Baby, you can drive my carYes, I’m gonna be a starBaby, you can drive my carAnd maybe I’ll love you The Beatles Out of nowhere in the 1950s, over 100 companies in Japan started making motorcycles. The ensuing competition, now known as the Japanese motorcycle wars, was wild, untamed, often unscrupulous and dazzlingly innovative. It […] The post The reckoning: Chinese car wars appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

MANILA – China and the Philippines are edging dangerously toward armed conflict in the contested South China Sea, a potential clash that could quickly escalate into a US-China conflict in the world’s most vital seascape. On April 30, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels used water cannons against two Philippine vessels conducting patrols close to the […] The post When will US come to the Philippines defense? appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

China is attempting to recover the first-ever soil and rock samples from the lunar far side. The surface mission, Chang’e 6, named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e, is a successor to the successful sample return mission, Chang’e 5, and a part of the Chinese lunar exploration program. The mission is set for launch using […] The post What China seeks on the far side of the moon appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

Armed troops in Niger overthrew the government in July 2023, seizing power for themselves. The following months were rife with speculation that the military government would align with Moscow and possibly form ties with the Russian military or its associates. This has now become a reality, to the detriment of Western interests in the country. […] The post Russia riding US right out of West Africa appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

The most important thing to understand is whether the contradiction is within the people or between the people and their enemies. The former can be solved through discussion and debate; the latter can lead to conflict and war. So said Mao Zedong, the founder and prophet of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), in his […] The post On contradiction between the US and China appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

With this year’s elections in progress, every minority vote that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) puts in its column adds to the chance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition to move past 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Therefore Modi, despite being a confessed member of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), […] The post Modi’s baffling pitch to woo Muslim voters appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

While Europe is in the process of setting up a production line to manufacture GEM-T missiles for European Patriot batteries, Israel has decided to take its Patriot systems out of service. Do the Israelis know something the Europeans do not? The GEM-T, or guidance-enhanced tactical missiles, are part of the Patriot PAC-2 air defense system. This […] The post Europe makes missiles for Patriots as Israel retires them appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

TOKYO — The Japanese yen’s 12% plunge this year has traders wondering if the Group of Seven might have a currency crisis within their ranks. The good news: not yet. The bad news, though, is that there are still seven months left in this year of dangerous living for Japan’s currency. Especially when you consider the […] The post Yen’s plunge raises specter of new Asia currency crisis appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

The US and Israel have been involved in intense discussions recently about whether Washington will sanction a unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) after reports of a string of human rights violations committed against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank before the Gaza conflict began in October. Netzah Yehuda is an ultra-Orthodox division of […] The post Netzah Yehuda: the Israeli military unit the US may sanction appeared first on Asia Times ..read more

China’s Taijing-4 03 radar imaging satellite has recently captured detailed images of the US Navy’s critical Naval Station Norfolk, underscoring its advanced space-based intelligence technologies and striking surveillance capabilities. The images show three US aircraft carriers, two Arleigh Burke-class warships, and four unidentifiable vessels, The National Interest (TNI) reported. Norfolk is one of the US […] The post China’s AI-powered satellites imperil US aircraft carriers appeared first on Asia Times ..read more