Day: April 15, 2026

The US, Japan and other regional forces are coming together for the Philippines-hosted Salaknib (Shield), Cope Thunder and Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) exercises, as the First Island Chain enters a new phase of military coordination. With record troop numbers and expanded multi-domain drills, these exercises are meant to strengthen interoperability, while reinforcing a growing “missile arc” strategy aimed at deterring China. The historic deployment of Japanese troops to the Philippines for the first time since World War II also marks a significant shift in regional security dynamics. How will this evolving network of alliances affect Beijing’s strategic calculus? And could Taiwan join in the future? In this episode, we examine the scale and significance of these exercises and what they mean for the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific balance of power. *Recorded on April 14, 2026 at 2:30pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Research Assistant: Ryan Pham Our guests: Lee Ting-sheng Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force Lt. General (Ret.) Kitsch Liao Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub Associate Director Chapters: 00:00:00 – US Allies Gather in the Philippines for Exercises 00:01:26 – Manila Hosts Large-Scale Land, Air and Sea Drills 00:10:06 – Why Does China Fear US-PH-Japan Alliance? 00:19:36 – Allied Defenses Complicate China’s Naval Aims

Source: Biggest – Ever First Island Chain Drills: Japan Deploys to Philippines for First Time Since WWII | EP811

Reports are coming out that China is now arming Iran, a huge escalation that could make this war much, much worse. Trump and China are denying it, but Chinese state media paint a different picture…

Source: NO!!!! CHINA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!

At 2:48 AM on April 14, a major fire broke out at the BYD factory in Longping Road, Pinghu District, Shenzhen. Multiple buildings were engulfed in flames, sending fire and thick smoke into the sky. The fire spread quickly, and the affected area was vast. The fire was so intense that it could be seen clearly from several kilometers away.

Source: Breaking! Shocking Fire at BYD HQ, 2,000+ Cars Burned to Ashes, Explosions Like Missile Strikes

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Source: Xi Jinping: It’s All ‘Crumbling Into Disarray’ | China’s Economy Hit Hard | US – China