Geo-Strategic Trend - 22. page

The U.S. Department of State announced on August 5, that the United States and the Cook Islands issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to the responsible exploration and study of seabed mineral resources, aligning scientific advancement with economic sustainability and environmental stewardship.

The Cook Islands, located between New Zealand and Hawaii, consists of 15 islands and atolls. It is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. Under its constitution, the two sides must consult on matters of security, defense, and foreign policy. Earlier this year, without consulting New Zealand, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown approved a cooperation agreement with China. New Zealand subsequently suspended aid to the Cook Islands, stating it would only resume once the latter took “concrete measures” to restore trust.

In recent years, Beijing has signed security, trade, and financial agreements with several Pacific island nations, raising growing concerns among Western countries – traditionally dominant in the Pacific – about China’s plans to expand its influence in the region.

Source: Radio France International, August 6, 2025
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/国际/20250806-美国开始与库克群岛进行海底矿产勘探和开发研究谈判

According to analysis, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s administration has pursued pragmatic diplomacy since taking office, leading to some improvement in South Korea-China relations. However, the two nations remain fraught with contradictions in political and cultural spheres, lacking mutual trust.

Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily reported that South Korea announced it will implement visa-free measures for Chinese group tourists starting late September. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the APEC leaders’ summit in South Korea this November, reflecting the thawing of bilateral relations.

However, as China rises assertively, abandoning its previous low-profile approach and expanding its influence, neighboring South Korea feels increasingly uneasy. Economically, as Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing noted, the era when South Korean companies could “make quick money” in China has ended. Instead, China’s rapid industrial development has flooded South Korea with cheap products, pressuring Korean businesses.

China has replaced Japan as the neighbor South Koreans trust least, with young people holding particularly negative views. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s pro-US-Japan stance during his tenure intensified domestic anti-Chinese sentiment. After Yoon declared martial law in December, his supporters held protests targeting China.

Since Lee Jae-myung took office in June, anti-Chinese demonstrations in South Korea have expanded, even targeting Chinese tourists, prompting diplomatic protests from China’s embassy.

At a recent China-South Korea forum in Beijing, former Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming called on Seoul to control domestic anti-Chinese extremist forces—the first time Chinese officials made such direct demands for “control,” according to Korean media.

Cultural and historical disputes persist, particularly regarding Goguryeo and Balhae kingdoms, which Koreans consider ancestral cultures but China views as ancient northeastern Chinese kingdoms. Recent statements by Chinese officials emphasizing these territories as Chinese history have further strained relations.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 7, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202508070051.aspx

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD may be planning to enter the Taiwan market through local distributor Swire Motors Group under the “Denza” brand name, according to Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). The government agency emphasized that all Chinese automotive brands seeking to enter Taiwan must undergo rigorous security reviews.

MAC Deputy Chairman and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh announced these positions during a routine press conference on the 7th. He stated that the council had not yet found any applications from Swire Motors to invite mainland Chinese business representatives to Taiwan. If BYD representatives do visit Taiwan, they may not necessarily hold Chinese nationality, which would exempt them from needing approval for entry.

Regarding Chinese electric vehicles entering Taiwan’s market, Liang expressed concerns about unfair competition practices. He noted that mainland Chinese EVs benefit from substantial government subsidies and overproduction, allowing them to be sold at extremely low prices and engage in overseas dumping.

More significantly, Liang highlighted cybersecurity risks associated with Chinese electric vehicles. He questioned where user data collected by these vehicles would be stored and how it might be utilized, emphasizing that these are critical security considerations that cannot be overlooked.

The MAC spokesperson reiterated support for the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ position that the government must conduct thorough reviews of all Chinese automotive brands attempting to enter Taiwan’s market through various channels. These reviews will consider national security, vehicle safety, information security, and industrial development factors.

This cautious approach reflects Taiwan’s broader strategy of balancing economic opportunities with security concerns when dealing with Chinese businesses and technology products.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 7, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202508070344.aspx

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reportedly travel to China at the end of August to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. If this happens, it will be his first visit to China in seven years. Analysts believe that India’s adjustment of its China strategy is intended to offset U.S. pressure amid tensions in US-India relations caused by Trump’s drastic tariff increases. However, a China-India joint confrontation with the U.S. is not expected.

Indian media reported that Modi may take advantage of the SCO summit to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The two sides may discuss further normalizing relations, including easing tensions in the border area, resuming direct flights, reopening border trade points, and strengthening personnel exchanges. In the past few months, the foreign ministers, defense ministers and senior diplomats of China and India have held separate meetings to further improve bilateral relations.

However, the strategic differences between China and India remain difficult to resolve. The Indian Defense Minister refused to sign the joint communiqué at the SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting held in Qingdao, Shandong in June. At the same time, India-US relations are undergoing major changes too, and the two countries have different positions on many issues such as energy trade and arms purchases with Russia.

Trump’s tough stance on India has prompted India to strengthen cooperation with China, but China-India relations face structural constraints that are difficult to improve in the short term, including the border issue and the Pakistan factor.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, August 7, 2025
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20250807-7297990

Major Taiwanese news network Liberty Times Network (LTN) recently reported that Russian regulators just announced they would ban the import and sale of some truck models and chassis from four Chinese automakers – Dongfeng, Foton, FAW and Sitrak – in Russia, arguing that the vehicles were too unsafe and posed a “direct threat” to the health and safety of drivers and pedestrians.

The Russian Federation Ministry of Technology and Metrology (Rosstandart) issued a statement saying the Chinese truck models violated mandatory safety requirements during regulatory inspections. Problems identified by inspectors include poor braking performance, excessive noise while the vehicle was in motion, unclear vehicle controls, and a lack of an emergency call system. In addition, Rosstandart also found a large number of document violations involving the vehicle’s resistance to external electromagnetic wave radiation and electromagnetic compatibility, seat belt anchorage and installation, seats and their fixings and headrests, vehicle anti-theft devices, exhaust emissions, rear and side protection devices, steering control system, front anti-rollover device, the content of harmful substances in the vehicle, and other aspects.

FAW and Dongfeng are China’s major state-owned truck manufacturers.

Source: LTN, August 2, 2025
https://stock.ltn.com.tw/article/etjktrpdrl8a