text: HAZARDS: Hurricane Fiona is expected to hit coastal Canada but avoid a U.S. landfall. The National Hurricane Center continues to track Tropical Storm Gaston and three low pressure systems in the Atlantic, but has nothing significant to report this morning.GEOSTRATEGIC INTSUMCHINA PROMISES UTMOST EFFORT TO STRIVE FOR PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION OF TAIWAN: China again promised today to make the “utmost effort to strive for peaceful reunification of Taiwan.” This follows yesterday’s public offer of peaceful reunification, which was strongly rejected by Taiwan’s government. (AC: Beijing is becoming increasingly assertive over its claims to Taiwan and its desire to close the reunification issue since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan early last month and U.S. President Joe Biden’s promise over the weekend to defend Taiwan. China’s continued emphasis on a desire for “peaceful reunification” is likely an attempt to get ahead of the issue prior to the Chinese Communist Party Congress next month. The increasing tempo of information operations could also be front-running plans for a military operation against Taiwan during the months of Oct-Dec when the weather conditions would be most suitable. – M.M.)NEWLY DISCOVERED CHINESE-MADE PARTS IN F-35 FIGHTERS MAY JUST BE TIP OF THE ICEBERG: The discovery of F-35 fighter components made in China could end up causing a domino effect of production delays. The delays could open significant gaps in delivery timelines and readiness issues for the primary air superiority fighter of the U.S. and its allies. The sudden realization that Chinese made parts were being used in the F-35 caused an immediate ban on the components and an investigation into how much more Chinese made material is in the top-line fighter jet. In 2014, Reuters reported that DoD waived laws banning Chinese made parts for the F-35 in order to keep the program on track. Now, in hindsight, those waivers have undermined U.S. military supremacy through supply chain vulnerabilities in rare earth metals and microchips. (AC: The U.S. dependency on an adversarial China for key military-industrial equipment was not fully realized by decision-makers in 2014. The globalist mindset of that timeframe has now crashed headlong into the current realization that the U.S. may be fighting China in the coming year(s). This heretofore, unnoticed dependence on China could end up being a fatal flaw in our military readiness equation. It is likely DoD will find a trail of Chinese made parts across a majority of high-tech military equipment. How fast it can retool, the manufacture and fielding of U.S. made components is the key question now. – M.M.)Russia-NATO SITREPLITHUANIA PLACES TROOPS ON HIGH ALERT, DENIES RUSSIAN VISAS: Following Putin’s partial mobilization, Lithuanian defense officials issued emergency orders placing its rapid reaction force on high alert and reinforcing its border security. Lithuania’s foreign ministry also announced that the government would not issue visas to Russian citizens attempting to flee the mobilization orders. Defense and Foreign Ministry officials described the emergency moves as necessary security measures to prevent Russian “provocations.” – R.P.RUSSIA ON LOCKDOWN: Russian officials have locked down borders and established police cordons following the implementation of immediate conscription. One-way flights from Russia to non-extradition states and regional neighbors that don’t require visas immediately sold out minutes after Putin’s announcement. The rise of ticket sales precluded an order from Russia’s Defense ministry banning all ticket sales to Russian men aged 18- 65. Police and border guards have reportedly established cordons to search vehicles in further efforts to detect and prevent men from fleeing the country. – R.P.LatAm SITREP