Alliances
U.S. and Allies Sound Alarm Over Their Adversaries’ Military Ties
NYTimes 20240930
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/us/politics/us-axis-china-iran-russia.html
NATO's Indo-Pacific policy riddled with challenges
DW 20240929
https://www.dw.com/en/natos-indo-pacific-policy-riddled-with-challenges/a-70282598
Hyping anti-China topics won't sustain QUAD
China Military 20240930
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16342166.html
Australian treasurer makes landmark visit to China
VoA 20240930
https://www.voanews.com/a/australian-treasurer-makes-landmark-visit-to-china/7804265.html
China’s missile tests New Zealand’s principles
Lowy 20240930
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/china-s-missile-tests-new-zealand-s-principles
Recent Developments Along the China-North Korea Border
CSIS 20240930
https://beyondparallel.csis.org/recent-developments-along-the-china-north-korea-border/
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Guam locals pay the price for US security
RNZ 20240930
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/529389/the-detail-guam-locals-pay-the-price-for-us-security
Governor, Joint Task Force-Micronesia, Joint Region Marianas Convene Civil-Military Coordination Council
DVIDS 20240930
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/482054/governor-joint-task-force-micronesia-joint-region-marianas-convene-civil-military-coordination-council
Japan’s incoming prime minister calls for establishment of Japanese military base on Guam
PIT 20240930
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/japan-s-incoming-pm-calls-for-establishment-of-japanese-military-base-on-guam
902 talks to be held in CNMI
Saipan Tribune 20240930
https://www.saipantribune.com/news/local/902-talks-to-be-held-in-cnmi/article_eb6ed4da-7db4-11ef-b37a-e345c459969e.html
Island Waves
Making Our Rhetoric Real: U.S. Diplomacy in the Pacific Islands
AFSA 2024 October
https://afsa.org/making-our-rhetoric-real-us-diplomacy-pacific-islands
China’s missile test triggers diplomatic shockwaves in French Polynesia
RNZ 20240930
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/529200/china-s-missile-test-triggers-diplomatic-shockwaves-in-french-polynesia
Indonesia, Solomon Islands join countries banning nuclear weapons, putting Australia at odds with neighbours
ABC (AU) 20240929
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/indonesia-ratifying-nuclear-pact-what-it-means-for-australia/104401610
Pacific initiatives need transparency and ground rules to reduce harmful competition
ASPI 20240930
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/pacific-initiatives-need-transparency-and-ground-rules-to-reduce-harmful-competition/
JICA hands over IBF project in Auki
Solomon Star 20240930
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/jica-hands-over-ibf-project-in-auki/
Japan hands over 67 sawmills
Solomon Star 20240930
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/japan-hands-over-67-sawmills/
The Australian and New Zealand Governments handover new classrooms to Lambi Community High School
SIBC 20240930
https://www.sibconline.com.sb/the-australian-and-new-zealand-governments-handover-new-classrooms-to-lambi-community-high-school/
New Hercules aircraft touch down in Samoa
Samoa Observer 20240930
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/111279
Sogavare praises China’s development contributions
Solomon Star 20240930
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/sogavare-praises-chinas-development-contributions/
What I found on the secretive tropical island they don't want you to see
BBC 20240929
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckdg7jjlx2go
Taiwan + SCS
U.S. announces largest-ever US$567 million military aid package for Taiwan
CNA (TW) 20240930
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202409300006
‘Taiwan independence’ a dead end; US to face consequences if insisting on supporting it by force: Chinese FM
GT 20240930
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202409/1320607.shtml
China’s Xi Jinping warns ‘Taiwan separatists’, stresses support for Hong Kong and Maca
SCMP 20240930
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3280590/chinas-xi-jinping-lobs-warning-separatists-across-taiwan-strait-national-day-speech
How Emotional Contagion Could Lead to Conflict with China
AIIA 20240930
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/how-emotional-contagion-could-lead-to-conflict-with-china/
As important as Ukraine is, a Taiwan war must be Australia’s biggest worry
ASPI 20240930
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/as-important-as-ukraine-is-a-taiwan-war-must-be-australias-biggest-worry/
Taiwan to get first US Abrams tanks after years of delay. But can they take on the PLA?
SCMP 20240930
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3280592/taiwan-get-first-us-abrams-tanks-after-years-delay-can-they-take-pla
US Navy launches 'Project 33' to defend Taiwan from China invasion
Taiwan News 20240930
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5944443
Taiwan tracks 9 Chinese military aircraft, 4 naval vessels
Taiwan News 20240930
https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/en/release/202409/20240930en.pdf
AFP: No Chinese drills in WPS as Beijing claimed
Inquirer (PH) 20240930
https://www.inquirer.net/414298/afp-no-chinese-drills-in-wps-as-beijing-claimed/#ixzz8nKtdciOy
Verifying the attack on Quang Ngai fishing boat, many fishermen injured
Tienphong 20240930
https://tienphong.vn/xac-minh-viec-tau-ca-quang-ngai-bi-tan-cong-nhieu-ngu-dan-bi-thuong-post1677791.tpo
Capabilities
Defense Ministry Signs Contracts for 2 Aegis-Equipped Vessels
Yomiuri 20240930
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20240930-214161/
US, Japan plan firsts for Ospreys and HIMARS at upcoming military exercise
S&S 20240930
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2024-09-30/ospreys-himars-keen-sword-japan-15350620.html
Chinese FM Criticizes US Missile Deployment in the Philippines
The Diplomat 20240930
https://thediplomat.com/2024/09/chinese-fm-criticizes-us-missile-deployment-in-the-philippines/
U.S. Space Command begins dual-track operations of spaceflight safety services with Office of Space Commerce
US SpaceCom 20240930
https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/3921174/us-space-command-begins-dual-track-operations-of-spaceflight-safety-services-wi/
Commercial space’s critical role in the race to outpace adversaries
Space News 20240930
https://spacenews.com/commercial-spaces-critical-role-race-outpace-adversaries/
Navy struggling to contain costs for Columbia-class sub program, says GAO
Breaking Defense 20240930
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/09/navy-struggling-to-contain-costs-for-columbia-class-sub-program-says-gao/
Columbia Class Submarine:Overcoming Persistent Challenges Requires Yet Undemonstrated Performance and Better-Informed Supplier Investments
GAO 20240930
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-24-107732.pdf
Marines Tap Mobile 5G for Deeper Battlefield Awareness
USNI 20240930
https://news.usni.org/2024/09/30/marines-tap-mobile-5g-for-deeper-battlefield-awareness
Replicator 2 effort aims to produce anti-drone defenses
Defense One 20240930
https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2024/09/replicator-2-effort-aims-produce-anti-drone-defenses/399923/
Exercises
USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: Sept. 30, 2024
USNI 20240930
https://news.usni.org/2024/09/30/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-sept-30-2024