The Gulf States: Engaging militarily alongside the United States without confidence that Washington will follow through with a decisive, transformative campaign would leave them exposed to long-term Iranian retaliation with no strategic payoff. www.wikistrat.com/post/gulf-st...

Expert Analysis: The War in Iran and the Future of the Gulf

For years, the Gulf States sold the world on stability, investment, and distance from the Middle East's wars. Two weeks of Iranian strikes have shattered that narrative. In this Wikistrat analysis, Dr...

wikistrat.com

“Asfura’s calculus is fundamentally about the US, not about Taiwan per se,” Urdinez said. “Taiwan recognition is essentially the price of admission to Trump’s good graces.” www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...

IN FOCUS: Honduras weighs shift in ties amid US pressure - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

“If the conflict drags on for a couple of weeks, the most logical solution for Beijing is going to be to turn to more Russian crude,” said Andon Pavlov, Kpler’s oil and tanker research director. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

5 charts show China’s oil dilemma after US strikes

Disruption of Iranian oil supplies may make China more interested in turning to Russia.

politico.com

"China’s engagement there in recent years has been largely pragmatic and belies the notion of an anti-American alliance with the Islamic Republic." foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/05/i...

On Iran, China Cares About the Region More Than the Regime

Beijing won’t risk its broader Middle East interests to save the Islamic Republic.

foreignpolicy.com

"More than 55 percent of China’s total oil imports in 2025 came from the Middle East (approximately 13 percent from Iran itself), most of which must pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway bordered by Iran." www.foreignaffairs.com/china/why-ch...

Why China Won’t Help Iran

Beijing cares about the oil, not the regime.

foreignaffairs.com

"Because its priority is to ensure that Iran remains a viable economic partner, it is regime agnostic." www.foreignaffairs.com/china/why-ch...

Why China Won’t Help Iran

Beijing cares about the oil, not the regime.

foreignaffairs.com

"Even if broad segments of Cuban society demand a decisive break with socialism, the dominant bureaucratic, academic, military, and media elites would seek to preserve their influence." www.foreignaffairs.com/cuba/coming-...

The Coming Showdown Over Cuba

How escalating U.S. pressure could reshape the island.

foreignaffairs.com

China gets only 13.4% of its oil from Iran, making such a loss serious but far from irrecoverable. www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

What the Iran war means for the US-China balance

Even in the best-case scenario, China losing a friend in Tehran won’t be the blow Trump might assume.

lowyinstitute.org

Facing Trump, "Beijing might be trying to create a false impression: I am peaceful, I am moving toward peace, so you should stop selling weapons to Taiwan," a senior Taiwan security official said. www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...

Drop in Chinese air incursions might be due to Trump-Xi meeting: officials - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

Colby said that Washington would play an important role in the Middle East militarily, but with Israel, US Gulf partners and European allies being more assertive the US would still be able to focus on the first island chain. www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...

US says weapons supply under control - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

Colby said that the US needs to work hard on the defense industrial base, but that “nobody should get the wrong impression” and that the US is “ahead of the problem.”

The Embassy of China in Japan on Wednesday issued an alert urging Chinese citizens in the country to stay vigilant against public safety risks, warning of a recent rise in "bumping assault" incidents that have drawn widespread public attention. www.chinadailyasia.com/hk/article/6...

Chinese embassy warns citizens in Japan against 'bumping assault' risks

The embassy also reminded its citizens in emergencies to contact local police immediately and to seek assistance from Chinese diplomatic missions in Japan.

chinadailyasia.com

Li instead shows that only about 28 percent of the population has total trust in Xi. www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/chin...

China’s Fragile Future

How secure is the CCP?

foreignaffairs.com

Many Taiwanese have filed complaints to the ministry, saying that the online system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for “place of departure” and “next destination.” www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...

S Korean travel system still using ‘China (Taiwan)’ - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

"and open controlled channels to Beijing rather than treating all engagement as capitulation." (which Beijing will treat as capitulation) www.foreignaffairs.com/taiwan/taiwa...

Taiwan Doesn’t Have to Choose

Cross-strait peace requires working with both Beijing and Washington.

foreignaffairs.com

"...nor does any country support Taiwan’s independence." (As of March 2026, 12 countries maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan (Republic of China), implicitly supporting its sovereignty as an independent entity.)

"Many observers [such as Xi] assume that Taiwan must choose to align itself with one side or the other." www.foreignaffairs.com/taiwan/taiwa...

Taiwan Doesn’t Have to Choose

Cross-strait peace requires working with both Beijing and Washington.

foreignaffairs.com

"...the utility of Philippine geography and capabilities is overstated. A handful of undefended U.S. equipment sites and rotational Marine deployments are unlikely to deter China from attacking Taiwan." www.foreignaffairs.com/taiwan/taiwa...

Taiwan Doesn’t Have to Choose

Cross-strait peace requires working with both Beijing and Washington.

foreignaffairs.com

The regime's survival calculus is built on outlasting Washington, not defeating it. www.wikistrat.com/post/epic-fury

Expert Analysis: Operation “Epic Fury”

Expert analysis of “Operation Epic Fury,” uncovering the strategic realities of the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran and what it means for the region’s future.

wikistrat.com

Lai noted that "archives about the Lin family case are incomplete, and much of the oral history has proven unreliable or fabricated," referring to the 1980 murder of three members of then-dissident Lin I-hsiung's (林義雄) family on Feb. 28, 1980. focustaiwan.tw/politics/202...

Lin Family killing archives declassified, but key evidence destroyed: Lai - Focus Taiwan

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Saturday that all archives concerning the unresolved 1980 Lin family massacre have been declassified for public review, though evidence regarding the perpetrators rem...

focustaiwan.tw

Taiwan should build domestic cable repair capacity, ideally with Japan, and its coast guard should expand vessel watch lists and patrols near critical cable corridors. www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...

China could easily trigger Taiwan data blackout: expert - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

Taiwan has secured liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies for this month and contingency measures are in place if the conflict extends to next month - only 25 percent of Taiwan’s natural gas supplies are from Qatar. www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...

No power rationing due to Middle East conflict, minister says - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

Life in Venice? $168 a month for her apartment in faux Venice in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. apnews.com/article/chin...

As China's economy slows, some young people are snapping up cheap apartments to 'retire' early

As China’s property market craters and youth unemployment rises, burned-out young professionals are fleeing megacities for ultracheap housing in remote towns.

apnews.com

Even Myanmar’s democratic government-in-exile, the National Unity Government (NUG), has since 2024 adopted a policy of not recognizing Taiwan out of a desire to win Beijing’s favor. www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...

A controversial Karen warlord’s quiet stop in Taipei - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

taipeitimes.com

"Trump himself is notorious for his willingness to backpedal while declaring victory. Epic Fury may end with death and destruction in Iran but little change in the long term." foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/28/i...

6 Questions About Operation Epic Fury

The United States and Israel have set a high bar for success in their war on Iran.

foreignpolicy.com

Neil Thomas, a specialist in China’s elite politics, has observed that Xi is “a calculated risk-taker rather than a reckless gambler.” foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/25/t...

Thanks to Trump, Xi Has Time on His Side With Taiwan

Beijing is less likely to risk an invasion while Trump is facilitating its pressure campaign against Taipei.

foreignpolicy.com

The leadership gaps would erode the effectiveness of the People's Liberation Army in the event of a major military campaign, such as an invasion of Beijing-claimed Taiwan. www.newsweek.com/china-purges...

China purges nine military officials ahead of key meeting for Xi

Nine more top military officials have been just days ahead of China's most important legislative meetings.

newsweek.com

"A strike meant to weaken hard-liners could actually speed up the uniting of leaders around a wartime mindset." foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/23/t...

The United States Is Misreading Iran

Washington can start a war, but it may not be able to control the escalation.

foreignpolicy.com

The bigger concern is the quality and experience of the newly promoted officers. www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/x...

How Xi's military purges could hamper China's ability to fight

Two new studies document the crackdown and raise questions about the People's Liberation Army's ability to carry out large-scale operations, such as a potential assault on Taiwan.

nbcnews.com

The Type-03 medium-range surface-to-air guided missiles are expected to be stationed at Camp Yonaguni during fiscal 2030. Read more at: www.stripes.com/theaters/asi... Source - Stars and Stripes

Japan moves to bolster air defenses on island near Taiwan

Type-03 medium-range surface-to-air guided missiles are expected to be stationed at Camp Yonaguni during fiscal 2030, Japan’s defense minister said.

stripes.com