🇵🇭🇯🇵 Japan, Philippines sign new security pacts as regional tensions rise

The Philippines and Japan signed two defense pacts, including a deal allowing their forces to exchange supplies and services, with both countries seeking to strengthen security cooperation in response to rising regional tensions.

The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, designed to enable the swift provision of supplies and services between their militaries, comes months after a landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement between two of Washington's closest Asian allies took effect.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro, also announced a $6 million Official Security Assistance from Tokyo to fund the building of facilities to house rigid‑hulled inflatable boats donated by Japan to boost Manila's naval capabilities.

#ThePhilippines #Japan

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🇨🇳 China's trade ends 2025 with record $1.2 trillion surplus

China reported a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion in 2025, led by booming exports to non-US markets as producers ​looked to build global scale to fend off sustained pressure from the Trump administration.

A push by policymakers for Chinese firms to diversify beyond the world's top consumer market by shifting ‌focus to Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America paid dividends, cushioning the economy against US tariffs and intensifying trade, technology and geopolitical frictions.

Heading into 2026, the challenges for Beijing are aplenty, including deflecting concerns from an increasing number of global capitals about China's trade practices and overcapacity, as well as their overreliance on key Chinese products.

#China

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🇺🇸🇹🇼 Taiwan says more US arms sales are in the pipeline

More US arms sales to Taiwan are in the pipeline with four deals yet to be notified to Congress, a senior Taiwanese defense official said on Thursday, following the announcement of an $11 billion package last month, the largest ever for the island.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei following a weekly cabinet meeting, Vice Defense Minister Hsu Szu-chien said that four additional packages for Taiwan had yet to be formally notified to the US Congress, the usual process for approval of such sales.

Hsu said Taiwan had to spend more given the threat. "Everyone knows the threat we are facing is growing and growing," he said.

#USA #Taiwan

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🇯🇵 2 Japan opposition forces eye new party to coordinate lower house election

Japan's main opposition force and a former junior partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are eyeing the formation of a new political party to coordinate cooperation in a possible general election.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party aim to unite as a centrist force to challenge the conservative ruling camp led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who plans to dissolve the House of Representatives in the near future.

With media polls showing strong support for Takaichi's Cabinet, the CDPJ and Komeito are bracing for a tough lower house election and seeking to broaden support through closer cooperation.

#Japan

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🇮🇩🇺🇸 Indonesia asked to buy US-made drones for surveillance

The United States is demanding that Indonesia purchase US-made maritime surveillance drones for use in waters near the South China Sea as a condition for lowering tariffs.

The US has offered to reduce the tariff on Indonesia to 19%, down from a threatened 32%.

#Indonesia #USA

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🇵🇭 Philippines seeks to block access to Grok on child safety concerns

The Philippines is moving to block Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok amid ​concerns about its ability to generate sexualized images, ‌including content that could pose child safety risks, the secretary of information ‌and communications technology said

Henry Aguda said Grok's footprint in the country remains relatively small compared ​to more widely used platforms like ChatGPT and ‌Claude.

Governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have been cracking down on sexually explicit content generated by Grok on the social media platform X, launching probes, imposing bans ⁠and demanding safeguards.

#ThePhilippines

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🇺🇸🇹🇼 US and Taiwan reach trade deal, with semiconductor chips and China in focus

The US and Taiwan clinched a trade deal on Thursday that cuts tariffs on many of the semiconductor powerhouse's exports, directs new investments in the US technology industry.

Taiwanese chipmakers like TSMC that expand US production will be charged a lower tariff on semiconductors or related manufacturing equipment and products they import into the US and can import some duty-free. Broad tariffs that apply to most other Taiwanese exports to the US will fall from 20% to 15%.

Generic pharmaceuticals, aircraft components and "unavailable natural resources" will face a 0% tariff. The US also committed that Taiwan will be treated no worse than anyone else should chips tariffs be increased later, according to Taiwan.

In exchange, Taiwanese companies will invest $250 billion to increase production of semiconductors, energy and artificial intelligence in the US That includes $100 billion already committed by TSMC in 2025, with more to come, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

#USA #Taiwan

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🇨🇳🇹🇼🇺🇸 China's military 'monitors' US vessels transiting the Taiwan Strait

China's military said it had followed and monitored the transit of guided-missile destroyer USS Finn and oceanographic survey ship USNS Mary Sears through the Taiwan Strait on January 16 and 17.

A spokesman for the Eastern Theatre Command of the People's Liberation Army said in the statement that it remains "on high alert at all times" to "resolutely defend national sovereignty and security".

U.S. 7th Fleet confirmed the transit in a statement. This Taiwan Strait transit is the first conducted by the U.S. in 2026. The presence of the American naval vessels also comes after a period of high-intensity PLA and China Coast Guard “Justice Mission” exercises around Taiwan at the end of 2025.

#China #Taiwan #USA

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🇵🇭 Lawyer files impeachment complaint against Philippine President Marcos

A lawyer filed an impeachment complaint against Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, accusing him of betraying public trust by allowing his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested and taken to The Hague to face trial.

Duterte, president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to the International Criminal Court in the Hague in March over the thousands of killings that took place during his controversial war on drugs.

Although the lower house of Congress is no longer led by Marcos' cousin, Martin Romualdez, who resigned as House Speaker after being linked to the flood control corruption scandal, it remains dominated by the president's allies, raising doubts about whether the complaint against him can gain traction.

#ThePhilippines

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🇯🇵🇺🇸 Japan PM Takaichi's 1st US visit being eyed for around March 20

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may visit the United States around March 20 for talks with President Donald Trump as she aims to reaffirm the solid bilateral alliance ahead of Trump's trip to China.

Japan and the United States have already begun arrangements for Takaichi's first visit since she became premier last October, with her itinerary likely to be finalized after an expected general election next month.

She can also coordinate the longtime allies' policy stances on China with Trump, who is expected to hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April.

#Japan #USA

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🇰🇷🇰🇵 Former Yoon administration staff linked to alleged North Korea drone intrusion

Two civilians suspected of involvement in sending a drone into North Korea were found to have previously worked at the presidential office under the former Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

According to local reports, a suspect believed to have made the drone, whom the police identified only as being in his 30s, previously served as a news monitoring staff member at the presidential spokesperson’s office.

He is believed to have worked at the presidential office in Yongsan-gu at a similar time as another suspect in his 30s, who has publicly claimed in an interview with a local broadcaster that he personally flew the drone into North Korea.

#SouthKorea #NorthKorea

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🇯🇵 Japan PM Takaichi to call Feb 8 snap election

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will call a national election on February 8 to seek voter backing for increased spending, tax cuts and a new security strategy that is expected to accelerate a defense build-up.

Takaichi plans to dissolve parliament on Friday ahead of the snap vote for all 465 seats in the lower house of parliament, in her first electoral test since becoming Japan's first female premier in October.

Calling an early election allows Takaichi to capitalize on strong public support to tighten her grip on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and shore up her coalition’s fragile majority.

#Japan

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🇨🇳🇯🇵 Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan fall in December

Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan in December fell 8% from November, when a diplomatic spat left market players concerned about future shipments - concern exacerbated by a ban Beijing imposed in January on the export of dual-use items to Japan.

Outbound shipments from the world's largest producer of rare earth magnets to its Asian neighbor totaled 280 metric tons last month versus the 2025 peak of 305 tons a month before.

Still, the December volume to Japan was 31.4% higher than in the same month in 2024. The on-year surge was likely due to Japanese buyers ramping up purchases in anticipation of further Chinese restrictions. Shipments to Japan are likely to drop in January due to the ban on items that can have military applications.

#China #Japan

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🇲🇾🇲🇲 ASEAN will not certify Myanmar election or send observers

The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will not send observers to army-ruled Myanmar's ongoing three-stage election and will therefore not endorse the poll, Malaysia's foreign minister said.

Minister Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN had rejected a request from Myanmar to send election observers during the annual leaders' summit in Kuala Lumpur last year, though some individual member states had decided to do so on their own.

"We have said that ASEAN will not send observers, and by virtue of that, we will not certify the poll," Mohamad said in response to a question from another lawmaker about Malaysia and ASEAN's position on the election.

#Malaysia #Myanmar

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🇻🇳 Vietnam’s To Lam pledges growth above 10% despite global challenges

Vietnam’s top leader To Lam on Jan 20 pledged an annual economic growth of more than 10% for the remainder of the decade despite global disruptions, as he addressed delegates at the Communist Party congress that will decide his political future.

The week-long event, which convenes every five years and started on Jan 19 in Hanoi, will select the party chief, the most powerful position in the single-party country, and set economic goals up to 2030.

Lam, a former head of state security, is seeking to retain his role as party chief and possibly take on the state presidency.

#Vietnam

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🇯🇵🇨🇳 Tokyo zoo pandas due to leave Japan on Jan 27

Two hugely popular pandas at a Japanese zoo will depart on Jan 27 to join their sister in China, the Tokyo government and media said, leaving Japan panda-less for the first time in half a century.

Loaned out as part of China’s “panda diplomacy” program, the distinctive black-and-white animals have symbolized friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1972.

Japan currently has only two pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, at Tokyo’s Zoological Gardens in the Ueno neighborhood. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government had previously said the last day for their public viewing would be on Jan 25. The twins will then be flown out of Japan two days later.

#Japan #China

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🇬🇧🇨🇳 Britain and China to revive 'Golden Era' business dialogue during Starmer visit

Britain and China aim to revive a "golden era" business dialogue when Prime Minister Keir Starmer makes a planned Beijing visit next week.

AstraZeneca, BP, HSBC, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Schroders and Standard Chartered, are among the British firms set to join a revamped "UK-China CEO Council".

The council was originally conceived by then-Prime Minister Theresa May and then-Premier Li Keqiang in 2018, during a period of ties both sides dubbed "a golden era."

#UK #China

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🇯🇵 Japan court sentences ex-PM Abe's assassin to life in prison

A Japanese court on Wednesday sentenced a 45-year-old man to life imprisonment for fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an incident that stunned the nation three and a half years ago.

Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested on the spot in July 2022 after fatally firing at Abe with a homemade gun while he was delivering a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. Abe, the country's longest-serving premier, was 67.

Although he was no longer Japan's leader at the time, Abe remained a powerful and binding force within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. His absence has left a vacuum within the party, which has since seen two leadership races and by extension, a revolving door of prime ministers.

#Japan

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