[ SCMP ] Biden administration approves its first arms sale to Taiwan

The potential US$750 million deal includes 40 new M109 self-propelled howitzers and almost 1,700 kits to convert projectiles into more precise GPS-guided munitions The proposed sale would improve Taiwan’s capability to blunt a Chinese land invasion The US State Department notified Congress on Wednesday of a proposal to sell some US$750 million of weapons to…

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[ Nikkei Asia ] US does not support Taiwan independence: Kurt Campbell

 U.S President Joe Biden’s point man on Asia is “astonished” by China’s determination to play the leading role on the global stage and will “step up” its engagement in Southeast Asia to hold back such a trend. But the administration does not support Taiwan independence and understands the sensitivities involved, Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell said…

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[ CNA ] Taiwan’s Apple Daily says it will continue operations

 The Taiwanese edition of Apply Daily assured readers that its operations will continue as the island’s government on Thursday (Jun 24) denounced the closure of its sister paper in Hong Kong under a national security law. Hong Kong’s most popular tabloid had long been a thorn in Beijing’s side, with unapologetic support for the city’s…

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Asia Times: ‘Faux pacifists’ imperil Japan while empowering China

Original Article: Asia Times: ‘Faux pacifists’ imperil Japan while empowering China by Kerry K Gershaneck Professor Kerry K Gershaneck is currently a scholar at the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, National Chengchi University, ROC; a guest lecturer at the ROC National Defense University; a senior research associate with Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law (CPG); and the…

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