PRC / China
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Conflicts - Tensions
Xi may not control, trust the CCP’s military, analysts say
FORUM Staff Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping may still lack control of his military leaders and be unable to trust them in combat, analysts say. Xi’s ongoing purge of top military officials may indicate his weak position, analysts contend. Xi wants the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to be ready to invade self-governed Taiwan by 2027. However, his…
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Illicit Activity
North Korea’s shadow economy fueled by illicit activities
U.S. Army 8th Theater Sustainment Command, National Security Law Team The international community imposed crippling sanctions on North Korea in 2006 after it conducted its first nuclear arms test. The sanctions, which remain in place, target traditional exports such as minerals and textiles. Combined with North Korea’s limited economy and lack of trading partners, the sanctions leave dictator Kim Jong…
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Conflicts - Tensions
In ‘ground-breaking revelation,’ China’s Taiwan Strait drills show coast guard answers to military command
FORUM Staff China Coast Guard vessels sailed under the command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during two days of military drills in the Taiwan Strait in April 2025, publicly exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) yearslong deception over its coast guard’s military role. It is “a ground-breaking revelation,” reported the Atlantic Council, a United States-based think tank, contradicting Beijing’s…
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Conflicts - Tensions
China deploys army of fake NGOs at U.N. to intimidate critics, probe finds
Agence France-Presse China is deploying a growing army of groups masquerading as nongovernmental organizations (NGO) to monitor and intimidate rights activists at the United Nations, an investigation found. Dubbed “China Targets,” the investigation involving 42 media organizations delves into the tactics Beijing uses to silence critics beyond its borders. One segment of the probe published in April 2025 by the…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Philippines condemns Beijing’s excessive claims at Sandy Cay, related manipulation of information
FORUM Staff The Philippines denounced Beijing’s latest aggressive activities in the South China Sea that include China raising its national flag on Sandy Cay and propagating false claims about the stretch of three uninhabited sandbars that the Philippines calls Pag-asa Cay 2. “The alleged seizure of Pag-asa Cay 2, an integral part of the Philippine national territory in the West…
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Global Commons
Taiwan bolstering cybersecurity infrastructure against China-backed hackers
FORUM Staff A cybersecurity center combining the resources of government agencies and global partners will fortify Taiwan’s defenses against an onslaught of hacks and other digital threats, primarily originating from China, officials say. The initiative, outlined by the National Institute of Cyber Security in April 2025, will oversee key areas including bolstering societal resilience, defending supply chains and infrastructure, and…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
U.S. sanctions CCP, Hong Kong officials over transnational repression
FORUM Staff Human rights advocates welcomed United States sanctions on officials in China and Hong Kong who used draconian security laws to intimidate and harass pro-democracy activists. The March 2025 sanctions freeze U.S. assets owned by six senior Beijing and Hong Kong security officials and block U.S. entities from conducting financial transactions with the sanctioned individuals. They include the chief…
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Features
Sharing Environmental Intelligence
FORUM Staff Kiribati’s plans for an improved pier on Kanton Island were at a standstill. Australia had committed to completing the project, but outdated information about the underwater topography surrounding the remote atoll had stymied the delivery of materials for planned upgrades. Crews needed underwater terrain mapping and information about ocean depth before it was safe for mariners to bring…
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Features
Exposing Coercion
FORUM Staff China has shown clear intent through its actions in the South China Sea: to control nearly 90% of the economically vital waters, including maritime territory in the Bruneian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Philippine and Vietnamese exclusive economic zones (EEZ). Over decades, however, China has sought to secure its illegitimate claims with lawfare activity conducted in relative obscurity. Examples include Beijing’s…
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Across The Region
Dozens of countries endorse ‘blueprint’ for AI use in military, but China opts out
About 60 countries, including Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners such as the United States, have endorsed a “blueprint for action” to govern responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military. China, however, was among those that declined to support the nonbinding document. The Responsible AI in the Military Domain summit in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2024 followed a similar…
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