Taiwan Strait Security: A new IISS assessment warned that any US-China conflict over Taiwan could rapidly escalate into a nuclear crisis, as Beijing keeps expanding military pressure around the island and reiterates opposition to “Taiwan independence.” PLA Activity & Taipei Response: China also told Taiwan not to “interfere” in air force missions in Chinese airspace amid a fresh round of maneuvers, while Taiwan continues tracking sorties and vessels near its territory. Regional Deterrence Signals: China sent a PLA National Defence University delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue for a second straight year, underscoring Beijing’s continued focus on Asia-Pacific security messaging. US Arms Readiness: A US analysis said depleted Iran-war stockpiles of key systems like Tomahawks and Patriot/THAAD interceptors could take years to rebuild, raising questions about near-term firepower in a Western Pacific contingency. Cross-Strait Civil Defense Link: A new Taiwan-Japan ferry route launched on a ship that Japan can use for evacuation of island residents in a crisis, highlighting how tourism infrastructure is being folded into contingency planning. Domestic Taiwan Governance: The Legislative Yuan’s secretary-general said a relocation or reconstruction site hopes to be decided within the current term, as options remain under review. AI & Energy Politics: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang again called Taiwan the “epicenter” of the AI revolution and said the company’s annual investment could reach $150B, while warning Taiwan must expand energy capacity to match AI growth.