Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Clarifies Taiwan Stance, Stresses Importance of U.S. Alliance 
Jerome Powell Attends Supreme Court Hearing on Trump Effort to Fire Fed Governor, Calling It Historic 
EU-India Trade Deal Offers European Carmakers a New Opening in India’s Competitive Auto Market 
California Governor Gavin Newsom Launches Review Into Alleged TikTok Content Suppression After U.S. Ownership Deal 
Trump Warns Minneapolis Mayor as Immigration Raids Continue Amid Rising Tensions 
Trump, Walz Seek De-Escalation After Minneapolis Deportation Crisis and Agent Shake-Up 
Trump Claims Breakthrough in Syria Talks After Call With President al-Sharaa 
UK Politicians Call for Full Competition Review of Netflix’s Warner Bros Discovery Deal 
Trump Warns Iraq Against Reappointing Nouri al-Maliki, Threatens to End U.S. Support 
Kim Jong Un Signals Expanded Nuclear Plans Ahead of Workers’ Party Congress 
Starmer’s China Visit Signals New Era in UK–China Economic Relations 
U.S. Returns Seized Oil Tanker to Venezuela in Rare Policy Move 
U.S. Links Security Guarantees to Ukraine Peace Deal Talks With Russia 
Trump Raises Tariffs on South Korean Autos, Escalating Trade Tensions Despite Prior Deal 
Japan Urges Fishermen to Avoid Senkaku Islands as China Tensions Rise 
U.S., Denmark and Greenland Begin Talks to Ease Tensions Over Arctic Security 
Sam Altman Criticizes ICE Enforcement as Corporate Leaders Call for De-Escalation 
Western countries are on alert over the situation in the South China Sea as China continues to assert control over the majority of the waters. With fears of an open conflict in the region, an expert says the United Kingdom can inflict damage against China should it be underestimated.
Shanghai Institutes for International Studies European affairs specialist Long Jing warned that the UK could inflict just as much damage in the disputed region should China underestimate the nation. Jing cited that the UK has many resources, including its affiliations with the Commonwealth of Nations and the Five Eyes Alliance. The Five Eyes Alliance, made up of the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, share intelligence, their partnership coming as a result of the Cold War.
“Britain has many resources, such as the Commonwealth of Nations and the Five Eyes Alliance to achieve its goals so it can wage real havoc if its actions are underestimated,” said Jing.
Jing added that because the UK is a “pragmatic country, it would pursue the best of its national interests and adjust its approach to China when the US-China relations become more stable.”
This also comes as Japan is calling for Western and European allies to increase their presence not just in the South China Sea but also in the East China Sea. Japan and China are in conflict over the East China Sea. China claims sovereignty over most of both regions, but an international tribunal ruled against China’s claims in 2016, especially over the South China Sea. Beijing continues to exert control over unoccupied islands.
As nations increase their presence in the waters, China is looking to take control even through more discreet means, building surveillance platforms that are planted in parts of the South China Sea. Many of Beijing’s radars are in international waters as well as Chinese waters, according to Chatham House Asia-Pacific Program associate fellow Bill Hayton. Speaking with Express, Hayton said that China has been building surveillance systems to monitor activities in the South China Sea.
“Obviously they’ve built these seven new artificial islands on coral reefs in the Spratly Islands and that adds to other things they’ve built elsewhere,” said Hayton. “That gives them a pretty good view of what’s happening around them and even over the horizon. This allows them to send ships whether they be Navy or coastguard ships or militia to stop things they don’t like.”
