Hong Kong, July 31 -- With President Donald Trump bogging the USA down in a perhaps unwinnable war against Iran, he has strengthened China's hand. Furthermore, Beijing continues to reinforce its influence on the world stage and to subtly support Russia in its own war with Ukraine and the West.

Depleted American missile and weapon stocks have been known about for a long time - exacerbated by the Iran War - and this plays directly into Chairman Xi Jinping's hands. It is highly likely this factor is contributing to Chinese and Russian calculations, as they plan their next moves against Taiwan and Ukraine, respectively.

As Dr. Malcolm Davis, Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, noted, "[It's] about as predictable as ...