China has deepened its influence campaigns and infiltration against the democratic island, pledging measures to tackle Beijing's efforts to "absorb" Taiwan. Taiwan has accused China of stepping up military drills,

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on Thursday announced plans to restore the island’s military courts in order to counter what he described as China’s “ influence campaigns and manipulation .” Lai accused Beijing of trying to “absorb” Taiwan — China has long viewed the island as a breakaway province that it will eventually subsume.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on Thursday vowed to bolster the country's national security in response, including reinstatement of the military trials, to what he described as the "unchanged" annexation ambitions of the "hostile foreign force" China,

Trump cited the fentanyl issue as the reason for imposing a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports in early February, on top of any existing duties. He doubled that to 20% earlier this month. He also has cited fentanyl, along with other reasons, for imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

Beijing brought Walmart executives in for a meeting earlier this week — a sign the country is keeping a close watch on retailers amid concerns about US tariffs. On Tuesday, Chinese authorities summoned the retail giant for a meeting,