It is understandable that Canada would seek to diversify its trade options in the face of an American government that has weaponized trade, and China, for all its pitfalls, remains an alluring market. Be that as it may, there is no place for China in the alliance of middle powers that Carney is proposing. Allowing China in would be akin to letting the fox into the hen house.

Over the past nine months, Taiwan moved from facing the threat of punitive tariffs as high as 32%, to a temporary rate of 20%, and ultimately to a reduced reciprocal tariff rate of 15% that is not stacked on top of the Most-Favored-Nation tariff. The process was marked by substantial uncertainty and difficult bargaining. Nonetheless, the outcome not only defused a looming bilateral trade crisis, but also established a new framework for U.S.-Taiwan economic relations.

At the beginning of 2026 Xi Jinping sent shocking news to the world about China’s domestic politics with the purging of General Zhang Youxia (張又俠), one of two vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission(CMC), and General Liu Zhenli (劉振立), a CMC member and chief of the Joint Chief Department under the CMC.

Efforts by Taiwan to bolster its deterrent capabilities are crucial. U.S. assistance in this endeavor, in the form of continued arms sales, is key — and the latest, US$11.1 billion arms package announced in December will go a long way in creating a force that can deter an attack by China.

China’s assertiveness around Taiwan as well as in the vicinity of Japan will only make the Japanese more alert and strengthen Japan’s resolve to enhance its national security capabilities and to assume larger roles for regional security to maintain the rules-based international order together with its international partners.

The people of Ukraine and Taiwan are demonstrating their commitment to democracy; they need only the requisite support from the United States, the world’s avatar of democracy, to succeed in their defense of democracy. President Trump should step forward at the critical moment, a historic opportunity to secure the world as we know it.

Taiwan’s relations with Europe have gone through steady development over the past five years. Catalyzed by a series of global disruptions, Europe’s relations with Taiwan have moved from the margins toward a broader recognition that strengthening ties with Taiwan contributes to Europe’s strategic autonomy and resilience.

The NSS report mentions the “Indo-Pacific” and the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” seven times, and also mentions the Quad involving the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan, indicating that the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy will continue to be promoted.

A mere three days before the end of 2025, the Chinese government suddenly announced a military exercise targeting Taiwan. However, despite the scale of this exercise, “Justice Mission” did not cause serious concern in the U.S., and even the Japanese government responded discreetly. After the exercise, there does not appear to have been any significant change in U.S. arms sales policy to Taiwan, nor in Japan’s policy regarding Taiwan Strait security.

Nasry Asfura is likely to be declared the new president of Honduras, leading the country from 2025 to 2029. If so, the conservative Honduran candidate will likely alter the policy toward Taiwan.