At stake is China's growing footprint in Central America, once a steadfast base for Taiwan and where the United States is worried about Beijing's expanding influence in its backyard.

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/end-to-taiwan-ties-nears-as-honduras-foreign-minister-goes-to-china/article_75967787-1314-5bc0-a4fe-fb2f4a0e3b5d.html

Bangkok has signaled that it is willing to accept Beijing's offer of a Chinese-made propulsion system, with some caveats.

Source: https://thediplomat.com/2023/04/singapore-china-to-kick-off-joint-military-exercises/

Beijing has also infiltrated temples on Taiwan's offshore islands and more sparsely populated east coast, according to a government summary of China's religious infiltration that cited intelligence on Beijing's activities.

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/china-wields-peace-goddess-religion-as-weapon-in-taiwan-election/article_e37c3586-223e-56ad-880e-944063d20730.html

Beijing's "continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp escalation in tension and worsen regional security," the ministry said, as it called on to "immediately stop such destructive unilateral actions."

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230918-taiwan-detects-103-chinese-warplanes-around-island

But it is likely a huge underestimate for a population of 1.4 billion, and Beijing's official case tally is no longer believed to reflect reality.

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/world/%27not-afraid-of-the-virus%27-wuhan-turns-page-on-covid-three-years-on

China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military and political pressure over the past three years to try and force the island to accept Beijing's sovereignty claims, which the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/china-says-its-priority-is-to-stop-taiwan-vp-visiting-us-next-month/article_3543914d-cbf5-5b33-a78d-e7c518ea218a.html

For decades Washington has managed a rather delicate status quo, acknowledging, if not supporting, Beijing's position that there is only one Chinese government - the one on the mainland.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65160872?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

From the Chinese perspective, the U.S. is clinging to fading glory as the world's lone superpower, and seeking to sabotage China's development and growing international stature by sowing mistrust about Beijing's intentions.

Source: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-and-china-are-talking-at-a-high-level-again-but-their-rivalry-remains-unchecked-184112

In an article published at the start of his visit toMoscow, Xi said Beijing's proposal, which was released last month, reflects global views and seeks to neutraliseconsequences, but acknowledged that the solutions are not easy.

Source: https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/index/DOW-JONES-INDUSTRIAL-4945/news/Putin-to-welcome-Xi-to-Moscow-under-shadow-of-Ukraine-war-43287564/?utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=20230319

Ministers brought in controls after a spike in cases following Beijing's relaxation of its zero-Covid policy.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64993197?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Mr Marcos' foreign policy is a reversal of the pro-China stand taken by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who was criticised for not doing enough to counter Beijing's aggression in the South China Sea.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-67224782?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Mr. Wang described Beijing's ties to Moscow as rock-solid.

Source: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2023/0223/China-s-Ukraine-dilemma-Broker-peace-or-boost-Putin?icid=rss

• None That comes as Beijing's efforts to tackle the economic slowdown have so far disappointed investors.

Source: https://biztoc.com/x/216f0377e9f3b154?ref=ff

Other examples include Beijing's Blowfish-3 unmanned weaponized helicopter.

Source: https://www.startribune.com/drone-advances-in-ukraine-could-bring-dawn-of-killer-robots/600240377/

Particularly alarming for China's neighbours has been Beijing's reluctance to engage in regular military-to-military talks with Washington.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/antony-blinken-qin-gang-meeting-china-beijing-candid-talks-3570716?cid=cna_flip_070214

Presidential and legislative elections will be held in January 2024 in Taiwan, which could well determine Beijing's attitude towards the island that China claims by all means, including force.

Source: https://worldcrunch.com/business-finance/dedollarization-financial-markets-europe

Taliban will attend China's Belt and Road Forum underscoring Beijing's growing official ties with the administration, despite its lack of formal recognition by any government, the media reported.

Source: https://www.ibtimes.co.in/taliban-join-chinas-belt-road-forum-commerce-minister-visit-beijing-details-863225

That's what all states do, and in the context of Beijing's long-running, highly successful full-spectrum effort to steal every military and industrial secret we have, the spy balloon is small beer.

Source: https://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/rich-lowry-biden-vs-the-ufos/article_bd8a7718-acb9-11ed-a294-f3629ec9293f.html

The Chinese mission said China resolutely opposed NATO's "eastward movement into the Asia-Pacific region" and warned any action threatening Beijing's rights would be met with a resolute response.

Source: https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203139/Beijing-warns-to-give-resolute-response-to-any-threat

The missive, which was swiftly rebuked by Western leaders as unserious, was essentially a formal pronouncement of Beijing's posture that the U.S. and European allies are failing to "prevent the crisis from deteriorating further."

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/china-calls-for-russia-ukraine-ceasefire-as-neutrality-claims-questioned/article_d9c62ee2-a5ff-5623-acbc-b1ac083ae55f.html