Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Lockheed Martin Secures $92.8M AEGIS Sustainment Contract from U.S. Navy 
Najib Razak Files Appeal Against Latest 1MDB Corruption Conviction and 15-Year Sentence 
Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland Sparks U.N. Debate and Regional Tensions 
Ukraine Drone Attacks Target Moscow and Western Russia, Injure One Civilian 
Kremlin Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Hardens Russia’s Stance on Peace Talks 
U.S. Government Agrees to Review Frozen NIH Diversity Research Grants After Legal Challenge 
MSF Faces Possible Ban From Gaza as Israel Enforces New Aid Registration Rules 
Trump and Netanyahu Diverge on West Bank Policy Amid Rising Tensions 
South Korea Prosecutor Alleges Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Abused Power for Bribes 
Jazz Ensemble Cancels Kennedy Center New Year’s Eve Shows After Trump Renaming Sparks Backlash 
FBI Surges Resources to Minnesota Amid Fraud Investigations Linked to Somali Community 
Trump Administration Audits Somali-Origin Citizenship Cases Amid Fraud Allegations 
U.S. Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Enforce Medicaid Funding Ban on Planned Parenthood 
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Drone Plot Against Putin as Peace Talks Face New Strain 
Bolsonaro Undergoes Second Medical Procedure for Persistent Hiccups While Hospitalized in Brasilia 
Bukele Signals Willingness to Extend Power as El Salvador’s Term Limits Are Scrapped 
Nations are still at odds against China over the South China Sea, including the Taiwan Strait. Following the passage of a US warship in the narrow region of water, China has issued a warning on the US against making any provocation.
The Chinese military accused the US of creating instability and posing security risks in the region as the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer was seen passing through the Taiwan Strait. A spokesperson for the military said that Beijing vows to take all necessary measures to protect China’s sovereignty and counter all threats and provocations.
The USS Milius is carrying out what Washington regards as a routine activity, but China claims that this is an effort by Washington to sow tensions in the highly disputed region. The US Navy responded to China’s accusations, saying that the guided-missile destroyer was making a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” in accordance with international law.
“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said the Navy in a statement. “The United States flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows.”
China has previously condemned the US and Canada for their warships transiting through the Taiwan Strait. China claims the island nation of Taiwan as part of its territory and has been engaging in a pressure campaign to get its democratic government to submit. As part of its pressure campaign, China has been making multiple incursions into Taiwanese airspace for the past several months.
China also claims to have sovereignty over the majority of the South China Sea. This sweeping claim has angered the surrounding nations, including Taiwan, which also have territorial claims over parts of the body of water.
The tensions surrounding Taiwan as well as the South China Sea have led leaders of the surrounding countries to be on alert. Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the leaders of the southeast Asian countries, saying that hegemony was not China’s ultimate goal and that Beijing is willing to work with other ASEAN nations in order to “reduce interference.”
Xi went on to stress that China is an ally of the ASEAN nations.
