China is significantly increasing maritime pressure around Taiwan, with a record number of Chinese vessels detected near the island as Taipei moves to strengthen its defenses.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard says 244 Chinese vessels were detected around the main island in July, averaging nearly eight ships per day. The figure represents a sharp increase from 55 vessels in June and 30 in May.

The surge has raised concerns among Taiwanese officials and analysts over whether China’s growing maritime presence could be more than a show of strength, including possible preparations for undersea warfare, maritime pressure or a future blockade.

Another major concern is China’s military-civil fusion strategy, under which civilian maritime assets can potentially be requisitioned for national defense purposes. Analysts warn that commercial vessels could provide additional transport capacity during a potential military operation.

Meanwhile, Taiwan is strengthening its own defenses. The island’s opposition-controlled parliament rejected a proposed $6.6 billion special drone budget, instead approving approximately $1.26 billion annually for military drones, amounting to around $7.6 billion over six years through regular budgets.

Taiwan has also conducted a major military exercise involving more than 5,000 reservists across two brigades, highlighting Taipei’s growing focus on preparing for potential threats.

The tensions stem from Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of China and its refusal to rule out the use of force to take control of the self-governed island. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains that the People’s Republic of China has never governed Taiwan.

Taiwan On Alert As Record Chinese Ships Raise Blockade Fears

<p>China recently adopted a new law on foreign policy that came into effect on July 1. The law, which is aimed at overcoming several limitations of the existing foreign policy, will further cement President Xi Jinping’s position as the ‘Supreme leader’ of China. Here is how:&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Understanding the new foreign policy law&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>As per the&nbsp;new foreign policy, “China has the right to take, as called for, measures to counter or take restrictive measures against acts that endanger its sovereignty, national security and development interests in violation of international law or fundamental norms governing international claims.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new law is aimed at safeguarding the national sovereignty, security and development interests of China, especially in the wake of the West imposing sanctions on the Asian giant, which could deeply hurt its global interests.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Xi protects China’s interests&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>With the help of this law, President Xi will be able to protect several initiatives such as the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative that have been launched during his time in office.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The foreign policy changes can be interpreted as Xi’s answer to the sanctions imposed on Chinese businesses overseas by the West.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=China+Foreign+policy+law+WION&amp;rlz=1C1GCEU_enIN1048IN1048&amp;oq=China+Foreign+policy+law+WION&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57.6383j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;China passes foreign relations law to counter West's sanctions hegemony</strong></a></p>

<h2><b>Centralisation of power&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>By bending the unsaid restrictions on tenure and age put in place by his predecessors, Xi became the president of China for the third time. No other president of China has held the position for three terms consecutively.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>From cutting loose the people who did not belong to his faction, to stacking the Politburo Standing Committee with his loyalists, Xi not only cemented his position inside the nation but also crushed any scope of dissent within the party.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Xi has consolidated unprecedented power, perhaps even more than Mao Zedong, the founder of China. On numerous occasions, Xi has proven that when it comes to China, he is the one calling the shots. Anyone with an interest in China and Chinese politics already knows that China and Xi are synonymous.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinas-first-foreign-relations-law-passed-by-parliament-committee-610440"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;China's first foreign relations law passed by parliament committee</strong></a></p>

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<p>China has always dreamt of dominating the global stage and has worked for years, built infrastructure, invested in businesses to turn that dream into a reality. In the wake of the present international scenario, where nations are fighting over global dominance, the new foreign policy law unveiled under Xi’s regime shows that China would imply every means possible to protect the interests of the nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And in doing so, President Xi has once again cemented his position as the ‘Supreme Leader’ of China that will help China fulfill the ‘Chinese dream of national rejuvenation’.</p>

<p><em><strong>(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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China recently adopted a new law on foreign policy that came into effect on July 1. The law, which is aimed at overcoming several limitations of the existing foreign policy, will further cement President Xi Jinping’s position as the ‘Supreme leader’ of China.

China recently adopted a new law on foreign policy that came into effect on July 1. The law, which is aimed at overcoming several limitations of the existing foreign policy, will further cement President Xi Jinping’s position as the ‘Supreme leader’ of China. Here is how: Understanding the new foreign policy law As per the new foreign policy, “China has the right to take, as called for, measures to counter or take restrictive measures against acts that endanger its sovereignty, national security and development interests in violation of international law or fundamental norms governing international claims.” The new law is aimed at safeguarding the national sovereignty, security and development interests of China, especially in the wake of the West imposing sanctions on the Asian giant, which could deeply hurt its global interests. Xi protects China’s interests With the help of this law, President Xi will be able to protect several initiatives such as the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative that have been launched during his time in office. The foreign policy changes can be interpreted as Xi’s answer to the sanctions imposed on Chinese businesses overseas by the West. Also read | China passes foreign relations law to counter West's sanctions hegemony Centralisation of power By bending the unsaid restrictions on tenure and age put in place by his predecessors, Xi became the president of China for the third time. No other president of China has held the position for three terms consecutively. From cutting loose the people who did not belong to his faction, to stacking the Politburo Standing Committee with his loyalists, Xi not only cemented his position inside the nation but also crushed any scope of dissent within the party. Xi has consolidated unprecedented power, perhaps even more than Mao Zedong, the founder of China. On numerous occasions, Xi has proven that when it comes to China, he is the one calling the shots. Anyone with an interest in China and Chinese politics already knows that China and Xi are synonymous. WATCH | China's first foreign relations law passed by parliament committee × China has always dreamt of dominating the global stage and has worked for years, built infrastructure, invested in businesses to turn that dream into a reality. In the wake of the present international scenario, where nations are fighting over global dominance, the new foreign policy law unveiled under Xi’s regime shows that China would imply every means possible to protect the interests of the nation. And in doing so, President Xi has once again cemented his position as the ‘Supreme Leader’ of China that will help China fulfill the ‘Chinese dream of national rejuvenation’. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

New foreign policy law cements President Xi Jinping’s position as Chinese ‘Supreme Leader’

<p>The coronavirus outbreak has brought China’s extraordinary,&nbsp;nearly half-century-long run of growth&nbsp;to an end&nbsp;a stark reminder of the enormous task ahead for world leaders trying to restart the global economy.</p>

<p>Since mid-August, the United States has repeatedly riled&nbsp;China&nbsp;by sending warships to the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;and has blacklisted 24 Chinese entities over their involvement in building and militarising artificial islands there.</p>

<p>China's faulty policies have exposed the countries to vulnerabilities such as financial stress due to massive unpaid debts.</p>

<p>Chinese&nbsp;officials said that the world's second-largest&nbsp;economy&nbsp;shrank 6.8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with a year ago, ending a streak of untrammeled growth that survived the Tiananmen Square crackdown, the SARS epidemic, and even the global financial&nbsp;crisis.</p>

<p>The five largest Chinese banks posted at least 10 percent profit declines for the first half of the year. These poor results, the result of increased provisions for bad loans, were the biggest profit drops in at least a decade.</p>

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<p>The profit drops are a warning of long-term troubles, especially because, in all probability, the banks are understating the severity of bad loan problems. Moreover, the outlook for China’s banks is gloomy because the outlook for China’s economy is gloomy.</p>

<p>These five Chinese institutions—the Big Four of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Bank of China plus the Bank of Communications—are struggling.</p>

<p>The essential problem is that the Chinese economy—like the economies of almost all other countries—was flattened by efforts to control the coronavirus. Gross domestic product contracted 6.8% year-on-year in the first calendar quarter of this year, according to the official National Bureau of Statistics. In reality, it was down about twice that.</p>

<p>At least 43.8 billion yuan could not come in because 7 companies filed bankruptcy restructuring applications.&nbsp;This includes&nbsp;the Peking university founder group.</p>

<p>Technology is the worst-hit industry which has accounted for more than a third of the average default.</p>

<p>China's property market is the biggest "grey rhino" - a very obvious yet ignored threat - in terms of financial risks, given it is so deeply intertwined with the financial industry, the head of the country's&nbsp;banking regulator said.</p>

<p>Guo Shuqing, who is chairman of the&nbsp;China&nbsp;Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) and party chief of the country's central&nbsp;bank, made the comments in a collection of articles by policymakers on&nbsp;China's 14th Five-Year Plan, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Monday.</p>

<p>Loans related to the property market currently account for 39% of total&nbsp;bank&nbsp;loans in&nbsp;China&nbsp;- to say nothing of a large amount of bonds, equities and trust investments with exposure to it, Guo said.</p>

<p>"It's safe to say that the property market is currently the greatest grey rhino in terms of financial risks," he was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>Guo also noted that modern technologies have brought and will continue to bring big changes to the financial industry, with digital currency, cybersecurity and information security emerging as key challenges for regulators.</p>

<p>In response, Guo said the CBIRC would use innovative ways to regulate large technology firms to prevent risks and monopolies, while promoting their development, according to the report.</p>


The coronavirus outbreak has brought China’s extraordinary, nearly half-century-long run of growth to an end a stark reminder of the enormous task ahead for world leaders trying to restart the global economy.

The coronavirus outbreak has brought China’s extraordinary, nearly half-century-long run of growth to an end a stark reminder of the enormous task ahead for world leaders trying to restart the global economy. Since mid-August, the United States has repeatedly riled China by sending warships to the South China Sea and has blacklisted 24 Chinese entities over their involvement in building and militarising artificial islands there. China's faulty policies have exposed the countries to vulnerabilities such as financial stress due to massive unpaid debts. Chinese officials said that the world's second-largest economy shrank 6.8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with a year ago, ending a streak of untrammeled growth that survived the Tiananmen Square crackdown, the SARS epidemic, and even the global financial crisis. The five largest Chinese banks posted at least 10 percent profit declines for the first half of the year. These poor results, the result of increased provisions for bad loans, were the biggest profit drops in at least a decade. × The profit drops are a warning of long-term troubles, especially because, in all probability, the banks are understating the severity of bad loan problems. Moreover, the outlook for China’s banks is gloomy because the outlook for China’s economy is gloomy. These five Chinese institutions—the Big Four of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Bank of China plus the Bank of Communications—are struggling. The essential problem is that the Chinese economy—like the economies of almost all other countries—was flattened by efforts to control the coronavirus. Gross domestic product contracted 6.8% year-on-year in the first calendar quarter of this year, according to the official National Bureau of Statistics. In reality, it was down about twice that. At least 43.8 billion yuan could not come in because 7 companies filed bankruptcy restructuring applications. This includes the Peking university founder group. Technology is the worst-hit industry which has accounted for more than a third of the average default. China's property market is the biggest "grey rhino" - a very obvious yet ignored threat - in terms of financial risks, given it is so deeply intertwined with the financial industry, the head of the country's banking regulator said. Guo Shuqing, who is chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) and party chief of the country's central bank, made the comments in a collection of articles by policymakers on China's 14th Five-Year Plan, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Monday. Loans related to the property market currently account for 39% of total bank loans in China - to say nothing of a large amount of bonds, equities and trust investments with exposure to it, Guo said. "It's safe to say that the property market is currently the greatest grey rhino in terms of financial risks," he was quoted as saying. Guo also noted that modern technologies have brought and will continue to bring big changes to the financial industry, with digital currency, cybersecurity and information security emerging as key challenges for regulators. In response, Guo said the CBIRC would use innovative ways to regulate large technology firms to prevent risks and monopolies, while promoting their development, according to the report.

Why China cannot afford to fund its campaign of provocation