"Arise, Africa, Our Motherland — Let the Earth Hear Your Song"
O Africa, cradle of kings and queens,
Your rivers shimmer with untapped dreams,
Your mountains hum with ancient songs,
Your soil, rich with the blood of the strong.
Arise from slumber, O Mother divine,
Awaken the wealth that lies in your spine —
Gold, oil, diamonds, fertile lands,
But greater still, the strength of your hands.
Let the deserts bloom and the cities rise,
Let knowledge and courage light up your skies.
No longer bow, no longer plead —
Stand firm, create, plant every seed.
Use your treasures, both seen and unseen,
For progress, for dignity, for a future pristine.
O Africa, hear destiny's drum —
Arise, our Motherland — your time has come!
By Jo Ikeji-Uju
https://afriprime.net/page...

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.”

The best comfort I could offer
was to just let her tell her story.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

There is dignity in being of service.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Dignity does not consist in possessing honors,
but in deserving them.
- Aristotle

One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked,
but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered.
- Michael J. Fox

A truly American sentiment recognizes the dignity of
labor and the fact that honor lies in honest toil.
- Grover Cleveland

Our vanity is the constant enemy of our dignity.
- Anne Sophie Swetchine

Vanity is the Opposite of Dignity-
Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative
of the dignity of my high vocation,
and its many responsibilities.
Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way
to coldness, unkindness, or impatience.
- Mother Teresa

Vanity is the Opposite of Dignity-
The primal principle of democracy
is the worth and dignity of the individual.
- Edward Bellamy

The Philippines and United States militaries have sailed together in the South China Sea for a seventh time to boost interoperability between the two sides, Manila's armed forces said on Thursday.

The exercises, held on Wednesday in waters off the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Zambales and away from contested features, included joint operations near shorelines as well as fire support.

"The MCA (maritime cooperative activity) is a demonstration of both nations' resolve to deepen cooperation and enhance interoperability in line with international law," the Philippine armed forces said in a statement.

The joint sail also showcased the Philippine vessel Miguel Malvar, a 118-metre guided missile frigate commissioned last month. It is one of two corvettes built by South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries under the Philippines' military modernisation programme.
Military engagements between the treaty allies have soared under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has pivoted closer to Washington in response to China's growing presence in the South China Sea.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all the South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Following news that two Chinese nationals were charged with allegedly smuggling a "dangerous biological pathogen" into the U.S. to study at an American university, an expert on China who said the arrests should be a wake-up call to the country.

"I was entirely unsurprised, which is a sad commentary, but it speaks to the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP wants to kill Americans," Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on U.S. and China relations, told Fox News Digital after FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrests of the two Chinese nationals.

"Look at what they've done with smuggling fentanyl precursors into our country to kill Americans, look at the effects of them failing to stop the spread of COVID-19," Sobolik said. "Dead Americans. The fact that they want to target Americans here within the United States with pathogens and with bioweapons. This is the Chinese Communist Party. This is what they do. They're in a cold war with the United States. They want to become the most powerful nation in the world and they wanna make the world safe for their tyranny and unsafe for freedom. And they're coming for us here at home."

The couple are accused of smuggling a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a "potential agroterrorism weapon," according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors note that the noxious fungus causes "head blight," a disease of wheat, barley, maize and rice, and "is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year."
The Justice Department also says Fusarium graminearum’s toxins cause vomiting, liver damage and "reproductive defects in humans and livestock."

According to the criminal complaint, one of the accused allegedly received Chinese government funding for her work on the pathogen in China.

The couple are accused of bringing the pathogen into the U.S. to study at a University of Michigan laboratory, which raises more concerns about Chinese nationals infiltrating American universities.

Last month, a bombshell report out of Stanford University shed light on the influence of spies from the Chinese Communist Party that the student newspaper says have likely infiltrated the prestigious institution and other universities nationwide to gather intelligence.

The Chinese embassy in the Philippines urged the European Union to stop "provoking trouble" in the South China Sea on Thursday, and advised Manila not to "fantasise" about relying on outside forces to resolve disputes in the waterway.

An embassy spokesperson made the comments after EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visited the Philippine capital and voiced concern over China's activities in the busy waterway, where its claims overlap those of some Southeast Asian nations.

"We urge the EU to genuinely respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and to stop provoking trouble," the spokesperson said in a statement on the embassy website, noting the bloc has no right to interfere.

The spokesperson also said Manila should return to dialogue and consultation to manage differences with China instead of "fantasising about relying on external forces" to resolve the South China Sea dispute.

The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The EU and the Philippines have expressed concerns about China's "illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive measures" against Philippine vessels and aircraft conducting lawful maritime operations in the South China Sea, according to a joint statement after Kallas met with Philippine foreign minister earlier this week.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all the South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Elon Musk escalates feud with Trump: 'Time to drop the really big bomb'

Elon Musk alleged that President Donald Trump's name is mentioned in undisclosed classified files related to the financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a feud between Trump and the world's richest man devolved into deeply personal attacks.

"Time to drop the really big bomb," Musk said in a June 5 post on X. "realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"

Trump did not respond to shouted questions from reporters about Musk’s Esptein claim following a White House event with Attorney General Pam Bondi and members of the National Fraternal Order of Police.

The White House sent USA TODAY a statement from Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt in response to the Epstein allegations. "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again," Leavitt said.
Musk provided no evidence for his allegation but wrote: "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."

His attack came after Trump, in posts on Truth Social, threatened to end government contracts with Musk's companies and said Musk left the White House's Department of Government Efficiency because Trump asked him to leave.
After hyping up the release of declassified government files on Epstein, Bondi on Feb. 27 disclosed about 200 pages of documents that implicated no one else in Epstein's orbit other than Epstein, who died in a federal prison in 2019.

The “Epstein list,” and the scandal surrounding the multimillionaire’s exploitation of teenage girls offers plenty of red meat for partisans on the right and left. Trump and Epstein were filmed and photographed together at parties, and in 2002 he praised the wealthy businessman as a "terrific guy.”

One of the most powerful alliances in American politics appears to be over.

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk explosively sparred on their respective social media platforms Thursday – with the president floating the idea of cutting the tech billionaire’s various government contracts and Musk going nuclear at one point and saying Trump’s name was in the so-called Epstein files.

Thursday’s drama started when Trump confirmed the deterioration of his relationship with Musk, saying he was “very disappointed” in the tech billionaire after he repeatedly blasted the president’s sweeping domestic agenda bill in recent days.

“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, less than one week after the two exchanged effusive praise on Musk’s last day as a special government employee.
Shortly after, Musk responded on his social media platform X that Trump could not have won the 2024 election without him – a jab that appeared to further irritate the president and significantly intensify the fight, which played out on dueling social media platforms owned by the two men.

“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” Musk said. He added: “Such ingratitude.”

Musk had initially started the public feud Tuesday, calling a mammoth GOP bill on taxes, spending cuts, energy and the border a “disgusting abomination” due to projections it will greatly increase the deficit. The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is being considered by the Senate, and the tech billionaire has made it clear he’s aiming to sink it or prompt Republican lawmakers to rewrite it significantly. Trump and Musk have not spoken since Musk’s initial outburst, multiple sources told CNN.

The back-and-forth between Trump and his megadonor, former “first buddy” and surrogate-turned-special-government-employee marked a very public breakup of a former center of power for the second Trump administration. The president had fully empowered Musk to take dramatic steps through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency to transform the size and scope of the federal government, which Musk carried out with varying levels of success. But the friendship quickly soured upon his departure as Musk railed against Trump’s most critical agenda item.

The situation further devolved through the afternoon. Trump threatened to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” a move that could have devastating impacts on his businesses, and even major implications for the International Space Station.

China’s Mining Plan In Myanmar Faces Massive Protest; Locals Block Roads, Threaten To Seize Chinese Equipment.

Hundreds of protesting Myanmar tribespeople march up a hillside to a cavernous facility where a Chinese joint venture’s giant milling machines stand ready to grind up the rocks of their ancestral homeland for lead ore.

Demand for the heavy metal is forecast to rise, driven by its use in the batteries needed for the global energy transition.

However, its extraction can pollute the environment, and the Pradawng tribespeople carry banners reading: “No transparency, no responsibility.”

“We don’t have any plan to exchange this inheritance from our ancestors for money or riches,” said 24-year-old protest leader Khun Khine Min Naing.

“This land is the dignity of our tribe.”

Since a 2021 coup, Myanmar has been riven by civil war and shattered into a patchwork of loosely governed territories ripe for exploitation by unregulated miners.

And neighbouring China is keen to scoop up the minerals and metals Myanmar can supply.

The Pradawng — a little-known subtribe of the Kayan ethnic group — claim around 3,000 members and a 381-year lineage in Shan state, in Myanmar’s east.

They say Myanmar firm Four Star Company and a Chinese partner have planned a mega-project mining lead upriver from their village, Thi Kyeik, in Pekon township.

Heavy machinery began to be installed in February, but the tribe say they were not consulted on the scheme and fear it will taint the area with hazardous chemicals.

Locals have blockaded roads to turn back vehicles, and threatened to seize mining equipment, defying possible violent backlash in a country where the right to assemble often depends on the whims of armed guards.

“We are only asking for Indigenous rights that we should own,” Khun Khine Min Naing told AFP, demanding mine plans are rolled back until the war is over and they can be scrutinised by a civilian government.

– Natural Resources –
Lead is a toxic metal, most commonly mined for use in lead-acid batteries.

Extracting it can pollute local soil and water supplies, with children particularly vulnerable to exposure, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We don’t want to leave this land environmentally damaged for the next generation,” said Khun Khine Min Naing. “We don’t want to be regarded as historical criminals.”

The Pradawng say Four Star Company has been active locally for two decades and is linked to the local ruling Kayan New Land Party, whose armed wing maintains a ceasefire with Myanmar’s military.

The firm could not be reached for comment.

Their Chinese partner company is harder to identify, and locals say its involvement was only revealed when its representatives attended a joint event with Four Star Company intended to address community backlash.

China shares a 2,100-kilometre (1,300-mile) border with Myanmar and has long been a lucrative market for the country’s natural resources, including jade, gemstones, teak logs and metal ores.

It accounts for nearly 98 percent of Myanmar’s lead ore and concentrate exports, according to 2023 World Bank data.

The figures say 49,000 tonnes worth $20 million were exported to China that year, but that is likely far short of the true amount.

The lack of a central authority means tracking the real scale of mining operations across Myanmar is difficult.

But satellite imagery analysis of one hotspot on the Myanmar-China border by the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience showed the expanse of mining operations there nearly doubled in size between 2018 and 2024.

– ‘Only stones for our children’ –
Rechargeable lead-acid batteries are widely used in vehicles, including EVs where they provide auxiliary power, as well as for storing power generated by renewable technologies such as wind and solar.

The metal — identified by the WHO as “one of 10 chemicals of major public health concern” — sells for around $2,000 per refined tonne on the global market.

But the Pradawng people suspect they will see none of the profits.

Along with health risks, locals fear environmental damage, with villagers saying increased mining in recent years has led to more flooding and mudslides that carried off entire homes.

Mu Ju July, 19, ekes out a living picking through mine slag heaps for scraps of lead to sell.

A flurry of prospecting could be a windfall for her, but she worries it will squander the livelihoods and homes of future generations.

“If we allow them, we will be okay for only one or two years,” she said.

“It will leave only stones when the time comes for our children.”

Ominous Signs For Taiwan & Japan! Why South Korea’s New President Is Good News For China & Russia.

Inaugurated as President soon after being declared the winner of South Korea’s Presidential election at 6:21 a.m. on June 3, (South Korea- time), Lee Jae-myung of the country’s progressive Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has pledged to “expand the Republic of Korea’s economic territory by broadening the horizons of diplomacy and enhancing international standing”.

In all likelihood, his diplomatic vision will be closely watched by all those who believe in the United States-led security structure in the Indo-Pacific, particularly by the ruling elites in Taiwan and Japan, who seem to be discomforted by Lee’s slogan of “pragmatism.”

In his inaugural speech as President, Lee highlighted the salience of “pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests” to “turn the crisis of a major transformation in the global economic and security environment into an opportunity to maximize national interests.”

He has reaffirmed his approach to relations with neighboring countries, including China and Russia, “from the perspective of national interest and pragmatism,” while emphasizing the Korea-US alliance as the cornerstone of foreign policy.

Perceived to be “pro-China” during the electioneering, Lee’s inaugural speech does not seem to have cleared doubts in Washington and Tokyo, despite promising that he would bolster a trilateral partnership with the US and Japan.

After all, he warned that rapid changes in the global order, including rising protectionism, pose a threat to his country’s survival.

“The rapid changes in the global order, such as rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring, pose a threat to our very survival,” Lee said in his inaugural address, in an apparent reference to the global trade chaos followed by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

If one goes by the more ideologically driven progressives within Lee’s ruling DPK, which also controls South Korea’s parliament, the new President may create a distance between Seoul and Washington, particularly if the Trump administration reduces its security commitment on the Korean Peninsula or pushes South Korea beyond its comfort zone to deter China.

Incidentally, Lee had made waves on the campaign trail by saying that Seoul should stay out of any China-Taiwan conflict. This needs to be seen along with the fact that earlier this year, the speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly – an ally of Lee’s – received an unusually warm welcome in Beijing, including an hour-long meeting with Xi Jinping.

Of course, to be fair to Lee, he has been advocating for “foreign policy pragmatism” ever since he was a presidential candidate in 2022. He had lost this election very narrowly to the conservative People Power Party’s Yoon Suk Yeol.

But in April, President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached, after he declared a short-lived state of martial law in December 2024 because Lee’s DPK was making governance impossible by rejecting all his policies because of its parliamentary majority.

As the Presidential candidate in 2022, Lee had explained his “Practical Vision” in an article in the Foreign Affairs journal. In this, he had called for “pragmatic diplomacy” toward neighboring countries, including China.

Although Lee acknowledged Beijing’s increasing assertiveness, he argued that Seoul should cooperate with Beijing. Furthermore, Lee stated that “overt antagonism serves neither South Korea’s national interests nor its alliance with Washington.”

In the above article, Lee admitted his problems with Japan.

“It is regrettable that Tokyo’s unwillingness to let go of its imperial past continues to hamper trilateral cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the United States”, he pointed out, arguing how in 2018, after South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that Japanese corporations must pay reparations for their use of Korean forced labor during World War II. Tokyo imposed retaliatory export controls on three key chemicals—photoresists, hydrogen fluoride, and fluorinated polyimide—critical for making South Korea’s semiconductors and high-end displays used for televisions and smartphones. This was a shocking act of economic coercion to settle a historical grudge”.

It may be noted that relations between Japan and South Korea had seen an upswing during Yoon’s Presidency. And that was noteworthy because years under Yoon’s immediate predecessor, President Moon Jae-in (from Lee’s party) had nurtured anti-Japanese feelings.

Moon had scrapped the foundation that Tokyo and Seoul had set up with Japanese funding to provide restitution to the victims and their families. And the situation was further aggravated when, in 2018, South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered several Japanese companies to compensate unpaid South Korean World War II laborers.

Against this background, President Yoon had sincerely and actively tried to rise above these historical animosities and join hands together with Japan and the U.S. in the face of mounting North Korean aggressiveness and the Chinese hegemony, something all three consider to be their common threats.

Yoon had said that he believed in what he called “values-based diplomacy.”

Yoon often pointed out that “South Korea and Japan are now new partners who share universal values and pursue common interests.” He had emphasized the importance of Japan in South Korea’s security, particularly the seven rear bases provided to the United Nations Command by Japan, which could “serve as the greatest deterrent” to North Korea invading the South.

Under Yoon, South Korea has restored and expanded joint military drills (suspended under Moon to what was said “appease” China policy; he was believed to be the most pro-China President in South Korean history) and joined exercises with the US and Japan to track and intercept missiles from North Korea.

Yoon had proposed an initiative to resolve disputes stemming from compensation for wartime Korean forced laborers. He had announced that South Korea would use its own funds to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies before the end of World War II. This was reciprocated by Japan, which rolled back the sanctions on South Korea.

Yoon also traveled to Tokyo in March 2023 for talks with the then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It was the first visit by a South Korean President to Japan in over 12 years. Kishida reciprocated with a visit to Seoul in May and expressed sympathy for the suffering of Korean forced laborers during Japan’s colonial rule.

Will Lee’s election as South Korea’s new President arrest the further momentum in the ties between Seoul and Tokyo, given his and his DPK’s traditional antipathy towards Japan?

It is a difficult question to answer. While Lee talks of “pragmatism,” during the electioneering, he said something that was considered by many analysts to be quite “ambiguous.”

On April 25, he clearly stated during a televised debate that South Korea must not be unconditionally tethered to the alliance or rigidly confined by the Korea–US–Japan trilateral bloc.

“Of course, the Korea–US alliance is indeed the foundation of the Republic of Korea’s foreign policy …but bloc alignments also carry weight. Trilateral cooperation among Korea, the US, and Japan is also important. But we cannot be unilaterally bound to those alone.”

In an interview released on the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation’s YouTube channel in mid-April, Lee argued that Seoul cannot afford to turn its back on either Beijing or Moscow in pursuit of its national interest, given their geographical proximity and deep economic entanglement.

“Even if we wanted to abandon ties with China and Russia, we couldn’t. We’re intertwined with them — what choice do we have?” Lee added, “Our economies are deeply intertwined with them, and geography makes separation impossible. It’s fate — our destiny.”

Lee emphasized the significance of navigating relations with China and Russia, especially at a time when a deteriorating global trade environment, hit by tariff wars, is weighing heavily on export-reliant South Korea.

During another television debate on May 18, Lee said, “We must prioritize the national interest and avoid becoming too deeply involved in the China-Taiwan conflict. The idea is to respect the status quo and maintain an appropriate distance.”

Pressed on whether he would support intervention in a potential China-Taiwan contingency, Lee declined to give a definitive answer, instead emphasizing a flexible, situational approach.

“If a specific situation arises, we must assess it flexibly, based on the national interest,” he said. “Diplomatic relations are fluid, and responses should vary accordingly.”

While reaffirming the importance of the South Korea–U.S. alliance, Lee said diplomacy with other major powers, such as China and Russia, should be handled in a prudent manner, saying it should be guided by “pragmatism” and the “national interest.”

In this interview, Lee acknowledged the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and why it should remain “the foundation of our diplomacy and security, and be further strengthened,” but he added, and that is important to note, “however, we should not go all in and put all our eggs in one basket.”

If anything, these suggest that there could be a shift away from former President Yoon’s “values-based diplomacy” toward Lee’s foreign policy of pragmatism. However, it remains to be seen whether that pragmatism will be a turning point for the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific.

Chinese Web Around U.S. Military Bases Worries Americans; Is Ukraine’s ‘Shock’ Attack On Russia A Wake-Up Call For Trump?

The surprise Ukrainian drone attack on Russia, facilitated by the smuggling of drones inside trucks, has rattled the world at large. American analysts and lawmakers are now concerned that Chinese cargo ships that dock at U.S. ports could potentially carry out a similar stunt against the United States.

The Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, launched the drone attacks on multiple Russian military bases on June 1 under ‘Operation Spiderweb.’ The operation involved 117 First Person View (FPV) drones that were smuggled into Russia, concealed in wooden containers with remotely operated roofs mounted on trucks.

These trucks, driven by individuals reportedly unaware of the cargo they were carrying, were positioned near the target air bases to ensure precision strikes.

Russia couldn’t have fathomed that an infiltration like that was taking place right under its nose. The strikes, meticulously planned over 18 months, humiliated Russia’s military by exposing the gaps in its intelligence architecture and the vulnerabilities in its air defenses.

Caught unaware, the Russian military sustained losses of billions of dollars. In the aftermath of the incident, several pro-Russian military bloggers said it was Russia’s Pearl Harbor, a reference to the surprise Japanese attack on the US Pearl Harbor port during World War II, that destroyed multiple US warships and aircraft.

The attack, perhaps the most significant demonstration of asymmetric warfare in recent times, will have far-reaching global repercussions. US analysts are concerned that China could replicate a similar move against America, utilizing its cargo ships that have unrestricted access to US ports, as highlighted by Newsweek in a recent report.

The report noted that lawmakers and security experts have expressed concerns over China’s state-owned shipping behemoth, COSCO Shipping, operating across US ports, despite being classified as a Chinese military enterprise by the Pentagon in January 2025.

US analysts have voiced concern that these cargo ships could be used to deploy drones, possibly hidden inside ships, to launch a preemptive strike on US ports in the event of a conflict.

COSCO is the largest state-owned shipping firm in China and a significant force in international marine logistics, with a considerable presence in important US ports, including Oakland, Long Beach, and Los Angeles, among others.

In January 2025, the House Committee on Homeland Security expressed concern about COSCO’s access to major US ports and the alleged presence of suspected Chinese Communist Party (CCP) political officers on board its ships, suggesting direct CCP influence. It warned of threats like espionage, cyber intrusion, or even sabotage by the Chinese.

The Trump administration has imposed port fees on COSCO to challenge China’s hegemony in the world’s shipbuilding industry. Additionally, the recently imposed US tariffs, including a 145% tariff on Chinese goods, have led to a sharp decline in COSCO’s shipments to American ports.

For example, the Port of Los Angeles saw a 35% plunge in cargo volume in May 2025, with COSCO and other carriers canceling transits.

Notably, a temporary US-China tariff truce last month spurred a surge in bookings, but COSCO continues to face operational challenges due to fees and reduced demand.

Despite COSCO’s reduced presence in the US, US analysts remain suspicious. Retired Navy Commander Thomas Shugart and a fellow at the Center for a New American Security said: “It is becoming borderline-insane that we routinely allow ships owned and operated by DoD-designated Chinese military companies to sit in our ports with thousands of containers onboard and under their control.”

While a Chinese attack is unlikely without an existing state of war, the presence of COSCO vessels near critical infrastructure, like the Norfolk Naval Station, raises concerns about espionage or sabotage.

It is pertinent to note that even the Ukrainian operation took 18 months of planning and intelligence gathering to achieve the desired result.

Moreover, there have been suggestive reports about China spying on US military facilities by purchasing land nearby and even infiltrating the US port infrastructure in the past, which makes the threat of a Ukraine drone-like attack more plausible to some in the US.

Chinese Spying Concerns Loom Large
Chinese ships docking at US ports have been a matter of discourse in the US for quite some time. Last year, a US Congressional investigation discovered that a Chinese business installed intelligence-gathering equipment on cranes used at US seaports, potentially enabling Beijing to spy on Americans or damage vital infrastructure.

ZPMC, a state-owned engineering company based in Shanghai, exerted pressure on American port authorities to grant remote access to its cranes, specifically those situated on the West Coast, i.e., the contiguous states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

The report, produced after a year-long research, warned that “This access could potentially be extended to other [People’s Republic of China] government entities, posing a significant risk due to the PRC’s national security laws that mandate cooperation with state intelligence agencies.”

Citing contract paperwork and testimonies from port operators, the investigation stated that “these unknown modems were believed to have been installed under the auspices of collecting usage data for the equipment.” These modems allegedly employed a covert approach to gathering data and circumventing firewalls, which could potentially disrupt port operations, even though they were unnecessary for the cranes to operate.

At the time, these findings caused alarm because about 80% of the cargo cranes in American ports are owned by ZPMC.

Transporting goods through US marine ports, which generate trillions of dollars in economic activity every year, requires ship-to-shore cranes. However, because these cranes can often be controlled remotely, anyone with access to the networks may be able to collect intelligence from ports or damage equipment.

In a hypothetical scenario, the intelligence collected through the cranes could be used to launch an ‘Operation Spiderweb’ type of operation where Chinese cargos double up as carriers of drones that go off by flicking a button on a remote.

Earlier, the White House disclosed plans to “phase out Chinese-made port equipment and fully return crane making to the United States to deal with 200 Chinese-made cranes at U.S. ports and facilities”. However, the progress of that effort under the Trump administration remains unknown.

Another prevailing concern in the United States has been the ownership of farm and commercial land near US military facilities by Chinese people and corporations.

A previous report revealed that Chinese companies purchased several farmlands close to strategic US military installations, including some of the most strategically important military installations, such as MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California; Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) in Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Killeen, Texas.

Sources suggest that under the guise of farming, Chinese landowners could potentially set up surveillance equipment or use drones to monitor military sites. According to the January 2024 data from the US Department of Agriculture, China claims 349,442 acres out of roughly 40 million acres of foreign-owned farmland, or 0.87 percent.

It does not help that Chinese nationals have sneaked into military bases and other sensitive US sites more than 100 times in recent years, as the Wall Street Journal reported in 2023. This raises a very alarming issue regarding Chinese ownership of land near military sites.

Additionally, the US National Association of Realtors (NAR) stated in a report last year that the Chinese have remained the top foreign buyers of US residential property for the 11th consecutive year.

Experts caution that, just as Ukraine’s drones targeted Russian airfields, Chinese-owned property may be used for tracking devices, reconnaissance sites, or drones to observe US military activities.

The strategic placement of these lands near bases like Fort Liberty, which hosts critical airborne and special operations units, amplifies concerns about a surprise threat akin to Pearl Harbor’s unexpected attack.

Although no US federal law mandates a ban, individual states have been passing laws to curtail Chinese ownership of land near US military bases.

Trump ‘Pitches’ F-47 Aircraft, Golden Dome Defense Shield To Its Closet Ally In Indo-Pacific Region: Media

US President Donald Trump has reportedly discussed two big-ticket military programs with one of his closest allies in the Indo-Pacific: the Golden Dome defense shield and the F-47 sixth-generation aircraft.

Trump discussed potential collaboration with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during a phone call in May 2025 regarding the development of technology for the Golden Dome missile defense shield, Nikkei Asia reported. Japan is reportedly exploring support for the initiative, the report claimed.

Citing unidentified sources, the Japanese publication said that the two nations will likely collaborate on systems meant to intercept inbound threats. The report did not provide specific details about the discussions that took place between the two leaders.

Trump announced plans for the “Golden Dome” system in May 2025, saying it would cost around $175 billion and would become operational by the end of his term in 2029.

However, experts say the scheme faces huge technical and political challenges, and could cost far more than he has estimated in the public announcement. For instance, the Congressional Budget Office earlier estimated that the US might have to spend up to US$542 billion over 20 years to develop and launch the network of space-based interceptors under the program.

The US President may now be seeking potential partners who could share the cost of developing and operationalizing the Golden Dome, as well as developing sophisticated interceptors to counter missile threats.

Japan, on the other hand, could be a significant contributor to the system, given its previous experience in developing interceptors. Additionally, it could contribute funding or resources, such as research and development (R&D) or manufacturing, to offset costs.

Unveiling plans for the Golden Dome last month, Trump disclosed that Canada was interested in participating in the program. He said that while it “automatically” makes sense to include Canada in the new defence system, Canada will have to pay its fair share.

However, the President may have just thrown cold water over that potential collaboration by once again calling for Canada to become the 51st state of the United States of America.

“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost 61 billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network on May 29. “But (it) will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!”

For Japan, the Golden Dome would be an enticing offer, particularly since it has been grappling with an enhanced missile threat from China, North Korea, and Russia.

Japan and the US have previously collaborated on ballistic missile defense and are currently working together on the development of a hypersonic missile interceptor, known as the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).

However, the Golden Dome might help Japan in more ways than one.

Citing unidentified sources, the report stated that Japan could use its participation in the Golden Dome initiative as a bargaining chip to obtain concessions in ongoing trade talks with Washington.

Trump has threatened to impose a 24% tariff on Japan starting next month unless a bilateral agreement can be reached.

Japan has been disgruntled by a 25% tariff on cars, trucks, and key auto parts that took effect in April. Additionally, Trump has increased the duties to 50% on all imported Japanese aluminum and steel. Both these tariffs could significantly weaken the Japanese economy.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba has stated that bilateral conversations on trade expansion, non-tariff measures, and economic security are ongoing. At the same time, the administration is also considering an increase in its purchases of US military hardware, as well as collaboration on rebuilding and repairing US warships in Japan.

The Golden Dome would, thus, fit perfectly in this scheme if the Japanese government seriously considers it.

F-47 Also On Offer To Japan
A report published in the Japanese publication Asahi Shimbun last week stated that Donald Trump randomly brought up the F-47 in a call with Shigeru Ishiba last month. Sources in the Ishiba administration told the newspaper that the call took place on May 23 and was organized at Trump’s request.

Trump said the “47” in “F-47” is a good number, and asked Ishiba to concur, in what can only be described as typical Trump fashion of conversation. He also heaped praises on the F-22, which the US never sold to Japan due to the sensitivity of that technology, even though the latter wanted it. Trump then went on to talk about the F-55, an upgraded, twin-engine F-35 variant that he proposed during a presser in Qatar recently.

The President then asked Ishiba if he wanted to see the amazing fighter jets that the United States had, adding that he would get the “best” for Japan.

The report stated that Trump only casually inquired of Ishiba whether Japan was interested in purchasing US-made fighter jets and did not explicitly urge Japan to do so.

Nonetheless, the Trump administration has made no bones about its intention to pitch the aircraft in the export market.

During the F-47 announcement, Trump said that U.S. allies “are calling constantly” to obtain an export version of the NGAD fighter. We will sell it to “certain allies … perhaps toned-down versions. We’d like to tone them down about 10 percent, which probably makes sense, because someday, maybe they’re not our allies, right?”
The F-47 offer comes as Tokyo might be unhappy with its own Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a sixth-generation combat jet being pursued jointly by Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Reuters reported on May 30 that Japan is growing doubtful that the GCAP will meet its 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to fill air defense gaps with upgrading existing fighters or purchasing new jets.

The fear of GCAP delays arises as China accelerates the testing of two sixth-generation fighter jet prototypes, namely the J-36 and the J-50. If China inducts a sixth-generation fighter by 2030, the capability gap between Japan and China will widen.

According to an infographic recently posted on X by US Air Force chief, General David Allvin, the F-47 is anticipated to become operational between 2025 and 2029—more than a decade before the GCAP’s rollout date if delays are factored in.

Since the end of the Second World War, Japan has only purchased American fighter jets and has been a loyal and important customer for the US, which explains why Trump would want it to consider the American F-35s instead. A purchase of the American sixth-generation fighter would also boost interoperability between the two allies, particularly in the volatile Indo-Pacific region.

3 Months After Tragic FA-50 Crash, The Philippines Signs Deal For 12 More Fighter Jets, Doubling Its Fleet

Amid rising security challenges in the South China Sea and Beijing’s increasing muscle flexing, the Philippines has decided to double its fleet of South Korean FA-50 fighter jets, signing a contract for 12 additional aircraft, following its initial purchase of 12 jets in 2014.

Notably, the deal was signed despite the Philippines grounding its entire FA-50 fleet earlier this year following the crash of an aircraft during a mission against communist rebels in March, in which two pilots were killed.

With ongoing tensions in the South China Sea (known as the West Philippines Sea in Manila), the Philippines intends to acquire 12 more light aircraft from South Korea at a cost of P40 billion (US$690 million), significantly enhancing its air capability.

However, questions were raised on the capability of the aircraft after the March crash. Now, these questions have been put to rest with the announcement of an additional order for 12 more aircraft.

“The Philippines has signed a contract for 12 more FA-50 fighter jets,” its South Korean manufacturer said on June 4.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) valued the deal with the Department of National Defense at $700 million, with delivery of the jets to be completed by 2030. The Philippines, which has yet to confirm the pact, previously purchased a dozen of the light warplanes in 2014.

In a statement, the South Korean firm said the fighter jets would feature enhanced capabilities including “aerial refueling for extended range, (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, and advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons systems”.

One of the Philippines’ original fleet of FA-50s went missing on March 4 while on a mission to provide air support for troops fighting guerrillas in a mountainous area of the southern island of Mindanao.

Rescuers found the wreckage of the plane and the bodies of two crewmen a day later.

After temporarily grounding the fleet, the Philippine Air Force ruled out any mechanical problems with the aircraft.

Air Force spokeswoman Maria Consuelo Castillo told a press conference in April that a confluence of factors had contributed to the crash, including mountainous terrain and visibility issues.

Castillo said in March that the purchase of additional FA-50s was under consideration by the defence department.

The Philippines has extensively used its FA-50 fleet in the fight against the Islamic State in 2017, called the “Marawi Siege,” and it was dubbed a “game changer” by the PAF officials. Currently, the fighter jets are also used in operations against the Communist rebels.

The Philippines is also using the jets in patrolling missions in the contested South China Sea.

In February this year, the Philippines’ FA-50 fighter jet fleet also took part in drills over the West Philippine Sea with the US B-1 “Lancer” bombers.

The exercise included maneuvering the aircraft within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The exercise aimed to strengthen interoperability between the two air forces, enhance air domain awareness, and improve agile combat employment capabilities.

The FA-50, a modern light combat aircraft, represents the PAF’s first line of defense in maintaining air superiority over the contested areas.

The latest FA-50 purchase comes at a time when the Philippines has virtually been pushed to the wall in the South China Sea. China has been conducting aggressive maneuvers against Filipino forces in disputed territories, occasionally assaulting and expelling them from waters that China considers its “territorial waters.”

Currently, the FA-50 is the only combat-capable aircraft in the PAF’s inventory. In fact, the service had earlier considered deploying the FA-50 to escort its patrol aircraft over the South China Sea last year. The FA-50 is based on the T-50, a trainer aircraft capable of supersonic flight that was modified from the F-16 to train pilots for the KF-16 and F-15K.

The FA-50 is predominantly designed for air defense, strike, and jet training missions.

Expanding Military Shopping List Of The Philippines
Manila is rapidly modernizing its armed forces to deter China and enhance its combat capability. The Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) earlier stated that it plans to buy 40 multi-role fighter jets, among other sophisticated weapon systems. Two aircraft have been offered to the country: the Saab Gripen-E and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block 70/72.

Notably, the latest FA-50 acquisition comes amid warnings from military analysts that the PAF is arguably the country’s least robust military component, highlighting the need for at least a dozen squadrons of multirole jets to protect the archipelago’s airspace effectively.

Earlier, the Philippines’ DND also confirmed that a P6.5 billion (US$110 million) deal for six Embraer Super Tucano light attack aircraft for the PAF’s 15th Strike Wing was signed in December 2024. The purchase is meant to reinforce the PAF fleet in the wake of the gap left by the decommissioning of the last two remaining Rockwell OV-10 Bronco light attack aircraft and two AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters.

In addition, the DND has announced the P1 billion (US$17 million) purchase of an aeromedical Bell 412 EPX helicopter for the Philippine Army’s use in emergency medical missions.

The country has also planned upgrades for various cyber systems of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as enhancements for the PAF’s ground-based air defense system and the introduction of new missiles.

In addition to the above-mentioned systems, the Philippines is reportedly considering the purchase of nine BrahMos missile batteries for its Army.

If finalized, this would be Manila’s second order of the BrahMos missile. In 2022, the Philippines signed a US$375 million deal with India for three batteries of the shore-based, anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile for its naval forces.

Last year, Manila said it wanted to acquire the US Typhon mid-range missile system to bolster external defense capabilities.

Cornered by the PLA forces in the South China Sea, Manila is committed to spending at least 1.894 trillion pesos (approximately US$33.74 billion) to modernize and enhance its military capabilities by acquiring new systems, upgrading existing ones, and improving military infrastructure.

The deal for 12 additional FA-50 fighter jets will add crucial capabilities to the PAF.

Thailand Selects Gripen Fighter Jets Over F-16 Fighting Falcons For Its Air Force; Official Win For Swedish SAAB

Thailand on Wednesday announced plans to buy four Gripen fighter jets in a $500 million deal, choosing the Swedish-made planes over American F-16s as it renews its air combat fleet.

The Gripen E/F models, made by Nordic industrial giant Saab, will replace the Royal Thai Air Force’s older F-16 A/B jets bought in the 1980s.

The announcement is the first phase of a 10-year plan to buy 12 fighter aircraft as Thailand updates its air power.

“This is an important project to strengthen our force to protect our sovereignty,” Air Force Chief Punpakdee Pattanakul told reporters.

The procurement order will be submitted to the Thai cabinet for approval around mid-July and is expected to be finalized by the end of August.
A procurement committee recommended buying the Gripen rather than the F-16 last August after a 10-month process of deliberation. The kingdom already operates 11 older Gripens, as well as dozens of F-16s.

The decision to favour the Swedish fighter over the American one is unlikely to help Thailand’s efforts to reach a tariff deal with US President Donald Trump’s administration.

Thailand is hoping to negotiate a reduction or relief from Trump’s threatened 36 percent levy, announced as part of the president’s sweeping global “reciprocal” tariffs.

Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, the Royal Thai Air Force selected Gripen-E jets to replace its aging fleet of F-16A/B/B.

The RTAF announced the acquisition in a Facebook post on August 27 last year. The service stated that it wants to acquire Gripen-E/F, which is built by SAAB. The decision was reached after a careful evaluation conducted over ten months.

The RTAF concluded that the Gripen-E/F fighter jet has a capability range that meets the Air Force’s principled and strategic needs. The aircraft can be further developed, resulting in increased multidimensional operational capabilities. The text was machine-translated.

The RTAF had been evaluating the two fighters—the Swedish Saab Gripen-E and the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72 —that were offered to it.

Earlier, in July 2024, an RTAF spokesperson said that the RTAF favored the Swedish jets after conducting a thorough evaluation that demonstrated the Gripen better met its needs.

“The procurement is in process [but is] dependent on the government,” the spokesperson said. However, the final decision was left to the Thai government.

Dutch opposition parties called Wednesday for fresh elections as soon as possible, a day after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders sparked the collapse of the country's four-party coalition government.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof's 11-month-old administration fell apart when Wilders withdrew his Party for Freedom ministers. Schoof and the ministers of three remaining parties remain in power as a caretaker Cabinet.

The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections and during what could — again — be protracted talks to cobble together a new coalition in the fragmented Dutch political landscape after the vote.

Lawmakers can declare some policy areas “controversial” during the caretaker period. That restricts the government from taking concrete action on those issues.
What happens now?

The Dutch electoral commission will schedule a general election for all 150 seats in the Second Chamber of parliament.

It is very unlikely to happen before the fall because of a parliamentary recess that starts July 4 and runs to Sept. 1 and that will be followed by several weeks of campaigning.

What does Schoof want?

In a statement to lawmakers, Schoof said he wants to keep control, even in caretaker mode, of vital policies over the coming months.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s about security, both nationally and internationally, including support for Ukraine and everything that’s needed for defense," he said.

He also wants to be able to act on the economy, including the global trade war unleashed since the start of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term, "because that can have a direct effect on the Dutch economy and on our business community.”

IDF Spokesperson Effie Deffrin says aid distribution is undermining Hamas as the IDF presses ahead with expanded operations.

IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen.Effie Deffrin said on Tuesday evening that Hamas’s grip on the Gaza Strip is weakening, as Israeli forces continue operations both above and below ground. “Hamas is losing control. It continues to operate against its own civilians,” Deffrin told the media. He emphasized that “the distribution of food severely harms Hamas and its rule. Tens of thousands of meals are distributed daily to Gazans,” he said.

Deffrin slammed Hamas for spreading false reports about IDF activity near aid distribution sites, which have been parroted by world media.

“[Hamas] spreads false information, which some Western media outlets have disseminated.”
“In recent days, armed individuals have attacked Gazans. In southern Khan Yunis, they harmed civilians who came to collect aid,” Deffrin said.

On Tuesday morning, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza claimed that 24 Palestinians were killed by IDF fire while waiting near the aid distribution center in the Rafah area. Over the weekend, Hamas circulated a similar report claiming that 31 were killed.
Deffrin responded: “The report from the weekend was false,” noting that earlier on Tuesday, IDF soldiers fired warning shots near suspects about half a kilometer from the aid centers. “We do not prevent Gaza residents from reaching the distribution centers; it is Hamas that prevents them,” he clarified.

Deffrin also addressed criticisms of the IDF’s slow response to the incident, saying: “It takes time to investigate matters, but we will not report half-truths. Even if it takes time, we owe the truth first and foremost to our soldiers.”

The Pentagon plans to move its oversight of Greenland from U.S. European Command to U.S. Northern Command, a switch that would bring the Denmark-aligned island closer to alignment with the United States.

The change, first reported by Politico, comes as President Trump has repeatedly expressed an interest in taking control of the autonomous territory, where the U.S. military houses a base. Trump on the campaign trail and after taking office has said the U.S. taking control Greenland is a national security issue.

Shifting the responsibility for U.S. security interests in Greenland to Northcom, the military command that oversees America’s homeland defense, would largely be symbolic but underscores Trump’s focus on the territory.

The move could come as soon as this week, a Defense Department official and two people familiar with the planning told Politico.
The Pentagon did not return a request for comment from The Hill.

Reports first emerged last month that the Trump administration was mulling the move as Greenland is part of the North American continent, even as it is associated with Europe politically and culturally given it is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

Trump in his first term floated the notion of buying Greenland, but in his second term has doubled down on the idea. He has declined to rule out using military force in taking the island.

“I don’t rule it out. I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything,” Trump said in a May 4 interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We need Greenland very badly,” he added. “Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of and we’ll cherish them and all of that. But we need that for international security.”

Syria is able to proceed because it enjoys increased support from the US, as well as from Turkey and Qatar, both US allies.

Syria might integrate thousands of foreign fighters into its ranks under a new agreement, Reuters reported Monday. That possibility is being watched with interest in the region and also in the US and China.

The US has green-lighted the decision, which could lead to former fighters joining Syria’s new army, according to Levant24, an independent Syrian news site.

The Syrian army is growing every day and taking shape. The 56th Division had a graduation ceremony over the weekend for new trainees. It took place near Hama, one of Syria’s four largest cities. In addition, the 70th Division now contains elements of the US-backed Syrian Free Army that had been based at Tanf in southern Syria.
There are some controversies regarding the appointments to the new army. The new commander of the 86th Division operating in Deir Ezzor is a man named Ahmed al-Hayes, who previously was involved in human-rights abuses against Kurds.

As many as 3,500 foreign fighters, who some label “jihadists,” will be integrated into the 84th Division of the new Syrian army.
These fighters include Uyghurs who came to Syria as volunteers during the civil war. They are mainly from China or other Turkish-speaking areas. They are reputed to be members of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP). This group is banned by China and viewed as terrorists by Beijing.

TIP leader Abu Muhammad al-Turkistani received the rank of brigadier-general and command of the 133rd Division back in December 2024 when the new Syrian government was just taking shape after the fall of the Assad regime.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russia's Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday, state media KCNA reported.

Kim pledged unconditional support for Russia's position on Ukraine and other international issues, the report said on Thursday.

"Kim Jong Un affirmed that the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will, in the future, too, unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies," it said, using the North's official name.

North Korea will responsibly observe the articles of the treaty between the two countries, Kim was quoted as saying.

The two men also discussed strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and mutual cooperation in different fields.

The treaty was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang last year and a summit with North Korea's Kim, and includes a mutual defence pact for immediate military assistance if either faces armed aggression.

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed Wednesday to restart dormant talks with North Korea and bolster a trilateral partnership with the U.S. and Japan, as he laid out key policy goals for his single, five-year term.

Lee, who rose from childhood poverty to become South Korea’s leading liberal politician vowing to fight inequality and corruption, began his term earlier Wednesday, hours after winning a snap election that was triggered in April by the removal of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated imposition of martial law late last year.

In his inaugural address at the National Assembly, Lee said that his government will deal with North Korean nuclear threats and its potential military aggressions with “strong deterrence” based on the South Korea-U.S. military alliance. But he said he would “open a communication channel with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through talks and cooperation.”

He said he’ll pursue pragmatic diplomacy with neighboring countries and boost trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation.

"Through pragmatic diplomacy based on national interests, we will turn the crisis posed by the major shift in global economic and security landscapes into an opportunity to maximize our national interests,” Lee said.

Security and economic challenges lie ahead

It was unclear whether Lee’s election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea’s foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has recently repeatedly stressed South Korea’s alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy and avoided any contentious remarks that would raise questions on his views on the U.S. and Japan.

Opinion - Instead of nuclear weapons, give Poland a nuclear umbrella.

As the Polish electorate picks the country’s next president, questions about its nuclear future persist. Russia’s nuclear threats and insertion of nuclear arms into Belarus could create the impression that Poland is more exposed. In response, Poland could seek its own nuclear weapons, become a host for NATO weapons or turn to France and the United Kingdom for protection.

In March, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland must pursue “capabilities” related to nuclear weapons, and Andrzej Duda, the current president, has urged that U.S. nuclear arms be based in the country. Poland’s seeking to become nuclear armed would upset the West, but the other two options could be viable.

For over a decade, President Vladimir Putin has heightened nuclear threats to Europe. In 2014, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, he said he was “ready” to bring nuclear arms into play. In 2018, Putin displayed on large video screens a simulated nuclear attack on Florida and a “super torpedo” that could render coastal cities uninhabitable.

In 2019, a new Russian ground-launched cruise missile led the U.S. to withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, with the support of NATO allies. In 2023, Russia began moving Iskander missiles into Belarus, and last June, the two states conducted joint nuclear exercises. In November, Putin said he had lowered the threshold for nuclear use.

NATO has called Russia’s nuclear rhetoric “dangerous” and said it was considering whether to put more stored missiles on standby. (The U.S. has no nuclear-armed missiles in Europe.) These modest responses could lead the Kremlin to wonder about the strength of the nuclear umbrella over NATO allies.

U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe are a visible expression of the umbrella. They are stored in five NATO states: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Under the alliance’s “nuclear sharing” program, the bombs would be delivered by allied aircraft (stealthy F-35s, except F-16s for Turkey). Only the U.S. could authorize nuclear release.

Like West Germany in the Cold War, Poland today is the main NATO ally on the Central Front. In the Soviet era, NATO judged that U.S. nuclear-armed forces in West Germany were vital to deterring and defending against potential aggression. Similar logic is relevant to Poland today.

Poland and its nuclear-armed allies might choose among three options. It could try to acquire its own nuclear arms. Poland might join NATO’s nuclear sharing program as a basing country. And Warsaw might seek nuclear protection from France and the U.K.

The West would oppose Poland obtaining its own nuclear weapons. This would violate its obligations as a non-nuclear weapon state under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. With 191 adherents, it is a centerpiece of the global security order.

Thus, the West assisted Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine in eliminating their leftover Soviet strategic arms and associated infrastructure, and the international community has condemned Iran and North Korea’s nuclear quests.

Polish acquisition of its own nuclear forces could also spur other states in complex security environments to seek nuclear arsenals. This could increase dangers to them, from deficiencies in warning, command and control, or survivable basing, and to neighbors through collateral damage.

The second option, becoming a basing country in NATO’s nuclear sharing program, has much to recommend it. Most importantly, it could reduce the risks that Russian leaders might misperceive Poland as vulnerable or unprotected.

Poland flies F-35s, which could be configured to deliver B-61 bombs. Unrefueled, Poland’s F-35s could penetrate deeper into Russia than aircraft from some other allies. Poland has sufficient geographic expanse for a survivable force.

Russia’s nuclear threats and full-scale war on Ukraine justify NATO’s suspending its 1997 assurance of no “intention, plan, or reason” to place nuclear arms in new member states. At that time, NATO said it and Russia did “not consider each other adversaries.” The security environment today is far different.

A third option has been gaining attention, in part because of uncertainty about the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Duda has voiced a recurring interest in a French nuclear umbrella. The new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has called for nuclear talks with France and the U.K.

Past French attempts to develop concerted deterrence with Germany have been challenging. Unlike France, the UK participates in NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group and has “assigned” its nuclear forces to the defense of the alliance. Poland benefits from this.

France has a more ambiguous role in Europe’s nuclear deterrence. While France has long made clear that its vital interests have a European dimension, Paris is not interested in offering a nuclear sharing program similar to NATO’s. Providing nuclear reassurance to Poland could boost financial costs. Perhaps Poland could assist the French nuclear aviation mission, such as with training, refueling, or post-attack recovery.

Given these obstacles, some have suggested the creation of a French-U.K. joint venture to reassure Poland. A foundation exists. Since the Chequers Declaration of 1995, France and the U.K. have deepened nuclear cooperation.

Poland could decide to pursue both NATO nuclear sharing and protection from France and the U.K. From a military perspective, combined efforts might complicate Russian targeting and be a hedge against political disruptions.

China said that the United States needs to “stop spreading disinformation” and correct “wrongful actions” as the trade tensions between the two countries continue.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian claimed the U.S. “falsely accuses and smears” China and that Washington has taken “extreme suppression” measures. He listed “chip export controls, blocking EDA sales and announcing plans to revoke Chinese students’ visas” as actions that have “seriously disrupted the consensus and hurt China’s legitimate rights and interests.”

“China firmly opposes them and has lodged strong protests with the US,” Lin wrote in a Tuesday post on the social media platform X.

Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely talk “soon” — a conversation that will include discussing critical minerals.

China criticises Rubio remarks on 1989 Tiananmen protests-
The United States, in its commemoration of the Tiananmen protests in 1989, "distorted" historical facts and attacked China's political system, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

China has lodged a complaint to the U.S. side, Lin Jian, spokesperson at the Chinese ministry, said at a regular news conference.

Chinese tanks rolled into the square on June 4, 1989, and troops opened fire to end pro-democracy demonstrations. The Communist Party has never released a death toll, though rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into the thousands.

"Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday.

"The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he

Trump is already lowering the bar on China tariffs blasting President Xi as ‘hard to make a deal with’

President Donald Trump appears to be lowering the bar on trade negotiations with China as he complained that President Xi Jinping is “hard to make a deal with.”

The president softened his tone in a Truth Social post shared in the early hours of Wednesday. “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will,” Trump said. “But he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”

Last week Trump accused China of violating the terms of the agreement between the two countries. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” he said.

But his latest approach comes as the president is “obsessed with having a call with Xi,” a person familiar with the talks told Politico. The leaders of the world’s two largest economies are yet to speak on the phone to thrash out a deal.

Meanwhile, a former Trump official who remains close to the White House told Politico that the president “feels like a call between principals is a way to cut through a lot of this noise, and get right to the heart of the matter.”

President Donald Trump complained that Chinese President Xi Jinping is ‘hard to make a deal with’ in a Truth Social post. Trump has struggled to get the Chinese leader on the phone to thrash out a deal.
Obama’s assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Russel, told Politico that China “has a sharp nose for weakness, and for all his bravado, Trump is signaling eagerness, even desperation, to cut a direct deal with Xi.”

“That only stiffens Beijing’s resolve,” he added.

The trade war between the two countries has resumed after Trump accused China of violating the terms of the agreement. Beijing hit back Monday, accusing the U.S. of doing the same. The Trump administration revealed plans to revoke the visas of Chinese students and attempts to curb China’s access to the most advanced computer chips, which did not go down well.

“These practices seriously violate the consensus” of what was agreed in talks in Geneva two weeks ago, the Commerce Ministry said.

The leaders of the world’s two largest economies are yet to speak on the phone to thrash out a deal but ‘Trump is signaling eagerness, even desperation, to cut a direct deal with Xi,’ according to a former Trump official.
Now the talks are at somewhat of a standstill.

Trump believes he can break through to the Chinese leader, though the U.S. is trying to change a trade relationship worth $600 billion and doing so without losing too much political capital in the U.S.

The administration is “under a lot of pressure” following China’s critical minerals blockade, which blocks U.S. access to essential components in auto and electronics manufacturing as well as the production of munitions, a person familiar with the conversations told Politico.

Trump reduced tariffs on China last month from 145 percent to 30 percent.