Pacific Winds 20230522

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué
US White House 20230520
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/20/g7-hiroshima-leaders-communique/

China reacts sharply to G7 leaders' communique
NHK 20230521
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230521_05/

G-7 renews pledge to defend int'l order, yet China challenges loom
Kyodo 20230521
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/62b85a102dcc-focus-g-7-renews-pledge-to-defend-intl-order-yet-china-challenges-loom.html

G7 has descended into an ‘anti-China workshop’
GT 20230522
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202305/1291111.shtml

Quad agrees to bolster submarine cables in 47-minute summit
Nikkei 20230521
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/G-7-in-Japan/Quad-agrees-to-bolster-submarine-cables-in-47-minute-summit

‘Ours must not be an era of war’: Quad leaders pledge investment in Asia Pacific
SMH 20230521
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/ours-must-not-be-an-era-of-war-quad-leaders-pledge-investment-in-asia-pacific-20230521-p5d9yg.html

QUAD JOINT STATEMENT
AU PM 20230520
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/quad-leaders-joint-statement

Australia-United States Joint Leaders’ Statement – An Alliance for our Times
US White House 20230520
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/20/australia-united-states-joint-leaders-statement-an-alliance-for-our-times/

Biden Meets Yoon, Kishida to Counter North Korea, China
VoA 20230521
https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-meets-yoon-kishida-to-counter-north-korea-china/7102433.html

Canada sees China as 'increasingly disruptive power,' to invest in Indo-Pacific security
CNN 20230520
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/5/20/china-increasingly-disruptive-power-canada-to-invest-ph-security.html

Joe Biden expects imminent ‘thaw’ in China relations
FT 20230521
https://www.ft.com/content/251f5e02-e375-44ed-af72-2eeae375b0cd

Biden says U.S.-China tensions to "thaw very shortly"
Kyodo 20230522
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/b827684a4d13-update1-biden-says-us-china-tensions-to-thaw-very-shortly.html

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

US to sign strategic pacts with two Pacific states, hopes for third in weeks
Reuters 20230520
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-sign-strategic-pacts-with-two-pacific-states-hopes-third-weeks-2023-05-20/

Xi sends congratulations to Micronesia's new president
Xinhua 20230521
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2023-05/21/content_85462982.htm

Island Waves + SCS

India's Modi lands in Papua New Guinea to host senior leaders at forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation
ABC (AU) 20230522
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-22/indias-modi-lands-in-png-to-host-fipic-with-pacific-leaders/102374762

Security Pact: PNG expects more US Military boots on ground
Radio NZ 20230522
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/490375/security-pact-png-expects-more-us-military-boots-on-ground

Ukraine conflict shows need for defence pact with U.S. - Papua New Guinea
Reuters 20230521
https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-conflict-shows-need-defence-pact-with-us-papua-new-guinea-2023-05-21/

PM Marape says no laws broken in Defence Cooperation Agreement with USA
PNG PM 20230521
https://pmjamesmarape.com/pm-marape-says-no-laws-broken-in-defence-cooperation-agreement-with-usa/

Marape Confirms Signing of Agreements
Post Courier (PNG) 20230521
https://postcourier.com.pg/pm-marape-confirms-signing-of-agreements/

Deepening U.S. Partnership with Papua New Guinea
US DoS 20230521
https://www.state.gov/deepening-u-s-partnership-with-papua-new-guinea/

Envy in Papua New Guinea as Chinese money pours in
Business Times (SG) 20230521
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/property/envy-papua-new-guinea-chinese-money-pours

Smooth sailing or choppy waters for Australia, NZ and the US in the Pacific?
ASPI 20230522
https://www.aspi.org.au/report/smooth-sailing
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/smooth-sailing-or-choppy-waters-for-australia-nz-and-the-us-in-the-pacific/

The United States has a problem with systems, not summits
Islands Business 20230521
https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/biden-pacific/

Taiwan

Just over half of mainland Chinese people back full-scale war to take control of Taiwan, poll finds
SCMP 20230521
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3221238/just-over-half-mainland-chinese-people-back-full-scale-war-take-control-taiwan-poll-finds