Hello and welcome back.

Today, China issues a sharp warning to Japan over planned missile deployments near Taiwan, The Gambia grants temporary refuge to a Cameroonian opposition figure, and a UN human rights expert urges the US to lift its long-standing sanctions on Cuba.

Our lead story examines how China–Japan tensions have escalated to the United Nations, marking a further deterioration in bilateral relations.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇰🇷 🇰🇵 Lee warns of rising inter-Korean risk amid collapse of dialogue: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has warned that relations with North Korea have become so hostile and distrustful that an unintended military clash could occur at any moment. Speaking after the G20 summit, he stressed that all communication channels have been severed and Pyongyang continues to take increasingly extreme actions.

2️⃣ 🇸🇩 🇦🇪 General Burhan rejects US ceasefire plan: Sudan’s army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan denounced a US-led peace proposal as “the worst yet,” arguing it would dismantle the armed forces, entrench the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and undermine state sovereignty. He accused the Quad mediators—particularly the UAE—of bias and of enabling RSF advances, warning that no agreement is possible unless paramilitaries withdraw from civilian areas and allow displaced people to return.

3️⃣ 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 US-backed ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ distributor ends operations: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US- and Israeli-backed private aid firm accused of bypassing humanitarian norms and operating outside UN oversight, has permanently halted its work in Gaza, claiming it had “completed its emergency mission.” Its distribution sites became deadly flashpoints, with over a thousand Palestinians killed or injured while attempting to access food. 

4️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇨🇺 🇺🇸 UN human rights rapporteur urges US to lift Cuba sanctions: A UN envoy has called on the US to end its decades-long embargo on Cuba, saying the sanctions violate international legal norms and have severely worsened living conditions on the island. Washington blames Cuba’s economic crisis on its communist government. The UN argues that the sanctions “substantially exacerbate” the humanitarian situation and should be lifted.

5️⃣ 🇫🇷 🇳🇨 French authorities block Kanak leader’s return to New Caledonia: Christian Tein, a prominent Kanak pro-independence figure, says French authorities are deliberately stalling the reissue of his passport, preventing him from returning to New Caledonia despite being cleared to travel home by a Paris court. Having been elected president of the Kanak National and Socialist Liberation Front while in detention, Tein rejects the Bougival accord, which grants limited autonomy but keeps the territory under French control.

Major Story

🇺🇳 🇨🇳 🇯🇵 CHINA ESCALATES DISPUTE WITH JAPAN AT THE UN

Beijing has taken its escalating dispute with Tokyo to the United Nations, condemning recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on a potential military response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, China’s envoy Fu Cong warned that any Japanese intervention in the Taiwan Strait would constitute “aggression,” underscoring Beijing’s view that Taiwan is a domestic matter and that force remains an option. Takaichi’s comments went further than traditional Japanese ambiguity, signalling that military action by China could trigger a Japanese response, which Beijing sees as a red line.

From War of Words to Trade and Security Fallout

What began as a diplomatic dispute has now spilled into trade, cultural and security arenas. China issued travel warnings for Japan, suspended screenings of Japanese films, tightened restrictions on seafood imports, and postponed a trilateral ministerial meeting with Japan and South Korea. Tensions have also intensified in the East China Sea, where Chinese coastguard vessels entered waters around the contested Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, drawing protests from Japan. On social media, provocative language—such as a now-deleted post by China’s consul general in Osaka suggesting violent retaliation—has inflamed public sentiment on both sides.

Historical Fractures and Economic Interdependence

The standoff revives deep historical grievances rooted in Japan’s wartime occupation of China and ongoing disputes over Taiwan’s status. Since normalising ties in 1972, Japan has adhered to the “One China” policy while maintaining strong unofficial relations with Taipei. Both nations now rely heavily on trade: China is Japan’s second-largest export destination, while Japan is China’s third-largest trading partner. Previous disputes have led to economic retaliation, including Beijing’s suspension of rare earth exports in 2010 and its food import ban after Fukushima water releases.

Cold Economics, Hot Politics

Despite economic interdependence, the relationship is at its lowest point since 2023, as nationalism, security fears and great-power rivalry reshape policy. Beijing continues to demand a formal retraction of Takaichi’s remarks, while Tokyo insists they are consistent with Japan’s long-standing security stance. With both sides hardening rhetoric, diplomatic off-ramps are narrowing, making Taiwan not just a flashpoint in Sino-American tensions, but increasingly a test of Sino-Japanese stability.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇨🇳 🇹🇼 🇯🇵 China warns Japan over Taiwan missile deployment: Beijing has accused Tokyo of stoking instability after Japan announced plans to deploy missile units on Yonaguni, a remote island just 110km from Taiwan. Chinese officials said the move, set against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks that Japan could respond militarily to a Chinese attack on Taiwan, is a deliberate provocation that risks “military confrontation.”

2️⃣ 🇬🇲 🇨🇲 Gambia grants temporary refuge to Cameroonian opposition leader: Cameroon’s opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary is temporarily residing in The Gambia after disputing the results of the October presidential election that returned Paul Biya to power. Gambia is reportedly facilitating dialogue between Tchiroma and Yaoundé, as Cameroonian authorities move to prosecute him for allegedly inciting unrest following post-election protests.

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