Pacific Winds 20230416

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

China stalls Antony Blinken’s Beijing visit over ‘spy balloon’ concerns
FT 20230415
https://www.ft.com/content/d451f11d-57b6-44da-bfa8-42fc0295fc01

Beijing not returning calls, top US diplomat says
Straits Times 20230415
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/beijing-not-returning-calls-top-us-diplomat-says

U.S., Vietnam say they hope to boost ties as Blinken visits Hanoi
Reuters 20230415
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blinken-starts-vietnam-visit-amid-hopes-deeper-ties-counter-china-2023-04-15/

Joint Statement of the 13th Defense Trilateral Talks
US DoD 20230414
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3363747/joint-statement-of-the-13th-defense-trilateral-talks/

US-Philippine drills a further sign Manila may be picking sides amid South China Sea, Taiwan tensions
SCMP 20230415
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3217121/us-philippine-drills-further-sign-manila-may-be-picking-sides-amid-south-china-sea-taiwan-tensions

Chinese top diplomat meets German FM, hoping Germany will support China's peaceful reunification
GT 20230415
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202304/1289186.shtml

East Asia resisting US decoupling from China
Asia Times 20230415
https://asiatimes.com/2023/04/east-asia-resisting-us-decoupling-from-china/

China’s Asia export boom bedevils US friend-shoring
Asia Times 20230415
https://asiatimes.com/2023/04/chinas-asia-export-boom-bedevils-us-friend-shoring/

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

War-gaming Guam
GDP 20230416
https://www.postguam.com/forum/featured_columnists/war-gaming-guam/article_ad786a98-db25-11ed-b082-d7391a3508e8.html

Marshall Islands and Taiwan fight climate change together
Taiwan News 20230415
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4864230

Island Waves

Additional VT655 Million Australian Aid for Vanuatu's Cyclone Recovery
Daily Post (VU) 20230415
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/additional-vt655-million-australian-aid-for-vanuatus-cyclone-recovery/article_854a4d0a-1f17-511c-9517-bb7b70ac922a.html

Australia to Establish Visa Processing Office in Port Vila
Daily Post (VU) 20230415
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/australia-to-establish-visa-processing-office-in-port-vila/article_d30ed3fc-986a-5b52-bc76-dc18cc5428a1.html

‘Diplomatic backlash’: Pacific scheme sparks concerns
PINA 20230414
https://pina.com.fj/2023/04/14/diplomatic-backlash-pacific-scheme-sparks-concerns/

New Nafanua vessel crew to undergo training
Samoa Observer 20230415
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/103009

Who is troublemaker in South China Sea?
China Military 20230415
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16217278.html

Taiwan

Taiwan highly vulnerable to Chinese air attack, leaked documents show
S&S (WaPo) 20230415
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2023-04-15/taiwan-vulnerable-chinese-air-attack-leaked-documents-9812089.html

China's new approach to Taiwan 'harder' to deal with: analyst
Nikkei 20230415
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/China-s-new-approach-to-Taiwan-harder-to-deal-with-analyst

German Minister Warns of Taiwan ‘Horror’ on Testy China Trip
Bloomberg 20230414
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-14/german-minister-warns-of-taiwan-horror-in-testy-china-visit

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urges Germany to avoid ‘bloc confrontation’ amid warnings Taiwan conflict would be global ‘horror show’
SCMP 20230415
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3217128/chinese-foreign-minister-qin-gang-urges-germany-avoid-bloc-confrontation-amid-warnings-taiwan

War would bring disaster to China too, Taiwan presidential contender says
Reuters 20230415
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/war-would-bring-disaster-china-too-taiwan-presidential-contender-says-2023-04-15/

Taiwan’s Foreign Policy Shift to Unofficial Ties Needs a Balanced Strategy
The Diplomat 20230415
https://thediplomat.com/2023/04/taiwans-foreign-policy-shift-to-unofficial-ties-needs-a-balanced-strategy/

Capabilities

Leaked secret documents detail up to four additional Chinese spy balloons
S&S (WaPo) 20230415
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2023-04-14/leaked-documents-chinese-spy-balloons-9807428.html

The military tracked at least three more spy balloons, leaked documents report
Task & Purpose 20230415
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/spy-balloons-leaked-documents-report/

S. Korea, U.S., Japan agree to hold missile defense, anti-sub drills regularly to counter N.K. threats
Yonhap 20230415
https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230415000600325

Japan, U.S., South Korea agree to enhance North Korean missile info sharing
Kyodo 20230415
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/6b81602e1d94-japan-us-s-korea-agree-to-enhance-n-korean-missile-info-sharing.html

What mainland China’s latest Taiwan drills tell us about its military capabilities
SCMP 20230415
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3217184/what-mainland-chinas-latest-taiwan-drills-tell-us-about-its-military-capabilities

Power

Summers Warns US Is Getting ‘Lonely’ as Other Powers Band Together
Bloomberg 20230415
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-14/summers-warns-us-getting-lonely-as-other-powers-band-together