The Pentagon has added numerous Chinese companies, including major tech and automotive firms, to its list of entities linked to China's military, impacting their access to US capital and government contracts.

With Russia occupied in Ukraine and the US entangled in Iran (and Venezuela, and Cuba and Greenland), China’s president has taken centre stage. So far this year, Xi has hosted nearly 20 world leaders in Beijing,

From lithium to rare earths, Beijing controls the mines, refineries and ports that power AI, EVs and defense systems and India's import dependence makes it especially vulnerable.

China's nuclear stockpile has risen to 620 warheads, but SIPRI indicates that its expanding missile infrastructure, increasing nuclear readiness and military modernisation may matter more than the increase in warhead numbers alone.