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Cake day: November 10th, 2025

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  • As an addition:

    China Achieved Record Military Presence in the Indo-Pacific in 2025, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) China Power Project.

    • Taiwan: In 2025, the PLA conducted a record-breaking level of air and maritime activity around Taiwan, sustaining the higher operational tempo of PLA activities that began following William Lai’s inauguration as Taiwan’s president in May 2024. This led to a marked increase in both average monthly PLA activities as well as a higher baseline of PLA activity. However, there was a minor year-over-year decrease in PLA activities in the latter portions of 2025, likely reflecting a temporary, tactical adjustment on China’s end. In 2025, China also conducted two large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, named Strait Thunder-2025A and Justice Mission 2025.

    • South China Sea: The PLA conducted a record 163 recorded operations in the South China Sea in 2025, including a record number of live-fire drills. China continued to harass its neighbors, especially the Philippines, but shifted its most aggressive actions away from Second Thomas Shoal toward Scarborough Shoal. The China Coast Guard (CCG) more than doubled its presence around Scarbough Shoal in 2025 compared to 2024.

    • Japan and Its Surroundings: China continued to maintain pressure on Japan, and there was a spike of notable PLA escalatory moves in November and December. Throughout the year, there was a slight increase in the number of PLA naval vessels reported operating in the waters around Japan, though the average duration of each PLAN vessel’s trip was shorter than in 2024. Similarly, there was an increase in the number of Chinese official ships within the contiguous zone of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, but a decrease in Chinese activity within the territorial seas there.

    • Beyond the First Island Chain: The PLA ramped up its far-seas training and operations in 2025. China’s navy conducted several unprecedented activities beyond the First Island Chain, including extensive voyages and live-fire drills around Australia and New Zealand, and simultaneous aircraft carrier operations in the Pacific for the first time. China’s two operational aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, engaged in nearly twice as many days of operation beyond the first island chain in 2025 compared to 2024. China’s coast guard also operated far into the Pacific.

    • China-Russia Joint Military Exercises: China conducted six joint exercises with Russia in 2025—the lowest count since 2020 and down significantly from the all-time high of 14 in 2024. However, there were novel developments, most notably their first joint submarine patrol.






























  • In a letter to the Financial Times entitled “The scenario that economic warfare experts fear the most” was enlightening, Eric Golson, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Surrey int the UK, provides valuable insights about why China support Russia, and possible consequences as well as necessary reactions by the UK and West:

    … Despite the public displays of unity between Xi and Putin, China has a vested interest in a prolonged conflict. Like the US, it benefits from a weakened Russia, allowing Beijing to expand its geopolitical influence while Moscow remains distracted and depleted.

    The scenario which concerns economic warfare specialists most is a Russian failure in Ukraine followed by internal Russian fragmentation, continuing the imperial disintegration that began in 1991. In that event, China could expand north and east, extending influence into oil and gas-rich regions such as Kamchatka, Sakhalin and parts of the Sakha region. These are territories China once held under the Qing dynasty. Control of this energy would strengthen China’s global position and reduce its vulnerability to pressure over Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is a plausible outcome if the Ukraine war drags on, yet there is little evidence of serious contingency planning in Whitehall or Washington … [Archived]



  • In a letter to the Financial Times entitled “The scenario that economic warfare experts fear the most” was enlightening, Eric Golson, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Surrey int the UK, provides valuable insights about why China support Russia, and possible consequences as well as necessary reactions by the UK and West:

    … Despite the public displays of unity between Xi and Putin, China has a vested interest in a prolonged conflict. Like the US, it benefits from a weakened Russia, allowing Beijing to expand its geopolitical influence while Moscow remains distracted and depleted.

    The scenario which concerns economic warfare specialists most is a Russian failure in Ukraine followed by internal Russian fragmentation, continuing the imperial disintegration that began in 1991. In that event, China could expand north and east, extending influence into oil and gas-rich regions such as Kamchatka, Sakhalin and parts of the Sakha region. These are territories China once held under the Qing dynasty. Control of this energy would strengthen China’s global position and reduce its vulnerability to pressure over Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is a plausible outcome if the Ukraine war drags on, yet there is little evidence of serious contingency planning in Whitehall or Washington … [Archived]


  • In a letter to the Financial Times entitled “The scenario that economic warfare experts fear the most” was enlightening, Eric Golson, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Surrey int the UK, provides valuable insights about why China support Russia, and possible consequences as well as necessary reactions by the UK and West:

    … Despite the public displays of unity between Xi and Putin, China has a vested interest in a prolonged conflict. Like the US, it benefits from a weakened Russia, allowing Beijing to expand its geopolitical influence while Moscow remains distracted and depleted.

    The scenario which concerns economic warfare specialists most is a Russian failure in Ukraine followed by internal Russian fragmentation, continuing the imperial disintegration that began in 1991. In that event, China could expand north and east, extending influence into oil and gas-rich regions such as Kamchatka, Sakhalin and parts of the Sakha region. These are territories China once held under the Qing dynasty. Control of this energy would strengthen China’s global position and reduce its vulnerability to pressure over Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is a plausible outcome if the Ukraine war drags on, yet there is little evidence of serious contingency planning in Whitehall or Washington … [Archived]




  • To provide and example: You will easily find stories about Ford CEO Jim Farley saying that Chinese EVs are ahead of those by Western manufacturers - this story has been appearing in various (and also Western) outlets for some time now. The framing is always a bit different, but the story is always the same.

    Here we have the same pattern - one story, published with a slightly different framing (and often with a misleading title, as it is the case also here, because the survival rate of these trees might be too low in the long run as several of these article also say - see here -, but it’s a bold headline).

    Another recent propaganda push is probably the (false) narrative that China has banned all investments in Israel over Gaza. I read headlines here on Lemmy and on many outlets, including Western media. But it is complete fantasy. It’s a completely fabricated story as China-Israel ties are stronger than ever, with both investment and trade at record levels.

    Don’t get me wrong, I don’t say planting trees is a bad thing. It’s good. But such headlines and the endless stream of always the same news don’t aim at informing on climate policy, but rather to distort reality and serve authoritarian propaganda while creating narratives that are outright false. The only goal here is to promote “the West bad, only China good” stance, which is, of course, complete rubbish.