September 3, 2026

Southeast Asia Watch

China Is Determined to Hold Firm Against Trump's Pressure ...

Public Opinion Surveys Show Recent Gains for China’s Soft Power– chinadigitaltimes.net

pgnewser September 17, 2025 0

China Is Determined to Hold Firm Against Trump's Pressure ...

Public Opinion Surveys Show Recent Gains for China’s Soft Power– chinadigitaltimes.net
Source Link
Excerpt:

Several public opinion surveys published over the last few months paint a picture of China’s role in the world from the perspective of both Chinese and international respondents. These build on previous surveys from the past year that show how despite polarized views, global attitudes towards China have improved at the expense of the U.S., especially in the Global South. (Meanwhile, polls showing dissatisfaction within China have been censored online.)

One notable survey published this month by Dina Smeltz, Craig Kafura, Yawei Liu, Nick Zeller, and Sam Dong at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs tracked Chinese people’s confidence in China and their desire for their country to play a global leadership role. Conducted between April 25 and June 16, the survey found that a “key difference between Chinese views of Beijing’s role in the world compared to American views of Washington’s role is that China’s public support is widespread across all demographic groups, while the public in the United States is much more fragmented, especially by partisan affiliation.” Here is a summary of the main findings:

Nine in 10 Chinese support their country’s active participation in world affairs (90%).

Part of this enthusiasm stems from a sense that China is a leading power in the world: Large majorities say their country is in at least a somewhat strong position in the world (97%) and expect it to get at least somewhat stronger in the next five years (95%).

Seven in 10 Chinese respondents say China has a unique character that makes it the greatest country in the world (69%) versus three in 10 who say China is no greater than any other country (30%).

While a plurality prefer China play a shared leadership role in the world (48%), four in 10 say it should take a dominant one (41%). One in 10 feel China should play no leadership role (11%). [Source]

Signposts Toward the Future of Indian-Chinese Relations– warontherocks.com

pgnewser September 17, 2025 0

Signposts Toward the Future of Indian-Chinese Relations– warontherocks.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

On Aug. 31, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s annual summit in Tianjin — Modi’s first trip to China in seven years. The meeting highlighted improving relations between the two countries, following a period of intensified tensions during border clashes in 2020. This renewed engagement occurs at a time of unusually high U.S.–Indian tensions, raising concerns in Washington that New Delhi might be leaning more toward China. We asked three experts to identify key indicators that might signify the direction of Indian–Chinese relations over the next few

China accuses Philippines of ship collision near disputed shoal in South China Sea– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser September 17, 2025 0

China accuses Philippines of ship collision near disputed shoal in South China Sea– www.cbsnews.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

China’s coast guard accused a Philippine ship of deliberately ramming one of its vessels on Tuesday near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines denied it, saying China’s forces used powerful water cannons that damaged its ship and injured a crew member.

A Chinese coast guard statement said more than 10 Philippine government ships coming from various directions entered the waters around the shoal, which is called Huangyan Island in Chinese. It said it deployed water cannons against the vessels.

The encounter came six days after China announced it was designating part of Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve. The Philippine government, which calls the shoal Bajo de Masinloc, filed a diplomatic protest.

China and the Philippines have clashed repeatedly around outcroppings in the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. The two countries are among several that have competing claims to territory in the waters, which are of strategic importance and home to valuable fishing grounds.

The Philippine coast guard said two Chinese coast guard ships hit a Filipino fisheries vessel, the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, with powerful water cannons for nearly 30 minutes “resulting in significant damage,” including in the captain’s cabin and the bridge. A glass window was shattered and injured a personnel while the deluge of water caused a short circuit that affected electrical outlets and five outdoor air-conditioning units, it said.

Censorship Smothers Criticism of Military Parade– chinadigitaltimes.net

pgnewser September 10, 2025 0

Censorship Smothers Criticism of Military Parade– chinadigitaltimes.net
Source Link
Excerpt:

A host of measures intended to stifle dissent allowed Beijing’s military parade last week to take place without any major disruptions. The following is a summary of some of these examples of censorship and control.

Some of these measures were implemented before the parade began. A recent censorship directive, leaked online and later translated by CDT, advised cyber-regulators to remain vigilant against a long list of “ideological risks” related to the upcoming military parade and other events during the third quarter of the year. Last week, Laura Bicker at the BBC detailed how Beijing tightened control in the lead-up to the parade:

Airport security scanners have been installed in some office entrances. All drones are banned and international journalists have been visited at home, some on multiple occasions, to ensure they get the message.

Guards have been stationed 24 hours a day at the entrances to overpasses and bridges to prevent any protests, some of them in army uniforms.

[…] People living near Chang’an Avenue, which leads to Tiananmen square, were told to stay off their balconies to ensure the rehearsals could be held in secrecy. [Source]

Developing world is awash in pesticides - does it have to be?

Chinese Mobs Using Pesticides to Attack America

pgnewser August 28, 2025 0

Chinese gangs are allegedly running illegal marijuana farms in Northern California through which they are smuggling in dangerous pesticides that threaten the flora and fauna of the region, including humans themselves. The intent behind it seems two-fold, to efficiently grow their cash crops and ruin the American ecosystem. Operations have also been reported in Maine, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

Lt. John Nores Jr. of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said, “These criminal organizations use such a  deadly, potent, toxic chemical because it absolutely keeps everything off their cash crop.”

Chinese Orgs Smuggling Dangerous Pesticides Into US, Authorities Warn– dailycaller.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

Chinese criminal organizations have infiltrated California’s black-market marijuana industry, smuggling toxic pesticides that authorities warn could cause decades of environmental damage, NewsNation reported Sunday.

The illegal pesticides are killing wildlife and destroying ecosystems across northern California, where Chinese cartels operate large-scale marijuana growing operations using trafficked migrant workers, authorities told NewsNation.

“A lot of the chemicals that are being used are hazardous to humans,” Matt Kendall, Mendocino County Sheriff, stated.

Kendall confirmed authorities have identified a pattern of Chinese cartels controlling these operations and potentially using violence to protect their enterprises, the outlet reported. The criminal organizations allegedly rely on migrant workers trafficked into the United States specifically to cultivate black-market marijuana.

Challenging China’s Global Grip › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser August 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Recent reports are urging President Trump to recognize Somaliland as an independent country. During his press conference with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, where he discussed brokering their peace, a reporter also asked him about Somaliland. President Trump, positioning himself as a true dealmaker who brokers peace among longtime warring factions, has a significant opportunity to strengthen these fledgling nations.

East Turkistan is another country yearning for freedom, located to the east of Kazakhstan in Central Asia. Currently occupied by the People’s Republic of China and labeled the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, most of the world has never heard of this country because of the Chinese government’s ethnic cleansing and propaganda war of suppression and secrecy.

However, most people have heard of the Uyghurs.

As the Serbian Government Cracks Down on Dissent, China Equips them to Spy on their Citizens

pgnewser August 14, 2025 0

The Chinese Communist Party has now been exposed for building an advanced nationwide digital surveillance system for the Serbian government that is currently being used to shut down the resistance to the regime. Citizens have been protesting since a November 2024 train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people.

The government led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by President Alexsander Vucic, is being accused of being corrupt to the point of making Serbia a dangerous place to live due to mismanaged public works projects. Now, protestors are being met with pro-government counter-protestors, with the violence reportedly only increasing in these clashes.

Leaked Files Reveal Serbia’s Secret Expansion Of Chinese-Made Surveillance – rferl.org

Source Link
Excerpt:

BELGRADE — The Serbian government is substantially expanding its advanced Chinese-made surveillance system, leaked documents reviewed by RFE/RL show, despite years of protests and backlash from the public over its use.

The documents seen by RFE/RL contain contacts with the Chinese technology giant Huawei.

They show large purchases of software and services necessary to increase the scale of a program called Safe City, a project first sold by Huawei in 2017 through a strategic partnership deal with Serbia’s Interior Ministry.

The program aims to provide facial and license-plate recognition and other surveillance capabilities integrated into a unified, citywide system.

Serbia’s police intervene as ruling party supporters face off against anti-government protesters – Yahoo News Canada–

pgnewser  August 14, 2025

Source Link

Months of protests in Serbia reached a new intensity Wednesday night as riot police intervened to separate rival demonstrations of anti-government protesters and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. The president once again accused unnamed foreign powers of orchestrating the protests, which first began after the deadly collapse of a subway station sparked accusations of widespread government corruption.

Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff, a major escalation of nine-month-long protests in Serbia.

The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people and triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects.

Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking President Aleksandar Vucic’s firm grip on power. His supporters have recently started organising counter-demonstrations, fuelling fears of possible violence.

Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally – ABC News–

pgnewser  March 11, 2025

Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally – ABC News
Source Link
Excerpt:

 Several hundred student protesters have blocked Serbia’s public television station building in Belgrade as tensions are soaring in the Balkan country days ahead of a planned large rally over the weekend billed as an endgame in months of anti-government demonstrations.

The students first blocked the TV building in central Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, late on Monday and several hundred gathered again early on Tuesday, after announcing that their blockade will last for at least 22 hours.

University students in Serbia are behind almost daily rallies that started after a concrete canopy crashed down in November at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15 people. The protests have rocked populist rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his firm grip on power.

Serbian farmers join striking university students’ 24-hour traffic blockade in Belgrade – The Associated Press

pgnewser  January 28, 2025

Serbian farmers join striking university students’ 24-hour traffic blockade in Belgrade – The Associated Press
Source Link
Excerpt:

  1. Serbian farmers join striking university students’ 24-hour traffic blockade in Belgrade  The Associated Press
  2. Serbian students block Belgrade road junction to increase pressure on Vučić  The Guardian
  3. A driver rams an anti-government rally in Serbia’s capital and injures one protester  The Washington Post

Serbia’s police intervene as ruling party supporters face off against anti-government protesters – Yahoo News Canada–

pgnewser August 14, 2025 1

Source Link

Months of protests in Serbia reached a new intensity Wednesday night as riot police intervened to separate rival demonstrations of anti-government protesters and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. The president once again accused unnamed foreign powers of orchestrating the protests, which first began after the deadly collapse of a subway station sparked accusations of widespread government corruption.

Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff, a major escalation of nine-month-long protests in Serbia.

The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people and triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects.

Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking President Aleksandar Vucic’s firm grip on power. His supporters have recently started organising counter-demonstrations, fuelling fears of possible violence.

The real reason the West is warmongering against China | International Trade– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Over the past two decades, the posture of the United States towards China has evolved from economic cooperation to outright antagonism. US media outlets and politicians have engaged in persistent anti-China rhetoric, while the US government has imposed trade restrictions and sanctions on China and pursued military build-up close to Chinese territory. Washington wants people to believe that China poses a threat.

China’s rise indeed threatens US interests, but not in the way the US political elite seeks to frame it.

The US relationship with China needs to be understood in the context of the capitalist world system. Capital accumulation in the core states, often glossed as the “Global North”, depends on cheap labour and cheap resources from the periphery and semi-periphery, the so-called “Global South”.

This arrangement is crucial to ensuring high profits for the multinational firms that dominate global supply chains. The systematic price disparity between the core and periphery also enables the core to achieve a large net-appropriation of value from the periphery through unequal exchange in international trade.

Bad news for US and Taiwan as China’s largest aircraft carrier with J-15T, J-35 fighter planes to soon join C – India.Com

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

 In a significant development in the Indo-Pacific and and a matter of concern for India, US and East Asian Countries, China has intensified its maritime military capabilities by deploying its largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, into the sea. As per media reports, the Fujian aircraft carrier is not only China’s most advanced but also its first fully domestically designed flat-deck supercarrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults. Here are all the details you need to know about the Fujian advanced aircraft carrier.

China’s Fujian aircraft carrier: Why India should be cautious?

Reportedly similar to the US Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class, the deployment of the aircraft carrier marks a significant step in Beijing’s naval modernization and signals its growing strategic ambitions from the Taiwan Strait to the Indian Ocean.

Why China’s Fujian aircraft carrier is dangerous?

As per media reports, the Fujian aircraft carrier was first deployed for sea trials in May 2024 and is expected to join service by the end of 2025. More importantly, the aircraft carrier has been equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system (EMALS), making China the only country in the world after US to use an electromagnetic catapult system (EMALS) to land fighter jets on a carrier.

 

U.S. Citizens Held De Facto Hostage in China

pgnewser July 28, 2025 0

China Is Increasingly Holding U.S. Citizens Hostage Indefinitely– thefederalist.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

China imposed exit bans on two U.S. citizens: a senior executive of U.S.-based Wells Fargo Bank and a federal employee of the U.S. Commerce Department. These incidents underscore the significant risks of conducting business or traveling in China.

Very little personal information is public regarding the federal employee affected by the exit ban, likely due to his affiliation with the U.S. government and concerns for his safety. According to the South China Morning Post, he is a naturalized U.S. citizen who originally came from China and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He traveled to China in April to visit family but has been unable to leave since then. The reason for the exit ban is unclear, but The Washington Post suggests it may be related to his alleged failure to disclose his U.S. government employment on his visa application to Chinese authorities.

In contrast, more information exists about the Wells Fargo executive affected by the exit ban. Her name is Chenyue Mao, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from China, and a managing director in Wells Fargo’s Atlanta division. Mao is reportedly an expert in factoring, a process in which exporters in one country “sell unpaid invoices to third parties, who then collect payments later from importers in another country.” Mao has previously collaborated with Chinese companies in trade financing and factoring.

Beijing’s South China Sea Campaign of Intimidation Has Run Aground – War on the Rocks– warontherocks.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

During a June 17 speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Steve Koehler declared that despite an ongoing campaign of intimidation against its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, “China’s pressure is not working well. It has failed to intimidate Southeast Asian claimants and make them surrender their sovereign rights.”

Koehler detailed examples of Chinese harassment and violence over the last year against Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and especially the Philippines, but noted that in each case, the Southeast Asian states have refused to back down. The admiral echoed this assessment the following month in a speech in Manila on the anniversary of the Philippines’ 2016 arbitral victory in The Hague, which ruled most of Beijing’s maritime claims in the South China Sea illegal.

That China is faltering might surprise casual observers of the South China Sea disputes, but it matches the available evidence. China’s efforts to establish control over the sea have plateaued over the last four years. That came after nearly a decade of steady gains. The strategy that won Beijing control over much of the body of water, despite the illegality of its claims, was centered on a campaign of intimidation and non-lethal force, often dubbed “gray zone” coercion. That campaign is no longer working but the Xi Jinping regime is unwilling, and likely unable, to accept that reality and seek compromise with its Southeast Asian neighbors. The result is a dangerous cycle of brinksmanship, but one that is not delivering results for Beijing. To help Southeast Asian partners, especially the Philippines, remain resilient and deter Beijing from military escalation, the United States should follow through with plans to strengthen force posture and support the military modernization of partners in the region.

Dueling Military Drills: China Launches Back-to-Back Exercises During Taiwan’s Annual Han Kuang War Games | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

As Taiwan concluded its largest-ever Han Kuang military exercise, annual war games designed to test the island’s ability to repel a Chinese invasion, China simultaneously launched a series of back-to-back drills, overtly simulating an attack and applying strategic pressure. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command issued daily updates detailing synchronized maneuvers designed to mirror and counter Taiwan’s activities.

The 2025 Han Kuang exercise, held from July 9 to 18, was the longest and most comprehensive iteration since its inception in 1984. It marked a significant shift toward whole-of-society defense, emphasizing joint combat operations and responses to “grey zone” threats. The drills featured over 22,000 reservists and incorporated both domestically developed and U.S.-supplied weapons, including Sky Sword II missiles, Abrams M1A2T tanks, and HIMARS rocket systems. For the first time, Han Kuang was paired with the Urban Resilience Exercises, a multi-month campaign held from April through July to test Taiwan’s ability to withstand a prolonged conflict through full societal participation.

The computer-aided phase of the drill was extended from 8 to 14 days, while the live-fire segment doubled from 5 to 10. Key focus areas included electronic warfare, rapid mobilization, integrated air and missile defense, maritime security, and ground operations. The traditionally scripted exercises were replaced with 24/7 unscripted scenarios simulating combat in urban areas, civil-military coordination, and mass evacuation drills in real-world locations such as hypermarkets.

How China Could Hold America’s Food Supply Hostage– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Last month, the Department of Justice charged two Chinese nationals for smuggling a scientifically classified potential agroterrorism fungus into the United States. They were allegedly receiving funding from China to research the pathogen for potential future attacks, highlighting the dangers China could pose to the U.S. food supply in the future at a time it has already effectively infiltrated American agriculture through land acquisition.

China’s acquisition of U.S. land is a well-documented national security threat, especially as it continues to purchase land in suspicious proximity to U.S. military bases. This strategic investment by China has rapidly developed, with China only owning approximately 13,720 acres in 2010 growing to the 277,336 acres it owned as of Dec. 2023.

Despite the number of acres reported in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Dec. 2023 report, this data “should be interpreted as a minimum.” The data disclosed to the USDA is collected through voluntary reporting. This creates gaps in the database, with 3.1 million acres unaccounted for. Additionally, there is a caveat in the reporting, as entities can list “no predominant country” in their filing. Roughly 2.3 million acres account for no foreign investor and no predominant country listed. The number of Chinese-controlled acreage is highly likely to be far larger than reported.

China Looks to Replace America with America, South, that is….

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

China Tries Getting Rich In America’s Backyard– dailycaller.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

Some major Chinese companies are attempting to gain a foothold in new markets such as Brazil, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Several big Chinese companies have been moving to attract consumers and hire more workers in recent months amid increased competition and mounting trade tensions with the U.S., according to the NYT. In May, Meituan, China’s largest food delivery platform, announced that it would shell out $1 billion to establish operations in Brazil, the NYT reported.

“The golden time for Meituan’s food delivery business in China may be over,” Ernan Cui, a consumer analyst at the research firm Gavekal Dragonomics in Beijing, told the NYT.

Cui also told the NYT that factors such as stringent regulations and increasing competition are “all adding pressure” on the company.

Moreover, Mixue, a Chinese multinational fast-food restaurant chain, recently said it was planning to hire thousands of employees in Brazil, the NYT reported. Similarly, Temu, a popular Chinese shopping site, began selling products in Brazil in June 2024. In May, the Trump administration ended a tariff loophole that allowed certain packages valued at $800 or less from China to enter the U.S. duty-free, which has impacted popular Chinese e-commerce websites such as Temu and Shein.

Confronting China’s Commercial Malign Influence in Africa › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

In another welcome sign of the Trump Administration’s focused prioritization of American interests in foreign policy, the State Department’s Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs recently rolled out a clear-eyed approach to U.S. engagement in Africa. As part of a long-overdue restructuring of the State Department, the Trump Administration articulated a directive to U.S. diplomats that puts enhanced trade and commercial diplomacy at the forefront of advancing U.S. interests, with the American private sector squarely in the lead as the engine of mutual prosperity and expansive growth. As highlighted throughout a hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently, threats from Chinese activities across Africa, especially commercial activities, directly undermine U.S. interests across the continent.

Subcommittee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) laid out the challenge directly, calling China “the most significant long-term strategic threat to the United States” and highlighting that throughout Africa, “China is exercising its military, economic, and political power and advancing its authoritarian agenda, all while undermining the sovereignty of African nations and the strategic interests of the United States.” To help confront this harmful influence directly, the Trump Administration’s updated strategy prioritizes the need to reduce barriers to entry for U.S. companies and level the playing field for American businesses. Fair, clear, and equal rules of doing business, coupled with strengthened institutions and the rule of law to uphold those standards, are the opportunity the private sector seeks as it evaluates prospective markets. Coupled with broader Trump Administration reforms at trade promotion and enhanced prioritization ensuring American competitiveness in Africa, this strategic focus on “trade, not aid” is what both our African partners and the American people want.

The success of this strategy goes beyond the ongoing reorganization and strategic restructuring of the state. As Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) noted during another recent hearing focused on issues in East Africa, “There are countries where meaningful engagement is possible—but only with sober judgment and clear-eyed realism. We must stop building U.S. policy in Africa around individual leaders and instead focus on strengthening institutions, expanding private sector ties, and empowering the region’s young and dynamic populations.” That clear focus requires careful analysis of the various ways China’s coercive activities have been successful in the past to help inform what is needed to expand commercial relationships in Africa.