The offer was made by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, with spokesperson Chen Binhua saying “peaceful reunification” would provide stronger protection for Taiwan’s energy and resource security under what he called the backing of a “strong motherland.”

The proposal comes as governments worldwide scramble to secure alternative fuel supplies following disruptions to shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.

Taiwan, which previously sourced about one-third of its liquefied natural gas from Qatar and imports no energy from China, has said it has secured alternative supplies for the coming months, including from the United States, its main international backer.

President Lai Ching-te said energy supplies for the near term were assured and that additional U.S. gas imports would begin from June, according to a statement from his Democratic Progressive Party.

China has long framed economic and security incentives as part of its strategy to persuade Taiwan to accept unification under its “one country, two systems” model, which no major Taiwanese political party supports.

Chen said Beijing was willing to provide “stable and reliable energy and resource security” to improve living conditions for people in Taiwan, reiterating a narrative that closer integration would bring material benefits.

Taiwan’s government, which rejects China’s sovereignty claims, has consistently maintained that only the island’s people can determine its future.

The energy proposal comes against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical strain, with the Middle East conflict triggering volatility in global energy markets and prompting countries across Asia to reassess supply security.

China, the world’s largest oil importer, has also taken domestic measures to safeguard supply, including restricting fuel exports in recent days, according to reports.

Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, though it has repeatedly stated a preference for peaceful unification.

The latest offer underscores how energy security has emerged as a central element in cross-strait dynamics as global supply disruptions reshape strategic calculations.

The statement marks a further escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, where both sides have intensified military operations targeting senior leadership figures.

Conflicting accounts emergeWhile Israeli officials declared Larijani dead, earlier reports citing Israeli sources indicated that his fate remained unclear following strikes that targeted him, leaving uncertainty over whether he had been killed or wounded.

Iran has not issued any official response confirming his death.Key figure in Iran’s power structureLarijani, a senior political and security figure, has played a central role in Iran’s leadership apparatus, particularly after the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in earlier U.S.-Israeli strikes that reshaped the country’s command structure.

His removal, if confirmed, would represent one of the most significant blows to Iran’s leadership since the start of the current conflict.

The reported strike comes amid a wider Israeli campaign targeting Iran’s military and security elite. Israeli operations have also reportedly killed other senior figures, including commanders linked to the Basij militia, a key internal security force.

The targeting of high-ranking officials signals a strategy aimed at weakening Iran’s command-and-control capabilities as hostilities continue to expand across the region.

The developments underscore the widening scope of the conflict, which has already drawn in multiple regional actors and disrupted energy markets and security dynamics across the Middle East.

With no confirmation from Tehran and conflicting accounts still emerging, the situation remains fluid.

The session follows a phased election in which the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured a sweeping victory amid low voter turnout and the absence of a viable opposition. Retired brigadier-general and USDP chairman Khin Yi was elected speaker of the lower house on Monday, a position analysts say could play a central role in advancing the military’s political agenda.

Myanmar has been mired in civil war and a worsening humanitarian crisis since the armed forces overthrew the government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, just as her administration was preparing to begin a second five-year term following a landslide electoral victory.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party, formed by the military in 2010, won 81% of contested seats in the election, according to official results. The bicameral parliament will also include dozens of military officers appointed directly by the armed forces, which are constitutionally guaranteed a quarter of the seats in the legislature.

Analysts say the arrangement effectively places the parliament under military control, giving the top brass decisive influence over the selection of the country’s next president. Junta chief and coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is widely expected to assume the presidency once the new government is formed.

“This level of control makes it clear that one can expect nothing substantial from this body; it is evidently a parliament that will operate solely at the whim of the military leader,” independent analyst Htin Kyaw Aye said.

The military leadership also plans to establish a new five-member panel, the Union Consultative Council, which some experts have described as a “superbody” designed to consolidate authority over both civilian administration and the armed forces.

The junta has rejected international criticism of the election, saying the process reflected the will of the people. Officials have indicated that a new government could be formed as early as April and have expressed hope that the political transition may help ease sanctions and revive foreign investment.

A commentary published Monday in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said the convening of parliament had raised expectations across the country for improved political stability and governance focused on national interests.

The Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, was approved by Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies with 53 votes in favor, eight against and four abstentions out of 80 lawmakers, while 15 were absent. The agreement now awaits the signature of President Santiago Peña before taking effect.

The deal, signed in Washington in December, establishes the legal framework governing the presence of U.S. personnel in Paraguay for training exercises, joint operations and humanitarian assistance missions.

The agreement allows U.S. security forces to operate temporarily within Paraguay for military training, multinational exercises and disaster response efforts. It also grants the United States criminal jurisdiction over its personnel while they are stationed in the country.

Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano described the agreement in December as a measure aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in combating transnational organized crime and terrorism. He also said the agreement does not allow the establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in Paraguay.

The treaty had already been approved by Paraguay’s Senate last week following a more polarized debate that included concerns from some lawmakers about sovereignty and legal protections granted to foreign personnel.

Several legislators opposed the agreement, arguing that provisions granting immunity from local prosecution could undermine national sovereignty. Independent congressman Raúl Benítez said during the debate that while Paraguay supports international cooperation, it must also preserve “strong states, respected institutions and real democratic sovereignty.

”Civil society groups also criticized the pact ahead of the vote. The regional organization Peace and Justice Service said in a statement that security should not depend on the presence of foreign troops or legal protections equivalent to diplomatic immunity.

Washington welcomed the deal as part of broader security cooperation in the region. Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, described the agreement as “historic,” saying it would facilitate bilateral and multinational training, humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The approval comes as the Trump administration seeks to expand U.S. engagement in Latin America as part of its national security strategy, including deeper defense cooperation with regional partners.

Penny Wong said the government had updated its travel advisory as the regional security environment deteriorated, urging Australians to avoid travel to the UAE.

“Our travel advice has been updated to reflect that direction. We continue to advise Australians not to travel to the UAE,” Wong said in a post on X late on Sunday.

Wong said more than 1,700 Australians had already returned home on commercial flights from the UAE since the conflict intensified.

Approximately 115,000 Australians were in the Middle East when the fighting began about 10 days ago, raising concerns about the safety of nationals across the region as hostilities escalate.

The conflict has disrupted air travel and business activity while pushing global energy prices higher, as military strikes involving the United States and Israel target Iran.

Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was not seeking negotiations to end the U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran.

His remarks come as governments across the region reassess security risks and the safety of their citizens.

Australia, a close ally of the United States, has said it would not deploy troops to the Middle East if the conflict expands. However, officials indicated on Sunday that Canberra was considering requests to help protect countries from Iranian drones and missile threats as regional tensions intensify.

Wong said several nations that were not directly involved in the conflict had come under Iranian attack during the widening Middle East confrontation and had sought help from partners including Australia.“We’ve had many countries, which are non participants, (that) have been attacked by Iran through this,” Wong said in televised remarks. “You would anticipate as a consequence that we have been asked for assistance, and we will work through that carefully.”The comments came as fighting intensified across the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli strikes on targets in Iran and retaliatory Iranian attacks against countries hosting U.S. military facilities.Limited military roleWong said Australia would examine requests for assistance in line with its existing position that it would not join offensive military operations against Iran.Asked whether Australia could help defend countries targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes, Wong responded: “Correct.”She said any support would be considered carefully and would remain consistent with the government’s policy of avoiding direct involvement in combat operations inside Iran.“We will work through that in accordance with the position that I have outlined, which is we are not participating in offensive action against Iran and we have made clear we will not participate in any ground troop deployment,” Wong said.Australia, a longstanding ally of the United States and a member of several regional security partnerships, has previously contributed forces to international missions in the Middle East but has ruled out sending troops in the current conflict.Australian personnel and naval incidentPrime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that three Australian defence personnel had been on board a U.S. submarine that sank an Iranian warship with a torpedo in the Indian Ocean.Albanese stressed that the Australians present during the incident did not take part in the attack itself.The disclosure came as the military confrontation between Iran and a U.S.-Israeli coalition escalated sharply over the past week, drawing in multiple countries across the Gulf region.U.S. and Israeli aircraft have conducted strikes across Iranian territory, while several Gulf cities, including locations in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have come under Iranian bombardment.Australians stranded in regionThe escalating conflict has also disrupted commercial flights and regional travel, leaving thousands of Australians stranded in parts of the Middle East.Wong said the government was working with airlines and other authorities to assist citizens attempting to leave affected areas.Australia’s foreign ministry has been monitoring the security situation across the region and coordinating efforts to help nationals return home safely as hostilities continue.The crisis has increased pressure on governments globally to respond to the widening conflict while balancing security commitments, diplomatic relations and the safety of their citizens abroad.

The gathering, dubbed the “Shield of the Americas,” comes as Washington seeks to deepen ties with governments aligned with Trump’s policies on crime, migration and economic liberalisation. The meeting also takes place just weeks before Trump is expected to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month.The summit occurs against the backdrop of growing Chinese economic engagement in Latin America, where trade between China and the region reached a record $518 billion in 2024, according to data cited by U.S. analysts.

Among the leaders expected to attend are Argentine President Javier Milei, Chile’s president-elect Jose Antonio Kast and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.Several of the participating leaders share policy positions with Trump on crime enforcement, migration control and pro-market economic policies. Analysts say their participation reflects a broader shift toward conservative politics in parts of Latin America.Bukele’s security policies in El Salvador, including a sweeping crackdown on criminal gangs, have drawn criticism from human rights organisations but have also been cited by some regional leaders as a model for tackling organised crime.Many governments attending the summit favour stricter law-and-order approaches to crime and migration, prioritising enforcement measures alongside economic policies that promote private sector investment .

The Trump administration views the summit as part of a broader effort to strengthen Washington’s strategic position in the Western Hemisphere at a time when Beijing has expanded trade, infrastructure investment and lending across Latin America.Ryan Berg, who heads the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote this week that the gathering marks the first time in Trump’s second term that Washington has convened a group of Latin American leaders in this format.The event also gives the administration an opportunity to demonstrate regional leadership while the United States faces geopolitical pressures elsewhere, including tensions in the Middle East following recent U.S. military strikes on Iran.

Trump said earlier this week that Kristi Noem would serve as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas” initiative. Noem previously served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security until Trump removed her from the role amid mounting criticism from members of Congress.Officials say the summit will focus on coordinating policies on regional security, migration management and economic cooperation as Washington attempts to reinforce partnerships in a region increasingly shaped by competition between the United States and China.