Pacific Winds 20230914
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
North Korea-Russia relations moving to ‘fresh higher level,’ Kim says
WaPo 20230912
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/12/putin-kim-meeting-russia-north-korea/
North Korea's Kim pledges support for Russia, enhancing ties
Kyodo 20230913
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/e5ff731f2167-russias-putin-n-koreas-kim-to-meet-focus-on-military-cooperation.html
Kim Jong-un visits Russia, to meet Putin
GT 20230913
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298060.shtml
U.S. concerned about burgeoning defense cooperation between N. Korea, Russia: White House
Yonhap 20230914
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230914000200325?section=news
Summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin
CSIS 20230913
https://www.csis.org/analysis/summit-between-kim-jong-un-and-vladimir-putin
Pacific comes together, right now, over China and North Korea
Politico 20230912
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2023/09/12/pacific-comes-together-right-now-over-china-and-north-korea-00115322
The Most Important Country That Washington Is Apt to Get Wrong
Carnegie 20230913
https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/09/13/most-important-country-that-washington-is-apt-to-get-wrong-pub-90540
Joining Quad is extension of pro-US policy, showing Yoon administration’s lack of experience
GT 20230913
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298132.shtml
Biden’s One-Day Visit To Vietnam: New Avenues In Bilateral Relations For Indo-Pacific
Eurasia Review 20230913
https://www.eurasiareview.com/13092023-bidens-one-day-visit-to-vietnam-new-avenues-in-bilateral-relations-for-indo-pacific-analysis/
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Palacios feels pressured to re-connect with China market
Saipan Tribune 20230913
https://www.saipantribune.com/news/local/palacios-feels-pressured-to-re-connect-with-china-market/article_25e13cd4-5156-11ee-8986-1fc3d2390bf4.html
Island Waves
“Consensus Is the DNA of the Pacific Region”
Carnegie 20230913
https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/09/13/consensus-is-dna-of-pacific-region-pub-90534
Avoiding a bidding war in developing Pacific island militaries
ASPI 20230914
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/avoiding-a-bidding-war-in-developing-pacific-island-militaries/
Taiwan + SCS
Taiwan Strait Tensions Will Stabilize – But Only Temporarily
The Diplomat 20230913
https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/taiwan-strait-tensions-will-stabilize-but-only-temporarily/
China unveils Taiwan economic ‘integration’ plan as warships conduct manoeuvres off coast
Guardian 20230913
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/china-unveils-taiwan-economic-integration-plan-as-warships-conduct-manoeuvres-off-coast
Tokyo names ‘pro-Taiwan’ defense minister, reportedly appoints serving official to Taipei, facing backlash from Beijing
GT 20230913
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298138.shtml
These Tiny Japanese Islands May Have to Save Taiwan
Bloomberg 20230912
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-09-12/japan-s-ryukyu-islands-can-be-us-bases-in-conflict-with-china-over-taiwan
Declaration of ‘Taiwan independence’ could start a war in the Taiwan Strait
Think China 20230912
https://www.thinkchina.sg/declaration-taiwan-independence-could-start-war-taiwan-strait
PLA claims US stirring Ukraine-like ‘proxy war’ for Taiwan
Asia Times 20230913
https://asiatimes.com/2023/09/pla-claims-us-stirring-ukraine-like-proxy-war-for-taiwan/
Taiwan reports 28 Chinese air force planes in its air defence zone
Reuters 20230913
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-reports-28-chinese-air-force-planes-its-air-defence-zone-2023-09-13/
Taiwan tracks 27 Chinese military aircraft, 13 ships around nation
Taiwan News 20230913
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4997545
RoC National Defence Report 2023
RoC MoND 20230912
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23973306/taiwan-national.pdf
'Presence of US vessel boosts soldiers' morale'
Manila Times 20230913
https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/09/13/news/national/presence-of-us-vessel-boosts-soldiers-morale/1909816
Capabilities
Top Army general in the Pacific warns of China’s military threat
Army Times 20230913
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/09/13/top-army-general-in-the-pacific-warns-of-chinas-military-threat/
China’s new satellites extend its military reach, US says
Defense One 20230912
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/09/chinas-new-satellites-extend-its-militarys-reach-us-says/390223/
Strengthening the Shield
CNAS 20230913
https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/files.cnas.org/documents/CNAS-Report_Strengthening-the-Shield_091223_final-web.pdf?mtime=20230912082940&focal=none
China, Russia taking ‘batting practice’ in air intercepts of aging US aircraft, general says
Defense One 20230913
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/09/china-russia-taking-batting-practice-air-intercepts-aging-us-aircraft-general-says/390249/
Collaborative Air Combat Drones Will Head To Pacific En Masse
The Drive 20230913
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/collaborative-air-combat-drones-will-head-to-pacific-en-masse
Why a hard-kill strategy doesn’t work against combat drones
ASPI 20230913
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/why-a-hard-kill-strategy-doesnt-work-against-combat-drones/
Britain’s New Jackdaw Combat Drone Aims To Be “Disposable”
The Drive 20230912
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/britains-new-jackdaw-combat-drone-aims-to-be-disposable
GEOST sensors to detect interference will fly on SDA satellites
Breaking Defense 20230913
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/geost-sensors-to-detect-interference-will-fly-on-sda-satellites/
N. Korea fires 2 short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea ahead of Kim-Putin summit
Yonhap 20230913
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230831009553325?section=news
North Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles ahead of Kim-Putin talks
Kyodo 20230913
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/75ce0a1bd9f0-urgent-n-korea-fires-two-possible-ballistic-missiles.html
Russia and China Are Running in a Nuclear Arms Race While the United States Is Jogging in Place
Heritage 20230913
https://www.heritage.org/defense/report/russia-and-china-are-running-nuclear-arms-race-while-the-united-states-jogging-place
How North Korea Could Affect the War
Hudson 20230913
https://www.hudson.org/how-north-korea-could-affect-war-can-kasapoglu
Amid US tech sanctions, Chinese scientists say they made the world’s most powerful radar chip
SCMP 20230913
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3234346/amid-us-tech-sanctions-chinese-scientists-say-they-made-worlds-most-powerful-radar-chip
The Most Pressing Defense Policy Problem for the United States
AEI 20230913
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/the-most-pressing-defense-policy-problem-for-the-united-states/
The Case for Urgency Against China
Heritage 20230913
https://www.heritage.org/asia/commentary/the-case-urgency-against-china
Exercises
Chinese Aircraft Carrier, Warships Massing for Major Exercise Near the Philippines
USNI 20230913
https://news.usni.org/2023/09/13/chinese-aircraft-carrier-warships-massing-for-major-exercise-near-the-philippines
ASEAN maritime security and what next week’s navy exercises mean
Lowy 20230914
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/asean-maritime-security-what-next-week-s-navy-exercises-mean