Four visiting senators urged Taiwan to break an impasse over a $40 billion budget proposal, highlighting concerns in Washington about the threat from China.
Tensions in the opposition Nationalist Party could surface this week as lawmakers argue over additional defense funding intended to counter Beijing’s growing might.
China announced a 7 percent increase in military spending and a five-year plan to try to reduce its military and industry’s reliance on Western technology.
Around 100 senior officers have been sidelined or vanished since 2022, hollowing out the top ranks and raising questions about the army’s capabilities.
President Trump said his planned meeting with President Xi Jinping would be a grand display, but tensions over trade and defense could dampen the mood.
Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing’s efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear weapons vanish.
By ousting his top generals, Xi Jinping has secured absolute control but also hollowed out the command structure preparing for possible war over Taiwan.
The ouster of Gen. Zhang Youxia, who was second only to Xi Jinping in the military hierarchy, marks “the total annihilation of the high command,” one analyst said.
