Hong Kong Democratic Party Disbands After Member Vote Amid Security Crackdown 
U.S. Suspends UK Technology Deal Amid Trade Disputes Under Trump Administration 
Zelenskiy Signals Willingness to Drop NATO Bid as Ukraine, U.S. Hold Crucial Peace Talks in Berlin 
Federal Judge Declines to Immediately Halt Trump’s $300 Million White House Ballroom Project 
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal 
Jimmy Lai Convicted Under Hong Kong National Security Law in Landmark Case 
Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law 
Ukraine Claims First-Ever Underwater Drone Strike on Russian Missile Submarine 
NSW to Recall Parliament for Urgent Gun and Protest Law Reforms After Bondi Beach Shooting 
Trump Taps Former DHS Official Troy Edgar for U.S. Ambassador Role in El Salvador 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
Lukashenko Says Maduro Welcome in Belarus Amid Rising U.S.-Venezuela Tensions 
Trump Weighs Reclassifying Marijuana as Schedule III, Potentially Transforming U.S. Cannabis Industry 
Trump Sues BBC for Defamation Over Edited Capitol Riot Speech Clip 
Trump’s Rob Reiner Remarks Spark Bipartisan Outrage After Tragic Deaths 
Taiwan Political Standoff Deepens as President Lai Urges Parliament to Withdraw Disputed Laws 
The island nation of Taiwan is looking to bolster its defenses amidst concerns of a possible military invasion by China to take the island by force. Former US defense secretary Mark Esper said he plans to relay Taiwan’s concerns on the speed of arms sales when he returns to the United States.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Esper said Thursday that he did not sense that Taiwanese officials were frustrated with the arms that Washington is offering but rather the speed of the sales.
Esper cited Taiwan’s desire to acquire more Javelin and Stinger anti-tank weapons, which are also being requested and used by Ukraine.
“I didn’t pick up any frustration other than the speed at which we conduct arms sales,” said Esper. “There was an expression of the need to get greater access to weapons such as the Javelin and the Stinger.”
“I think there was a concern about the supply chains and supply lines. That’s an issue that my delegation and I decided to take back to and share with the right people in DC,” said Esper, who was visiting Taiwan with the Atlantic Council think tank.
Esper also had meetings with Taiwanese officials, including President Tsai Ing-wen.
The island nation has complained of an increased effort by Beijing to pressure Taiwan and its democratic government to accept China’s sovereignty. China claims Taiwan is part of the mainland and has conducted military drills near the island while also criticizing visits by foreign government officials.
The United States is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with arms for the island nation to defend itself but has also tried to push for asymmetric warfare with the use of more mobile weapons to make the island more difficult to attack. Tsai has sought to prioritize the tactic.
Speaking at the parliament of the Czech Republic Thursday, Taiwan’s parliament speaker You Si-kun warned against China’s ambitions. You said that while the island nation was making gains internationally, authoritarianism was also growing.
The Czech Republic, a NATO and European Union country, has looked to build closer relations with Taiwan among democracies in Asia, predictably drawing the ire of Beijing.
