A Panamanian court has voided a port contract held by a Hong Kong subsidiary, prompting assurances from President José Raúl Mulino that canal traffic will not be disrupted.

The court ruled Thursday that the port concession granted to Panama Ports Company — a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings — was unconstitutional. 

The decision was welcomed by the U.S. and criticized by Beijing, according to The Associated Press.

"Beijing plays rough. Trump plays rougher," China expert Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital in an email. "The American president just showed the Chinese who's boss in the Western Hemisphere.

MADURO MET CHINESE ENVOY HOURS BEFORE US CAPTURE FROM CARACAS AS BEIJING SLAMS OPERATION

"President Trump, by extracting Nicolás Maduro and his wife from Caracas, ended Chinese influence in Venezuela," Chang added. "With the termination of the Hutchison port concessions in Panama, countries are getting the message that Trump is determined to drive China out of the region and that they should get on board with the American president."

Mulino said Friday that port operations at both ends of the canal will continue as the ruling is carried out, adding that Panama’s Maritime Authority will work with Panama Ports Company to keep the ports running, the AP reported.

Once the concession is formally terminated, Mulino said, a local subsidiary of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk will temporarily operate the ports while the government opens a new bidding process for a long-term concession.

TRUMP OUSTING OF MADURO DRAWS PARALLELS TO US RAID IN PANAMA – BUT THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CONTRASTS

The court decision followed an audit by Panama’s comptroller that identified irregularities in a 25-year extension of the concession granted in 2021, according to the AP.

The ruling aligns with long-standing U.S. concerns over China’s presence near the Panama Canal. 

Limiting Beijing’s influence in the region has been a priority of the Trump administration, and Panama was the first overseas stop this year for U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the AP reported.

THE PANAMA CANAL PROVES ONE LESSON AMERICA NEEDS NOW: NEVER QUIT

"The United States is encouraged by the recent Panamanian Supreme Court’s decision to rule port concessions to China unconstitutional," Rubio posted to X on Friday.

Panama Ports Company said it has not been formally notified of the ruling and argued it lacks legal basis, warning it could harm thousands of Panamanian families and undermine legal certainty. The Hong Kong government also rejected the ruling, according to the AP.

The United Kingdom and China's leaders are working to create deeper ties between their nations even as President Donald Trump discourages U.S. allies from trading with Beijing.

Neither U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer nor Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned Trump, but comments made by the Chinese leader appeared to suggest that the U.S. president was on their minds, according to The Associated Press.

"In the current turbulent and ever-changing international situation... China and the U.K. need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to maintain world peace and stability," Xi told Starmer at the start of their meeting, the AP reported.

Xi also reportedly said — without mentioning Trump — that "major powers" must abide by international law or the world would become a "jungle," the AP reported.

CARNEY PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP'S 100% TARIFF THREAT OVER CHINA TRADE DEALS WITH CANADA AMID TENSIONS

The U.K. prime minister's remarks at the start of the meeting highlighted China's stance on the world stage and called for a "more sophisticated relationship" between the two nations.

"China is a vital player on the global stage, and it's vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship where we can identify opportunities to collaborate, but of course, also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree," Starmer said at the start of his meeting with Xi, according to Reuters.

Starmer is also seeking Xi's assistance in disrupting the supply of China-made small boat engines that the U.K. leader's office says are often used to smuggle people across the English Channel. The deal includes intelligence sharing with the aim of identifying smugglers' supply routes and direct work with Chinese manufacturers to "prevent legitimate businesses being exploited by organized crime," Starmer's office said.

CHINA SLAMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER US SANCTIONS ON CUBA

The U.K. prime minister is the fourth leader of a U.S. ally to visit China this month, following South Korea, Canada and Finland, according to the AP. The outlet reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to visit next month.

Trump slammed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney after Carney's visit to China, warning that "China will eat Canada alive." Trump and Carney had previously taken swipes at each other during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, sparking ongoing tensions.

The visit comes amid attempts by Trump to move U.S. allies away from China through threats of trade tariffs. Following Carney's recent visit to China, Trump threatened to place a 100% tariff on Canadian goods. The president has also cited security threats from China in his argument for the U.S. taking over Greenland, saying that Beijing would be a hazard in the Arctic Circle.

In November, the U.S. and China reached a trade deal that would roll back some tariffs and export controls, expand U.S. agricultural exports, curb the flow of fentanyl precursors and ease pressure on American semiconductor and shipping companies. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

China executed 11 people convicted of intentional homicide, fraud and other crimes linked to a cross-border scam operation, after the country’s top court approved their death sentences, authorities said Thursday.

The announcement was published on the webiste for the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, China’s highest state body responsible for criminal prosecution and oversight.

The executions followed a ruling and execution order from the Supreme People’s Court, which upheld lower court judgments against members of the so-called Ming family criminal group.

They were accused of running large-scale telecommunications fraud and gambling operations from northern Myanmar that involved more than 10 billion yuan, roughly $1.4 billion.

TRUMP ADMIN SOUGHT REDACTIONS ON KEY CHINA WAR GAME REPORT WARNING OF US MILITARY READINESS GAPS

Authorities said the group colluded with criminal organizations led by "financial backers" to operate telecom fraud schemes, illegal casinos, drug trafficking and prostitution operations.

FORMER, ACTIVE-DUTY ARMY SOLDIERS CHARGED IN SCHEME ALLEGEDLY SELLING SENSITIVE MILITARY INFORMATION TO CHINA

"The Ming family criminal group also colluded with the online fraud criminal group of Wu Hongming and others to deliberately kill, intentionally injure, and illegally detain people involved in fraud, resulting in the death of 14 Chinese citizens and injuries to many others," the Supreme People’s Procuratorate said.

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS SOUND ALARM OVER CCP-LINKED LAND OWNERSHIP NEAR US MILITARY BASES: ‘UNTHINKABLE’

Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen, Zhou Weichang, Wu Hongming, Wu Senlong, and Fu Yubin were among those sentenced to death in September by the Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court of Zhejiang Province.

Some of the defendants appealed, but the Zhejiang Higher People’s Court on Nov. 25 rejected the appeal, upheld the original verdict and submitted the case to the Supreme People’s Court for mandatory review.

Authorities said the prisoners were allowed to meet with close relatives before the executions were carried out.

FIRST ON FOX: China’s expanding push into the Pacific Islands is raising alarms among experts, who warn that Beijing is quietly working to establish a foothold in territory long viewed as vital to American defense.

Rather than deploying troops or building overt military bases, experts say China is using infrastructure projects, political influence and economic leverage to gain access to strategically sensitive areas across Micronesia, a region tied to the United States through decades-old security agreements.

Fox News Digital has learned that a Chinese-backed runway on the island of Yap is due to be officially opened during a handover ceremony on Feb 9. The president of the Federated States of Micronesia is expected to attend, along with representatives from the Chinese company involved in the project.

One of the experts tracking the developments, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) senior fellow Cleo Paskal, traveled to the Federated States of Micronesia to see them firsthand. She told Fox News Digital she spent four days sleeping on the open deck of a Chinese-donated cargo ship in order to witness a Chinese company breaking ground on a project to rehabilitate a World War II Imperial Japanese runway.

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS SOUND ALARM OVER CCP-LINKED LAND OWNERSHIP NEAR US MILITARY BASES: 'UNTHINKABLE'

"It’s not a huge runway, but what it does is it gets China in the door and on the ground in a very strategic location," Paskal said.

The project is located in the state of Yap, a remote east-to-west island chain that sits along key maritime and air routes connecting Hawaii, Guam and East Asia. U.S. military planners have long considered Yap one of the most strategically important locations in the Pacific.

Paskal said the same Chinese company involved in the runway is now working on another major infrastructure project on Yap: the reconstruction of a bridge on the main island.

"At the same time, because of how strategic it is, Secretary Hegseth announced not that long ago about $2 billion worth of defense infrastructure investment for Yap," she said. "Now, when he says Yap, what he means is the main island of Yap."

According to Paskal, that distinction matters.

"The story here is that the Department of War is focused on the main island, but, from what I’ve seen, there are no plans for the rest of the island chain," she said. "Meanwhile, the Chinese are using other entry points into the political and economic system in order to start to break open access to Yap."

She described China’s approach as fundamentally different from Washington’s.

"So it’s not just a physical kinetic infrastructure operation," Paskal said. "It’s also a political warfare operation, whereas the U.S. is focusing more just on a very narrow band of the kinetic map."

CHINA’S MISSILE SURGE PUTS EVERY US BASE IN THE PACIFIC AT RISK — AND OFFICIALS SAY THE WINDOW TO RESPOND IS CLOSING

The geography at stake has shaped American security strategy for generations.

During World War II, the lagoon at Ulithi, part of the Yap island chain, served as the largest U.S. naval base in the world, hosting hundreds of American warships as the military prepared for operations against Imperial Japan.

That history, Paskal said, helps explain why the region remains so sensitive today.

Under the Compact of Free Association, the United States retains exclusive defense rights in Micronesia. The agreements allow Washington to deny military access to other powers, establish defense facilities and maintain strategic control, while granting Micronesian citizens the right to live and work in the United States and serve in the U.S. military. The Compact creates such deep ties that Micronesia is considered part of the U.S. domestic mail system.

The compacts were designed after World War II to ensure Pacific islands once controlled by Japan could never again be used as launch points for attacks against the United States.

But Paskal warned that China is finding ways to work around, and potentially undermine, those arrangements.

She said U.S. officials often focus on visible construction sites while underestimating the broader political campaign that enables Chinese access in the first place. This includes cultivating ties with national leaders, engaging local officials such as customs and immigration officers and securing contracts through regional development banks in order to place Chinese companies and personnel on the ground.

According to Paskal, Chinese firms are often willing to absorb financial losses in exchange for long-term strategic positioning.

CHINA QUIETLY BUILDS WORLDWIDE SPACE NETWORK, ALARMING US OVER FUTURE MILITARY POWER

The concern is heightened by political shifts within Micronesia itself. While states such as Yap have historically been more resistant to Chinese engagement, the national government has grown closer to Beijing in recent years.

Former President of the Federated States of Micronesia David Panuelo warned in a March 9, 2023, letter that China was engaging in political warfare, including alleged bribery and pressure campaigns. He later lost his re-election bid, while the current government is viewed as more receptive to China.

When asked by Fox News Digital about China’s activities in Micronesia, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said, "I am not aware of the specifics."

The spokesperson emphasized that China views Pacific Island Countries (PICs) as partners in development and denied any geopolitical intent.

"China always respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of PICs," the spokesperson said, adding that Beijing has "never interfered in the internal affairs of PICs, never attached any political strings, and never sought any geopolitical self-interest."

Paskal said this characterization is not accurate, pointing to what she described as China’s targeted efforts to interfere with the internal decisions of three Pacific Island countries — Palau, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu — to recognize Taiwan, including explicitly attaching support to derecognition.

The spokesperson’s statement added that the South Pacific should be "a stage for cooperation, rather than an arena for vicious competition" and insisted China’s engagement does not target any country.

For U.S. security experts, however, the concern is not a single runway or bridge, but the gradual erosion of strategic access in a region that has underpinned American defense for more than 80 years.

China expert Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital, "We lost so many American lives in World War Two, taking these islands from the Japanese. And now we are letting China dominate them. This is just wrong. I can't, I get angry when I think about this. But the important point here is that we have the power to stop this," he said.

"The three compact states are our closest military allies, our closest allies full stop. We said that again. The three complex states in the Western Pacific are our closet allies. Guam is actually part of the United States. So we have the power to stop this and we're not doing that. And this is now on us, a strategic failure, a failure to understand what China is doing. I hope that the administration starts to understand the significance of what's occurring and moves to block Chinese infiltration of the Western Pacific."

As Paskal warned, China’s campaign in the Pacific is unfolding not through force, but through influence, access, patience and presence.

Neither the White House nor the Department of War responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

China has publicly condemned U.S. pressure on Cuba, accusing Washington of violating international law and calling for an end to sanctions and the decades-long embargo. 

The comments echo Beijing’s long-standing pattern of backing smaller communist governments it says face foreign threats, including Cuba and Venezuela.

"China is deeply concerned about and strongly condemns the U.S. moves, and urges the U.S. to stop depriving the Cuban people of their rights to subsistence and development, stop disrupting regional peace and stability, stop its violations of international law, and immediately lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba," the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on X on Tuesday morning.

The post was shared by China’s embassy in the U.S.

HAVANA SYNDROME: FOREIGN ADVERSARIES' MICROWAVE WEAPONS CAPABILITIES EXPLAINED BY PHYSICIST

Beijing has routinely criticized U.S. sanctions policy, framing economic pressure on communist governments as a threat to regional stability.

There is no naval blockade currently in place, though U.S. officials have said it remains an option.

The escalation follows the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, a move that significantly disrupted Cuba’s access to Venezuelan oil and triggered outrage from Havana.

The operation and its fallout marked a dramatic escalation in U.S.–Cuba tensions, with President Donald Trump declaring that Cuba would no longer receive oil or money from Venezuela — a move that severed Havana’s longtime energy and financial lifeline.

VENEZUELA’S DELCY RODRÍGUEZ SNAPS AT WASHINGTON, DECLARES ‘ENOUGH’ OF US INFLUENCE

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said his administration was not negotiating with Washington, despite Trump’s threats to push Cuba into a deal now that Venezuelan oil will no longer be supplied.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is actively seeking Cuban officials willing to strike a deal that could facilitate regime change by the end of 2026.

In June, Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum tightening U.S. policy toward Cuba, reinforcing sanctions and travel bans, restricting financial dealings with Cuban military-linked entities, and enforcing the economic embargo.

Fox News’ Nicole McManus contributed to this report.

A female skier was viciously mauled by a snow leopard on Friday after approaching the predator too closely for a photo, according to chilling footage of the incident.

The encounter, which left the woman’s face severely bloodied, occurred around 7 p.m. in Fuyun County, along China’s northern border with Mongolia, according to Jam Press.

Footage shows a woman, who reportedly edged as close as 10 feet to the leopard, lying motionless in the snow as the predator hovered nearby after the mauling. Witnesses then appeared to help guide her away as blood poured from her face. 

Local reports noted that the woman miraculously survived partly because her helmet helped prevent more serious harm.

OREGON CHILD ATTACKED BY COYOTE DURING GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK IN BACKYARD, STATE OFFICIALS SOUND ALARM

Authorities previously issued warnings after multiple people reported animal sightings near the hotel the day before, according to Jam Press. The leopard was believed to be lingering around the area due to a lack of food.

Reports indicated that a skier spotted the leopard while making her way back to the hotel. When she was unable to get a good angle for a photo, she reportedly kept approaching until the leopard pounced and mauled her face. The predator was eventually driven off by a ski instructor waving his poles.

The injured skier was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition. 

BEAR REMAINS UNDER CALIFORNIA HOME AFTER WEEKS OF FAILED REMOVAL ATTEMPTS

In the days leading up to the attack, authorities had warned visitors of multiple snow leopard sightings in the area. While snow leopards on humans are historically rare due to the animals’ shy and elusive nature, officials noted that the big cats still possess "aggressive tendencies" and urged tourists to avoid lingering or approaching them for photos.

"Recently, snow leopard activity has been detected in Gem Valley, Keketuohai," the warning said, according to Jam Press. "Snow leopards are large predators with strong aggressive tendencies. When passing through this area, please move quickly and do not linger. Do not get out of your vehicle or approach to take photos, and never walk alone in the surrounding area." 

KNIFE-WEILDING NUT ALLEGEDLY ASKED CHRISTIAN HIS RELIGION – THEN STABBED HIM AND DOG BEFORE POLICE SHOT HIM

Tourists staying at a nearby guesthouse confirmed that they saw a leopard in the area prior to the attack, according to the outlet.

"We saw it last night, a few kilometers from where the attack took place, but we can't confirm if it's the same snow leopard," one witness said.

China is home to the largest population of wild snow leopards in the world, according to the Snow Leopard Trust, with the country harboring the majority of the global population.

An investigation into the attack is ongoing.  

Russia criticized the U.S.’ proposed Golden Dome missile defense system Monday, warning it could destabilize global nuclear deterrence, according to reports.

According to TASS, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev told Kommersant newspaper that the ambitious project is extremely "provocative."

"Problems in the strategic sphere resulting from destabilizing U.S. actions only continue to grow. It is enough to recall the highly provocative anti-missile project ‘Golden Dome for America,’" he said, TASS reported.

"It fundamentally contradicts the assertion of the inseparable interrelationship between offensive and defensive strategic arms, which, by the way, was enshrined in the preamble of New START," Medvedev added, citing the treaty that protects U.S. national security by placing limits on Russia’s deployed intercontinental nuclear weapons.

TRUMP CHALLENGES CARNEY AT DAVOS, ASSERTS CANADA SHOULD BE 'GRATEFUL' FOR GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE

A defense expert says Russia’s reaction underscores the Golden Dome’s power as a geopolitical signal to the world.

"Even before it has been built, the dome is military focused and politically focused and an incredible bargaining chip with U.S. adversaries," defense expert Cameron Chell told Fox News Digital.

"In this case, it is Russia and China in particular, in terms of how the U.S. postures for negotiating peace terms, treaty terms and whether the U.S. will be negating their already existing arsenal," the Draganfly CEO claimed.

The Golden Dome is a long-term missile defense concept aimed at protecting North America from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile threats.

Chell spoke after the Pentagon released its National Defense Strategy on Jan. 23, outlining a renewed focus on homeland defense, expanded missile defense, counter-drone systems, cyber capabilities and long-range strike forces.

The planned Golden Dome missile defense shield is designed to defeat "large missile barrages and other advanced aerial attacks," the strategy said, while also hardening military and key civilian infrastructure against cyber strikes as Russia and China continue expanding their hypersonic weapons programs.

'GOLDEN DOME' MISSILE SHIELD TO BE TESTED BY TRUMP IN KEY AMERICAN TERRITORY

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, China has also pushed back against the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, accusing Washington of undermining global strategic stability and risking the weaponization of outer space.

"There’s big value in the talk and the build-out of Golden Dome, even long before it gets built, not to mention the research and technology development that comes out of it," Chell said.

"The posturing and the economic benefits of building something like this are also factored into why the dome is so important."

The project’s sheer scale is expected to drive its strategic impact but could also come with an enormous price tag.

"The dome is going to take trillions to build and is the largest military project, probably the largest engineering and technology project ever attempted, so there are going to be challenges getting it done," Chell explained.

"The U.S. has ten years of planning, including where they are going to have communication links, radar systems, and early warning systems." That planning, Chell noted, is shifting focus north.

GERMANY WARNS RUSSIA COULD ATTACK NATO BY 2029 AS INTELLIGENCE THREAT ASSESSMENTS MOUNT

"In order to protect the U.S., you want to take things down before they get over the top of the country," Chell said.

"Places like Canada, or even further north, become the dropping ground. You want to get these threats as soon as possible."

Canada and Greenland are viewed by U.S. defense planners as critical for radar coverage, space tracking and early-warning infrastructure.

"The idea is something being shot down from space, but to do that you need very detailed landscape data of the entire North and you need access to the North," Chell said.

President Trump has long argued the U.S. must control Greenland for national security reasons, citing its strategic Arctic location and natural resources.

"There needs to be infrastructure and oversight in the far north, in Canada, in Greenland, and places like that," Chell said. "All that planning has to be done well ahead of time, before we have anything operational."

Chell also pointed to the potential role of drones in supporting the Golden Dome’s broader mission.

"Drones could be part of informing the Golden Dome as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence tools," he said, adding that the "entire military complex is integrated."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of War for comment.

China’s sudden removal of senior military leaders, including allegations that a top general leaked sensitive information to the United States, is raising new questions about internal turmoil inside the Chinese Communist Party and the readiness of the People’s Liberation Army.

Experts told Fox News Digital that while many details remain unclear, the scope of the apparent purge points to mounting instability under Chinese President Xi Jinping, with potential implications for regional security and rising tensions around Taiwan.

Beijing has not publicly confirmed espionage allegations, but reports published in Western media describe an extraordinary shakeup within China’s military leadership. Analysts caution that the lack of transparency makes definitive conclusions difficult, yet say the pattern of removals itself signals a system under strain.

TAIWAN GENERAL WARNS CHINA’S MILITARY DRILLS COULD BE PREPARATION FOR BLOCKADE OR WAR, VOWS TO RESIST

Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the developments appear driven by political control rather than an imminent move toward conflict.

"These unprecedented purges reflect Xi’s clear focus on control and cohesion — ensuring the People’s Liberation Army is politically reliable, centralized and obedient before it can be tasked with high-risk operations," Singleton told Fox News Digital.

"This does not mean conflict is imminent, but it does show how seriously Xi treats the prospect of having to use the military in the coming years."

Singleton said some observers have compared the developments to past authoritarian crackdowns, but argued a different historical parallel is more instructive.

"Some analysts are comparing these developments to Stalin-era purges in the late 1930s. There certainly are echoes, but I think the closer analogy is Moscow in 1979 — when Soviet political leaders pushed for the invasion of Afghanistan despite strong military warnings that it would be unsustainable and devolve into a costly guerrilla war."

He warned that China may now be facing a similar disconnect between political leadership and military reality.

"Xi’s purges may reflect a similar dynamic: political urgency to speed up invasion planning over Taiwan colliding with a military that senior Chinese officers know isn’t ready yet."

TAIWAN UNVEILS $40B DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN TO COUNTER CHINA MILITARY THREAT OVER NEXT DECADE

China expert Gordon Chang, told Fox News Digital the uncertainty surrounding the purge highlights the depth of instability inside China’s system.

"There’s no way to make sense of this right now," Chang said. "All we can say is that the situation is fluid, that the regime is in turmoil, and probably the People’s Liberation Army is not ready to engage in major operations because dozens of senior officers have been either arrested or removed."

"This is an extraordinary situation," he added. "And this means that China, the country itself, not just the regime, but the country itself is unstable."

Chang also addressed reports alleging that a senior Chinese general was accused of providing sensitive nuclear-related material to the United States, claims that have not been officially substantiated by Beijing.

"The Wall Street Journal reported that the Ministry of National Defense has accused General Zhang Xiaoxiao of providing core technical material on China’s nuclear weapons to the United States," Chang said.

"That is really extraordinary. It also doesn’t sound right, because General Zhang just would not have that many opportunities to pass that type of material to the U.S."

Chang emphasized that his assessment was speculative. "This is just a guess, this is speculation," he said, adding that such accusations may serve as justification for harsh internal punishment rather than reflect confirmed espionage.

He also pointed to past intelligence failures to underscore his skepticism. "We know that the CIA has not had a good track record in China," Chang said, noting that about 30 CIA assets were executed after being uncovered several years ago.

"It would be stunning that the CIA has been able to reconstitute itself and get that type of material from one of the most senior figures in the Chinese regime," he said. "At this point I have to say that trust but verify."

SKIES AT STAKE: INSIDE THE U.S.–CHINA RACE FOR AIR DOMINANCE

The continued removal of high-ranking officers, Chang argued, points to deeper fractures within the Communist Party itself.

"We are seeing a whole class of leadership being junked," he said, noting that the detained general was the most senior uniformed officer in China and second only to Xi Jinping within the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission. "To arrest and detain him is extraordinary by itself."

Singleton said that while purges may weaken China’s military in the short term, they could create greater risk over time.

"Purges can degrade near-term readiness, but over the long-term they increase political control over the military and reduce dissent, easing the path for riskier decisions down the line," he said.

Turning to Taiwan, Chang said a deliberate invasion remains unlikely given the current turmoil and the complexity of such an operation.

"I have never thought it was likely China would start hostilities by invading the main island of Taiwan," he said, citing the challenges of a combined air, land and sea assault and the instability inside the military.

CHINA’S ENERGY SIEGE OF TAIWAN COULD CRIPPLE US SUPPLY CHAINS, REPORT WARNS

Still, he warned that instability does not mean reduced danger. "Although it’s unlikely that China would start hostilities deliberately, it’s highly probable that China will end up in a war," Chang said.

"Not like it’s China deliberately starting one, but China stumbling into one."

"I don’t think Xi Jinping is in a position to de-escalate a situation because of the turmoil in the Chinese political system," he added.

Taken together, analysts say the military shakeup underscores a growing paradox inside Beijing: as Xi tightens political control, instability may deepen rather than fade, increasing the risk of miscalculation at a time of heightened regional tension.

China’s embassy spokesperson in Washington D.C., Liu Pengyu, told Fox News Digital, "The Party Central Committee has decided to open disciplinary and supervisory investigations into Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law. This decision once again underscores that the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission maintain a full-coverage, zero-tolerance approach to combating corruption. Corruption is a major obstacle to the progress of the Party’s and the nation’s cause. The more resolutely the people’s armed forces fight corruption, the stronger, more united and capable they become."

China's top general has been removed and placed under investigation for misconduct in Chinese President Xi Jinping's latest purge of leading military commanders.

Gen. Zhang Youxia is being investigated for allegedly committing severe violations of party discipline and state laws, China's Defense Ministry announced Sunday. The general served as vice-chairman on China's Central Military Commission and was second only to Xi in military authority.

Another member of the commission, Liu Zhenli, has also been placed under investigation by China’s ruling Communist Party. Liu is the chief of staff of the commission’s Joint Staff Department.

Their removal is the latest military purge since October, when the Communist Party one of the commission's previous vice chairs, He Weidong. He was replaced by Zhang Shengmin, a Xi loyalist who survived the latest round of removals.

IRAN STRIKES COULD SIGNAL LIMITS OF BEIJING, MOSCOW’S POWER AS US FLEXES STRENGTH

The staff changes come after President Donald Trump's administration released a new National Defense Strategy on Friday. The document shifts U.S. focus toward dominance in the Western Hemisphere rather than a longtime goal of countering China.

US TRADE REP SHRUGS OFF WORLD LEADERS’ SWIPES AT TRUMP AMID DAVOS BACKLASH

"This does not require regime change or some other existential struggle," the document reads. "Rather, a decent peace, on terms favorable to Americans but that China can also accept and live under, is possible."

The document also reflects Trump's ongoing frustration with U.S. allies for failing to adequately contribute to their own defense. It says the U.S. will increasingly expect allied nations to handle their own security.

CANADIAN PM CARNEY FIRES BACK AT TRUMP OVER CLAIM THAT ‘CANADA LIVES BECAUSE OF THE UNITED STATES’

"We will engage in good faith with our neighbors, from Canada to our partners in Central and South America, but we will ensure that they respect and do their part to defend our shared interests," the strategy says. "And where they do not, we will stand ready to take focused, decisive action that concretely advances U.S. interests."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," warning that global security and U.S. national defense were at stake.

Trump made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. has subsidized Denmark and other European Union nations for decades by failing to charge tariffs and providing what he described as "maximum protection."

"We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration," Trump wrote.

TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND

"Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!"

Trump wrote that both China and Russia want Greenland and he said there was "not a thing that Denmark can do about it."

"They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!" Trump wrote. 

"Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake."

Trump said that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have "journeyed" to Greenland, for "purposes unknown," posing a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet.

EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT

"All of the above-mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America," Trump wrote. 

On June 1, 2026, the tariff will be increased to 25%, he said. 

"This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island at a strategic crossroads in the Arctic, and floated the idea of tariffs being imposed on Friday. 

A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a crucial U.S. military base and has taken on growing strategic importance as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to a wealth of natural resources.

In his Saturday post, Trump said the United States has tried to purchase Greenland for more than 150 years but that Denmark has repeatedly refused. 

He tied the push to modern weapons systems and the "Golden Dome," saying hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on related security programs and that the system can only work at maximum efficiency if Greenland is included. 

"The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump’s remarks come as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the tariffs he imposed in 2025 were legal.

Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report. 

Recently unredacted construction plans for China’s new super embassy in London have ignited a storm of national security concerns across the United Kingdom, as blueprints reveal a hidden underground room positioned alarmingly close to some of Britain’s most sensitive communication cables.

Major critics of the proposed site, which will run as close as three feet to the internet infrastructure, warned that the secret room could serve as a hub for Chinese espionage. While the British government reportedly assured its allies that the lines do not carry sensitive government data, the cables transmit financial transactions as well as communication traffic for millions of internet users.  

The blueprints were publicly unredacted Monday by The Telegraph, just one week before Prime Minister Keir Starmer is widely expected to approve the plans before his visit to see President Xi Jinping in China.  

A government spokesman told the outlet that despite the security concerns, "national security is our first duty and government security experts have been involved throughout the process so far."

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According to the blueprint, the facility will be located at the former Royal Mint and will become Europe’s largest Chinese embassy. 

Construction plans indicate that China intends to demolish and rebuild a basement wall, placing officials and equipment just over three feet from critical fiber-optic cables. Security experts have warned that such proximity could create opportunities for "cable-tapping," which involves inserting wiretaps or reading light signals leaking from the lines.

Professor Alan Woodward, a security expert at the University of Surrey, highlighted the technical feasibility of espionage given the physical layout, the Telegraph reported. He described the demolition as a "red flag" and noted, "If I were in their shoes, having those cables on my doorstep would be an enormous temptation."

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Additionally, the concealed chamber appears to be equipped with at least two hot-air extraction systems designed to ventilate heat-generating equipment. Experts reportedly inferred that this infrastructure suggests that the room is designed to accommodate high-powered technology such as advanced computers typically used for espionage and data processing. 

Beyond the single chamber near the cables, the unredacted plans also revealed a network of 208 secret rooms beneath the diplomatic site. The basement appears to allow for emergency backup generators, sprinkler systems, communications cabling and showers, suggesting that officials could remain underground for extended periods, potentially to operate or monitor equipment.

The construction plans have generally raised fears that the London complex could serve as a Beijing intelligence hub. According to U.K. outlet The Times, Britain has been pressured to reassure the United States and other intelligence partners that the cables do not transmit any sensitive government data.

Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister and prominent critic of the project, described the approval of the embassy as handing Beijing a strategic advantage against British interests.  

"Giving China the go-ahead for its embassy site would be to gift them a launchpad for economic warfare at the very heart of the central nervous system of our critical financial national infrastructure," she said in a post on X.