标签： Asia

In a significant development within China’s military leadership, the Ministry of National Defense has announced formal investigations against two of the nation’s highest-ranking generals for serious legal and disciplinary violations. The probe targets General Zhang Youxia, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission and long considered President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally, alongside General Liu Zhenli, another senior military officer.

The defense ministry’s statement provided no specific details regarding the allegations, though the phrase ‘violations of discipline and law’ typically serves as official terminology for corruption cases within China’s political context. The investigation marks a dramatic fall from grace for General Zhang, a 75-year-old veteran with combat experience who had remained in service beyond standard retirement age—previously interpreted as a sign of particular trust from President Xi.

This development continues President Xi’s extensive anti-corruption campaign that has swept through multiple government sectors since he assumed power, with recent focus intensifying on military leadership. Just three months earlier, nine senior generals were removed in one of the largest military purges in decades.

The timing of the announcement follows weeks of speculation after both generals were conspicuously absent from a major Party event in December. With these investigations, the Central Military Commission’s membership has now been reduced from seven to just two officials: President Xi himself and Zhang Shengmin, who oversees military disciplinary matters.

Analysts note that while anti-corruption efforts receive public support for promoting governance integrity, critics argue these campaigns frequently serve as tools for political consolidation. President Xi has consistently described corruption as the ‘biggest threat’ to Communist Party rule and maintains that the anti-graft battle remains ‘grave and complex.’

The investigation of General Zhang carries particular symbolism given his status as the son of one of China’s revolutionary founding generals and his position on the 24-member Politburo, the Party’s elite decision-making body.

The Trump administration has unveiled a fundamentally reconfigured National Defense Strategy that marks a dramatic departure from the 2022 framework established under President Biden. This comprehensive analysis examines the strategic recalibration across key global regions.

In the Western Hemisphere, the 2026 doctrine adopts an assertive stance, vowing to ‘actively and fearlessly defend America’s interests’ while guaranteeing military and commercial access to critical territories including the Panama Canal, Gulf of America, and Greenland. The strategy explicitly commits to providing ‘credible military options against narco-terrorists’ while emphasizing conditional cooperation with neighbors from Canada through Central and South America.

Regarding European security, the document characterizes Russia as a ‘persistent but manageable threat’ while noting NATO’s overwhelming economic and demographic advantages. The strategy contends that European NATO members, having committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP under Trump’s leadership, are now positioned to assume ‘primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense’ with more limited U.S. support. This includes taking the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts.

The Indo-Pacific region receives heightened priority, with the strategy framing Chinese dominance as an existential economic threat that could ‘effectively veto Americans’ access to the world’s economic center of gravity.’ The document outlines a more focused objective than previous strategies: simply to prevent Chinese regional domination rather than pursuing regime change or existential struggle, aiming for a ‘decent peace’ acceptable to both nations.

On the Korean Peninsula, the strategy designates South Korea as capable of taking ‘primary responsibility for deterring North Korea’ given its powerful military, robust defense industry, and mandatory conscription, requiring only ‘critical but more limited U.S. support.’

In the Middle East, the Department of War will empower regional allies to counter Iran and its proxies, emphasizing strong support for Israel’s self-defense, deepened cooperation with Gulf partners, and enhanced integration between Israel and Gulf states through the Abraham Accords framework. The strategy maintains America’s right to take ‘focused, decisive action’ to defend U.S. interests when necessary.

In a dramatic audio address broadcast from undisclosed locations in India, Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched scathing criticisms against the upcoming February elections, declaring them fundamentally compromised. The 78-year-old leader, now living in exile since her August 2024 ousting following massive student-led protests, broke her prolonged public silence to challenge the legitimacy of the electoral process.

Hasina’s forceful condemnation came during a panel discussion titled ‘Bangladesh at the Crossroads’ hosted in New Delhi, where she asserted that genuine democracy remains elusive under the current transitional government. Her message reached over 100,000 online viewers simultaneously, creating immediate political reverberations across South Asia.

The former leader, who previously governed Bangladesh for fifteen consecutive years, faces a death sentence imposed in absentia by a Dhaka court last November. The conviction centered on charges of crimes against humanity, including incitement to violence and systematic failure to prevent atrocities during her administration.

Current interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate recalled from exile to helm the caretaker government, maintains that the February 12 vote will establish new benchmarks for electoral integrity. Official statements from Yunus’ office emphasize the administration’s commitment to transparent and credible elections.

However, Hasina specifically targeted Yunus in her address, describing his influence as an oppressive shadow over Bangladeshi democracy. Her Awami League party, once the nation’s dominant political force, now operates under official prohibition with its activities criminalized.

The escalating tension between these rival visions for Bangladesh’s future complicates already delicate diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. New Delhi’s decision to provide sanctuary to the deposed leader has generated sustained friction since the transfer of power.

The Fujian Coast Guard has executed routine law enforcement operations in maritime territories adjacent to Jinmen, demonstrating China’s ongoing commitment to maintaining maritime security and sovereignty. These patrols, conducted as part of standardized procedures, represent the consistent implementation of China’s maritime governance policies.

The operations follow established protocols for monitoring and regulating activities within China’s jurisdictional waters. The patrols serve multiple purposes including maritime safety oversight, illegal activity prevention, and border security maintenance. Such exercises reflect the continuous efforts by Chinese authorities to ensure stability and lawful order in regional waters.

These maneuvers occur within the framework of China’s domestic laws and international maritime regulations. The Coast Guard’s presence in these waters constitutes normal practice for sovereign states exercising their legitimate rights to patrol territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. The operations align with China’s broader strategy of maintaining peaceful and regulated maritime environments through professional law enforcement capabilities.

The timing of these patrols corresponds with increased regional attention to maritime security matters, though officials emphasize their routine nature. China maintains that such activities represent standard procedure rather than exceptional measures, consistent with how coastal nations worldwide administer their maritime territories.

A comprehensive national survey has uncovered significant bipartisan support among American citizens for enhanced cooperation between the United States and China, even as concerns mount regarding how escalating geopolitical tensions are adversely affecting Chinese American communities.

The landmark study, conducted through collaboration between the Committee of 100 and the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC), represents one of the most extensive independent social research initiatives in the United States. According to Alex Chew, NORC AmeriSpeak director and head of Amplify AAPI, this third iteration of the State of Chinese Americans research provides unprecedented breadth in examining public perceptions regarding issues impacting Chinese American communities.

The findings reveal that 59% of US citizens advocate for their government to strengthen collaborative efforts with China on diplomatic matters and policies of mutual concern. This perspective transcends political affiliations, with 65% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans expressing support for closer Sino-American cooperation.

The collaborative sentiment extends significantly into scientific and technological domains. Merely 23% of respondents endorsed prohibiting Chinese researchers from working within US institutions, revealing a substantial partisan divide—with only 16% of Democrats but 34% of Republicans supporting such restrictions.

Sam Collitt, research lead at the Committee of 100, emphasized that these findings demonstrate minimal public support for policies that would undoubtedly strain international relations and produce negative outcomes. The survey questions regarding researcher restrictions were formulated in response to numerous federal and state efforts to prosecute, restrict, and ban Chinese researchers from American institutions.

Collitt noted that these results align with recent surveys by Pew Research Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, suggesting that negative attitudes toward China among the American public may have peaked. However, researchers caution that it remains uncertain whether this represents a temporary fluctuation or the beginning of a sustained trend toward improved perceptions.

The research also highlighted how initiatives like the “China Initiative” program—which resulted in numerous Chinese American scientists facing false espionage allegations—exemplify how bilateral tensions directly harm Chinese American communities. As China narrows the economic gap with the United States, resulting in many Americans perceiving China as a threat, University of Maryland history professor Madeline Hsu suggests Americans need historical context, noting China’s pre-1800 status as an extremely wealthy civilization before its decline under Western imperial exploitation.