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Serbia Confirms Purchase of Chinese Supersonic Missiles

According to a report by Sputnik News, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed that Serbia has purchased Chinese CM-400AKG supersonic air-to-ground ballistic missiles as part of a broader military modernization program. The announcement followed the release of media photos showing Serbian fighter jets equipped with the Chinese missiles. Vučić said the weapons were recently acquired for Serbia’s air force and are part of a national defense upgrade plan valued at about $17 billion.

The missiles are reportedly mounted on Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets, which currently form the backbone of the Serbian Air Force. The CM-400AKG, developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), can carry a 150-kg explosive warhead or a 200-kg penetrator warhead and has a maximum range of about 400 kilometers. Vučić said Serbia already possesses a significant number of these missiles and may purchase additional units, describing them as expensive but highly effective.

Serbian officials say the defense upgrade is partly driven by perceived regional security threats. Vučić referenced what he described as a growing military alignment among Croatia, Albania, and Kosovo, which Serbia views as a potential challenge to its security environment. While emphasizing that Serbia does not intend to attack NATO members, Vučić suggested the country is strengthening its defense capabilities in response to regional tensions and uncertainty.

Source: Sputnik News, March 15, 2026
https://sputniknews.cn/20260315/1070247308.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

China Reportedly Moving to Reassert Influence Over North Korea

Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported that China is seeking to reassert its influence over North Korea after several years during which Pyongyang deepened its ties with Russia. Beijing is reportedly expanding economic engagement and cross-border cooperation in an effort to draw North Korea more firmly back into its sphere of influence. Analysts cited in the report say China hopes that stronger economic ties will increase Pyongyang’s dependence on Beijing.

Recent diplomatic exchanges suggest a gradual warming of relations between the two countries. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Beijing with an economic delegation to attend a military parade hosted by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang later traveled to Pyongyang, signaling renewed high-level political engagement. Economic cooperation has also increased, with cross-border trade recovering significantly after pandemic-era restrictions. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner, and Chinese exports to North Korea reportedly reached about $2.3 billion last year, the highest level in several years. Business activity has also been picking up in the Chinese border city of Dandong, a key gateway for trade with North Korea. Local traders and logistics companies there have reported rising cross-border shipments and renewed commercial exchanges, suggesting that economic links between the two countries are gradually being restored.

Source: RFI, March 12, 2026
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20260312-中国正重新加强对朝鲜的控制，金正恩准备接受了吗

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

AI Mining: The U.S. and China Race for Africa’s Minerals

Artificial intelligence is transforming the global mining industry, and both the United States and China are now deploying AI-powered mining technologies across Africa, competing for access to the continent’s vast mineral wealth.

Chinese firm DeepVein Holdings has emerged as a leading player in AI mining, currently operating in five African countries — Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The company’s chairman, Feng Yunduan, explained that shallow, easily accessible mineral deposits are increasingly exhausted, forcing the industry into deeper, more dangerous, and geographically challenging terrain. To address this, DeepVein deploys fleets of robotic “machine dogs” that autonomously handle drilling, sample decomposition, and precision extraction — eliminating the need for human workers in high-risk environments such as high-altitude plateaus, extreme deserts, and tropical rainforests. This approach has also slashed soil sampling timelines from several months to just a few weeks.

On the American side, KoBold Metals — backed by billionaires including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, and widely regarded as the global leader in AI-driven mineral exploration — has invested over $200 million in mining high-grade copper at Mingomba, Zambia. The company is also expanding its exploration into Namibia and is currently the largest American enterprise operating in Zambia.

A key driver behind China’s push into African mining is the depletion of domestic mineral resources. Fu Xiaofang, a senior engineer at the Sichuan Provincial Comprehensive Geological Survey and Research Institute, noted that easily discoverable deposits in China have largely been exhausted, and even open-pit mining has become prohibitively expensive. Lithium deposits in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Sichuan, for instance, are mostly located above 4,000 meters in altitude, making extraction enormously costly due to extreme cold, low oxygen, and intense ultraviolet radiation.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 15, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202603150193.aspx

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing’s Links to Defense Industry and Iran Cooperation

A report by The Epoch Times suggests that Zhang Guoqing, China’s Vice Premier, may play a key role in China’s defense industry exports to Iran and the broader Middle East. According to sources familiar with China’s political system, Zhang is not a typical technocratic official but has deep ties to the country’s military-industrial sector. He previously held senior positions within China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), a major state-owned defense conglomerate responsible for exporting weapons and related technologies. Because of this background, some observers view him as an important representative of China’s defense industry within the country’s top leadership.

The report states that Zhang has played a role in maintaining China’s military-industrial cooperation with Middle Eastern partners, particularly Iran. Following rising tensions involving Iran, Zhang was reportedly tasked by Xi Jinping with coordinating relevant supply chains and maintaining technical and industrial links with regional partners. According to individuals familiar with the defense sector, Iran has requested Chinese components related to drones, unmanned vessels, and smart naval mines that could potentially be assembled domestically.

The report also suggests that cooperation between China and Iran extends beyond weapons-related components to include communications infrastructure and surveillance technologies. Technology firms from several Chinese provinces have reportedly participated in the development of Iran’s telecommunications networks and monitoring systems. This combination of military technology, infrastructure development, and security systems has strengthened strategic ties between China and Iran while expanding Beijing’s influence in the region.

Source: Epoch Times, March 12, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/26/3/12/n14717195.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

CNA: After Banning Rednote, Taiwan Saw Average Fraudulent Cases Decreased by 73 Percent

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, in December of last year, the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior announced that the Chinese social media platform Rednote (a.k.a. Xiaohongshu) failed the information security screening and was involved in 1,706 fraud cases in the past two years. The Ministry later issued an order to suspend internet access to the platform in accordance with Article 42 of the Fraud Crime Prevention Act, which stipulates “emergency events for fraud crime prevention”. The order is temporarily set for one year.

According to latest statistics from the Taiwanese Executive Yuan’s Anti-Fraud Command Center, after the implementation of the Rednote suspension, the average monthly number of fraud cases decreased by 73 percent, and financial losses decreased by 51 percent. The Command Center said that, based on its assessment, the fraud risks arising from Rednote will become a source of rapidly increasing fraud cases in the future if left unchecked, and these cases will be completely unprosecuted due to legal barriers between Taiwan and mainland China.

In order to lift the ban, the Taiwanese government requires technical and management improvements, including passing 15 national security and cybersecurity examinations. However, Rednote failed to respond to the official notice within the specified period.

Source: CNA, March 8, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202603080102.aspx

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

LTN: Taiwan’s Drone Exports have Seen An Astonishing Surge

Major Taiwanese news network Liberty Times Network (LTN) recently reported that, Taiwan is not known for its arms exports, but it is rapidly emerging as a supplier of drones without Chinese parts. Taiwanese companies are accelerating the development of “non-red supply chain” drones, with exports growing more than 35 times in 2025, reaching approximately 123,000 units.

Taiwan has long been one of the world’s largest arms importers, with most of its weapons originating from the United States. However, while Taiwan is now capable of manufacturing a significant number of its own weapons, it remains highly dependent on US-made equipment.

However, the situation is changing. Taiwan is positioning itself as a supplier of “non-red supply chain” drones – drones without Chinese parts. These drones are targeted to sell in the United States, its allies, and other countries concerned about Chinese espionage and supply chain control. Taiwan’s drone production has increased more than twelvefold from approximately 10,000 units in 2024 to 2025. The Czech Republic is the largest buyer, followed by Poland. Most of these purchases ended up in Ukraine for use in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, providing valuable combat feedback on the drones’ performance. Exports are projected to reach a new high in 2026, with 85,500 units already exported in the first two months of this year.

Taiwan initiated this plan after observing the widespread use of drones in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The initial goal was to equip the Taiwanese military with such drones. Subsequently, Taiwan pledged to establish a drone industry completely free of Chinese parts by the end of 2026 and to reach an annual production capacity of 180,000 drones by 2028. The government also pledged last year to procure more than 200,000 drones for the military by 2033.

The United States and its allies are also accelerating the expansion of drone production. However, most of the drones still rely on Chinese parts. Currently China accounts for 70 percent to 80 percent of global drone production.

Source: LTN, March 14, 2026
https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/5369841

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

After Six Years, China Resumes Flights and Passenger Trains between Beijing and Pyongyang

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, according to South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese aviation industry sources, Air China’s direct flight between Beijing and Pyongyang (CA121) will resume operation on March 30.

Tickets can now be booked on Air China’s official website and travel platforms such as Ctrip. Air China’s Beijing-Pyongyang route was suspended in January 2020 due to COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Air Koryo of North Korea resumed the Pyongyang-Beijing route in August 2023, operating two flights per week.

In the meantime, China State Railway Group officially announced that international passenger trains will operate in both directions between Beijing/Dandong and Pyongyang, North Korea, four times a week, starting March 12. This marks the resumption of cross-border railway passenger transport between China and North Korea after a six-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, currently Chinese tourists are unable to purchase tickets to Pyongyang as North Korean tourist visas are not yet available.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, March 14, 2026
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260314-8732076

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Japan Warns Firms Over Huawei 5G Risk in Ukraine Reconstruction

The Japanese government has issued a warning to Japanese companies interested in supporting Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction, cautioning them about the security risks associated with using 5G telecommunications infrastructure built on technology from Chinese tech giant Huawei. The warning reflects growing concern in Tokyo over the potential for technical and sensitive information leakage through Huawei-equipped networks.

The alert comes after a major Ukrainian mobile operator conducted 5G pilot tests with Huawei in several cities last year. The Ukrainian government subsequently allocated 5G frequency bands to that operator. Japan’s Rakuten Group had also applied to participate in Ukraine’s 5G market but was not selected as a candidate.

According to Japanese government documents obtained by Kyodo News, officials flagged serious concerns about the spread of Huawei 5G infrastructure in major cities including the capital Kyiv. The documents specifically warned that investment in critical infrastructure — including the energy sector — carried significant risks for Japan, the United States, and European nations. Officials also expressed concern that Chinese-made equipment could enter the Ukrainian market indirectly, through Turkish intermediary companies, even without direct involvement from Chinese firms.

Huawei has long been identified as a security vulnerability by U.S. authorities and remains subject to American sanctions. Japan’s decision to issue this kind of economic security warning to private firms is considered an unusual step, underscoring how seriously the government views the risk of Huawei technology proliferating in strategically important regions. The move signals that Tokyo is prepared to take a more active role in guiding Japanese corporate behavior abroad when national and allied security interests are at stake.

Source: Kyodo News, March 12, 2026
https://china.kyodonews.net/articles/-/7862

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend