China bans exports of dual-use goods to Japan, escalating tensions with key US ally amid growing disputes over Taiwan and broader regional security concerns.

China fired rockets into waters off Taiwan, showcased assault ships and dismissed prospects of an intervention to block future attacks by Beijing.

The drills were an attempt to divert attention away from Beijing's economic troubles, Taiwan's top security agency said.

China-Taiwan tensions reach new heights as Beijing conducts largest military drills, responding to massive $11 billion U.S. arms package for Taipei.

China’s decision to bring serious firepower to bear for military drills in the waters off Taiwan this week has deep roots both in the past several weeks and the past several decades.

With 20 per cent of its shrinking population aged 65 or older in 2025, Taiwan now meets the World Health Organization's definition of a super-aged society.

Taiwan's air force has grounded its F-16 fleet and suspended training missions on the jet after one of the planes and the pilot went missing earlier this week. The search continues for the pilot and aircraft, which officials believe went down following an in-flight "anomaly," but rough seas off the island have made efforts difficult.

Heavy demand from the AI race proved a boon for Taiwan's trade in 2025, with its trade surplus nearly doubling to $157bn. Read more here.