Politics

Chinese authorities are investigating a major transaction involving Hong Kong company CK Hutchison's plan to sell its global ports business, including Panama Canal assets, to US investment firm BlackRock. Multiple Chinese agencies began examining the $22.8 billion deal on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg News. President Donald Trump previously celebrated the potential sale while expressing concerns about Chinese control of the strategic waterway. Following the deal's announcement, China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office shared commentaries criticizing the sale as betraying national interests. The transaction is reportedly being reviewed for security risks and antitrust violations at the direction of senior Chinese leadership. Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesperson deflected questions about the investigation but emphasized China's opposition to "economic coercion and bullying" that undermines legitimate rights of other countries. Hong Kong's leader John Lee echoed these sentiments, urging foreign governments to provide fair […]

Poland and the Baltic states have announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, citing growing security concerns regarding Russia. Defense ministers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland issued a joint statement explaining that threats from Moscow and Belarus have "significantly increased" since they signed the treaty. They emphasized the importance of providing their military forces with "flexibility and freedom of choice" in defending NATO's eastern boundary. The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, took effect in 1997 with the goal of eliminating anti-personnel mines globally. While over 160 countries have joined the agreement, major military powers including Russia, China, the US, India and Pakistan never signed. The Baltic nations had all joined the convention by 2005, with Poland following in 2012. Tuesday's joint statement highlighted that the regional security situation has "significantly […]

Chinese state media has welcomed Donald Trump's decision to cut funding for Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, news outlets known for reporting on authoritarian regimes. The executive order has affected thousands of employees, with approximately 1,300 staff at Voice Of America (VOA) placed on paid leave since Friday. While critics call it a setback for democracy, Beijing's state newspaper Global Times condemned VOA for its "appalling track record" in reporting on China, saying it has "now been discarded by its own government like a dirty rag." The White House defended the action, stating it will "ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda." Trump's cuts target the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which receives congressional funding and supports news outlets including VOA, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Radio Free Europe. These organizations have […]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become one of the few world leaders to join Truth Social, the social media platform owned by US President Donald Trump. Modi's first post on Monday featured a photo with Trump from his 2019 visit to Houston, Texas, with Modi expressing he was "delighted" to join the platform. Trump launched Truth Social in February 2022 following his loss in the presidential election to Joe Biden and temporary bans from major social networks like Twitter and Facebook, which accused him of inciting violence. As of 03:30 GMT, Modi had accumulated 21,500 followers and was following only Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. On Monday, Trump shared a link to Modi's interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, where the Indian prime minister discussed various topics including his life journey, the 2002 Gujarat riots, and India-China relations. […]

Taiwan's President William Lai Ching-te has warned of China's intensifying espionage and infiltration efforts against the island, announcing plans to counter Beijing's attempts to "absorb" Taiwan. In a Thursday press briefing following security meetings, Lai said China is cultivating relationships with various segments of Taiwanese society, including organized crime groups, media personalities, and police officers. "They are carrying out activities such as division, destruction and subversion from within us," Lai stated. The president emphasized the need for stronger measures against Chinese efforts to undermine Taiwan's defenses, pointing to recent incidents of psychological warfare that fall short of armed conflict. According to government data, 64 people were charged with Chinese espionage last year—triple the number from 2021. Most were current or former military officials. "Many are worried that our country, hard-earned freedom and democracy and prosperity will be lost bit by […]