China and Taiwan face rising tensions over exchanges and defense

Tensions between China and Taiwan continue to escalate across diplomatic and military dimensions. A spokesperson for China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhou Fenglian, criticized Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party for allegedly creating obstacles to cross-strait exchanges and spreading misinformation regarding new mainland entry and exit regulations. China maintains these regulations are intended to improve security and protect the legitimate rights of individuals traveling to the mainland.

On the military front, Taiwan has signed an agreement with the American defense startup Faten Systems to develop autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Facilitated through the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), the partnership aims to enhance Taiwan’s asymmetric warfare capabilities and maritime defense resilience. The collaboration will focus on exploring AI-supported command and control systems, deploying AUVs, and establishing local supply chains and maintenance support in Taiwan.