Politics South China Sea Thread

[primer]

Cook Islands /NZ partnership use to be close.

NZ halts some Cook Islands funding in response to Cooks-China deal​

New Zealand has halted around $20 million in funding for the Cook Islands Government, in retaliation for the deal it signed with China.

A spokesperson for the minister for foreign affairs confirmed that “core sector support” for the Cook Islands had stopped and there would also be no significant new funding for the nation until relationships improve between the two governments.

This represents a significant backward step in the New Zealand and Cook Islands relationship.

The islands are self-governed, but they are so close to New Zealand that Cook Islanders are officially New Zealanders. We share the same passport and many government services.

But the New Zealand Government was left in the dark about a deal signed between the Cook Islands and China, which has led to this funding decision.

Cook islands and NZ used to be the closest partnership.

A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said:

“Given the breadth and content of the agreements signed between China and the Cook Islands, and the lack of any consultation with New Zealand, New Zealand undertook an assessment of our development programme in the Cook Islands to ensure it wasn’t undermined by the increased cooperation the Cook Islands Government is planning with China,” he said.

He said this assessment would not have been required had the Cook Islands shared information about the deal earlier. At the time, Peters called on the Cook Islands to discuss the deal - but that invitation was not welcomed.

“The Cook Islands Government did not engage with New Zealand in advance of their discussions and agreements with China to ensure our shared interests were not put at risk. New Zealand's concerns and this assessment were clearly foreshadowed to the Cook Islands Government,” the spokesperson said.

They said core sector funding - which is effectively money going straight to the Tresuary of the Cook Islands - could resume if “trust” was restored.

“Core Sector Support funding relies on a high trust bilateral relationship. New Zealand has therefore paused these payments and will also not consider significant new funding until the Cook Islands Government takes concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust. New Zealand hopes that steps will be taken swiftly to address New Zealand’s concerns,” the spokesperson said.

New Zealand provided about $194 million in funding to the Cook Islands over the past three years. Last year, Peters visited to confirm a $20 million funding arrangement for core sector support.

 

[Hiryu2.0]

Situation Report: China's Unprecedented Spring Naval Campaign

Overshadowed by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the emerging war between Israel and Iran, China has embarked on a naval campaign of unprecedented scale in recent weeks.

www.opforjournal.com

 

[primer]

NZ PM
"Christopher Luxon concludes China trip: 'No evidence' of collaboration with Russia, Iran and North Korea"

Claims to have signed trade deals, but we already have trade deal and subsidize their postage. Since we have nothing manufactured that competes with China and our biggest dairy company is selling its vlaue added brands and going back to commodities he is brainless in all accounts.

 

[BravoZulu]

Taiwan is vetting hundreds of thousands of military service members, public school teachers and civil servants in a bid to root out potential homegrown Chinese sympathisers, as Beijing intensifies espionage on the island.

Alarm is growing in Taiwan over the extent of China's infiltration on the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims is part of its territory and has threatened to seize by force.

Prosecutors last week charged four recently expelled members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party -- including a former staffer in President Lai Ching-te's office -- for sharing state secrets with Beijing.

While Taipei and Beijing have spied on each other for decades, analysts warn the threat to Taiwan is more serious given the risk of a Chinese attack.

The main targets of Chinese infiltration have been retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology.

Lai, an outspoken defender of Taiwan's sovereignty and loathed by Beijing, has branded China a "foreign hostile force" and sought to raise public awareness about Chinese actions he says threaten national security.

After a sharp rise in the number of people prosecuted for spying for China in recent years, the government is trying to identify people within its own departments, military and public schools with a possible allegiance to Beijing.

Anyone on the public service payroll found with Chinese residence or other identification cards risks losing their Taiwanese household registration, effectively their citizenship.

"The reason we started to survey (for Chinese IDs) is because China uses this way to coerce Taiwanese people, to penetrate our system, especially the public service," DPP lawmaker Wang Ting-yu told AFP.

"The threat is getting worse and worse and we have to deal with that."

More:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-ne...wn-chinese-spies-as-beijing-s-influence-grows

 

[primer]

Wasn't so long ago they had a pro China pres, they are a confucian gey zone.
2024;
Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature has ignored massive protests to push through controversial legislative changes seen as favourable to China. The laws, adopted on Tuesday, pushed through by the opposition nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) and smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), give lawmakers the power to require the president to give regular reports to parliament and answer lawmakers’ questions. It also criminalises contempt of parliament by government officials.

If they didn't have chips and a pawn in US hegemony?

 

[primer]

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has officially confirmed the espionage case of Liu, an engineer sentenced to death for leaking state secrets, reportedly including classified data on the new stealth fighter jet, to foreign intelligence agencies.

The case, which had long been speculated on Chinese social media, was acknowledged in an MSS statement detailing Liu’s activities and the extent of the security breach. According to the state-run Global Times, Liu was a former assistant engineer at a domestic research institute specializing in defense technology. MSS sources say Liu became disgruntled after failing to secure a promotion, leading him to secretly copy and retain a large volume of classified documents. After resigning from his position, he initially joined an investment firm, but mounting financial losses from high-risk stock speculation and illicit credit withdrawals drove him to seek alternative means of income—ultimately selling state secrets.

Reminds me of the virus riots they had. ... end of the day they are human.

 

[primer]

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NZ gets one?

 

[primer]

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From 2:19:00
Wall Street trained China in the art of venture capital investment.
Silicon Valley's matter of fact Chinese and Russian spys are part of its eco system.

 

[BravoZulu]

Taiwan has dramatically stepped-up efforts to address what authorities describe as a growing espionage challenge linked to China. In 2024, 64 individuals were charged with espionage-related offences—more than in the previous two years combined. According to government data, around two-thirds of those charged had military backgrounds, including active-duty personnel. In some cases, individuals were reportedly paid to leak classified materials or filmed themselves making declarations of support for Beijing, content later circulated on Chinese social media platforms.

Espionage cases have also surfaced in the civilian and political spheres. In June 2025, Taiwanese prosecutors indicted four former officials affiliated with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), including former aides to President Lai Ching-te and former foreign minister Joseph Wu, for allegedly passing diplomatic information to China. Earlier that year, several members of the Presidential Office’s military security detail were convicted of leaking documents after being approached by Chinese agents.

Other cases have drawn attention for their use of non-state networks. In late 2024, authorities revealed an organised crime group allegedly undertaking acts of espionage operating out of a religious temple in New Taipei City, reportedly also involving retired military personnel. Prosecutors said soldiers had been recruited through temple events and paid to record videos pledging cooperation with China. Government officials linked this case to what they described as broader United Front-style tactics used to cultivate influence across Taiwanese society.

In response to the uptick in cases, the Taiwanese government has introduced a series of legislative and institutional reforms. Amendments to national security laws have increased penalties for leaking core technologies or classified defence information, with prison terms of up to 12 years. A new list of protected technologies—including semiconductor and defence-related research—has been introduced to limit potential transfer to foreign actors.

The government has also launched public education initiatives aimed at reducing recruitment risks. Awareness campaigns highlight common approaches used by Chinese operatives—such as financial inducements, online grooming and academic or business exchange offers. Universities have been asked to scrutinise cross-strait partnerships more closely, and military units have expanded their counterintelligence training.

President Lai has described these moves as a whole-of-society response, urging greater vigilance across all sectors. Officials say reports from the public have increased, contributing to ongoing investigations. However, some lawmakers, legal experts and human rights groups caution that these measures risk overreach. Similarly, advocacy groups have warned that requiring teachers, civil servants and public figures to disclose their connections to China may undermine privacy rights and create a climate of suspicion.

One of the more controversial proposals has been the plan to reinstate military courts for trying active-duty personnel accused of espionage, sedition or related crimes. The government argues this will allow for faster and more specialised handling of national security cases, but civil society groups have raised concerns about due process and judicial transparency.

Taiwan has also expanded implementation of its Anti-Infiltration Act. Individuals identified as Chinese Communist Party or United Front officials are now barred from entering Taiwan, and all levels of government personnel—including local elected officials—are required to disclose any direct interactions with Chinese authorities. Civil society organisations, such as religious groups and non-governmental organisations, are expected to report engagements with Chinese entities.

Public servants, military officers and teachers have been asked to declare whether they hold residency permits or identity cards issued by China. These documents are not legally recognised by Taipei and are viewed by authorities as a potential means of asserting Chinese jurisdiction over Taiwanese nationals. By mid-2025, hundreds of thousands of declarations had been submitted. Only a small number of violations were reported, but officials say the policy is intended to identify risks early rather than react after the fact.

Taiwanese courts have also taken a firmer stance in recent cases. In 2024, courts handed down multi-year prison sentences for aiding Chinese intelligence, targeting not only active and retired military officers but also political staff and civilians.

Professional backgrounds of Chinese spies in Taiwan in 2024. Source: ASPI’s State of the Strait Database.
Despite the arrests and policy changes, Taiwan’s security agencies acknowledge that espionage threats persist. Chinese intelligence services continue to adapt, with officials citing ongoing concerns about cyber intrusions, covert funding channels and efforts to cultivate influence through cultural and social exchanges. Identifying operatives and preventing leaks remains a significant challenge, particularly given the openness of Taiwan’s democratic system.

International partners have begun to pay closer attention to Taiwan’s experience. Officials in Taipei have shared intelligence with counterparts abroad and positioned their counter-espionage campaign as part of a broader effort to resist authoritarian influence. While the long-term effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen, Taiwan’s approach is increasingly seen as a case study in how open societies confront covert interference.
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/h...aipei is fighting back against Beijings spies

 

[primer]

China says it strongly opposes any "groundless assertions" after comments made by the head of the FBI at its new office in Wellington. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is opening a dedicated attaché office in the capital to investigate threats, including terrorism, cyber crime, money laundering and child exploitation. Director Kash Patel also said it would counter China's influence in the Pacific. The Chinese Embassy hit back, saying it took note of the comments and described them as part of a “Cold War mentality”.

According to the lib political parties there is no Chinese influence;

With Labour leader Chris Hipkins out of Wellington, deputy Carmel Sepuloni said the announcement was a serious one and had come “as quite a surprise”.


“I personally haven’t received an explanation, and I think that the general public are going to be wanting to know what the rationale is for this.”

Or as usual pretending to be dumb.

 

[Chazman]

Meanwhile near the Philippines, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and Chinese warship collided. The Chinese Coast Guard vessels was heavily damaged and rendered unseaworthy.

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