DefenceTalkChina has gained a major foothold in oil-rich Iraq, shaking up Western domination in fields from energy to construction, even as some warn that infrastructure projects could leave Baghdad in debt. After decades of conflict, Iraq is “badly in need of foreign investment, and specifically investment in energy sector infrastructure”, said John Calabrese of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-cements-influence-in-iraq-through-oil-infrastructure-deals-79228/

DefenceTalkA US state governor met Taiwan’s president Monday, days after Washington announced trade talks with Taipei in a show of support following China’s military threats towards the self-ruled island. Eric Holcomb, the Republican governor of Indiana, landed in Taiwan on Sunday for an “economic development trip”. US-China tensions have risen since Beijing staged huge military […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-governor-visits-taiwan-after-china-drills-79225/

DefenceTalkChinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military drills, Beijing’s defence ministry said. Beijing and Moscow have close defence links and China has said it wants to push bilateral relations “to a higher level,” even as Moscow faces international sanctions and widespread condemnation over its war in Ukraine. China’s defence ministry […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-to-send-troops-to-russia-for-joint-military-drills-79209/

DefenceTalkTaiwan’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Beijing is using air and sea drills encircling the island to prepare for an invasion and to change the status quo in the Asia-Pacific region. China launched its largest-ever war games around Taiwan last week in a furious response to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-fm-says-china-using-drills-to-prepare-for-invasion-79184/

DefenceTalkTaiwan will hold live-fire military drills this week simulating a defence of the island against a Chinese invasion, officials said Monday, as Beijing carries out fresh exercises around its neighbor. The self-ruled, democratic island lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which sees it as part of Chinese territory to be reclaimed one […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-to-hold-anti-invasion-drills-after-china-exercises-79178/

DefenceTalkChina carried out fresh military drills around Taiwan Monday, Beijing said, defying calls to end its largest-ever exercises encircling the island in the wake of a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has raged at the trip by Pelosi — the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in decades — ripping up […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-holds-fresh-military-drills-around-taiwan-79175/

DefenceTalkChina fired ballistic missiles and deployed fighter jets and warships on Thursday as it held its largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan, a show of force sparked by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island. Pelosi was the highest-profile US official to visit Taiwan in years, defying a series of stark threats from Beijing, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-fires-missiles-around-taiwan-in-major-military-drills-79172/

DefenceTalkSeveral US warships were cruising in waters near Taiwan on Tuesday, US military officials said, amid Chinese anger over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to the island Beijing claims as its territory. As China announced it would hold live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait in response to Pelosi’s visit, the US Navy’s Seventh […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navy-warships-cruising-near-taiwan-as-pelosi-visits-79169/

DefenceTalkChina on Saturday will hold live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait, the government announced via state media, raising the stakes ahead of a possible trip to the self-governing island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The maneuvers will be limited in scope and will take place off the island of Pingtan in Fujian province, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-announces-taiwan-strait-drills-ahead-of-possible-pelosi-trip-79153/

DefenceTalkChinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Joe Biden not to “play with fire” over the self-ruled island of Taiwan during a lengthy phone call Thursday that the White House said aimed to steady the superpowers’ rocky relationship. A statement relayed by Chinese state media said the call, lasting two hours and 17 minutes […]https://www.defencetalk.com/xi-warns-biden-not-to-play-with-fire-over-taiwan-79144/