Taiwanese reservists participate in pre-combat training on the first day of the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Miaoli on July 9, 2025. Photo: AFP / I-HWA CHENG
Taiwan's annual military exercise, Han Kuang, kicked off this week as part of the island’s defense drills preparing for a hypothetical China invasion; Seoul has returned six North Koreans to their home country, as they wanted to go back home, and China has dramatically expanded its visa-free access to entice more tourists.
Elizabeth Beattie is a journalist based in Tokyo
