US Republicans fear UK Chagos Islands deal will boost China – POLITICO

US Republicans fear UK Chagos Islands deal will boost China – POLITICO

The British government insisted its U.S. allies were foursquare behind the move, after a report claimed Washington raised concerns about the decision with the U.K. But top Republican lawmakers echoed criticism from Conservatives in Britain that conceding to the long-standing Mauritian campaign for control of the islands could be a mistake.  Idaho Senator James Risch, … Read more

‘We’re living under the illusion of environmentalism’ – POLITICO

‘We’re living under the illusion of environmentalism’ – POLITICO

Next, comes Europe’s strategic climate hypocrisy. As part of our concern for the climate, we’ve pushed our energy-intensive plants outside the Continent. The steel industry is an important example of this, as the economy needs steel in virtually every investment — large and small — and yet our industry is dying, with the trade deficit … Read more

Xi Jinping sends love letter to Viktor Orbán – POLITICO

Xi Jinping sends love letter to Viktor Orbán – POLITICO

Stressing their cooperation during the Covid pandemic, when Hungary became the first EU country to authorize a Chinese-made vaccine, and “mutually beneficial cooperation” on infrastructure, the Chinese leader praised Hungary as an “important trading partner and the number one target country for Chinese investments in the Central and Eastern European region.” Following a stop in France, … Read more

The first nail-biter election of 2024: Taiwan – POLITICO

The first nail-biter election of 2024: Taiwan – POLITICO

TAIPEI — 2024 will be a bumper year of elections around the world, but one of the first votes on the calendar will also be one of the most hotly contested and consequential: Taiwan, where there are vital strategic interests at play for both the U.S. and China on January 13. If the campaign started … Read more