Taiwan Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun tells Bloomberg TV the island is focused on building up its relationship with the US, and sees cooperation on technology R&D, and investments as a critical area that will benefit both sides in securing a leadership role in high tech sectors.

China will boost its defence spending by 7.2% this year, maintaining a steady growth rate as Beijing faces headwinds from three years of sluggish economic expansion and mounting geopolitical challenges from Taiwan to Ukraine.

Following an Oval Office blowup and a European-led summit, a path to ending the war in Ukraine seems more unclear than ever as new rifts emerge between the United States and the European Union. For China,