China’s Continued Criticism of Japan Also Targets the United States
China has continued to pressure Japan diplomatically, militarily, and economically since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks last year about a potential “Taiwan contingency,” with no signs of easing, according to Nikkei Asia. Analysts say Beijing’s campaign is aimed not only at Tokyo but also indirectly at Washington, seeking to weaken the U.S.-led security order in Asia. Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly criticized Japan’s alleged return to militarism during meetings with foreign leaders, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also devoted significant attention to Japan in diplomatic engagements.
Japanese officials and China experts identify three main objectives behind Beijing’s pressure campaign. First, Xi’s strong reaction to Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks has hardened China’s policy toward Japan. Second, Beijing seeks to use Japan as a warning to other countries against challenging China’s position on Taiwan. Third, China views the U.S.-Japan alliance as a major obstacle to its efforts to expand its influence over the regional and international order.
Japan’s position as a key U.S. security partner and major power along the First Island Chain makes it particularly important to Beijing. By portraying Japan as returning to militarism, China hopes to undermine support for Japan’s defense buildup and its alliance with the United States. Beijing may also believe that President Trump’s relatively transactional approach to alliances provides greater room to pressure Tokyo.
However, the strategy carries risks. Major countries in North America, Europe, and Asia have largely rejected Beijing’s characterization of Japan as becoming militaristic. Continued Chinese pressure could instead heighten concerns about Beijing’s behavior and strengthen support for closer security cooperation with Japan.
Source: United Daily News (Taiwan), August 11, 2026
https://udn.com/news/story/6809/9683085
Chinese Communist Party Cultivates Ties With U.S. Democratic Socialists
A Fox News commentary by Douglas MacKinnon on August 6 alleged that some members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have accepted Chinese government-sponsored trips to China, received VIP-level treatment, and publicly expressed support for the People’s Republic of China and “Chinese socialism.” The report cited research indicating that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has increasingly engaged with Western left-wing political groups through organized visits and high-level hospitality.
These exchanges appear to go beyond cultural diplomacy, with Chinese officials using carefully managed itineraries and political messaging to promote a favorable image of the CCP while downplaying criticism of its one-party rule, political repression, and human rights record. One DSA leader who recently visited China reportedly said Chinese officials treated the delegation “like royalty” and described the officials as displaying a “calm and comfortable confidence.”
The report also highlights an alleged double standard within parts of the DSA. While the organization advocates restricting or abolishing institutions such as police, prisons, ICE, and the military as instruments of state oppression, some members have expressed support for a Chinese political system built around extensive police, intelligence, surveillance, and censorship powers.
Source: Aboluo, August 10, 2026
https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0810/2419098.html
L’Oréal’s Lancôme Closes China’s Largest Store, Highlighting Broader Beauty-Retail Contraction
L’Oréal-owned luxury cosmetics brand Lancôme has closed its flagship store at Beijing’s Wangfujing APM shopping center, less than six years after its high-profile opening in October 2020. The 320-square-meter store, billed as Lancôme’s first flagship in China and its second-largest globally, has been completely cleared out, with outdoor brand Salomon preparing to take over the space.
Lancôme’s withdrawal appears to be part of a broader contraction in China’s offline cosmetics market. According to the China Chain-Store & Franchise Association, the ratio of store openings to closures for cosmetics businesses was just 0.85 across 447 major shopping centers in 13 cities between 2022 and 2024, indicating a shrinking retail footprint. NielsenIQ data show that the number of cosmetics counters in department stores and shopping centers across 51 Chinese cities fell from more than 15,000 in 2019 to about 9,500 in 2023, a decline of nearly 6,000.
In 2025, China’s beauty market experienced a new wave of brand withdrawals. According to an incomplete tally by beauty industry media outlet Jumeili based on public information, more than 30 international and domestic beauty brands closed online flagship stores, withdrew offline counters, or ceased operations in China, including about 17 domestic brands. Among international companies, Japanese and South Korean brands accounted for the largest share. The trend continued into 2026, with French skincare brand Filorga closing its official Tmall flagship store in January and Yakult’s cosmetics business ending its cross-border e-commerce operations in China.
Source: Epoch Times, August 5, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/8/5/n14823536.htm
Japan’s Dominance in Critical Semiconductor Materials Strengthens Its Strategic Leverage over China
Japan’s dominance in several critical semiconductor and advanced technology materials has become an increasingly important source of strategic leverage amid intensifying competition with China. Japanese media report that despite Beijing’s ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and advanced communications, China’s technological progress remains constrained by its dependence on foreign suppliers. This vulnerability has been reinforced by the “de-risking” strategies adopted by Japan, the United States, and Europe, which have strengthened supply chain resilience while limiting China’s access to key technologies.
Japan maintains a dominant global position in three indispensable materials used in advanced manufacturing: photoresists, ultra-high-purity hydrogen fluoride, and fluorinated polyimide. Japanese companies control roughly 70–80 percent of the global market for photoresists and ultra-high-purity hydrogen fluoride—both essential for semiconductor fabrication—and nearly 90 percent of the global fluorinated polyimide market, a critical material used in flexible displays for foldable smartphones and electric vehicles.
Experts argue that any Japanese export restrictions on these materials could severely disrupt China’s semiconductor and electronics industries, affecting chipmakers such as SMIC as well as downstream manufacturers including Huawei, Baidu, and display producer BOE. China has also stepped up efforts to acquire advanced technologies through cyber espionage targeting Japanese defense, aerospace, and technology organizations. Japan’s decades-long technological leadership and manufacturing expertise continue to present formidable barriers to China.
Source: Liberty Times, August 7, 2026
https://stock.ltn.com.tw/article/4pqarmmnmrgv
Israel Closes Chengdu Consulate as Bilateral Relations with China Continue to Cool
Israel officially closed its Consulate General in Chengdu on August 5, marking a symbolic downgrade of its diplomatic presence in China. In a farewell message published on the consulate’s official WeChat account, Consul General Gadi Harpaz announced the closure of the mission, which had operated since November 2014 and covered Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Israel did not provide an official explanation for the decision.
Analysts attribute the closure to a combination of political, strategic, and practical considerations. The sharp deterioration in bilateral relations following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel is widely viewed as the key turning point. Beijing’s refusal to explicitly condemn Hamas, coupled with its criticism of Israel’s military response, eroded mutual trust and accelerated the cooling of bilateral ties. The closure reflects a broader downgrading of Israel-China relations, which are now largely limited to routine diplomatic engagement.
For decades, Israel maintained close ties with China, supplying advanced technologies—including defense-related technologies—while expanding bilateral trade and investment. However, cooperation began to decline after 2019 amid intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition, particularly in the infrastructure and technology sectors.
Analysts also note that the Chengdu consulate served a region with relatively limited commercial and consular activity, making it a practical candidate for closure as bilateral relations weakened.
Source: Epoch Times, August 8, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/8/8/n14825771.htm
Solomon Islands Pursues Broader Foreign Policy Toward Both the West and China
The Solomon Islands’ new government is pursuing a broader foreign policy aimed at rebuilding relations with traditional partners while maintaining its ties with China. Speaking on August 7 on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers’ meeting in Suva, Foreign Minister Rick Houenipwela said the government seeks to restore closer engagement with countries such as the United States and Australia, which he said had felt “neglected” in recent years. He emphasized that the new administration’s guiding principle is to be “friends to all and enemy to none.”
Prime Minister Matthew Wale, who was elected by parliament and sworn into office on May 15, has moved quickly to expand the country’s diplomatic outreach. Following a visit to Australia in July, where Canberra pledged stronger cooperation amid concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific, Wale also traveled to the United States and Japan. Houenipwela described the latter trip as “highly productive,” underscoring the government’s effort to diversify its external partnerships.
At the same time, Wale has sought to maintain stable relations with Beijing. According to Xinhua, he reaffirmed on August 5 that the Solomon Islands will continue to adhere to the One China policy, describing it as the foundation of bilateral relations with China. Beijing welcomed the statement, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressing appreciation for the new government’s reaffirmation of the policy.
Sources:
1. Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 7, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202608070224.aspx
2. Xinhua, August 6, 2026
https://www.news.cn/world/20260806/6efca1ffd80a444f943547d2584d38d4/c.html
3. Xinhua, August 7, 2026
https://www.news.cn/20260807/d09c4bf7b69f4fd385ee527e89111022/c.html
China Protests U.S. Visa Curbs on Huawei Deals in Argentina, as Beijing and Buenos Aires Renew Currency Swap
A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Argentina said on August 6 that the U.S. embassy there has been revoking visas to block Argentine companies from partnering with Huawei, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. The spokesperson claimed Washington has been “deliberately stoking the China threat narrative” and broadening the concept of national security to “blatantly obstruct” normal cooperation between Argentine firms and Huawei. These characterizations reflect the Chinese embassy’s own framing of the dispute rather than an independently verified account. The spokesperson called the U.S. approach arrogant, a disrespect for other countries’ sovereignty, and a violation of free-market principles, urging Washington to abandon what it termed “hegemonic behavior and political manipulation.”
Huawei entered the Argentine market in 2001 and has built a substantial presence there. In March, Argentina’s Córdoba provincial power utility EPEC signed a memorandum with Huawei to advance private wireless networks and smart power distribution. In July, Huawei signed an agreement with the Argentine Agricultural Cooperatives Federation aimed at supporting the digital transformation of 36,000 local farmers.
Separately, Xinhua reported that the People’s Bank of China and the Central Bank of Argentina have renewed their bilateral currency swap agreement, valued at 130 billion yuan (roughly US$18.2 billion) against 28 trillion Argentine pesos. The agreement runs for five years and can be extended by mutual consent. The People’s Bank of China said the renewal — reported via China’s own state news agency — would deepen financial cooperation between the two countries, promote bilateral trade, and help maintain financial market stability.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 6, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202608060132.aspx
Dunhuang Withdraws Job Offer to American Anchor After Backlash Over Taiwan Study, Think Tank Ties
China’s Dunhuang Media Center in Gansu province has confirmed that Edward Kuperman, an American it had planned to hire as an anchor, has given up the position, according to a China Central Television (CCTV) News report on July 31. Chinese internet users had earlier discovered that Kuperman studied in Taiwan and interned at a right-wing American think tank, sparking accusations that the city was “using public funds to support an anti-China figure.”
Dunhuang had reportedly offered a package worth 900,000 yuan (about $125,700) — a 300,000 yuan (about $41,900) annual salary plus 600,000 yuan (about $83,800) in subsidies — to recruit international communication talent in 2025. Kuperman, a Yale graduate in East Asian studies, was the only foreign candidate in the program.
CCTV News reported that local authorities clarified the compensation details after online criticism. The position was an off-payroll hire, and the widely circulated “900,000 yuan” figure was not an annual salary. The actual pay was 300,000 yuan pre-tax per year, plus a 30,000 yuan annual living allowance paid over ten years contingent on passing yearly reviews, and a one-time 300,000 yuan home-purchase subsidy for those who bought property locally after three years of service — partially refundable if employment ended before ten years. The real annual compensation was about 330,000 yuan (about $46,000).
Authorities also said an investigation team had been formed to review the recruitment process for compliance issues raised by some internet users, with corrections and accountability measures to follow.
Kuperman had reportedly studied in Taiwan through National Taiwan University’s ICLP Chinese-language program in 2023 and interned at the American Enterprise Institute, contributing to Taiwan-related reports. Officials said Dunhuang would proceed more cautiously in future talent recruitment while promoting Chinese culture and international exchange.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 1, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202608010078.aspx