Opening

US President Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Putin will hold their first three-way meeting during the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19, with an agenda covering nuclear arms reduction and AI. At the same time, China's recent military drills around Taiwan have hit a record scale, which Taiwanese officials are calling "silent intimidation." Ukrainian President Zelensky also floated a new negotiation framing on the 14th, I'll tell you in a moment exactly what the US side proposed.

Today's International Focus

1. China's military drills encircling Taiwan hit record scale, Taiwan calls it "silent intimidation"

• What happened: In early November, China deployed more than 100 warships and coast guard vessels across the Western Pacific and around Taiwan. On November 3 alone, Taiwan detected 49 Chinese military aircraft approaching, a scale surpassing last year's "Strait Thunder" exercises. Taiwanese officials describe this as pressure tactics timed ahead of elections and the APEC summit.
• Why it matters: This wave of drills is seen as the largest in recent years. Interpretations of its intent vary across observers, and whether tensions will continue to escalate remains to be seen.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwanese officials have framed this as "silent intimidation," though the actual impact still requires further observation.
• Source: France 24 (original article)

2. Taiwan appoints Stan Shih as APEC envoy, demands written guarantee of equal participation from Beijing

• What happened: Taiwan has appointed Acer founder Stan Shih as its APEC envoy, demanding that China provide written assurances that Taiwan's delegation can participate in all sessions of the Shenzhen APEC summit (November 18-19) under equal, dignified, and safe conditions. China has so far only extended invitations by email and has not provided the written guarantees Taiwan is requesting.
• Why it matters: This diplomatic tug-of-war highlights how Taiwan must walk a tightrope between participation rights and dignity at international gatherings hosted by China, and the gap between the two sides' positions remains unresolved.
• Taiwan's perspective: This directly concerns Taiwan's visibility and standing within international economic organizations.
• Source: Nikkei Asia (original article)

3. Trump, Xi, and Putin to hold first three-way meeting on APEC sidelines, agenda includes nuclear arms reduction and AI

• What happened: The leaders of the US, China, and Russia will hold their first three-way meeting during the Shenzhen APEC summit on November 18-19, with an agenda covering nuclear arms reduction and AI. The White House says it does not expect the meeting to produce any concrete agreements.
• Why it matters: Analysts note that this meeting will shape the balance of power among major nations around the Taiwan Strait, and the three leaders appearing together carries symbolic significance in itself.
• Taiwan's perspective: The timing coincides with Taiwan's push for equal APEC participation, making it one of the indicators to watch in US-China-Taiwan dynamics.
• Source: Al Jazeera (original article)

4. China warns US against further escalating export controls over chip dispute

• What happened: Reports indicate that a company suspected of espionage activities recently obtained chips that were previously under export restrictions, prompting US lawmakers to call for expanded export controls on chip equipment to China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded that such a move would disrupt the stability of global supply chains.
• Why it matters: The US-China tech rivalry continues to intensify, and any expansion of control measures could significantly affect the pace of global semiconductor supply chain restructuring.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwan's chip supply chain sits at the front line of this US-China tech rivalry, and any expansion of controls would directly affect order flows and positioning for Taiwanese manufacturers.
• Source: Euronews (original article)

5. Australia and the Philippines sign upgraded defense agreement, strengthening South China Sea intelligence cooperation

• What happened: Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australia's Ambassador to the Philippines signed an updated defense agreement (the original dates back to 1995) in Manila, which will streamline Australian military disaster-relief procedures and strengthen maritime awareness and intelligence sharing.
• Why it matters: The agreement was signed against a backdrop of escalating China-Philippines sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, signaling deepening cooperation among regional security allies.
• Taiwan's perspective: The South China Sea and Taiwan Strait situations are often viewed within the same regional security framework, making deepening cooperation among regional allies a metric Taiwan continues to watch closely.
• Source: ABC Australia (original article)

6. ASEAN summit opens in Manila, Trump to join Quad talks at the tail end

• What happened: The 49th ASEAN Summit is being held in Manila from November 15-17, with leaders calling for peaceful resolutions to regional conflicts. Trump will arrive toward the end of the summit to hold his first Quad security dialogue since taking office, alongside Australia, India, and Japan. China is represented by Premier Li Qiang, who reportedly left early.
• Why it matters: The ASEAN summit is traditionally a venue for observing the shifting influence of the US and China in Southeast Asia, and the timing of the Quad dialogue has drawn close attention from various parties.
• Source: ABC News (original article)

7. Zelensky says US proposed Ukraine give up Donbas in exchange for NATO membership

• What happened: On November 14, Zelensky stated that US negotiators, during talks in Abu Dhabi, proposed for the first time whether Ukraine would be willing to withdraw entirely from Donbas in exchange for NATO membership. US officials only told the BBC that "various ideas are still under discussion."
• Why it matters: Zelensky reiterated that he will not give up territory, and whether this proposal will hold remains to be seen in further negotiations, with the two sides' accounts still at odds.
• Source: France 24 (original article)

Closing

The most important thing to remember today is that the leaders of the US, China, and Russia are about to appear together for the first time at the Shenzhen APEC summit, while Taiwan, at the very same moment, is fighting for written guarantees of its own participation rights. Over the next few days, there will be more developments from the APEC summit, the ASEAN summit, and the US-China chip rivalry worth keeping an eye on. This is Muyan, see you tomorrow.