of China war

Cheng, 55, has already signaled a swing towards even closer ties with Beijing than her urbane, internationalist-minded predecessor Eric Chu, who did not visit China during his term.

Cheng Li-wun, the new chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, interacts with supporters in Taipei, Taiwan, November 1, 2025.

Ellison’s Oracle poised to run TikTok, raising hopes for tougher rules against antisemitism

For the leader of one of the largest and most broadly representative Jewish groups in the country, these developments are hopeful.

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison speaks during a news conference with US President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC.

China says it 'absolutely will not' rule out use of force over Taiwan

A Chinese government spokesperson said that they are "willing to create ample space for peaceful reunification" but "reserve the option to take all necessary measures."

Chinese President Xi Jinping stands in a car to review the troops during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025.

Ahead of Trump-Xi meeting, Taiwan says ties with US 'very stable'

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung reassures the island’s position won’t be compromised in Trump-Xi talks, citing stable US-Taiwan relations.

A 3D-printed miniature model depicting US President Donald Trump, Chinese flag and fragment of Taiwanese flag in this illustration taken, April 17, 2025.