Pacific Winds 20231107

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

Australia’s Prime Minister to Meet With Xi Jinping in Beijing
Bloomberg 20231106
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-05/australia-s-pm-albanese-to-meet-with-xi-jinping-in-beijing

Xi Jinping tells Anthony Albanese China-Australia ties are now ‘on the right path’
SCMP 20231106
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3240552/xi-jinping-tells-anthony-albanese-china-australia-ties-are-now-right-path

Xi meets Australian prime minister
Xinhua 20231106
https://english.news.cn/20231106/20f806ff1d8c48539aeec9d20f05694d/c.html

Pragmatic cooperation can quell noise over China-Australia ties
GT 20231106
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301308.shtml

US proxy Anthony Albanese goes to Beijing
SCMP 20231106
https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/3240520/us-proxy-anthony-albanese-goes-beijing

For its standard of living to keep rising, Australia must trade with China
GT 20231106
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301275.shtml

Japan-Philippines moving toward US-led trilateral alliance
Asia Times 20231106
https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/japan-philippines-moving-toward-us-led-trilateral-alliance/

A new survey of wealthy nations finds favorable views rising for the US while declining for China
S&S 20231106
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2023-11-06/wealthy-nations-survey-us-china-11958498.html#

China’s bid for trans-Pacific trade pact ‘absurd’
Courier Mail (AU) 20231106
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/james-paterson-says-chinas-bid-for-transpacific-trade-pact-absurd/news-story/68586870b6d794b676e159ea8e493fdc

Yellen to Meet With China Counterpart This Week Before Biden-Xi Talks at APEC Summit
Bloomberg 20231106
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-06/janet-yellen-to-meet-with-chinese-counterpart-this-week-before-biden-xi-at-apec#xj4y7vzkg

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to visit US; better bilateral relations require US goodwill: analysts
GT 20231106
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301283.shtml

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

Camp Blaz talks safety amid firing range concerns
PDN 20231106
https://www.guampdn.com/news/camp-blaz-talks-safety-amid-firing-range-concerns/article_0d80dde2-7c59-11ee-babd-9bed8f26156e.html

Chinese cybersecurity threat includes Guam
KUAM 20231106
https://www.kuam.com/story/49954697/cybersecurity

Island Waves

Pacific Islands Forum: China-US rivalry takes centre stage as Solomon Islands deepens ties with Beijing
Guardian 20231106
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/06/pacific-islands-forum-2023-pif-climate-crisis-china-solomon-islands-beijing-security-deal

Preaching partnership in the Pacific islands
Islands Business 20231106
https://islandsbusiness.com/breaking-news/preaching-partnership-in-the-pacific-islands/

Cracks emerge in Pacific island unity as 3 leaders skip annual bloc meeting amid US-China rivalry
SCMP 20231106
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3240480/cracks-emerge-pacific-island-unity-3-leaders-skip-annual-bloc-meeting-amid-us-china-rivalry

Don't 'suck up' all the oxygen at Pacific Islands Forum, Mark Brown warns superpowers
Radio NZ 20231106
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/501786/don-t-suck-up-all-the-oxygen-at-pacific-islands-forum-mark-brown-warns-superpowers

Brown: US, China not hearing Pacific voices
Fiji Times 20231106
https://www.fijitimes.com/brown-us-china-not-hearing-pacific-voices/

Pacific security: whose strategy is it?
Radio NZ 20231106
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/501843/pacific-security-whose-strategy-is-it

Pacific Wrestles With the Great China-US Divide
The Diplomat 20231106
https://thediplomat.com/2023/11/pacific-wrestles-with-the-great-china-us-divide/

Pacific Islands Want a Climate Solution. The US Isn’t Listening
Bloomberg 20231106
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-11-05/pacific-islands-want-a-climate-solution-the-us-isn-t-listening#xj4y7vzkg

China and Australia's climate targets on the agenda as Pacific Islands Forum meeting kicks off in Cook Islands
ABC (AU) 20231107
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-07/pacific-islands-forum-australia-climate-targets-under-microscope/103070152

Australia outdoing US to counter China in the Pacific
Asia Times 20231106
https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/australia-outdoing-us-to-counter-china-in-the-pacific/

Does AUKUS undermine Australia’s position in the Pacific?
FBCN 20231106
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/world/does-aukus-undermine-australias-position-in-the-pacific/

The silent battle beneath the waves
PIT 20231106
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/the-silent-battle-beneath-the-waves

Taiwan + SCS

The US is quietly arming Taiwan to the teeth
BBC 20231106
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67282107

China’s Coercive Annexation of Taiwan: Economic, Military, Geopolitical Fallout for US and Allies
Baker 20231106
https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/chinas-coercive-annexation-taiwan-economic-military-geopolitical-fallout-us-and-allies

Rep. Mike Gallagher previews plans to deter China from invading Taiwan
Defense News 20231106
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2023/11/06/rep-mike-gallagher-previews-plans-to-deter-china-from-invading-taiwan/

Invading Taiwan would be a logistical minefield for China
Economist 20231106
https://www.economist.com/special-report/2023/11/06/invading-taiwan-would-be-a-logistical-minefield-for-china

Former military chief says Taiwan should focus on smaller, mobile weapons
Taiwan News 20231106
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5034508

Taiwan tracks 8 Chinese military aircraft, 6 naval ships around nation
Taiwan News 20231106
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5034130

Vietnam rapidly builds up South China Sea reef
RFA 20231106
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/vietnam-reef-11062023032009.html

Taiwan to keep deploying frigates to disputed South China Sea claim
Taiwan News 20231106
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5034496

Capabilities

TWO MYTHS ABOUT COUNTERFORCE
WOTR 20231106
https://warontherocks.com/2023/11/two-myths-about-counterforce/

The Conventional Wisdom About the Chinese Military Challenge: Incomplete and Unpersuasive
Quincey 20231106
https://quincyinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/QUINCY-BRIEF-NO.-48-NOVEMBER-2023-KOSIAK-1.pdf

Defence innovation and the valley of death
ASPI 20231106
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/defence-innovation-and-the-valley-of-death/

National defence and the RAN (part 2): tasking for deterrence by denial
ASPI 20231106
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/national-defence-and-the-ran-part-2-tasking-for-deterrence-by-denial/

National defence and the RAN (part 3): structuring the fleet for deterrence by denial
ASPI 20231106
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/national-defence-and-the-ran-part-3-structuring-the-fleet-for-deterrence-by-denial/

AUKUS sceptics are missing the point
ASPI 20231106
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aukus-sceptics-are-missing-the-point/

Indo-Pacific Expo will look beyond AUKUS subs
Breaking Defense 20231106
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/11/indo-pacific-expo-will-look-beyond-aukus-subs/

Japan Uses Small Vessels for 70％ of Warning, Surveillance; Have Inferior Ability to Follow, Monitor Foreign Warships
Yomiuri 20231107
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20231107-148003/

Philippines' military strengthening plan ambitious but unpromising
China Military 20231106
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16264896.html

China speeding into the low-cost drone swarm lead
Asia Times 20231106
https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/china-speeding-into-the-low-cost-drone-swarm-lead/

China Develops Low-Cost Drone Engines, US F-35 Costs Three Times the J-20
China Arms 20231106
https://www.china-arms.com/2023/11/china-us-new-arms-race/

How South Korea’s defense industry transformed itself into a global player
Breaking Defense 20231106
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/11/how-south-koreas-defense-industry-transformed-itself-into-a-global-player/

S. Korea sees signs of N. Korea receiving technical support from Russia over spy satellite
Yonhap 20231106
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231106008051315

Missile-alert Evacuation Drill Held in Tokyo
Yomiuri 20231106
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20231106-148031/

Exercises

Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong in South China Sea after Pacific drills, Japan says
Reuters 20231106
https://www.reuters.com/article/china-defence-japan/chinese-aircraft-carrier-shandong-in-south-china-sea-after-pacific-drills-japan-says-idUST9N39I021

USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: Nov. 6, 2023
USNI 20231106
https://news.usni.org/2023/11/06/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-nov-6-2023

Events

Countering Uncrewed Aerial Systems: A Conversation with General Sean Gainey
CSIS 14 November 2023 2-3:15 PM EST
https://www.csis.org/events/countering-uncrewed-aerial-systems-conversation-general-sean-gainey