Pacific Winds 20230418
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
G-7 envoys urge tough stance on Chinese, N Korean aggression
S&S (AP) 20230417
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2023-04-16/g7-stance-chinese-north-korean-aggression-9825704.htm
G7 will stand up to 'any coercion' from China - senior US official
Reuters 20230417
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/g7-will-stand-up-any-coercion-over-taiwan-strait-senior-us-official-2023-04-17/
Japan’s G7 high-wire balancing act
East Asia Forum 20230417
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2023/04/17/japans-g7-high-wire-balancing-act/
G7 foreign ministers want to show unity, but the outside world sees rifts
GT 20230418
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202304/1289318.shtml
Japan, U.S. vow to uphold rules-based order, cooperate on N. Korea
Kyodo 20230417
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/1c96703a9dc8-japan-us-to-reaffirm-cooperation-on-n-korea-china.html
Australia’s Top Envoy Says No Power Should Control Indo-Pacific
Bloomberg 20230417
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-17/australia-s-top-envoy-says-no-power-should-control-indo-pacific
Australia must avoid war in the region, says Penny Wong
ASPI 20230417
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-must-avoid-war-in-the-region-says-penny-wong/
S. Korea, Japan hold first security talks of diplomats, defense officials in 5 years
Yonhap 20230417
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230417002200325
China starts ‘surgical’ retaliation against foreign companies after US-led tech blockade
FT 20230417
https://www.ft.com/content/fc2038d2-3e25-4a3f-b8ca-0ceb5532a1f3?s=08
Why China's chip industry still has power despite export curbs
Nikkei 20230417
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Caixin/Why-China-s-chip-industry-still-has-power-despite-export-curbs
Pragmatic economic cooperation serves as the cornerstone of China-EU relations
GT 20230417
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202304/1289311.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
PLAN CV Shandong Reported 400 miles off of Guam
@detresfa (Tweet) 20230417
https://twitter.com/detresfa_/status/1647891998983208961?s=20
JP MoD Map: https://twitter.com/jointstaffpa/status/1647877749078650880?s=2
USCGC Oliver Henry returns to Guam after strengthening partnerships in Oceania during mission to combat illegal fishing in Pacific
USCG 20230417
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/442703/uscgc-oliver-henry-returns-guam-after-strengthening-partnerships-oceania-during-mission-combat-illegal-fishing-pacific
Island Waves
Not the Indo-Pacific: a Melanesian view on strategic competition
Lowy 20230418
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/not-indo-pacific-melanesian-view-strategic-competition
Sepuloni downplays China tensions at start of tour of Pacific nations
Radio NZ 20230417
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/488085/sepuloni-downplays-china-tensions-at-start-of-tour-of-pacific-nations
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Begins a Two Day Mission
Solomon Times 20230417
https://www.solomontimes.com/news/new-zealand-deputy-prime-minister-begins-a-two-day-mission/12505
UK Foreign Secretary to Visit
Solomon Times 20230417
https://www.solomontimes.com/news/uk-foreign-secretary-to-visit/12506
New Caledonia's independence factions end Paris talks
Radio NZ 20230417
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/488077/new-caledonia-s-independence-factions-end-paris-talks
Why US, Philippines hype South China Sea arbitration award?
China Military 20230417
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/WORLD_209198/WorldMilitaryAnalysis/16217735.html
The South China Sea: A Hotspot That Can Trigger World War III
Eurasia Review 20230417
https://www.eurasiareview.com/17042023-the-south-china-sea-a-hotspot-that-can-trigger-world-war-iii-analysis/
Taiwan
200 US military trainers now in Taiwan
Taiwan News 20230417
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4866003
'Dangerous game': Penny Wong warns against inflammatory Taiwan rhetoric
SBS 20230417
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/dangerous-game-penny-wong-warns-against-inflaming-taiwan-debate/tnjbcwexa
Penny Wong warns war over Taiwan 'would be catastrophic for all'
9News 20230417
https://www.9news.com.au/national/china-australia-update-penny-wong-warns-on-catastrophic-taiwan-war/a61422b3-aa61-44c8-9a3c-4e59a63a0aaf
China’s grey-zone tactics towards Taiwan raise risk of miscalculation and escalation: Analysts
Straits Times 20230417
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-s-grey-zone-tactics-toward-taiwan-raise-risk-of-miscalculation-and-escalation-analysts
Taiwan stands to lose investment, supply chains, if PLA keeps up military drills
SCMP 20230417
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3217076/taiwan-stands-lose-investment-supply-chains-if-pla-keeps-military-drills
US navy patrols Taiwan Strait while 18 Chinese military planes, 4 ships tracked
Taiwan News 20230417
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4865728
Capabilities
Seoul eyes arsenal ships bristling with ballistic missiles
Asia Times 20230417
https://asiatimes.com/2023/04/seoul-eyes-arsenal-ships-bristling-with-ballistic-missiles/
Space Force starts launches for constellations of hundreds of satellites
S&S 20230416
https://www.stripes.com/branches/space_force/2023-04-16/space-force-hundreds-of-satellites-9821044.html
PLA Army commissions new self-propelled anti-aircraft systems with drone threats in mind
GT 20230417
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202304/1289284.shtml
Directed Energy Weapons:DOD Should Focus on Transition Planning
GAO-23-105868 20230417
https://www.gao.gov/assets/820/819139.pdf
China tests AI-powered long-range artillery that can hit a person 16km away
SCMP 20230417
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3217334/china-tests-ai-powered-long-range-artillery-can-hit-person-16km-away
N. Korea says strategic weapon development means of 'self-defense,' accuses UNSC of domestic interference
Yonhap 20230417
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230417008800325?section=news
China takes lessons from Russia, out to fix maritime insurance ‘weakness’ after Ukraine war
SCMP 20230417
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3217243/china-take-lessons-russia-out-fix-maritime-insurance-weakness-after-ukraine-war
US to supply one more coast guard ship to Vietnam
Naval News 20230417
https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2023/april/13059-us-to-supply-one-more-coast-guard-ship-to-vietnam.html
Power
Asia-Pacific needs to rethink
China Daily 20230417
https://epaper.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202304/17/WS643c89daa310b1dea957dd64.html
The annual military budget could hit $1 trillion by 2027
Responsible Statecraft 20230417
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/31/the-annual-military-budget-could-hit-1-trillion-by-2027/
Exercises
U.S. Destroyer Transits Taiwan Strait
USNI 20230416
https://news.usni.org/2023/04/16/u-s-destroyer-transits-taiwan-strait
US warship’s Taiwan Straits transit ‘powerless’ under PLA watch after island encirclement drills
GT 20230417
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202304/1289268.shtml
Japan-U.S. Bilateral Exercise
JMSDF 20230417
https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/en/release/202304/20230417_en.pdf
U.S., Japan, Republic of Korea Conduct Trilateral Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise
US IndPaCom 20230416
https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3364282/us-japan-republic-of-korea-conduct-trilateral-ballistic-missile-defense-exercise/?s=08
US, allies stage drills as North Korea warns of security crisis
Military Times (AP) 20230417
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/04/17/us-allies-stage-drills-as-north-korea-warns-of-security-crisis/
Chinese intelligence-gathering ship sails around Japan
NHK 20230418
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230418_03/
S. Korea, U.S. begin large-scale combined air drills
Yonhap 20230417
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230417001700325
USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: April 17, 2023
USNI 20230417
https://news.usni.org/2023/04/17/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-april-17-2023
Events
The Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis Continued?: Assessing China’s April 2023 Military Exercises Against Taiwan
CSIS 20 April 8:30-9:30 AM EDT
https://www.csis.org/events/fourth-taiwan-strait-crisis-continued-assessing-chinas-april-2023-military-exercises-against
Pacific Corruption: OCCRP Journalists Discuss Illicit Money Flows and Political Intrigue in the Pacific Islands
OCCRP 24 April 2023 6PM AEST
https://theparadise.ng/pacific-corruption-occrp-journalists-discuss-illicit-money-flows-and-political-intrigue-in-the-pacific-islands/