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Philippine President: Taiwan Conflict Would Inevitably Involve Us

During his state visit to India, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave an interview to local media outlet Firstpost.

When asked what the Philippines would do if China used force against Taiwan, Marcos replied:

“Speaking very pragmatically, if China and the United States clash over Taiwan, the Philippines cannot possibly stay out of it – simply because of our geographical location. To understand how close Taiwan is to the Philippines, it only takes 40 minutes to fly from Laoag, the capital of my home province in northern Philippines, to Kaohsiung, a major city in Taiwan. That’s how close it is.”

“So, if you think about it, if an all-out war breaks out, we would be drawn into it. I assure you, although very reluctantly – let me say it again – we must defend our territory and sovereignty.”

“In addition, there are many Philippine nationals in Taiwan. That would immediately become a humanitarian issue, because we would have to intervene – either by going there or finding a way to get there – to locate our people and bring them home, just as we always do when they are in conflict zones. To me, at least initially, that is our greatest concern.”

“So I’m saying we would immediately mobilize all our resources to evacuate our people. Given that they would be in the heart of a war zone, that is no easy task. This is definitely no small matter.”

Source: Radio France International, August 7, 2025
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/国际/20250807-小马科斯-若中美在台湾问题上发生冲突，菲律宾不可能置身事外

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Iranian President Plans to Visit China and Attend the SCO Summit

According to reports from Iran’s Mehr News Agency, Tasnim News Agency, and other media outlets on August 7, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani stated that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian plans to visit China and attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, which will be held from August 31 to September 1, 2025.

According to Iran’s West Asia News Agency, President Pezeshkian had already expressed during his April visit to China that he intended to visit again in September. He recently reiterated that Iran’s foreign policy priority is to strengthen relations with neighboring countries, followed by expanding ties with strategic partners such as Russia and China.

The SCO was founded in June 2001, with founding members including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran officially became a member of the SCO in 2023.

Earlier, Indian media reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China from August 31 to September 1 and attend the SCO Summit.

Source: China Daily, August 8, 2025 https://world.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202508/08/WS689590eca310ebef36290f6f.html

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TikTok Fulfilling CCP’s United Front Strategy to Brainwash Taiwanese Youth

Eric Hsu, a researcher at the Taiwan Democracy Lab, shared findings on how TikTok (Chinese version is called Douyin) is used in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) united front strategy toward Taiwan. A 2025 survey conducted by the lab revealed that TikTok appeals to Taiwanese teens with trendy, short, and algorithm-driven content. However, after entertainment videos, the app often pushes two to three videos of political content related to war, cross-strait unity, as well as political corruption and legislative chaos in Taiwan.

Many teens surveyed see the CCP as efficient but authoritarian and believe its governance model may be necessary for managing such a large country. They feel TikTok offers a more “real” view of China and perceive that cross-strait differences are mostly political.

The study suggests TikTok is used to stir negative emotions, undermine trust in Taiwan’s democracy, and promote unification narratives. Some teens believe unification wouldn’t affect ordinary people much. They view war (CCP’s taking over Taiwan by military) as terrifying and are concerned for their loved ones’ safety; some say they might choose surrender.

TikTok also contains harmful content like cyberbullying and child exploitation, which the study says deserves more serious attention in Taiwan.

Source: Epoch Times, July 25, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/24/n14559632.htm

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Chinese Land Purchases on Japanese Island Raise Security Concerns

Japanese media report that in recent years, Chinese capital has increasingly targeted islands in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. Delegations from Dalian, China toured Kasasa Island, and Chinese nationals living in Tokyo and Saitama have also offered high prices to acquire land there.

A recent concern is that a Chinese national has quietly bought over 3,600 square meters of land on Kasasa Island, a small island near Yamaguchi Prefecture with only seven residents. The buyer cleared land, improved roads, and installed utility poles, allegedly to build private villas and a yacht dock.

Residents are alarmed due to the island’s proximity to key military sites, including the Kure Naval Base and former Etajima Army artillery facilities. They fear the land could be used for surveillance or other strategic purposes, especially since the Chinese National Defense Mobilization Law and Intelligence Law require Chinese citizens to cooperate with government orders, even abroad.

Although Japan passed the Important Land Survey Law in 2022 to investigate sensitive land sales, critics say it lacks enforcement power. Local officials warn Kasasa Island could become a Chinese-controlled outpost or drone base, likening it to a form of covert occupation.

Source: Epoch Times, July 29, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/28/n14562444.htm

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Xinhua’s Mexican Reporter: We Can’t Choose Our Neighbor, But We Can Choose Our Path Forward

Xinhua News Agency published an article from its Mexican news reporter Edna Alcántara, criticizing the U.S.’ dominant influence over Mexico’s sovereignty and economy, and advocating for a new “path.”

Her article said: Growing up in Mexico, I have long felt the weight of living next to a powerful neighbor – one that increasingly interferes in our affairs.

The U.S. often pressures Mexico under the guise of “cooperation” against crime, criticizing our efforts and even threatening to send troops or take unilateral military action. This isn’t cooperation – it’s coercion.

Tensions also arise over identity and sovereignty. For instance, the “Gulf of Mexico” is sometimes referred to by U.S. politicians as the “American Gulf,” reflecting a dismissive attitude toward Mexico.

Economically, sudden U.S. tariffs threaten to unravel decades of trade.

In response, Mexico is firm in defending its sovereignty while pursuing negotiations. President Sheinbaum promotes the “Mexico Plan” to boost domestic industry and diversify trade partners. Mexico also held talks with Brazil’s leadership last week to strengthen ties in trade, technology, and education.

We cannot choose our neighbors – but we can choose a new path forward: working with other Latin American and Global South countries to grow stronger together.

Source: Xinhua, August 1, 2025
http://www.news.cn/world/20250801/bc9c37a865294bdda432d825a0cb5903/c.html

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China-Made Nitazenes – 5 Times Stronger Than Fentanyl – Spreading in Europe

New synthetic opioids from China called Nitazenes – up to 5 times more potent than fentanyl – are rapidly spreading in Scotland and other parts of Europe. Scotland’s public health agency reported 312 suspected drug deaths from March to May, a 15 percent increase, with 6 percent involving Nitazenes – likely an undercount due to testing limitations. Naloxone use (an emergency antidote for opioid overdoses) rose 45 percent, and ER visits by 19 percent.

Nitazenes, appearing in the UK and Baltic markets since 2022, are lethal and are often mixed into heroin, fake pills, and recreational drugs, making them hard to detect. Chinese suppliers openly market them online, using real identities, phone numbers, and Chinese or Hong Kong business addresses. Some even ship disguised packages in dog food bags or mislabeled as other goods.

A Wall Street Journal report found 100+ sellers offering Nitazenes like etonitazene (15× stronger than fentanyl) on platforms like TradeKey (a Pakistani website), with promises to bypass customs.

According to a BBC investigation, dozens of Chinese vendors advertise on Western social platforms, ship directly from Chinese labs, and provide tracking numbers. Some claim to be legitimate companies, offering bulk discounts and even advice on illegal sales.

Experts warn the Nitazene trade is supply-driven, not demand-driven, and could cause a public health disaster if organized crime scales up distribution across Europe.

Source: Epoch Times, August 1, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/31/n14564771.htm

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China and Russia Hold “Joint Sea-2025” Naval Exercise

According to Xinhua News Agency, the China-Russia “Joint Sea-2025” naval exercise officially began on August 1 at a naval port in Vladivostok, Russia. Themed “Jointly Safeguarding Strategic Sea Lanes and Responding to Security Threats in the Western Pacific,” the exercise aims to further deepen the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and enhance their joint capacity to maintain international and regional peace and stability.

China’s participating forces include the missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, the comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, the multi-purpose rescue ship Xihu, as well as fixed-wing aircraft, shipborne helicopters, and marine corps personnel.

Russia has dispatched the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs, the light frigate Loud, the rescue ship Belousov, fixed-wing aircraft, shipborne helicopters, and marine coprs personnel.

From August 3 to 5, Chinese and Russian naval vessels will conduct a three-day joint maritime drill in the sea and airspace near Vladivostok. The exercise will cover submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine warfare, air and missile defense, and maritime combat operations. It will also include live-fire drills to test the results of the earlier joint planning discussions.

After the exercise concludes, China and Russia will also carry out a joint naval patrol in relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Since 2012, the “Joint Sea” series of exercises has been held ten times, becoming an important platform for China-Russia naval cooperation and significantly boosting their capacity for joint maritime operations.

Sources:
1. Xinhua, August 1, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/20250801/8c94598a810c439397ffcf339e10861b/c.html
2. Xinhua, August 3, 2025
http://www.news.cn/world/20250803/5171f70e6c4540dbac55ed8410ec5ece/c.html

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Beijing Demands Ukraine Immediately Retract its Sanctions on Chinese Entities

On July 28, 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed the issue at a regular press conference.

A reporter from Russia Today asked: On Sunday (July 27), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he had approved a new round of sanctions proposed by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. The 18th package, which has officially taken effect, targets 53 individuals and entities, including some from China. What is China’s response?

Guo Jiakun stated: “China firmly opposes all forms of unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council. We urge the Ukrainian side to immediately correct this erroneous decision and mitigate its negative consequences. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese businesses and individuals.”

Source: China Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, July 28, 2025
https://www.mfa.gov.cn/fyrbt_673021/202507/t20250728_11678284.shtml

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