Month: April 2026

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said the US and Nato were faced with a “marriage crisis” as frustrations mount on both sides of the Atlantic, urging Washington to stand with its allies or risk America’s fall. Francken, speaking at a think tank event in Washington on Tuesday, likened the strained transatlantic relationship, which has held for close to 80 years, to a “crisis”, saying “it’s very difficult”. “I’m convinced that we’re having a marriage crisis … There’s a lot of frustration on both sides of the Atlantic. A lot of…

While China has begun to put pressure on Iran to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, its statements have been carefully worded, experts say, showing how the prolonged conflict is testing Beijing’s relationship with Tehran. President Xi Jinping told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last week that China wanted an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” and explicitly demanded that the waterway “ remain open to normal passage”, without naming Iran or the US. Speaking at the United Nations earlier this month, Chinese ambassador Fu Cong was more…

It could be “time-consuming”, “complex” and “difficult” for Meta Platforms to unwind its acquisition of Manus, an artificial intelligence start-up that originated in China, given how far the deal has gone, according to analysts. Beijing’s order on Monday blocking the US$2 billion deal came roughly four months after the acquisition was announced. During that time, Manus – developer of what it described as the world’s first general AI agent – provided Meta employees with unlimited-usage accounts, and some Meta teams held meetings and exchanged ideas with Manus staff members, according…

The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that it will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the wider Opec+ alliance effective May 1, a move that signals a push for greater control over its production strategy. The decision followed “a comprehensive review” of the country’s production policy and capacity, the Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement, adding that it was based on national interests and a commitment to help meet global market demand. “Following its exit, the UAE will continue to act responsibly, bringing additional…

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has started the process of overhauling the country’s major security policies, arguing that Japan must boost its military power in the face of geopolitical threats, including those from China. A Chinese expert said Takaichi’s statements during a gathering of experts tasked with overhauling key policy documents signalled a “fundamental” shift in Tokyo’s strategy, with the country’s security road map likely to become “more aggressive”. Beijing, meanwhile, accused the Japanese leader of peddling a narrative of geopolitical tension, as the downward diplomatic spiral between the two…

China is stepping up efforts to secure critical sea lanes and protect its overseas assets, as crises at maritime chokepoints – including the Strait of Hormuz – expose growing vulnerabilities in global trade. In response, Beijing has tasked leading industrial enterprises and academic institutions with spearheading research to safeguard strategic trade corridors and overseas port holdings, amid escalating geopolitical tensions linked to the US-Israeli war in Iran and legal disputes over Panama… South China Morning Post