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Lockheed-NioCorp Deal Highlights Growing American Push to Replace Chinese Critical Minerals

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Skunk Works X-59 Roll-Out

A preliminary scandium supply agreement between Lockheed Martin and NioCorp is indicative of a broader transformation underway in the U.S. defense industrial base. As Washington tightens restrictions on reliance on Chinese critical minerals, American defense and mining companies are going to have to accelerate efforts to build domestic and allied supply chains for materials essential … Read more

Red Sea Crisis Deepens: Houthis Declare Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia, Warn Ships of Attack

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Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi movement declared an immediate naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20th, warning that ships linked to Saudi ports could be targeted in what the Iran-aligned group described as retaliation for recent attacks on Yemen and what it called Riyadh’s continuing “siege” of the country. In a statement, the Houthis’ armed forces announced … Read more

China Practices Suppressing India’s S-400 Air Defenses in Chilling PLA Rocket Exercise

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Chinese PHL-191 MLRS rocket strikes what appears to be a mock-up of an S-400 radar during a military exercise

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is said to have conducted an exercise entailing the use of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) to simulate strikes against various targets, including the Russian S-400 air defense system. The video, reportedly published on July 8th by the PLA’s Western Theater Command, showed the PLA’s PHL-191 long-range multiple launch … Read more

U.S. Navy Explores South Korean Shipbuilding Partnership as U.S. Industry Struggles

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Arleigh Burke-class destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk

As the United States struggles to overcome persistent bottlenecks in its naval shipbuilding industry and keep pace with China’s accelerating naval expansion, Washington may be preparing to rethink one of the most protected areas of its defense industrial base by looking beyond domestic shipyards for solutions. According to South Korean industry officials, the U.S. Navy … Read more

Beijing’s welfare bill that no one wants to pay

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China's Hukou (or household) registration book.

The article was written by the Author for The Interpreter, a publication of The Lowy Institute, an independent Australian think tank. This is the link to the original article: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/beijing-s-welfare-bill-that-no-one-wants-to-pay In late May, China’s State Council issued guidelines to expand access to basic public services based on a person’s place of residence rather than their … Read more

Trump Could Again Send Witkoff, Kushner to Moscow in New Ukraine Peace Push, Kremlin Says

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Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin

U.S. President Donald Trump offered to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine during a nearly 90-minute telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on July 5th, as both leaders discussed the conflict, the situation in Iran and other international issues ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Turkey. The … Read more

China Launches Fresh Coast Guard Patrol East of Taiwan, Raising Risk of a Maritime Crisis

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China Coast Guard Vessel near Luzon, Philippines.

China has launched a new coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, replacing an earlier task force whose activities heightened tensions with Taipei and drew criticism from several Western governments. The development could mark the beginning of a more dangerous phase in cross-strait tensions, with civilian shipping increasingly at risk of getting caught in maritime confrontations … Read more

Russian Wargame Simulates Ukrainian Beach Landing on Crimea

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Russian Simulation of a Ukrainian Amphibious Assault on Crimean Peninsula

Russian military experts and officials conducted a command-and-staff exercise simulating a large-scale Ukrainian assault on Crimea, underscoring growing concern in the Kremlin over the possibility of future operations against the peninsula amid Ukraine’s sustained campaign of long-range strikes targeting Russian military and logistics infrastructure in and around Crimea. The exercise, dubbed ‘Crimean Wake-Up,’ was disclosed … Read more

Taiwan’s Rich Flee Geopolitical Tensions—Parking Millions in Singapore ‘Safe Haven’

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In recent years, Singapore has become a preferred offshore wealth hub for affluent Taiwanese families, reflecting growing concern over the long-term risks posed by China’s increasing military and political pressure on Taiwan. Lawyers, private bankers and external asset managers interviewed by Bloomberg say more Taiwanese entrepreneurs and business owners are transferring assets, establishing trusts and … Read more

Sustained Chinese Presence Detected in Bashi Channel Weeks Before Japan-Philippines Delimitation Talks Were Announced

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China Coast Guard vessels off Huangyan Dao in South China Sea on July 8th, 2024.

China’s maintained a persistent presence in the Bashi Channel and waters east of Taiwan for weeks before the announcement of maritime delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines, according to a geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) analyst based in the United States. The assessment, published by GEOINT analyst Jason Wang on LinkedIn, said China has maintained a … Read more