"defense"

Japan for the first time referred to the importance of stability around Taiwan in its annual defense report, ratcheting up its concerns over the island that has been a flashpoint in tensions between China and the U.S.

The Chinese militarys will to safeguard the nations core interests — including issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the South China Sea — is unshakable, Chinas defense minister said on Wednesday.

South Korea will invest 4.3 trillion won ($3.9 billion) in research and development in the defense sector this year to secure cutting-edge technologies and boost the industry's competitiveness, the arms procurement agency said Monday.