TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China's navy has commissioned a new-generation frigate as competition rises with the U.S. and other regional powers, saying the ship will “play a vital role in enhancing the overall combat effectiveness" of its forces.

As China continues to boost Russia's war effort in Ukraine, Taiwan is grappling with rising Chinese pressure boosted by growing military cooperation from Russia. The deepening partnership is set to pose a new threat for U.

Attacks on underwater cables in strategic areas connecting telecommunication lines and power sources in Asia and Europe are suspected to be coordinated attacks by China and Russia.

A United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier conducted a war game with ally the Philippines in the contested South China Sea last week while China carried out "combat-readiness" patrols.

Taiwan will dispatch its navy if needed to help the coast guard respond to any suspicious activity near undersea communication cables, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday, after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging one.

China has commissioned its new-generation frigate, the Luohe, to enhance naval capabilities. The Type 054B frigate, equipped with advanced technology and weaponry, signifies a strategic move in its competition with the US.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers met this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea

Once again, the two fiberoptic cables connecting Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, which lie just 10 nautical miles off Chinas

Vice President Han Zheng, China’s representative at Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, is a trusted adviser to President Xi Jinping, a long-time survivor of Chinese politics who rose from toiling

China and Russia's growing military cooperation and hybrid warfare tactics are creating new challenges for the Trump administration.

The ship has a displacement of approximately 5,000 tons and includes stealth technology, combat command systems and firepower integration.