Pacific Winds 20231208
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
China's President Xi to visit Vietnam, looking to build on ties
Reuters 20231207
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-president-xi-visit-vietnam-2023-12-07/
France keen on having VFA with PH soonest, envoy says
Inquirer (PH) 20231207
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/223904/france-keen-on-having-vfa-with-ph-soonest-envoy-says#ixzz8LEcJisNc
China urges Japan to stop hyping up "China threat": spokesperson
Xinhua 20231207
https://english.news.cn/20231207/55904fb0c6044861afbf8ee8c257e488/c.html
More Japanese than Taiwanese consider China major threat
Taiwan News 20231207
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5054441
Beyond Taiwan and De-risking: Allied Strategies for Addressing the China Challenge
CSIS 20231206
https://www.csis.org/analysis/beyond-taiwan-and-de-risking-allied-strategies-addressing-china-challenge
Lawmakers Press Biden Administration for Tougher Curbs on China Tech
NYTimes 20231207
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/us/politics/lawmakers-biden-china-tech.html
Broader US chip export ban puts firms in greater dilemma
GT 20231207
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202312/1303239.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
US faces hurdles next year for Guam’s missile defense, experts warn
Defense News 20231207
https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/2023/12/04/us-faces-hurdles-next-year-for-guams-missile-defense-experts-warn/
Assessing Chinese Influence in the Pacific Islands States: A Media Analysis
Asia Society 20231206
https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/assessing-chinese-influence-pacific-islands-states-media-analysis
Campbell stresses need for US to approve deals with Pacific islands
Reuters 20231207
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/campbell-stresses-need-us-approve-deals-with-pacific-islands-2023-12-07/
China Threatens US Interests in Micronesia, Former President Warns
The Diplomat 20231207
https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/china-threatens-us-interests-in-micronesia-former-president-warns/
U.S. signals plan for immediate-range missiles in the North Pacific
Islands Business 20231207
https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/pacific-security-4/
U.S. Coast Guard conducts security boarding at Port of Guam, bolstering maritime security
USCG FM/SG 20231206
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/459327/us-coast-guard-conducts-security-boarding-port-guam-bolstering-maritime-security
Island Waves
PM Marape and PM Albanese Sign Bilateral Security Agreement
Post Courier (PNG) 20231207
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/pm-marape-and-pm-albanese-sign-bilateral-security-agreement/
Anthony Albanese and James Marape sign sweeping security pact between Australia and PNG, China continues efforts to expand Pacific policing ties
ABC (AU) 20231207
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-07/australia-png-sweeping-security-agreement-threats-pacific-china/103200386
Australia Signs Pacific Pact in Battle for Influence With China
Bloomberg 20231207
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-07/australia-signs-pacific-pact-in-battle-for-influence-with-china
Australia – Papua New Guinea Bilateral Security Agreement
AU MOFAT 20231207
https://www.dfat.gov.au/node/15354
Australia in the Blue Pacific: a political and development shift for the century
DevPolicy 20231207
https://devpolicy.org/australia-in-the-blue-pacific-a-shift-for-the-century-20231207/
RSDP ROLLOUT STARTS
Solomon Star 20231207
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/rsdp-rollout-starts/
South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting in New Caledonia
ABC (AU) 20231207
https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/south-pacific-defence-ministers-meeting-in-new-caledonia/103199390
Solomon Islands to arm patrol boats
Australian Defence 20231207
https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/solomon-islands-to-arm-patrol-boats
Pacific Island Countries’ Seesawing Security Diplomacy
The Diplomat 20231207
https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/pacific-island-countries-seesawing-security-diplomacy/
Taiwan pledges US$2 million for fisheries upgrade in Pacific countries
CNA (TW) 20231207
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202312070007
Taiwan + SCS
The War of 2026: Phase III Scenario
USNI Proceedings 2023 December
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/december/war-2026-phase-iii-scenario
Resisting China’s Gray Zone Military Pressure on Taiwan
CNAS 20231207
https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/resisting-chinas-gray-zone-military-pressure-on-taiwan
Enhancing Australia’s Taiwan ties
Lowy 20231206
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/enhancing-australia-s-taiwan-ties
Taiwan reports rare nighttime Chinese military activity nearby
Reuters 20231207
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-reports-rare-nighttime-chinese-military-activity-nearby-2023-12-07/
Taiwan tracks 10 Chinese military aircraft, 6 naval ships around nation
Taiwan News 20231207
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5054330
G7 warns China on military activities in South China Sea, urges it to press Russia to exit Ukraine
SCMP 20231207
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3244131/g7-warns-china-military-activities-south-china-sea-urges-it-press-russia-exit-ukraine
G7 hyping of South China Sea issue part of anti-China cognitive warfare: expert
GT 20231207
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202312/1303256.shtml
NO CHINA BACKLASH, SO FAR: THE PHILIPPINES’ NEW ASSERTIVE TRANSPARENCY POLICY IN THE SOUTH CHINA
Fulcrum 20231207
https://fulcrum.sg/no-china-backlash-so-far-the-philippines-new-assertive-transparency-policy-in-the-south-china-sea/
Beijing’s illegal conquest of the South China Sea is meeting resistance
Telegraph (UK) 20231207
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/07/south-china-sea-philippines-navy-beijing-nine-dash-illegal/
Manila embarks on ‘name and shame’ strategy to counter Beijing
RFA 20231207
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/philippines-name-and-shame-12072023031851.html
Dialogue the right way to resolve disputes
China Military 20231208
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16271577.html
Capabilities
China is using US-allied exercises to find ‘soft targets’: US Army’s Pacific chief
Defense One 20231206
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/12/china-using-us-allied-exercises-find-soft-targets-us-armys-pacific-chief/392538/
No, Japan is not ready for AUKUS
ASPI 20231207
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/no-japan-is-not-ready-for-aukus/
Australian spy chief reveals 'top secret' data cloud project that's interoperable with US, UK
ABC (AU) 20231207
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-07/top-secret-intelligence-cloud-us-uk-spy-networks/103196700
Next phase AUKUS prime for Anglophone expansion
Asia Times 20231207
https://asiatimes.com/2023/12/next-phase-aukus-prime-for-anglophone-expansion/
Deputy secretary of state nominee stresses focus on N.K. deterrence amid growing threats
Yonhap 20231208
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231208000300315?section=news
U.S., Japan agree on need to bolster deterrence over N.K. missile threats in security talks
Yonhap 20231208
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231208000200315?section=news
Spy demonstrator planes log nearly 1,000 sorties in Europe and Pacific
Defense News 20231206
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/12/06/spy-demonstrator-planes-log-nearly-1000-sorties-in-europe-and-pacific/
You Can’t Win Without (More) Submarines
USNI Proceedings 2023 December
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/december/you-cant-win-without-more-submarines
We Calculated How Many B-21 Raider Bombers America Needs
Popular Mechanics 20231207
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a46002149/how-many-b-21-raider-bombers-america-needs/
Pentagon Grounds All V-22s for ‘Potential Materiel Failure’ After Crash off Japan
USNI 20231206
https://news.usni.org/2023/12/06/pentagon-grounds-all-v-22s-after-air-force-crash-off-japan
AUKUS, JADC2, planes and tanks: What’s in the draft $874.2B NDAA
Breaking Defense 20231207
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/12/aukus-jadc2-planes-and-tanks-whats-in-the-draft-874-2b-ndaa/
Final Pentagon budget bill features Taiwan, Aukus and counters to China’s influence
SCMP 20231207
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3244291/final-pentagon-budget-bill-features-taiwan-aukus-and-counters-chinas-influence
Power
America’s re-balance to Asia delayed … again
Lowy 20231208
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/america-s-re-balance-asia-delayed-again
Moody’s warns US, China it’s time to change their ways
Asia Times 20231207
https://asiatimes.com/2023/12/moodys-warns-us-china-its-time-to-change-their-ways/
Exercises
International observers in multinational harmony at Operation Christmas Drop 2023
USAF PacAF 20231207
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3610407/international-observers-in-multinational-harmony-at-operation-christmas-drop-20/