Taiwan aims to involve a range of people, including taxi drivers and security guards, to respond to emergencies.

The Chinese government has placed sanctions on seven companies in response to recent U.S. announcements of military sales and aid to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory.

The Japanese Cabinet has approved a record 8.7 trillion yen ($55 billion) defense budget plan for 2025 as Japan accelerates building up its strike-back capability with long-range cruise missiles and starts deploying Tomahawks to further fortify the country against growing threat from China,

Japan’s Cabinet has approved the country’s largest-ever defense budget for the coming fiscal year — 8.7 trillion yen, or about $54.8 billion, a 9.7% increase from this year’s budget.