Asia & Pacific

Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan were an ⁠important ‘counterbalancing force’ for maintaining peace and stability.

Lee and Takaichi also reaffirmed closer coordination with the United States on regional security issues.

The former secretary of state urged skepticism after the Beijing summit, saying Taiwan is central to U.S. security and the American AI economy.

U.S. policy on arming Taiwan remains unchanged despite the U.S. president linking a $14 billion weapons package to talks with Beijing.

The call followed Trump’s Beijing summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

3 Finnish Divers Arrive in the Maldives to Remap the Search for the Bodies of 4 Italian Divers.

At least eight people were killed and 32 others were injured in Thailand on Saturday.

The changes indicate the North Korean leader is focusing solely on preserving the regime amid rising global geopolitical tensions, analysts say.

Having walked out of Chinese communist indoctrination, a scholar and historian hopes to offer America an antidote.

The two leaders also discussed artificial intelligence and possible cooperation on AI safety rules.

The Donggang becomes the 12th and final ship in a major modernization program to enhance Taiwan’s maritime security.

China also wants the United States to recognize the coastal Chinese province of Shandong as a ‘bird flu-free zone.’

The U.S. president said he must speak with Taiwan’s leader before deciding whether to proceed with the record arms sales package for Taipei.

For Japan, Taiwan is closely tied to its own security debate and to the U.S. military posture in the western Pacific.

Chinese rights activists welcome the U.S. president’s visit, hoping he will help improve China’s human rights conditions.

President Santiago Peña concluded his four-day visit to the island, and the two sides signed pacts covering artificial intelligence, security, and justice.

Trump welcomed China’s new purchase commitments but noted there has been no breakthrough on the release of Jimmy Lai.

The president said he has not yet decided whether to move ahead with a major U.S. arms package for Taiwan.

Japan imports most of its energy resources, making the economy especially sensitive to swings in global oil and fuel prices.

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a late-night statement on television on May 14 asking the public to remain calm.