Taiwan on Thursday reported a total of 68 Chinese warplanes and 10 Chinese vessels near its territory within 24 hours. “68 [People’s Liberation Army] aircraft and 10 [People’s Liberation Army] vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today,” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced in a statement, referring to China’s army and navy. The Taiwanese ministry added that its armed forces have “monitored the situation” and “tasked [combat air patrol] aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond [to] these activities.” The ministry later added that 40 of the Chinese aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest or southeast Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)—an area in the airspace primarily over the East China Sea but extending beyond Taiwan’s national airspace....Read more https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/taiwan-reports-68-chinese-warplanes-10-vessels-near-island-5491282
Former defence personnel and Australian public servants face decades behind bars if they share the country’s classified secrets. The Safeguarding Australia’s Military Secrets Bill comes as several cases of Beijing-linked espionage emerge across Western countries. On Sept. 14, federal Labor Defence Minister Richard Marles introduced laws that will make it a requirement for former military personnel to obtain approval before they can work for a foreign military or government service. Failure to receive approval could lead to 20 years imprisonment, while those who receive permission but do not follow the government’s requirements could face five years behind bars. Penalties of up to 20 years could also be slapped on those who provide tactical or weapons training....
Following a visit from a delegation of Chinese officials last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is headed to China in October to strengthen climate partnership, according to statements he made during an interview with Politico Sept. 12. “We get it in the state of California, but we’re responsible now to not just understand the impacts, but also to address the solutions,” Mr. Newsom said in the interview. “That’s why I’ll be going to China in a few weeks. To build on the work we’ve done in China on climate, and I don’t think there’s anything more essential.”...
WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to China that would make him the highest ranking congressional official to visit the country as tensions between the world’s two top powers continue to rise. Speaking to reporters on Sept. 13 following a forum on artificial intelligence, Mr. Schumer declined to share details about his trip, which follows a number of visits by senior Biden administration officials to the country, such as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “I’m not going to get into my China trip,” he said, adding that Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has been “one of the leaders” spearheading this trip. It’s unclear when the trip, which includes a stop to Japan and South Korea, will take place....