China-Taiwan Relations
China's New Barges Worry: "Never Seen Anything Like This"
Concerns are growing that China's new barges will be used in a potential conflict with Taiwan, reports CNN.
Images of the three landing craft extending from a beach 800 meters out to sea were spread on Chinese social media earlier in March but quickly disappeared. Chinese researchers claim that they will be used to maintain undersea cables - but the political context worries experts in the West.
In a conflict with Taiwan, the landing craft could be used, among other things, to cut communication cables. But they could also be used to quickly transport armored vehicles and military equipment in the event of an invasion, according to two defense analysts. Taiwan's Defense Ministry has made the same assessment.
- There is nothing like this in the West. I have never seen anything like this before, says Thomas Shugart, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security to CNN.
China's New Barges Worry: "Never Seen Anything Like This"
Concerns are growing that China's new barges will be used in a potential conflict with Taiwan, reports CNN.
Images of the three landing craft extending from a beach 800 meters out to sea were spread on Chinese social media earlier in March but quickly disappeared. Chinese researchers claim that they will be used to maintain undersea cables - but the political context worries experts in the West.
In a conflict with Taiwan, the landing craft could be used, among other things, to cut communication cables. But they could also be used to quickly transport armored vehicles and military equipment in the event of an invasion, according to two defense analysts. Taiwan's Defense Ministry has made the same assessment.
- There is nothing like this in the West. I have never seen anything like this before, says Thomas Shugart, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security to CNN.
US-China relations
US blacklists 70 Chinese tech companies
Over 70 Chinese tech companies are being blacklisted in the US, the US Department of Commerce announced according to the Financial Times.
The measure from the Trump administration is seen as an attempt to slow down China's development of AI chips, missiles and other military-related technology, the newspaper writes.
The companies are placed on the department's "entity list", which means that American companies that want to export technology to China must apply for a permit, which in the vast majority of cases is denied. Among those affected are six Chinese subsidiaries of the cloud company Inspur, which has collaborated with the American chip manufacturer Intel.
China's embassy in Washington condemns the decision and accuses the United States of "repeatedly stretching the concept of national security and abusing its power to target Chinese companies".
Political situation in the UK
Great Britain to plug the holes – billions expected to be cut
The British Labour government is expected to cut more spending than previously announced when the updated budget is presented at lunchtime today. This is reported by several media outlets.
To plug the deficit in the British treasury, several billion pounds in spending are expected to be cut, compared to the budget presented in October. The reason is, among other things, that borrowing costs have increased.
In addition, the growth outlook is expected to be halved, from the previous 2 percent growth this year to 1 percent. The gloomy forecast is forcing the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cut public spending by around 10 billion pounds, writes CNBC.
Great Britain to plug the holes – billions expected to be cut
The British Labour government is expected to cut more spending than previously announced when the updated budget is presented at lunchtime today. This is reported by several media outlets.
To plug the deficit in the British treasury, several billion pounds in spending are expected to be cut, compared to the budget presented in October. The reason is, among other things, that borrowing costs have increased.
In addition, the growth outlook is expected to be halved, from the previous 2 percent growth this year to 1 percent. The gloomy forecast is forcing the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cut public spending by around 10 billion pounds, writes CNBC.
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