July 2026

Batanes Claims Show Chinese Nationalism’s Irredentist Streak

Brian Hioe
Claims by Chinese scholars that Batanes, which constitutes the smallest province of the Philippines, belongs to China were widely circulated in Philippine media last month. In particular, the claims were advanced at a conference by scholars from Chinese institutions, such as the School of International Studies at Jinan University and the Center for South China Sea History and Culture at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies...
EnglishInternationalJuly 2026Regional Tensions4 min read

Ma Wen-chun Again Accused of Leaking Confidential Details About Taiwanese Military

Brian Hioe
According to the Ministry of National Defense, KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun, the co-chair of the defense committee in the legislature, had scuppered Taiwan’s plans to acquire explosive material RDX through purchase from India by exporting it through the Home-Max Furniture Trading Company. This is not the first time that Ma has been accused of leaking confidential details about the Taiwanese military...
Cross StraitEnglishFeaturedInternationalJuly 2026Politics4 min read

Colby Tweet Tantrum Shows Trump Administration’s Desire to Have Empire and Eat It, Too

Brian Hioe
A recent series of tweets by Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of War in the Trump administration, lashes out at the idea of “middle powers” supplanting US dominance. Colby claims that “We at [the Department of War] are not concerned that this is a serious possibility. Rather, we are more concerned that a few allies and partners will *think it is* and waste valuable time, money, and political capital on a distraction.”...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishFeaturedInternationalJuly 20264 min read