Pacific Winds 20230822
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Endurance of trilateral meeting depends on US, Japan
Korea Times 20230821
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230821000800320?section=news
Summit puts S. Korea-US-Japan security cooperation on more sustainable footing
Korea Herald 20230821
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230821000700320?section=news
S. Korea explained to China results of trilateral summit through diplomatic channels: Seoul FM
Yonhap 20230821
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230821008100325?section=news
The Japan-South Korea-US Summit Is Bad News for China
The Diplomat 20230819
https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/the-japan-south-korea-us-summit-is-bad-news-for-china/
China Blasts US, Japan and South Korea for ‘Smearing’ Beijing
Bloomberg 20230821
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-21/china-blasts-us-japan-and-south-korea-for-smearing-beijing
India doubles down on regional connectivity to counter China
Lowy 20230821
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/india-doubles-down-regional-connectivity-counter-china
China Finds How to Lose Friends and Influence in Asia
Bloomberg 20230821
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-08-21/china-s-economic-slowdown-is-losing-it-influence-in-asia
China and US: Who is the ticking time bomb?
Think China 20230821
https://www.thinkchina.sg/china-and-us-who-ticking-time-bomb
Japan fisheries leader voices concern on plan to release Fukushima water
Reuters 20230821
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-pm-kishida-meet-with-fishermens-group-monday-afternoon-jiji-2023-08-21/
Radioactive Water Is Complicating Japan and Korea’s New Friendship
NYTimes 20230821
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/world/asia/korea-japan-fukushima.html
China puts onus on computing power as US tech war shows no sign of abating
SCMP 20230821
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3231817/china-puts-onus-computing-power-us-tech-war-shows-no-sign-abating
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Marshall Islands reacts to US expansion of nuclear compensation
Marianas Variety 20230821
https://www.mvariety.com/news/marshall-islands-reacts-to-us-expansion-of-nuclear-compensation/article_72b6eb98-3f55-11ee-ac0f-53b4fd3eeff1.html
Think tank: Information gap too wide in missile defense proposal
GDP 20230822
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/think-tank-information-gap-too-wide-in-missile-defense-proposal/article_99d417a0-3fd2-11ee-af7a-bf29ccc5745e.html
'Routine' flight for low-flying aircraft, base says Monday
GDP 20230822
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/routine-flight-for-low-flying-aircraft-base-says-monday/article_8accc1ea-3fcc-11ee-a5ba-6738f6a5f947.html
Island Waves
Putting a PNG stamp on security
Lowy 20230821
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/putting-png-stamp-security
Papua New Guinea's Marape: Pacific power broker or PM in peril?
Nikkei 20230822
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Papua-New-Guinea-s-Marape-Pacific-power-broker-or-PM-in-peril
Pacific Ocean Safeguarded from Illegal Fishing Threats
Solomon Times 20230921
https://www.solomontimes.com/news/pacific-ocean-safeguarded-from-illegal-fishing-threats/12765
Maritime bosses agree for more security
Samoa Observer 20230821
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/105178
Samoan police officers travel to China
Samoa Observer 20230821
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/105218
Solomon Islands leader credits China-aided Pacific Games as economic lifeline
Benar 20230821
https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/pacific/china-hands-stadium-to-solomon-islands-for-pacific-games-08202023235227.html
FLOATING HOSPITAL WELCOMED
Solomon Star 20230821
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/floating-hospital-welcomed/
Solomon Islands' PM hails Chinese medical ship services
Xinhua 20230821
https://english.news.cn/20230821/85d835c2941d40918948bd007ee86a3d/c.html
Korea reassures support for Fiji
FBCN 20230821
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/korea-reassures-support-for-fiji/
Taiwan + SCS
Taiwan proposes largest-ever defense budget for 2024
CNA (TW) 20230821
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202308210025
LOGISTICS INTERDICTION FOR TAIWAN UNIFICATION CAMPAIGNS
WOTR 20230821
https://warontherocks.com/2023/08/logistics-interdiction-for-taiwan-unification-campaigns/
Repulse warships, planes, ex-deputy commander urges
Taipei Times 20230822
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/08/22/2003805107
Taiwan VP blasts China's recent military drills
Taiwan News 20230821
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4976420
PLA drills around Taiwan after William Lai’s US trip seen as ‘more restrained’
SCMP 20230821
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3231820/pla-drills-around-taiwan-after-william-lais-us-trip-seen-more-restrained
DDP authorities' plot of selling Taiwan to flatter US doomed to failure
China Military 20230821
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16246586.html
UAV defense strategy needs overhaul: officer
Taipei Times 20230822
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/08/22/2003805108
Taiwan tracks 6 Chinese military ships, 2 aircraft
Taiwan News 20230821
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4976604
Will US-China come to blows over Second Thomas Shoal?
Asia Times 20230821
https://asiatimes.com/2023/08/will-us-china-come-to-blows-over-second-thomas-shoal/
Australia, US and Japan plan joint navy drills in disputed South China Sea
ABC (AU) 20230821
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-21/australia-us-and-japan-plan-joint-navy-drills-in-disputed-south-/102753854
Australian Amphib HMAS Canberra in the Philippines for Drills Amidst South China Sea Tensions
USNI 20230821
https://news.usni.org/2023/08/21/australian-amphib-hmas-canberra-in-the-philippines-for-drills-admist-south-china-sea-tensions
US, Japan and Australia send flat-deck force to South China Sea amid aggression from Beijing
S&S 20230821
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2023-08-21/south-china-sea-carrier-training-11112626.html
AFP not informed of US-Japan-Australia South China Sea drills
PhilStar 20230822
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/22/2290430/afp-not-informed-us-japan-australia-south-china-sea-drills
Romualdez: US ‘prepared’ for multilateral joint patrols in South China Sea, awaits PH decision
CNN (PH) 20230822
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/8/21/us-joint-patrols-scs-jose-manuel-romualdez.html
Philippines to skip US-Japan-Australia joint drills in South China Sea
GT 20230821
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202308/1296684.shtml
Who Promised to Remove the Grounded Philippine Ship on Second Thomas Shoal?
The Diplomat 20230821
https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/who-promised-to-remove-the-grounded-philippine-ship-on-second-thomas-shoal/
Kouth Korea, India rebuke Beijing over South China Sea claims
Nikkei 20230821
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/South-China-Sea/South-Korea-India-rebuke-Beijing-over-South-China-Sea-claims
Capabilities
Australia to buy Tomahawk cruise missiles in $1.7bn spend on long-range defence capability
Guardian 20230920
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/21/australia-to-buy-tomahawk-cruise-missiles-in-17bn-spend-on-long-range-defence-capability
Fret not, Aussies: US Navy still far superior to China’s
Asia Times 20230821
https://asiatimes.com/2023/08/fret-not-aussies-us-navy-still-far-superior-to-chinas/
Rebooting Australia’s defence industry policy: opening an investment pipeline
ASPI 20230821
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/rebooting-australias-defence-industry-policy-opening-an-investment-pipeline/
Deterrence is Australia’s best defence: Conroy
AFR 20230821
https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/deterrence-is-australia-s-best-defence-conroy-20230729-p5dsa1
JAPAN’S STRATEGY TO CONFRONT NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR AND BALLISTIC MISSILES
WOTR 20230821
https://warontherocks.com/2023/08/japans-strategy-to-confront-north-koreas-nuclear-and-ballistic-missiles/
US Air Force fires ARRW hypersonic in first test since March failure
Defense News 20230821
https://www.defensenews.com/battlefield-tech/space/2023/08/21/us-air-force-fires-arrw-hypersonic-in-first-test-since-march-failure/
STRATCOM Chief Says ‘More Options’ For Nuke Deterrence Always Preferable
Defense Daily 20230821
https://www.defensedaily.com/stratcom-chief-says-more-options-for-nuke-deterrence-always-preferable/air-force/
North Korea's Kim directs cruise missile test as South Korea-US drills begin
Reuters 20230820
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkoreas-kim-inspects-cruise-missile-test-navy-unit-kcna-2023-08-20/
“Strategic” Cruise Missile Tested From North Korea’s New Corvette
The Drive 20230821
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/strategic-cruise-missile-tested-from-north-koreas-new-corvette
Northrop, Lockheed win combined $1.5B for SDA low Earth orbit data network
Breaking Defense 20230821
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/08/northrop-lockheed-win-combined-1-5b-for-sda-low-earth-orbit-data-network/
Space Development Agency awards contracts to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman for 72 satellites
Space News 20230821
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-awards-1-5-billion-to-lockheed-martin-and-northrop-grumman-for-72-satellites/
Budget Matters: Congress Seeks Clarity on JADC2 Spending
National Defense 20230821
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/8/21/congress-seeks-clarity-on-jadc2-spending
Power
Nuclear War Could End the World, but What if It’s All in Our Heads?
NYTimes 20230821
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/science/nuclear-war-brain-neuroscience.html
Exercises
South Korea, U.S. begin joint military drills amid North Korea threat
Kyodo 20230821
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/08/4b106adddcdd-s-korea-us-begin-joint-military-drills-amid-n-korea-threat.html
Australia supports security exercise on Korean Peninsula
AU DoD 20230821
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2023-08-21/australia-supports-security-exercise-korean-peninsula
Provocative exercises pose ‘unprecedented’ danger to Korean Peninsula
GT 20230821
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202308/1296703.shtml
USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: Aug. 21, 2023
USNI 20230821
https://news.usni.org/2023/08/21/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-aug-21-2023