China has wrapped up a round of live-fire exercises that simulates a blockade of Taiwan following fresh tensions with its president and a new report about Washington’s desire to stop Beijing from taking the island.

The Heritage Foundation’s report from last August advised the Pentagon to prioritize three core issues: deterring China from invading Taiwan, defending the US homeland, and increasing burden-sharing among allies and partners. These priorities were mirrored by Hegseth's recommendations in the memo.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr on Tuesday said his country would “inevitably” be involved if Taiwan is invaded, as the US approved the possible sale of US$5.58 billion of F-16 jets to the Philippines.

China test US commitments to Taiwan and other Pacific partners as they conduct joint exercises around the autonomous island.

The Chinese military staged a second day of exercises around Taiwan on Wednesday, launching live-fire strikes in the East China Sea and practicing blockade operations near crucial shipping lanes to the east and west of the island.

The Navy was the big winner when teams of national security experts were tasked with finding and reallocating $50 billion in the defense budget in an American Enterprise Institute funding exercise last week.

Their debut suggests China may be closer to landing tens of thousands of troops on Taiwan's shores. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Shigeru Iwasaki remains an influential figure in Tokyo and his appointment is meant to strengthen political and military ties with Taiwan.

The Chinese military has conducted large-scale drills around Taiwan as it again warned the self-ruled island against seeking formal independence.