Taiwan’s military says its forces are on alert and is confident it can protect the island as China’s state media report mock airstrikes with jets carrying live missilesChina has launched two days of military drills surrounding Taiwan, as “punishment” for what it called the “separatist acts” of holding an election and inaugurating a new president.Chinese...

Grant Shapps cites US and British intelligence as basis for claim, but US national security adviser says there has been no sign yet of direct transfer of weaponsSee all our Ukraine war coverageChina is sending “lethal aid” to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, Britain’s defence secretary, Grant Shapps, has said, in comments that were challenged...

Joe Biden and Donald Trump agree on tariffs against China. The world has lost its biggest cheerleader for globalisationThe biggest shift in American politics has nothing to do with Stormy Daniels or Michael Cohen, Fox News or golf courses. Indeed, its author is not Donald J Trump. Yet the implications stretch far beyond this year’s presidential elections,...

Ciaran Martin says US warning that China is targeting key infrastructure should be taken more seriouslyThe UK is not paying enough attention to a “gamechanging” shift in China’s cyber-espionage tactics towards infiltrating critical infrastructure including energy and communications networks, a former head of Britain’s cybersecurity agency has warned.Ciaran...

Lai Ching-te’s inauguration speech has been panned by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which labelled the new president a “dangerous separatist”.Beijing has warned of undefined reprisals against Taiwan after the inauguration speech of new president Lai Ching-te in which he maintained his government’s position on sovereignty, and did not concede to Beijing’s...

Victims in Britain have finally gained a measure of justice – elsewhere the fight has had varying outcomesOn Monday, infected blood victims in the UK finally felt they had obtained a measure of justice and closure, nearly 50 years after the scandal began. Yet questions remain over the compensation scheme and whether criminal charges will be brought....