Pacific Winds 20230922
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Is ASEAN the Indo-Pacific's ultimate power broker?
Responsible Statecraft 20230921
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/asean-china-us/
Canada and New Zealand Need to Consider Joining Pillar 2 of AUKUS
The Diplomat 20230921
https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/canada-and-new-zealand-need-to-consider-joining-pillar-2-of-aukus/
US officials 'strangling' strategic partnership, Australia warns
WashExam 20230921
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/us-bureaucrats-strangling-aukus-partnership
U.S.-Indonesia ties are frosty, but who's giving the cold shoulder?
Nikkei 20230921
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Comment/U.S.-Indonesia-ties-are-frosty-but-who-s-giving-the-cold-shoulder
Vietnam, key piece of America’s Indo-Pacific puzzle
ORF 20230921
https://www.orfonline.org/research/vietnam-key-piece-of-americas-indo-pacific-puzzle/
False Narratives Pit a Fabricated “Global South” Against the West
AIIA 20230921
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/false-narratives-pit-a-fabricated-global-south-against-the-west/
US Has Costly Delusions About Decoupling From China
Bloomberg 20230921
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-09-21/the-us-has-costly-delusions-about-decoupling-from-china
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Trump declared that 'Guam isn't America' when he was warned that the US territory could be vulnerable to a North Korean nuclear strike, report says
BI 20230922
https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-john-kelly-guam-isnt-america-north-korea-2023-9
Marshall Islands says US must address nuclear legacy for deal on future ties
Reuters 20230920
https://www.reuters.com/world/marshall-islands-says-us-must-address-nuclear-legacy-deal-future-ties-2023-09-21/
Army general calls for blimplike surveillance system over Guam
GDP 20230922
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/army-general-calls-for-blimplike-surveillance-system-over-guam/article_0c6de668-5826-11ee-993c-530f0a6fb4d1.html
FSM becomes first country to sign oceans treaty
Islands Business 20230921
https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/fsm-bbnj/
734th AMS EAGLES: A Force of Innovation and Resilience in Guam
USAF PacAF 20230920
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3532707/734th-ams-eagles-a-force-of-innovation-and-resilience-in-guam/
Island Waves
The US–Pacific Islands Partnership, one year on
Lowy 20230922
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/us-pacific-islands-partnership-one-year
Pacific island leaders hope for less rhetoric, more substance from US summit
Benar 20230920
https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/pacific/us-pacific-summit-as-china-makes-inroads-09202023222830.html
Statecraft in the Pacific
Radio NZ 20230921
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/498453/statecraft-in-the-pacific
French Sail in with Relief Supplies
Post Courier (PNG) 20230921
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/french-navy-sail-in-with-relief-supplies/
Pacific nations sign up to UN high seas treaty – ‘Ratifying and implementing’ next
Radio NZ 20230921
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/498457/pacific-nations-sign-up-to-un-high-seas-treaty-ratifying-and-implementing-next
Australia boosts students' climate knowledge
Samoa Observer 20230921
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/105783
Time to hold nuclear states to their promise
ASPI 20230921
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/time-to-hold-nuclear-states-to-their-promise/
Japan with favorable ruling orders Okinawa to resume work on Marine airfield
S&S 20230921
https://www.stripes.com/branches/marine_corps/2023-09-21/mcas-futenma-tamaki-saito-henoko-airfield-11434430.html
Taiwan + SCS
Japan, U.S. fleet Commanders Prepare for Taiwan Contingency; Quick Response System a ‘Maximum Necessity’
Yomiuri 20230922
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20230922-138071/
China’s Fighter Jets Aren’t Just Flying Around Taiwan. They’re Practicing.
WSJ 20230921
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/chinas-fighter-jets-arent-just-flying-around-taiwan-theyre-practicing-d6e56cc5
PLA Army's newly unveiled armed recon drone likely joined drills around Taiwan island: analysts
GT 20230921
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298669.shtml
China sends 20 military aircraft, 7 naval ships around Taiwan
Taiwan News 20230921
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5004229
Philippines on cusp of new South China Sea cold war
Asia Times 20230921
https://asiatimes.com/2023/09/philippines-on-cusp-of-new-south-china-sea-cold-war/
PH to file suit vs China
Manila Times 20230921
https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/09/21/news/ph-to-file-suit-vs-china/1910963
Philippines’ accusations over massive coral harvesting in reef in S.China Sea by Chinese vessels are baseless: experts
GT 20230921
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298348.shtml
China says Philippines ‘creating a political drama’ over coral damage in Rozul Reef
Rappler 20230921
https://www.rappler.com/world/asia-pacific/china-philippines-creating-political-drama-over-damage-rozul-reef/
When China’s safety concerns meet US hegemony in South, East China Seas
GT 20230921
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298671.shtml
What is at Stake For the EU in the South China Sea?
The Diplomat 20230921
https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/what-is-at-stake-for-the-eu-in-the-south-china-sea/
Why the South China Sea Fuels US-China Tensions
Bloomberg 20230921
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-21/why-the-south-china-sea-fuels-us-china-tensions
Capabilities
ASPI’s critical tech tracker updates: China’s lead in advanced sensors is overwhelming
ASPI 20230922
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aspis-critical-tech-tracker-update-chinas-lead-in-advanced-sensors-is-overwhelming/
China unveils railgun-armed nuclear-powered supercarrier
Asia Times 20230921
https://asiatimes.com/2023/09/china-unveils-railgun-armed-nuclear-powered-supercarrier/
US Military Highly Concerned About China’s New Super Battery: Suitable for High-Energy Weapons!
China Arms 20230921
https://www.china-arms.com/2023/09/china-super-battery-for-high-energy-weapons/
SCALING THE FUTURE: HOW REPLICATOR AIMS TO FAST-TRACK U.S. DEFENSE CAPABILITIES
WOTR 20230920
https://warontherocks.com/2023/09/scaling-the-future-how-replicator-aims-to-fast-track-u-s-defense-capabilities/
US drone ships deployed near China for first time
The Hill 20230921
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4216391-us-drone-ships-deployed-near-china-for-first-time/
Chinese Expansion Prompts Other Navies to Work Closer Together, Modernize Fleets
USNI 20230920
https://news.usni.org/2023/09/20/chinese-expansion-prompts-other-navies-to-work-closer-together-modernize-fleets
Space Force looking to fill tech ‘gaps,’ and ‘evolve’ space domain awareness: Saltzman
Breaking Defense 20230920
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/space-force-looking-to-fill-tech-gaps-and-evolve-space-domain-awareness-saltzman/
‘Not enough’: Space Force pauses commercial strategy to flesh out ‘actionable’ plans with industry
Breaking Defense 20230921
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/not-enough-space-force-pauses-commercial-strategy-to-flesh-out-actionable-plans-with-industry/
Space industry shakeups: Aerospace consolidates, Maxar breaks up
Breaking Defense 20230921
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/space-industry-shakeups-aerospace-consolidates-maxar-breaks-up/
PROLIFERATE, DON’T OBLITERATE: HOW RESPONSIVE LAUNCH MARGINALIZES ANTI-SATELLITE CAPABILITIES
WOTR 20230921
https://warontherocks.com/2023/09/proliferate-dont-obliterate-how-responsive-launch-marginalizes-anti-satellite-capabilities/
Laser comms in orbit underpin Space Force’s Transport and Tracking layers for data and missile warning
Breaking Defense 20230921
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/laser-comms-in-orbit-underpin-space-forces-transport-and-tracking-layers-for-data-and-missile-warning/
Ukraine downed a hypersonic missile with a Patriot. What that says about the future of weapons
Defense One 20230921
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2023/09/what-ukraines-shoot-down-hypersonic-missile-patriot-says-about-future-weapons/390498/
Lockheed Martin Secures Financial Boost for US Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Project
Release 20230920
https://www.breakinglatest.news/news/lockheed-martin-secures-financial-boost-for-us-armys-long-range-hypersonic-weapon-project/
Pentagon propping up F-35 readiness by buying new parts instead of waiting for repairs, GAO says
Defense One 20230921
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/09/pentagon-propping-f-35-readiness-buying-new-parts-instead-waiting-repairs-gao-says/390522/
CRS Report to Congress on Virginia Submarines, AUKUS Proposal
USNI 20230921
https://news.usni.org/2023/09/21/report-to-congress-on-virginia-submarines-aukus-proposal
Strategic Landpower Dialogue: A Conversation with Secretary Christine Wormuth & General Randy George
CSIS 20230918 (Transcript)
https://www.csis.org/analysis/landpower-dialogue-conversation-secretary-christine-wormuth-general-randy-george
Exercises
US, Japanese troops train to fight in many domains during 10-day Orient Shield
S&S 20230921
https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2023-09-21/orient-shield-multidomain-hokkaido-us-army-11434419.html
Chinese naval ship Qi Jiguang concludes goodwill visit to Indonesia
China Military 20230921
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/16253532.html