The U.S. Commerce Sec. fears a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan She highlighted one hypothetical event that could be, in her opinion, "absolutely devastating." US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expresses grave concerns about a possible severe crisis in the US economy if China invades Taiwan.

Major military activity in the Indo-Pacific: - 1/3 of US Navy Fleet in theater - Balikatan underway, many major firsts - Taiwan inauguration May 20 & potential Chinese response - Increased PLA military activity around Taiwan, 120+ ships in SCS

Houthis promise safe passage for Russian, Chinese ships in Red Sea, media reports Representatives of the Yemeni rebel Ansar Allah (#Houthis) movement have assured #Russia and #China that their ships can pass through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait without fear of attacks from the Houthis, Bloomberg said, citing sources. According to the agency, a relevant agreement was allegedly reached during talks between diplomats of the three countries, which took place in "Oman. Ansar #Allah spokesman Mohamed Abdel Salam headed the Houthi delegation.

Beijing announces naval drills in East China Sea on March 12-14 The Chinese People's Liberation Army's #Navy is holding drills in the #East China Sea on March 12-14, according to a statement published on the website of China’s Maritime Safety Administration. The brief statement says that the exercise is taking place along the coast of China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, where a temporary navigation ban has been imposed. The drills are being held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time (from 12:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. GMT) on March 12-14. No information is available about the forces and equipment involved in the drills. However, the statement says that the exercise will include live firing.

#China presses #Iran to rein in #Houthi attacks in #Red_Sea Chinese officials have asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or risk harming business relations with Beijing, four Iranian sources and a diplomat familiar with the matter said. The discussions about the attacks and trade between China and Iran took place at several recent meetings in Beijing and Tehran, the Iranian sources said, declining to provide details about when they took place or who attended. "Basically, China says: 'If our interests are harmed in any way, it will impact our business with Tehran. So tell the Houthis to show restraint'," said one Iranian official briefed on the talks, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The attacks, which the Houthis say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, have raised the cost of shipping and insurance by disrupting a key trade route between Asia and Europe used widely by ships from China. The Chinese officials, however, did not make any specific comments or threats about how Beijing's trading relationship with Iran could be affected if its interests were damaged by Houthi attacks, the four Iranian sources said. While China has been Iran's biggest trading partner for the past decade, their trade relationship is lopsided. Chinese oil refiners, for example, bought over 90% of Iran's crude exports last year, according to tanker tracking data from trade analytics firm Kepler, as U.S. sanctions kept many other customers away and Chinese firms profited from heavy discounts.

Journalist Hersh says respect for Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping growing worldwide U.S. and Ukrainian 'presidents' Biden and Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu face increasing condemnation from the global community, while respect for Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping is growing, US journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh said on his blog. "Biden’s support for Ukraine and Israel in their wars and his recent decision to attack the Houthis in Yemen have placed him in a club with two leaders, Bibi Netanyahu and Vladimir Zelensky, who are increasingly reviled in much of the world. The irony of Biden’s tenure has been a growth in respect outside of the West for Putin and Xi Jinping," he said on his blog on Substack. Hersh also said that, "Lashing out at the Houthis, Biden is showing signs of political panic." The journalist also described Biden’s involvement in the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as "disastrous." Earlier, President Donald Trump said that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping love their countries and want them to succeed. He also repeatedly said that he had a good relationship with Putin.

Chinese military to continue maneuvering around Taiwan, Defense Ministry says The Chinese military will not stop conducting routine military maneuvers around Taiwan, Defense Ministry Spokesman Wu Qian said at a briefing. According to him, China’s People’s LIberation Army (PLA) recently carried out a patrol near the island "to further increase the actual level of combat training of troops and enhance their ability to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity." "The PLA continues to train troops and make preparations for war, and it will continue to organize related military activities on a regular basis," Wu Qian stated. The Taiwanese military said on X on January 25 that six vessels and 18 aerial vehicles belonging to the PLA had been detected around the island.

🔻 Houthis promise not to attack Russian, Chinese, German ships in Red Sea A senior Ansar Allah (the Houthi) official has promised that the Houthis will not attack Russian, Chinese, and German ships in the Red Sea. "Chinese and Russian ships are not in the crosshairs. They are not our targets. As well as German (vessels)," Mohammed al-Bahiti, a member of the Ansar Allah politburo, said in an interview with the RTL and NTV television channels. According to al-Bahiti, this applies to ships that are not linked with "Israel’s Zionist regime." At the same time, according to NTV, the Houthi official said that the rebel movement would expand its military actions after the United States and United Kingdom’s strikes on targets in Yemen. "Attacks are possible on warships as well," he warned. "Our military operations will continue until the genocide in Gaza is stopped and until the population receives food, medicine, and fuel. Our goal is not to sink cargo ships but rather to force them to change their routes to increase companies’ economic losses," he explained, adding that this is meant to increase pressure on Israel. "All countries must pool efforts with us to stop crimes <…> in Gaza. Our intentions are true," he stressed. 🔻 Impact of the Red Sea crisis on global logistics and production Ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have led major automakers such as Tesla and Volvo Car to temporarily halt production in Europe due to a shortage of components. This event highlights the direct impact of Red Sea shipping disruptions on regional industrial operations. According to Tesla representatives, production of most vehicles at the Berlin plant will be suspended from January 29 to February 11. Tesla attributes this to a shortage of parts resulting from ships being rerouted through Africa's southernmost point. The increased travel times have disrupted the supply chain, causing delays in components and impacting the production of electric vehicles assembled for the European market. And this is just one of the episodes that have been announced.

The situation in the Red Sea is becoming increasingly intriguing. Amidst the activities of the international coalition and the presence of three Israeli ships in the waters, the Iranians are also intensifying their operations. According to reports from Iranian media here, the 94th Detachment of Warships of the Iranian Navy, which includes the destroyer Alborz and the support vessel Behshad, passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to showcase Iran's presence in the region. Considering the Iranian military equipment, the naval group off the coast of Yemen has gained significant importance. In addition to the coalition led by the United States and the Israeli Navy, Chinese warships are also present in the area.