Editor's Note:

The US government recently designated South Korea as a "sensitive country," which was described by some South Korean media outlets as "an unexpected move." "This decision not only damages South Korea's international reputation, but also raises serious questions about the state of diplomatic coordination between Seoul and Washington," read an opinion piece published by The Korea Herald on March 20. "How did one of America's closest allies end up on this list, and what should be done to reverse this designation?" the article questioned.

In recent years, the US has made frequent policy changes in its global strategy, leading to rifts in its relations with traditional allies. From Europe to Asia, several of its allies have been "stabbed in the back" by the US even at critical moments, which has drawn widespread attention from the international community and raised concern among the affected allies.

What does it mean to be a US ally? Are these allies receiving the promised benefits, or are they, in fact, no more than the US' pawns in its strategic game? The Global Times is launching a two-part series focusing on the dilemmas faced by US allies under its hegemony. This is the second installment.
During his first official visit to the US' close ally in Southeast Asia, American Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to a defense treaty with the Philippines on March 28 and pledged to deploy advanced capabilities to its partner to strengthen a deterrence against threats, including Chinese "aggression," Reuters reported.

As Pete Hegseth joined hands with his Filipino counterpart and the Philippine president to counter China in the region, some Manila residents took to the streets to demonstrate against US military involvement into their country, according to The Economic Times.

While the Marcos administration may take Hegseth's promises as a fruit of its efforts in reinvigorating Manila's relations with Washington, it seems that Filipino people are gaining a clearer understanding of the cost to serve as the US' proxy in the South China Sea than their government.

The international landscape has reverted to an era characterized by great power competition and geopolitics. In this context, several countries and regions have been actively seeking support from the US in recent years, aiming to counterbalance the external influences they perceive as threats, said Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.

But, the questions is: can they trust Washington? Have they genuinely received the assurances that the US offers to them? Or are they simply becoming pawns in the US' "America First" strategic game?

Costs of being an ally

Before the visit, Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy thrust had already triggered concerns in the Philippines about the scale and depth of US commitment to the region during his new term.

"There is utility in keeping ties with the Philippines. The debate is: Can you trust America?" said Carlyle Thayer, an expert in Southeast Asian studies at the Australian Defense Force Academy, as reported by ABS-CBN News.

The article mentioned a $500-million investment allocation pledge by the US in 2024 to fund the Philippine defense upgrade program, but "Washington has yet to make clear if it will sustain the commitment made during the Biden administration."

The Marcos administration has been eager to align its interests with those of the US, even at the cost of its own national security and independence. In 2023, the Philippines expanded the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to give the US military access to another four military bases in the country, making the total number of US military bases in the country nine.

The practice of trading national security or policy independence for US "alliance" has sparked great controversy and concern within the Philippines, as reports of Filipino citizens rallying against US presence in their country increase. "…the US…is to turn the Philippines into the Asian version of Ukraine, a country it will use to advance its [own superpower] agenda in a region it has no business to be in," read a strongly-worded opinion piece published by the Manila Times in April 2024.

Given the recent interactions between the Philippines and the US, it is evident that the Philippines keeps reminding the Trump administration not to forget about the country and the South China Sea. The Marcos government is now tying itself to the chariot of the US, sacrificing its independence and national dignity. This is truly lamentable, Ding Duo, director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.

If Manila believes that by aligning itself with Washington it can gain some advantages on the South China Sea issue during the Trump 2.0 era, it is making a grave miscalculation. Provocations and risks taken by the Philippines in the South China Sea will only lead to painful repercussions, Ding noted.

On the other hand, South Korea is likely to pay a higher price for joining US allyship.

South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok said on March 11 that the US' "America First" policies have started targeting South Korea as discussions between the countries over tariff measures and stronger cooperation on energy and shipbuilding were beginning ahead of "reciprocal tariffs" set to take effect on April 2. The Trump administration had threatened to impose "all-out pressure" on South Korea.

The US is defining what is interest and what is threat for its allies and requiring the latter to obey. For example, it requires South Korea to cooperate its strategy to contain China, despite the fact that South Korea does not necessarily view China as a threat, Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Union Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times.

Abandoned pawns

Some countries and regions that had been swarming to seek alliance or partnership with the US already found themselves to be sacrificial lambs at the US' "America First" altar.

In Ukraine, "history is repeating itself as the US risks abandoning Ukraine like it did in Vietnam and Afghanistan," read an opinion piece published by The Kyiv Independent on March 6.

The comment came after Ukraine suffered two consecutive "abandonment" punches from the US: First was the clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House at the end of February; second was the US' suspension of intelligence sharing and military aid to Kiev from March 3.

It "cuts my heart" and is a "betrayal." This was the response of a Ukrainian soldier in a frontline combat regiment directly affected by the suspension, the Sky News wrote in an article on March 8.

In China's Taiwan island, doubts and skepticism about the US' support have been on the rise in recent years after witnessing the country's selfish, irresponsible, and domineering behavior on the international stage.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, a poll in 2023 in the island showed that, among respondents aged 20 and above, nearly 60 percent agreed that "no matter how good the US is to the island of Taiwan, it is for its own interests and may not necessarily be good for Taiwan."

Regarding mounting doubts about the US in the island, the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities attribute them to "cognitive warfare" by the Chinese mainland, seeking to counterbalance these concerns by emphasizing "dependence on the US."

However, experts on both sides across the Taiwan Straits have repeatedly warned that "protection fees" won't protect "Taiwan independence" forces, and the "chess pieces" will inevitably turn into "abandoned pieces."
A negative asset

Some other traditional allies of the US in Europe are reflecting their relations with the country, according to a poll published in February by the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

A majority of Europeans consider the US to be a "necessary partner" rather than "an ally" against the backdrop of US-EU friction over tariffs, the Euronews reported citing the ECFR poll. The poll was conducted in 11 EU countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary - as well as Ukraine, Switzerland, and the UK.

"This represents a big change for some countries that used to be strongly transatlantic," Pawel Zerka, ECFR's senior policy fellow, told Euronews.

After the Cold War came to an end in the 1990s, the US once believed that Western "liberal democracy" would become the endpoint of human ideological evolution and proposed a "New World Order," hoping to establish a new "American Century." However, the US then faced unresolved issues such as economic recession, and the cohesion of its ally system sharply declined following the collapse of the Soviet Union, said Yuan Youwei, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

In 21st century, the key of great power relations have shifted from forming alliances based on enmity to forming partnerships based on friendship. Alliance politics corrupts the culture of international politics and embodies a downward competitive mindset that harms mutual interests. In contrast, partnership politics foster a culture of trust in international relations, promote peaceful development and win-win cooperation, and represent an upward competitive mindset that benefits all parties involved, Wang Yiwei further noted.

In this sense, alliance system is becoming a negative asset for US diplomacy, the expert pointed out.

According to Wang, the US now views China as its greatest "rivalry" and there is a tendency across the US to use fear and anxiety about China to highlight the so-called "Chinese threat," thereby masking internal issues.

In this context, it is even more important for China to stick to a policy framework of independence and non-alignment, guided by the goal of building a new form of international relations, Wang said.

Zhang Ling (pseudonym) spent nearly half a month searching online for making an appointment with a recommended traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) doctor in Beijing after her six-year-old Chinese field dog, Dou Dou, was paralyzed in a car accident.

She initially had no idea that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could also be used to treat animals. What surprised her even more was that this form of treatment had become so popular that it was quite difficult to make an appointment with a good TCVM doctor in Beijing.

"At first, I tried to register with a famous doctor in the China Agricultural University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CAUVTH), which is widely known as the best hospital in Beijing for pets. The registration channel for the doctor's service opens eight days in advance at 8 pm. I logged on to the registration platform a few minutes late, only to find that all the available slots were already full," Zhang, 34, told the Global Times.
Special treatment

Zhang's dog was hit by a car in a small town in East China's Jiangsu Province, where veterinary services weren't equipped to perform surgery on the dog during the "gold 24 hours" after the accident.

Having returned to Beijing after the Spring Festival holidays, Zhang took Dou Dou to see a veterinary neurosurgeon at the CAUVTH and another neurosurgeon who came highly recommended online. "The CAUVTH doctor told me Dou Dou had a slipped disc that seriously damaged a nerve, leading to level-five paralysis - the highest level. At this point, even surgery wouldn't be of much help. The other doctor gave me a similar prognosis and said he could attempt stem cell therapy, but the therapy was still in the experimental with few confirmed successes around the world," Zhang said.

Shortly after these disappointing appointments, Zhang discovered TCVM and held out hope that this form of treatment might help her canine companion.

"Modern medicine often employs surgical decompression to treat a slipped disc. But there is little modern medicine can do for level-five paralysis with loss of deep pain sensation lasting more than 48 hours. For these cases, we have established an acupuncture therapy based on the diagnosis through modern medical neurological function tests, and MRI or CT scans, and, in some occasions, it's even more efficacious than surgery," Chen Wu, a professor at the Beijing University of Agriculture and chief expert in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine of the New Ruipeng Pet Healthcare Group, explained to Zhang when she took Dou Dou for his first consultation for the first time.

However, Chen cautioned that "it may be a long process before the dog can finally stand up." This uncertainty weighed a little on Zhang. Nevertheless, given her limited options, she agreed to try acupuncture therapy for Dou Dou for two weeks and observe the results before determining the next steps in treatment.
Rising popularity

On a Friday afternoon in Chen's treatment room at the Chongfuxin international animal medicine center in Changping, Beijing, the Global Times observed Dou Dou's treatment. The canine was placed on a specialized treatment bed covered with grid cloth. His four legs were placed through the openings in the cloth to prevent him from moving. Chen used alcohol-soaked cotton swabs to disinfect some acupoints below the dog's waist and between the toes of the dog's paralyzed hind legs.

Chen then deftly inserted fine acupuncture needles into the pug's acupoints and attached electrodes to the needles to deliver controlled electrical currents. The pug's legs twitched regularly in response to the electrical stimulation.

According to Chen, TCVM is a field of medicine in which veterinarians apply the theoretical principles of TCM to the diagnosis and treatment of animals. In ancient times, Chinese people did use TCVM to treat animals, mainly focusing on horses on the battlefield and oxen used for farming. In modern times, TCVM has also been modified and integrated with Western medicine, spreading as far afield as the US and Japan, along with the development and spread of TCM.

The locations of dogs' acupoints are similar to those in human bodies compared to other animals, making the acupuncture therapy effective for dogs, according to Chen.

After being a TCVM doctor in China for over 30 years, Chen, 59, told the Global Times that he had noticed the increased popularity of TCVM in the country in recent years.

Some pet owners turn to TCVM after Western medicine fails to treat their pets' diseases. Others seek TCVM services as they believe in TCM themselves. TCVM's other advantage over Western medicine is its ability to treat age-related diseases. An increasing number of people seeking TCVM services in recent years do so due to the advanced age of their pets, Chen explained.

Citing an industry report, an article published by the New Weekly magazine on February 27 stated that, currently, there is an upward trend of pet aging in China, with dogs aged 7 (the age threshold for elderly dog) and above accounting for 23 percent of the total in 2024, an increase of 5 percent compared to 2023. It is estimated that in the next three years, over 30 million pets in China will enter middle and old age.

With the rising trend of pet aging, the issues of aged pet care and daily pet healthcare have gradually become focal points of concern for pet owners. This brings about new opportunities for Chinese TCVM practitioners.

"Our vision is to establish an authentic TCM institution for pets, integrating traditional medical philosophies into daily pet healthcare," Wu Yingjiu, the 59-year-old funder of the first TCM clinic for pets in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, told the Global Times.

According to Wu, the clinic, named Wang Miao Tai Yi Tang, which means medical hall for dogs and cats, handles about 10 in-person consultations and dozens of online assessments daily. Its services range from customized herbal formulas and acupuncture, to post-operative rehabilitation and preventive care.

"Most of our patients are senior pets with chronic conditions or mobility issues, and some others are diagnosed with difficult diseases. Poodles, French Bulldogs, and Corgis are among our most common patients," Wu said.

"Like human TCM practitioners, we customize treatments, different formulas for different conditions," Deng Xurong, a TCVM doctor at Wu's clinic, told the Global Times.

The applicable diseases for TCVM include neurological disorders, musculoskeletal issues and muscle problems, as well as various types of ascites, skin diseases, and miscellaneous diseases, particularly in cases where long-term Western medical treatments have not been effective. Compared with Western medications like antibiotics or steroids, herbal TCM medications also offer gentler interventions with noticeable effects, Deng said.

Integrated approach

After four rounds of acupuncture treatments, Dou Dou's reaction to electrical stimulation improved. But Chen told Zhang that the improvement was far from an indication that the dog would stand up in near future, saying two months. In the next stage of treatment, more rehabilitation methods would be incorporated to exercise and strengthen the muscles of the dog's paralyzed legs.

According to Chen, it has taken up to a year and a half for some level-five paralyzed dogs that he's treated to stand up and walk again.

Zhang decided to continue the acupuncture treatment while incorporating rehabilitation exercises. She did not make the decision without hesitations. "I have seen with my own eyes some improvement from the acupuncture therapy, but, in fact, I was still not sure what effect, if any, that acupuncture had. But it seems like it is the only thing I can do for the dog now," she said.

For pet owners like Zhang who still remain skeptical about TCVM, Wu told the Global Times that he understands that TCVM is still an unfamiliar concept for the majority of the public.

He believes the greatest advantage of TCVM lies in its fundamental regulation and preventive care before disease onset. For acute and critical conditions, he would recommend pet owners seek Western medicine for symptom relief first, followed by TCVM for long-term diagnostic treatment.

As a practicing doctor and professor in TCVM with 30 years' experience, Chen said "Traditional Chinese and Western veterinary medicine each have their strengths, but neither is perfect on its own. It is necessary to learn from each other's strengths and develop in a complementary manner. Some diseases are well suited for TCM, while others may require Western medicine first."

Additionally, some conditions benefit from a combination of both approaches. Only by integration can we provide the best options for animal health, the doctor said.

An integration approach would also help to prove efficacy and win TCVM international recognition, according to Chen.

For example, Chen's team had conducted animal experiments to reveal the scientific mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of intervertebral disc disease. Under the same diagnostic criteria with Western medicine, the team uncovered the effects and mechanisms of acupuncture in treating intervertebral disc disease in dogs. This has further enhanced the understanding of the clinical value and scientific basis of acupuncture among international veterinary field, he noted.

In fact, as early as in 1974, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) was founded in the US to promote the use of veterinary acupuncture and to increase education in this modality. At this time, there were 80 members of the society, according to the society's website.

The society also provides certification courses in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary Chinese herbal medicine to applicants.

Chinese TCVM practitioners have also taken action to promote the industry's development in its birthplace.

A public welfare initiative for the inheritance and development of TCVM launched in 2017 by Chen and other practitioners has trained over 8,000 key clinical practitioners in pet TCM across the country.

In China, the uptake of TCVM is still low in the curriculum of veterinary universities, and the training of TCVM professionals still needs to be strengthened. Policies, laws, and regulations to regulate and support the development of TCVM industry is also urgently needed, Chen stressed.

Lai Ching-te's obstinate stance on "Taiwan independence" and his rampant provocation and confrontation once again prove that he is an outright "destroyer of cross-Straits peace" and a "creator of crisis in the Taiwan Straits," said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Thursday.

Lai held a so-called "high-level national security meeting" on Thursday and, in his remarks afterward, once again propagated the separatist fallacy of "mutual non-subordination" between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. He claimed that "Taiwan is a sovereign, independent, democratic nation," deliberately hyped the so-called mainland "threat," labeled the mainland as a "foreign hostile force," and put forward "17 major strategies" in response to the so-called "five threats," according to Chen.

While Lai seeks personal gain by selling Taiwan island, he is also acting against the tide of history by intensifying "green terror" on the island, suppressing political dissents, inciting "anti-China" sentiment, escalating cross-Straits confrontation, obstructing cross-Straits exchanges, and forcibly promoting "decoupling and severing supply chains" between the two sides, all in service of his "Taiwan independence" separatist agenda, said the spokesperson.

These actions are aimed at diverting attention from internal contradictions and alleviating his governance predicament, serving his purpose of pursuing "Taiwan independence," Chen said, noting that this fully exposes his sinister nature - prioritizing the interests of his party and himself at the expense of worsening social divisions on the island, forcing the Taiwan people onto the "Taiwan independence" chariot, and pushing Taiwan toward the perilous brink of war, said Chen.

Chen emphasized that the island of Taiwan is a sacred and inseparable part of China's territory. It has never been, and will never be, a country. Taiwan belongs to all Chinese people - this is an undeniable historical and legal fact, as well as the status quo across the Taiwan Straits that cannot be changed. Our determination to resolve the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification is as solid as a rock, and our capability is unshakable. We will never allow any person or force to separate Taiwan from China, nor will we leave any room for any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities. If "Taiwan independence" separatist forces dare to cross the red line, we will have no choice but to take decisive measures.

Chen sternly warned the Lai authorities that those who play with fire will eventually get burned. Those who forget their heritage, betray their motherland, and seek to split the country will come to no good end; those who engage in "Taiwan independence" separatist activities will only end up being crushed; and those who act against the tide of history and defy universal justice are doomed to perish. The great trend of national reunification is advancing irresistibly, and no person or force can stop it. All sinister schemes are destined to fail.

Ahead of his state visit to Peru in November last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article in Peruvian newspaper El Peruano, reflecting on the Intihuatana stone -- an ancient altar in Machu Picchu where the Incas tracked the seasons and crafted calendars based on the shifting solar shadows.

He noted that the structure operated on the same principles that inspired the creation of sundials in ancient China. "Many told me that Chinese and Peruvian peoples would feel an instant warmth upon their first encounters and would have a deja vu when appreciating each other's ancient artifacts," he wrote.
Since assuming Chinese presidency, Xi has made cultural exchange a hallmark of his diplomatic approach. Cultural exchange is a project aimed at "bringing the hearts and minds of the people closer together and building a better future," he has said, a belief he has carried since his days working at local positions.

In 2005, as secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, he sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the province's first Culture Week program in Europe. Among the highlights of the event, held in France's Alpes-Maritimes, was an exhibition of paintings by local farmers and fishermen -- a unique form of Chinese folk art depicting the rhythm and beauty of rural and coastal life through vibrant hues and evocative forms.

As Chinese president, Xi has been consistently advocating for mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual learning between different cultures and civilizations.

During his state visit to France in May last year, he brought Chinese translations of classic French novels as gifts for his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. In return, Macron presented him with a special work by French author Victor Hugo.

Thanks to his steadfast push, cultural exchanges between China and other countries are flourishing. Over the past decade, China has organized over 30 cultural and tourism year programs with other countries, notably those participating in Belt and Road cooperation.

"The Chinese civilization … has become what it is today through constant interactions with other civilizations," Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May 2019 in Beijing.

"Long-term self-isolation will cause a civilization to decline, while exchanges and mutual learning will sustain its development. A civilization can flourish only through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations," he added.

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) released a statement on Monday, revealing details about four members of the "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command" linked to "Taiwan independence" forces and warning that the internet is not beyond the reach of the law. They must recognize the situation, abandon the fantasy of "Taiwan independence," refuse to become cannon fodder for "Taiwan independence," and cease their cybercriminal activities that undermine national unity, the MSS said.

The revealed members include Lin Yushu, born in 1979, head of the Network Environment Research and Analysis Center of the "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command", and Cai Jiehong, born in 1993, team leader of the center, while Nian Xiaofan, born in 1982, and Wang Haoming, born in 1990, are active personnel at the center, according to the MSS. The MSS also revealed with their photos and Taiwan ID numbers.

In recent years, national security agencies have closely monitored and investigated cyber infiltration activities by Taiwan island's "internet army." They have identified multiple individuals involved in the planning, commanding, and executing these activities, according to the MSS.

The "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command" was established in June 2017 as the "fourth branch" of the Taiwan authorities and was restructured in 2022 as a direct agency of the "defense department" of the island. It primarily handles electronic warfare, information warfare, cyber warfare, and military line maintenance, serving as the main force for the island of Taiwan's cyber operations against the mainland, according to MSS.

Since its inception, the "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command" has served as an instrument of "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, orchestrating cyberattacks and infiltration against the mainland. China's national security agencies are firmly committed to resolutely combating their cyber espionage activities, thoroughly investigating the masterminds behind these actions and eliminating potential threats, the MSS said.

The "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command" has specifically hired hackers and cybersecurity companies as external support to execute the cyber warfare directives issued by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities. Their activities include espionage, sabotage, and propaganda. 

Common tactics employed by them include infiltrating critical information infrastructure in the Chinese mainland, such as water, electricity, gas, heating, communication, and networked cameras; sending phishing and propaganda emails to key party, government, military, and enterprise units in the mainland; stealing login credentials for online streaming platforms, networked electronic displays, IP network intercom systems, or portal websites, and after gaining control, broadcasting counterpropaganda audio and video or posting propaganda images; lurking on mainstream social media platforms, nurturing a large number of "bot" accounts to spread false information, manipulate public opinion, mislead the perceptions of the people from the island and the mainland, and monitor and suppress dissenting voices on the island, the MSS noted.

Since 2023, they have used aliases like "Anonymous 64" to spread false information on social media, attempting to bolster the DPP authorities' push for "independence."

The so-called internet army continues to exaggerate its achievements, fabricating non-existent platforms to bolster its claims. In their cyberattack activities, they extensively uses open-source tools such as AntSword, IceScorpion, Metasploit, and Quasar. Recently, national security agencies have traced and seized dozens of cyberattack platforms used by the "army," discovering new trends in their attacks and espionage against important sectors in the Chinese mainland, and have thoroughly verified and dealt with these issues, cutting off the "black hands" of espionage, the MSS said.

Under the pretext of enhancing "asymmetric warfare capabilities," the DPP authorities have funneled taxpayer money into building a cyber army aimed at attacking, infiltrating, and spying on the mainland, an effort that will ultimately prove futile, the MSS stated.

Meanwhile, behind the blind expansion of the "Taiwan independence" cyber army lies internal chaos. Senior officials are greedy for achievements and engage in infighting, viewing frontline personnel as "cannon fodder," appropriating the "merits" of their subordinates, and even handing over "meritorious individuals" for legal action. The individuals were not only pocketing funds under the guise of executing tasks, inflating expenses, colluding with external forces to "earn the difference," but also were exaggerating, misrepresenting, and fabricating the "results" of cyberattack activities to claim credit and obtain performance rewards, according to the statement.

The MSS warned that "Taiwan independence" is a dead-end road. National security agencies remain steadfast in protecting national sovereignty, security, and development interests and will take all necessary punitive measures against "Taiwan independence" separatists in line with relevant legal provisions.

The Philippine side brought in the Typhon system to cater to the US side would only place its national security and defense in the hands of others, and lead to geopolitical confrontation and risks of arms race in the region. It's like holding a candle to the devil and playing the jackal to the tiger, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Friday.

Zhang made the remarks in response to the Philippines' claim that the country would return the Typhon system to the US so long as China stops claiming its territory, harassing its fishermen and attacking its ships.

The Chinese side has made clear multiple times our firm opposition against the US deployment of the mid-range missile system in the Philippines, Zhang said. The Typhon missile system is a strategic asset and an offensive weapon. The Philippine side has repeatedly gone back on its words and brought in the system to cater to the US, he said.

"Such decision would only place its national security and defense in the hands of others, and lead to geopolitical confrontation and risks of arms race in the region. It's like holding a candle to the devil and playing the jackal to the tiger," Zhang said.

As we all know, the territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, the 1900 Treaty between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Convention between His Majesty in Respect of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States regarding the Boundary between the State of North Borneo and the Philippine Archipelago, Zhang said.

China's Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao fall outside the Philippine territory. It's legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach for the Chinese side to conduct law-enforcement activities in relevant waters, the spokesperson noted.

By using the deployment of Typhon as a bargaining chip on the South China Sea issue, the Philippines is selling out its own national security, putting the well-being of its people and regional peace and stability at grave risk. Such behavior is ridiculous and dangerous, Zhang noted.

"We require the Philippine side to recognize the high sensitivity and severe consequences of this issue, remove the Typhon missile system as soon as possible to honor its open promises, and return to the right track of dialogue and consultations at an early date. China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely counter provocations and infringements and safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the spokesperson said.

The first locally-born giant panda cubs at Ocean Park Hong Kong are set to meet the public on Sunday, and residents are encouraged to propose names for the cuddly twins.

The pair of giant panda cubs was born last August and their parents are Ying Ying and Le Le, the giant pandas gifted by the central government to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

At a greeting ceremony Saturday, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee expressed heartfelt gratitude to the experts for taking excellent care of the twins and providing professional postnatal care to Ying Ying after her giving birth to the cubs.

"Ying Ying, the mother of the twin cubs, is on record as the world's oldest giant panda to give birth for the first time. The birth of the twin cubs not only solidifies the outstanding achievements of our country in giant panda conservation, but also demonstrates the Ocean Park's leading position as an important conservation and education base in Hong Kong," he said, adding that the HKSAR government will continue to advance and promote conservation of giant pandas.

Lee also announced the launch of a naming competition for the cubs. At present, members of the public are calling the twin cubs "elder sister" and "little brother." Hong Kong residents are encouraged to suggest a pair of names for the twin cubs by observing their physical features and characteristics, as well as the interaction between the cubs and their daily lives. Results will be announced in the first half of this year.

Over the past six months, the cubs have grown healthily from around 120 grams at birth to more than 12 kg now, according to caretakers.

Responding to an inquiry on the US State Department's recent update of the fact sheet on its relations with Taiwan island by removing the previous statement that the US "does not support 'Taiwan independence'," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that US' move gravely backpedaled on its position on Taiwan-related issues.

We urge the US to immediately correct its wrongdoings, abide by the one-China principle and three China-US joint communiqués, handle the Taiwan question with extra prudence, stop using Taiwan to contain China, stop upgrading its substantive relations with Taiwan, stop helping Taiwan expand the so-called "international space," stop emboldening and supporting "Taiwan independence," and avoid further severe damage to China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, said Guo.

The US State Department has reportedly removed the phrase "does not support Taiwan independence" from a fact sheet on its relations with the Taiwan island, a move that the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have praised as US "support." However, the US has denied the change in its stance toward "Taiwan independence," saying that it is a "routine update," according to Taiwan media report.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a statement on Monday that the US move severely violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, violently interfering in China's internal affairs and sending seriously wrong signals to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" will only jeopardize peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.

Zhu also warned the DPP authorities that seeking independence by soliciting US support is doomed to fail. No matter how DPP authorities and the US collude and scheme, they cannot change the fact that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan island is a part of China. They also cannot change the trend that China is destined and bound to achieve national reunification, Zhu said.

The fact sheet, titled "US relations with Taiwan," was released on February 13 on the US Statement Department's website. The Taiwan News, a news outlet in Taiwan island, displaying a screenshot of the previous version published under former US secretary of state Antony Blinken, noted that the new version removed the phrase "we do not support Taiwan independence."

The media also noted other additions include a sentence declaring that the US expects "cross-Straits differences to be resolved by peaceful means." The sentence has been expanded to include "free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to people on both sides of the Straits."

Following the changes, on Sunday, Lin Chia-lung, the head of the external affairs authority of Taiwan island, expressed his welcome for "the support and positive stance shown toward Taiwan-US relations" in the relevant content. He claimed that Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities, reported Taiwan media.

However, when questioned about the revision and whether it signifies a shift in Washington's stance on "Taiwan's independence," a US State Department spokesperson rejected the suggestion, saying that it is a routine update, according to Taiwan local media UDN.

The spokesperson said that the US remains "committed to its one-China policy," reaffirming that US policy is guided by the "Taiwan Relations Act," the three US-China joint communiques, and the "Six Assurances" to Taiwan. The US opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo and supports cross-Straits dialogue, UDN reported.

When a new US administration takes office, there are often changes in the way Taiwan question are phrased in the fact sheet regarding relations with the Taiwan island. However, shifts in wording alone do not necessarily indicate a significant change in US policy, Zheng Jian, director of the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies of Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Zheng said that the secessionist DPP authorities' interpretation of the "changes" reflect their willingness to read the statements in a way that suits their own agenda and it is nothing but merely "self-comfort."

Charging a higher price

Zheng said that the wording change is the US' old tactic for pressuring Taiwan to bear a higher cost. For example, US President Donald Trump recently made remarks on tariffs on Taiwan island and the semiconductor TSMC. Trump said on Thursday that Taiwan had taken away the US chip business and said that he wanted it back in the country, according to the Associated Press.

"Selling out Taiwan and appeasing the US will not bring security to Taiwan; it will only harm the interests of the Taiwan people and create instability in the Taiwan Straits," Zheng said.

Against the backdrop of intensifying strategic competition, the US has intensified its use of the "Taiwan card" as part of a broader strategy to counter China. This approach is not new under the Trump administration, but reflects a continuation of an ongoing strategy, Zheng said, warning that the Taiwan question is the first and most unbreakable red line in China-US relations.

The US continues to use the "Taiwan card" as a tool of strategic leverage, pressuring not only the Chinese mainland but also the Taiwan island, said Zheng.

In May 2022, during the Biden administration, the State Department removed the statement it "does not support Taiwan independence" from a fact sheet. However, less than a month after these initial changes, the description of US-Taiwan relations was restored, according to Taiwan News.

Throughout the history of China-US relations, we've seen similar extreme pressures on China exerted by the US government, so we have been prepared and will fight to defend our core interests, said Li Zhenguang, deputy director at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University.

After a several-year pause in dialogue, high-level delegations from Russia and the US met on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the prospects for resolving the conflict in Ukraine and ways to break the impasse in bilateral relations, which according to TASS, lasted about 4.5 hours. 

Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and special envoy for the Middle East Stephen Witkoff were participating in the negotiations. The talks were held in one of the royal family's palaces - Al Diriyah in the Albasateen complex, TASS reported. 

Dmitriev, the Russian negotiator, told Reuters it was too early to talk of compromises following the talks with US officials, but that the two sides started listening to one another, treating each other with respect and as equals.

Russia's chief foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov has said it "went well" and was "a serious conversation on all issues," according to Interfax and Tass, via Reuters.

He also said that the two sides agreed for negotiators to talk about Ukraine, and briefly discussed the conditions needed for a Putin-Trump summit, although he noted it was unlikely to take place next week.

According to the US Department of State statement following the meeting, the US and Russia agreed to establish a consultation mechanism to "address irritants to our bilateral relationship with the objective of taking steps necessary to normalize the operation of our respective diplomatic missions."  

The two sides also reached agreements including appointing respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides, and laying the groundwork for future cooperation on matters of mutual geopolitical interest and historic economic and investment opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine, according to the US statement. 

When asked about what role China wants to play or can play in any peace agreement that solves the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at Tuesday's press conference that on any dispute and conflict in the world, China always advocates dialogue, consultation and political settlement. This is also true when it comes to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 

China is not the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party to it. That said, we have not just sat by and watched the crisis unfold or profiteered from the crisis. Right after the Ukraine crisis broke out, China proposed to settle the crisis through dialogue and consultation, Guo said. 

China will continue to support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis, maintain communication with relevant parties and play a constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the crisis, according to Guo.  

"We are glad to see dialogue between the US and Russia, and we support the political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine crisis. But we are also well aware that achieving results through one single dialogue is very difficult," said Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University.

Li explained that the Ukraine crisis is merely a symptom of the broader issue of European security. If the US and Russia only discuss a ceasefire without addressing the root cause of the conflict - NATO's excessive dominance and expansion over Europe, the crisis could not be resolved, he told the Global Times. 

Sun Xiuwen, an associate professor at the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University, said Russia is unlikely to make significant compromises on core interests, particularly regarding limiting NATO expansion, ensuring a land corridor to the militarily occupied territories and the Crimean Peninsula, and pushing for Ukraine's "neutrality." 

While for the Trump administration, key considerations include claiming personal credit for resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through negotiations and reducing investment in Ukraine to focus resources on addressing challenges in the Asia-Pacific, Sun told the Global Times.

Ukraine, Europe in dismay

No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country won't accept any outcome from this week's talks since Kiev isn't taking part. European allies have also expressed concerns they are being sidelined, AP reported.

When asked to comment the meeting without the participation of Ukraine, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo said that China has always maintained that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable path to resolving the Ukraine crisis. "We welcome all efforts dedicated to achieving peace, including the consensus on peace talks reached between the US and Russia." 

"At the same time, we look forward to the timely participation of all relevant parties and stakeholders in the peace negotiation process," Guo noted. 

Signs of tension have emerged between Ukraine and the White House in recent days following the following the dramatic turnaround of Trump's attitude toward Russia. 

Ukrainian drones attacked the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station on Monday, which primarily pumps oil for American and European companies through Kazakhstan, Sputnik News reported. "Undoubtedly, this was a deliberate and calculated response by Zelensky to Trump's stance," the report said. 

The move came after Zelensky told his aides to reject the Trump administration's proposal that would grant the US 50 percent of Ukraine's rare earth minerals, NBC News reported on Monday.

A few days before the Riyadh meeting, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Kiev that a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders was "unrealistic" and the Trump administration does not see NATO membership for Kiev as part of a solution to the conflict with Russia, Reuters reported.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the issue of Ukraine's accession to the European Union was its sovereign right. Peskov added, though, that Russia's position was different when it comes to Ukraine joining military alliances, Reuters reported.

Despite that the stances of the US and Russia seem to be converging on the dealing of Ukraine crisis, if Ukraine and Europe do not accept it, such a consensus will not be able to materialize, Li said. He added that the US approach, which sacrifices the interests of other parties to fulfill its own desire, cannot lead to a lasting and stable solution.

However, Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, said that it is also possible that the US may reach an agreement with Russia and then pressurize Europe and Ukraine, who have little bargaining chips. The EU's lack of sufficient diplomatic autonomy and its disunity have left it in a weak position where it must now face the consequences, Cui said.

French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X while the US-Russia meeting convenes that he has just spoken with Trump and then with Zelensky. He said working together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians is the key to resolving the conflict.

He noted that Europeans must invest better, more, and together in their security and defense. "To this end, Europeans want to accelerate the implementation of their own agenda for sovereignty, security, and competitiveness."

Following Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also posted on X that "Financially and militarily… we will step up." She added that "We want to partner with the US to deliver a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Now is a critical moment."

A hasty summit was held in Paris on Monday among European leaders, but has ended with little unity on crucial points, including the idea of sending a European peacekeeping force to the country, the Guardian reported.

Breaking the ice

Apart from peace deal talks, Peskov said the Riyadh meeting would focus on "restoring the whole complex of US-Russian relations." Lavrov on Monday said the time had come for the two countries to end what he called an "absolutely abnormal period" of estrangement, according to the Washington Post.

The Russian and US delegations in Riyadh are addressing a variety of accumulated problematic issues, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing, TASS reported on Tuesday. 

"They have been amassing not just over the three years when we had no contacts at all because of [former US president Joe] Biden's administration, but over all previous years," the diplomat said. "This is why the work began."

The potential directions for US-Russia rapprochement may include two aspects: first, strategic coordination such as extending the New START Treaty or restarting the negotiations, and coordinating on regional issues such as Syria and Afghanistan; second, interest exchange between two sides, for example, the US partially lifts economic sanctions on Russia while Russia concedes global LNG market share to the US, Sun said. 

Cui, however, said this round of negotiation is unlikely to yield immediate breakthroughs, as both sides need time to reengage after years of no contact. It only serves as a preliminary step, Cui told the Global Times.

"It is one thing for the US and Russia to express a willingness to break the ice… however, over more than 30 years of post-Cold War history has shown us clearly that improving US-Russia relations is fraught with difficulties," echoed Li.

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), commonly known as China's "artificial sun," set a new world record by sustaining high-confinement plasma operation for 1,066 seconds, the Global Times learned from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Tuesday.

The engineering design of the next-generation "artificial sun" has been completed. According to China's roadmap for magnetic confinement nuclear fusion, the country aims to construct the world's first demonstration fusion power plant, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the CAS, surpassed the previous world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. 

The Global Times learned from CAS that the ultimate goal of developing an artificial sun is to replicate the nuclear fusion processes that occur in the sun, to provide humanity with unlimited clean energy and enable deep-space exploration.

"Fusion reactions need to reach the order of thousands of seconds to sustain themselves. The latest record marks the first time humanity has simulated conditions necessary for operating fusion reactors in an experimental setup," said Song Yuntao, director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, reported Xinhua.

According to CAS, since its inception in 2006, EAST has served as an open testing platform for both Chinese and international scientists to pursue fusion-related research and experiments.

China officially joined the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) program in 2006 as its seventh member. Under the agreement, China is tasked with contributing about 9 percent of the project's construction and operational requirements.

ITER, currently under construction in southern France, is set to become the world's largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment and the largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor upon completion.

Gong Xianzu, the chief physicist of the EAST project, told Xinhua that researchers have improved the stability of the heating system, the accuracy of the control system, and the precision of the diagnostic system. These advancements have solved many frontier issues, highlighting China's comprehensive scientific and technological expertise in this area.